COMPANY PROFILE
2013
DYWIDAG-Systems International
Local presence, global competence
CompANY PROFILE
Local presence, global competence Editorial: Roland Douglas Production: Hal Hutchison DSI SA has contributed to some of the country’s most important mining and construction projects. The company is one of the leaders in the supply of mining and related products with expertise in tunnelling and construction. IndustrySA explores what makes the company successful and how the growth of the mining industry has proved fruitful for the Johannesburg based specialists.
Although mining is one of the continent’s most prominent industries, unless you are involved in the business everyday it can be difficult to understand exactly how much activity goes into running a mine. Mining is a capitally intensive process with and extensive range of machinery, tools, electronics, people and other supplies required. Couple that with all of the paperwork and compliance issues that you need to navigate and you end up with a long list of necessities before you even break ground. Fortunately, as mining has grown to dominate the country’s and continents commercial and industrial sectors, we have seen the rise of certain ‘sub-industries’, one which encompasses all of the supply into the mining industry. While officially still part of the mining industry, this subsector is often recognised as separate entity but without a doubt, the supply to the mining industry is its lifeblood, just
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like water for a human, without this it could not survive. Supply into the mining industry includes everything from equipment and security to legal, environmental and staffing, and companies that supply the mining industry have become just as important to the country’s economy as the mining houses themselves. One of the leading suppliers of equipment into the mining industry, and also serving the construction industry, is DYWIDAG-Systems International South Africa (DSI SA), the local arm of the global market leader in the development, production and application of mining products. DSI SA works with all of the major mining companies, processing materials including coal, gold, platinum and diamonds amongst others. Alongside its extensive product portfolio, DSI SA offers a comprehensive service package to assist customers on every level. Having already secured important contracts for the supply
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of mining equipment to major clients such as BHP-Billiton and Anglo American, the company suggests it is set to grow saying on its website: “For the future, the business is destined to have a significant impact on the South African mining industry.” The company has German origins but has been in operation in South Africa for a number of years thanks to the strength of the domestic mining industry. Based in Johannesburg, the company operates out of a 5000m² warehouse purpose built to ISO9001:2008 quality standards to manufacture products for southern Africa’s underground mining experts. The vast product range includes friction anchors, resin roof bolts, deformed and flat anchor plates, fully threaded and headed rebar bolts and cable bolts, rock and roof bolts in various diameters, double corrosion protection (dcp) bolts, expansion shells, rock bolt accessories, mechanical anchor
bolts, nuts, spanners and torque indicators as well as many other important items. Specialised tunnelling products including AT-Pipe Umbrella Support System, which provides dependable support for tunnel walls in areas containing fault zones and unstable ground conditions, and AT-Power Set Self-Drilling Friction Bolts, which can be simultaneously drilled and installed with standard drilling machines, are a product of the company’s innovative development process. What sets DSI SA apart from the crowd is its ability to draw on worldwide experience. The company’s motto of ‘Local Presence – Global Competence’ fits perfectly to the South African business. Research and development takes place across the entire company and the information taken from a diverse number of mining locations is used to produce sophisticated, safe and cost effective solutions. Partnering with technical institutes around the world,
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CompANY PROFILE DSI’s research and development is not done in a laboratory to suit all applications; the company prefers to use local knowledge from local universities to ensure that solutions are perfectly adapted to specific mining and tunnelling conditions. In recent times special focus has been attributed to the stiffness of support tools, massively enhancing safety levels. Through innovation and development the company says that it is “proud to have contributed to making tunnelling and mining safer around the world.” The company’s commitment to innovation and fulfilling local needs is demonstrated throughout all of its various international subsidiaries and is spearheaded by global CEO, Patrik Nolåke, who told DSI Info: “It is our highest aim to always demonstrate our creativity, reliability, innovative capacity, efficiency and excellent quality. “It is our stated goal to always explore new methods, develop new ideas and think across barriers. All of our employees continue to have the same ambitions as during the first years of DYWIDAG following its foundation in 1865. The DSI Group is characterized by client proximity and the high global availability of our products and systems as well as by our ability to react quickly to individual
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customer requirements. It is our aim to achieve globally leading positions in construction and underground with all of our products, systems and services through well-balanced growth.” At global level, the company has shown impressive growth over the past two years, taking advantage of high growth levels in regions of South America and Russia. Growth has centred on the two key markets (construction and underground) and has been achieved through a strategic focus on growing existing customer bases and entering new markets through acquisitions. “We continue to grow strongly and organically in our core markets thanks to innovative products and systems and concentrate on our strength to always be locally present and near our clients,” said Nolåke. “Also, we generate growth through targeted acquisitions of technologies and patents as well as through the selective acquisition of companies and their successful integration into the DSI Group,” he added. So the company’s growth on a global scale has been very positive but what about its growth in South Africa? Well, you only have to look at the list of successful projects that DSI SA
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has been a part of to realise that this is a company who is not only contributing to the mining industry but to the South African economy as a whole. DSI SA’s work in the platinum sector has been pivotal over the years with one of the key contracts involving the supply of around 80,000 roof bolts each month to Anglo Platinum mines. At the Gold Fields Driefontein mine, 60 km southwest of Johannesburg, DSI SA supplies 50,000 grouting rods per month, helping Gold Fields to mine to over 4100m below sea level – one of the deepest mines in the world – allowing for access to hard-to-reach gold reserves. Away from mining, DSI SA played a part in the construction of the Gautrain tunnel between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton. DSI SA secured a R21 million supply contract with the Bombela Consortium for the supply of 70,000 dcp rock bolts for the Gautrain project over a period of 30 months. This was the first use of the rock bolt technology in South Africa. DSI also contributed to stations on the Gautrain line (Rosebank, Sandton and Marlboro) utilising DSI Austria’s AT-114 Pipe Umbrella Support System, again the first use of this equipment in South Africa.
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At the Bathopele mine, east of Rustenburg in the North West Province, DSI SA has been assisting with the continued extraction of palladium and platinum by supplying around 10,000 rock bolts and accessories every month. Following these hugely successful projects, DSI SA has looked to take its products and services to neighbouring markets mainly Botswana and Zimbabwe. As the big mining houses continue to expand, their operations outside South Africa also grow and this presents an opportunity for DSI SA. The company says on its website: “DSI is going to strategically expand its export activities into the important neighbour countries such as Botswana and Zimbabwe in accordance with the slogan “Rely on DSI”. Another noteworthy project that has required expert input from DSI SA is the Ingula Pumped Storage Complex. Scheduled for completion in 2015, the complex has an underground power station which houses four 333MW turbines. Water fed from the Bedford Dam and Braamhoek Dam turns these turbines creating much needed extra energy capacity when required. DSI SA was awarded a contract to produce and supply dcp rock bolts for stabilising tunnel advancement. In total, over 150,000 bolts were supplied in
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diameters of 20/25/32mm and in lengths varying from 1.2 to 9m. The dcp rock bolts were successfully installed for crown strata stabilisation. Working on projects of this size has helped DSI SA to position itself as the industry leader in South Africa and in turn, making it the company of choice for miners in neighbouring nations. So, it seems that by focussing on two core markets, mining and construction, DSI SA has managed to work closely with its customers to ensure that its products and services meet the requirements of local markets. This is where so many international businesses fail; they expand their services in a ‘one fit for all’ approach which leaves domestic markets wanting. The challenge in the long-term is for DSI SA to ensure its pipeline of contracts is not affected and that business remains strong. Obviously the global economic situation is not perfect for businesses to thrive but even through this time DSI SA has grown and the group at global level has seen profits rise. With 2300 worldwide and 300 in South Africa, this is a company which is now a big part of the local community and the wider economy and this all stems from national success in the
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mining arena. Although there have been issues relating to labour in the mining industry, many big name players in the business, including Patrice Motsepe and Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, have stated that this is something which will be overcome. This will be achieved through modernising production methods and further up-skilling and empowering the workforce. As long as this happens then it looks as though supply into the mining industry will continue to thrive and contribute to developing South Africa. DSI SA commitment to its customers’ local needs is what sets it apart and Nolåker suggests in DSI Info that this is set to continue saying: “It is our goal to fulfil our clients’ expectations day after day. With our services, we bridge the gap between people and technology. “Today more than ever, DSI is a successful company with a clear and dedicated structure.” A promising message from an exciting company. As its core markets grow, it will be interesting to see how DSI SA adapt and innovate to maintain their position as one of the leading global suppliers of mining and construction products.
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SANDVIK DSI
SEW Eurodrive partners with Sandvik for shorter delivery times and more flexibility SEW Eurodrive is in proud partnership with Sandvik to supply industrial gear power packs for various applications within the mining industry. The company supplies Sandvik with industrial gear power packs which are mostly used on travel drives and stacker reclaimers. The X Series, which is locally assembled and stocked are the preferred units used on these power packs. The power pack includes the motor, coupling and gearbox fitted to a baseplate for easy installation.
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Nearly any mounting position or shaft arrangement can be implemented on the driven machine. The X Series’ invertable housing makes it very flexible and suitable for many applications. The X series provides a reliable and cost efficient product with better thermal rating which leads to reduced maintenance requirements. The X series offers shorter delivery times and higher flexibility at a lower cost, with spare parts being readily available. The units are well stocked and assembled locally at the SEW Eurodrive Nelspruit facility.
SEW-EURODRIVE, a proud business partner of SANDVIK, offers innovative drive solutions for all applications in the mining industries. All SEW-EURODRIVE products and systems make the best use of the space available around the machine and ensure great flexibility and reliability. Minimum maintenance and simple operation ensure that you will operate machines and equipment efficiently from the very beginning. Thanks to the modular design and countless combination options, all drive engineering components can be replaced quickly, if the need arises. From gravel mining to the excavation of gold, platinum, coal and diamonds – we put the drive into all facets of the mining industry.
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Tel: +27 11 248-7000 Web: www.sew.co.za
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+27 11 827 6721 www.dywidag-sa.com
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