SIHI has been providing high quality, liquid and gas, pumping solutions for almost 100 years. Award winning solutions reinforce the Company-wide vision of liquid pumps, vacuum pumps, compressors and engineered systems for a better future. Greater than 1600 employees are strategically located in excess of 60 countries in which to serve their customers. Their partners can feel secure knowing that support is within easy reach.
Africa is a main focus for the company; they have been present in some areas for more than 30 years and are now expanding their presence to the whole continent. Some of the Main countries using their machines are South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Morocco, Libya, and Sudan. They mostly sell the products through an existing and expanding network of agents and distributors but some specific customers are also addressed directly.
The company manufacture products but they also do sell solutions, meaning that they offer bespoke solutions fitting with the process requirements and customer needs. They work as close as possible with their customers to define together the most cost effective solution that will provide them the highest service possible. Their agents and distributors are trained and skilled so they can maintain this high level of service in most places in Africa.
According to Florent the Export Manager, the purchase price ranges from 5-8% of the total cost of ownership of a pump; maintenance, breakdown and electricity costs are by far the biggest costs when owning a pump. Therefore purchasing the right pump for the application is a very important decision.
He added that “the major trend in Africa is the rise of the middle class in so many countries, so consumer needs are evolving toward more processed food, better utility availability (water & electricity), improved health care and higher use of transportation equipment. It means there are investment opportunities being put into infrastructure to meet these needs, so there are lots of green field and expansion projects out there, this is an exciting period.”
Europump and Hydraulic Institute are some of the bodies that the company is proud to be associated with.
Contributor
SIHI
Florent VIOLAIN
Export Manager Africa
www.sterlingSIHI.com
