Southern Africa bearings and power transmission products distributor Bearings International is focusing on replacement markets to sell its drive products to potential and existing customers, owing to the current stagnant gearbox, or, drive industry amid the flat local economy.

Bearings International electric motors product manager Lewis Hiepner tells Engineering News that the tough market conditions in the past year have been exacerbated by several new projects in the mining and heavy industries being delayed indefinitely. This also adversely affects the electric motor industry, owing to the lack of projects and subsequent limited amount of work.

Nevertheless, the company is remaining positive that this industry will show positive growth, and continues to focus on solutions, with original-equipment manufacturers being one of Bearings International’s with the focus on fans, pumps and compressors.

“In addition, increased new entrants in the market result in more competition amongst distributors to secure orders for new projects for products, particularly gearboxes,” he continues, adding that customers, despite their using a reasonable number of motors on a regular basis, have lately been opting to buy directly from China.

Hiepner further highlights the customer’s shift from premium brands to more affordable alternatives, which has shifted the focus to countries such Italy or Germany to provide more affordable products.

“The market is opening up, which means a flow of more affordable products. . . ” he says.

Moreover, many end-users, especially those who are not able to pay premium prices, will opt to buy the affordable products from Asian markets as these products have become more accessible over the years.

This presents a new challenge, as companies set price against quality, Hiepner points out.

“Nevertheless, Bearings International is still focused on high quality, despite the market changes, rather than quantity. We are dedicated to providing our customers with the best in quality, and premium, longer-lasting brands, as this ensures that the customers gets more value in the long run and their business continues to operate without the hassle of breakdowns and high maintenance.”

He emphasises that the company continues to show positive growth in the electric motors sector, noting that Bearings International is also tendering to supply various sizes of electric motors, gearboxes and couplings for power transmission to an aeration plant project for water reticulation in the waste and effluent industry.

Efficiency Focus
With the expectation that large industry projects will continue only next year, Hiepner believes that the next 12 months will prove to be a testing time for companies.

Bearings International is, therefore, focusing on cost effectiveness and energy efficiency, he points out.

The company has been supplying the electric motors and gears of Germany-based company Bauer to end-users since 2004, Hiepner says, adding that these motors have been designed for high efficiency to reduce energy consumption and running costs for a given power rating.

Other features of the motors include suitability for outdoor installation and dusty environments, and a multimount design. Variable terminal box positions are available on mounted aluminium-framed units for the aluminium range of electric motors of 0.09 kW to 18.5 kW, he explains.

Bearings International’s offering also includes Bauer industrial gear units, with gearboxes that can be mounted in or even suspended in any required position.

Further, parts used for all gear motor components are interchangeable, with benefits, such as increased options, reduced costs, faster deliveries and a faster maintenance “learning curve” for customers, Hiepner says.

The company is also investigating potential local supply of industrial gearboxes, which have substantial kilowatt range and torque capacity for aerators and agitators, he concludes.