Hitachi Construction Machinery

07/07/2017

Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa Expands in Southern Africa Market

Kraatz Appointed as Namibian Dealer for Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa

Boksburg, South Africa, 14 June, 2017 — Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa (Pty) Ltd. today announced that Kraatz, a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List Group, had been appointed as the Namibian dealer for Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa, effective 1 June 2017. The award of the dealership by Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa to Kraatz follows months of extensive discussions exploring opportunities to enhance service delivery to clients of Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa in Namibia. As the Namibian dealer, Kraatz will sell a Construction Machinery and parts as well as perform aftersales support including the on-site maintenance for Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa’s Machinery owners in Namibia.

Speaking at the award ceremony on 23 May in Windhoek, Namibia, Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa President, Toshiaki Takase said that  Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa is very pleased to announce their expanding presence In the Namibian market and very excited about the future prospects and partnership with Kraatz as part of the O&L Group. The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group will focus on the Construction and Mining Machinery business, which includes Hydraulic Excavators, Wheel Loaders, Rigid Dump Trucks, Cranes & Foundation Machinery, and Mine Management Technology Systems. We are also fully committed to support Kraatz with all marketing, sales and product support functions throughout our venture and were thus keen to find a local partner that can provide Reliable solutions and optimal support to all our mining and construction clients. Mr. Toshiaki Takase further stated that this venture further commits to supporting our existing customers ensured through partnership of Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa with Kraatz where our clients will enjoy the benefits of support provided by a local dealer, an capacity building program would ensure local skills transfer as well as ICT solutions.

According to the O&L Group Executive Chairman, Sven Thieme, Kraatz as a wholly owned Namibian company and part of the O&L Group, subscribes to the O&L purpose of “Creating a Future, Enhancing Life” – which sees this group committed to creating value for Namibia that has earned itself a proud track record of service delivery within the mining and construction sector.

Dirk van Niekerk, Managing Director of Kraatz said: “We are very excited about this opportunity for Kraatz and are looking forward to grow this into a fully-fledged business unit that not only enhances Kraatz’s offering and creates more choice in the Namibian market, but also ensures that clients of Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa enjoy the benefits of services offered locally. Kraatz’s existing service offering in particular, welding, machining, mobile line boring and hydraulics is very complementary to the Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa offering providing our clients with a one stop shop service offering. The addition of the agency of Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa will add 20-30 near term job opportunities that can grow significantly in years to come and provides a platform for young Namibians from tertiary educational institutions to get world class on-the-job training.”

The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group will continue to promote collaborations with different business partners through open innovation. We will also work on “One Hitachi”―the efforts to utilize ICT, control and IoT technologies that constitute Hitachi Group’s edge―to provide Reliable solutions for social issues as a close, reliable partner to our customers.

■ Kraatz, a subsidiary of the O&L Group, has been appointed as the Namibian dealer for Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa, effective 1 June 2017. As the Namibian dealer, Kraatz will sell construction machinery and parts of Hitachi brand as well as perform the on-site maintenance for construction machinery of Hitachi brand owners in Namibia. O&L Executive Chairman, Sven Thieme (3rd from right) accepts the award from the president of Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa, Toshiaki Takase. Joining them in the photo are Kraatz Managing Director, Dirk van Niekerk (right) and O&L Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Peter Grüttemeyer (2nd from right). On the left is  Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa General Manager PDC, Philip Smith.

■ Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa, O&L and Kraatz leadership at the signing ceremony which confirms Kraatz as the official dealer for Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa in Namibia.

From left to right: Yasushi Tokuda, Hannes Eloff, Toshiaki Takase, Philip Smith (back), Angela Rough, Gerrie Steenberg (back), Patricia Hoeksema, Sven Thieme, Peter Grüttemeyer, Christian Nissen, Dirk van Niekerk.

About Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa (Pty) Ltd. Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa (Pty) Ltd. headquartered in Boksburg, Johannesburg, is a Southern African distributor for Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., based in Japan. Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa has three subsidiary dealers in South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique. HCAF also expanded into countries within the Africa continent as independent dealers in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mauritius including Seychelles and Namibia. Hitachi Construction Machinery will focus more than ever on the Construction and Mining Machinery Business, which includes Hydraulic Excavators, Wheel Loaders, Rigid Dump Trucks, Compaction Equipment, Cranes & Foundation Machines, Applications and Mine Management Systems. For more information on Hitachi Construction Machinery, please visit the company’s website at https://www.hitachicm.co.za/