Compu-Power operates as a reseller and partner for ABB’s UPS solutions. Donald Mokone, Managing Director of Compu-Power, says the partnership reflects the company’s commitment to promoting ABB’s UPS products range, including its digital offerings.
He highlights the importance of leveraging digitisation options – such as SNMP (simple network management protocol)[1] cards and IoT chips – to maximise the benefits for customers. Mokone also emphasises Compu-Power’s aim to expand its market reach beyond South Africa, extending support for the ABB UPS range into neighbouring African countries such as Namibia and Mozambique and further afield to Tanzania and Kenya.
An important focus for Compu-Power is enhancing customer support and service, and it plans to recruit and train technicians to provide better value-added services across South Africa and beyond. “Our strategy is to evolve from being a reseller to become a true partner, offering integrated solutions aligned with ABB’s value proposition,” says Mokone.
Compu-Power has a diverse customer base, including mines, data centres, in the marine sector and in petrochemicals, as well as financial institutions, public sector entities like disaster management centres, and large retailers and wholesalers. “We are committed to exploring opportunities across various sectors, prioritising ABB solutions,” Mokone notes.
Ivor Becks, UPS and Power Quality Sales Specialist, Southern Africa at ABB, outlines the process of building commercial relationships such as that with Compu-Power, emphasising the importance of technical training and stockholding criteria for any channel partner agreement.
ABB’s comprehensive UPS product range includes 13 different product families, from voltage conditioners to static frequency converters as well as medium voltage UPS systems for high-power applications up to 25 MW, which are believed to be a world first.
“For us at ABB, Compu-Power’s extended reach into Africa and its leverage as a group is exciting, as it is powerful and synergistic.” Becks says. He notes the scope of Compu-Power’s sister companies too. “For us to attempt to recreate that kind of access would be difficult. Partnerships are the way forward – it is about customer service, delivering top quality solutions and ensuring the customer is confident in being provided with a custom-fit solution that does what it is supposed to do,” says Becks.
Considering the challenges and opportunities in the UPS market, he highlights the importance of extending awareness and information about ABB’s portfolio. “ABB has a long history in the UPS industry and is committed to continuing its internal research and development, quality manufacturing, and innovation,” he says.
The ABB and Compu-Power partnership aims to set new standards for integrated UPS solutions, offering customers cutting-edge technology for backup power requirements.
As part of the global ABB business, ABB Electrification focuses on making efficient and reliable use of electricity from source to socket possible.
Note
[1] SNMP – Simple Network Management Protocol – allows one or a number of UPS systems to be monitored by a computer at a central point on a network.
For more information visit: https://new.abb.com
