August / September 2016
COMPANY PROFILE: KÄRCHER
KZN Industrial & Business News
Making a clean sweep
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At the handover to eThekwini Muncipality's Durban Solid Waste department are from left, John Parkin, Pops Peakhu, Victor Mkhize, Lezi Ngqulunga and Danny Ramlahl, all Durban Solid Waste with Garin Denysschen and Shaun Palm, both from Kärcher. The MC50 Vacuum Sweeper in action.
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he Durban Solid Waste depot in Electron Road in Durban, was recently the venue for the official hand over of the first of a number of ‘first in South Africa’ municipal vacuum sweepers which have been ordered from Kärcher South Africa by the municipality, as part of a project to make keeping Durban beautiful both quicker and easier. The handover, which also included hands on training session, was the culmination of a public tender process by Ethekwini Municipality which resulted in Kärcher being awarded the contract ahead of many other major players in the local cleaning equipment industry. Kärcher has been a supplier to Durban Solid Waste for a number of years and has cemented the relationship due to its dependable and reliable track record over this period. The Kärcher range of municipal vacuum sweepers is produced solely in Germany and comes in two models, namely the MC 50 and the MC 130. Durban Solid Waste opted to order 3 units of the MC 50 model which were delivered in June 2016. The MC 50 is both very narrow and com-
pact. It is ideal for cleaning pavements and reaching places that bigger machines cannot reach. The size also allows for turning in tight spaces. It is powered by a four stroke diesel Yanmar engine and generates 19.2kw or 26 horse power. It can reach a maximum speed of 20km/h and tackle up to a 25% gradient. The dimensions are 2.960mm x 1.090mm x 1.970 mm. It has a deposit capacity of 500 l and its working width is between 900 – 1 400 mm. With the addition of a 3rd side brush, this can be increased to 2 000mm. The sweeper can clean an area of 14 000m² per hour. A floating roller sweeping system with relief and hydraulic floating position ensures constant contact pressure and therefore an optimal sweeping level on uneven surfaces. A bumper at the front and side provides added safety. The bulk waste flap opens automatically for larger objects such as bottles or larger quantities of light waste such as leaves or packaging and then closes again as quickly as possible, allowing for perfect suction results without any
residue being left behind in the sweep. The straight suction channel minimises the risk of blockages. For direct access and fast cleaning, the suction pipe between the suction mouth and waste container can be removed with two handles with no need for extra tools. This makes for easy blockage clearing and cleaning to happen on site immediately and with no added downtime. The innovative suction system of the MC 50 was developed by computational flow dynamic simulations, with the resulting reduction in noise, reduced consumption, reduced emissions and reduced wear and tear. The robust and corrosion-free waste container with a 500l capacity allows for a fill level up to 100% and is easy to empty. In addition, the cab has been designed for optimal operator space and comfort and offers space for up to two people. It offers an unrestricted 360 degree all round view with reverse camera, permanent hydraulic all-wheel drive and a braked hydraulic machine drive plus an air conditioned cab. The sweeper is fitted with additional implements such as a built in high pressure cleaner
for cleaning of areas with stubborn dirt. It has an external vacuum hose for vacuuming of hard to reach areas and corners. The sweeper is also fitted with a fine spray dust suppression system. This sweeper has been developed in close co-operation with customers around the world. This new sweeper is truly a machine for all year round use and not only is it reliable, it is Kärcher reliable. The robustness matches up to the high standards applied to any other equipment supplied by the company and the innovative technology is unsurpassed in the industry. The highly professional mechanical cleaning sweeping system was developed, among other things, using CFD air flow analyses and Virtual Reality, both of which are essential technology in developing products of the future. These sweepers are so reliable they were used in London during the 2012 Olympics to keep the city clean. Kärcher has also been named the official supplier of cleaning equipment to the Rio Olympics 2016 where a number of these units were seen on a daily basis cleaning the city.
Who you gonna call to clean up the streets?
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hostbusters and Kärcher of course! There’s something strange in our neighbourhood’s, the iconic Ghostbusters ‘No Ghost’ logo has been spotted around Johannesburg and Durban thanks to a rather unique partnership between the new Ghostbusters movie and global cleaning company Kärcher, official promotional partner on the Ghostbusters movie. To celebrate the release, Sony Pictures South Africa and Kärcher South Africa teamed up with Durban based company Dutch Ink to recreate the famous movie logo using reverse graffiti– a method of removing dirt from a surface with a high pressure cleaner to create an image – on manhole covers and sidewalks in both Durban and Johannesburg. ‘When it came to promoting Ghostbusters we wanted to do something really different, something that communicated the fun element of the
movie” says Charlie Frost from Coppermonkey Promotions, Sony South Africa’s Promotions Agency. “Not only was reverse graffiti a very different medium for us to advertise the movie with, but it also gave us a special way to highlight the partnership with Kärcher” Dutch Ink used the K5 Premium from Kärcher range of high-pressure cleaners to blast off the dirt and in its place leave the Ghostbusters movie logo. “Dirtbusters, slimebusters and ghostbusters can tackle even the toughest jobs with Kärcher pressure washers” says Natalie Faulds, Marketing Manager for Kärcher. “The right machine makes cleaning considerably easier. All technical features are adjusted in line with the cleaning application, and then linked to the right pressure washer class to make various cleaning tasks even easier and more efficient. Dirt is eliminated gently and thor-
oughly. Don’t be afraid of no dirt” As Bashan Govindarajulu, Marketing Manager for Sony Pictures SA states, “This synergy presents a fun way for us to extend on a promotion, taking it beyond the boundaries of cinema and actively using unique methods to positively affect our surroundings. Ghostbusters as a movie gifts us a rare opportunity to collaborate with likeminded businesses and with the use of a truly iconic logo, we can showcase the film’s release in a manner that benefits the environment.” As part of the campaign, Sony and Kärcher are encouraging the general public to take a selfie next to the graffiti and post it to social media for a chance to win Ghostbusters movie tickets and merchandise. The graffiti will appear at locations in Sandton and Rosebank in Johannesburg and around Musgrave and Gateway in Durban.
Kärcher Center Durban (KwaZulu-Natal) 33 Henry Pennington Rd (formerly Richmond Road), Westmead, KwaZulu-Natal 3608 Tel : + 27 31 713 4700
Fax: + 27 31 700 6603 Email: Durban@karcher.co.za Website: www.karcher.co.za
30 years after the original Ghostbusters movie was released, the new film opened in cinemas nationwide on July 29 and stars an all-female team of Ghost-hunters headed up by the hilarious Kristen Wigg (Bridesmaids) and Melissa McCarthy (Spy). Following a paranormal invasion in Manhattan paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert (Wigg) and Abby Yates (McCarthy), nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon), and subway worker Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) band together to stop the otherworldly threat.