In keeping with their customer-centric mindset, Atlas Copco business areas, Power Technique and Compressor Technique, ensure seamless product and service delivery to their customers in Mozambique through their distributor, Bearing Man Group (BMG) Mozambique.
Established in 1974, BMG has an aggressive global and African growth strategy and is always on the lookout for opportunities that make sound commercial sense. In 2004, the organisation opened BMG Mozambique which, with a network of nine branches, serves a wide range of sectors across the region including mining, construction, food and beverage, sugar, cement, oil and gas. BMG Mozambique was appointed as official distributor for Power Technique in October 2017 and less than two years later as distributor for Compressor Technique.
“Getting closer to customers, especially those in more remote areas, is an integral part of our business strategy and our distributors, as our route to market, are helping us to achieve this goal,” states David Stanford, Business Line Manager for Power Technique’s Portable Products. “Other motivating factors for partnering with distributors are their in-depth knowledge of customers and local industry and their strong presence in their markets. Mozambique’s vast business potential convinced us that we needed a solid foothold in the region via a distributor to ensure that customers have access not only to Power Technique’s product offering but also to all our service and after-sales solutions. As our working relationship with BMG Mozambique dates way back to around 2014, we knew they would be a good fit, sharing the same synergies with Atlas Copco’s culture of openness, diversity and inclusiveness, and having the necessary skills levels and capabilities to support sales.” BMG Mozambique supplies Power Technique’s complete range of portable generators, pumps, light towers, compressors and pneumatic tools as well as accessories, service kits, spares, lubricants and related services.
As BMG Mozambique had also been supplying a few products from the Compressor Technique stable on a case-by-case basis, they were familiar with the business area and had gained experience and knowledge of the product offering. “We had heard some great things about BMG’s progress in Mozambique as a Power Technique distributor and we decided that we want that kind of professionalism in our business area too,” says Compressor Technique’s Business Development Manager – Indirect Sales, Daryn Jack. “As BMG Mozambique is ultimately an extension of our business in the region, they needed to share our core values, they provide a service that is of sound technical expertise and that their management and sales team conduct business in the same professional and ethical manner as Atlas Copco.”
As an authorised Compressor Technique distributor, BMG Mozambique is responsible for supplying products, spares, service kits and lubricants from Compressor Technique’s two marketing divisions, Industrial Air and Oil-Free Air, as well as its service division, CTS (Compressor Technique Service). “In line with our agreement, BMG Mozambique may sell any and all of our product ranges, including newly launched products and their ancillaries,” affirms Daryn.
“We are extremely proud to be a distributor for Atlas Copco’s two business areas, particularly as the good work we performed on the Power Technique side played a role in Compressor Technique also appointing us as their distributor,” comments Antonio Clemente, Product Manager of Tools & Equipment Division at BMG Mozambique. “As a globally renowned and respected brand, Atlas Copco is a perfect fit to the rest of our product offerings and we are seeing tremendous added value through our association with the company. Having access to their top of the range equipment and services has uncovered new markets and opportunities for us. This leading brand in both compressed air and power/construction equipment has opened doors to our existing and new customers to whom we supply top-notch products with all the associated benefits of high performance, efficiencies, reliability, long service life and low total cost of ownership.”
Antonio considers it their responsibility to promote, sustain and safeguard the Atlas Copco brand in Mozambique in an ethical manner. “I would like to reiterate our firm intent of promoting and expanding Atlas Copco’s presence in our territory both through the sale of new units as well as the servicing of existing units. We must ensure that customer service is always performed at high levels and that we service all equipment, both existing and supplied by us, either with our teams or with support from Atlas Copco South Africa, so much so that our customers see us as an extension of Atlas Copco.”
David and Daryn stress that they too have a responsibility towards their distributors in providing all necessary support and training to help further develop and grow their businesses. “Our product managers and technical specialists offer expansive support to BMG Mozambique, sharing product and technical information and knowledge, assisting with trouble-shooting, and providing training and advice via online platforms, direct calls and regular site visits.” As their dedicated Business Development Manager, Daryn is the direct liaison between the distributors and Compressor Technique. “Over and above paying regular regional visits to their premises, I join them in customer meetings to show customers that our distributors have the full support from Atlas Copco.”
Power Technique and Compressor Technique also support their distributors through several smart online processes including shop online, parts online, warranty online and Toolbox which David points out are extremely popular with the distributors. “These online platforms keep us interdependent and connected to our distributors. We also encourage them to draw their information from our current and up-to-date webpage and they can use our convenient technical training question system, My Quest if they have any questions.”
Antonio considers training as an extremely important support pillar from Atlas Copco, benefitting BMG by empowering employees through improved skill sets and creating awareness of sales and servicing opportunities. Compressor Technique offers several forms of distributor training that includes regular online/virtual product and technical training sessions hosted by its three divisions, as well as onsite training for both distributor and customer technical teams. “We also offer advanced technical training at our training academy based in Egypt,” adds Daryn.
David points out that the training provided by Power Technique to the BMG team through Learning Link, e-learning and Microsoft Teams has helped to keep everyone focused and up to speed during the Coronavirus pandemic. “We have been very astute in the way we have been doing business over the last eighteen months to address the challenges centred on COVID 19 coupled with the remoteness of some of our distributors. I am proud of my team for successfully bridging the gaps and seamlessly adjusting to the changed landscape of doing things.”
The success of the Atlas Copco partnership with BMG Mozambique is evidenced by the fact that for the last few years they have regularly been one of Power Technique’s top three distributors. “Last year, we finished top between the South African and African distributors!” states a proud Antonio. “Our two-year partnership with Compressor Technique is still relatively new and there have been a few challenges, but we aim to take their top distributor honours in the not-too-distant future.”
