Doing business like champions

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First impressions count, especially when a company is about to invest some of its hard earned cash in capital equipment. In the case of Tshwane-based Ditshimega Projects, management was delighted with the way Komatsu does business, an excellent manner in which to begin a long and mutually beneficial relationship.

"When we put out enquiries for new excavators and backhoe loaders, Komatsu was the first manufacturer to respond, and we were so impressed with the quality of service and friendly attitude of its sales team," says general manager Themba Skhosana.

Ditshimega, which means ‘champions’ in Setswana, started out in 2012 under the leadership of managing director Sakkie Ranta who has an honours degree in civil engineering and is a registered professional engineer with the following esteemed bodies of authority in Engineering respectively; SAICE, ECSA & SABTACO. The company is living up to its name, having experienced consistent growth over the past three years and is looking to expand further into the Free State and Eastern Cape provinces.

This progress bodes well for the company to meet its clearly stated aspirations. These include becoming a supplier of choice to national and municipal authorities and to pioneer job creation with special concern for women, disabled youth and historically disadvantaged South Africans. Its commercial goal is to become a wholly self-sufficient business entity by 2020.

Ditshimega has an impressive track record of successfully completed projects, including civils and water reticulation projects, upgrading sewerage networks and school infrastructure for a variety of customers, including the City of Tshwane and the Free State Department of Education. Ditshimega is also active in project management and provides professional consulting services.

Themba makes the point that the company is in the construction business for the long haul, which is reflected by its stance on both equipment and personnel.

"We strongly believe in owning our own equipment for two specific reasons. Firstly, it proves to existing and potential customers that we are serious players in the construction business. Secondly, hiring machinery costs money and you don’t have the same control over maintenance and reliability that you have with your own products."

It is this philosophy that prompted the purchase of three Komatsu WB93R-5EO backhoe loaders and a PC200-8MO excavator with the prospect of the fleet growing to include a further new loader as well as a grader by the end of 2015.

The business has 25 permanent employees and is always on the lookout for hard-working young professionals who want to make their mark in the industry.

"We are developing a reputation for having the capacity to meet deadlines. Sometimes this means having all hands on deck and working into the early hours of the morning but we always deliver jobs on time and within budget."

This philosophy extends to newly-qualified engineers who have the responsibility of running a site as part of a process to groom them for project management.

"Capable people are our most important asset and giving them this type of experience can only increase their confidence."

A case in point is a young engineer overseeing a pipe laying project in Mamelodi who is delighted to be working with Komatsu equipment and is looking forward to the fleet’s expansion.

Tenders are, of course, the lifeblood of the industry and Ditshimega currently holds a grade 7 Construction Industry Development Board rating, allowing it to tender for projects up to a value of R130 million or more, in the event of a joint venture.

The seeds have been sown and there is every reason that the association between the champions and Komatsu will grow and flourish especially as we share some deep rooted values, namely commitment to quality and reliability, collaboration with business partners and the development of our most valuable assets, our human resources.

Unique features of the Komatsu PC200-8MO Excavator:

The all new Tier 3 emissions rated motor is approx. 7% more efficient than the PC200-8
The hydraulic system has been refined ensuring excellent work equipment response improving production cycle times
The one touch power up button increases hydraulic power output by 8% resulting in a massive 15.2 tons of digging force
The new 7"LCD monitor is user friendly for both operator and service personnel ensuring quick and easy machine health monitoring and diagnostics.