Rockwell Automation has announced the appointment of Kalahari Automation Distributors (KAD) as a new authorised distributor in Botswana. With an abundance of mineral deposits and a scarcity of water, Botswana presents an interesting industrial landscape that stands to benefit from such industry-leading automation and control technology.
KAD is Botswana’s leading supplier of quality industrial automation, control, and instrumentation equipment. The company’s owners have been working with Rockwell Automation products for more than 30 years.
“We are now authorised to sell the complete Rockwell Automation portfolio, including automation equipment, motor control equipment, software products and related services in Botswana. This allows us to support the existing equipment base and distribute new products in the country,” explains Ben Grobler, Sales and Marketing Director at KAD.
Grobler explains that water and mining are two key markets that stand to benefit from improved access to Rockwell Automation products and services.
“Botswana is predominantly a semi-desert, with water being a high-value commodity. The Government has committed to providing water for generations to come using only the best equipment.”
Many of the large, potable water-pump stations in the country use a combination of Allen Bradley PowerFlex 6000 and PowerFLex 7000 medium voltage drives. Many of the smaller pump stations run PowerFLex 750 Variable Speed Drives and SMC soft starters. Botswana is one of the world’s largest diamond producers, producing both gem and industrial-quality diamonds in the mineral resources landscape.
Craig McMaster, Channel Sales Manager – Africa for Rockwell Automation says,
“When I joined Rockwell Automation in 2000, Orapa Diamond Mine was one of the largest installed bases of Rockwell Automation equipment in Botswana.”
With a growing customer base in the country, the distribution agreement will provide mines and other Rockwell Automation customers with simplified access to products, services and expertise that will address their needs, and provide solutions that are sure to improve efficiency and offer quantifiable cost savings.
Grobler comments that the country is showing a clear demand for programmable logic controllers (PLCs), variable speed drives (VSDs), soft starters, motor protection, SCADA software and management information systems. Partnering with Rockwell Automation was an obvious choice for the distributor.
“With Rockwell Automation being one of the world’s most advanced and trusted automation brands, we wanted to set a precedent by offering our clients the best quality and support that an end-user could need.
We aim to keep their systems running more efficiently, for longer, saving on replacement costs and downtime while allowing technical staff to focus on other tasks at hand,” he explains.
For almost 100 years, Rockwell Automation has made it a priority to better service customers in-country by investing in local partners that are close to and truly understand these customers and their needs.
“To ensure first-class support for our valued customers in Botswana, Rockwell Automation is working closely with KAD to ensure that they have access to industry-leading products, services, support and expertise,” concludes McMaster.
About Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 24,000 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries. To learn more about how we are making Smart Manufacturing more productive, visit www.rockwellautomation.com
For more information, please contact:
Michelle Junius
Channel & Field Marketing Lead – Africa
Rockwell Automation
mjunius@ra.rockwell.com
To learn more about Kalahari Automation Distributors, please visit http://www.kad.co.bw/
