By Adebola Adegoke
Mantrac Nigeria, the sole authorised Caterpillar equipment representative in the country, has reaffirmed commitment to Nigeria’s industrial and infrastructure growth with its new digital service centre.
The digital centre monitors equipment performance remotely, conducts virtual inspections, and proactively responds to faults or irregularities before they lead to breakdowns, thereby increasing productivity on industrial sites.
Speaking during a media roundtable and facility tour, the Managing Director of Mantrac Nigeria, Mr Emad Adeeb, said it was designed to help customers manage machinery operations more efficiently through remote connectivity, monitoring, and diagnostics.
“This facility reflects our long-term vision to redefine after-sales service in the market.
“By combining Caterpillar’s world-class technology with local expertise, we’re ensuring customers get immediate, intelligent support no matter where they are.
“This is about empowering productivity and building stronger partnerships,” he said.
According to him, the facility serves as a remote command centre, enabling expert support for hundreds of customer sites across industries.
He noted that with Nigeria’s infrastructure development projects and challenging work environments including high dust and humidity, the need for data-driven maintenance of equipment had become crucial.
Adeeb added that the diagnostic technology was designed such that engineers use their experience to interpret and adapt the technology’s recommendations to suit Nigeria’s unique operating conditions.
“Because of local conditions like fuel quality or dust, some steps must be adapted to the Nigerian context. This is why we’re building local expertise and combining it with Caterpillar’s global technology,” he added.
Adeeb emphasised Mantrac’s commitment to training, noting that the new facility was not just a control centre, but a training and problem-solving hub for engineers and operators across Nigeria.
He added that the centre would offer basic technical training to customer engineers to enable them use the technology to troubleshoot minor issues and provide first-level support.
Mr Mohamed Attar, Service Operations Manager at Mantrac Nigeria, explained that the centre integrates advanced technology that allows real-time monitoring and diagnosis of equipment performance.
Attar explained that the solution would minimise downtime (the period when machines or generators are not operational), reduce maintenance costs, and extend the lifespan of equipment used in challenging environments.
He added that the company was shifting from a traditional model of equipment servicing to a digital, customer-focused model that delivers faster and more proactive support.
According to him, the traditional model often faced challenges such as long wait times for technician dispatch, high costs from unplanned downtime, limited visibility into equipment issues, and insufficient problem diagnosis.
“We are now deploying a digital-first support hub that delivers expert help faster, smarter, and more proactively even before field visits.
“The digital approach enables remote analysis and diagnostics, ensuring issues are detected and resolved before they escalate, while allowing customers to focus on productivity and efficiency,” he said.
On the applicability of the technology to new and existing machines, he said the system applied to most caterpillar machines, though the level of data transmitted would vary depending on the model.
He noted that newer caterpillar machines and generators, however, were factory-fitted with the technology for 10 to 15 years and can transmit comprehensive real-time data for better diagnostics and monitoring.
He said the centre was fully integrated with Cat Product Link and VisionLink installation device, allowing for advanced equipment tracking and health analytics.
On his part, Bassem Kaldas, General Manager, Machines, emphasised how Caterpillar machines have been instrumental in constructing about 90 per cent of Nigeria’s road networks.
He said that with the digital service centre, Mantrac reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Nigeria’s infrastructure and industrial growth.
NAN reports that Mantrac is the authorised Caterpillar Representative for Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, as well as Iraq and the Western Siberia region of Russia.
The digital service centre offers a comprehensive suite of capabilities designed to enhance the efficiency and longevity of Caterpillar equipment.
It provides live remote troubleshooting through video consultations, enabling real-time support and issue resolution and currently supporting over 200 active sites in Nigeria. (NAN)(www.nannews.com.ng)
Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma