CONTROLS is a world leader in the design, manufacture and supply of materials testing equipment. Since the foundation of the company in 1968, CONTROLS have achieved an international reputation in this field and they have expanded the operation so successfully that now they have regional international offices and over 100 distributors around the world.
The company has focused not only on the research, development and manufacture of new testing equipment but also on the level of service provided by its sales organization. During this period CONTROLS has established a wide network of customers in virtually every export market and so our experience in international requirements is second to none. The company, together with its three global brands, CONTROLS, IPC Global and Wykeham Farrance, focuses on manufacturing of testing equipment for the construction industry with more than 4.000 products in three business areas: Concrete and cements; Asphalt and bituminous mixtures; Soil and rocks.
Speaking on African market, Andrea Di Iorio General Manager Controls Testing Equipment ltd states that, “Africa is the second continent in terms of revenue for CONTROLS, it has the highest growth in GDP % and birth rate. It is a strategically territory for the future, especially for the IPC brand for advanced tests on bitumen and bituminous mixture (SUPERPAVE). CONTROLS is active in Africa since 70’s, our products can be found literally in every main lab all around the African continent. We have agents and distributors in basically every country in Africa, all of them provide after sales service, as well as a good number hold stock”.
With quality products in hand and a strategic determination to satisfy customers by providing the best possible support services the firm also participates in several exhibitions in Africa. This is to ensure they build strong relationship with clients. Besides, it also allows the company’s distributors and agents to deliver unique expertise, to provide outstanding service and specialized skills in this competitive market.
For the past decades the company has delivered its products to several laboratories worldwide. In the field of research and education they have installed modern sophisticated laboratories to Ministries, Universities, Polytechnics and Vocational Centers. Furthermore, they are working closely with Road and building contractors, raw material producers such as cement, concrete, asphalt, bitumen to name but a few.
As he concludes Di Iorio urges clients that “testing equipment on construction materials is critical in the overall success of any civil engineer project; especially if considered that the cost of a material lab is negligible compared to the overall value of the project, yet many clients (especially the new comers) tend to buy cheap from unreliable sources and end up to pay double as the equipment breaks just after a few weeks and they are then obliged to buy new equipment or they end up using a machine that gives dodgy results which will compromise the performance of the material, hence the safety of the project and result in financial losses since badly designed projects require continuous and costly rehabilitation works.
It is fundamental to purchase from reliable manufactures, well established in the territory and that can provide local after sales service and support, the initial investment may be higher but it will repay itself in a very short time.”
