The facility would comprise a 2 000 m2 office block and an 8 000 m2 distribution centre. Some 150 workers would be deployed to the new centre.
"Parts [...] will be stored and distributed from one central point, which will ensure continued flow into our factory, on-time delivery and increased [...] availability," Engelbrecht noted, adding that about 80% of the parts would go the Wadeville factory. Joy Global Africa VP Jason Savage said that the new centre would enable the company to apply best lean practices to achieve strategic goals of growth and being a high-performance organisation. "The facility will allow efficient and fast delivery of parts and equipment to customers, which will have a significant impact on time and cost savings," Savage said, adding that the centre would contribute further to company's growth, brought on by the recently announced distribution and authorised service provider agreement with mechanised roof bolting technology provider Fletcher.
The agreement would allow Joy Global to market, sell and service all Fletcher products to coal mines, as well as hard rock and industrial mineral mines that use Joy Global cutting products. Deputy Mineral Resources Minister Godfrey Oliphant said the department was confident that Joy Global Africa was moving in the right direction by constructing the new facility. "We must blow our own bugles in terms of our capacity and expertise in South Africa. Joy Global Afirca is an example of excellence that we have in the country," he told Mining Weekly Online. The project is expected to be completed by November.
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