Refraline

COMPANY PROFILE

2014

Refraline

+ 27 (0)11 392 0700 | www.refraline.co.za

company profile

Safety is the hot topic Editorial: Roland Douglas Production: Chris Bolderstone

For over 30 years, the Refraline group of companies has been offering services to many industries and is now recognised as one of leading refractory contracting companies in sub-Saharan Africa. Recent times have seen work on glass furnaces and a serious focus on maintaining the highest standards of safety.

Any business that has been operating for more than 30 years is clearly doing something right. Around South Africa, and the world, there are many companies that have managed to survive over three decades but for a business to thrive, grow, develop and become a significant employer and industry leader, well that takes something special.

And Germiston based Refraline has just that. Over the years, since its establishment in 1981, the company has built up a special skill set and one which is fairly unique in the South African market.

The Refraline group is a specialist in the installation, repair and maintenance of refractory solutions in a range of industries, including iron and steel, ferroalloys, nonferrous metals, platinum-group metals, chemicals and petrochemicals, cement and lime, power generation, mining, clay brick, glass and ceramics.

Made up of Refraline, Refraline Natal, Refraline SA Industrial Linings, WR Refractory Services and Didier Corrosion Engineering, this is a group of companies that most certainly has a specialism.

Refractory materials are ones that retain strength at high temperatures, typically higher than 538°C.

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Refractory materials are non-metallic materials having chemical and physical properties that make them applicable for structures or as components of systems.

Considering the nature of South Africa’s heavy industries; mining, manufacturing, metal processing, science etc, refractory materials are always needed and as these industries grow, these materials will become more and more important. Refractory materials are used in linings for furnaces, kilns, incinerators and reactors. This means that Refraline can call any business that deals with heat processes a potential customer.

Providing ceramics, foundry materials, insulation, refractory bricks, stainless steel fibres and monolithics amongst other products, the Refraline group of companies is the one of the industry leaders in subSaharan Africa and its workforce of over 400 people, led

by Managing Director, Manfred RĂśsch offer industry leading advice and services.

But recently, the hot topic has been safety and that is something which the company takes extremely seriously.

SAFETY As you can imagine, dealing with products of this kind

Refraline

throws up a raft of potential safety issues but Refraline is a company that is quality certified, offering client’s peace of mind.

BS OHSAS 18001:2007 and ISO 9001:2008 certifications have been achieved, confirming that Refraline is certified in the scope of demolition, installation, maintenance and supply of refractory and corrosion resistant materials.

Rösch believes that a good safety record is an important component of when clients choose a contractor for furnace building. “We are very proud of our safety record” he said, “...we have introduced internal safety management processes that have helped us to get to a high standard. This is an important consideration for potential customers and is very important to Refraline.”

And safety does not just present hurdles during initial construction activities. Refractory materials can change throughout time and some materials that were used for construction of a furnace ten years ago can adapt and become potentially harmful because of the environment in which they are active.

At a previous North American Waste to Energy Conference (NAWTEC), guest speaker, Gary Bases

detailed how refractory materials used in the steam and power generation industry can present potential health concerns.

“Some refractory materials being used in boiler settings contain chromium compounds as part of the refractory mixture. During operation some of the chromium compounds will be converted into a hexavalent Chromium. This means that the initial installation of the refractory material did not represent a health problem.

“However, when the refractory needed to be removed it presented a serious health problem. During operation of the unit some of the chromium compounds in the refractory may be converted to CR+6. Therefore, when the refractory material is removed it creates a dust that may contain the hexavalent chromium. As a result, inhaling the CR+6 increases the risk of lung cancer and may also cause other health hazards.”

And it is for reasons just like this that every care has to be taken when dealing with refractory materials and, of course, brick and insulation.

Fortunately, Refraline leaves no stone unturned when it comes to safety and training and development of employees is regarded and an integral element of the

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company profile GLASS FURNACES

business, not only ensuring health and safety standards are instilled from the very beginning of a career but other skills are distributed, helping both the industry and the wider economy.

All of Refraline’s key personnel are members of the Institute of Refractories Engineers and the company is a founding member of the Refractories Association of South Africa (RASA), an organisation which actively encourages the development of skills in the industry – yet another step being taken to ensure health and safety ideals are part of the industry’s culture.

The Institute of Refractories Engineers South Africa initiated the formation of REFCA (Refractories Contractors Association) as an Association under Section 21 of the Company’s Act 1981 with incorporation on 6th of January 1997, to investigate the training needs of the REFCA member companies.

This was a major step for the industry which previously had no formal education path. Thanks to research and persistence from REFCA, development of a Refractories career path and ‘The work of Refractory Engineering Technicians’, which was submitted at the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and since then much progress has been made in formalising training in the industry.

As of 2003 a B Tech: Engineering: Refractories is now offered on the Arcadia Campus of the Technikon.

The course can be completed in one year at Technikon Pretoria if all the bridging subjects are completed.

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One of the key markets for Refraline in recent times has been work on furnaces in the glass industry.

In 2012, the company began rebuilding a glass furnace capable of producing 490 t/d of glass for glass manufacturer Consol, in Bellville, Cape Town.

The operation was a joint venture between Refraline and Germany-based glass furnace supplier Sorg Feuerungsbau.

“Sometimes companies do extensive repairs to a furnace but that will only be a short-term solution that extends the furnace life for a short period but, at some point, the furnace has to be rebuilt,” said Rösch.

The project was given a short time period of just 84 days for completion and the JV was happy to work to the tight deadline.

“Sorg Feuerungsbau is a specialist in the manufacturing of glass furnaces. It builds about 12 furnaces a year and provides maintenance services for the industry.

“The German company provides specific knowledge and technologies about glass furnaces, while we provide the components, labour and supervision required for building the furnaces,” Rösch said.

Since 2008, Refraline and Sorg Feuerungsbau have built five glass furnaces in South Africa, three of which were for Consol and two for Nampak Glass.

And when it comes to multiple projects at the same time – again, Refraline is well equipped to cope. It can handle several refractory contracts simultaneously, employing sophisticated techniques and using specialised construction equipment. For effective lining removal in kilns and ladles, the company boasts remote-controlled Brokk MB 330 and MB 150 demolishing machines which reduce downtime, increase productivity and improve safety. Other world-class equipment includes hydraulically operated, telescopic, rough terrain forklifts, which deliver refractory materials to otherwise inaccessible locations, special mixing and pneumatic conveying machinery and pneumatically operated bricking rigs.

With completed operations in South Africa, Botswana, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia and the Middle East and Australia, this is certainly a company that is building an international reputation.

As refractory materials become more important, it looks as though there will be a host of opportunities for this innovative company, opportunities that Refraline will be only too happy to accommodate in a safe, flexible, fast and reliable manner.

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Refraline

Delta Refractories (Pty) Ltd is a manufacturer and supplier of both monolithic and precast refractories. The company was founded in 2001 and has become a leader in reliable, cost effective refractory solutions for a variety of industries. Delta Refractories designs custom-made products to suit each individual client’s needs.

PRODUCT RANGE Delta Cast® Delta Crete® Delta Gun® Delta Ram® Delta Plast® Delta Flow® Delta Floc® Delta Cover® Delta Thermo Cover® Delta Chem® Delta Pump® Delta Set® Delta Fill® Delta Melt®

LCC, ULCC and NCC range 1300 to 2000 °C Conventional castable range 900 to 2000 °C Acid and basic gunning, hot/cold, 1200 to 2000 °C Acid and basic ramming for ladles and furnaces Acid and basic plaster materials 1300 to 1800 °C Free flow acid range 1300 to 2000 °C Slag coagulant range Ladle and tundish insulating cover materials Range of refractory paints to protect carbon containing refractories A cement free chemically bonded range 1300 to 2000 °C Range of pumpable materials 1300 to 2000 °C Acid and basic mortar ranges 1300 to 2000 °C Ladle well filler and furnace taphole fillers Slag viscosity modifiers

PO Box 264334, Three Rivers, RSA 1935 9A Telford Steet, Duncanville, Vereeniging, RSA 1930 Tel: +27 (016) 422 9955 | Fax: +27 (016) 422 9991 Email: info@deltaref.com | www.deltaref.com

RELIABLE REFRACTORY SOLUTIONS®

Agents for: WONjIN EUROPE BV Producers of a whole range of magnesia–based bricks and monolithics www.wonjin.co.kr MOTIM Manufacturuers of Fused Cast fractories www.motim.hu

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