e-Qwip, an innovative new equipment solution, is set to revolutionise the mining and construction sector, offering rebuilt Caterpillar 777 trucks at a fraction of the new price, with a 24-month CAT warranty.
The new market player forms part of Barloworld and offers OEM-aligned lifecycle solutions aimed at Caterpillar fleet owners who are looking for value, reliability and peace-of-mind, with proven Caterpillar performance.
The e-Qwip offering fills an enormous need in the construction-equipment market, initially focused on the iconic CAT 777 dump trucks.
The company’s rebuild process involves the complete teardown of the pre-owned machine to its frame, followed by a high-integrity rebuild using remanufactured Caterpillar components.
The CAT Reman components, imported from the USA, come with 24-month warranties that are transferable across Africa. Parts retain their original serial numbers for complete OEM traceability.
e-Qwip General Manager Brandon Arnold is looking forward to having a positive impact in the African mining and construction sector, and to directly meeting the needs of fleet owners.
“e-Qwip is ready to partner with Caterpillar fleet owners, to help them reduce downtime, lower total cost of ownership, and to support large-scale fleet efficiency,” he says.
The e-Qwip solution aligns with the sustainability model of Barloworld.
By extending machine life, and cutting waste and capital expenditure, the high-quality, rebuilt machines deliver both financial and environmental benefits.
“There has been a cultural shift in the construction industry,” says Arnold. “In mining, building and agriculture, there is now an understanding that waste is preventable. Fleet owners are thinking long-term, and managing their assets proactively.
e-Qwip offers a trusted, OEM-compliant alternative that is ideal for forward-thinking fleet operators. The existing, partial-rebuild process can take three months or more, until clients take delivery of rebuilt equipment.
By focusing on a popular, high-demand piece of equipment, e Qwip can offer ready-made, fully remanufactured plant that is ready to drive off the lot.
At the e-Qwip launch earlier this month, key decision makers from leading mining businesses were impressed to see a truck with 30 000 hours of use, that had been rebuilt to look as good as new.
Rebuilt vehicles are also ready to put in tens of thousands more hours, in line with our philosophy of giving equipment a second life through remanufacture. The Caterpillar 777 off-highway dump truck is a staple of the mining industry, the biggest selling truck in the sector.
It carries payloads of up to 100 tonnes and is known for its economical, reliable durability. e-Qwip trucks are sourced from the African pre-owned market. They are stripped down to their frames, which are then tested to confirm their structural integrity. The machine is then rebuilt using remanufactured and certified CAT components.
“We can offer a 24-month, 8 000-hour warranty,” says Arnold. “Customers can drop off an old truck, get credit, and drive a rebuilt e-Qwip vehicle out of our yard. We’re able to offer trucks at prices point below that of new vehicles, with a similar warranty.”
Arnold has been in the construction equipment industry for more than 25 years. He sees the e-Qwip offer being particularly attractive to junior miners and emerging-market contractors on open-cast mines across Africa.
“Customers have told us that the high cost of new capital, and long factory lead times are significant pain points in the industry,” says Arnold.
“That impacts uptime. They are looking for an affordable, quality solution that carries the respected Caterpillar OEM warranty. e Qwip provides that.”
e-Quip is a strategic lever in Barloworld’s growth journey and it fits into the broader ambitions within Industrial Services headed by CEO Emmy Leeka.
This vertical was created with intent to expand our post-sale customer engagement, to generate recurring revenue, and to establish an industrial capability that is scalable, high-integrity, and continent-ready.
“e-Qwip is our first major investment under that vision — and what we’ve built here today is a platform. One that will enable us to service heavy fleets, extend machine lifecycles, and deliver aftermarket value with precision and consistency while enhancing the circular economy” says Leeka.
