Apollo CounterMix 90 Helps South African Firm Succeed

V and S Plant operates in an extremely competitive environment. That means the Johannesburg, South Africa-based company needs to utilise every available advantage.

For V and S, many of those differentiators come through the efficient use of its Apollo CounterMix 90 Asphalt-Mixing Plant.

How can an asphalt-mixing plant help a business separate itself from the competition? V and S, a division of Instant Tar Surfaces (ITS), offers a few suggestions.

Control your own destiny. ITS runs its own paving business and handles everything from mix production to finish compaction. Owning the plant helps ensure quality requirements and deadlines are met.

“We are in control of the whole supply chain,” said Tapiwa Zimuwandeyi, plant manager for V and S. “We effectively supply our projects on time and reduce standing time. We therefore finish projects on time and within budget. This leads to increased profitability.”

Another division of ITS leases paving equipment. Customers who rent this equipment are great candidates for the purchase of asphalt as well.

Train and train some more. The CounterMix 90 has excellent features – including its control system – that make it highly efficient and productive. V and S realises operators must be properly trained to leverage the value of the plant.

“V and S Plant has a highly competent and experienced team of operators as we have invested a lot of money in employee training and development,” Zimuwandeyi said. “Our operators are constantly trained in the methodology and technological advances in the industry. We believe that the employee is the No. 1 resource of our company.”

Deliver quality to regain repeat business. The CounterMix 90 produces quality mix, which is the company’s best marketing tool. Customers who purchase the mix for their own projects return because of the superior quality of the asphalt.

ITS’ paving division also benefits from the use of quality mix, which helps the group deliver a high-end product. “We do a lot of repeat business for customers,” Zimuwandeyi said.

Find value from start to finish. V and S Plant did extensive research before purchasing a plant. The company was committed to finding value across the life of the plant. That meant an affordable acquisition price, cost-effective maintenance practices and quality customer support from Ammann South. In fact, V and S Plant utilised the Ammann online support system for quick resolution without a visit from a technician.

“We selected the plant because we received value for our money – it was affordable,” said Zimuwandeyi. “It costs less than a batch plant with the same hourly tonnes of production. It’s easy to maintain, and we receive real-time support from Ammann.”

Following these basic principles has helped the business, which started in 2007, thrive in today’s competitive environment. “We are able to cut down on our prices but still make a reasonable profit,” Zimuwandeyi said.

Apollo CounterMix 

Highlights 

• Counter flow continuous drum for high fuel efficiency and lower carbon foot print
• Extremely rapid erection and implementation times with options like steel foundation and plug socket cabling
• Efficient world class bag filter for stringent pollution norms

Technical specifications Apollo CounterMix