Peter O'Brien has been in the actuator business since 1984, with experience as an electrical contractor prior to that. While with Audis SA he attended a training course in Germany and was with the company for seven years. He then joined Rotalk, also a big actuator supplier, but left a year later after identifying that there was a major need to repair the actuators.

It was determined that at companies where actuators were supplied by overseas companies, when it came to repairs it was not only a costly affair but also a very lengthy one as the unit had to be either sent overseas for repairs or the parts ordered from overseas. This is simply because there are no local agents to deal with this process.

ARS have filled this gap in the market and have all the necessary testing equipment to repair all makes of actuators. If you don't recalibrate the actuators, explains Peter, you could wreck it.

As with any new business, ARS having started in 1992, there are bound to be one or two stumbling blocks that will be thrown in your path. When ARS found getting spare parts to be a problem, they took it as a challenge and today make their own as needed.

Where many companies have had to send for parts from their overseas agents, ARS has been able to step in locally thus cutting back on repair time.

Peter describes himself as an impatient, but a very curious, person. He has always, since a child, had the inkling to find out how things work. His brand new remote control toy as a child, he recalls, was the first of many to undergo his intense scrutiny. But, what he disassembled, he put right back together in perfect working order.

This is why Peter enjoys his line of work so much. Repairing actuators is a simple matter of disassembling, finding the fault, and putting it back together with all parts functioning 100%.

All the necessary security systems are in place, and Peter has a staff member who resides on site as well.

Clients such as Rand Water and the mines will be happy to know that there is almost 200 years of combined experience on hand. On the electrical side of ARS, which is newly introduced to the company, there is a decade of experience.

EazyDex was used as one stage, but after analyzing the marketing strategy ARS soon changed tactics to reach the clients that need them.

Today, they are more than happy to give regular braais and golf days to clients, which offers a more personal marketing touch and getting to know each other. ARS are eager to sponsor sporting events through products bearing their name and offering items, which bear their company name, as prizes.

Good old word of mouth is also very much used in this line and ARS is reaping the benefits, bragging of doing business as far afield as Umtata, Zimbabwe as well as all over South Africa.

Any problems are handled immediately, believe ARS, because it is your reputation at stake. They are so confident about their products that the refurbished actuators carry a two-year guarantee – which is more than what is offered on a new one.

“I like to pass my training on to others,” says Peter, starting the process off at the basics - how to operate the tools on hand.

In other words, training is given from the word go and risk assessment is but second nature to these dedicated workers.

“I don't tolerate dangerous working conditions,” says Peter sternly, and his policy has certainly been successfully passed on.

In talking about training, he describes how his BEE partner Daniel Radebe started out with ARS as a labourer. His potential was identified and he worked his way through the ranks and can today, other than being a fully fledged partner, assemble 100%, test the actuators as well as handle all the paper work, following ISO 9000 specifications. Daniel also attends all the outreach meetings (maintenance meetings of the clients' actuators).

“If there is a willingness to learn and go further, there are opportunities,” explains Peter, saying that offering incentives is imperative.

Above average, according to the Bargaining Electrical Council.

It's obvious that an open door policy is practiced and a happy working environment prevails.

“I've always wanted to be the biggest and am still working towards it,” says a confident Peter.

The ultimate goal is to become the biggest repair company, and not just in Springs where they are situated. Eventually, there will be ARS workshops open all around the country, the first being in Mpumalanga, which has opened as a BEE company, and the manager will double up as the marketing manager.

Agents exist in Richards Bay as well as Zimbabwe to help speed the way to success, and enquiries have come from Harare.

“My philosophy is to be patient, but never satisfied,” says the man who will spread ARS ' wings all over the country.

• Completed the first two job ARS received when it first opened and experienced 100% success. The jobs included 306 actuators in Matimba, Ellis Ras, and 264 in Matla.
• Being the only company to repair all types of actuators worldwide is also no mean feat.

“To be the best!”

ARS are the sole agents for the Sentalk actuator products from Spain, which Peter describes as being the Rolls Royce of actuators. The product needs to be marketed correctly to take the market in the country by storm, and it's a challenge that Peter is sincerely looking forwards to.