Zest WEG Group first established a small office in Cape Town 20 years ago to cater for local customers who require fast turnaround times on the supply of electric motors. Today, this thriving business provides the entire Western Cape with a range of quality electric motors, variable speed drives (VSDs), soft starters, switchgear, standby generators, transformers and access to renewable energy equipment, all under the well-known and respected WEG brand.
Optimally situated in the Montague Gardens area of Cape Town, Zest WEG Group’s Cape Town branch operations include offices, a CETA-accredited training facility, workshops and a 4308 m2 warehouse. Branch manager Marthinus Greeff, joined the branch 10 months ago after having spent several years with the group on Johannesburg. He explains that Zest WEG Group Cape Town’s success is based on a number of critical and uncompromising factors.
“Our experienced and technically competent team, led by Hendrik Britz for almost 19 years boasts a number of people who have been with us for many years. Longevity of service provides customers with a feeling of security, and this is just as important as the fact that the WEG product offerings offer consistent best quality and reliability,” says Greeff.
The Zest WEG Group Cape Town team has developed a reputation for going beyond the call of duty and Greeff is ably assisted by electric motor sales manager Leonard Smith and drives and automation sales manager Jeff Smith in delivering unquestionable service to the industry. “Our technical service team is on call 24/7 and this ability to quickly and efficiently expedite maintenance and technical issues places us on an extremely good footing with our diverse customer base,” says Greeff.
The field sales team is supported by dedicated technicians operating out of a fully equipped workshop capable of undertaking repairs to VSDs on site and includes a test bay for load testing of the VSDs. All technical personnel receive extensive training both at WEG in Brazil and locally under the supervision of Zest WEG Group’s training officer from Johannesburg.
Zest WEG Group Cape Town boasts its own comprehensive training facility with five custom built benches and this allows the branch to provide customers with complimentary training on WEG’s range of electric motors, VSDs, soft starters and switchgear. Greeff explains that all the training courses are also certified by CETA.
Greeff says that availability of product is a major differentiator that Zest WEG Group can offer its customers. “We have a significant investment in our stockholding which includes WEG electric motors from 0.37 kW up to 370 kW. The WEG electric motor range encompasses aluminium motors, W22 high efficiency motors, flameproof motors, brake motors, dedicated aluminium pad motors and Smokex pad type motors. Our on-site workshop facilities allow us to mechanically modify motors, and trained and certified Ex technicians can certify motors for non-spark and dust ignition applications.
“We also stock 220 V single phase, 380 V and 525 V VSDs and a full range of low voltage switchgear. In addition, we hold all consumables and parts for each of these items of equipment. Our turnaround times on products and consumables are never compromised, since we receive all our shipments directly from the feeder factories.”
The incorporation of the EML brand of electric motors into the Zest WEG Group electric motor business resulted in the most comprehensive range of premium through to entry-level motors available in the Western Cape. “There is a synergy between the two product ranges that allows us to provide improved service levels and optimise our resources. Each sales engineer is capable of dealing with enquiries on both electric motor product ranges as well as our other products. This allows them to provide optimal product solutions for each individual customer’s needs and applications,” Greeff explains.
“With our customers’ visions and our solutions, we look forward to providing the Western Cape with many more years of excellent service and consistent best quality and reliable products,” Greeff concludes.
