The defunct Plant Pool Limited, which is into hiring, leasing, and rental of heavy duty and sanitation equipment, has been re-opened in Accra by the Deputy Minister of Transportation, Magnus Opare Asamoah. The company, which was a subsidiary of the erstwhile Bank for Housing and Construction, collapsed as a result of mismanagement. Following its demise, a new company called J.A. Plant Pool (GH) Limited was established as a private entity to acquire and carry out the same business activities as Plant Pool Limited. Though the new company was registered in 2007 and has offices in all the regional capitals, it however became fully operational in March this year with a total equipment population of 23 comprising tipper trucks, water tankers, sanitation and earth moving equipment, farm tractors, and luxurious buses. Within a period of five months, J.A. Plant Pool’s equipment population has increased to 46. The company says it hopes to reach equipment population of 100 by the end of the year. The rejuvenated company, which is now the representative of the world acclaimed original equipment manufacturers such as Yutong, Hubei, Sinotruk Howo, HBXG, Dongfeng, Ashok Leyland, and Mahindra and Mahindra, has a staff strength of 44 supported by 15 expatriate engineers. The General Manager of J.A. Plant Pool (GH) Ltd, Reverend Emmanuel Amofa, said the launching of the company was a commitment by its management to do business with Ghanaians. He said the company has a well equipped workshop in Accra and other regions to cater for after-sales services and showrooms stocked with spare parts for sale. He said within the next three months, major service centers with modern workshop tools would be set up in Accra, Takoradi, Kumasi and Tamale to respond to the after-sale service needs of its clients. “Any equipment purchased from us from now up to September 15, 2008, would attract a 50 percent discount,” he pledged. Rev. Amofa further disclosed that his outfit had set up a training school to train third year and HND Mechanical Engineering Polytechnic graduates free of charge. “Our objective is to create a large pool of mechanical engineers who would be readily available to undertake after-sales services wherever our products will be in the country,” he explained. He urged the government to develop strategic policy framework to help move forward the country’s heavy equipment industry. The Deputy Minister of Transportation, Magnus Asamoah who commissioned the new company on behalf of the Transportation Minister, Dr Richard Anane has mentioned lack of adequate and reliable road plants and equipment as some of the impediment to the growth of the country’s construction sector. He commended management of the company for its foresight in the establishment of the training school and advised the staff to work together as a team with a common purpose. Ms Joyce Aryee, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Chamber of Mines and Papa Owusu Ankomah, Minister of Trade and Industry were at the ceremony yesterday. Source: Daily Guide