KSB Pumps and Valves is going all-in at Nampo’s annual Harvest Day this year with a full complement of technical and business experts to assist farmers with their current and future pumping requirements.
KSB Pumps and Valves has supported South African agriculture for generations.
It will be the first time in many years that KSB attends Nampo in its own capacity, having previously played a secondary role in support of its agents. The decision to play a more central role in the show will place the manufacturer directly alongside South Africa’s farmers, encouraging faster decisions and on-the-ground problem-solving.
“There is a lot of pressure on farmers to reduce costs, and we are concerned that these cost pressures could lead to them opting for some bad decisions to buy untested or poorly supported pumps and valves from a host of new suppliers in the market. That is why we are bringing our full team to Nampo to assist end users,” says Hugo du Plessis, market area manager for KSB Pumps and Valves.
He adds that farmers will be able to engage directly with sales, technical, after-sales support and logistics teams around real pumping challenges to ensure the right solutions are selected from the start. This direct engagement strengthens the company’s long-standing channel partnerships, and its relationship with its agents remains firmly intact and continues to play a key role in the agricultural sector.
“Our well-established Sales Partners in the Irrigation Market in South Africa have supported KSB for many years and will always be our 1st line of defence to support our product in the market. As an OEM, we strive to support our product and our sales partner with the technology and know-how we bring to the Irrigation Market – Solutions. For Life…
“KSB has a long history in South Africa, and we have got many thousands of pumps and valves installed in a wide range of applications from irrigation and boreholes to supporting livestock operations, waste water and many others. KSB’s presence at Nampo strengthens confidence in the brand,” says Keith Hedges, KSB Pumps and Valves sales manager for valves.
This global German pump manufacturing company offers more than 700 product variants across pumps and valves, supported by local manufacturing at its Germiston plant and a comprehensive branch and dealer network throughout sub-Saharan Africa. It has a history in the region that spans more than 100 years, and agriculture has always been a core market.
To celebrate its long involvement in the industry, KSB has chosen to place its most familiar and long-lived pump, the KSB Etanorm pump, at the centre of this year’s exhibition. This stalwart has supported agricultural pumping for generations. It is built on a platform dating back to 1871 and has remained a dependable workhorse and the foundation for many of KSB’s newer technologies. Over the years, improvements have been made by listening to our farmers.
“In many ways, the Etanorm has been the backbone of our agricultural offering and is a pump that farmers trust. Now we are extending that reliability into newer, more efficient and application-specific solutions. These include advanced borehole and multi-stage pumps, as well as the Corachrom borehole pump range, engineered for durability in harsh African conditions and capable of operating efficiently on solar power where required. Locally produced self-priming pumps for sludge and manure handling, along with submersible dewatering units, will also be on display.
“Digitalisation will also feature strongly with the KSB Guard on show, which enables farmers to have real-time condition monitoring of pumps, especially those for remote or large-scale farming operations,” Hugo du Plessis notes.
In addition to pumps, KSB will also showcase a focused range of irrigation and water management valves. These include butterfly valves, check and non-return valves, and resilient seated gate valves with elastomer linings designed to withstand erosion and corrosion.
“We will have a good selection of our valves on show, but our main focus will be engaging with our farmers to see how best we can assist them as the market is getting flooded with low-cost imports and farmers are not sure of the correct route to follow. That is why we want to turn the focus to how we ensure reliability through our engineering quality and supporting our products throughout their lifecycles.
“There are cheaper options out there, but when you consider the total cost of ownership, including maintenance, downtime, spares and eventual replacement costs, the KSB solution often works out more cost-effective in the long run,” adds Keith Hedges.
Du Plessis echoes this sentiment from a pump perspective. “Farmers may think they are saving money upfront, but failures and lack of support quickly change that equation. With us, you get a durable product designed to excel in our local conditions, backed by local expertise and a comprehensive support network. This extends from procurement and installation to ongoing service and support through to eventual repair and refurbishment to OEM standards.
“From a risk perspective, dealing with KSB and their Sales Partners is a safer option. We can support older installations, supply spares, and perform on-site repairs where needed. It’s a full lifecycle approach.”
The two KSB representatives conclude that the value of OEM presence at Nampo ultimately lies in this depth of capability. With both pump and valve specialists on hand, farmers can engage in detailed discussions around system design, material selection and application-specific challenges, ensuring the right solution is specified from the outset.
KSB is an all-in-one solution provider, from sizing, system evaluations, aftermarket support, monitoring, and 100% local manufacturing capacity.
“Ours are not just pumps, they are KSBs: The Blue Pump!”
KSB will also host daily competitions at the Nampo Harvest Days, giving visitors the chance to win a domestic borehole pump as an added incentive to connect with the KSB team and explore its offering.