Ec industrial & business news May_June 2017 issue 79 by The Media & Events Company

EASTERN CAPE INDUSTRIAL & BUSINESS NEWS

YOUR LINK TO INDUSTRY THROUGHOUT THE EASTERN CAPE

issn NO: 1996-9708

may / june 2017

Inside Isuzu silver lining to GM pullout - page 3

Construction, Civil & Structural Engineering - page 7

Transport, Distribution & Warehousing page 9

Power Generation - page 11

Company & Product News - page 12

R17,10 (VAT incl.)

issue no. 79

Growth in composites a ‘game changer’

HE development and application of composites in manufacturing in South Africa is accelerating and could be a “game changer” for the Eastern Cape economy, according to the Mandela Bay Composites Cluster. Created with support from the Department of Trade and Industry, the cluster has implemented projects to boost the productivity of local manufacturers and establish value chains to commercialise South Africa’s emerging composites resources. Managing Director Andy Radford said the cluster had mapped the value chain for the production and application of basalt in composites and was at an advanced stage of securing local and global beneficiators and buyers for the mineral for use in composite materials.

“The country, and particularly the rural areas of the Eastern Cape have vast dolorite reserves, from which global-standard basalt can be viably extracted,” Radford said. “Basalt fibre mined from dolerite in the poorest regions of the Eastern Cape could be an economic game changer for the region. Processed at Mthatha, Butterworth, East London or Coega, basalt product such as re-inforced bar can be shipped to Europe through France,” Radford said. The cluster is doing the same with a crop grown largely in KwazuluNatal called kenaf, the fibre of which is used in the production of composite components, including at the Mercedes Benz automotive plant in East London. Closer to home Radford believes that composites provide South

Africans with solutions to unique challenges and that could transform communities. “South Africa has a legacy based on iron, steel and other metals, yet our global competitiveness in steel is marginal. Metals are heavy, they rust and have driven industrial and engineering thinking in South Africa up until now. “Composites can provide new avenues for industrial and economic competitive advantage and we are showcasing this by creating a composites corridor in Port Elizabeth, where composite applications will replace metal and cement where appropriate. “From manhole covers, street poles and railings to motorised drones, composites are the answer to several age-old problems and new opportunities.

Passion for farming breeds success D o what you love and love what you do,” are words Loyiso Pepeta (pictured), owner of Copperfield Farm in Kokstad, lives by. The dairy is the result of a dream Pepeta, 44, had and which was fulfilled by Ithala Development Finance Corporation, KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial development agency. Pepeta, formerly the Chief Financial Officer of Ingquza Hill Local Municipality, fondly recalls the short turnaround time for his loan to be approved by Ithala – “four months to be exact and it was all systems go”. Copperfield Farm supplies supermarkets and wholesalers across KZN and the Eastern Cape with dairy milk, maas and yoghurt. A factory is currently being built to include long-life products such as butter

ghee and to sterilize milk for which there is demand. The company, which Pepeta co-owns with his wife and uncle, has been in operation for five years and currently affords 40 people a living and boasts an impressive 810 hectares of land on which more than 200 cattle graze. Pepeta is the son of a pastor and was born in Bizana in the Eastern Cape. It was when he joined Ntabankulu Junior Secondary School that he discovered his love for numbers, choosing commerce as a subject which proved to be instrumental in his later life. He matriculated from Mthatha Technical College and studied accounting at Port Elizabeth Technikon. He later acquired his BTech in accounting from Durban University of Technology. “I have always continued on page two

“In Africa composites can be manufactured anywhere. You don’t even need electricity. In fact, rather than using energy, resin-based thermoset manufacturing is exothermic - it gives off heat.” The cluster is driving collaboration with French companies, as part of a DTI-driven France-South Africa business forum. France is acknowledged as a global leader in composites within aviation and boat-building. A delegation of 10 French companies will visit South Africa on an incoming trade mission from 27 to 30 June with a focus on boat building and composites, which is why the MBCC will work together with the South African Boatbuilders Export Council (SABBEX) to make the most of the opportunity. Enquiry no: 1

May / June 2017

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R1,6 billion investment

Crackdown on businesses with multinational ties

EDIUM and large businesses with multinational ties will soon have to start supplying the South African Revenue Service (SARS) with more detailed reports of their relationships and transactions with entities residing in other countries. SARS has beefed up its Transfer Pricing Division and is now actively involved in the international initiative to stop base erosion and profit shifting by multinational companies. This is according to Di Seccombe, Mazars SA Head of National Tax Training, who spoke at the Mazars International Tax Planning Seminar recently. “Not only does SARS want to stop this from happening in South Africa, it also wants to stop South African companies from doing the same in other countries.” Seccombe said that this initiative aims to stop multinational companies from shifting their profits out of the country to more tax-friendly jurisdictions. “A very common way that multinational companies are doing this, is

by having their subsidiaries pay them a substantial ‘management fee’. The subsidiary can of course deduct this fee from its own income tax, and that money is effectively taken out of the country before there is a chance to tax that profit.” The Davis Tax Committee has stated that this is one of the main issues of lost tax revenue in South Africa, and has estimated that the amount of money being bled out of the country totals billions of rand each year. Seccombe warned that South African companies will need to take note of a number of new requirements this year, if their tax returns are to remain compliant. Firstly, the South African Tax Administration Act requires that a Master File, which contains high level information of the entire multinational groups operations in a single document available to all tax authorities where the multinational group has operations, and a Local File, which contains information regarding the

jurisdictional activities of the multinational entities available to local tax authorities within the jurisdiction, is submitted with corporate tax returns. Secondly, in the event of a SARS transfer pricing audit additional mandatory transfer pricing documentation has to be kept in terms of the record keeping provisions as set out in the Tax Admin Act and the regulations issued on 28 October 2016. The regulation requires that specific information is kept where the crossborder related party transactions are in excess of R100 million or reasonably expected to exceed the R 100 million for a transfer pricing audit. “Other transaction specific information should also be kept for cross-border transactions in excess of R5 million that are included in the R 100 million,” Seccombe said. Multinational companies, trusts and individuals in South Africa should consider all transactions whether transacted at arm’s length or not, she says. Enquiry no: 2

in road network

HE South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) has announced road infrastructure development programmes with a total investment value of R1,6 billion for the national road network in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and the Sarah Baartman District Municipality. Three of the six projects along the R334, R342 and R336 will improve the quality of the national road network from Somerset East, Kirkwood and Patterson to Addo, and from Addo to Motherwell / Nelson Mandela Bay, while the remaining projects are focused on the R75 and N2 for Uitenhage, Joe Slovo and Colchester. “The forthcoming projects will not only advance road safety but also deliver a world-class national road network to the province,” said SANRAL Southern Region Manager Mbulelo Peterson. “Along with the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission’s strategic integrated N2 Wild Coast Toll Road project, investment in the national road network in the Eastern Cape is poised to steer the region into a golden era of prosperity through

mobility. A safer and effective road network is key to enhancing foreign and domestic direct investment, socio-economic growth and development as well as government service delivery.” Petersen indicated that SANRAL will set SMME contract participation goals and community training programmes in forthcoming tender calls to ensure utilization, maximization and development of SMMEs. “SANRAL remains deeply committed to designing, delivering and maintaining a world class road network in the Eastern Cape. Importantly, we are committed to a responsible form of development which factors enterprise and skills development into the equation. “In the 2016/2017 financial year, SANRAL spent R3.56 billion on contracts with SMMEs, and R1.9 billion of which was earned by 1 004 black-owned enterprises. We trained 4 120 people, including 1 531 women, in roadbuilding and other skills through 6 237 courses at an investment of approximately R12.9 million,” Peterson said. Enquiry no: 3

Passion for farming

continued from page one

enjoyed farming and being out in the fields. Even though I went to university and got a qualification, I always wanted to be out in the open and not office-bound. “I love grazing and mechanisation, and enjoy the fact that I can still apply my accounting skills set to the business.” At some point in Pepeta’s career, he decided to change his BMW for a Range Rover but gave careful consideration to the debt this would impose on him. He decided that a tractor would be a better option for him. While still employed full-time, he put the tractor parked at his home in Bizana to work on land in rural communities for the benefit of trusts and co-operatives. The objective was to generate income and fast-track his loan instalments. “After my office job from 6pm to midnight, I would work on the land to generate revenue and build capital towards buying my own farm.” The father of four - two boys and two girls - guards his family time closely. His daily wakeup call is at 4am

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and his task list for the day ranges from tackling delivery notes, verifying production, checking machines to overseeing the milking process, counting stock and signing off on delivery. “In my journey as an entrepreneur, I have learnt to not be influenced by peer pressure. I have also learnt to handle extreme amounts of pressure as everything depends on me.” He attests to being a man of integrity. “Whatever I promise to do I will surely do it and if, for whatever reason, I am not able to do it anymore I will let you know upfront.” His advice to budding entrepreneurs is: “Find what you love and are passionate about and work hard to make it a success”. Pepeta is one of four category award winners in Ithala’s 2017 Business Achiever Awards. He scooped the “Agriculture Business of the Year” award. Enquiry no: 4

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May / June 2017

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Isuzu silver lining to GM pullout

F there’s a silver lining to the dark cloud cast over the local automotive industry by General Motors’ recently announced decision to pull out of South Africa, it’s Isuzu Motors’ commitment to strengthen its presence in the market. GM dropped the bombshell last month, announcing it would cease local manufacturing and selling Chevrolet vehicles in the domestic market by the end of 2017. This will include the locally manufactured Chevrolet Utility bakkie. While it remained unclear at the time of going to press how many jobs would be lost in the US-based automaker’s exit from South Africa, the impact could have been a lot worse had Isuzu not come to the party. It plans to purchase the Struandale manufacturing plant and GM’s minority shareholding in Isuzu Truck South Africa (Pty) Limited to continue manufacturing the Isuzu KB and medium- and heavy-duty commercial trucks in Port Elizabeth. This is subject to competition regulatory approval; It will also assume control of GM’s Parts Distribution Centre and Vehicle Conversion and Distribution Centre and set up its own dedicated dealer network to market, distribute and service light commercial vehicles for exist-

ing and new Isuzu customers. “We are committed to the South African market,” said Haruyasu Tanishige, senior executive officer for the Sales Division of Isuzu Motors Ltd. “The integration of our light commercial and medium- and heavy-duty commercial business will strengthen our base to grow here. We will do this through our focus on providing outstanding aftersales and customer support, establishing close relationships with our local partners and expanding our business. “Isuzu is building a strong base to grow on the African continent in the long term. Evidence of this is our recent purchase of GM’s 57.7 percentage shareholding in its East African operations, which has given us management control of the company. Integrating the South African light commercial vehicle operations into our business is the next step in laying the foundation for our growth plans in the future,” Tanishige said. Isuzu vehicles have had a presence in South Africa since assembly began over 44 years ago. For the past four years, Isuzu has occupied the number one position in the mediumand heavy-duty commercial truck segment of the South African market.

Commenting on the shock decision, GM executive vice president and president of GM International, said: “After a thorough assessment of our South African operations, we believe it is best for Isuzu to integrate our light commercial vehicle manufacturing operations into its African business”. GM South Africa said it would continue to provide service and parts support for Chevrolet customers. SA President and Managing Director Ian Nicholls said: “These decisions were not made lightly. We appreciate the support that our employees, customers, dealers, suppliers, the government and other key stakeholders have given us over the many years that we have operated in this country. We will manage the transition as smoothly as possible”. The company has established support centres for employees and said it would work closely with affected dealers on a “robust transition plan”. “Customer support centre resources will be expanded and all warranties and service agreements as well as ongoing service and parts requirements for all vehicles will continue Enquiry no: 5 to be honored.”

R20m industrial park revamp for Mthatha

HE government’s radical economic transformation plans received a boost with the launch of the Vulindlela Heights Industrial Park in Mthatha. Speaking at the launch, the Deputy DirectorGeneral of Special Economic Zones and Economic Transformation at Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Sipho Zikode, said radical economic transformation starts when government provides infrastructure that will enable business to thrive and the more than R20 million revitalisation of the park speaks exactly to that. “While government is providing the infrastructure, businesspeople must stand up, roll up their sleeves and work hard,” said Zikode. He added that the revitalisation of the Vulindlela Industrial Park was part of efforts to decentralise the country's industrialisation in

order to deepen and strengthen the industrial base. According to Zikode, the revitalisation programme will be rolled-out in phases with the first phase focussing on the upgrading of the infrastructure and the purpose of the programme. “The upgrading is part of the DTI's Revitalisation of the Industrial Parks Programme. The purpose of the programme is to upgrade the country's state-owned industrial parks in order for them to contribute in growing the country’s economy and creating jobs,” said Zikode. Vulindlela is the second industrial park to be launched in the Eastern Cape. In November last year, Trade & Industry, Minister Rob Davies launched the revitalised Komani Industrial Park in Queenstown. The two are amongst the six

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that the DTI upgraded in various provinces last year at a cost of R189 million. The park is an Industrial area whose tenants comprises manufacturers, services and suppliers of various products to the local market. The park currently employs 866 people full time. Chief Executive Office of the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), Buhle Dlulane, said the launch of the park brings hope to the community as it will attract investors in the region. “The park currently has 87% occupancy and the more occupants it will attract, the more jobs it will create and the tax base will increase. It is important to broaden the scope to attract investors, diversify the economy that will be able to carry us even when times are tough," Enquiry no: 6 said Dlulane.

Liquid bulk handling agreement signed

Back left:Gert de Beer (Chief Business Development Officer at Transnet Group); Sakhumzi Somyo, Eastern Cape MEC for Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism; Executive Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Cllr Atholl Trollip; Front left to right: Transnet NPA Chief Financial Officer Mohammed Abdool; Mkhuseli Faku, Chairman of Calulo Investment Holdings

ransnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) appointed Oiltanking Grindrod Calulo Holdings to plan, fund, construct, maintain and operate a new liquid bulk handling facility at the Port of Ngqura. This Build, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) agreement was concluded in December 2016, after an open tender process. To mark the occasion, a ceremonial signing was held in Port Elizabeth recently. The concept engineering design as well as the topographical and geotechnical survey has been completed and construction is due to commence in the 4th quarter of 2017, with commissioning planned for the 3rd quarter of 2019. Phase 1 of the liquid bulk facility will provide approximately 150 000cbm of storage capacity for refined petroleum products and will replace the tanks currently in use in the Port of Port Elizabeth, which will be decommissioned Enquiry no: 7 and the land redeveloped.

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Exciting period of renewal

ECENTLY the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber hosted a wonderful celebratory occasion with the graduation of our Third Phase of the Enterprise Development (ED) Programme. The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber Enterprise Development Programme was launched in 2014. It has been so successful that by the end of this year, over 100 SMEs (small to medium-sized enterprises) would have benefited from taking part in the four different phases of the programme. The third phase was launched in November last year. While the 2014/15 programmes focused on enhancing eligibility for funding, assisting with export-readiness, and giving insights into new markets, the 2016/17 programmes are aimed at strengthening the elements of mentorship, access to funding and soft skills development, combined with modular courses covering man-

agement skills for the 21st Century, financial management for a new venture, creative selling and handling workplace relations. The overall purpose of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber ED Programme is to give participants a focused and long-term business development intervention that will assist them in the profitability and sustainability of their businesses. The “take-aways” that we would like our graduates to walk away with from this programme are: • exposure to be more market-ready; • keep your business on a positive path of growth; • make the most of your mentorship relationships; • use the business skills you have learnt during the short course component of the course; and

• Engage the partners (ECDC, Tradelane, Business Chamber) for post-programme support, based on the relations you have built. Our next phase of the ED Programme will commence in July. The third phase programme was made possible because of our sponsors, in particular the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and MetroWind, as well as all the other partners who assisted the Business Chamber in making this an empowering experience for our graduates. The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber also recently hosted our Annual General Meeting where our outgoing President, Ian Nicholls, shared a message of change with our member companies. This year the Business Chamber is embarking on an exciting period of renewal and change as an organisation. As we move for-

bay view Prince Mathonsi

ward, you can expect the Chamber to adopt more of a disruptor approach – in other words being a Business Chamber which questions the status quo and is always seeking the most impactful way to deliver high impact results. We urge all our member companies, and potential member companies as in the case of the ED Programme graduates, to go on this journey with us by being the “change” that they want to see: Embrace change, see it as an opportunity, rather than as a challenge. Prince Matonsi, Acting CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber

Projects worth R1bn for Coega

HE Coega Development Corporation (CDC) has announced that investment projects worth over R1 billion are being rolled out in the Coega IDZ. “The metals and manufacturing industrial sector of the Coega IDZ will soon roll out three investment projects,” said Sadick Davids, CDC Business Development Manager - Metal and Manufacturing. The three investment projects currently in the process of implementation are a R650million manufacturing cement grinding plant, a R71-million ready mix concrete plant and a R350-million gas cylinder plant. “Some of the projects are owned by previously disadvantaged people, particularly women. The CDC is proud to be amongst government institutions who continue to support programmes that contribute towards industrialization and economic transformation of the people that come from previously marginalised communities.”

Davids said the Coega IDZ’s metals and manufacturing sector had grown in stature and it was expected that the three projects would be a catalyst for socio-economic development in the Eastern Cape and South Africa at large. They would accumulatively see over 400 direct jobs created and 2472 construction jobs. Dr Ayanda Vilakazi, CDC unit head marketing and communications said that the implementation of these investment projects is evidence of the CDC’s commitment to advancing the socio-economic development of the EC province. CDC has, through all its investment projects in the IDZ and Infrastructure Development Programmes, created in the past eight years a total of 83 405 jobs. However, it is projected that the organisation would for the first time in 16 years since inception exceed 100 000 jobs by the end of the 2016/17 financial year. Enquiry no: 8

Security heavyweight acquires Jeffrey’s Bay company

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Jeffrey’s Bay security company has been incorporated into one of the country’s leading security groups. KB Special Eye Security (KB) became part of the Fidelity ADT family from the beginning of May 2017. “This amalgamation is a major boost for security in Jeffrey’s Bay,” said Ryan Britz, branch manager for Fidelity ADT in Jeffrey’s Bay and Port Elizabeth. “Customers of KB will now receive the same high quality SAIDSAapproved security services that are already enjoyed by Fidelity ADT customers across South Africa and will include value added services such as emergency medical assistance, Find U personal protection and safe entry services to name but a few.” He said this would include access to a local community information centre (CIC) launched earlier this year to service the Jeffrey’s Bay and PE residents. The CIC gives residents one single number to call for help with reporting criminal activity or other concerns which Fidelity ADT will respond to or disseminates to the relevant public stakeholders with the objective of improving the security environment in the community.

Clients of KB will receive visits from their Fidelity ADT armed response officers in coming weeks to introduce themselves, whilst noting a change in the company’s branding and logos in the community soon. The amalgamation sees the number of Armed Response vehicles increase in the Jeffrey’s Bay area with a few new Fidelity ADT faces and various familiar faces of KB Team that has joined forces with the Fidelity ADT Team as a result of the amalgamation. “We are extremely excited about opportunities for the former KB Team and the customers that has been supporting us over the years and we are looking forward to the additional value that we can add to the community as part of Fidelity ADT,” said Micheal Hattingh, former KB armed response officer and lifelong resident of Jeffrey’s Bay. The acquisition of KB follows shortly after the acquisition of ADT Security by the Fidelity Security Group earlier this year which saw two of the security industry’s biggest role players joining forces under the management of CEO, Wahl Bartmann, offering a vast range of personal and commercial security services across Enquiry no: 9 the country.

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May / June 2017

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New life for East London port grain silos

OTHEO Infrastructure Contractors is carrying out repair work at the grain silos at the Port of East London for Transnet Port Terminals (TPT). The grain silos are just 50 m from the Indian Ocean, which has resulted in spalling of the concrete due to constant exposure from the damp, salty air. Spalling refers to corrosion of the steel reinforcement in the concrete due to the ingress of water and oxygen through minute cracks that develop over time. Scales of rust form as a result, which expand, causing the concrete layer covering the steel to crack and fall away. If allowed to continue unabated, the steel reinforcement rusts away to the point where the structural integrity of the structure is compromised. Motheo Infrastructure Contractors has a concrete division specialising in all forms of structural concrete work, Site Foreman Roger

Kirkby said. The first step is to remove the degraded concrete to expose the affected rebar, which can then be repaired. “We remove all traces of rust, and then apply a primer and a final seal with a rust-resistant coating,” he said. In severe instances where the steel has rusted away to the point where its function is compromised, the rebar is removed completely and replaced with new steel that is either spliced or epoxied to the existing concrete. Once the rebar has been repaired, a highstrength, non-shrink grout is applied to the spalled areas. “This is a highly specialised process requiring care, skill, and experience,” Kirkby said. A particular challenge posed by the project was that some of the concrete slabs that needed to be inspected and repaired were at the top of the grain silos themselves, which are about 40m high. Here the windy conditions

contract with German automaker

EMAG, which is now part of Konecranes Group, has signed a contract with Daimler AG for the maintenance of four automotive plants in Germany. It includes more than 10 000 cranes and hoists, and over 23 000 load handling attachments. “This service contract is extremely important for Konecranes worldwide, including South Africa,

which Demag now is part of,” said John MacDonald, Service, Sales and Marketing Director of Konecranes in Southern Africa. “The service business makes almost 40% of our net sales and we aim to increase this part even further. With a joint Konecranes and Demag service organization we will have even stronger teams that can take care of the service

of our customers’ equipment in the future.” Following the worldwide acquisition of Demag by Konecranes, both companies’ branches in Port Elizabeth will be moving into the same premises in Greenbushes in due course, making it the Eastern Cape service branch. Enquiry no: 12

New office bolsters PE’s growth as a tech hub

EADING global provider of content and technology solutions, LexisNexis South Africa, recently announced the official opening of a new office in Port Elizabeth. The new outlet includes a software development centre through which LexisNexis intends to tap into the province’s burgeoning computer science and information technology graduate base. Head of Production, Peter Raine, said the establishment of the office in the suburb of Humewood followed LexisNexis’ acquisition of Korbitec in November 2015. “What was largely a Korbitec sales operation in Port Elizabeth has now been expanded significantly to include a strong focus on software development. This is in line with one of LexisNexis’ core values of innovation, which sees us strive to deliver tomorrow’s software solutions, today, in line with advances in tech-

nology.” Raine said the office had a team of 17 staff but was poised for certain growth in the future through extension of its software development team. “For the past 11 years, our main recruitment channels have been Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in Port Elizabeth and Rhodes University in nearby Grahamstown. As an employer of choice, we find it exciting that talent is being nurtured and grown here in the Eastern Cape, and that graduates are making a huge difference to the economy and intellectual capital of the region,” he said. Recent evidence of the region’s flourishing software development potential included the “overwhelming response” enjoyed by LexisNexis South Africa at the NMMU Computing Sciences and IT Fair in March,

Enquiry no: 10

“Looking for a solution to replace your old m problematic foam Bladder Tank”

Enquiry no: 11

Local company lands service

BCCEI widens reach to Eastern Cape OCUSED on building relationships and servicing all stakeholders in the civil engineering sector, the Bargaining Council for the Civil Engineering Industry (BCCEI) has widened its geographical reach; this time into the Eastern Cape. Lindie Fourie (pictured), operations manager at the BCCEI, said that its office in Port Elizabeth was up and running and the opening of an office in East London is imminent. Both offices would be manned by qualified and experienced designated agents. “With the current level of civils projects underway in the Eastern Cape, we believed it was critical to have personnel on the ground to assist and attend to any matters in this region,” Fourie said. “Being locally based allows for greater responsiveness and a higher level of service for the stakeholders, and this is in line with BCCEI’s operating ethos to level the playing fields and be accessible to all.” The BCCEI is a statutory body registered with the Department of Labour and is independent, while being funded by employers and employees for the benefit of the whole industry. Fourie said that the building of relationships with stakeholders, especially those operating on contracts in remote areas, was critical to ensure inclusivity. “The BCCEI has conducted several roadshows across the country and we found that some contractors and many employees were not aware that there is a bargaining council that is able to assist them. By opening offices in more regions, we will be able to inform and educate more companies. And more importantly by increasing our footprint across South Africa we will provide direct access to BCCEI for employers and employees.” She said there are currently five collective agreements, concluded under the auspices of the BCCEI, in place between the employee representatives, BCAWU (Building, Construction and Allied Workers Union) and NUM (National Union of Mineworkers), and the employer representative, SAFCEC (South African Forum of Civil Engineering Contractors) and CEO (Consolidated Employers’ Organisation). BCCEI’s head office in Johannesburg has also recently added to its resources with the appointment of a new senior designated agent, Mhlengi Mdladla, who brings extensive experience and knowledge within the compliance environment in bargaining councils. BCCEI also operates branches in Durban and Cape Town.

experienced on the coast played a major factor in erecting the scaffolding needed to be able to work at that height. The fast-track project has proceeded without any complications or delays to date, which Kirkby attributed to the experience and expertise of the Motheo crew on-site.

Apart from the concrete-repair work itself, Motheo Infrastructure Contractors was also responsible for the mechanical design portion of the project. MD Archie Rutherford described the contract is an ideal showcase for Motheo Infrastructure Contractors, the civils division of the Motheo Construction Group. It specialises in roads and earthworks, as well as installation of services such as water, sewer and stormwater reticulation. It has also established a concrete division specialising in all forms of structural concrete work. “The vision of Motheo is to build a truly empowered, all-encompassing, black-owned construction company. Over the next five to seven years we want to develop into a diversified construction group, covering civils, building, and housing,” Rutherford said.

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where students flocked to the company’s stand to enquire about career opportunities. Raine said LexisNexis South Africa saw Port Elizabeth as an attractive prospect because of its pipeline of graduates, and an attractive coastal lifestyle. In setting up shop in Port Elizabeth, the company joins a growing number of multinational corporates investing millions in the city. “LexisNexis South Africa is constantly on the lookout for software solutions that will enhance the way the nation does business in a rapidly changing landscape, providing endless opportunities for young talent to apply their minds. We are proud to be able to add to the opportunities available to young people in this area to make an impact on the Eastern Cape, South Africa and beyond,” he said. Enquiry no: 13

May / June 2017

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EC Industrial & Business News

Cybercrime: Shifting minds

S businesses around the world continue to reel from the onslaught of the WannaCry ransomware attack, many are asking “how could this have been prevented or at least more quickly contained?” While few of the global stock exchanges and other financial systems were affected, the long-term ramifications are yet to be understood. Experts say that despite the attacks slowing over the weekend, this respite will likely only be brief, and Microsoft itself, has warned that governments around the world should treat it as a “wake-up call”. Henry Peens Associate Director: Risk Advisory, and Deloitte South Africa’s Cyber Leader warned that fighting cybercrime is not just about having the right preventative software in place, it’s about having the right cyberrisk management team and relevant, proactive plans and processes in place. “It is not just a matter of technology controls, and it’s not just the CIO’s responsibility,” said Peens, “It requires business transformation that broadens the scope of involvement at the top levels of the company, with a focus on overall business risk.” By gaining a broad understanding of attackers’ motives and planning proactively by antici-

pating potential high-impact scenarios, organisations will be able to reprioritise and refocus their investments with the aim of mitigating likely outcomes. Cathy Gibson Director: Cyber Risk Services agreed, saying that it was critical to bring the right business and technical leaders together to evaluate organisational readiness: “The team must be able to develop a list of high-risk cyberattack scenarios that is relevant to their specific business”. “It is imperative that the members of the team collectively understand the businesses strategy, products, revenue streams, operations, technology, regulation, and the company’s cyber risk program, to identify their both

Keeping up with ISO standards

T goes without saying that risk-based thinking is critical for achieving an effective quality management system. It highlights the need to carry out preventative actions to eradicate possible nonconformities, identifying nonconformities that do happen and acting to avoid recurrence. That’s according to Bongani Thobela, Quality Manager at Rand-Air, a portable compressed air and power generation rental company, who added that this was so important that even the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) incorporated risk concepts into the ISO 9001 2005 requirement. Thobela said conforming to standards such

as the ISO 9001 2005, increases credibility with customers as it illustrates that the service and product that a business is offering meets the necessary requirements and expectations. “It is important to monitor and review information about interested parties that are relevant to the management system and their requirements. This includes the customers, shareholders, business partners (suppliers and contractors), employees, society and the environment.” The ISO 9001 2005 is hugely important for laboring businesses because it requires the management team to demonstrate an understanding of business risk (technology, environ-

their crown jewels and the greatest risks.” Once you have identified what is truly most important to the organisation, you are able to create a readiness plan that includes all the people needed to protect, defend, and recover those things should they be compromised. Peens said that by establishing broad-based cyber-awareness and engagement across your organisation, you will improve your team’s ability to collaborate and react when the cyber incident alarm goes off. Cyber readiness is not a reactive process, it is a proactive plan of defence. Whether they originate from within or outside of your business, and whether they are aimed at IP, trade secrets, operational disruption, fraud or data theft, cyberattacks typically extend well beyond the technology domain and can have deep and long-lasting effects on an organisation. “It is critical for every organisation to change the kinds of conversations they are having about cyber risk, and to institute some variation of a secure, vigilant and resilient approach that can ultimately improve their ability to survive and thrive in the face of increasingly likely cyberattacks,” Peens said. Enquiry no: 14

ment, society, economy and politics) by using problem solving techniques. This is done by asking questions like: what will happen in the future? What can we predict? How does it affect the ability to achieve goals? Thobela said an effective risk management process was key to ensuring ISO 9001 standards are met. This will give assurance that the management system can achieve its intended results. It will prevent and reduce undesired outcomes and will ultimately achieve continual improvement. Most importantly, it increases the focus on the use of targets and planning of changes for driving improvements. ISO is constantly evolving to ensure that organisations meet the needs of their customers and stakeholders. Enquiry no: 15

ITH the rapidly emerging black midW How consumer aspirations affect retail dle-class, consumer aspirations have become a huge driving force in the retail industry. That’s according to Professor John Simpson, Director and co-founder of the UCT Unilever Institute of Strategic Marketing, speaking at a South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) networking breakfast in Sandton recently. According to who also teaches in the University of Cape Town’s Commerce Faculty, there are eight aspirations his research has revealed among consumers: stability, belonging, freedom, comfort, respect, experiences, health and giving back. “Consumers aim to improve their circum-

stances, they aspire to it. This is the reason why a particular consumer will be targeted by a marketer,” he said, adding that it was important for retailers to take consumer aspirations into consideration when developing marketing campaigns. Understanding consumer aspirations, allows you to target your brand to a particular customer giving them the opportunity to buy an item which makes them feels better. “You would market a product which tells him or her that they actually will be better off as a result of buying a particular item. In one way or another, whether it is in terms of his personal circum-

stances, whether in terms of the society where they are a member or whether it has something to do with his family-these are the things he aspires to improve upon,” Simpson said. He added that South African retailers needed to make their stores more attractive to the consumer with aspirations. “There are two main things that retailers can do to appeal to this market. One would be to make their stores more appealing in such a way that a consumer feels recognised as to who they are. The second aspect is to provide products and services that consumers would aspire to." Enquiry no: 16

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engineering and manufacturing capabilities, the group is able to offer a range of standard off-the-shelf products as well as end-to-end energy solutions. An in-depth understanding of the requirements for HVAC applications, access to quality product solutions and years of experience have ensured that the Zest WEG Group service offering is fit-for purpose. From single product installations to individually customised solutions, which are application specific, the latest technology is used to ensure optimum performance and reliability without

compromising on energy efficiency. WEG products are engineered to facilitate a safe and reliable plant environment with operational stability and the highest possible production levels as an objective. Reduced maintenance and ease of serviceability assist in lowering the total cost of ownership for operations. Supporting customers is key and the Zest WEG Group operates a strategically situated network of branches and distributors across the continent. This ensures the highest levels of technical support as well as easy access to product and parts.

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May / June 2017

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construction, civil & structural Engineering

Distributor on a roll after winning Queenstown municipal tender

Nicholas Randall from Universal Equipment, left and Riaan Syster, Dynapac, Atlas Copco, right, handing over the two Dynapac rollers to Lukhanji Municipality.

YNAPAC distributor in Eastern Cape Province, Universal Equipment, was awarded the tender for the supply of two Dynapac CA510 Soil Rollers with compaction meter technology, to Lukhanji Local Municipality in Queenstown. Universal Equipment Managing Director, Riaan Claassen, attributed the company’s successful bid both to the company’s reputation as a

well-respected supplier in the Eastern Cape region as well as the quality, tough reliability and efficiency of the Dynapac products. “Built to the highest quality specifications, these machines have the capacities to handle even the toughest compactions conditions Africa has to offer. Dynapac’s exclusive three-in-one package - best unit build, best specification at the

best market price - is underpinned by the product’s extended operating capacity, improved productivity at lower fuel consumption, and lower cost of operation.” Dynapac Road Construction Equipment division appointed Universal Equipment as a distributor for its products across the Eastern Cape territory in July 2013. Operating from head offices in Port Elizabeth as well as East London, Universal Equipment has been a leading distributor of construction machinery and equipment in the Eastern Cape for 35 years. Universal Equipment is a level 4 BBBEE contributor and is affiliated to a number of associations including MIWA, CPHA, SAFCEC, and CIDB. This is Universal Equipment’s first sale to Lukhanji Local Municipality. The scope of work also includes a five-year maintenance contract, giving a total tender value of about R4 million. “We are extremely excited about this long-term partnership with Lukhanji because it aligns perfectly with our objective to promote and assist smaller municipalities with regard to supplying plant and equipment, but also management of lowest cost of operation” said Claassen. Lukhanji is rapidly emerging as an Eastern Cape industrial centre. The majority of the industries are highly labour intensive and able to draw on

the manpower of a large urban and rural population. They include manufacturers of agricultural products, office furniture, engineering and steel works. Many of South Africa’s best cattle and sheep are bred in the area and Lukhanji and its

surrounding areas have a great number of tourist attractions. The Atlas Copco Group recently sold its road construction equipment division, including the Dynapac brand name to Fayat, a specialist construction Group in Enquiry no: 17 France.

Ncera irrigation scheme on track

LUID-conveyance solutions provider Incledon is supplying the bulk pipeline to main contractor Xesibe Construction for the Ncera macadamia project for the Eastern Cape’s Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. Brendon Pelser, Civils Sale Representative – Eastern Cape, for Incledon said the company’s scope of work comprised the supply of 2.4km of 400mm class 16 MPVC and 700m of 400mm Class 30 ductile iron pipe, as well as related engineering components to Xesibe Construction. “Incledon’s well-trained civils team and strong supplier relationships ensure the client has peace of mind by accessing best-of-breed brands that comply with local and international quality standards,” Pelser said. Tekflo valves, supplied exclusively in OUR PEOPLE Southern Africa by Incledon, were specified for the project, along with AVK and VentO-mat Air valves, for which Incledon holds preferred distributor status. “Incledon was chosen as the preferred supplier by the client as it could get all of its materials from us, meaning it did not need to purchase from multiple companies, open multiple accounts, and be concerned about multiple delivery dates. "Secondly, the Incledon product range fulfilled the pre-requisite that the bulk of the material be manufactured locally which, in turn, boosts the local economy and supports job creation,” Pelser said. The exception was the ductile iron pipe, sourced from Electrosteel India, a pioneer in this regard that supplies 35 countries. Our people ensure that our customers get what The pipe conforms to BS EN 545:2010/ ISO 2531:2009, with push-on joints. The they want, on time, to the highest specs, at the standard length is 5.5m, with the option of supplying shorter lengths as permitted by the best possible price. No matter what. East Coast standard. Incledon is also supplying socketed accessories such as EPDM rubber gaskets Asphalt people care. and lubricant. Once completed, the irrigation scheme will feed water from the Ncera River to the macadamia nut farms located in the area. Static plants in East London and Mthatha • mobile plants • extensive product Xesibe Construction is forging ahead with the range • stringent quality control • bitumen storage • industry training project, with 70% of the pipeline supplied by Incledon already laid. Pelser said that the Eastern Cape is a key focus area for Incledon, as the majority of the area is rural and in dire need of water-supply infrastructure to villages, schools, and outlying areas. “The region has so much potential, with T: +27 43 745 2016 (East london) T: +27 76 982 6366 (Mthatha) many new projects in the pipeline. "These include the KwaBhaca Water E: info@muchasphalt.com www.muchasphalt.com Supply Project for Ward 7 in East London, in conjunction with LNP Construction.”

OUR PEOPLE CARE East Coast Asphalt is the leading manufacturer of hot and cold asphalt products in the Eastern Cape.

Enquiry no: 18

In association with

construction, civil & structural engineering

R24m clinic revamp brings better health care to EC villages T

Cornubia Housing Project

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HE Coega Development Corporation (CDC) has successfully implemented another multi-million-rand project on behalf of the Department of Health. The Maxwele clinic, a R24-million project has reached completion phase and is ready for use by the local community. During the construction of the project, 52 people from the local community benefited; 35% of the project value was also awarded to local small, medium and micro enterprise (SMMEs). The Clinic is located in Viedgesville, King Sabatha Dalindyebo Local Municipality approximately 20km from Mthatha and serves 10 villages nearby with a total population of

May / June 2017

EC Industrial & Business News about 5 200. The project, which is one of eight projects of the National Department of Health, was implemented by the CDC to provide project management expertise and related services which has led to the improvement of health care services and the quality of life of more than 5200 people communities accessing appropriate health care services. Ignatius Meyer, CDC Project Manager in the DOH portfolio said, “The scope of the work included the construction of the new clinic facility and staff accommodation to ensure requirements of a fully functional clinic. The clinic will also be a ‘blue print’ facility for the Ideal Clinic programme currently under development by the National Department of Health”. Dr Ayanda Vilakazi, CDC unit head marketing and communications, said Coega had proven, once again that it boosts skills and experience to implement mega infrastructure programmes and efficient manEnquiry no: 19 agement of facilities.

Trenchless technology helps tackle tricky terrain

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ELLER’S Franki Africa recently cemented its reputation for taking on tricky engineering challenges with its work on the Drakenstein Municipality’s Bulk Sewer Pipeline. Trenchless Technology Manager Byron Field said the path of the sewer pipeline – which is in the Paarl, Western Cape area - included a stretch of approximately 105m across Arboretum Road and the N1 highway followed by a section of about 110m which runs parallel to the Boschenmeer Golf Estate boundary wall at a depth of between -6m and -8m. According to Field, the main challenge was the relatively unstable ground conditions, which comprised sands from 0m to -4m with loose cobbles and boulders from -4 to -8m and a very high water table. He said SANRAL also had strict wayleave conditions prohibiting the DM from conducting works beneath the national highway unless they were able to prove that every conceivable precaution had been taken to protect the highway and to ensure uninterrupted use. It was obvious that a “trenchless” methodology, like pipejacking, was required in order for the new sewer to run under the roads without interrupting traffic. But, also, the depth of the pipeline and its proximity to the golf estate

ROAD CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT Atlas Copco Construction Technique offers products and solutions for asphalt and soil applications under the product name Dynapac. www.atlascopco.co.za

boundary wall made open excavation impractical. Franki then approached the Drakenstein Municipality with a proposal to treat the ground beneath Arboretum Road and the N1, as well as alongside the golf estate boundary wall. The proposal entailed Jet Grouting – which involves the mixing and partial replacement of the in-situ soil with cement slurry to consolidate the in-situ ground condition along the sewer centreline and between the depths of -4 to -9m and then installing a pipejack through the treated ground. “The treatment of the ground would prevent collapse of the sand and cobbles during pipejack excavation and would reduce the ingress of water to manageable levels,” Field said. He added that Jet Grouting was Franki’s preferred method of treatment as high pressure jetting can be used to consolidate in-situ ground at exact levels and can provide up to 2.5m diameter columns with only an 80mm drill stem. The municipality’s design team found the proposed solution acceptable, included it in a tender document for this phase of the works and Franki was appointed by the main contracEnquiry no: 20 tor, Vakala Construction.

Quiet, safe and efficient electronic vibration equipment

HICAGO Pneumatic has introduced a new C concept in vibration equipment to its range of concrete tools. According to the company,

the ”quiet, safe and efficient” Vektor 12K electronic vibrators provide high centrifugal force (1035 lbf or 4600 N), making them suitable for use across a wide variety of high-to-low slump concrete applications. For ease of operation, all Vektor models feature a high-frequency motor-in-head vibrator and a built-in frequency converter (60-to-220 Hz or 50-to-220 Hz), which allows them to be plugged directly into a standard 115 V or 230 V wall socket. In terms of performance, the Vektor series’ expansive radius of action –12 times the unit’s diameter – combined with a vibration frequency of 12,000 VPM, results in it requiring fewer insertions. This in turn contributes to greater productivity on-site and faster job completion. A key element of the Vektor series is the vibrator head design. A silent electric induction motor, built-in the vibrator head, drives a one-piece copper helical rotor and bolted eccentrics. For added protection, all of these vital components are housed within a hardened steel Enquiry no: 21 tube.

May / June 2017

EC Industrial & Business News

transport, distribution & warehousing

Driver wellness drive kicks off in the Eastern Cape E NGEN Driver Wellness, a mobile health awareness initiative run by Thubelihle Occupational Health and Wellness, kicked off recently at Cape Road Convenience Centre in Port Elizabeth. The initiative, which targets the country’s bulk truck driver operators, continues to increase driver participation in voluntary screenings and improved health scores. Over the next seven months the programme, now in its sixth year, aims to reach 21 sites in five provinces with free health screenings. Operated nationwide at Engen Truck Stops and retail service stations, drivers are offered free voluntary screenings in mobile clinics. These are conducted by qualified nurses and councillors where blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, tuberculosis, BMI (Body Mass Index) and HIV/AIDS are tested. Engen’s Corporate Social Investment Manager, Mntu Nduvane said the main aim was to improve health through awareness. “Education helps to remind drivers and our employees why their health is important and

how life choices impact on their well-being. Ultimately this increases their health, safety and productivity. “There has been a marked increase in the amount of individuals using the services we provide which is a clear indication that this intervention is making a difference to the wellbeing of drivers and will ultimately lead to a healthier industry,” said Nduvane. As testing is voluntary, the incremental

acceptance of health management as a path to longevity and wellbeing are important indicators that health empowerment is gaining traction. Given the long and lonely hours long-haul drivers spend on the road and the stresses associated with the job, these interventions form a critical pillar of support. “Our most recent statistics show how cholesterol screening jumped by 63% from 2014 to 2015. Glucose testing went up by 18.5% and 16% more drivers tested their Body Mass Index (BMI), while blood pressure screening also realised an increase of 16% for 2015. HIV and STI testing rose by 16% between 2014 and 2015 and TB Screening saw a 15% upsurge,” said Nduvane. “Engen’s Driver Wellness campaign continues to have a massive all-round impact. This includes both on the drivers and their families, who benefit from reduced exposure to diseases and greater longevity of a breadwinner, and of course on the company itself, in terms of improved worker productivity, skills retention and disease management.” Enquiry no: 22

Mini straddle carriers make for a safer, less congested workspace

obicon mini straddle carriers from BLT SA, which are designed for lifting containers onto and off trucks and for moving loads around sites, significantly reducing onsite congestion, making the yard a safer workplace. That’s according to Charity Gumede, marketing director at the materials handling equipment specialist. “The Mobicon TF2 and 2T series increase operational efficiency and reduce demurrage costs for trucks waiting to be loaded and unloaded,” said Gumede.”These mobile container handlers efficiently move loads around sites, through warehouse doors, effectively taking the container to the stack or the receiving point.” She said one of the biggest problems associated with using conventional equipment to load and unload containers is damage caused to yards and pavements that are not suitable for carrying heavy weights. “Mobicon container handlers have a fouraxle, single-tyre design, with eight separate load centres, which enables them to utilise all parts of the yard and to operate on pavements

and in restrictive areas where a forklift or heavy equipment cannot go. With the Mobicon system, there is no damage to yards and therefore no need for costly repairs.” “These mobile container handlers have excellent manoeuvrability and can turn in tight spaces and are also able to travel inside warehouses, under awnings and up to docks. This flexible system requires very little mainte-

nance, unlike conventional container handling equipment, where ongoing maintenance is expensive.” Other advantages of this mini straddle carrier system include easy handling of ramps and speed bumps, faster container handling times in all weather conditions and minimal damage to contents normally caused by long lift truck runs. “The investment in a Mobicon system also reduces capital investment costs. Conventional forklifts, reachstackers, sideloaders or self loading trailers are more costly to operate.” These robust mini straddle carriers incorporate two independent towers and utilise the container as the structural component linking the two towers. This two-tower design provides the flexibility for the machine to be able to operate on sloping or uneven surfaces. The container is lifted from the bottom, which allows the operator to easily handle flat beds, tank containers, half heights, over heights and curtain sided containers. The lightweight Mobicon system has a 33-ton lift capacity and is able to carry any type Enquiry no: 23 or size ISO specified container.

Pink packaging slashes package loss

SOUTH Africa-based self-lubricated polymer bearings and bushings manufacturer, Vesconite Bearings, is tickled pink that lost packages are becoming a thing of the past. This is following the introduction three years ago of shocking pink packaging colours for all its outbound shipments. Chairperson Dr Jean-Patrick Leger had found that parcels were frequently lost after hand-over from the courier company to the airlines. “It was unbelievable: sometimes shipments weighing tons would just disappear, only to be found months later in an airport warehouse hundreds of thousands of miles away from the original routing,” he said. Parcels in nondescript brown packaging were typically found later, but after considerable frustration felt by irate customers as well as Vesconite Bearings staff, Leger added. With the introduction of bright pink packaging, with diagonally-worded text with website and telephone details, as well as a bullet-point invitation to contact the company for fitting and machining instructions and technical information, lost packaging has become a rare occurrence. Leger notes that he was advised to choose packaging that stood out from the crowd, and considered pink, since this was a favourite colour of his late mother. Several people tried to dissuade him of this colour choice, largely because it is strongly associated with women, who have traditionally not been a large market for the company.

However, the deeper pink hues of the Vesconite Bearings packaging seem to have resonated well with its clientele, perhaps because analysts now suggest that fuchsias and magentas, as well as other deeper pinks, are considered vibrant and youthful, and are also associated with a sense of confidence. Other brands have followed suit, most notably T-Mobile, which has also

chosen a similar colour for its brand to help it stand out among other mobile communication providers while adding life and energy. Vesconite Bearings ships rods, tubes, plates as well as finished items globally, and its packaging comes in various sizes, with a liner, corrugated medium, another liner, another corrugated medium and then a final liner of pink. Enquiry no: 24

May / June 2017

transport, distribution & warehousing

EC Industrial & Business News

Enhanced security and safety monitoring

DVANCED closed circuit television (CCTV) systems can enhance safety for businesses by monitoring and recording events in one or more areas of a building. That’s according to Daniele Tomirotti, customer service manager and technical solutions for Legrand South Africa, who advises that businesses follow four steps when selecting the appropriate CCTV solution. The first step is to identify the areas of a building that need to be monitored. The second is to define expected results of the system in each of these areas. For example, identification, recognition and detection of intrusions. “The third stage is to specify the number of cameras required and to indicate the most suitable positioning for each device. Finally, in order to achieve pre-determined requirements of the system, appropriate cameras, video

recorders, monitors and accessories must be selected,” Tomirotti said. Legrand’s CCTV solutions for businesses incorporate IP digital technology which offers high resolution images. With this system, all devices are controlled and monitored during working hours, from a switchboard position, or a local reception area with an operator. When necessary, the management of several sites can be centralised remotely. Typical outside areas for monitoring in business are goods loading and unloading zones, the sides of a building and the car park. Internal areas include store rooms and goods loading and unloading areas. When the CCTV system is connected to other systems installed in a building or in out-

side areas, images from connected cameras are displayed on the control monitor. Event monitoring provides important security information, including intrusion, the presence of a fire or technical problems. The integration of a recording system enables the replaying of events which have occurred, for closer analysis. For example, theft. The display and analysis of a scene can be live, where the camera image is transmitted to a monitor, or recorded, where the image is saved on a video recorder for on-demand display. This versatile system is designed for local control, where the monitor is connected directly to the camera or video recorder; or for remote control where analysis is carried on smartphones or a PC. Single or multiple channel modes enable video recorders to display events from several cameras on a single moniEnquiry no: 25 tor, in real time.

Giving a lift to food rescue efforts

D From left; Marcelle Brandt, STR Administrator, Linde Material Handling, Cape Town; Thembelani, Food Forward SA; Mark Coles, Regional Manager – Linde Material Handling Cape Town; and the driver is Phumlani also from Food Forward SA

Hylton Nickisson 082 771 2952 Vuyo Bangazi 041 484 7722 www.eiegroup.co.za

ONATIONS from Linde Material Handling SA have helped reduce operational costs for FoodForward SA, enabling the organisation to rescue more food and feed people across South Africa. More than 3.4 million kilograms of food is distributed annually by FoodForward SA to 250 000 people who need it most. The no fee rental of forklift trucks in Johannesburg and Cape Town and the 50% rental discount of the forklift

truck in Durban by Linde, has reduced the operational costs for FoodForward SA helping it maximise its reach to the beneficiary organisations who rely on them for food and grocery items. According to FoodForward SA, the provision of the forklifts has also helped create a safe and efficient work environment. “With the support of Linde Material Handling SA, FoodForward SA continues to assist disadvantaged organisations that require the support, and through this intervention we continue to build a brighter future for South Africa,” the organisation said in a statement. “Linde Material Handling SA provides ongoing support to FoodForward SA, which benefits us hugely we can continue to adequately serve more than 14.5 million meals annually to 600 benEnquiry no: 26 eficiary organisations.

May / June 2017

EC Industrial & Business News

power generation

Drive for universal electricity access gains momentum in Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga

Lifting solar power contractors up J OHNSON Crane Hire has an established reputation for handling small lifting on a wide range of construction and utility projects sites. This has resulted in the company securing a number of contracts from solar power projects, especially in the Northern Cape region. Commenting on this Peter Yaman, sales executive at Johnson Crane Hire, said the company’s ready access to a range of mobile cranes positions the company well to undertake lifting in remote regions. It has an established branch in Kathu and while actively servicing the mining sector it is capable of supporting the lifting requirements of the solar power contractors as well. “Planning of lifting activities is one of our strengths and this enables us to dovetail the lifting with the individual construction programmes so as to ensure optimum productivity for the

individual solar power contractors,” Yaman said. Lifting the various components, including handling the imported sections which make up the composite panel structures, needs to be done with care, and Yaman said this is where pre-planning and the use of skilled and experienced operators plays a major role. “In addition to this, we differentiate ourselves by providing all customers throughout South Africa and neighbouring countries with a total lifting solution delivered through our ‘SMART’ — Safety, Maintenance, Availability, Reliability and Total Cost Effectiveness — brand promise.” He said safety underpins all the company’s operations, with comprehensively documented and implemented safety systems that comply with all industry safety standards and

SKOM says its ultimate goal of E achieving universal electricity access is firmly in sight, thanks

thorough risk assessments conducted before each lift. There is also a primary focus on proper crane maintenance at all branches, supported by the company’s national workshop in Johannesburg. Another drawcard was its comprehensive workshop facilities, technical expertise and superior systems. Enquiry no: 27

Don’t underestimate your motors’ hunger for power

VER 40% of global electricity is consumed by electric motors and the figure for South Africa is higher, according to Zest WEG Group sales engineer Machiel de Bruyn. “This is an indication that most farmers are not fully aware of how much their motors are costing them in electricity. In turn, this explains why many farms hang on to old, inefficient motors for longer than they should, thinking they are saving money,” said De Bruyn. Farms incur particularly high electricity costs to drive pumps in energyheavy functions like irrigation. While in previous decades the price of electric-

ity was much lower and made less of an impact on the financial bottom line, rocketing energy costs in recent years have meant that the electricity bill is now a major factor in farm viability and profitability. De Bruyn said the cost of running a motor, even viewed over just 12 or 24 months, is many times greater than the motor’s original purchase price. “Up to 90% of an electric motor’s cost of ownership relates to the power it consumes, so it may not make sense to keep repairing a low-efficiency motor in the belief that this is a cost-saving exercise. In fact, modern high-efficiency motors can pay for

in part to “remarkable achievements” in the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces. The state-owned power utility said in a statement that it had spent R830 million to connect 47 402 new households to the electricity grid across the Eastern Cape during the financial year ending 31 March 2017, resulting in almost 94 000 new households connected in the province over the past three financial years. In Mpumalanga, over 120 households in kaMajika near Hazyview received electricity in their area for the first time on 31 March. The electrification of the area began in November 2016, with the dual aim of bringing electricity to the community and rid-

ding the area of illegal connections. According to Eskom, residents say that the provision of electricity will also go a long way in curbing crime in the area. Still in Mpumalanga, on the same day, 61 homes in Waterfall Roma in the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality had their electricity connected. Eskom is currently in the process of completing an additional 40 connections in the area. “Eskom is proud to have electrified these areas and wishes to encourage the residents to respect electricity by not tampering with the meters and other structures. Residents are also encouraged to avoid purchasing electricity from ‘ghost’ vendors,” said Group Executive for Distribution Mongezi Enquiry no: 30 Ntsokolo.

EC woman nominated for leading industry awards

themselves in a relatively short time, and then start saving the farm money into the future.” He said an effective strategy employed by some of the country’s most successful farms has been to steadily replace the older, less efficient motors whenever they fail, instead of trying to constantly repair them. This approach provides an affordable way of working towards a lower-cost operation, without having to jettison existing assets. Zest WEG Group was the first equipment supplier to move from IE2 compliant (high efficiency) to IE3 compliant (premium efficiency) motors, raising the bar with WEG’s fit-for-purpose design for the African market. Using even less electricity than the old IE2 units, WEG IE3 motors were introduced at no additional cost to Zest WEG Group customers. De Bruyn said many farmers have also reduced energy costs by installing variable speed drives (VSDs), which control the speed at which motors run depending on the required power output at any stage in the pumping cycle. “Combining VSD technology with the new WEG IE3 motors gives farmers two of the best strategies for improving their cost structure in respect of power consumption for activities like irrigation.”

OEGA C Corporation ee, Sandisiwe

Development (CDC) employNcemane, has been nominated as a finalist in the African Utility Week Industry Awards 2017. The awards which form part of the African Utility Week which took place in Cape Town from 16 – 18 May 2017 under the theme: Why NOW for Africa saw scores of industry leaders descend on the city in search of ideas to gain Energy access in Africa. Ncemane, CDC’s Business Development Manager on Energy projects (Renewable & Conventional), has been nominated in the category Outstanding Woman of the Year: Power/Water. This comes comes after the notable progress the CDC has made in the diversification of energy mix towards greater contribution of clean energy in both renewables and conventional energy.

The Outstanding Woman of the Year: Power/Water category celebrates a woman in the power/ water industries for outstanding achievements and who has made a contribution to and impact on the sector, whether from a utility, public or private company. Currently, operating within the IDZ is the Dedisa Peaking Power Plant, with a capacity of 342MW. Linked to manufacturing, the IDZ is home to DCD Wind Towers, which assembles wind towers linked to the various Wind REIPPP projects within the region. CDC is also involved in the IPP Gas to Power Programme, with an allocation of 1000MW. As such, the organisation is driving an Environmental Impact Assessment for the Gas to Power Plant. In the nuclear space, CDC is working closely with various entities in preparation for the New Nuclear Enquiry no: 31 Built Programme.

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Enquiry no: 28

Off-grid energy solutions power Africa

ITH more than 600 million people in African lacking access to clean, affordable, reliable energy, new technological developments such as off-grid solutions are becoming increasingly important. Cummins Power Generation is targeting this growing market through specialising in the design and manufacture of preintegrated generator sets from 8 kVA to 3 300 kVA. Off-grid solutions are based on the specific needs of the operation or application in question, classed generally as either ‘standby’ or ‘prime’. As the name suggests, ‘standby’ provides power in the event of grid failure, which means the duty is far lower. A light application, for example, would require a generator designed for around 20 to 40 hours of operation a month. ‘Prime’ solutions are entirely separate from the national grid, and

supply load power on a 24/7 basis. “This option requires considerably better planning and far greater investment, as the entire outcome

of the operation depends on the power supply,” said Cummins Power Generation Director Kenny Gaynor. “The genset needs to be specified precisely. This means the most important aspect to take into consideration is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or supplier. Product quality, parts availability, aftersales service, and technical capability are paramount to success.

If one aspect fails, the entire project fails.” As part of its off-grid offering, Cummins Power Generation provides a full range of services, including conceptualisation, design, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, and maintenance. Due to the complex and intricate nature of such solutions, a dedicated Cummins expert is assigned to oversee all aspects of the project, including the training of relevant customer personnel. “It is essential that a competent expert is on-site 24/7, as only a few minutes of power outage can result in millions of rands in lost production. Cummins also stocks essential parts on-site to ensure minimal downtime. Unfortunately, not all parts can be kept on-site. To ensure minimal disruption, Cummins boasts a comprehensive logistics supply chain to ensure that any part reaches site in the shortest possible turnaround times,” Gaynor Enquiry no: 29 said.

Call us for your air, lighting & power requirements 011 345-0700 www.randair.co.za

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Driving efficiency in the SA automotive industry

EADING automotive manufacturers in South Africa have standardised on gear motors, Variable Speed Drives (VSDs), and control systems from SEW-Eurodrive in order to maintain export quality in terms of international supply agreements. That’s according to Sales Manager Clive O’Reilly, who added that the major drive in the local automotive industry is to adhere to increasingly stringent standards for the global factories of the main multinationals. “South Africa has been lagging a bit in this regard, but we are getting up to speed. What gives SEWEurodrive South Africa the upper hand is that we are a recognised leader internationally in terms of drive technology for the automotive industry,” O’Reilly said. The automotive industry is particularly strong in South Africa due to such factors as cheaper labour and manufacturing costs. “Two of the automotive OEMs we deal with have

international supply agreements with us, which means that every single manufacturing facility across the world has standardised on SEWEurodrive technology.” Increasing cost and competitive pressures also mean that local automotive manufacturers are ugrading their plants continually. “For example, we are involved with a particular expansion where the aim is to ramp up production by 10%. This does not sound like a lot, but it equates to an extra output of 40 vehicles per day,” said Sales Engineer Willem Strydom. In terms of this specific project, SEWEurodrive South Africa is supplying all of the electronics for the plant’s hoisting applications. The company’s introduction of IE3-compliant DRN motors, which comply to the latest European energy-efficiency standards, is proving highly successful in the local automotive industry, which has a growing demand to boost

energy efficiency to reduce overall production costs and boost margins. Another advantage is SEWEurodrive’s capability to work closely with system integrators to optimise its product and service offering. Its technicians travel regularly to Germany to receive up-to-date training in this regard. Looking at some of the latest technological trends in the automotive industry, Strydom pointed to improved Electrified Monorail Systems (EMS) and optimised automation, which focuses on handling everything from a single point. “What this means is not only a safer environment for workers, but the elimination of human-related errors. This is particularly critical as the automotive industry moves towards increasingly pervasive automation.” For example, the Maxolution EMS system from SEW-Eurodrive separates the vehicle assembly track into segments, meaning it is possible

to travel and stop at different speeds. Control signals, based on positive and negative half-waves or full-waves, speeds up simple transportation tasks dramatically. MOVIVISION plant software allows for all vehicle functions to be parameterised, without any complex p r o g r a m m i n g knowledge, which slashes start-up times. “The electronics side is evolving constantly,” Strydom said. “The main driver at the moment is the move towards decentralised control based on wireless systems, which means you will no longer require extensive cabling running throughout the factory.” This has also resulted in increased product integration, such as the Moviegear mechatronic drive system from SEW-Eurodrive.

“Reducing the lag between operations, control, and the mechanical elements saves a lot of energy and minimises losses. We are moving more and more towards that, especially in terms of smaller conveyor sections. The end result is that, in five to 10 years’ time, the entire gear motor system – the motor, gearbox, and VSD – is likely to be integrated completely,” Enquiry no: 32 Strydom said.

Testing specialists merge

eliability solutions specialists, WearCheck, recently bought out Transformer Chemistry Services (TCS), adding an already-established transformer analysis and maintenance division to the company’s condition monitoring portfolio. “Coupled with WearCheck’s Africa-wide network, the expertise of TCS and a general growth in the number of transformers across the continent, WearCheck is now poised to provide large-scale and widespread comprehensive transformer reliability services,” the company said in a statement. The primary function of the newly-formed transformer division is the promotion of transformer health through the regular assessment of insulating fluid and diagnosis of the results. “Transformers are extremely critical apparatus for providing reliable energy. No-one can precisely answer when equipment will fail, but it is essential to manage risk. Compared with the cost of premature or catastrophic failure, regularly scheduled oil testing is a cost-effective and sound maintenance practice that is used to extend the life of transformers.” WearCheck has now added the transformer tests done by TCS to its existing transformer oil analysis programme, increasing the number of available fluid and non-fluid tests, such

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as Insulation Paper Quality Testing. This test provides a measure of paper aging, and correlates this with important physical properties such as resistance to tearing and bursting. This is a critical factor in estimating the real aging of the main transformer insulation. TCS was established in Westville, Durban in 1992 by Ian Gray, who has run the company for the past 25 years. Enquiry no: 33

Turnkey vacuum solutions

Air Liquide Southern Africa

WearCheck MD Neil Robinson (right) and TCS MD Ian Gray discuss the details of the merger of TCS into WearCheck.

N a move to become a global leader in vacuum solutions, Atlas Copco established Vacuum Technique as a fifth business area earlier this year. Vacuum solutions originally formed part of Atlas Copco Compressor Technique’s product portfolio. According to the company, the unit earned its status as a separate business area following its excellent growth over the past few years and the acquisition of several respected companies including Edwards Group and Leybold. “Vacuum technology is as big as the compressor business and locally we have not even begun to scratch the surface,” said Willem Brits, Sales Representative for Vacuum Pumps and Systems. “As a fully-fledged business area, we are now better positioned to expand even further in order to deliver turnkey vacuum solutions to our customers across the Southern African region.” Vacuum Technique’s flagship range is the GHS 350 – 1 900 VSD+ rotary screw vacuum pump. Based on the well-known plug-and-play design principles Atlas Copco compressors are renowned for, the GHS VSD+ series is designed to deliver peak performance at operating pressures commonly found in industrial applications. They promise energy savings of up to 50% and a dramatic reduction in lifecycle costs. Brits said that the rotary screw vacuum pump series was being extended. “The new GHS 3 800 – 5 400 VSD+ range will be available globally later this year.” The GHS VSD+ boasts one of the smallest footprints on the market, no larger than that Enquiry no: 34 of a standard pallet.

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EC Industrial & Business News

Increasing plant safety and worker efficiency

T a time when experienced personnel are retiring and processes are being run closer to their capacity, Emerson Automation Solutions has launched a new non-contacting radar transmitter that it says helps operators increase reliability and safety. The SIL 3-capable Rosemount 5408 Non-Contacting Radar Level Transmitter uses enhanced technology and Human Centered Design to deliver accurate, reliable measurement and ease-of-use, supporting greater worker efficiency and plant safety. To reduce complexity and enable less experienced workers to easily manage their level measurements for tank monitoring, process control and overfill prevention, the Rosemount 5408 has been designed to simplify operator tasks. Pictorial instructions and a highly intuitive software interface guide the operator through installation, commissioning, proof-testing, operation and maintenance. Enhanced on-board diagnostics support preventative maintenance, and provide actionable information, streamlining the troubleshooting process. The ability

to perform proof-testing and site acceptance tests remotely saves time, increases worker efficiency and reduces the reliance on highly experienced staff. “With a changing workforce demographic and increasing pressure to improve plant efficiency, companies require instrumentation that is extremely reliable and easy to implement and operate,” said Andreas Hessel, Rosemount strategic product manager, Emerson Automation Solutions. “The Rosemount 5408 takes level measurement a big step forward in both areas, offering the most advanced and simple-to-use radar available.” With the need to run plants closer to capacity it is essential that instrumentation provides greater measurement accuracy and reliability, especially in critical overfill prevention applications. To support this, the Rosemount 5408 uses two-wire Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) technology that uses a continuous echo to maximize radar signal strength and produce a more robust and reliable measEnquiry no: 34 urement.

Largest valves inventory in Africa

R Controls, a leading importer and manufacturer of internationally-recognised valves and instrumentation, says it has the largest product inventory of any similar company in Africa. Director Julien van Niekerk said, “We carry a huge inventory. There is not another valve supplier on the continent with a similar stockholding.” This was largely due to the fact that the company also specialises in stainless steel products for erosive and corrosive applications in a range of industries. Apart from its extensive product range, said Van Niekerk, what gives AR Controls an edge in this highlycompetitive market is its combination of technical expertise, aftermarket service and support, and regular site visits. “We have established close working relationships with many of our customers and suppliers over the

years, which continues to be an important focus for us in securing repeat business. It is the visibility and recognition of our brand that continues to give us such a good name in the industry.” It is this combination of stockholding and infrastructure that has seen AR Controls enjoy rapid growth and expansion in recent years. “We are positioned ideally to capitalise on any opportunity, and aim to increase our market share and footprint significantly.” This includes a strong focus on niche markets in Africa, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. “Our international expansion is

made possible due to our dual role as both a manufacturer and a stocking distributor,” Van Niekerk said. It is also due to excellent supply-chain management that AR Controls is able to leverage itself globally. From concentric, double offset and triple offset butterfly valves to general and severe-service ball Valves, non-return valves, linear knife gate valve products, and associated actuation and controls, AR Controls offers complete turnkey solutions for the African mining industry. Van Niekerk attributes the significant customer loyalty that AR Controls enjoys to its ethical business and management practices, which includes a strong corporate social responsibility element and community involvement, together with health and safety and environmental awareness, such as reducing its carbon footprint.

Enquiry no: 36

New products to meet fluid technology demand

MG’s strategy to enhance its fluid technology services to meet growing market demand, encompasses the introduction of new products, with the latest developments in design technologies, materials and coatings. The company’s expansion programme in the fluid technology sector also involves increasing stockholdings through more than 150 BMG branches and a wide distribution network in South Africa and across borders into Swaziland, Zambia, Botswana, DRC, Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia and Tanzania. “BMG boosts its fluid technology services with dependable technical support to ensure optimum safety, efficiency and extended service life of every system, even in corrosive environments. With broad technical capabilities, the

team is able to solve problems in applications where conventional components have failed after short periods of service,” said Willie Lamprecht, product manager, industrial valves, BMG. “BMG’s fluid technology services also cover project engineering and consulting, cylinder design and manufacture, training, repair and testing, as well as onsite container services.” The company’s extensive range of components for fluid technology systems and general industrial applications encompasses valves, hydraulic hoses and fittings, accumulators, cylinders, heat exchangers, pneumatics, hydraulic motors and hydraulic plumbing, as well as pumps and reservoir accessories. BMG’s range of FPV valves includes open frame pinch valves, designed for enhanced operating efficiency and extended service life in diverse sectors. These valves are particularly well suited for the control and isolation of abrasive slurries. Open frame pinch valves have been developed on the successful design of BMG KLEP’s patented FPV diaphragm valves.

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Enquiry no: 35

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New high-quality development kits S Components (RS), the trading eral funcR brand of Electrocomponents tions on a single plc (LSE:ECM), the global distrib- chip. utor for engineers, has announced availability of new motor-control kit solutions from Cypress Semiconductor Corp that enable the simple design, configuration and evaluation of advanced DC motor-control solutions. Covering a range of motors including BLDC (Brushless Direct Current) motors, PMSM (Permanent Magnetic Synchronous Motors) and stepper motors, the new Cypress CY8CKIT-037 PSoC 4 Microcontroller Motor Control Evaluation Kit has been designed for use with the Cypress CY8CKIT-042 PSoC 4 MCU Pioneer Kit. PSoC is Cypress’ programmable microcontroller that is based on the ARM Cortex-M processor and integrates configurable analogue and digital periph-

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COMPANY & PRODUCT NEWS

Making it easy to prototype four different BLDC motor-control techniques, the PSoC 4 Motor Control Evaluation Kit supports several operating modes including single-shunt and sensor-less FOC (Field Oriented Control), sensored or sensor-less BLDCmotor control, as well as stepper motor control. The PSoC 4 Motor Control evaluation kit comprises: motor-control board; 24V/2A power supply adapter; screwdriver; BLDC motor with sinusoidal back-EMF; type-A to mini-B USB cable; configuration jumpers; 2.5A fuse; and a quick start guide. The PSoC 4 Pioneer kit comprises: the Pioneer PSoC board, USB standard type-A to mini-B cable; jumper wires; and a quick start guide. Enquiry no: 37

EC Industrial & Business News

Auto industry to phase out environmentally-unsafe refrigerants

N line with legislation in Europe, which came into effect at the beginning of the year, the automotive industry is required to phase out environment-damaging refrigerants currently being used and replace these with green alternatives. Automotive air-conditioning systems currently run on R134a refrigerant. However, HFO1234yf has been introduced as the next-generation gas for car air-conditioners, according to speciality chemicals and gas supplier A-Gas South Africa. With many international automotive manufacturers represented in South Africa, there will not only be a burgeoning demand for the new

HFO1234YF refrigerant, but these systems will soon require servicing or recharge as well, necessitating both supply of, and training in, the latest refrigerant. “That is ultimately where the aftermarket comes into the picture,” A-Gas South Africa sales representative Werner Terblanche said. “Slowly but surely, as more and more of these vehicles are sold in South Africa, they will ultimately need to be serviced. Therefore, it is important for the industry to not only be knowledgeable about these gases, but also why there has been a need for this phase-out, and the ultimate benefits thereof. “Inferior refrigerants have surfaced

in South Africa in recent years, sold by unethical importers, and often in generic disposable cylinders,” Terblanche said, adding that it was recommended that all repairs and servicing be carried by trained technicians and well-established automotive air- conditioning service centres that use quality, branded refrigerants. “This is critical in terms of preventing equipment breaking down. Vehicle owners should further also be aware of which refrigerant their vehicle requires in order to ensure that the correct refrigerant is gassed into the vehicle’s air-conditioning system. Should the incorrect gas be used, it could ultimately result in costly damage.”

Enquiry no: 38

Answered: 7 common questions about AOD pumps

ir operated diaphragm (AOD) pumps have been around since the 1920s. Mark Burn, MD of Vactech, answers common questions about the use of these pumps. 1. What is a diaphragm pump? A diaphragm pump is a positive displacement pump that uses a combination of reciprocating action and either a flapper valve or a ball valve to transfer liquids. This pump is sometimes referred to as a membrane pump. Diaphragm pumps are self-priming and are ideal for viscous liquids.  2. How long have diaphragm pumps been specified for waste transfer? Diaphragm pumps have been in existence since the 1920s. Many consulting engineering firms have been specifying diaphragm pumps for wastewater and slurry handling since the 1930s. 3. What sizes of dia-

phragm pumps are available? Our Price AOD pumps are available with connection sizes from ¼” up to 4”. One can get couplings to fit almost any piping arrangement. 4. What kinds of fluids does a diaphragm pump transfer? Once the correct materials of construction are selected, diaphragm pumps can transfer almost any kind of slurry, debris laden waste, food processing residual, liquid, stones, sticks, sugar, oil sludge, refinery waste, mud, clay pharmaceutical, industrial fluids and much more. 5. What kinds of facilities use a diaphragm pump? Facilities of all sizes use diaphragm Pumps. We provide food and beverage companies, pharmaceutical, construction, oil and mining groups with diaphragm pumps. We also provide homeowners, local businesses, restaurants, hotels, Fuel stations, bio-fuel producers, marinas and campgrounds.

6. What types of diaphragm pump configurations are available? There is a wide selection of options such as stationary, wheel kit, skid mounted or trailer mounted models. Let us have your design ideas and we will most likely be able to accommodate your needs. 7. Is it easy to use a diaphragm pump? Price pumps are designed and engineered, placing the operator and application first. This means that when you choose the right pump for your application, you get long life cycle, easy to maintain design all at an affordable price. In most cases, you connect the pump to the process and air supply and turn it on. Enquiry no: 39

INSTRUMENTATION specialist ASSTech now offers the Kiray range of portable infrared thermometers manufactured by French company, Kimo. It describes the unit as a key tool to diagnose, inspect and check any temperature using non-contact technology. This allows for safe measurement of the surface temperatures of hot objects or objects that are difficult to access. Each range includes optical features (single or dual laser sightings), functions (min/max, average temperatures, alarms etc) and temperature ranges (from -50 °C to +1850 °C) suitable for general industrial use, including in the food industry. Kimo instruments are easy to handle, easy to use and their adjustable emissivity allows excellent precision. Enquiry no: 40

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Asphalt supplier achieves 100% quality in N2 supply contract

AST Coast Asphalt recently completed the supply of 22 000 tons of a special High Modulus Asphalt mix, commonly known as EME, for a SANRAL contract on the N2 freeway from Buffalo River to the Breidbach Interchange in the Eastern Cape Province. About 60% of the High Modulus Asphalt base course was paved on the N2 sections carrying high traffic volumes through the King Williamstown CBD. The remaining 40% was placed on the periphery of the town. This will be overlaid with Modified Medium Grade Asphalt. According to the company, the product manufactured with the hardest penetration binder, grade 10/20, offers

the best bitumen treated base solution due to its superior rut resistant properties measured with a Mobile Model Load Simulator (MMLS). “This was our first opportunity to supply this sensitive product from our East London drum mix plant,” said East Coast Asphalt managing director Brian Mchunu. “We are very excited to have delivered the final product to the

client, Roadspan, to specification with an impeccable zero reject rate. “This was achieved by our dedicated and skilled operations and laboratory staff, using stringent quality control processes.” Mchunu added that the risk of running out of the scarce 10/20 binder from the Shell refinery was mitigated during the supply period through access to parent company Much Asphalt’s strategic additional bitumen storage capacity off site. East Coast Asphalt’s East London branch manager, Francois Meyerhoff, and the site staff successfully managed the binder supply logistics for the haul distance of almost 600 km.

• • • •

Automotive Industry Chemical & Allied Industries Coega Development Zone Materials Handling, Bulk Handling & Logistics • Plastics & Rubber • Water & Effluent Management For all editorial contributions contact Chantal Haines For advertising Cheryl Murphy Tel: 031 266 7511 Email: editorial@mediaevents.co.za

Enquiry no: 41

New separated valve offers reduced downtime, improved reliability

MC recently introduced a new 2/3 Port media separated LVMK20/200 valve series to its collection of over 12 000 basic products. The valve has been designed to prevent armature sticking and corrosion that in the past has led to equipment or valve failure. Brian Abbott, Product Manager at SMC Pneumatics said that by preventing fluid from entering the solenoid assembly, it remains pollution free from oil, metal and dust particles, improving overall performance and

reliability. “As a result of this, the launch of a new 2 and 3-port media separated valve means improved performance and lowered component costs,” he said. Designed for sensitive applications such as water purification and blood and atmospheric pollution analysers thanks to its media separation structure, the LVMK20/200 series has proved popular overseas. “There are two models to choose

from, either a base mounted or body ported option, offering customers flexibility in terms of use. The body ported model features an integrated barb fitting, allowing for easy piping which delivers labour savings.” Both designs are easy to clean, as there is very little dead space, reducing cleaning costs and eliminating the need to adjust flow rates with the 3-port valve, keeping leakage rates to a minimum. Enquiry no: 42

Optimum functionality in distance sensing applications

PTIMUM functionality during logisO tical operations, whether in manufacturing or storage facilities, demands

the ability to sense a wide range of objects rapidly and with absolute accuracy. The Leuze 10 Series distance sensors offer reliable object detection and distance measurement over an operating range of up to eight metres with an accuracy of 30 mm. According to its South African distributors, Countapulse Controls, these devices have a high tolerance to the angle of incidence as well as to colour, surface structure and even the brightness of reflective materials. “Engineered for optimum sensing

reliability even under changing conditions, the Leuze 10 Series sensors are easy to install, and commission; offering optimum functionality,” the company said in a statement. Designed with a modular structure,

the sensors can be combined in a variety of configurations to suit individual applications. This allows flexibility in terms of the required functions, electrical connection, number of I/Os as well as data output requirements. With the display on the top, large control buttons and LED display status displays that are visible from a distance, handling and monitoring of the sensors is straightforward and intuitive. Its compact housing, with integrated recesses for the screws and flexible connections, makes the device easy to use even when space is tight. Enquiry no: 43

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PE training academy scoops silver

ORT Elizabeth harbour-based Siyaloba Training Academy has been awarded silver in the Best Community Project category at the prestigious National Skills Development (NSD) Awards, held recently in Pretoria as part of a two-day National Skills Conference. The awards celebrate excellence by recognising best skills development practices. They are presented by the National Skills Authority (NSA), advisor to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). The category was won by Bidvest Protea Coin, with Kolomela Iron Core taking Bronze. Siyaloba director Karen Reid said the accolade was a celebration of a successful NGO SETA collaboration in place since 2006. “The projects entered were funded through Transport SETA Maritime Chamber discretionary grant funding, in line with the SETA mandate to implement NSD strategy and the SETA Sector Skills Plan. An added benefit is the support to Operation Phakisa oceans economy, which benefits fishers and fishing communities,” she said.

Organisations were judged based on their 2014 to 2016 performance on criteria such as: track record of placement and appointments; retention and throughput; number of learners employed; and the profile of learners. During this period, 855 learners were successfully put through their paces at Siyaloba, in its Adult literacy (AET), Project Management learnerships, New Venture Creation learnerships, From left, Nozipho Ntsini, (project coordinator), Karen Reid and Maritime regulatory training (director), Mariette Weyers (training manager), Betsy Ings programmes. (director) and Abegail Olayi (office support). Malcolm Alexander, Maritime Chamber Education Training and Development Practitioner for Transport Education and Training Authority been able to change many lives,” Alexander (TETA), said the long-established partnership commented. with Siyaloba enables TETA to develop Speaking at the award ceremony, Reid said traditionally marginalised fishing communities. Siyaloba was proud to be associated with the Skills development is not a two-day short NSA and the standards that it embodies. course. Development happens over years Enquiry no: 44 and in this partnership with Siyaloba we have

Team effort pays off

Janice Kitching and Owen Peters from Caltex Kokstad received the overall prize money of R75 000 from CECM CEO Clive Berlyn.

EAMWORK and great customer service proved to be the secret to success for the Kokstad Caltex service station when they brought home the grand prize in the “Every One’s a Winner” competition run by Caltex Eastern Cape Marketer (CECM) for more than 90 retailers in their network across the province. Proving that bigger doesn’t always mean better, father-and-daughter team Owen Peters and Janice Kitching, owner and manager respectively of the service station in the small town of Kokstad, saw off competition from the

main centres of the Eastern Cape and were rewarded with the R75 000 grand prize at CECM’s recent annual retailer conference. Kokstad Caltex claimed the prize by beating their targets for fuel sales volume and stock management, maintaining the high standards of site upkeep and cleanliness required of Caltex retailers, and delivering excellent service to their customers in the fast-growing small town and travellers on the busy border between the Eastern Cape and KwaZuluNatal. “It’s about perseverance and teamwork,” said Janice, looking back on the major revamp in 2015 that saw the site completely rebuilt for improved access and greater convenience, offering additional fuel pumps and a flagship FreshStop store. “We focus on getting every piece of the business right – from making sure the tanks are

always full to being there with help and advice for our customers. Getting that right takes teamwork, it can’t be a one-man show, and we definitely have a great team. “We really want to thank all our staff for their hard work in getting us to the top of the competition, as well as our customers because without their ongoing support we will not be able to meet our fuel targets,” she said. The Kokstad Caltex team are working hard to “go green” and make their business more environmentally friendly and energy efficient. The prize money would go a long way towards helping with that drive, Janice said, and would be put towards installing solar panels on the roof. CECM chief executive Clive Berlyn said the competition had enabled the company to reward excellence and recognise dealers who “go the extra mile”. “The success of Kokstad Caltex just shows the strength of family businesses, the importance of recognising teamwork, and that you don’t have to operate in a big city to be successful,” Berlyn said. Enquiry no: 45

NMMU student flies EC flag at top architectural awards

elson Mandela Metropolitan University student Mario van Wyk travelled to Johannesburg recently to represent the institution at the Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Awards held at the Hilton Hotel. In this national competition, the country’s best architectural students from eight major universities are identified based on their final theses and presented with awards at regional events. The winners of each of the regional competitions then go on to compete for the national title and a prize of R50 000. As this year’s top NMMU student Mario van Wyk’s thesis is entitled “Horror in Architecture,

a romantic exploration of the exquisite corpse analogy”. Van Wyk said, “As a by-product of the urban environment we are left with open undefined spaces between developed areas where the accumulation of infrastructural layers exists such as storm water channels, railway lines, natural invasiveness and even ruins of old industrial remains. These kinds of spaces, create urban barriers and breeding grounds for criminal activities.” His thesis harnesses the romantic and functional qualities of such an area, converting it into a progressive system of human habitation

with an innovative housing model.

Enquiry no: 46

New food plant will supply meals for needy children

HANKS to a joint effort between PG Bison, a leading diversified timber company, its suppliers and farmers in Ugie, a food processing plant with the capacity to produce and package 1 000 meals for needy children per day will soon come on line. PG Bison is assisting with renovations, while vegetables will be donated by local farmers. Farmers also donated the facility. The meals will be distributed via Early Childhood Development centres that are being established by NGO, Judea Hope. Pieter de Wet, general manager for PG Bison in Ugie, said it was encouraging to witness the community uniting around the cause of providing for and educating its children. Through its support to Judea Hope over the past year, PG Bison and JEI, one of its suppliers, already helps to feed close to 500 children every day. More than 10 000 meals have been distributed in the past year. Also, 22 Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers are participating in a course developed by the University of Pretoria. Some of these teachers run ECD centres with 50 children, while others are simply moms who look after ten kids in their homes. PG Bison’s Ugie plantations and board plant is the small Eastern Cape town’s largest employer. De Wet says he believes that the well-being of the plant is deeply connected with that of residents of the surrounding area. Hence his passion to invest in community development in a variety of ways. It has helped create hundreds of employment opportunities by assisting the community to set up small business in the plant’s supply chain. The company has also partnered with a variety of stakeholders to provide support to local high schools. Judea Hope Director Louis Blom is excited about starting the next phase in the transformation of Ugie. He said the new processing facility will double up as an ECD centre, and a training facility. “We will also use the current processing facility as a hub to supply the existing ECG centres in tents around Ugie.” There are now three tents in Ugie, that act as ECD centres and distribution points for meals and training. Judea Hope has established 3 000 such tents across South Africa. One of the early spin-offs of the broader intervention is that farmers, schools, the community and business sector have joined Enquiry no: 47 hands.

New Appointments

Jason Saunders Branch Manager Tectra Automation Port Elizabeth

Dr Gary Mocke Managing Principal Ports and Marine Terminals Advisian (Worley Parsons)