Riepco’s expertise has won it a strong reputation in the mining industry

Mining specialist Riepco provides precision engineering services to the country’s all-important mining and industrial sector. Based in Tema, the company has grown up with Ghana itself, a truly indigenous firm that represents the best of domestic engineering talent and know-how.

Established in 1980 by Executive Chairman Charles Darko, the company weathered some rocky early years to build what is now a thriving and growing enterprise. “We started with a few British companies and then moved into the processing side of the mining industry,” says Mr Darko.

Starting out was not easy but after a while Riepco managed to expand its client base to get a better foothold and gain in stature and reputation. Word of mouth spread. “As we progressed we were given recommendations by companies that we had been in contact with.”

Riepco’s proven expertise has given it a strong platform in the industry, says Mr Darko.
“The mining world is very small and we have good credibility with the mining companies. We are flexible and responsive to their needs.”

As well as engineering services, Riepco brings in mining and other equipment from Europe and elsewhere and then markets it to mining organisations across Ghana providing close technical support along the way. “We now have a number of quality products that we bring into the country from Germany, Sweden and Canada in which we have a service contract.”

The company is currently active in a partnership with German and South African companies to bring in hydraulic hoses which can be assembled inside Ghana, a commitment to building the local industrial sector.

During difficult times in the mining sector, when gold prices softened some years ago, for instance, Riepco has also made inroads into other industrial sectors. Mining still represents about 70 per cent of the business, but, with a good reputation behind it and a history dating back more than a quarter of a century, local companies are now well aware of what Riepco can do.

The company continues to push itself, attending trade shows and events in Europe and South Africa, another leading African mining hotspot, to raise its profile. Its regional ambition is strong, partly because of the limited size of the domestic market.
“The problem we have in Ghana is the size of the market, so we will continue to service the sub-region. Because we are based in Tema it also means that we can easily service the industrial sector.”

Outside Ghana, Riepco has so far worked on projects in other West African mining states such as Guinea, Togo, Benin, Mali and Burkina Faso. And Mr Darko is looking further afield. “Our goal is to tackle the whole of the sub-Saharan region,” he says. “It is easy for us because Ghana is centrally located.”