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has benefitted both companies and has given the group more confidence in tackling bigger projects going forward. Financial stability, growth potential via a bigger client base and added fleet back-up are just a few of the benefits of the merger and we’ll be nationally more competitive in areas where we were not previously active.” Elcon has a branch in Richards Bay and a head office in the Port of Durban. “We service everywhere from Maputo down to East London,” Wilkinson explains. “Our clients already see the benefits of the bigger footprint.” Concord Cranes boasts a fleet of over 150 mobile cranes throughout the range, from the smallest 7t capacity up to the 550t all terrain, and has worked itself into one of the “top three operators in the country,” he says. Elcon Crane Hire was born from humble beginning in 1986 when Mr Wilkinson purchased the construction wing of Elgin Engineering. “I was a consultant in the sugar industry in the early years for CG Smith, being involved in the refurbishment and building of all sugar mills north and south of Durban,” he says, recalling Elcon’s heritage. “One of the principle contractors on these sugar mills was a construction and manufacturing company called Elgin Engineering and I eventually joined Elgin to carry on a contract for them and re-manage their exposure into the sugar industry. During the course of this two-year contract I carried out the duties I was requested to do by the management and then I saw an opportunity to remove their construction division from the Elgin Group and I pursued and concluded a management buyout. That’s where Elcon was born. From there, and with many years of hard work, I’ve progressively built up the company, modernising aggressively up to and including 2012 when we became part of Concord.”
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