N3 Upgrade Hailed

ISSN NO: 1562 -5702 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2021 R20.90 (incl. VAT) ISSUE NO. 127 N3 upgrade hailed Call to curb ‘lawless’ business forums EWS that work has resumed on a series of upgrades to the N3 highway – esti- Nmated to be worth a total of R18.4 billion – has been widely welcomed by the KwaZulu-Natal business community. But it has also prompted warnings that intimidation from ‘business forums’ could raise costs and hamper progress on these vital projects, some of which are already scheduled to take up to a decade to complete. The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) recently announced the resumption of the upgrades, starting with the 16.4km portion of the N3 between the Dardanelles interchange and the Lynnfield Park interchange between Cato Ridge and Pietermaritzburg. This follows the recent completion of the Hammarsdale interchange. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs has welcomed the upgrade, which it believes will alleviate congestion on roads around the port and on the crucial N3 corridor linking the port of Durban to the hinterland, and South Africa’s economic powerhouse, Gauteng. Department spokesman Bheki Mbanjwa said Transnet had projected that the port was likely to exceed its maximum capacity of 5.5 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent container units) by 2035 and that the N3 improvements would help ensure “less discomfort” for non- commercial road users until sorely needed rail efficiencies were implemented. “The upgrade of the N3 will ensure ease of traffic movement and the continual maintenance will reduce fatalities on our roads. The long-term benefits to both the commuter and to the economy at large far outweigh any incon- venience,” he said. SANRAL Eastern Region Project Engineer Corné Roux said work now underway on the R1.48 billion Dardanelles to Lynnfield Park The N3 upgrades, combined with the recent completion of the Hammarsdale interchange will significantly enhance access to the area, rapidly stretch of the project would create an esti- developing into a major logistics hub. This encompasses the 152ha Keystone Park development which houses warehouses for the likes of Mr mated 700 employment opportunities. Price, Ackermans and Malda Pack. Work recently commenced there on a R1.3bn mega-warehouse for Pepkor The work is being carried out by Raubex and is one of two new projects SANRAL has Chief Executive Palesa Phili welcomed the tive for business confidence which directly cor- this recurs. awarded to the JSE-listed construction group upgrades, saying they promised to shorten relates with employment creation. The recently “Given the scale of the N3 upgrades it would worth a combined R2.87 billion – the sec- turnaround times for freight-carrying vehicles, completed Hammarsdale interchange has be devastating to all parties if similar lawless- ond being upgrades to the N2 between the reduce accidents and increase profitability. been excellent for the entire region. Anyone ness was to take root.” KwaMashu interchange and the Umdloti River She said the Durban and KZN economy relied driving along the N3 can see new platforms He said the association was engaging bridge, due to start in May 2021. on the logistics and transport sector, and the and structures going up and occupancy lev- SANRAL monthly so that local businesses are The N3 upgrade forms an integral part of upgrades would contribute to economic growth els in the area are reaching all-time highs,” aware of progress. the government’s Strategic Integrated Projects provided they were executed effectively. said Kotze, who also chairs the Infrastructure “In support of the HCRDA vision, to make SIP2: Durban-Free State-Gauteng Logistics Kelvin Kotze, Development Manager at the workstream of the Hammarsdale Cato Ridge Hammarsdale and Cato Ridge a better place and Industrial Corridor. SIP2 aims to strength- Hammarsdale Industrial Park also welcomed Development Association (HCRDA). to work and live, the HCRDA is working closely en the logistics and transport corridor between the “much needed” upgrades but cautioned “Work stoppages due to business forum with eThekwini Municipality, the South African South Africa’s main industrial hubs, improve that the construction process would be chal- intimidation however lengthened that project Police Services and other important stakehold- access to Durban’s export and import facilities lenging for its users given the project scale and considerably with unnecessary cost to the ers. Cooperation is essential if this region is to and raise efficiency along the corridor. time frames. contractor and users,” he said, adding that law achieve its full potential,” Kotze said. Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry “New and functional infrastructure is impera- enforcement must act swiftly and decisively if Enquiry no: 1

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Pulp heavyweight Pumps, Valves, Engineering & green lights KZN Pipes & Fittings - Allied Supplies - biorefinery pilot page 8 page 10

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Stop AARTO now to R217bn budget boost for prevent ‘grand scale’ looting, says road freight economic growth programmes body HE Road Freight Association (RFA) has total of R217 billion will be spent over the Competition for business incentives including Tcalled for an immediate halt to implementa- next three-years on ambitious economic manufacturing, special economic zones, the tion of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Adevelopment programmes aimed at pro- clothing and textile sector and services sector Traffic Offences Act (AARTO), citing fears of moting faster and sustained inclusive economic development. “grand scale” theft and corruption. growth, according to National Treasury in its These incentives will support the national This follows the recent suspension of the recently revealed Budget Review document. industrial strategy. Road Traffic Infringement Agency’s (RITA’s) Over the medium term, R14.6 billion is allocat- The Department of Environment, Forestry Chief Executive Officer, Japh Chuwe, amidst ed to finalise outstanding land restitution claims and Fisheries has been allocated R1.2 billion allegations of “serious maladministration” by and support land reform initiatives, including for over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework the Auditor-General. subsistence and smallholder farmers. (MTEF) period to support climate resilience AARTO is scheduled to be implemented in An additional R1.2 billion in the blended initiatives, including a legislative framework, July this year. finance programme is earmarked for emerging intergovernmental coordination, and job resil- “Whilst we welcome the uncovering of cor- commercial farmers. Smallholder farmers have been identified as ience plans. ruption, it would be irresponsible and reckless According to the document, an allocation one of the programmes to drive the economy Expenditure in the function will rise from for government to proceed with the implemen- of R81.6 billion over the medium term will R191.9 billion in 2020/21 to R217.2 billion in tation of AARTO,” said RFA Chief Executive support the expansion of public employment ing the local production of ventilators, nano 2023/24. This was despite the baseline for this Gavin Kelly, adding that the association had programmes while a further R1 billion is set satellites, hydrogen fuel cell technologies, and functional group being reduced by R11 billion over the years expressed concern and uneasi- aside to enhance accountability for waste man- renewable energy research development and over the medium term. ness about AARTO and its susceptibility to agement. pilots. “This mainly affects compensation of employ- fraud, corruption, and money laundering. “This funding will support the development The pilots include the KwaZulu-Natal ees, transfers and subsidies, and selected “The RTIA’s latest announcement is con- of a new tyre waste industry plan, the review Research Innovation and Sequencing goods and services including in the Expanded firmation of our worst fears. Once AARTO is of producer responsibility regulations and the Platforms. Public Works Programme. The reductions implemented, the RTIA will be handling billions development of a Waste Economy Master Treasury said the Small Enterprise Finance affected allocations to entities and incentive of rands. How can we now trust the entity – Plan,” Treasury said. Agency has been allocated R885.3 million over programmes such as the Comprehensive especially when the dishonesty and corruption A R540 million Tourism Equity Fund has the same period for a blended finance model Agriculture Support Programme, manufac- is allegedly at the highest level in the agency? also been established to support black-owned to support small and medium enterprises, and turing development, the Clothing and Textile “We already face huge corruption, extorsion and commercially viable enterprises to acquire allocated R2.9 billion under the Township and Competitiveness Programme, global business and intimidation at the hands of traffic police shares in tourism enterprises. Rural Entrepreneurship Fund to support small processing, film and television, tourism and on a daily basis and this latest development Over the medium term, R5.3 billion has been businesses in rural areas and townships. small business support,” Treasury said. has highlighted how rampant dishonesty is in set aside for the Department of Science and To support industry, R17.1 billion is allo- – SAnews.gov.za the public service – especially in the traffic law Innovation to scale up interventions support- cated to the Department of Trade, Industry and Enquiry no: 2 enforcement and management structures. “These allegations have undermined what little faith we had in RTIA. If the system is implemented, we envisage theft on a grand scale.” Local steel Kelly said the RFA was again proposing that AARTO be shelved, alleging that it “is all about generating revenue and not at all about road safety”. Huge administrative resources would industry on the be required to implement and sustain an “antiquated and cumbersome” system, putting additional burdens on already-overburdened government authorities and the private sector. ‘brink of implosion’ He said that the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) – another Agency of OCAL steel manufacturer Duferco Steel Commission (ITAC) to treat our urgent applica- the Department of Transport – already costs Processing raised the red flag over the tion for assistance dating from July 2020 with a new solution does not address the critical motorists hundreds of millions of rands a year Llocal steel industry, saying its imminent any seriousness.” downstream shortages. We need tariff relief in levies imposed on all eNatis transactions. collapse is one fateful step closer. While ITAC recently sent out a survey on now to be able to import the raw product that “This was supposed to be a temporary Managing Director Ludovico Sanges said the shortages, based on a directive from the AMSA cannot supply reliably and competitive- measure to get the RTMC on its feet. Like all President Ramaphosa’s emphasis in his recent Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, ly, to feed the downstream steel industry with other levies, this has become permanent with State of the Nation Address on the need to “the truth is that we cannot hold out too much the product it needs.” no added value to citizens. The RTMC needs accelerate South Africa’s economic recovery longer”. “Without competition in the re-roller sector of to step up and do its job, that is, to manage and grow jobs was at odds with the way in He said the commission had sent similar the steel industry, the whole steel value chain road traffic according to proper traffic manage- which local steel manufacturers’ pleas for help requests to the industry before, claiming that will be compromised and prevented from pro- ment strategies with effective centralised road are being ignored. the latest one was merely a delaying tactic, ducing product at the best possible price.” safety interventions and operational manage- He said Rampaphosa had specifically men- “which does nothing to address ArcelorMittal He said government had shown that it was ment.” Enquiry no: 6 tioned steel as one of the 42 products that can South Africa’s anti-competitive and monopolis- able to play a positive role in nurturing the be sourced locally. tic behaviour”. automotive and sugar industries. “Why is it “But the local industry is on the brink of “The solution, which has been on the table not taking the same proactive approach to catastrophe due to the shortage of steel in for months, is to provide tariff relieve for re- the steel industry on which multiple industries South Africa and the apparent unwillingness rollers to help reduce the shortages in the local rely?” of the International Trade Administration steel supply chain, yet ITAC’s drive to identify Enquiry no: 3

P O Box 1322 Wandsbeck 3631 Covid crisis puts health and safety of Tel: (031) 266 7511 Fax: (031) 266 7514 Email: [email protected] temps under spotlight www.kznindustrialnews.co.za by Natashia Barnabas level of involvement assisted in ensur- easier to train employees on the Managing Director: Janet Coom ing compliance and accurate report- basics of the OHS Act. They need to CCORDING to employment legisla- ing. Not only does this solve the prob- be able to identify hazards and risk, Editor: Alan Cooper tion, temporary employment service lem, but it also adds value through how to report on them and manage Email: [email protected] A(TES) providers are regarded as the collaboration and being part of the efficiently. employer of any TES worker placed within clients’ planning and implementation TES providers also assist with, Sales & Marketing Manager: a given organisation. However, according to of health and safety protocols. for example, legal requirements Cheryl Murphy the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) In reference to the recent COVID- of health and safety during a time Email: [email protected] Act, the TES provider is not regarded as the 19 outbreak, many organisations did of a pandemic. Organisations can employer, which means the responsibility of not have the capacity and the insight adhere to the statutory laws in terms the employees’ Health and Safety lies with the to effectively deal with the protection of appointments, however, seldom Any news items, press releases, articles and organisation itself. of their employees. As a result, the apply thought to the enforcement photographs relating to business and industry This becomes a challenge due to the fact importance of TES providers became and operational aspects of Health in KwaZulu-Natal are welcome. All contributions that a TES provider is responsible for the man- more evident than ever. The pan- and Safety. The TES industry can will be considered for publication. datory reporting and if needed, the payment of demic has subsequently resulted in some therefore play a much larger role in the health any injuries on duty (IOD) which pertain to the organisations depending on TES providers to and safety of employees through regular Disclaimer: The editor and management of KZN OHS Act. This becomes particularly relevant in assist them with relevant resources. engagement with employees and clients to Industrial & Business News make every effort high-risk industries such as mining, manufac- In this regard, TES providers can assist discuss health and safety in the workplace. to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this turing and warehousing to name a few. organisations with services ranging from legal Both TES providers and their clients all need to publication. Despite the fact that the OHS Act states that expertise, healthcare, finance and training, for manage their workplace protocol which helps However, no warranty is made and no responsi- the TES provider is not responsible for health which organisations may not have resources. them abide by the OHS Act. bility will be borne by the editor or management and safety, but rather the client, TES providers Health and safety is in itself a complicated Health and safety is there to protect us all, of consequences of any actions based on infor- still play a vital role in assisting clients with process to implement and ensure the compli- whether one is in a management position or mation published. their compliance to the OHS Act. This is usu- ance thereof. With the addition of COVID, this a junior role. Workers should all abide by the The views and opinions expressed in this ally done by ensuring basic inductions based has become even more cumbersome to clients same rules and regulations in order to protect publication do not necessarily reflect those of on the various industry requirements and fun- to manage and enforce. TES providers should themselves and their colleagues against any the editor and/or management. damental protective equipment requirements be included more holistically in their clients’ harm or injury in the workplace. The TES are met. implementation and enforcement of health and industry, even though not recognised as a key However, over the past few years the TES safety regulations. player by the OSH Act, can and must play PUBLISHED BY: Hentiq 1910 (Pty) Ltd t/a THE MEDIA & industry has adjusted its operating processes In relation to the challenge stated previously, a bigger role in the health and safety of its EVENTS CO to overcome some of these challenges by the responsibility of employee safety – whether employees and that of its clients. Reg No. 1999/019445/07 COPYRIGHT: All rights becoming more involved with their client’s employed permanently or contractually – can Natashia Barnabas is Industrial Relations Specialist at reserved operations. By streamlining processes and be well split between TES providers and their Workforce Holdings Limited making them more transparent, the deeper clients. When working together, it becomes Enquiry no: 4 February / March 2021 Follow us on Twitter KZN Industrial & Business News news @kzn_indbiznews 3 Pulp heavyweight green lights KZN biorefinery pilot plant

APPI has announced further progress in commercial furfural plant at the mill. ket uses, including resins, solvents and South Africa, earning additional for- the development of its biorefinery capac- Sappi CEO Steve Binnie (pictured) said, platform chemicals to replace oil-based eign exchange and supporting the Sity with the confirmation that it will con- “We are very happy with the progress being chemicals. country’s balance of trade.” struct a pilot plant using technology developed made by our biorefinery team. Biomaterials He said the location of the commercial Turning to the markets which in-house to prove the feasibility of a future and biochemicals are integral to Sappi’s strat- plant at an existing mill site would deliver the pilot plant will enable Sappi commercial furfural plant. egy of extracting maximum value from wood strong integration synergies, and the to explore, Kruyshaar said, “The The plant will be located at Sappi’s Saiccor fibre, our natural and renewable resource. We cost advantages offered by Sappi’s scale future commercial furfural plant will Mill on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast and have taken a significant step towards generat- mean the company will have a globally be one of the largest, lowest cost will use the co-product of the dissolving pulp ing meaningful revenue from this new business competitive cost base for furfural produc- and sustainable production facilities process. It should be operational early in 2022. segment”. tion. in the world. It will be unique in using Pending successful paper and pulp results Louis Kruyshaar, EVP for Sappi Biotech said “In addition, Sappi will be able to use its wood-based feedstock from the dissolving pulp and further approvals it the pulp and paper furfural is a sustainably sourced bio-chemical existing competencies in logistics and cus- process, ensuring all year-round feedstock multi-national plans to build a “world-scale” with a variety of established and future mar- tomer service to support global customers from availability and production”. Enquiry no: 7 Conveyor benefits stack up for Estcourt quarry LUROCK Quarries, whose opencast pit is While this is no longer a factor, as the “It’s a quiet machine and the ergonomics an institution in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal, local municipality is proactive in work- are great. It also came standard with pro- Brecently took delivery of a Finlay TC-80 ing with its large power consumers to tectors on the front screen and top of cab. Tracked Conveyor. reduce demand when necessary to avoid “A 40t machine would have to work all day to This was after Chief Executive Officer load shedding, Blurock Quarries enjoys supply product to the static and mobile plants Jeremy Hunter-Smith saw the unit in operation the flexibility provided by these machines. whereas now we have a portion of the day at a Bell Equipment customer open day. In addition to the Finlay Conveyor, Blurock where our Kobelco can be used to remove He said the company had been looking at a took delivery of a Kobelco SK500HDLC-8 overburden because it’s so efficient. We’re stacking conveyor for several years, trying to Excavator and a Bell L2106E Wheeled Loader, really chuffed we did the stats to make sure we see where it would best benefit the operation. both of which are fitted with rock buckets, bought the right size machine for our operation.” “Seeing it work, we should’ve bought one auto greasing systems and reverse cameras. Commenting on the new Bell Wheeled Loader, four or five years ago. For anyone manufactur- The Kobelco is Blurock’s primary production Hunter-Smith said they previously operated ing base and subbase products out of a mobile machine that feeds rock from the muck pile two Bell L2606E machines. plant it should be a standard part of the kit.” into a fleet of Bell ADTs that deliver the rock to “We ran two because we always had one Hunter-Smith said one of the main benefits the static and mobile plant. in the quarry pit itself loading certain prod- has been freeing up a wheeled loader. “With “With the excavator, we were looking at a ucts from the muck pile, but we’ve real- mobile crushers the conveyors are always smaller machine but when we did our stud- ised that it’s not cost effective and to rath- close to the floor, so you need a permanent ies again, we realised we needed the larger er utilise excavators, which are made for wheeled loader in the area, which means fuel machine. We weren’t happy with the fuel con- that environment. Tyre damage running burn as well as the risk involved and the inter- sumption on the competitor machine that we into the muck pile was the main challenge. action with the lower conveyors and people own, so we bought the Kobelco.” “Now we have one L2606E loading interlinks moving around the plant. He said the new machine is considerably and the Bell L2106E, which is dedicated to our “In the same application our TC-80 uses a more fuel efficient at 28l/hr compared to the wash plant, to handle the washed product. We meagre 3,5l/hr compared to a wheeled loader 33l/hr of its predecessor, delivering the twin opted for a smaller machine because the main- that burns 15l/hr. Now with the conveyor, our benefits of fuel saving and the productivity of tenance and fuel burn are less.” wheeled loader works half the time. It’s not hav- the larger machine. Enquiry no: 8 ing to feed a machine plus then take product Bell Equipment Sales Representative, Keith away. Now it only feeds the mobile plant and Milne, with the Chief Executive Officer of we can utilise it to load customers’ trucks when Blurock Quarries, Jeremy Hunter-Smith before we would need to bring in an additional loader. It contributes hugely to efficiencies in ary section on the static side. Its versatility each section of our mobile crushing operation.” has been unbelievable. The next day it was The TC-80 has also proved versatile. It was back to the wash plant again to carry on initially earmarked to work on base and sub- work there. That is the advantage of mobile base materials – G7, G5 and G2 – that are plant, and the adjustable height is useful too.” manufactured out of the mobile plant. Hunter-Smith admits that one of his con- “When it arrived, we put it on our G5 pro- cerns was the segregation of product from duction, where it worked perfectly. When we the conveyor but with the adjustable height stopped that line the guys were keen to utilise this isn’t an issue and Blurock is able to build it at our wash plant because they could see a much larger stockpile with the TC-80 than the advantage of it, so it moved straight to our those that are under the conveyor belts on its wash plant creating the same time and cost mobile equipment. With a discharge height of benefits. 10m, the TC-80 can supply 300t/hour and is “Then we ran into another snag when our therefore more than capable of handling the static primary went down and the guys put 150t/hour production rate on the mobile plant. their heads together and said they’ll use the The mobile plant includes a Finlay J1175 Jaw stacker to directly feed one of our static crush- Crusher that feeds into a Finlay C1540RS ers. We limped along but we were able to Cone Crusher, and two Finlay 694 Triple Deck get product through. We brought the product Screens, which were bought with load shed- to the stacker so it could feed our second- ding in mind. Durban sustainability expert nets key global appointment ASTE management company and I am proud to work for such a strong val- Averda has appointed two rising ues-led company. It’s also uplifting to work for Wstars, Brindha Roberts and a company so supportive of women Mariam Ansari, as Group Director of in leadership roles within the waste Sustainability and Director of Plastics management sector, which is still Recycling respectively. very male-dominated,” Roberts said. According to a statement from the Ansari will lead Averda’s expan- company, the global appointments sion in the plastics recycling sector, reflect its “strategic focus on fostering working with the solutions & inno- the circular economy in the emerging vation team, business development If its not INVAL, it’s not Invincible world as well as its commitment to executives and external partners to staff diversity at a senior level”. identify and develop opportunities to A Durban native holding a mas- grow the company’s plastics recycling ter’s degree in chemical engineering, portfolio. and a graduate of University of Stellenbosch With a master’s degree from Warwick Business School, Roberts’ career has seen Business School, UK, she joined the Averda her hone her skills at Mondi Packaging, Sappi Academy Programme in 2010 and has since and Kimberly-Clark before bringing her exper- steadily progressed through a series of tise to Averda. increasingly senior roles across the business, She has been Averda’s Head of including managing the company’s operations Sustainability in South Africa since 2017 and in the UAE and Qatar and, most recently, as is now promoted to run strategic sustainability Head of Special Projects. initiatives across all Averda’s nine countries “Plastic remains one of the biggest nem- of operation -- South Africa, Congo, Oman, eses of our planet’s sustainability. I am excited Saudi Arabia, India, UAE, Qatar, Morocco to be leading Averda’s plastics recycling team and the UK. with a clear vision to move away from today’s “Sustainable methods of waste manage- linear take-make-waste model, and funda- ment, within a broader circular economy, in mentally rethink the way we use and reuse the emerging world is Averda’s raison d’etre plastics,” Ansari said. Enquiry no: 9 Like us on Facebook February /March 2021 4 news - opinion www.facebook.com/kznindustrialnews KZN Industrial & Business News Intercepting RICA: Concourt verdict hailed a victory for privacy By Rui Lopes and Kirsty Gibson, having approached the Constitutional Court • Adequately prescribe procedures to ensure Lopes Attorneys for confirmation of the declaration of uncon- that data obtained pursuant to the intercep- stitutionality in the 2017 High Court decision. tion of communications is managed lawfully OUTH Africa’s highest court, the To this end, the Constitutional Court noted and not used or interfered with unlawfully, Constitutional Court, handed down a that various provisions of RICA were inad- including prescribing procedures to be fol- Ssignificant judgment on 4 February equate and thus unconstitutional in so far as lowed for examining, copying, sharing, sort- 2021, declaring that certain provisions of they failed to: ing through, using, storing or destroying the the infamous Regulation of Interception of • Provide for safeguards ensuring that a data; and All industry Communications Act (RICA) are unconstitu- Judge designated in terms of section 1 of • Provide adequate safeguards where the tional. the Act is sufficiently independent; subject of surveillance is a practising lawyer In this ground-breaking judgment, the • Provide for notifying the subject of surveil- or journalist. court held that certain provisions of RICA are lance of the fact of their surveillance as soon The Constitutional Court ordered that such stakeholders unconstitutional in so far as RICA fails to pro- as such may be given without jeopardising an order for the declaration of unconstitu- vide appropriate safeguards and adequately the purpose of surveillance after such sur- tionality is to take effect immediately and is prescribe procedures in many respects when veillance has been terminated; suspended for a period of 36 months in order it comes to undertaking surveillance. • Adequately providing safeguards to address to afford Parliament an opportunity to cure the can win from This case was brought about by the ama- the fact that interception directions are defect causing the invalidity. Bhugane Centre for Investigative Journalism sought to be obtained ex parte; Enquiry no: 10 SA rail boom PENING up third-party access to South Africa’s rail infrastructure would funda- Omentally change the way freight moves in the country. This would not only grow the size of the rail market for all players, but ultimately benefit a Always range of industries and the entire economy. That’s according to James Holley, Chief Executive of independent rail operator Traxtion, who said giving third-party opera- Visible tors access to the rail network would not only enable more efficient freight move- ments within the country but unlock potential new export markets by providing capacity to freight goods to ports and the rest of the continent. Granting third-party access to the country’s core rail network within the next 12 months is a key element of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan presented by President Ramaphosa last October. Under this policy, private freight rail operators will be allowed to operate on the state-owned rail infrastructure alongside Transnet. Holley said there was a “significant” body of cargo – including steel, agricultural products, hazardous chemicals, specialised products and general freight – that is well suited to rail transport, but is not currently moved by this way. Providing additional rail capacity to service this demand would create an “unprec- edented” boom in the rail freight market. “The rail industry in South Africa should be pursuing getting as many extra tonnes on rail as possible. One of the big winners would be Transnet, who would benefit from access fees generated from these new cargo flows. Increasing rail capacity will improve the competitiveness of South Africa’s economy. This will stimulate growth and that means that jobs created are not limited just to those that would be created in the rail sector but many multiples more upstream.” Holley said global manufacturing power- houses like Germany, which has built effective transport routes into key markets across Europe and the rest of the world, has created a world-class rail network through state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn’s long-standing partnerships with a range of third-party operators. Transport & Logistics “We are already seeing strong demand from freight movers that are eager to access this Keep every aspect of your fleet, Always Visible. new rail capacity. What’s most exciting is that this will lead to new business and expansions to existing businesses who have needed this With Ctrack’s 30 years experience, we can help you unlock capacity to grow.” Enquiry no: 11 better diagnostics, support compliance reporting, as well as provide tailormade analytics for both short term, and long-term decision making. Ctrack will optimise the right New SA distributor solution for your specific business needs. for top construction equipment brand EMACH Equipment will no longer be dis- Keep your eyes on the road Ktributing JCB Construction Equipment in South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini Iris Camera Solution Asset Monitoring Temperature Monitoring (formerly Swaziland) from 1 May 2021. This after competitor Bell Equipment concluded a Front-Back-Side Facing Camera Options deal with UK-headquartered JCB to distribute Trailer Tracking Remote Door Unlocking the full range of its construction equipment in In Cab Device Door Open/Close Sensor South Africa. • Job Dispatch Driver Identification & Kemach CEO Les Lothian said the group would continue to focus on, and intensify, • Navigation Driving Behaviour Monitoring Fuel Level & the development of its prominent brands • Messaging Consumption Monitoring that include McCloskey International, • Driver Behaviour Display Engine Performance Kemach Forklifts and Stampede Compaction Equipment. Monitoring (CAN) Vehicle & Fleet Tracking “Sales of these flagship product lines continue to be robust and is showing positive growth in the Southern African market. Kemach Equipment remains committed to providing products and after-sales service that exceeds www.ctrack.co.za | [email protected] | Call Centre: +27 (0)860 333 444 customers’ expectations,” he said. The Kemach Group of companies outside of South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini that distribute JCB Construction Equipment will be unaffected. Enquiry no: 12 February / March 2021 Follow us on Twitter KZN Industrial & Business News news @kzn_indbiznews 5 The role of workplace Solar industry body breathalysers in tackling alcohol addiction welcomes power utility by Rhys Evans boss’s supportive comments OVERNMENT’S ban on alcohol as part of the HE South African Photovoltaic required changes. GCOVID-19 lockdown high- Industry Association (SAPVIA) “Increased deployment of embed- lighted the devastating impact Thas welcomed comments made ded generation capacity will release alcohol abuse has on socie- by Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter the pressure on Eskom’s already con- ty. While alcohol was banned, of alcohol their staff consumed. recently in support of an increased strained supply. Simply put, distrib- there were far fewer instances Many of the workers’ wives noted distributed generation license exemp- uted generation provides, rapid, clean, of domestic abuse, and pressure that, instead of coming home late tion cap. additional capacity to the grid,” said on hospitals was eased because and drunk, their husbands would Association COO Nivesh Govender Govender, adding that no one could alcohol-related injuries and acci- return straight after work. said they believed distributed gen- disagree with the need for increased dents were minimised. For many industries where eration can add capacity to the grid, support in this effort should encourage capacity as the economy was “ham- However, this issue will not be employees rely on no work, no reduce load-shedding, and create jobs more haste in regulatory changes from strung by the ongoing blight” of load- solved by prohibiting the sale and pay, running the risk of not being but there must be policy and regula- the Department of Mineral Resources shedding. consumption of alcohol – the prob- allowed into the workplace due to tory action. and Energy (DMRE) and National He said distributed generation would lem goes far deeper. The reality is intoxication is not worth it for many “SAPVIA has long been engaged in Energy Regulator of South Africa also create jobs and spur localisation that South Africa has a culture of such employees. Compulsory advocating for the systematic easing (NERSA).” and industrialisation, which would be of drinking and it has become testing helped to control exces- of licensing thresholds, to unlock the He said the benefits of a specif- vital in driving economic recovery. normalised to consume excessive drinking behaviours, as the significant opportunity held by distrib- ic allocation within the Integrated “It is clear from Mr De Ruyter’s com- sive amounts on a regular basis. workers knew their jobs could be uted generation. We therefore wel- Resource Plan (IRP) and lifting of ments that Eskom have realized that A multi-level approach is critical, on the line. come the support of the state-owned licensing thresholds were now “com- they must look for alternative solutions and compulsory alcohol testing in Some other benefits of reducing utility for lifting licensing thresholds mon knowledge” and as a key gov- to combat the ongoing energy crises the workplace has a pivotal role alcohol consumption were fewer from 1MW to 50 MW in order to accel- ernment partner in the energy space, and we are hopeful that this will be to play. instances of domestic abuse, as erate distributed generation by large SAPVIA remained committed to followed up with the necessary legisla- Alcohol abuse is a complex well as more disposable income customers. engaging and collaborating with both tion changes to make this a reality.” problem for which there is no for education and food. For the “As a key sector player, Eskom’s DMRE and NERSA to develop the Enquiry no: 15 single, magical solution. However, business, they also saw improve- there are steps that businesses ments in productivity, reliabil- can take to play a role in reducing ity and employee health, as well alcohol consumption, especially in as fewer accidents, creating an the workplace. improved working environment for The Occupational Health and all. These brands are proud members of Safety (OHS) Act specifies a zero- Compulsory alcohol testing is tolerance approach toward intoxi- only one element of a multi-fac- cation in the workplace. Enforcing eted problem. Education on the this with the use of alcohol testing dangers of alcohol consumption not only ensures compliance, but needs to be driven from a young it can also effectively reduce the age and reinforced in the work- alcohol consumption of employ- place. Avoid the ees. The ‘cool’ factor around drink- If staff know that they will or ing needs to be changed and may be tested when they arrive the preconception that socialising at work, they will not be able to has to involve alcohol must shift. purchase drink to excess the night before. In addition, establishments serv- In addition, if they are tested upon ing alcohol need to play a role in returning from lunch, they will not ensuring excessive consumption be able to consume alcohol dur- does not take place. & use of ing work hours. Regular testing Ultimately South Africa needs a plays a role in reducing excessive change in culture and individuals alcohol consumption and can help need to be held accountable. We to change culture in a small way. need to become more respon- sub- sible as a nation and knowing KZN success story that we could be fired for drinking too much is a really effective A paper mill in KwaZulu Natal incentive to help control drinking implemented compulsory alcohol behaviours. standard, testing several years ago and Rhys Evans is Managing Director at almost immediately experienced ALCO-Safe a huge reduction in the amount Enquiry no: 13 dangerous Call for probe into SA business electrical links with Zim tobacco cartels HE South Africa Tobacco Transformation Alliance products & T(SATTA) has called for an urgent investigation into revela- tions of an illicit international axis involving Zimbabwean tobacco services. smugglers, South African business, and the Chinese state cigarette manufacturer. The allegedly corrupt rela- low,” the report said. tionship between these players SATTA spokesperson Zachariah was revealed in a report on the Motsumi said the report confirmed ALBERTON Maverick Citizen news website their view that urgent action need- recently as part of an exposé of ed to be taken against those cigarette cartels and other corrupt involved in the production and activities. distribution of illicit tobacco. It says there is hard evidence “Their activities are criminal and of under-pricing of tobacco ship- are undermining the South African ments between China, Zimbabwe economy, and in particular the and South Africa, and that this – law-abiding farmers, processors along with a number of other fac- and manufacturers who are try- tors – is fuelling illicit trade. ing their best in the face of an “Tobacco is being directly onslaught of illicit products, par- exported from Zimbabwe to China ticularly since the introduction of Download your free guide from safehousesa.co.za at market price, then purported COVID-19-related lockdowns. to be exported to [an unnamed] “SATTA believes the details of South African middleman,” the individuals and businesses pro- report said. “The middleman vided in the report are more than Make a commitment to safety. receives the payment from China, enough ammunition for the South We don’t know what you know, JOIN TODAY! retains a significant amount in African authorities to institute an report unsafe South Africa, and remits a small- immediate investigation and a er amount to Zimbabwe as the crackdown on the businesspeo- products & services. For more information contact: export price. ple, freight companies and others Connie Jonker: Tel: 011 396 8251 “Given that 99.5 per cent of involved in illicit activity. Email: [email protected] tobacco exported to China from “We urge them to act with speed Barry O’Leary: Tel: 011 396 8117 Zimbabwe between 2014-18 was to bring to book those named in The SAFEhouse Association is a non-proﬁ t, industry Email: [email protected] falsely declared as exports to the report, and to help turn the tide organisation committed to the ﬁ ght against sub-standard, South Africa, there are clear indi- against the growing illicit trade in unsafe electrical products and services. www.safehousesa.co.za cations that certain exporters are tobacco products,” Motsumi said. colluding to keep the export prices Enquiry no: 14 Like us on Facebook February /March 2021 6 www.facebook.com/kznindustrialnews KZN Industrial & Business News INSTRUMENTATION, MEASUREMENT & CONTROL Harness the power of data to boost safety ANUFACTURERS can harness “For many manufacturers, this new way to beams are tripped on the light curtain to better the power of data to substantially understand safety not only helps keep peo- understand the cause of a downtime event. Mimprove their safety compliance and ple and processes safe, but also significantly Or they can take a sample of the light screen performance. That’s according to Rockwell expands productivity,” said Lane. “Traditional every 100 milliseconds to track profiles of prod- Automation, which is offering two ‘smart’ devic- safety devices provide little or no data. Smart ucts running through it and identify potential es it says can do exactly that. safety devices provide better visibility into quality issues. According to a statement for the company, operations and help users understand process CIP Safety is an extension to the Common the new Allen-Bradley SafeZone 3 laser scan- states, environmental conditions, and other Industrial Protocol (CIP), the application-layer ner with CIP Safety over EtherNet/IP and factors that affect safety and productivity.” protocol for EtherNet/IP. Smart products that Allen-Bradley GuardShield 450L light curtain The new SafeZone 3 laser scanner with CIP use CIP Safety with technologies such as with CIP Safety over EtherNet/IP plug-in give Safety provides area detection inside a work GuardLink help improve safety and productiv- users access to critical data needed for a com- cell. The addition of CIP Safety allows users to ity and simplify wiring. They also offer pre- prehensive picture of machine or production simultaneously operate multiple safety zones available diagnostic data to alert users of com- mier integration with an Allen-Bradley Compact line status. instead of switching from one to another. It also mon failures, such as the presence of dust on GuardLogix SIL 3 control system by using the “Ultimately, these devices create smart extends the scanner’s field range and provides the scanner’s lens. Studio 5000 Logix Designer application. machines that provide meaningful informa- vital diagnostic data over a single EtherNet/IP The GuardShield 450L light curtain with “These and other smart products, such as tion so users can monitor machine health, connection. CIP Safety over EtherNet/IP plug-in protects the 843ES safety encoder and CompactBlock increase uptime, improve flexibility and This, said Lane, can improve productivity, personnel from injuries related to hazard- Guard Safety I/O universal encoder module, enhance safety, while lowering total cost of such as by notifying workers with an alarm if ous machine motion. The CIP Safety plug-in are part of the Rockwell Automation safety ownership,” said Lee Lane, Vice President and they are nearing a hazard to help prevent a gives users more access to diagnostic data to portfolio that combines simpler connectivity General Manager, Sensing, Safety & Industrial machine from slowing down or stopping. In improve productivity and flexibility. and powerful data for smarter, higher-perform- Components Business, Rockwell Automation. addition, the CIP Safety capability expands For example, users can see exactly which ing production.” Enquiry no: 16 6 steps to a tailored sensor solution PPLICATIONS for sensors that at first find the best sensor solutions.” Partnership brings global glance may seem trivial, can prove They went to on to outline six key stages to Ato be highly complex on closer analy- creating a tailored, customer-specific solution: sis. That’s according to Instrotec, local 1. Define basic sensor specifications in order suppliers of Keller, a brand with to select the appropriate component responsible engineering 50 years’ experience in the field of 2. Assess the environmental conditions piezo-resistive pressure measurement to determine the appropriate design for technology. the intended location “By taking the actual usage condi- 3. Design the requested cus- drive to SA tions of the sensor into considera- tomer-specific solution taking all LOBAL distributor of industrial and elec- ficulties in accessing the economic benefit that tion right from the outset, Keller standards and laws into account tronic products, Electrocomponents the growing tourism industry offers through has achieved major improve- 4. Assemble the electronic GPLC, has signed a one-year partnership employment, investment and direct tourist ments in effectiveness and modules, taking into account applica- agreement with Engineers Without Borders spending. durability,” Instrotec said in tion-specific customer requests International, an organisation promoting “As well as providing essential funding to a statement. 5. Configure electrical inter- responsibility in engineering around the world. the Engineering for People Design Challenge, “Keller has found that a faces and connections For the duration of the partnership, Electrocomponents is very much involved at mutual exchange of exper- 6. Custom product labelling Electrocomponents will provide financial a practical level, offering critical skills training tise with customers has been with laser engraving or labels and hands-on support to Engineers Without to students to boost confidence in areas such central to their success, and shar- Borders South Africa and Engineers Without as presentation skills, for example,” the sat- ing that knowledge is what has enabled it to Enquiry no: 17 Borders UK for the annual Engineering for tementsaid. People Design Challenge, as well as for the Electrocomponents will also sit on the judg- Inspiring and Building Community Leaders ing panel at the Engineering for People Design programmes. The competition, now in its tenth Challenge Grand Finals, where the best team year, is a collaboration in 2020/21 between from the participating universities, previously three of the 60 Engineers Without Borders selected by academics from each institution, organisations: UK, South Africa and USA. will showcase their solutions in a bid to win According to a statement from the Grand Prize of an educational bursary. Electrocomponents, the objective of the chal- The runner up and People’s Prize winners will lenge is to encourage university students to receive a shared bursary. broaden their awareness of the social, envi- Electrocomponents’ collaboration with ronmental and economic implications of their Engineers Without Borders organisations is engineering solutions. “The initiative embeds part of a wider commitment by the Group to a globally responsible awareness during a piv- ensure that the company delivers and pro- otal moment the students’ career and provides motes the highest levels of environmental, OGD with plastic an opportunity for them to develop solutions social and governance (ESG) standards affect- that could make a positive difference to coming people and the planet. munities and individuals around the world,” the Lindsley Ruth, CEO Electrocomponents, said: front lens company said. “Our ESG aspiration at Electrocomponents is More than 7,000 first- and second-year uni- to make amazing happen by inspiring a more versity engineering students spanning three sustainable world through education and inno- and distance continents are competing this year to find prac- vative solutions that improve lives. The themes ticable ways to improve the livelihoods of peo- that run through our plan align perfectly with measurement ple in the neighbouring communities of Lobitos what Engineers Without Borders stands for and Piedritas on the northern coast of Peru. and we’re delighted to enter into this partner- Though popular as a surfing destination, ship with them. We believe that through our the two towns still experience significant chal- support and participation in the Engineering for lenges with sustainable waste management, People Design Challenge globally, alongside energy, food and water supply, digital com- other key programmes, that we can nurture For added safety munications and transport infrastructure. The the next generation of globally responsible COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the dif- engineering leaders together.” Enquiry no: 18

High process reliability thanks More precise, accurate handheld manometers to shatterproof plasticfront lens ANOMETERS offer many benefits life and robust housing with a practical and Mfor engineers and technicians who user-friendly design. 2 in 1: simultaneous output of need to measure and monitor pressure, “Since even the smallest deviations can distance value and reflectivity but critical elements such as high accu- lead to malfunctions, reliably measured racy, high-precision and ease of use, values are enormously important and not Identification and sorting of play a large role in the selection of the just for sophisticated heater systems. best-for-application device. “The G 1107 fine manometer and the objects based on reflectivity That’s according to Jan Grobler, G 1113 manometer can also be used to Managing Director of GHM Messtechnik, measure other leakage, gas pressure, Process values shown on South Africa, who believes this is where gas flow or chimney draft measurements 2-colour display and sent via Greisinger’s investment into design and as the outstanding accuracy of these new IO-Link development puts them in the lead over devices, coupled with the high resolution competing handheld manometers. and fast measuring frequency, guarantee effi- Greisinger, part of the GHM Group of cient results that improve operational safety Companies, recently launched their new hand- and practical handling” said Grobler. held and fine handheld manometers, the G At the heart of the manometer is the chip- 1113 series G 1107 respectively, both of which based MEMS sensor, which provides reliable claim to offer superior, faster performance, results for calibrated and traceable measure- www.ifm.com higher accuracy with high resolution and posi- ments. The G 1107 covers a high-resolution tion independency, when measuring differen- range of up to +/- 200 hPa/20 kPa, whilst the You Tube in Int.:Int.: +27+27 1212 450450 04000400 tial and relative pressure. G 1113 provides equally precise differential Grobler said the two models also offer uni- pressure measurements of up to +/- 2000 hPa. versal port technology, above-average battery Enquiry no: 19 February / March 2021 Follow us on Twitter KZN Industrial & Business News INSTRUMENTATION, MEASUREMENT & CONTROL@kzn_indbiznews 7 Africa measures up with launch of instrumentation education centre MERSON recently launched its “enabling Emerson to continue supporting that nurtures learning among participants, first Middle East and Africa (MEA) its customers during these unconventional by providing full access to software and EEducation Centre for measurement times of limited mobility and social distanc- control systems from any location. It also instrumentation, located in its Dubai head- ing”. provides virtual, instructor-led courses that quarters. Taleb said the facility would also strength- resemble a live classroom experience with Mounir Taleb, MEA vice president of en the company's virtual capabilities by the convenience of remote accessibility”. Emerson’s measurement solutions busi- connecting to customers' production sites, Emerson Educational Services has been ness said the centre enables the company making remote collaboration and train- approved as an authorised provider by to provide customers with an immersive, ing easier. "The education centre enables the International Association for Continuing hands-on learning environment in field Emerson to aid customers in enhancing the Education and Training (IACET), which instrumentation, analyser, and metering skills of their current workforce and adapt- means it can offer continuing education technologies. ing to the latest measurement and flow units for its programs that qualify under the It has the capability to offer both con- technologies." ANSI/IACET Standards. ventional face-to-face and virtual training, It offers “a collaborative environment Enquiry no: 20 Local is lekker for How to ‘see’ sound and loadshedding and lightning-proof locate invisible threats maintenance routine — even during peak formers, switch gears or high voltage power operation hours,” the company said in a state- lines users need to be sure that a problem can power supplies ment. be spotted quickly. Partial discharge that goes The ii900 series acoustic imagers let techni- unchecked can cause blackouts, fires, explo- cians “see” sound as they scan hoses, fittings, sions, or death from arc flashes.” and connections for leaks. In addition, having equipment go down can “Its built-in acoustic array of tiny sensitive cost millions of rand per hour of downtime. ORONA, partial discharge as well as microphones generates a spectrum of decibel COMTEST said the Fluke ii910 Precision gas, steam and compressed air leaks levels per frequency. Based on this output, an Acoustic Imager is specifically designed for Ccan hurt both production uptime and the algorithm calculates a sound image, known as high voltage electricians, electrical test engi- bottom line. SoundMap that is superimposed on a visual neers, and grid maintenance teams that are That’s according to COMTEST, local rep- image.” constantly inspcting and maintaining power resentative of Fluke, which said that most The SoundMap is automatically adapted distribution and industrial high voltage equip- manufacturers know that these types of leaks depending on the frequency level selected so ment. RITICAL equipment including security exist, but up until now, it has been too time that background noise is filtered out, making “The higher frequency capability of the ii910 devices and other electronics can now consuming and tedious to tackle them. it incredibly simple to detect compressed gas allows for earlier detection to facilitate early Cbe operated with locally developed “With the new Fluke ii900 or ii910 and leaks. maintenance planning and is why the ii910 has power supplies that have been specially minimal training, maintenance technicians can Partial discharge is a particularly serious a frequency range of 2-100Khz.” designed to function on the local power grid begin checking for leaks during their typical issue. “Whether inspecting insulators, trans- Enquiry no: 22 and have built-in features to make them more robust than standard equipment. That’s according to GSS Group Director, Greg Pritchard, who said more than 30 New platform for managing and controlling low voltage loads years spent in the security and electronics industries had given the team the best S Components has added TeSys island plex industrial systems.” data. “This ensures that maximum possible understanding of local operating Rfrom Schneider Electric to its portfolio, say- This, it added, enables engi- operational performance is always challenges. ing that this object-oriented digital load man- neers to effectively offload much upheld, in addition to helping with This, he said, had allowed them to develop agement solution has “huge potential” in a of the effort involved in the defin- preventive maintenance and fault power supplies that are designed to handle modern industrial automation context. ing and commissioning of each identification.” all of South Africa’s extremes, including load “It can deal with motors and other electrical constituent electro-mechanical The island is compatible with shedding and brown outs. loads (such as pumps, relays, programmable component within the system. all the main automation fieldbus The power supplies even have circuitry logic controllers, conveyors) up to an 80A rat- “This makes the hardware instal- IOs - including Modbus TCP, that is better able to deal with the highveld’s ing,” the company said in a statement. lation phase much quicker and Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, and well-known lightning storms. “Through its unique object-oriented approach easier to complete - thereby reducing the PROFIBUS. The platform can be integrated “Designed and developed by GSS Group, with an array of 30 different predetermined associated costs, as well as shortening the time with Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Machine the power supplies are manufactured in application-specific functions that may be uti- before systems can be put into action.” Expert, plus Rockwell Automation’s Studio 5000 a quality-controlled manufacturing plant in lised, this platform provides a straightforward Through TeSys island, supervisors of indus- and Siemens’ TIA portal and other proprietary China which allows the costs of the high- method for implementing and configuring com- trial systems can gain access to key diagnostic third-party automation systems. Enquiry no: 23 quality componentry to be incorporated at more affordable prices for the local market,” he said, adding that several of the country’s large security and electronic distributors have already switched to the local brand. “During my time in the industry I have worked for some of the largest electronic security equipment suppliers and gained decades of experience and long relationships with manufacturers in the East. "By setting up our manufacturing operation alongside a large-scale electronics equipment manufacturer we get to enjoy better pricing as a result of the large volumes of components purchased by the manufacturer monthly.” Pritchard said that by maintaining strict RADAR control of the process, they have the agility to change and customise the power supplies to customers’ requirements and even bring the customer’s own branding onto the supply IS THE BETTER where sufficient volumes are ordered. “This type of arrangement is only possible as a result of our longstanding relationships with suppliers in the East following dozens of visits and a good understanding of the business culture. As a result, our manufacturing partners work with us to manufacture prod- ULTRASONIC ucts that are as good or better than locally available equivalents.” GSS Group power supplies carry SANS IEC 60950, LOA and NRCS certification both AC and DC power supplies and DC UPS, as well as meeting SANS /IEC 61558 certification for its range of linear transformers. The products also incorporate EMI filtering and Compact 80 GHz level sensor with in-head display meet EMC standards. These standards are required for effective use in IOT devices, electronics and security applications which includes intrusion, CCTV, access control and automation. He said the power supplies have subse- All advantages of the radar technology: quently also found favour in the electrical and alternate energy industries or wherever www.vega.com/vegapuls power supplies are required. Enquiry no: 21 February /March 2021 8 KZN Industrial & Business News PUMPS, VALVES, PIPES & FITTINGS Pipes body backs global bid to keep plastic flakes out of oceans LEANER oceans came a more than 80% of the plastic pipe Polystyrene Association of SA. implementation plan and the detailed est industry body to come onboard, step closer recently when manufacturers in South Africa. CEO “We will be encouraging our mem- toolkit that had been developed to Steyn said, “It is encouraging to Cthe Southern African Plastic Jan Venter signed the declaration on bers to sign the OCS pledge in their assist companies to develop safe see yet another major player in our Pipe Manufacturers Association behalf of SAPPMA recently, saying own personal capacities, but from and environmentally responsible industry take such a bold step to help (SAPPMA) become the latest plas- that it was important for the plastic SAPPMA’s side we wanted to go on manufacturing processes and daily us prevent plastic leakage into our tics industry association to sign industry to be committed to safe record with our commitment to pre- operations. country’s waterways, estuaries and the Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) and responsible manufacturing pro- vent pellet loss,” Venter said. “Preventing resin loss not only eventually the ocean”. pledge. cesses. He added that SAPPMA would makes sense from an environmen- He added that these small pieces OCS is an international steward- Other local signatories of the pledge help set up information sessions tal point of view, but it also makes of plastics can easily be mistaken ship programme designed to prevent include Polyoak Packaging, Berry between Plastics SA (the offi- financial sense and supports our for food by birds or marine animals. the loss of plastic resin (pellets, Astrapak, Tufflex , Sasol, Safripol, as cial licensee of OCS in SA) and drive to world-class quality man- “We look forward to engaging with flakes, and powders) and ensure well as the various plastics Producer their members during the next few agement systems and adhering to the SAPPMA members and guiding that this material is kept out of the Responsibility Organisations, e.g. months. During these sessions, international and local standards of them to the point of them signing the marine environment. PETCO, Polyco, the Southern Plastics SA Sustainability Director excellence,” Venter said. pledge for their own companies.” SAPPMA currently represents African Vinyls Association and Douw Steyn would explain the OCS Welcoming SAPPMA as the lat- Enquiry no: 24 Space-saving inline pump for buildings, complexes “It is also particularly useful in high- bronze CC480K DW or stainless maintenance, even after many years rise buildings and skyscrapers where steel 1.4408, depending on the appli- of operation. it takes up considerably less of the cation they will be used for. The motor rating for the range expensive space that is required for “Mechanical seals to EN 12756 is up to 55 kW and can be used traditional long-coupled designs.” are standard with a large number with KSB’s motor mounted KSB The pumps can be installed hori- of material variants to choose from. PumpDrive speed control systems. zontally or vertically directly in the The maximum operating tempera- PumpDrive is a variable speed sys- pipeline. The range is available in 22 ture is 140 degrees Celsius. The tem allows the use of up to six pump sizes with a maximum motor conical design of the seal chamber pumps and provides the ability to rating of 55 kW. The maximum flow allows easy access and provides change over if the duty pump should rate is 700 cubic metres per hour more space for maintenance work.” fail. It has a harmonised design and with the maximum discharge head Stuart said each pump is delivered is able to effect energy savings of possible being 96 metres. with an impeller diameter matched up to 60 per cent via variable speed SB has introduced the pump it Stuart Rugg, the company’s prod- He said the cast iron casing and to its duty point. This ensures that operation in combination with IE2 says industrial engineers and uct manager for water and waste- the mechanical seals are designed the pumps operate at their best effi- motors. Kbuilding managers have been water, said the new Etaline range of for operating pressures of up to ciency point and are not oversized, “Despite its premium badge, the asking for to reduce space require- pumps was designed to provide a 16 bar. The flanges of suction and as is usually the case with ready- Etaline range is affordable and due ments and ease of maintenance over flexible in-line pump for a wide range discharge nozzles are optionally made impellers. Another benefit is to built-in maintenance saving fea- traditional pump types used in resi- of applications for water distribution, drilled to EN 1092 or ASME dimen- the replaceable casing wear rings tures will provide the lowest possible dential, office and industrial building heating, ventilation and air-condition- sions. The impellers are available on the discharge and suction sides lifecycle cost available,” Stuart said. environments. ing systems in complex buildings. in grey cast iron EN-GJL-250, tin which allow for ease of service and Enquiry no: 25 New suction trailer a troubleshooting trailblazer ERNER Pumps has cre- ment to complement their larger jet- tured at the company’s premises in struction makes it convenient to use ated a new trailer-mounted ting trucks they have procured from Springs. in a variety of applications, from W6-inch centrifugal pump us,” said MD Sebastian Werner. It features a heavy-duty die- pumping rainwater and common unit which it says can be used to “We do our best to be a one-stop- sel tank, 4-cylinder air-cooled sewage to use on municipal drain- pump water, as well as solids, in shop for our customers, and we’ve Kirloskar engine, SP6 self-priming age projects and construction sites. maintenance and troubleshooting seen that there’s clearly a demand sewage pump, heavy-duty strobe “It’s also suited to use in the applications, such as clearing man- for this type of machine as we’ve light and a side-mounted control paper, textile, food processing, holes or dealing with sewage spills. already sold several in the few panel. Designed for stable perfor- chemical, utilities, mining, tanning “We developed this non-clogging, months since we built the first one.” mance and reliable operation, the and water purification industries,” self-priming sewage pump unit pri- Like all of the trucks and trailers in unit operates at 750-1450rpm with he said adding that the lead-time on marily to help meet the needs of the Werner Pumps range (exclud- a flow rate of 2084-4167 L/min, one of these units is roughly three our existing customers, many of ing the Rapid Response Vehicle), between 5 and 30 kilowatts. weeks from order to delivery. whom require this type of equip- this unit is 100% locally manufac- Werner said Its back-pull-out con- Enquiry no: 26 Mobile pumphouses make for more Spindle screw pumps flexible tailings management SEIM like a great idea UMPING slurry to tailings and a separate elec- MG – exclusive distributor of SEIM three spindle screw pumps, for vis- facilities requires a solution tronic house (E-house) Bscrew pumps throughout Africa – cosities up to 100 000 cst, available Pthat can move as the dam for power control and supplies and supports the full range with or without built-in relief valves and expands to make room for addi- remote communica- of SEIM spindle screw pumps, flow two spindle screw pumps, for viscosi- tional tailings, making a mobile tion. meters and in-line relief valves. ties up to 20 000 cst, available with or pumphouse ideal for the purpose. Koorts said that as “These robust pumps and related without gear drives. That’s according to Weir Minerals a mine’s process plant products - which are manufactured SEIM pumps are also available Africa Pumps Product Manager matures, the tailings to stringent quality specifications in in accordance with API 676 (lat- Marnus Koorts, who said the com- line grows with new accordance with ISO 9001:2000 est edition). Flow meters are pany’s mobile pumphouse com- tailings dams being standards – are designed for rated for 200 and 400 bar and pletely avoids the cost of any civil created, often using dependable use in many sec- in-line relief valves facilitate engineering for permanent on-site Linatex hoses and tors, including mining, power flows up to 10 000 L/min up pump buildings. Isogate valves. It is a generation (wind and hydro- to 100 bar. Pumps can also “Instead, it is designed to be significant advantage power generation), petro- be customized to offer up to moved as required across the site, to be able to move the chemical, oil and gas, paper, 20 000 L/min and up to 200 using its own specifically engi- pumphouse, and to steel, automotive and marine bar, depending on require- neered, skid and jack-and-roll ele- add pumps to the tail- Multiflo pump barges and floating industries,” said Joe Pinheiro, ments. ments.” ings line if the increased distance pontoons mounted with Warman BMG’s National Product Manager, Included in this portfolio, is Koorts said the offering is part requires more pressure. It is also SHW submersible slurry pumps for Pumps. a selection of pump models capable of their engineered-to-order (ETO) an important contributor to reducing extracting the fluid tailings. Koorts “Key advantages of SEIM pumps of handling a wide range of liquids solutions, which also reduces the initial capex costs. said its Warman slurry pumps are include low pulsation levels, reduced at different flows and various pres- long-term total cost of ownership. He said the design of the mobile ideal for boosting recovered tails noise during operation and high self- sures. SEIM pumps are designed to The three-point Warman Multiflo pumphouse sets a new standard from the pond, to drive the new tail- priming capabilities. These pumps efficiently handle liquids that include pump mounting system allows the for tailings management applica- ings treatment process plant. are able to handle high viscosities and various grades of mineral and syn- base and skid to act independently. tions, providing the customer with “With increased scrutiny and ensure optimal performance, even thetic oils, HFO and LFO fuel oils, This minimises the risk of mis- the tools and equipment to rapidly pressure to improve the manage- with air entrapped in oil. The design diathermic oils and liquids with little alignment between the pump and reconfigure their pumping network, ment of tailings, it is more important of these low-maintenance units pre- or no lubricating properties, as well motor shaft during operation and with the ability to move it to other than ever to look at different meth- vents the possibility of pollutants being as liquids in the food industry and for relocation. The unit incorporates an sections of the tailings pond. ods that are innovative and fit-for- released into the medium.” cosmetics and soaps in the pharma- integral gland water supply system The company’s solutions include purpose.” Enquiry no: 27 BMG’s SEIM range encompasses ceutical sector. Enquiry no: 28 February / March 2021 KZN Industrial & Business News PUMPS, VALVES, PIPES & FITTINGS 9 Are robots about to Could this spell the end for the revolutionise storage ball valve-actuator combo? HE recently launched co-axial for valves up to one (model dependent), VIP EVO Valve from Italy-based inch.” VIP EVO can be used tank inspections? TOMAL provides the lowest cost It is available in in horizontal, vertical of ownership with a life expectancy double acting and or angled mounting. LECTROCOMPONENTS 10 times that of a ball valve/actua- spring return VIP It is available with PLC is working with tor combination and reduced mainte- valves in sizes from EPDM, NBR and EUK-based consortium nance costs. 3/8 to 2 inches, FKM seals, is ATEX Project nautilUS on a robot pro- That’s according to South African which, according and PED certified and ject they believe will revolutionise distributors Tectra Automation, which to the company, certified up to SIL 3. inspections of petrochemical stor- said it integrates the valve and actua- makes it ideal for It features an inte- age tanks. tor into a single compact device, mini- use with fire-fighting grated slot for the Project nautilUS has been work- mises pressure losses and has multi- applications, avia- valve position sensor, ing since February 2018 to design functional security holes that prevent tion refuelling systems, gas filling units facilitating easily sensor mounting in and develop a multi-million-pound air supply system damage. and PSA generators among other both sides of the valve, minimising certified non-destructive test- “The VIP EVO Valve saves at least applications. space. Risk of injury to personnel is ing (NDT) solution. Co-funded 70% of compressed air when com- “Fewer mechanical parts translate reduced by the omission of any exter- by Innovate UK, the consor- pared to an equivalent ball valve with to reduced friction and therefore less nal moving parts on the valve. tium also includes InnoTecUK, vapour. SR pneumatic actuator,” the company wear, and this is what facilitates the Launched simultaneously in 95 London South Bank University, Michael Burrows, Senior said in a statement. valve’s considerable longevity” said countries, the valve was co-developed Sonomatic, and TWI. Innovation Advisor at “Compatible with LPG and LNG Product Division Manager Cobus by OMAL SpA and Italian industrial Electrocomponents has devel- Electrocomponents said the tech- gas, oxygen, nitrogen, petroleum, air Snyman. “Reduced downtime and designer Giugiaro. All major compo- oped the Quality Functional nology can also be applied to and water, among others, its easily lower production losses combined nents are manufactured internally at Deployment (QFD) model via RS the inspection of ship-borne fuel accessible limit switches are adjust- with energy savings and minimised OMAL’s Italy plant. Monition, the company’s mainte- tanks, transportation tanks and able on both sides. The EVO Valve inventory, means the VIP EVO Valve “We are optimistic that the OMAL nance engineering specialist ser- water storage tanks. allows for different materials for dif- provides ROI in as little as three VIP EVO Valve will soon replace vice, and its DesignSpark engi- “As well as our responsibilities ferent applications and has a switch- months.” all ball valve/actuator combination neering platform and community around IP and commercialisation ing time of less than 0.2 seconds Warrantied for up to 300 000 cycles valves,” Snyman said. Enquiry no: 31 continues to create vital oppor- for nautilUS, we carried out a very tunities for intellectual property extensive piece of work, called development and commercialisa- a Quality Functional Deployment tion of the technology. (QFD) model ahead of the pro- Oil and fuel storage require ject, where we went out to over a robust and reliable infrastruc- 100 current users and tank farm ture, with regular inspection criti- operators to uncover their list of cal to ensure that tanks are fit requirements,” Burrows said. for purpose. Existing inspection “We needed to know what the methods often result in storage must-haves were and the nice- tanks being taken out of service to-haves. This helped to shape to be drained and inspected for the ergonomics, the ease of use, corrosion, which is hazardous, the size, the deployment, and time-consuming and costly work. the ability to deploy with limited The nautilUS solution address- people.” THE FLOW es these issues head-on, in the He said they had received sig- form of a small robot which can nificant interest already. “There monitor and plot its own posi- are 600 tank farm operators glob- tion whilst carrying out corro- ally and we’ve already got an MUST GO sion inspection. The robot uses active response from around 70 active real-time remote controls of them with a number of offers to move around a tank, and an to utilise the technology in their ultrasound probe to take meas- tanks. ON. urements of floor thinning. It then “Within the oil and gas industry records data regarding location there is an overarching goal to for post-processing after the robot make it unmanned by 2030. Part is retrieved. of the commercialisation that we The design aims to obtain the have been involved with has been smallest possible footprint to to generate interest in not only allow entry via the smallest man- the overall nautilUS robot, but holes of liquid storage tanks. For also the technologies within it. Of the robot to perform an inspection course, we have the robot in its in an explosive and flammable entirety, but there are also oppor- environment, the robot operation tunities to license the individual must avoid sparking, which can pieces of technology for existing create an explosion in the tank solutions or other applications.” due to heat and the presence of Enquiry no: 29

HDPE pipes for wastewater treatment plant project OCLA’S HDPE vertical cast Kruger would stretch over 19km if Rpipes were specified for placed end-to-end. two phases of the Polokwane “The placement of each pipe Wastewater Treatment Project, required the insertion of a rubber which ran from 2018 to the end of ring and the welding of a ‘cap- AMAREX - Dual performance submersible pump December 2020. ping strip’ on the inside of each The project, which was subdi- individual joint to ensure proper vided into three phases, is based sealant.” in the Seshego area in Polokwane. He said advantages of Rocla’s It was initiated to upgrade exist- HDPE lining for water and sewer Vertical single-stage submersible motor pump for wet installation, with free-flow ing sewerage system, to meet projects advantages included the the increased requirements of the fact that it is much smoother than impeller (F-max), stationary or transportable version. Electrical submersible Motor Seshego local communities. Each concrete, enabling the use of sizes ranging from 1.1 kW to 10.2 kW. phase of the project had a sepa- smaller internal diameter piping. rate starting point with a common The long-term pullout strength of joining at a single point. the lining anchors is able to cope Applications Fluids handled Rocla, Regional Sales with a ground water pressure in - Pumping station - Waste water containing long fibre Manager, Andrew Kruger said excess of 10m. - Waste water treatment (Including sludge and solid substances the project was commissioned “In order for our Polokwane fac- treatment and recirculation) - Fluids containing gas by the Polokwane Municipality to tory to manufacture the various - Municipal and industrial waste water - River water upgrade a now outdated sewer- sizes of pipes and the required age system which no longer met quantities, Rocla Polokwane transport - Service water the local community’s require- underwent an overhaul in terms of - Storm water transport - Grey water ments. the manufacturing sections need- “We worked closely with site ed to accommodate the upgraded contractor Safcrete Construction equipment. so that the quality of the pipes “We also made use of spe- would be to the standard required cial Vertical Cast (VC) moulds and delivery scheduling would be which were required for use KSB Pumps and Valves (Pty) Ltd as seamless as possible,” Kruger with the insertion of the sacrifi- Tel: +27-11-876-5600 said. cial layer within the pipes. It was www.ksb.com/ksb-za The pipes were 2.5m Silica these changes that enabled us Rolling Joint Pipe, comprising a to meet the quantities of HDPE Your B_BBEEE Partner 3mm sacrificial layer. Five sizes pipes required for the Polokwane of pipe were required -- 900mm, Wastewater Treatment Plant pro- 1000mm, 1200mm, 1400mm jects,” Kruger said. and 1500mm – and, according to Enquiry no: 30 Like us on Facebook February /March 2021 10 www.facebook.com/kznindustrialnews KZN Industrial & Business News ENGINEERING & ALLIED SUPPLIES Accelerating electric vehicle development ROUND the world, the electrification said Zhu. electric motor inverter bring a greatly increased powertrains. of passenger transport is picking up This race for higher rotational speed risk of stray currents in powertrain In addition to its product development work, Amomentum. As part of their commitments ratio prompts challenging and demand- components. If they pass through the SKF technical centre also supports car to the Paris agreement on climate change, a ing conditions on the bearings used in conventional steel bearings, such makers in application-specific engineering. growing number of countries are set to phase EV transmissions. currents can damage their surfaces, One area of particular interest for this market out the production of new combustion-engine Although the number of bearings is leading to higher friction, increased is noise and vibration. vehicles over the next two decades. about the same in an E-axle compared vibration and early failure. “An EV is much quieter than a conventional Electric vehicle powertrains may be mechan- to a traditional one, the technical chal- That’s where ceramic bearings car, so even small amounts of noise from the ically simpler than their combustion-engine lenge is higher than before. To withstand come in. powertrain become noticeable,” said Zhu. Our counterparts. But, according to Hugh Zhu, high centrifugal forces, and minimize Zhu said many OEMs in Asia, expert teams work with leading international Manager Product Development DGBB at SKF, self-heating generated by rapid rotation, Europe and North America alike automakers to identify sources of undesirable building an efficient, reliable and enjoyable these bearings require specialized cage have selected SKF bearings as part noise and develop ways to address them at electric drivetrain is extremely challenging. designs, internal geometry and lubricant of their electric drivetrain set-up. both bearing and system level to ultimately “Motors used in automotive applications are characteristics. The company’s hybrid Deep improve the experience of the end-user.” designed to operate at very high speeds. For Manufacturers also need them to oper- Groove Ball Bearings (DGBB), for Carmakers are set to launch around 450 example, traction motors used in EVs rotate ate reliably for the design-life of the vehi- example, use ceramic rolling ele- new battery and plug-in-hybrid vehicle models today at up to 20,000 RPM, and are expect- cle, around ten years or 300,000 km today, ments and steel rings. According to Zhu, over the next two years. Zhu said SKF has ed to reach up to 25-30,000 RPM in future and up to 500,000 km or even more in a near bearings of this type offer improved high- the technical, manufacturing and supply chain designs, as engineers strive to improve perfor- future. speed performance and best-in-class electri- capabilities needed to support the sector’s mance, whilst at the same time minimising the Speed isn’t the only challenge, though, said cal insulation characteristics, making them accelerating growth. size and weight of powertrain components,” Zhu. High and fast switching voltages of the the premium choice for high performance EV Enquiry no: 32

Access control ushers in retail value for merchants Tackling the challenges of regulate access, to protect employees, buildings, product and other essential resources,” the company said in a statement, adding that there is a high demand for fully automated, food-grade lubrication touch-free infrastructure, along with revolving EEPING food processing equipment well- equipment, with some machines running up to doors and automatic sliding doors. lubricated, thereby ensuring the optimal 24 hours a day. During high-volume operation, “Dormakaba differentiates itself in a competi- Kfunctioning and durability of equipment, greases and oils may either become highly tive market with the roll out and implementa- can be a challenge. liquid or may, conversely, thicken and tion of aesthetically pleasing but robust, easy- That’s according to Callum Ford, harden; in either scenario, the lubricant to-manage infrastructure. Moreover, there is National Marketing Manager at lubricant quickly and drastically loses efficacy. a definite increase in demand for electronic specialist, Lubrication Engineers (LE) Ford said this means a food-grade access and data solutions to control access for South Africa, who identified temperature lubricant needs to be highly durable to CCESS control and security solutions com- personnel, vehicles and tracking of workforce.” as a major factor. cope with these conditions. Apany Dormakaba South Africa’s portfolio The company’s physical access systems, “High temperatures—necessary, for “But it must also be pure and non-toxic, includes master key systems, key systems, horizontal sliding walls, and more can be example, as part of sterilising or cleaning owing to its proximity to the production door hardware, interior glass systems, lodging applied to- and help manage all areas of processes—can melt and speed up the of food. The synthetic H1 lubricant that systems, safe locks, movable walls, entrance operation, from entrances and common areas, oxidation of greases and oils,” he said. we offer LE customers is not only rated systems, as well as electronic access and staff access, evacuation and emergency exits, Low temperatures can also be prob- to be food grade, but can also operate in data. as well as fire-proof and smoke-proof doors, lematic. “Very low temperature, such as a wider temperature range and withstand “Dormakaba is acutely aware that retailers restaurants, shops, and entertainment zones, in a refrigerated area, can result in wear washing, due to our exclusive QUINPLEX in today’s market need technology to strictly like cinemas. Enquiry no: 33 on equipment due to channelling of the additive, which is a tackifier that keeps lubricant or the presence of moisture due the lubricant in place.” to condensation.” In addition to utilising a high-quality Another pervasive problem is moisture. lubricant, Ford’s key tips for dealing with Hygiene requirements in food production the challenges associated with the lubri- mean that the presence of water or steam cation of food-grade equipment include: is continually required to keep equipment Wipe fittings before and after adding a lubri- clean, but this moisture can wash out or cause cant. Prior prevents abrasives from entering the deterioration of lubricants, resulting in cor- the system and after prevents excess lubricant rosion or rust. from dripping. A further challenge is the presence of chemi- Ensure lubrication reservoirs are intermit- cals, either within the food itself or used in the tently cleaned to remove possible accumula- cleaning process, which can similarly cause a tions of process material. Lubricate equipment lubricant to deteriorate. after washing and cleaning to remove moisture A final fundamental challenge highlighted by from bearings and protect against rust and Ford is the heavy workload of food processing corrosion. Enquiry no: 34

Scraper chains safely remove waste from beneath boilers and burners MG’s Power Transmission division sup- mount to achieving optimum efficiency of the plies a wide range of conveyor chain that conveyor chain for every application. The flex- Bit says ensure efficient and trouble-free ibility of BMG’s service includes the manufac- transport of slag granulates, ash or smelting ture of chain to suit exact requirements, with residues from beneath boilers, burners and various options, including materials, custom furnaces. coatings, lubrication and accessories - to cre- Gavin Kirstein, BMG’s Tsubaki Product ate the ideal chain that boosts productivity and Manager said conveying dry or wet ash is one minimises abrasion.” the most challenging appli- Kirstein said optimum chain cations a chain can be sub- quality and reliability of every jected to. “Conventional system are vital to ensuring chains installed in these profitability, high productivity harsh facilities normally and extended serviced life. only function effectively BMG’s ash removal chain for about a year due to is enhanced by wide range of abrasion and the varying sprockets available in vary- temperatures of ash,” he ing grades of steel and other added. metals, with heat treatment “However, BMG’s range as standard or as an option. of high-performance ash conveyor chain - The company also offers split sprockets for which undergoes an immaculate manufactur- ease of disassembly and optional lightening ing process - ensures extended service life, holes to reduce weight. Additional hardening even in harsh conditions. Special attention is is available for the roller outer diameter sur- given to dimensional accuracy, constant geom- face, the roller inner diameter and the bush etry, high surface quality and lubrication.” outer diameter surfaces to reduce wear and Kirstein said ash removal systems play a increase lifetime of the system. key role in the boiler and burner industry by Furthermore, pin materials are available to safely removing waste materials from boilers eradicate pitting caused by corrosion. This and burners. ensures even wear of chains, avoiding the “BMG specialists work closely with each debilitating effects of uneven wear on con- customer to install the most suitable conveying veyor efficiency. method, in terms of reliability, simplicity and BMG’s technical support service includes efficiency. Regardless of whether dry or wet the analysis of chains when replacement is ash removal is used, BMG’s focus is primarily required, which involves metrics on chain wear on harmonising the processes, from collecting, life further optimises the conveying process. extinguishing and cooling down ash, to safe "Through reliable maintenance support, BMG storage in the ash bunker. ensures high efficiency and extended service “Customisation of ash removal chain is para- life of every conveyor system." Enquiry no: 35 February / March 2021 KZN Industrial & Business News 11 CONSULTING ENGINEERS & PROJECT MANAGEMENT New SaaS water quality monitoring tool OSCH Capital has been appoint- forms part of an integrated financial grams for statistical evaluations, and ed by water governance, risk and and engineering solution for clients with Ficklin graphs. Graphs and reports are Bcompliance specialists CBSS to Bosch Projects. provided online to users in a secure, support the commercial development “This study is crucial in assisting interactive dashboard format, thus ena- of the new LEGUAAN Software-as-a- CBSS to ensure that LEGUAAN will bling users to download and present it to Service (SaaS) water quality monitoring, offer an excellent value proposition to their internal and external stakeholders. data visualisation and reporting tool. customers,” Paladh said. Reports and graphs generated by this The project is supported by the The founding member of CBSS, Carin water resource management tool can be tograph of the monitoring location, and, if WADER programme of the Water Bosman, said the name LEGUAAN was set up to compare a user’s data to the a sample could not be taken, records the Research Commission (WRC). derived from the South African water limit values in the water-use licence, or reasons or obstacles for this. CBSS has developed this water monitor, an agile reptile that plays an any other site-specific limit value speci- If a field sampler needs to purge a resource management tool to assist with essential role in maintaining ecological fied by a government agency. CBSS borehole before taking a groundwater the efficient conversion of water monitor- balance in aquatic ecosystems. specialists are also able to assist with sample, the purge-time is automatical- ing data into visual graphs and reports “Key advantages of this cost-efficient the development of scientifically cor- ly calculated. Certain variables, such that meet specific requirements of each system are time-savings for the user, rect site-specific limit values in accord- as free chlorine and dissolved oxygen, organisation and help improve monitor- coupled with the assurance that all data ance with the new Department of Water must be measured at the sampling loca- Cornice & ing and compliance. is accurately converted into meaningful and Sanitation (DWS) policy on Water tion because concentrations change crack sealant “In this exciting venture with CBSS, information and graphical representa- Quality Management. during transportation to a laboratory. the Bosch Capital team is conducting tions. Without the correct interpreta- CBSS has also developed an App, All field observations are immediately Elastic seal a market analysis study that will inform tion of results, it is impossible to make WaterMonster, that automates the cap- available in a digital format and the data Paintable the development of a commercial model informed decisions about the manage- ture of all critical field data that is neces- is submitted instantaneously to a dedi- Fill gaps & and business plan for the LEGUAAN ment adjustments that are necessary sary in the interpretation of water quality cated, pre-determined email address in cracks SaaS tool. This project also includes to improve consumption, reduce water monitoring results. These factors include PDF-format. the development of a high-level financial footprint and minimise impacts on water the type of sample, weather conditions By combining the capturing efficiency model, to enable the analysis of the key quality, as well as reduce liability risks for at the monitoring location and observa- of the WaterMonster App, with meaning- the Den Braven financial drivers of the business,” said the organisation,” Bosman said. tions about the colour, odour and flow ful visualisations of LEGUAAN, users difference! Rajiv Paladh, Manager: Advisory and Once the scientific integrity of the data of water. Relevant field readings of vari- are able to convert unmanageable Funding at Bosch Capital. is verified, it is swiftly converted into ables, such as temperature, electrical spreadsheets and lab reports, into easily The company is a member of the interactive and intelligible charts, such conductivity, and dissolved oxygen, are clear, visualised management informa- Bosch Holdings group of multidiscipli- as Mauchino diagrams (salt balances digitally captured. tion which can be used to inform actions nary consulting engineering companies. including nitrates), time-series graphs The WaterMonster App also docu- of operators that contribute to improving Bosch Capital offers advisory, capital (single year, multi-year and stacked for ments the geo-location of where the water quality around South Africa. raising and investment solutions, which seasonal comparison), box-plot dia- sample is being taken, captures a pho- Enquiry no: 36 Co-creating integrated solutions to address energy security Resources and Energy to pro- resources and manufacturing and advi- in South Africa, providing quicker and cure 2 000 MW under the Risk sory. easier access to its clients’ challenges. Mitigation Independent Power The energy unit comprises four teams With the company focusing on engi- Producers Procurement (RMIPPP) - generation, transmission and distribu- neered solutions mainly in Sub-Saharan Programme by June 2022. tion, industrial power and automation and Eastern Africa, it is very active in the She said Zutari had been and systems studies and network plan- energy space in the region. involved in 50% of the submit- ning. This allows them to provide ser- The energy unit works closely with ted RMIPPP project bids. A direct vices across the full spectrum of energy other Zutari teams to deliver integrated ISING electricity tariffs and ongo- response to the short-term electricity projects from small scale individual pro- solutions. “We have developed a num- ing load shedding has resulted in supply gap identified in the Integrated jects to regional-level modelling. The ber of innovative digital tools around Ra lot of interest from private-sector Resource Plan of 2019, the RMIPPP industrial team focuses on design deliv- solar photovoltaic design automation clients to guarantee their energy security aims to alleviate the current electricity ery of electrical power and automation and performance-monitoring tools. We independent of electricity utility Eskom. supply constraints facing South Africa. systems in the energy, mining, oil and also have an in-house 3D visualisa- That’s according to newly-appointed Similar to the Renewable Energy gas, water, wastewater and renewable tion team that allows us to present all Zutari Energy Unit Leader Janice Foster, Independent Power Producer energy industries. of these solutions to our clients in that who said this, coupled with the global Procurement Programme, Foster point- “One of our major competitive advan- space.” move towards ‘green’ energy, meand ed out that it is the first programme of tages in the energy space is that we are With a background in both nuclear much of this interest is in renewable its kind to be technology-agnostic. This a one-stop shop. Working closely with and wind energy, Foster stressed that energy. means that hybrid plants are an option, Zutari’s other delivery units , we can do her remit as the Energy Unit Lead is to Glazing sealant She cited as an example of this and may comprise multiple technologies everything from providing environmental position it to capitalise on the growth trend the recent announcement by such as gas, renewables and battery assessments to detailed geotechnical opportunities on the continent over the Fungal resistant Stellenbosch of an investigation into energy storage. investigations and structural design and next couple of years. 6 Colours adopting alternate energy sources to “Our client base extends from public- of course all of the detail in terms of the “The current global interest in energy mitigate the impact of load shedding in sector clients on a municipal and provin- electrical engineering. and energy security in particular keeps Perimeter sealant the city. cial level to private-sector clients such “We are one of the best energy teams things interesting. What I really love Foster said that the national procure- as project lenders and investors, owners on the continent, encompassing end-to- about the sector is that every client and ment of new generation, especially as and developers,” said Foster. As a multi- end services and some highly experi- project is unique and presents their own emergency or back-up power, was re- disciplinary engineering firm, Zutari has enced individuals.” unique challenges. It definitely keeps all initiated by a Request for Proposals delivery units providing services across Foster said another advantage for of us on our toes,” Foster said. issued by the Department of Mineral energy, water, infrastructure, transport, Zutari is that its expertise largely resides Enquiry no: 37 Power deal brings grid stabilisation tech to desert wasteland ITACHI ABB Power Grids will Transmission Company. provide state-owned Egyptian Grid expansion and reliability are pre- Electricity Transmission Company requisites for the government’s plan to H(EETC) with high-performance grid stabi- make the country a regional hub for elec- Do it right lisation technology to help improve power tricity exchange with Africa and Europe, quality and expand transmission capac- also supporting the UN‘s Sustainable the first time ity in the strategic Owainat development Development Goal 7 – ensuring that all area in southwest of the country, where people have access to affordable, reli- For technical desert wasteland is being reclaimed for able, sustainable and modern energy. assistance: agricultural use. Hitachi ABB Power Grids’ technology Mohamed Hosseiny, Country Managing The Hitachi ABB Power Grids’ solution 031 579 2375 The contract was signed in the pres- and engineering capabilities will help the Director, Egypt & North Africa, Hitachi is Egypt’s first fully engineered power [email protected] ence of the Egyptian Minister of Electricity country reclaim untapped land in the ABB Power Grids. “With our solutions quality system. Based on a 200 MVAR www.denbraven.com/en-sa and Renewable Energy, Dr. Mohamed vast Western Desert, where projects are we are helping our customers transition STATCOM, it comprises an integrated Den Braven Shaker. This strategic project will pro- underway to sustainably improve social towards a carbon-neutral energy system.” SVC Light static compensator, power vide EETC with a fully engineered solu- and economic conditions for Egyptian “We are pleased to collaborate transformers, control, protection and tel- Sealants tion based on a 200-megavolt ampere communities. with Hitachi ABB Power Grids as we ecommunications system. The solution South Africa (MVAR) STATCOM to be connected to the “Hitachi ABB Power Grids is proud to believe they have the required expertise will increase the grid’s power transfer existing 220 kilovolt (kV) Owainat substa- support EETC in this strategic project, and and capability to execute this project capability by improving voltage stability tion, thus enabling grid expansion and to help drive efforts to meet Egypt’s 2030 efficiently, and look forward to part- and providing a smooth voltage profile providing more power for rural develop- vision of integrated, sustainable growth nering on future projects,” said Sabah under different network conditions. ment and a rapidly increasing population. with a focus on the energy industry,” said Mashaly, Chairman of Egyptian Electricity Enquiry no: 38 Coolead 18663 February /March 2021 12 KZN Industrial & Business News COMPANY & PRODUCT NEWS Slow manufacturing recovery bad news for steel, engineering sectors HE Steel and Engineering Industries remains key to the growth and development age, since January 2013, prices of goods have manufactured goods PPI since 2016. Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) of South Africa due to its multiplier effect into increased below 10% year on year. This is for “It is important to keep electricity price Tis concerned about the slow pace of other sectors of the economy, such as the con- both final manufactured goods and intermedi- increases under control in order to ensure recovery in the manufacturing sector. struction sector, especially through the Metals ate goods, of which most M&E products are business’s sustainability, since their negative According to the Bureau for Economic and Engineering (M&E) industry as a supplier part,” Mhango said. effect on turnover can lead to the shutting Research, South Africa’s Absa Manufacturing of crucial inputs such as steel. He added that producer price index data sug- down of businesses and more job losses in the PMI rose slightly to 50.9 in January from 50.3 According to SEIFSA Chief Economist gests that in 2020 electricity prices increased short to medium term.” in December 2020. Despite the improvement, Chifipa Mhango, the signs of this slow pace in at a much faster pace than that of intermediate Mhango said the surge in prices of mining the latest reading is much lower than the aver- recovery show that the sector is in for a bumpy manufactured goods. However, prices for min- input products to 32.5% in 2020, according age recorded in the final quarter of 2020. ride in 2021. He said the price trends for inter- ing products increased more than both elec- to Statistics South Africa, which is above “Indeed, the business activity index declined mediate products, which were discouraging tricity and intermediate manufactured goods prices increases of intermediate manufactured for a fourth consecutive month, pointing to new investment into the manufacturing sector, between January and December 2020. goods, was a concern for the survival of the a further loss of momentum in recovery. were also a concern. Mhango said this reflects the prevailing dif- M&E sector. Meanwhile, there were gains in the sub-indi- “Prices are a key component of decision- ficulty in the operating environment, charac- The high electricity prices had compounded ces tracking new sales orders and expected making by businesses on how revenue will be terised by rising intermediate inputs costs from the existing gap between the selling prices for business conditions in six months’ time,” the generated, either taking the approach of grow- the mining sector. He said there is a prevailing M&E intermediate goods and production. “This federation said in a statement. ing price or volume. Within the manufacturing discouraging trend of generally decreasing has discouraged production.” It added that the manufacturing sector sector, historical patterns show that on aver- price patterns in both the intermediate and final Enquiry no: 40 SME financing: know your options ESPITE the recent easing of certain specifically designed to help SMEs weather higher risk involved for the financier – which lockdown restrictions, small and medium the COVID-19 storm. is why the majority of entrepreneurs rely on Denterprises (SMEs) have been under Unfortunately, said Lang, a lack of aware- financiers like family or friends to provide pressure for some time due to a sluggish ness around available financing as well as the necessary funding to open or expand a economy, which the pandemic only served to a lack of business compliance and knowl- business.” compound. edge are proving to be a major barrier to As the business grows and matures, more That’s according to Jeremy Lang, Regional SMEs accessing the support they need. “Thus, capital may be required to maintain busi- General Manager at Business Partners, who accessible financing is key to the survival of ness operations during tough times, but a urged business owners to be realistic about SMEs – which will, in turn, only assist the lower risk profile also means more financing their expectations and plans for the year country’s economic recovery.” options become available. ahead, but not to give up hope. He advised SMEs to consider the following • Customise every application field can help SMEs to avoid costly mistakes “While we still have a long road to recovery, options before applying for financing: According to Lang, the local financing land- and improve processes within the business.” the extended curfew and the lift on the ban • Get your ducks in a row scape can be tricky to navigate because Lang said the good news was that, while on alcohol sales is a positive step, especially Most financiers require 12-24 month projec- different financiers have different mandates financiers’ and banks’ lending criteria have for the hospitality sector. We implore SMEs tions and need to get a clear understand- and objectives in terms of social impact, become increasingly stringent over the years, who might be tempted to throw in the towel ing of how further expenditure will produce employment or commercial returns. interest rates are currently low in South Africa, to reconsider their financing options,” he said. a better income for the business, which is “Generic applications may result in a higher and as a result, monthly instalments have Lang added that new institutions why it is vital to detail how the business loan failure rate, so it pays to do your research decreased, increasing affordability by SMEs. and types of financing are introduced each will be spent and how this will influence the on all potential financiers in order to deter- “While it might seem like you are out of year, and there is a whole host of financing projections. mine not only whether the business matches options, there is financing still available for products available from the private and pub- “Strict criteria for most finance applications the specific criteria of the investor and SMEs. Sometimes it’s just a matter of finding lic sector. This financing mainly consists of require statutory compliance and financial speaks to their investment preference, but the right financing fit and knowing how best to grants, risk free and risk-based finance where statements to be completely up to date, so also that the proposed financing agreement approach it to increase your chances.” either grants, debt or equity investments are make sure that the administrative function ensures a fair deal for both the entrepreneur Enquiry no: 41 made available. of the business is well managed,” said Lang. and investor.” Financiers include commercial institutions • Determine the life stage of your business • Seek additional specialist input such as banks and SME focused financing Lang explained that each financing option Financiers have become strong advocates Global forestry certification institutions, development finance institutions, has different features that could be benefi- of SMEs, especially over this tough period. angel investors, crowd funding, enterprise cial for businesses at various stages in their According to Lang, there is a strong cor- hailed a landmark for Africa development funding and private equity firms, lifespans. relation between a business’ success when amongst others. “During the early stage of any business, it is it receives financing along with technical ULP and paper multi-national Sappi has At present there are also relief programmes most difficult to source financing due to the assistance and mentorship. “Experts in their Pannounced that it has achieved the first Sustainable African Forest Assurance Scheme (SAFAS) certification to get the nod in South Africa from the influential Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Sappi Southern Africa Chief Executive Officer Alex Thiel said the SAFAS project had been a successful collaboration between Sappi and a number of South African forestry organisations who saw the need to develop a local certification standard with international recognition. It had been achieved in despite the unforeseen obstacles created by COVID- 19 lockdown restrictions.

ARCAL™ “Credible, internationally recognised, robust Prime forest certification systems like PEFC and FSC are fundamental to Sappi’s commitment to sustainability,” Thiel said. He added that although Sappi provides customers the assurance that its woodfibre originates from known and responsibly man- ARCAL™ aged forests, including through its longstand- Chrome ing certification with the Forest Stewardship Council, the PEFC certification provides an additional important global certification standard in its assurance to consumers about the responsible origin of the wood we use. Importantly, it also allows for chain of cus- ARCAL™ Speed tody (CoC) certification, which tracks forest- based products from sustainable sources to the final product. Sappi Southern Africa has now commenced the process to achieve PEFC CoC certification for its manufacturing sites, to bring it in line with Sappi’s European

ARCAL™ and North American operations. Force PEFC International CEO and Secretary General Ben Gunneberg described the certification as, “a landmark in Africa, at a time when climate smart solutions are needed to enable achievable sustainable forest management certification for all forest owners”. Rob Shaw, Technical Manager of Soil Association Certification said,” We are proud to be the first certification body to achieve this PEFC Forest Management (FM) accreditation in South Africa. Working with Sappi, SABS, SAFAS and UKAS to achieve this was a truly collaborative effort". Enquiry no: 42 February / March 2021 KZN Industrial & Business News COMPANY & PRODUCT NEWS 13 Helping to close the skills gaps in plastics manufacturing TEADY demand for plastics in Initiative, it is not pervasive enough plastics manufacturing and injection BEE Codes, diverse industries should place to reach learners in townships. What moulding industry. which allows Splastics manufacturers in good this means is that young people who “Apprentice programmes provide for the salaries stead but increasing global competi- could have an interest and talent are good entry level education as well as of participants tion and a shortage of qualified skills not being exposed to trade subjects crucial on-the-job training and expe- to be recog- make them ill-equipped to respond. and are unaware of career prospects rience. For companies, workplace- nised as part That’s according to Deon in these fields.” based learnership programmes are of the Skills Oberholzer, Director at ProudAfrique The local plastics manufacturing an effective way to build the skills and Development Human Capital, who said plastic prod- industry is grappling with a short- competencies they need to remain Expenditure uct machine operators are on the age of qualified skills as processes, competitive.” and companies list of skills that are lacking in South materials and production become Gideon Potgieter from Resolution can improve Africa. more sophisticated. The need to Circle agreed. “There is a critical need their BEE rating. Companies are females, people with disabilities This includes machine operators address the skills gap is pertinent to provide integrated, service-learning also eligible for tax rebates. and for employing them perma- for plastic cable making, plastic com- enough that the Tshwane University of opportunities to drive skills develop- For example, an organisation nently once their training is com- pounding and reclamation, plastics Technology (TUT) introduced a new ment in the ever-changing field of with a R40-million turnover budget plete. fabricators or welders, as well as plas- degree, the Bachelor of Engineering engineering and related technologies,” receives R270 000 over three “The bottom line is that com- tics production, reinforced plastics and Technology in Materials Engineering he said. years for training three people. panies have an important role composite trade workers. in Polymer Technology, in 2019. Proud Afrique Human Capital and They can claim from SARS under to play in addressing the skills “These skills are not difficult to Oberholzer said plastics manufac- Resolution Circle, a training hub part Section 128 for R160 000 in tax gap in the plastics manufacturing learn. However, most schools are not turing companies have a role to play of the University of Johannesburg, are relief. Multiplied by 28%, which is industry and it does not have to geared to prepare people for trades in equipping people with the relevant collaborating to deliver focused work- the company tax they would get break the bank if they offer rec- work. Yes, there are trade schools but training and practical skills. Work- place based learnership programmes back, would see them receiving ognised work-based learnership for many South Africans these are not based programmes that focus on for the Plastics Manufacturing, CNC an additional R44 800. programmes that allow them to accessible due to location and finan- developing practical skills and knowl- and Injection Moulding Industries. The company would score 15 apply for subsidies and claim tax cial circumstances,” Oberholzer said. edge in the field would help to address These programmes are recognised BEE-points for employing black rebates,” Oberholzer said. “Although there is strong effort the skills gap and help companies as Category B Skills Programmes in learners. Higher points can be from government with its Fit for Jobs to participate more effectively in the the Learning Matrix of the Amended achieved for employing black Enquiry no: 40 How to choose the right renewable energy solution for your small business GAINST the backdrop of a weak can help in this respect, in terms of power electronics (MLPEs). don’t need to service the equip- economy, businesses face fur- guiding you through the process. Just MLPEs are generally more ment, it will need to be cleaned Ather challenges when it comes as you would get three quotes before expensive, but they can also be regularly. to sustainable power supply. taking your car in for repairs, you more efficient. MLPEs are a good “I had a client once who com- According to the 2020 CSIR Energy should get three quotes from three choice if your solar energy system plained that the equipment wasn’t Report, South Africa will likely face an different suppliers before you choose may be slightly shaded or can’t be performing as well as they thought energy shortage for at least the next a supplier,” Durham said. installed at the best angle. it would. When I drove past, I 18 months while the South African Schnabel said this is where the This is a long-term purchase immediately saw that the panels Reserve Bank affirms load shedding independent consultant plays a big and the equipment usually carries were covered in a thick layer of is at its worst this year, with the total role. “You need to compare apples a 25 to 30-year warranty. “Find out dust. A simple cleaning with water gigawatt-hours shed surpassing the with apples. Some suppliers might what the warranty is on the equip- and a hard broom and the perfor- 2019 record in August. come in with a vastly cheaper quote ment. Like all things, solar panels mance improved by 20%,” said “The reality is that power inter- and that might be because the equip- degrade and become less efficient Schnabel. ruption is hitting small and medium- reviewed their certifications, licenses, ment they want to use is inferior to the over time. Many manufacturers Durham said after you select sized businesses particularly hard. track record and reputation in the mar- equipment that the higher-priced sup- will guarantee that the power pro- your supplier or installer, they The power outages cause productivity ket,” he said. plier is quoting you on,” he said. duction of their panels will not fall should start by doing an ener- declines, which translate to lost rev- Wido Schnabel, chairman of industry When it comes to choosing the right below a certain threshold over gy analysis. A power meter is enue. Renewable energy is a sustain- body, the South African Photovoltaic equipment, Schnabel said a holistic twenty-five years,” Schnabel said. placed into the distribution board able solution for the future,” said Kyle Industry Association (SAPVIA), said renewable energy solution will include The supplier should be able to measure the profile of your Durham, Head of Alternative Energy the supplier should ideally have a solar panels, an inverter and a battery. to remotely log on and see how energy usage. This will tell your Solutions at FNB. strong South African presence. “This Solar panels take solar energy and much energy is being produced, installer what your peak loads are, Durham advised that for a busi- means you are looking for a company make it into direct current (DC) power. check that the inverter is function- what your permanent loads are ness to survive and thrive in the years with an office and staff in South Africa The inverter’s job is to convert that ing correctly and see if the system and what your daily power usage ahead, it is essential it invest in an so that you know you will have strong DC power into the alternating current has logged any faults. While you levels. Enquiry no: 41 alternative power solution. after-sales support,” Schnabel said, (AC) electricity that can be used in The first step is to select a reputa- also recommending the appointment your business. ble supplier. “In doing so, it’s best to of an independent consultant. There are two types of inverters: choose a solar installer once you’ve “FNB’s Alternative Energy Solutions string inverters and module-level COVID vaccinations: can bosses make them compulsory? The notion of mandatory vaccina- over one’s body. The National Health ably accommodated where they form tion against COVID-19 has become Act, 2003, gives effect to this right part of the inherent tenets of the par- a talking point for employers glob- and states that medical treatment may ticular religion or belief system, unless ally. Talita Laubscher, Partner, and not be provided without the user’s the means to accommodate result in Chloë Loubser, Senior Associate, informed, specific and voluntary con- unjustifiable hardship to the employer. Bowmans consider the local legal sent. There are certain exceptions implications. to this rule, for example where the Applying the law in practice ANDATORY vaccinations may failure to treat the individual, or group potentially speed up the proof people that includes the individual, Employers who exclude unvacci- Mcess whereby heard immunity will result in ‘a serious risk to public nated employees from the workplace is achieved. But can an employer (as health’, or where a law or court order are effectively forcing them to be vac- opposed to the State through national authorises the provision of a health cinated, undermining the voluntary legislation, or a court order) force service. nature of consent. employees to get vaccinated? At this stage, Government has indi- However, the extent to which this This is no simple matter. For one, cated that the COVID-19 vaccine will may be the case will likely depend in law, vaccination is a ‘medical treat- not be obligatory and there is no law on the consequences that may arise ment’, not a ‘medical test’, and the requiring anyone to be vaccinated. if the employee is not vaccinated. If difference matters. Medical test- So, employers considering man- the employee simply continues working is governed by section 7 of the datory vaccination are left with the ing remotely and is not prejudiced, it Employment Equity Act, 1998, and public health risk exception, together may be arguable that the employee is performed to ascertain whether an with their own obligations to maintain retains the ability to decide whether employee has a medical condition. safe, healthy workplaces under the or not to have the vaccine. But, where The Employment Equity Act would Occupational Health and Safety Act, the employee cannot work remotely come into play in circumstances where 2003, to justify their decisions. and the employer’s policy effectively the employer requires the employee Factors such as the level of risk, makes it compulsory to obtain the vac- to get tested for Covid-19. By contrast, nature of the workplace, the work per- cine to retain one’s job, the voluntary South African employment legislation formed and the availability and suit- consent principle will be violated. does not specifically regulate when an ability of means to remove or mitigate There are circumstances where a employee may be required to undergo the risk come into play. An employer’s mandatory vaccination policy will be medical treatment. obligations will also need to be bal- permissible, namely if not having the In order to answer this question, anced against an employee’s right to vaccine may create a serious risk to the starting point is the constitutional freedom of conscience, religion and public health. right to bodily integrity and control belief. Such beliefs must be reason- Enquiry no: 42 February /March 2021 14 COMPANY & PRODUCT NEWS KZN Industrial & Business News Nifty nitrogen generators offer agile advantages to industry T is crucial for companies, whether our range of premium quality nitro- nance costs are minimal. Companies ted with a pre-filtra- they specialise in chemical manu- gen generators,” he said. are also no longer subjected to the tion pressure gauge Ifacturing, electronics, fabrication, “These Atlas Copco nitrogen gas market volatility and price fluc- and flow meter, to food and beverage or other sectors, generators are mobile or station- tuations.” ensure accurate sys- to have a reliable and specific sup- ary production units that convert The generators also help mitigate tem monitoring at all ply of industrial gas for production compressed dry air into nitrogen by potential safety hazards which can times.” purposes. Notably, oil refineries and separating oxygen molecules from come with the handling of high- Quality is also a other industries have very specific the nitrogen molecules. These units pressure cylinders. key selling point, with prevention, tyre inflation, oil and gas, and exact operational requirements therefore enable companies to con- Thorne said Rand-Air’s range the NGM and NGM+ models - and maritime and others. Conversely, the for the use of nitrogen gas in particu- trol the amount - as well as the pres- include membrane nitrogen genera- the mobile NGM280, for example NGMs are suitable and efficient in lar, to enhance safety and reduce the sure and purity - of nitrogen they tors, such as the NGM, NGM+ and - offering between 90% and 99% low-flow nitrogen generation. risk of fires or explosions. need to produce.” the NGM models, which use a nitrogen purity. “It is important to note “The PSA nitrogen generators That’s according to Rand-Air Sales Thorne said the nitrogen genera- proprietary membrane separation that the flow is substantially reduced (NGP and NGP+) meanwhile, offer and Marketing Manager Byrone tors can be adapted to meet a cus- technology; as well as the PSA, with an increase in purity. However, the required purity with a high-flow Thorne, who said that nitrogen is tomer’s specific applications, and NGP and NGP+ nitrogen generators, the nitrogen supply can be tailored capacity, making them suitable for a used for inerting, blanketing, and they offer an “excellent” return-on- which are based on Pressure Swing as needed, and units can be set up range of applications.” purging to suppress flammability, by investment due to their lower operat- Adsorption (PSA) technology; and for other purity levels.” Thorne said that as oil refineries reducing oxygen levels to a point ing costs. the new-generation NGP+ nitrogen Moreover, the various generators and industrial sectors cannot afford where combustion is no longer pos- “For our nitrogen generator cus- generators. can cater to different flow require- inefficient shutdowns and unfore- sible. tomers, there are no additional costs “The membrane nitrogen genera- ments. seen operational downtime, a key “As Rand-Air recognises this criti- regarding the supply of nitrogen tors are ready for immediate use, as “The membrane nitrogen genera- advantage of the nitrogen generators cal operational and safety considera- - such as order processing, refills they only require a supply of dry tors - with their high-flow capacity - is also their continuous availability. tion, we provide an agile answer in or delivery charges - while mainte- compressed air. They are also fit- are ideal for applications such as fire Enquiry no: 41 Robust planetary Eazi does it: opening access equipment gearboxes for long service doors in the mining industry HE G3 full line of planetary exchanger for optimal cooling.” ORK-at-height and material- gearboxes from Zest WEG The electronic monitoring sys- handling equipment supplier, Tare among the world’s most tem checks oil temperature, pres- WEazi Access has added a sec- robust and capable of running for sure and vibration variables to ond Hi-Capacity JLG Model, the JLG 10 years before major servicing is ensure the gearbox is not sub- 800 HC3 AJ, to its fleet. required. ject to over-torque. “This guar- The company is the sole distributor That’s according to antees smooth of JLG in South Africa and Marcus a statement from the and reliable Green, GM: Rental & Sales, said the company, which adds operation within brand is known for manufacturing lift that with an output the established equipment which includes aerial lifts, torque range from limits, allow- boom lifts, scissor lifts, telehandlers 400kNm to 8,750kNm, ing optimum and low-level access lifts. the range boasts bear- equipment “The first model we brought into ings designed for usage and South Africa from JLG’s Hi-Capacity over 100,000 hours reduced mainte- range was the JLG 460SJ HC3 of operation. “These nance costs.” Telescopic Boom Lift which was also gearboxes are popular in Manufactured the first model launched under this central drive applications in diffus- in Brazil by WEG compa- range. The range has been developed ers and sugar mills, where they ny TGM WEG, these gearboxes to address market requirements for are also used as pinion-less and include components which are more people and tools at height, by “JLG has really brought in a great Green said Eazi Access had assist drives,” it said. heat treated in world-class facili- allowing for more flexibility at height.” unit with this model. Firstly, the height, received positive feedback from the “In addition to their high mechan- ties in accordance with API-6 This, said Green, is achieved secondly the up and over capability, market since adding the JLG 800 HC3 ical efficiency and robust gear standards. through three working zones and an thirdly the one big differentiator that AJ into its fleet. and bearing sets, the gearboxes “With an extensive footprint in enhanced capacity that permits up JLG has brought in with this range of “The first unit was immediately sold are flexible in their installation. South American market, these to three workers and tools into the models is that they haven’t affected into the mining industry. In the past, The high performance hydraulic units are successfully operating platform. their outreach. the mining industry was not really system has quality lubricant oil in sugars mills in Zimbabwe and “JLG is set to launch a full range “In comparison to some manufac- an access industry but more mate- filtration, with 10 micron absolute Angola.” of hi-capacity machines with the turer’s, the moment they go on with rial handling industry with baskets on filtration elements and air-oil heat Enquiry no: 42 first being the 16-metre-high 460SJ the higher capacity baskets, there are telehanders, rotational telehandlers, HC3 unit. The OEM brand recently two changes that occur – the outreach etc. With an access platform of 454 launched the second model in its is diminished, secondly, a larger coun- kilograms featuring a three-person range of HC3 units, the JLG 800 HC3 terweight is being fitted which affects capacity now available in the market, AJ. We received a lot of enquiries as your tailswing. JLG has not affected it allows for the access side of the min- to when a unit was coming into the either of these two things.” ing industry to grow.” market, which was higher than the 16 Green said another other key fea- He said when an important cus- metres the 460SJ HC3 could reach. ture is that it has the three-person- tomer heard that the 800 HC3 AJ This second model is a lot higher with capacity throughout the range. “As was available, they jumped at the a 26-metre working height.” you go further up, the kilogram capac- opportunity. “The machine was only Green explained that the first model, ity may decrease but throughout the in our yard for two or three days. We the JLG 460 HC3, is a straight boom, entire range of the machines, the are really looking forward to our cus- which is great for quick access to three-person capacity remains. It is a tomer’s feedback with this unit… how height, although it did not allow for the phenomenal unit, the safety features they have found it and the difference it up and over access, whereas the 800 are well thought through with the big- has made on-site.’’ HC3 AJ, being an articulated jib (AJ), gest benefit being that it allows us to allows for an up and over application. target new markets.” Enquiry no: 43

Sustained safety focus delivers fatality-free record HE year has started strongly for ing home safely every day. mining services specialist Murray “We have seen a vital attitu- T& Roberts Cementation, with a dinal change over the years, resounding safety achievement of where success has bred more five million fatality free shifts. That’s success and all our people according to Managing Director Mike take ownership of their safe Wells, who said the landmark had work practices – both per- been reached as part of a concerted sonally and collectively. This corporate journey towards Zero Harm. builds a resilient safety cul- “This exciting milestone, which we ture, which has included a reached in early January 2021, is crucial commitment to doing the result of years of commitment work right the first time.” by every member of the company Underpinning much of – through multiple initiatives and pro- the success in safe work- grammes. This has included our unre- ing practices has been the lenting focus on the Major Accident increased investment in effec- Prevention (MAP) programme, as well tive training strategies at the as stringent risk assessments and the Murray & Roberts Training verification of critical controls in the Academy at Bentley Park near the commitment to fatality-free opera- field,” said Wells. Carletonville. Here, the latest tech- tions as a given – not only for them- He added that these efforts had suc- nologies and methods – supported by selves but for their service providers. ceeded in motivating and inspiring all realistic mock-ups of mining environ- We are proud to be able to dem- employees in fully internalising safety ments – ensure that all workers are onstrate our success as part of the principles. This has entrenched the fully prepared for all working condi- broader progress in this field by the belief that Zero Harm can indeed be tions. whole mining sector,” said Wells. achieved, with each employee return- “Our mining customers today regard Enquiry no: 44 February / March 2021 KZN Industrial & Business News COMPANY & PRODUCT NEWS 15 Heavy-duty 20-tonner beefs up excavator range ELL Equipment, the exclusive distributor the latest hydraulic technology in the form of ment while long, solid rock guards prevent of Kobelco Excavators in Southern Africa, the Arm Interflow System. damage to the arm. Bhas introduced the new tenth generation “When lowering the boom, the system McNeill said the undercarriage has extra Kobelco SK220XD to its range, which bolsters uses the downward force generated by the wear protection plates for increased durability the region’s 20-ton class with a heavy-duty boom’s weight to push fluid to the arm cylin- compared to standard models. In addition, the machine that is both highly productive and der. Essentially the machine is using gravity travel system is more powerful and heavy duty economical in all aspects. to generate hydraulic energy, which means due to large, strengthened track guides, a rein- “The SK220XD-10 is loaded with features there is less demand on the hydraulic system forced travel motor cover, and robust guarding not usually found in 20t machines, features and engine. Improved hydraulic efficiencies to protect the hydraulic piping and equipment. that make this model well-matched to Africa’s improves fuel burn and on the SK220XD-10 “All Kobelco’s tenth generation machines toughest mining and construction sites,” said Kobelco claims a 19% higher fuel saving have ROPS certified cabs from the SK220 Bell Equipment Marketing and Alliance Partner in ECO-mode compared to S-mode on the through to the SK520. The cabin is super- Manager, Stephen McNeill. SK210LC-8. airtight, quieter, and more comfortable than “The SK220XD-10 has a rated power output “The SK220XD-10 also offers improvements before with 80mm more leg room and a lighter, of 118kW at 2 000rpm and a maximum torque to both the fuel and hydraulic filtration systems smoother touch with the controls. of 592Nm at 1 600rpm. Like the current SK210 with a view to increasing durability and longev- “A full colour multi-display provides opera- and SK260, it is fitted with a 4-cylinder Toyota ity of an already reliable machine. This makes tional information including fault codes, fuel Hino engine, which has performed exceptional- them even more suited to our harsh South consumption and maintenance details. A tele- ly well in our construction, mining, and forestry African conditions.” tured by Bell Equipment with South African matics system is fitted standard to the latest industries. Bell has sold around 150 Kobelco Structurally the machine is much stronger. conditions in mind. The boom and arm, which generation models that provides fuel con- machines with this engine since 2017.” The SK220XD-10 has a one cubic metre take the greatest punishment, are reinforced sumption, location as well as faults codes and McNeill said the new excavator comes with heavy-duty bucket, designed, and manufac- with thick steel plate for a more robust attach- warnings.” Enquiry no: 44

Bearing materials made Gearing up for a better year in roadwork with solar energy ITH some important roads contracts outlying areas.” OLYMER bearing material producer secured for 2021, AfriSam believes it Bhoora noted that roadbuilders who are Vesconite Bearings intends to take Wis well placed to bring more capacity concerned about their carbon footprint will pri- Padvantage of South Africa’s high levels on stream when there is an upswing in South oritise having a commercial supply of construc- of solar radiation to power some of its most Africa’s roadbuilding sector. tion material as close to the road project as power-hungry processes. This is according to the company’s possible. This will reduce emissions from the The company has already installed the Construction Materials Executive, Avi Bhoora, trucks transporting the material. With AfriSam’s first phase of its solar project, comprising 14 who says it will be supplying construction commitment to quality and environmental man- strings of 18 x 350 W Canadian solar panels material to the significant road upgrade agement, he emphasises that customers can and a 66 kW Schneider Electric inverter. from Lynnfield Park to Dardanelles, south of always be assured that their construction The system produces 65 kWh at peak, with Pietermaritzburg. material will be compliant and to specification the inverter supplying 60 kW to the factory’s “The construction materials market is now – irrespective of location. Extrusion Department, which makes its pro- only about a third of its 2012 level, when road- “Road contractors look to AfriSam for solu- prietary Vesconite and Vesconite Hilube wear- building in the country was at its peak. The tions to two important aspects of achieving resistant self-lubricating hollow bars and rods. whole construction sector is looking forward a quality road: modification and stabilisation. As such, three quarter of the department’s to the release of more road upgrade projects When contractors must deal with lower quality electricity needs of 80kW/h, are provided for this year, especially on the N2 and N3 national material on site – with high clay content and during peak sunlight hours, with a smaller pro- highways.” plasticity index (PI) – this generally needs to portion of the department’s electricity needs Bhoora said there are nine work packages be modified with the use of lime.” being catered for from dawn and after 12 expected to be released by the road author- Transit (BRT) project at Inanda Road and inter- This means that higher quality – or ‘bluer’ noon. ity, which could together add up to about R40 change upgrades in Westville, Richmond Road materials from the underlying rock layers rath- “This is a 60 kW on-demand grid-tied sys- billion in contract values. AfriSam has recently and Camperdown. er than from the overburden – may require tem,” said Extrusion Head Marius Du Plooy. been active in the Watt Street Interchange AfriSam’s strategy for the future includes additional strengthening through stabilisation. “This means that the inverter is synchro- Project in Wynberg near Sandton, where it pro- gearing up for more rural work, in addition to Bhoora said AfriSam’s Roadstab cement is nised with the municipality’s supply and we vided almost 9,000 m³ of readymix for concrete its traditional focus on urban centres. a popular solution, with its 32.5 classification use what we produce during day time,” he works. This contract included two large, chal- “This means becoming more flexible and in terms of the SANS 50917-1 standard. It is notes. lenging concrete pours of over 550 m3 each. mobile in our operations,” he says, “such as manufactured at the company’s Dudfield and Unfortunately, the municipality in which It has also been busy in KwaZulu-Natal, converting equipment to a modular format that Ulco factories. Vesconite Bearings is located does not allow including a bridge upgrade in the Bus Rapid can be readily moved to and operated from Enquiry no: 45 energy producers to sell excess power back to it. It is not yet cost effective to use storage batteries, so the full energy-production-capacity of the solar system is not harnessed and the company is investigating how to expand the Smart security, storage usage of the system. Vesconite’s CEO, Dr Jean-Patrick Leger, is pleased that the company has been able to harness the power of the sun for its extrusion and consumer perceptions processes and will soon have “Produced by Solar Power” stickers. By Davide Villa Security cameras are often always on and Enquiry no: 47 with that comes some unique storage chal- MART devices are increasingly a part lenges. The technology needs to be able to of everyday life both inside and outside keep up, delivering reliable high-performance Sof the home and this only accelerated data transfer and data writing speeds to ensure further in 2020. high-quality video is captured and analysed. Outside of the home, security cameras and There are a few security based concepts that other smart devices are being used to support can be deployed to help lessen the knowledge public health and safety during the pandemic. gap and build trust. Capabilities such as thermal imaging tech- However, when it comes to smart technology nology to detect fever, or cameras to under- overall, consumers are still cautious and have stand footfall and traffic in specific city areas concerns about whether their data is at risk. for crowd management, are examples of ways The Western Digital research revealed that this technology can be leveraged. Demand low. When it comes to usage, only 35% had the top priorities for EMEA consumers for may well have increased, but data storage and used smart home technology and 30% had managing and storing smart technology data security continues to be an important consid- come into contact with smart city technology are that it be secure against breaches (73%) eration. across Europe and the Middle East. and that it be stored on drives that are safe and Positive news for smart technology providers According to the research, that barrier to reliable (70%). is that interest in smart technology innova- adoption appears to be based on a lack of Effective and compliant data storage plays a tions, whether in the home or the city, is high. understanding of how consumers’ data is major role in making these benefits a reality for In a recent Western Digital report exploring captured, stored and used. Just 19% of UK consumers as well as building trust. consumer views on smart technology and data consumers believed they knew more about The next few years should be an exciting storage, a substantial 90% of those surveyed personal data capture than others, highlighting time for smart technology providers. The mar- across EMEA said that they are looking for- a general lack of awareness and the need for ket is growing, and consumers are excited for ward to at least one forthcoming form of smart reassurance and clarity from smart technology what’s coming next, but a lack of knowledge technology. vendors on this issue. around smart technology infrastructure threat- Delving deeper into that data, the smart ens this progress and the gains that will go innovations for the home that drew the most Security cameras with it. excitement in EMEA include: home secu- The implementation of the right storage rity cameras (36%), entertainment streaming 2020 has shone a definitive spotlight on the infrastructure and technology and subse- services (35%) and lighting/heating controls benefits that security cameras can offer the quent education on them will help consumers (35%). world, especially in times of crisis. And con- to feel that their information is more secure From a smart city infrastructure perspective, sumers are acknowledging these key benefits, and remove doubt around these technologies, interest is centred around transport with elec- with more than half (52%) seeing security especially security cameras. tric vehicle charging points at (39%), driverless cameras as keeping them safe and reducing – GeekWire.co.za vehicles (38%) and security surveillance cam- crime (40%). eras (37%). This is similar to smart highway cameras, Davide Villa is Business Development Director for While awareness of these technologies is with keeping them safe (46%) and reducing EMEAI at Western Digital high, the research found that uptake remains crime (28%) highlighted as the key benefits. Enquiry no: 46 February /March 2021 16 COMPANY & PRODUCT NEWS KZN Industrial & Business News Troubleshooting conveyor belt challenges OME of the toughest maintenance chal- operating conditions. with anti-wear additives will ensure that the lenges at manufacturing facilities are “We work through these questions with our conveyor belt equipment works without inter- Spresented by large belt-driven conveyor clients and help them identify the right lubricant ruption. systems. These critical assets require gear oil and reliability solutions to properly care for If the wrong grease is used, the reliability for their gearboxes, electric motor grease for their equipment,” said Ford. and lifespan of equipment may suffer. In most the motors, and grease for multiple lubrica- While implementing the LETS approach cases, to solve this requires an extreme pres- tion points – particularly bearings. Improper with its clients, LE has seen a number of com- sure grease that can withstand heavy loads, lubrication and contamination can cause pre- mon problems emerging across conveyor belt maintain performance in a broad range of mature wear, or even worse, create unplanned applications, including incorrect gear oil and operating temperatures, seal out water, protect downtime. greases selection, and problems with grease from corrosion and wear, and will not emulsify That’s according to Lubrication Engineers application. when water is present. (LE) South Africa National Marketing Manager Inferior or incorrect gear oil can lead to Incorrect grease application can be a prob- Callum Ford, who said recurring challenges equipment problems and unplanned downtime. lem, even if the correct grease for the appli- include dirt, water, heavy loads, vibration and For example, some gear oils become foamy cation has been selected. Over greasing, extreme temperatures – and these are even has developed a comprehensive lubrication and lose performance in the presence of mois- under greasing or not greasing can all cause more severe when the system is located out- strategy to help its customers manage the risks ture. Another problem occurs when extreme problems. Many operators have to manually side. of conveyor belt wear through correct gear oil pressure gear oil is used in gearboxes with grease lubrication points in hard-to-reach or He added that some of the common lubrica- selection, grease selection, grease application, internal backstops. Extreme pressure prevents unsafe areas and end up neglecting to grease tion challenges that maintenance teams face contamination exclusion, and visual monitoring the clutch or sprag mechanisms from properly those spots. in trying to keep conveyors properly lubricated and contamination removal. engage, resulting in the mechanism slipping. Ford said an experienced lubrication con- are multiple lubrication points, long walking The strategy is called LETS (for load, envi- A helpful solution can be to use the answers sultant can help determine correct lubrication distances, and difficulties accessing some key ronment, temperature and speed) and includes from the LETS process to select the gear oil amounts and intervals, and then help with machinery points. All of this means that compli- a set of questions to help maintenance teams best suited to an application – ideally one choosing which single- or multi-point lubrica- ance with manufacturer-recommended relubri- identify what lubrication solutions from within designed to combat the effects of high temper- tion system will work best in a particular application intervals can be difficult to achieve. the original equipment manufacturer’s recom- atures, water, contaminants and heavy loads. cation. To combat these challenges, the company mended range will best suit their particular A long-lasting, nonfoaming, turbine-quality oil Enquiry no: 49 Risky business - is water part of your business risk assessment? Business leaders plan to avert the biggest is out of water until it rains again to to not wasting water, but to the safety risks that could impact their company, but as fill the dams. of your employees as some municipal COO of Abeco Tanks, Mannie Ramos Jnr Businesses must plan to have infra- pipes have such low water pressure observes, water is rarely on the risk list. structure in place to be able to build that if a fire were to break out, the FTER a tumultuous 2020 proved how up a reserve of water. Any business pressure from the pipe would be too fundamental being able to wash our worth its salt knows that saving up little to extinguish the fire. Ahands is to our health, it is clear that your hard-earned business profits • Know how much water water would be on our risk list for 2021 if busi- to reinvest in the business is crucial, you need nesses are to successfully safeguard their and so is the case with water. By Before you can install adequate water futures. having tanks with stored water, you tanks to save the water you need, you Water is also innately and intricately inter- can safeguard against future short- need to know how much water in total Asphalt: twined with another risk factor, that is infra- ages. your business needs to be optimally structure. As South African businesses owners • New builds and properties operational. You also need to determine how you would be hard-pressed to not recognize Prevention is always better than the cure. long your business can operate with reduced the shortcomings of our electrical infrastruc- All architects and designers should consider water supplies and remain profitable if you when warm is ture as demonstrated by load shedding. When water and its role in businesses when cre- are to properly calculate the amount you faced with this problem, companies have right- ating new buildings. All new builds should need to store. ly invested in generators or solar power. allow for rainwater harvesting and consider • What is the cost to your business daily if Water, however, is more problematic a tank to easily siphon water off the roof or there is no water? ‘greener’ than because we cannot simply make it, as we do catch rainwater to be diverted to flush toilets, Working out the daily cost will help you to by burning fuel to create electricity in the case water gardens and even provide water for determine the size of the risk running out of a generator. So, what about when we run animals. of water poses to you which can be a great out of water? Although rainwater is not potable (not safe guiding factor when budgeting for water hot How can we ensure continuity of service and for human consumption) it has the potential storage tanks. Knowing this will enable you INCE the Carbon Tax Act came into plan for these eventualities when there is a to drastically decrease running costs and to weigh the cost of a water storage tank, effect in 2019, there has been a drive water outage? prevent potential interruption of business in the installation and the maintenance versus Stowards reducing emissions in almost Here are the top considerations for your risk the case of extended drought. the potential financial loss not having one every sector, including the road construction list: • Plan to use water sparing devices will cause. A water storage tank provides a industry. • Water-sparing is not water saving Modifying your premises to have stop-start business with the surety that they will be able That’s according to Wynand Nortjè, Technical When you save water, you are only real- taps, faucet aerators and water-saving toilets to continue should a drought become critical. Manager at Shisalanga Construction, who ly using less water not saving it. Whilst will all help to decrease the amount of water The water in these tanks must be used, as said the KwaZulu-Natal-based company had being conscious of water scarcity and mak- you need. water can become stagnant if not kept mov- gained a reputation for developing environ- ing improvements such as waterwise taps, • Inspect your infrastructure ing. Meaning not only can the tank help in mentally sustainable asphalt alternatives. rain harvesting tanks or eco-friendly toilets Routinely checking your plumbing for leaks crisis situations, but businesses can use the One such product is Warm Mix Asphalt is good, being conscious about wastage will make sure you are not using water water from the tank for the daily operations (WMA). This technology allows for standard doesn’t help the problem of water interrup- unnecessarily. Additionally, checking your and simply top it up with municipal water Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) to be paved at much tion. If there is no water, then your business water sprinklers regularly is not only pivotal when it is necessary. Enquiry no: 50 lower temperatures. For asphalt to be classified as WMA, the product must be functional at temperatures between 20-30 degrees lower than standard varieties. Nortjè said the company’s Cliffdale site had been at the centre of several innovations, RANGE KEMACH JCB including all the first development in South Africa for WMA, EME and Recycled Asphalt. “When we started producing WMA in the late 2000s, we always said it should give equal or better properties than regular asphalt mixes. Since then, standards have not been amended. We still adhere to these strict specifications to ensure a quality product.” Nortjè said the main advantage of WMA is its ability to be paved at lower temperatures. Given that WMA can be compacted at temperatures between 80-100 degrees, this technology significantly extends the paving window. The knock-on effects of a slower cooling rate give rise to a number of additional benefits. Less energy is required to heat the mix which reduces overall carbon emissions and in turn decreases the cost of production. It allows for the reduction of compactive effort which reduces carbon emissions from rollers. “With the new Carbon Tax Act coming into effect, there’ll be a big drive towards WMA. The product is also beneficial for our workers. It’s not as hot so emissions are reduced. It’s safer to work alongside when paving.” WMA can also be hauled longer distances than regular asphalt. Nortjè said the company had successfully transported WMA over a f in five-hour drive to Sani Pass in the middle of winter where it was used to pave the road with no issues. “We haven’t had any failures so we know it can handle extreme traffic conditions. It’s performing exceptionally well for the work we’ve done up to date.” Enquiry no: 51 February / March 2021 KZN Industrial & Business News COMPANY & PRODUCT NEWS 17 Helping ensure high efficiency in wet and dry cooling towers MG’s electromechanical team plays an between the propeller and the high-speed input of an internal cooling fan in the lantern is also important role in ensuring the dependable shaft to reduce vibrations and there is extend- possible to assist in ensuring that the compact Boperation of wet and dry cooling towers, ed bearing span on low-speed shaft bearings. gearbox remains within an adequate thermal through the supply and support of many power Bearings have been carefully selected to with- operating limit. generation components. stand high axial loads. New to the Hansen range of gear units for That’s according to Rob Green, the com- These application-specific and designed dry and wet cooling towers, is the recently pany’s National Product Manager – Sumitomo, Hansen gearboxes are coated with corrosion- launched M5CT range, which are right angle who said, “Hansen gearboxes, which have been resistant paint for added protection in wet and vertical gearboxes that have been further lubrication system does not require monitoring. designed by Sumitomo Drive Technologies, in humid environments. The housing has suitably developed for cooling technology. This series, The new M5 range has been designed for accordance with global Cooling Technology machined ports to facilitate external piping that with high resistance in corrosive and extreme easy replacement of the existing P4 cooling Institute (CTI) specifications, are manufactured enables effective oil drainage and allows easy humidity environments, has a proven design, tower range and to match the footprint or shaft especially for wet cooling towers (WCT) and maintenance. maximum load capacity, minimum losses and height, without excessive installation adapta- air-cooled condensers (ACC)”. Because regulation of the cooling tower is quiet operation. M5CT units are also compliant tions. He added that Hansen gearboxes are suit- important, ACC’s are subjected to frequent with stringent CTI specifications. In addition to general Hansen gearbox able for use in cooling towers in many indus- starts and stops of the system. Green said this Features of these new units include a rigid reducers for use in cooling towers, BMG also trial industries, including power generation, meant precise control of factors like tempera- housing design that can withstand peak loads, supplies Hansen gearboxes with application- petrochemical and steel, as well as sugar and ture and pressure from the condenser to the which is enhanced by cooling fins with flexible specific designs, including a single reduction mining sectors. boilers was critical for the efficient functioning cooling options. The well-balanced design and range of gearboxes for high speed applica- “BMG’s Hansen M4 and P4 series are well- of this closed system. advanced micro geometry of the gear results in tions, like pumps and fans. Also in the range known locally for dependable operation and “During starting sequences, it is crucial that an optimised pressure distribution that absorbs are agitators and mixers for use in water treat- extended service life in arduous conditions. the gearbox can withstand high startup tor- high shock loads. ment and product mixers. The company is currently introducing the new ques, up to more than three times the nominal This system offers smooth transition of high The Hansen Invertible “I4” range was devel- M5 series to the local market for use in dry and torque of the motor, or sometimes even higher.” forces from the centre bore to the mounting oped by Hansen South Africa, especially for wet cooling towers throughout Africa.” He said BMG’s ‘dry’ Hansen M4 compact feet, which are positioned concentric to the local customers and specific requirements in Hansen P4 right angle vertical shaft up units gear units for ACCs, are known for efficient low-speed shaft. For increased dynamic sta- materials handling. for WCT’s are available in 11 sizes, from Z to H performance and long service life in arduous bility, there is an extended bearing span with BMG’s Sumitomo gearbox brands also and as 2 stage units in ratios, 3,55/1 to 22,4/1, operating conditions. This series is available heavy duty roller bearings, specifically selected include Paramax large industrial gearboxes with ratings up to 100 kNm. from BMG in six size units, from DA to FX, as 2 to handle the high axial thrust loads on the and Fenner Shaft Mounted Reducers (SMSR). Green said the internal mechanical driven stage units in ratios from 9/1 to 25/1. output shaft. Cyclo inline reducers offer alternative fea- pump had been specially adapted for low The internal backstop is situated in the IEC An effective sealing system designed to tures and benefits over conventional inline operating speeds and to withstand wind-mill- or NEMA motor size lantern housings, for keep the oil in and dirt out significantly reduc- gearboxes, including a 500% shock load ability. ing conditions. There is increased distance effortless installation and removal. The addition es maintenance requirements. The dedicated Enquiry no: 52 Easily convert any electric forklift to lithium-ion tech

design and manufacture the solution,” he said. the battery on and off, which is also an added For very large orders, the company orders safety measure. “A development we are work- ready-made custom-built tanks from the facto- ing on is to integrate this display with that of the ry, which means that the LiFePO4 battery pack client’s forklift,” he said. becomes a simple ‘drop-in’ component, ensur- “What tends to give LiFePO4 a competi- ing quick turnaround times. Once the battery tive edge in the marketplace is that, in many packs have been assembled, it is a simple PDI instances, clients import forklifts without bat- process to check that all of the plugs are cor- teries, as it is far more cost-effective to source rect and that the chargers are working properly. these locally and also receive any back-up if Frazer said they take particular pride in their required.” tank-fabrication capability, which ensures that CHASE Technologies can also customise Chutes offer for any tank it manufactures and installs fits snugly the spray-painting of its fabricated tanks in enough so that there are no niggling rattles, for accordance with specific customer branding example. requirements. quick payback and “We seal everything and even place a rub- “The industry needs to understand that it is NY electric forklift can be easily con- ber mat underneath the battery to prevent any a really simple process. All we need are the verted to use a lithium iron phosphate metal-on-metal contact. This is testament to weight and dimensions of the tank and the bat- long-term value A(LiFePO4) battery pack as its power our attention to detail and guarantee to our tery ampere hours, which allows us to provide source, according to CHASE Technologies customers that they receive the highest-quality the equivalent LiFePO4. We even produce the ITH the cumulative technical experi- General Manager Brent Frazer. battery packs.” necessary technical drawings if any tank has to ence from 5 000 custom-designed “The biggest criterion is to manufacture Frazer said warranties remain unaffected be manufactured. Wchutes installed around the world, the ballast tank according to minimum weight by converting the power supply from lead acid “The end result is a complete solution for the Weba Chute Systems delivers long-term value requirements, which is traditionally inherent batteries to LiFePO4. The only difference with client that allows them to take full advantage of and quick payback times. in the heavy lead acid battery. The client sim- the CHASE Technologies pack is that it comes the cost-saving and energy-efficiency benefits That’s according to Managing Director Mark ply gives us weights and dimensions and we with a separate control display used to switch of LiFePO4 technology.” Enquiry no: 53 Baller, who said most of his company’s chutes can deliver a full return on investment within 18 months. However, the real value for the customer is in reduced operating costs and no disruption to operations. Top telematics tech now more “In our experience, many mines pay a high price when they opt for the lowest capital outlay and settle for a standard, off-the-shelf widely available chute,” Baller said. “Any initial cost they save HE Mercedes-Benz telematics system, leading telematics solution for Mercedes-Benz quickly disappears when there is a blockage Fleetboard, is now part of the package for Truck customers,” the company said in a state- or spillage that demands a stoppage.” Tthe Actros and selected Arocs distribution ment, adding that it “boasts multiple benefits He added that there are also often higher models. such as performance analysis and reports for maintenance costs to consider, and the poten- And Mercedes-Benz Trucks Southern Africa vehicles and drivers, mapping and trip records tial health hazards related to excessive noise said the system, offered on the Actros range including accurate fuel consumption, service and dust at the transfer point. By contrast, a since 2009, is now not only available as a and maintenance management as well as customised product addresses the specific serial standard on the selected Mercedes- expert training and analysis”. requirement of each customer’s application Benz Trucks models, but also for other vehicle It said the “strategic decision” to make step for the brand that is set to substantially and will ensure smooth functioning for longer. makes. Fleetboard more widely available would be benefit fleet owners and their respective driv- “The material that is transferred through “Available in South Africa for many years, the “beneficial to customers within the long-haul ers, as they efficiently run their fleet across a plant is never constant, as the ore body Fleetboard system has established itself as a and distribution segment… This is a significant Southern Africa”. Enquiry no: 54 is often not homogenous. This means that throughout the lifespan of a mine, the properties change as different sectors of an open pit or underground operations are used.” Event to shine spotlight on African procurement opportunities The complexity of each design is also that the material being handled will not always be HE inaugural Made in Africa event takes trade policies exist; however, there is still a to maintain the momentum of the growing consistent with the test results used for the place on 13 and 14 April 2021. The online need to create a clear roadmap to connect the movement to build effective and collaborative base design of the transfer point. According to Tprogramme will bring together purchasing right decision and policymakers with relevant partnerships to grow businesses in Africa, for Baller, this is where years of practical experi- decision makers, policymakers, investors, and businesses and for trade linkages to be facili- Africa. ence play a key role. businesses from across the continent. tated. Delegates who attended ASCA 2020 echoed “Our specialists can engineer a design that The event’s theme is “Buy Africa, For Africa”, There is no time like now for the whole conti- this view. “We need solutions by Africa for will accommodate a range of material prop- organisers Smart Procurement World and nent to unite and work together to enable local Africa,” said United Kingdom-based supply erties and operating conditions. Most of the SAPICS (The Professional Body for Supply business and cross-border trade,” she said. chain professional Haleema Idris after ASCA expertise invested in chute design is based Chain Management) have announced. The new event follows the inaugural 2020 2020. “The fact is that COVID-19 has tested on practical, applied and site-specific knowl- “The goal is for this gathering to kickstart a Africa Supply Chain in Action (ASCA) virtual our limits and forced us to be self-sufficient edge.” movement that achieves measurable impact, conference and exhibition, which saw more within our continent.” He said many mines are now acknowledg- access to market opportunities, and economic than 900 professionals from 44 African coun- Also speaking after ASCA 2020, Adenike ing that the initial purchase price is not the growth across industry sectors,” said Smart tries, representing both private and public sec- Onasoga, a supply chain professional in best guideline of value, and that the focus Procurement Commercial Head Keshni Reddy. tor entities. Nigeria, said, should really be on the total cost of ownership. “A number of interventions, regulations, and According to Reddy, Made in Africa aims Enquiry no: 55 Enquiry no: 56 February /March 2021 18 COMPANY & PRODUCT NEWS KZN Industrial & Business News Genset failure can cost companies dearly during load-shedding back-up power supply such as been screwed on tightly enough, water. It is also far more cost-effec- gensets is critical to reduce for example, it can result in an oil tive than the clean gases themselves Aoverall electricity demand dur- leak. If oil sprays onto a hot manifold necessary to recharge the system. ing load-shedding. However, it is as a result of this, a fire will ignite. This supresses a fire rapidly, cool- vital that such important equipment Thereafter the temperature will build ing any remaining hot spots down is maintained properly and serviced quickly to a point where entrance to below the automatic ignition tem- regularly to be able to cope with such into such a room is well-nigh impos- perature. outages. sible.” Van Niekerk said a standalone That’s according to ASP Fire CEO Companies and individuals often water-mist fire-suppression system Michael van Niekerk, who warned lack the correct fire-fighting equip- with mechanical activation should be that genset failure due to a lack of ment to deal with genset fires. For inspected monthly. “Gensets should proper maintenance poses a signifi- example, a dry-chemical fire extin- by rights be started up at least once cant business risk. “Here you are not guisher will douse the flames, but a week to ensure the batteries are only looking at protecting the value not cool down any hot surfaces. A charged adequately. A cursory visual of your assets, but what this genset carbon-dioxide fire extinguisher, on inspection will also reveal any poten- actually supports and protects.” the other hand, might cool down the tial problems or issues.” The first issue is fuel supply. This overheated genset itself, but this For Van Niekerk, it’s all about risk can range from an integral tank at can damage the equipment due to mitigation, based on how integral the the base of the genset to a 2 200 litre thermal shock. genset is to the business in ques- Bulk To Farm (BTF) tank or a 210 Van Niekerk observes that gensets tion. “While it is essential for financial litre drum. Here the apparent danger do not only supply standby power service providers and hospitals to is the presence of flammable liquids, but are essential to the day-to-day going wrong may be slim in the mind The next best option is a clean-gas invest in the best systems possible, especially in terms of refuelling and operations of institutions such as of the end user, but in the likelihood fire-suppression system. “The prob- smaller end users also need to look any spillages. financial services and medical care. that it does, the consequences can lem with gensets and the heat they at the impact of genset failure or fire Another issue is vegetation or “Hospitals, for example, will often be potentially disastrous and even produce is that the rooms they are on their businesses.” combustible material encroaching on have back-up gensets, all in the fatal,” said Van Niekerk. located in are normally ventilated, In terms of regulations and speci- a genset, which can often be tucked same room. If a fire breaks out in one In terms of fixed fire-suppres- which compromises the integrity of fications related to gensets, such away somewhere as an afterthought. genset, the rest of the equipment is sion systems, a range of options is the enclosure. If you discharge a enclosures are classified as D4 for Van Niekerk said the genset itself immediately at risk.” available. Sprinklers are an obvi- gas system in this environment, it certain minimum fire-proof require- is a potential source of fire ignition ASP Fire recommends an auto- ous choice, but this depends on is therefore not possible to maintain ments, including a specific fire rat- due to the high temperatures of the matic fire-suppression system for whether or not such a system has the concentration of that gas for a ing for the walls. If the gensets in a manifold. If the genset is indoors, such environments. It is unmonitored been installed already. If not, the sufficient period to suppress the fire. building are not located in a purpose- these temperatures can be consider- equipment, with a high fire hazard cost can be prohibitive, as sufficient This means that clean-gas systems built room and are stuck away in a able, especially if the ventilation is due to the presence of both flamma- hydraulic capacity has to be guaran- are not ideal in these scenarios.” basement next to parked cars, for inadequate. ble liquids and combustible products, teed, which means that cheaper and The third option is a water- or example, this is a clear violation of “Proper maintenance is therefore as well as electricity. more effective alternatives need to foam -mist fire-suppression system the regulations, Van Niekerk said. essential. If an oil filter has not “The probability of something be investigated. that only uses a minimal quantity of Enquiry no: 57

Specialised Electric chain, manual transformers for hoist range gain traction LNG plant in wind power sector ECKER’S Kito electric chain WENTY custom-designed The special- and manual hoists have transformers are being pre- ised design of Bbeen designed for use in Tpared by dry-type transformer the transformers materials handling applications specialists Trafo Power Solutions accommodates Modular substation containing cast resin transformer in industries as diverse as min- for a liquified natural gas (LNG) elements such as and associated switchgear. ing, construction, shipbuilding, plant being constructed in northern temperature rise, food, beverage and pharmaceu- Mozambique. losses and insulation systems, suit- the largest-ever single foreign direct tical processing, manufacturing The 20 transformers feature a spe- ing each unit for the application and investment in Africa. and general industry, as well as cialised design that ensures high lev- the load it will supply. Trafo Power Solutions will also be in chemical and petrochemical els of ingress protection, according “They will step down voltages supplying dry-type transformers for a plants and, more recently, the to David Claassen, managing direc- from 6,600 V in the medium voltage Zone 2 hazardous area of the plant, wind power sector. tor of Trafo Power Solutions. These (MV) network to 420 V required in requiring compliance with strict clas- Rick Jacobs, Senior units – ranging from 400 kVA to 1600 the plant, and will supply various sifications and stringent sign-off from General Manager (SGM) for kVA – are housed in IP56 enclo- motor control centres. Their specific certified professionals. Consumables, Becker Mining by Becker specialists to suit exact sures, for protection from fine dust designs will meet the requirements Claassen emphasised the safety South Africa said this equipment, requirements of every wind turbine and water. This solution has been for various different impedances, advantages of dry-type transformers, which is manufactured in Japan, is installation. Optional components achieved despite the transformers voltages and K-factors for non-linear which do not use oil as a coolant. well suited to demanding applica- include a radio remote control, foam being cooled by air rather than oil. loading.” They therefore pose no hazard in tions in wind turbines. hook protector and plain, geared or “By applying world-class technolo- This specialised solution is being terms of fire, explosion or environ- “Wind power, which is gaining motorised trolleys.” gy and expertise, these transformers supplied in a strategic partnership mental damage. The transformers popularity globally as a dependable He said corrosion resistant, heat- are designed to operate reliably in with Italian technology leader TMC also need minimal maintenance, source of renewable energy, is a treated Kito load chain is the only humid and dusty outdoor conditions, Transformers. Together, the compa- which an important benefit when growing business sector for our Kito electroless Nickel plated chain providing continuous rated power nies competed with the world’s lead- located on such a remote site. range,” he said. available. Advantages include high without the use of any forced cooling OEMs for the prized contracts in “While traditional coal-mining for uniform strength and lower wear ing,” Claassen said. this LNG mega-project – reportedly Enquiry no: 58 energy production requires hoists than conventional load chains. that can operate safely in confined Kito standard ER2 electric chain and dust-filled conditions under- wind hoists - with a maximum load ground, the available space in capacity of 800 kg, a lifting height wind-farm nacelles (which house up to 150 m and 3 phase 400/690 Agility and teamwork key to the drive train and other tower-top operating voltages - are available components) is also confined, but from Becker with higher load capac- are often hundreds of metres above ities, greater lifting heights and spe- success says top salesperson the ground and sea spray rather cial voltages on request. S winner of the Rand-Air sales style and focused on estab- communication than dust, is usually the environ- Notable features of these wind Salesperson of the Year award, lishing and maintaining contact with needs of custom- mental hazard. hoists include an IP55 Index Aseasoned sales representa- customers through Microsoft Teams, ers, the company “The strictest safety standards Protection rating to guard against tive at the company’s Mpumalanga WhatsApp messages, email and sent out technol- are critical during the construction, the ingress of dust and water, a fan- branch Chantal Bekker believes that phone calls. ogy-based, customer- and indus- maintenance and operation of wind cooled motor system for optimum one has to be willing to change the The sales team were also given try-specific designed campaigns to turbines, which is why the use of cooling and a thermal overload lim- way one has approached and man- access to some of the best technol- target certain market segments and dependable, industry-approved iter to prevent the motor from over- aged customer relationships and ogy tools available. “This allows us inform customers in those sectors equipment must be correctly used, heating. sales. to have professional product infor- about how its technology solutions by properly-trained workers.” The aluminium die-cast body The past year was punctuated by mation, calculation tools, references, can address their industry-specific Jacobs said specialists in the ensures a stable structure, and fluctuating lockdown restrictions due application videos and case studies, challenges, such as in the mining wind power sector have specified a friction clutch protects compo- to the COVID-19 pandemic in South readily available to share with cus- and power industries. stringent requirements for hoists, nents that are subjected to stress Africa and worldwide. The sales tomers in their industries.” However, Bekker believes not only including the need for their service against overloading. Added to this, team of Rand-Air had to quickly She said the virtual business in using technology, but also adding life to be at least 20 years, to match are five or six pocket load sheaves, adapt and evolve their sales and card application was particularly the personal touch, such as phone that of most wind power generators. dependant on the product model, communication strategy to meet the useful.“By sending out virtual busi- calls. “People still need to hear each “It is also important that hoists are that ensure smooth operation. needs of customers remotely during ness cards after conversations it other’s voices and to feel connect- able to deliver reliable operation in Other important design features this time. meant customers had our informa- ed,” she said. arduous environments, like corro- include a top hook or connector “Using technology has definite- tion and could log into our website “It took hard work and determina- sive coastal conditions and precari- that can be easily assembled and ly been part of the answer,” said directly on their phones or email tion to make changes in the way I ous mountainous areas. disassembled for reliable suspen- Bekker, noting that despite being by clicking on the professionally used to do my job, and to ensure we “The robust Kito range, which sion. The load hook pivots by 360⁰ used to spending a lot of her time “on designed business card.” still secured the business,” Bekker meets - and exceeds - industry to avoid kinking and twisting of the the road”, she quickly adapted her Further adapting to the changing said. Enquiry no: 59 requirements, can be customised load chain. Enquiry no: 60 February / March 2021 KZN Industrial & Business News COMPANY & PRODUCT NEWS 19 New power partnership for supply of industrial engines

ERT Energy has been appointed the forefront of product development by Yanmar as the official dis- locally, particularly in the underground Vtributors in Southern Africa for mining environment. Yanmar industrial engines. Benefits associated with the Yanmar Vert Energy’s Sales and Marketing L-Series air-cooled diesel engines Director, Ryan Robertson said the include longer service intervals and addition of Yanmar diesel engines improved fuel consumption. Lower and power products to the company’s emission levels in the Tier 5 range of Newly tipplers electro-mechanical power generation products present a strategic opportu- range provides new market and appli- nity for local manufacturing companies cation opportunities. looking to export to emission regulated enhance efficiencies of “This development also extends our territories. services not just to genset manufac- Vert Energy’s service to the electro- turers, but to many sectors, including ny has been supplying electric motors mechanical power generation sec- containerised bulk handling agricultural, mining, climate control to the pump industry for many years tor also encompasses a repair and and construction.” and the addition of a mechanical die- maintenance facility. Robertson said AYHEAD, Durban-based “This bulk material transport He said the Vert team would strive sel powered engine as an alternative, the company had made a substantial Specialised Container system, which ensures ease of not to just support the direct sale represents an exciting opportunity for investment in skills training to ensure BAgencies (SCA) recently loading, handling and transport by of Yanmar products, but would work the company.” technicians are able to efficiently ser- launched a locally manufactured either road or rail, enables tradi- closely with global OEMs who inte- Yanmar’s L-series air-cooled diesel vice and support a wide range of prod- portfolio container tipplers for fast tionally locked-in markets - includ- grate Yanmar engines in their equip- engines and TN-series water-cooled ucts throughout the region. In addition, unloading of open-top containers ing mining and production sectors ment. diesel engines are key products now the company holds a comprehensive of either half or full height. - to deliver material batches to “Yanmar’s extensive range of diesel available through Vert Energy, which range of standard products and spare The Big Tipper is a 12m terminals for export.” engines provides a variety of solu- are geared to enhances efficiencies parts to support the local market. Elevated Container Tipper Frame To overcome shortcomings tions for new capital equipment manu- of the power generation and electro- The company also supplies and (ECTF) and the 4-Way Tipper is of existing container tipplers, facturers, as well as the option of mechanical power transmission indus- supports the entire Leroy Somer LS a versatile tipping frame com- Mouritzen said SCA specialists potential retrofitment in certain ranges tries. range of alternators and Nexus elec- patible with most 6 m/20 ft skel- focused on designing a dependa- to engines that are now Tier 4 Final Robertson said that although leg- tric motors and power transmission etal trailers. Also in the range ble tippler system that could accu- Stage 5 compliant with European islation surrounding emission levels components. The company is also are Intermodal Side Tipper Bins rately engage an ISO-sized open- emission standards.” in many African countries was not as the authorised sales and support part- for quick off-loading of materials top container, closely spaced on Robertson said the addition of stringent as in Europe or Asia, the ner for DEIF generator controls, NSM from rail wagons and road trucks either a road or rail wagon. It was Yanmar’s L Series diesel engines company believed there was a need alternators and Energie power prod- and Side-Tip Reception Feeders critical that the tippler could safely strengthened Vert Energy’s position in for cleaner, fuel-efficient solutions and ucts. that receive bulk materials directly lift the container, rotate it and the local pump industry. “The compa- was committed to putting these at Enquiry no: 63 from tipping trucks and loading unload the material at a predeter- shovels. mined position. “SCA specialises in the design The system further had to be species, which will help replenish an of containerised bulk material able to engage, lift, unload and Soft drink giant set to make it estimated 1,5 billion litres annually for handling products for high-speed, reposition either half-height or the next 10 years. heavy-haul and intermodal func- full-height containers at a rate Most of these strategic water sourc- tions for both road and rail infra- comparable to dedicated bulk RAIN billions of litres of water es are located in remote areas, with structure. Although the company material handling systems, like limited economic or skills development supports the global initiative to wagon tipplers or bottom dump- ITH the effects of climate “These important water catchment opportunities. I move freight transport from road ers. change including prolonged areas feed our communities, towns n addition to the environmental to rail, we believe in a combina- The basic concept of the SCA Wdroughts, extreme weath- and cities, yet thirsty alien invasive benefits these projects bring, they tion of the benefits of rail and Container Tippler system is er and higher temperatures already plants are consuming millions of litres also focus on creating jobs, upskill- road transport,” said Director Ken based on advanced technologies, being felt in many regions of South of this precious resource unnecessar- ing individuals, and providing support Mouritzen. where the container tippler grab Africa, the Replenish Africa Initiative ily from these areas each year,” said and training for sustainable economic He added that key advantages is aligned relative to the container (RAIN) is helping to ensure billions of Beatriz R. Perez, Chair and President opportunities. of rail infrastructure over road twist-lock pockets, by long travel- litres of water is given back to com- at The Coca-Cola Foundation. Collectively, these projects created transport include less long-haul ling of the complete assembly, munities and replenished in nature for “As part of our broader water stew- 389 jobs in South Africa’s rural, priority bulk traffic on national roads, relative to the container position. the next 10 years. ardship programme, RAIN is helping catchment areas. resulting in reduced congestion This can be done for both half Funded by The Coca-Cola to rehabilitate thousands of hectares The five projects are spread across and decreased wear of road height or full height containers. Foundation, RAIN funds five major of land and replenish water while eco- the country and focus on involving surfaces. Other benefits are The container tippler engages projects in South Africa to help restore nomically empowering families.” local communities, while address- improved safety for drivers and the container twist-lock pockets priority catchment areas by removing The five projects received $1.25 ing water security on a larger scale. cargo, decreased road-related of the container to be unload- thirsty, invasive alien plants, while million (R18,5 million) in grants from Implementing partners provide devel- freight emissions and reduced ed, by means of a mechanical creating valuable employment oppor- The Coca-Cola Foundation in 2019 opment expertise and additional insurance premiums throughout grab assembly, which clears the tunities for women, youth and families and have collectively cleared 3,400 resources required to implement the the logistics chain. adjacent containers. This design by supporting water-related projects. hectares of thirsty, invasive alien plant projects sustainably. Enquiry no: 64 “The new SCA Container allows for the safe engagement Tippler has been developed for of closely spaced containers on the efficient unloading of con- road or rail wagons. tainerised material from open-top The SCA Container Tippler containers. This advanced sys- lifts full containers by means Enquiry Service tem allows for fast and efficient of counterweight assisted pivot For only R126.50 engagement, unloading and drive assemblies, while keeping For more information on product or service news please circle the repositioning of closely spaced the container orientation horizon- a year you can ensure you number relevant to the article then return it to: KZN Industrial & ISO-sized open-top containers, tal, with the help of a dual-tip receive regular copies of Business News PO Box 1322 Wandsbeck 3631 or fax this coupon to from road or rail transport wag- cylinder arrangement. Once fully enquiries at (031) 266 7514 or log on to www.mediaevents.co.za. ons. Once the container is safe- retracted, the tip cylinder is locked the KZN Industrial & ly engaged, the control system in position, which allows the con- takes over full functionality to lift, tainer to commence the tip pro- Business News Name: ______unload and reposition the empty cess, while being supported on Fax to 031 266 7514 container, without the need for grab support beams. Surname:______operator intervention. Enquiry no: 61 or visit www.kznindustrialnews.co.za Designation:______Fluid power stalwart retires Company: ______Address: ______after 47 years ______Postal Code:______ILLEM Gijzelaar, Group Group. He held this position as the Tel:______Fax:______Marketing Manager at company grew and was instrumen- WBosch Rexroth South tal in the marketing success relat- E-mail:______Africa, retired recently after 35 ing to Hytec Group’s acquisition years’ service at the company and by the Bosch Rexroth Group from Nature of business: ______47 years in the fluid power industry. 2014 to 2017. Beginning his career in 1973 at a Boasting qualifications in tool- Issue 127 February/ March 2021 South African armaments company making, production management, as a toolmaker, over the years general management and market- Gijzelaar played instrumental roles ing management, Gijzelaar repre- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 in developing artillery, engineering sented Hytec and Bosch Rexroth 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 remote-piloted aircraft and upgrad- South Africa on the South African 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 ing and adapting helicopter com- Fluid Power Association (SAFPA) ponents. council from the early 2000s to 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Working through the ranks in var- 2020. He was elected and served 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 ious organisations, 1984 saw him as SAFPA President for the 2007 appointed to the Special Projects to 2009 term. 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 Division at Hytec South Africa. “We thank Willem for his years’ 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 In the early 1990s he moved of dedicated service and leader- his specialities to marketing, ship, and wish him all the best 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 and was subsequently appoint- for his retirement,” said Tillmann 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 ed Group Marketing Manager – Olsen, Bosch Rexroth South Africa Communications, at the then Hytec CEO. Enquiry no: 62 64 65 66 67 February /March 2021 20 COMPANY & PRODUCT NEWS KZN Industrial & Business News The tech behind board maker’s big MFB press upgrade ECTRA Automation provided ic components to drive the press, control panels and retrofitting new non-wearing parts all the pneumatic and vacu- while the press’ vacuum capabil- pneumatic and vacuum equipment and, as PG Bison Tum equipment required for the ity is ensured with Schmalz vacuum also formed part of this project. conducts its own installation and commissioning of PG equipment. In total, approximately 4 Tectra Automation carried out the press maintenance, Bison’s sixth melamine faced board 000 components were used. retrofitting at PG Bison’s Boksburg Tectra Automation’s (MFB) press. The press, which came Brand Engelbrecht, PG Bison facility, while installation and com- aftersales service online towards the end of 2019, Manufacturing Executive, said that missioning were done at its Piet will be the supply of will increase production capacity at the additional capacity will bring Retief plant in Mpumalanga. replacement com- the company’s Mpumalanga-based even more flexibility to PG Bison’s “The PG Bison engineering team ponents only. Press plant. product offering and ensure that ser- completed the project earlier than commissioning was a fortnight and The first took place in 2012 at PG The melamine press machine is vice levels are maintained in peak planned,” said Cobus Snyman, included Tectra Automation mill- Bison’s Boksburg plant. used to laminate melamine-impreg- trading periods. Tectra Automation’s Senior Sales wrights and project manager, while Tectra Automation, a Bosch nated décor paper onto both faces In addition to press installation Representative. “Tectra Automation PG Bison’s engineers, millwrights Rexroth South Africa Group of either medium density fibreboard and commissioning, the scope of contributed to this achievement by and plant manager assisted. Company, is the sole supplier of (MDF) or particleboard to produce work included specification of the providing a fast manufacturing turna- This is the second PG Bison MFB Aventics pneumatic components and decorative panels for the manufac- required equipment, determining and round time of the control panels and press that Tectra Automation assist- Schmalz vacuum technology in sub- ture of furniture and fixtures. Tectra acquiring the pneumatic and vacuum new cylinders.” ed with turnkey pneumatic compo- Saharan Africa. Automation used Aventics pneumat- components required. Building the There is a 12-month warranty on all nent replacement and installation. Enquiry no: 65 Aiming hire: KZN company Geared for global leap marks 40th birthday with in mining vehicle safety ESPONSIBLE mining companies the world over are moving steadily towards the high- change at the top Rest safety standards, and Booyco Electronics believes it is at the fore- early 2000s, Doug had consolidated front of this trend, thanks to proximity the business, bought new premises detection and collision avoidance in Pinetown and focused more on technology offerings. sales. That’s according to General Richard joined in 2015, and soon Manager Bennie Smith, who said thereafter Hire It expanded its ware- that the Earth Moving Equipment house to start importing equipment, Safety Round Table (EMESRT), driv- selling online and offering a national en by leading global mining houses, sales distribution. had been engaging with key original From early on Hire It has always equipment manufacturers to improve partnered with good-quality con- the safety of equipment in mining struction brands, and Honda was operations. there from the start. Around the mid- Booyco Electronics, is one of 1980s, Hire It became an official them, and has developed technol- dealer of Honda Power Products. ogy that meets Levels 7, 8 and 9 Booyco Electronics’ PDS The partnership with Honda has of EMESRT’s safety best practice technology meets Levels 7, 8 and continued until today. When Hire It guidelines. 9 of EMESRT’s safety best practice launched its own in-house Kwagga While Level 7 alerts a mobile guidelines brand in 2018, it was powered by machine operator and a pedestrian Honda. when they are close, Level 8 goes adapting proximity detection sys- The Kwagga range is supplied beyond this to an advisory function, tems (PDS) for South African condi- Richard Fraser, Kwagga Smith and Doug Fraser with a standard one-year warran- showing the direction in which the tions since 2006, Booyco Electronics ty and is also competitively priced vehicle or pedestrians are moving is now a world leader in PDS tech- ROM humble beginnings as will enjoy the journey as much as I against imported products. The and advising the operator to slow nology certified to Level 9 safety,” a construction equipment hire have,” said Doug. range includes compaction equip- down or stop. he said. Fand repair business, to the offi- With over 15 years’ experience ment such as tamping rammers and “Level 9 – currently the highest “We have successfully tested cial launch of its Kwagga equipment in finance and five years working plate compactors, floor saws, scari- level of safety – takes it a step fur- all our equipment with the Vehicle range, this year sees Durban-based with his father, Richard believes he fying machines, drive units, poker ther by introducing an intervention Dynamics Group at Gerotek, which Hire It celebrate its 40th anniversary. is well-poised to take over the com- vibrators, submersible pumps, gen- engineering control measure,” said is globally recognised for third party Another milestone in 2021 is the pany which has been a part of his life erators, high-pressure cleaners and Smith. “This automatically instructs testing, verification and certification.” 70th birthday of Doug Fraser, origi- since he was a boy. water pumps. the machine – or the vehicle’s Boasting the largest footprint of nally in charge of sales and opera- “I am excited and honoured to be Using Honda engines to power onboard control system – to slow installed PDS systems and tech- tions, with mom Louise Fraser man- leading Hire It into the 21st century. the equipment and assembling it down, or to perform a safe or emer- nicians in South Africa, Booyco aging the finances. Doug is now Online platforms, supporting local on-site proved a winning recipe. A gency stop.” Electronics has seen its equipment handing over the reins to the next and focusing on quality, service and highlight for the brand was receiv- He highlights that all mines glob- applied in surface and underground generation in the form of son Richard back-up are all key drivers we are ing the stamp of approval from none ally are expected to meet Level 9 mines, and in both hard rock and Fraser. focusing on to maintain and grow our other than Kwagga Smith, a member safety measures by the end of 2025. coal applications. “I have to thank the customers gem of a company,” Richard said. of the rugby world cup-winning South However, South Africa is moving “This has positioned us well to who have supported Hire It over the The original premises in Gale African team that brought home the faster, and has led the world by respond to the EMESRT safety years through thick and thin. Our Street, Umbilo eventually became Webb Ellis Cup trophy in 2019. adopting the EMESRT guidelines best practices for mines to imple- dedicated staff have also contrib- the head office. As Hire It grew, it rap- Not only does Smith endorse the in its latest mine safety regulations. ment by 2025. As a result, we have uted to our success by being loyal idly opened up four more branches. equipment, he uses the Kwagga These were expected to become law been receiving a growing volume of and very knowledgeable. Richard is Franchising was the next big step, pressure cleaner and generator on by the end of 2020, requiring local enquiries from across Africa, North going to take the company through a with Hire It expanding to include his own farm. mines to be compliant. and South America, Europe and new growth phase. I am positive he eight franchise operations. By the Enquiry no: 66 “Having been developing and Australia.” Enquiry no: 67 Follow us ... and keep connected for your regular regional industry news

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