Company Announcement - Chicago Pneumatic together with authorised dealer Retrofit Compressed Air Services, recently handed over the first two CPS 950-10 compressors to specialist compressed air and pneumatic equipment hire company, Thembeka Air. The powerful diesel compressors are ideally suited to abrasive blasting and drilling applications, including ground engineering and foundation drilling on construction sites and blast hole drilling in mine and quarry areas with up to 950 cfm (27 cubic metres per minute) compressed air flow delivery at working pressures of up to 10 bar.

Robert Labuschagne, who established Retrofit in October 2010, is extremely proud to secure and place the first order in South Africa for the two Chicago Pneumatic CPS 950-10 compressors. “These machines, which were ordered straight from production, complement the 14 portable compressors (CPS 130, CPS 185, CPS 275 and CPS 375) ordered from Chicago Pneumatic during 2014,” says Labuschagne who has 25 years’ experience in the compressed air industry. “It was an auspicious moment in Retrofit’s history when we handed over the Chicago Pneumatic compressors to our new customer, Thembeka Air.” Retrofit is responsible for operator training and service as official Chicago Pneumatic dealer and Labuschagne believes that these units will prove themselves very quickly amongst end users.

The order signifies a growing demand for Chicago Pneumatic’s high-pressure compressor range in South Africa and was welcomed by the international construction equipment manufacturer. Chicago Pneumatic Business Development Manager – Southern Africa, Jacques van der Westhuizen, explains that as part of a strategy to expand the South African footprint, the objective is to bring the complete Chicago Pneumatic construction and mining equipment ranges and support services to customers across the Southern African region. 

Customer Hand-over of First Chicago Pneumatic High-Pressure

“Our route to market is through a strategic dealer network,” says Van der Westhuizen who defines the dealers as the heartbeat of Chicago Pneumatic. “Currently there are eight dealers representing Chicago Pneumatic in nine provinces and two cross-border dealers in Mozambique and Zambia. We appointed Retrofit Compressed Air Services, based in Boksburg, Gauteng, as an authorised Chicago Pneumatic dealership in 2011 because we recognised Retrofit as a like-minded customer-orientated company on which we can rely to provide best quality products matched by equally good service.”

Thembeka Air is a privately owned hire company established in 2004 to supply equipment to primarily steel companies from its three branches located in Gauteng (Vanderbijlpark), Mpumalanga (Middelburg) and North West Province (Rustenburg).

According to Managing Director, Wayne Herholdt, the CPS 950-10 high-pressure compressors were ordered to meet Thembeka Air customers’ various abrasive blasting application requirements. “Our customers are very excited about the arrival of the compressors. With its up to 10 bar working pressure capability, the compressor opens up so many new possibilities for both Thembeka Air as well as for our customers.” Heroldt reports complete satisfaction with the compressors and adds that “the high service levels delivered by Chicago Pneumatic and Retrofit have laid a strong foundation to a successful and long-lasting business relationship.”