Genset

New Genset rental option

Article from Cape Business News February 2008

Gensets are currently the only real solution for businesses who need to cope with Eskom's rolling "blackouts". The problem is that they are expensive, especially for smaller companies. Also, they require special expertise to be run safely and for optimal performace.

A new venture has now been formed in cape Town to address these obstacles- a genset rental option, backed by maintenance schedules, to ensure a regular and predictable flow of electricity when required. Electricity on tap, so to speak.

Behind the new concept are Garry Allsopp managing director of Montague Gardens based Toga Engineering and David Walker, wellknown in the city's financial brokerage circles. Toga Engineering founded in 1999, is betterknown as an electrical and mechanical engineering company, servicing the industrial sector.

Toga's Allsopp says he has noticed that, especially amongst smaller firms, there is very little, often dangerous, understanding of genset operations. "We have found that the specs are more often than not way off target," Allsopp says. "Having assessed the critical requirements of a company's operations, a suitable genset is identified and, importantly, we ensure that it is safely and "legally" installed." Allsopp says.

Expanding on this he explains that, when a genset is running and Eskom power suddenly flows, all kinds of problems can occur, the most common being short-circuits, damage to equipment, even fire. All Toga installations are therefore SANS 10142 compliant.

"There are numerous suppliers of gensets but, unfortunately, once sold they wash their hands off the deal," Allsopp says. Walker says there is 'tremendous' interest in the venture's offering. "We supply, install and finance the genset solution. This is going down well in the marketplace, especially amongst smaller and medium sized companies," he says.

He says rental may be perceived as being more costly than outright purchase, but points out that rental payments are viewed as running costs, whereas outright purchase is accounted for as a capital expense.

The Toga rental option also has additional benefits such as reduced maintenance costs, service exchange units at no additional charge, no associated labour or downtime, technical expertise on call and the assurance of always being supplied with the right genset.