Kleemann is matching technology with staff know-how to get the customer’s job done on the Australian work site.
When a customer needs a wear parts solution Kleemann likes to start at the end of the production process. The company works backward from the equipment and material the customer is producing to find the right wear or spare part required for the application.
It may seem like a small thing in the grand scheme of things, but it matters in the long run.
Kleemann’s national aftersales business development manager Dave Lefroy uses the example of two iron ore operations in Western Australia and South Australia as an example.
Both operations are in similar applications but the differing conditions ore bodies, and other variables mean they need differing wear parts.
After all, with aspects like feed material type, abrasiveness, moisture content and crushing ratio, there are plenty of factors that the customer may need help determining the correct wear parts to achieve the desired product and production rates.
Lefroy said unless a company is working in the same quarry or ore body as another, an individualised, tailored approach is always best.
“We work closely with our customers to understand their application and try and reduce their operating costs,” Lefroy said.
“Once we can get an understanding of what the application is we can suggest the right wear product that is suitable for the best productivity and wear life, ultimately reducing operating costs.
“We are all about identifying the right wear items for the application.”
Kleemann aims to combine its staff’s industry experience alongside a technology-supported approach to ensure its customers choose the right wear parts and spare parts.
With branches in multiple states strategically located around Australia, Kleemann’s staff have plenty of knowledge to provide its customers at the point of sale.
It uses factory-backed wear rate calculators to provide a consumption rate based on the crusher’s settings, the feed size, annual running time and various other factors to provide a guide for the customer.
Downtime is the biggest impediment to a customer’s budgets, even for the metro quarries.
It delays projects, increases costs and often means paying for unscheduled or unexpected repairs.
This is why Wirtgen’s national parts manager John Richardson believes it is worth investing in the brand’s high-value parts.
“The key factor for the customer is downtime, it costs them more through downtime because they’re losing production,” Richardson said.
“If they’re using a cheaper part, what is that costing them in the long run with downtime where it could double or triple in a 12-month period, by utilising OEM parts they guarantee correct fitment, with local support and knowledge with factory OEM backing.”
Kleemann has tried to become more accessible to the remote customer which is why it provides a fleet view telematics solution that enables a manager to see a complete data-backed overview of their machines.
It enables a manager to optimise the scheduling and planning process to reduce transport movements and expensive downtime periods.
“Customers that utilise this technology have found it beneficial for maintenance planning and mitigating downtime events, along with tailored parts packages that we have put together for customers in remote locations,” Lefroy said.
By melding the knowledge and digital platforms together, Wirtgen sets up its customers to be self-sufficient with tailored wear solutions for their applications.
“Every client at the crushing end is treated in a unique way because at the end there are no two applications that are exactly the same,” Richardson said.
“Once the machine arrives, understanding the application, that is where we come into play with our uniqueness in this sense to tailor the clients’ needs to suit their specific outcome.”
Then with the simplicity of online convenience, the maintenance manager or fleet manager can access the online store or parts and more platform.
The online platform enables the customer to see live prices and specials in the parts catalogue across the Wirtgen range and place orders.
“The (online store) is part of what makes us unique I feel,” Richardson said.
At the end of the day at Kleemann, it will always come down to one major factor in their service and sales approach, Lefroy said.
“We’re very customer-orientated and focused on building customer relationships and maintaining customer relationships,” Lefroy said.
“It’s been a core focus of our business for a very long time.”
To learn more, visit wirtgen-group.com/en-au