Motion Control's editors had the opportunity to spend a morning recently at Rand Building Hydraulics with MD Robin Fowkes, and sales and marketing director Vernie Pillay.
Founded by Horst Guschker as part of Rand Building Machinery Group 30 years ago, to manufacture hydraulic power packs, Rand Building Hydraulics (RBH) has a solid past and looks to have a bright future. The Rand Building Machinery Group now trades as H. Birkemayer and RBH still builds power packs for them - although the tables are now turned and RBH is a shareholder in H. Birkemayer.
Pillay was RBH's first employee and there is a legend that tells of his employment by Guschker. Apparently the interview comprised three questions: "What is your name?" "How much do you want?" and "When can you start?" And while the entrepreneurial spirit lives on under Fowkes, the processes for both manufacturing and HR are more formalised because of their ISO 9001/2000 certification.
Product mix
Using modern programmable CNC machine centres and conventional machine tools, RBH is a specialist manufacturer of hydraulic manifolds. Blocks and assemblies form an important part of the company's product mix. The supply of cartridge valves is a logical extension of this manufacturing and as a result RBH has represented cartridge valve manufacturer Integrated Hydraulics since 1987.
Integrated Hydraulics is very strong in the over-centre valve and mobile sector and they are a well-respected supplier to the off-highway mobile sector.
Another important supplier is Larga of Italy, from whom RBH import hydraulic fittings. Fowkes explains that the company's products are of a good quality, manufactured to high tolerances.
Any power pack needs filters and tank accessories and for these RBH represents Hydroline of India. Pillay says that this is a rapidly growing portion of the business and there are many opportunities to supply into the mobile trucking market - especially off-highway applications. This supplier was chosen based on its choice of filtration materials, quality of manufacture and cost-competitiveness.
Hose, mild steel adaptors, gear and piston pumps, motors, hand control valves and industrial control valves are also imported and distributed by RBH.
Quality initiatives
Fowkes has a simple guiding principle in design and manufacturing. "I only like to make something once." RBH started on the path to ISO 9001 10 years ago and saw ISO as a big obstacle at the time, but in the year that it took to obtain certification, they and their consultant managed to make "ISO a workable, easy and beneficial aspect of our day-to-day operations."
Raw stock for manifold blocks is purchased with a certificate of analysis and there is full traceability from design to final test. Each block is serial numbered and supplied with a test certificate.
Markets served
The majority of RBH's customers come from OEMs and end users in the mining, trucking, agricultural and industrial sectors. Under Fowkes' leadership and his policy of vendor co-operation the company has also become a respected supplier to other hydraulic companies and these are an important part of the company's customer base.
"There is huge value in the camaraderie that exists in the South African hydraulic industry where participants co-operate for the advancement of the whole industry."
Growth
Walking around the premises Fowkes proudly shows off past building extensions and the current expansion activities that are underway. The hydraulics sector has experienced significant growth and head count is up around 25% over the past 18 months.
Fowkes says, "We are a growing service-orientated company that enjoys employee stability and provides the opportunity of promoting from within.
"The market is becoming more sophisticated and the industry will continue to grow. We are constrained by skills availability, but SAFPA is working on those initiatives." RBH also runs its own in-house development initiatives and encourages staff to take trade tests.
"Sub-Saharan Africa is the most exciting place to be doing business over the next 50 years," Fowkes concludes.
For more information contact Robin Fowkes, Rand Building Hydraulics, +27 (0)11 394 3477, [email protected], www.rbh.co.za
| Tel: | +27 11 394 3477 |
| Fax: | +27 11 394 3478 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.rbh.co.za |
| Articles: | More information and articles about Rand Building Hydraulics |
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