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Manufacturing News

Ergonomic and user-friendly products on display at expo

By: Melissa Zisengwe 2nd March 2018 In its third participation at bauma CONEXPO AFRICA, machinery and tools manufacturer, Husqvarna South Africa (SA) will exhibit ergonomic and user-friendly products designed for high productivity and consumer satisfaction. →

Long-suffering SA manufacturing sector hoping to reap Ramaphosa dividend

By: Dylan Slater 2nd March 2018 Prior to the Valentine’s Day resignation of now former President Jacob Zuma, popular industry sentiment pointed towards a better year in terms of manufacturing and gross domestic product (GDP) on the back of a recovering commodities market. →

The Lion Match Company’s extra-long match epitomises its growth push

By: Shirley le Guern 2nd March 2018 The Lion Match Company, which is making massive inroads into the local fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) space, has begun 2018 with the roll out of a new extra-long safety match. This, according to executive chairman, Gora Abdoola, forms part of a progressive strategy of innovation, acquisition... →

Don't be mesmerised by manufacturing, warns Harvard expert

By: Kim Cloete 1st March 2018 Most jobs in the South African economy are likely to be created in the services sector, in line with global trends away from manufacturing, says Harvard University Kennedy School of Government Trade and Investment Professor Robert Lawrence. “Don't be mesmerised by manufacturing and... →

Alaris posts promising interim results; focuses on organic growth, US opportunities

By: Schalk Burger 26th February 2018 AltX-listed specialist antenna firm Alaris Holdings has posted a 67% year-on-year increase in profit after tax to R21.6-million for the six months ended December 31. Revenue increased by 21% to R102.6-million, headline earnings a share from continuing operations increased by 125% to 18.62c and... →

Working-at-height training programme incorporates VR tech

By: Nadine James 23rd February 2018 Steel and mining company ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has incorporated virtual reality (VR) technology into the apprenticeship and training programmes at its Vanderbiljpark plant. The VR training solution, which has been operational since December last year, is currently used to determine... →

SAFETY FIRST The virtual reality technology allows for practical application without placing trainees at risk

Solar systems company dismisses takeover rumour

By: Dylan Slater 23rd February 2018 Solar photovoltaic (PV) mounting systems company Schletter South Africa is seeing positive growth in line with industry developments, with high hopes of renewed interest and demand in 2018. →

A major local aerospace industry development initiative is coming back to life

By: Rebecca Campbell 23rd February 2018 The Centurion Aerospace Village (CAV), an initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is being revitalised after spending some years in the doldrums. The initiative dates back to 2006 and was formally opened in 2008, but to date has only had one tenant, local aeronautics enterprise... →

South Africa to pilot first utility-scale vanadium redox flow battery

By: Nadine James 23rd February 2018 Aim-listed miner Bushveld Minerals’ 84%-owned energy subsidiary Bushveld Energy will be commissioning its first utility-scale vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) for testing by State-owned power utility Eskom in May, says Bushveld Energy CEO Mikhail Nikomarov. →

Transnet delivering on its Africa strategy

By: Simone Liedtke 22nd February 2018 State-owned Transnet's Diaspora Infrastructure Development Group (DIDG) Consortium on Wednesday delivered rolling stock to the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) to strengthen regional integration, trade and the recapitalisation of the Zimbabwean railway programme. This transaction between a... →

Energy policy certainty needed to bolster manufacturing growth in Africa

By: Anine Kilian 21st February 2018 More policy certainty is required to support energy projects and to build a strong manufacturing sector in Africa, says engineering and infrastructure advisory group Aurecon African market energy director Elekanyani Ndlovu. Speaking as part of a panel discussion at the Africa Energy Indaba on... →

Slow start to year to impact on Tiger Brands’ FY18 performance

By: Creamer Media Reporter 21st February 2018 JSE-listed Tiger Brands’ shares fell by 9% on Wednesday morning after the company announced that its revenue for the four months to January 31 had decreased by 5% year-on-year, driven by price deflation of 1% and volume declines of 4%. In a voluntary trading update to the market, the company... →

Tribunal conditionally approves Timrite’s acquisition of mining support bag manufacturer

21st February 2018 The Competition Tribunal has approved, with conditions, mining support product supplier Timrite’s acquisition of Tufbag’s Mining Bag division. Tufbag’s Mining Bag division and Timrite design and manufacture polypropylene-based mining support (PBMS) bags. Concerns were raised by the Competition... →

Isuzu launches standalone South African business, new mu-X utility vehicle

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 16th February 2018 Isuzu Motors South Africa (IMSA) on Friday not only launched its standalone business at its manufacturing plant in Struandale, Port Elizabeth – apart from the General Motors brand, following the latter’s exit from South Africa last year – but also showcased its new bakkie-derived sports utility... →

Isuzu mu-X

GE Power expects to build a renewables ‘ecosystem’ in South Africa as electricity mix transitions

By: Terence Creamer 16th February 2018 The global head of GE Power says the group anticipates that South Africa’s future electricity mix will incorporate higher contributions from wind and solar and that its South African unit, which currently has a strong coal focus, will “pivot and adjust” its skills and localisation strategies... →

GE Power president and CEO Russell Stokes

Sasol Chemicals completes alumina capacity expansion project in Germany

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 14th February 2018 Sasol Chemicals' inorganics and catalyst division has completed a 15 000 t/y expansion of alumina capacity at its Brunsbuettel site, in Germany, enabling the company to meet growing global demand. The expansion involved debottlenecking the alumina slurry feed capacity by installing an additional... →

Trade conditions remain strong – Sacci

By: Dylan Slater 13th February 2018 With general business confidence at its highest level in two-and-a-half years, trade expectations have maintained an improved level going into this year, the South Africa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) said on Tuesday. →

KAP gears up for growth, announces solid interim results

By: Schalk Burger 12th February 2018 Diversified industrial group KAP Industrial Holdings has raised R2-billion through the issuance of three- to five-year bond tenures to fund its future growth, the firm stated in its six-month interim results for the period ended December 31. The group on Monday reported that its revenue from... →

SARB to launch commemorative banknotes in honour of Nelson Mandela's centenary

By: Simone Liedtke 12th February 2018 The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) will this year launch a set of commemorative South African banknotes, which will cover all denominations - R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200 - in honour of what would have been Nelson Mandela's centenary. The South African Mint, a subsidiary of the SARB, will... →

Photo by Duane Daws
Current commemorative South African banknotes

Entries for Seifsa Awards for Excellence now open

By: Anine Kilian 12th February 2018 The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) has invited manufacturers operating in the metals and engineering sector to submit their entries for the 2018 Seifsa Awards for Excellence. Entries are open to all companies in the sector, including those which are not... →

Portuguese association says MoU with South African tooling bodies beneficial to both countries

By: Zandile Mavuso 9th February 2018 With an 85% export rate in the past year from its member companies in Portugal, Portuguese mouldmaking association Cefamol secretary-general Manuel Oliveira says the recent memorandum of understanding (MoU) it signed with South Africa’s National Toolmaking Initiative Programme (NTIP) and Tooling... →

Continent has potential to gain the most from Industry 4.0, says Paramount head

By: Dylan Slater 9th February 2018 Africa is not alone in its unpreparedness for shifting into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0, but it has the potential to gain the most out of such a development by finding new ways of manufacturing, says aerospace and defence company Paramount group executive chairperson Ivor... →

MADE IN SOUTH AFRICA Paramount Group’s Mwari aircraft is a testament of digital technology at work as it is designed entirely in a digital format, thereby enabling for a jigless construction

Signs of manufacturing recovery, despite ongoing metals industry pressures

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 8th February 2018 The latest preliminary production data for the metals and engineering sector, released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Thursday, reflected a slowdown in production in December, despite a 2% increase in the broader manufacturing production during the same period, Steel and Engineering... →

Richards Bay zone woos investors at Cape Town's Mining Indaba

By: African News Agency 8th February 2018 The Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ) went on a charm offensive at the Mining Indaba held in Cape Town to woo local and international investors seeking export and import opportunities in KwaZulu-Natal province. RBIDZ acting manager for business development and support, Mzamo... →

Albeit modest, metals sector poised for second consecutive year of growth

By: Terence Creamer 2nd February 2018 South Africa’s metals and engineering sector is poised for a second consecutive year of modest growth, with the Steel and Engineering Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) forecasting a 1.1% expansion for 2018. The sector grew by 2.7% in 2017, breaking a streak of three consecutive years of... →

Seifsa chief economist Dr Michael Ade on the outlook for the metals and engineering sector in 2018. Camera Work: Nicholas Boyd. Editing: Christo Greyling. Recorded: 2.2.2018

Inaugural conference aims to find cross-border trade solutions

By: Jessica Oosthuizen 2nd February 2018 nvestment conference organiser Resources 4 Africa’s inaugural Cross-Border Mining Services (CBMS) Africa Indaba aims to find solutions to the challenges that the African mining industry faces when procuring and transporting goods and services across the continent. “This is the only event in... →

EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE The Cross-Border Mining Services Africa Indaba will bring together heads of procurement and supply chain from mining companies, equipment suppliers and engineering, procurement and construction managers

Showcase of SA's manufacturing prowess to debut in 2019

By: Dylan Slater 2nd February 2018 To showcase the best South Africa has to offer in terms of local manufacturing and South African-produced capital equipment, capital equipment manufactures lobby group the South African Capital Equipment Exporters Council (Saceec) has partnered with exhibition organisers Specialised Exhibitions... →

AMSA weighs asset disposals as losses mount, debt rises and rand strengthens

By: Terence Creamer 31st January 2018 ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) is considering various asset disposals as part of a plan to strengthen its balance sheet, which remains under pressure as a result of a protracted period of lossmaking, which has endured since 2010. The JSE-listed steelmaker declared another headline loss of... →

New AMSA CEO Kobus Verster on the immediate outlook for the group and initiatives under way to improve prospects for a return to profitability. Camera Work & Editing: Nicholas Boyd. Recorded: 31.1.2018

City of Johannesburg, private sector joins hands in innovative recycling project

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 30th January 2018 Adcock Ingram Critical Care, Netcare, Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba and the City of Johannesburg, this week launched a project that recycles used, nonhazardous intravenous infusion drip bags and tubing made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to produce soles for school shoes. As part of the... →

Growing global trend for small, compact and cost-saving VSDs

By: Simone Liedtke 26th January 2018 Owing to a global trend in cost efficiency and going green, drive engineering specialist SEW-Eurodrive sales engineer Sean Tibbott foresees the demand for a small, compact and cost-saving variable-speed drives continuing to grow worldwide. →

MOVIGEAR MECHATRONIC DRIVE UNIT The units are able to reduce installation and start-up efforts and costs

High-performance chain offers enhanced strength and reliability

By: Simone Liedtke 26th January 2018 To ensure greater strength and durability, engineering consumables and components distributor BMG’s range of Tsubaki high-performance product chains now includes the robust Workhorse elevator series. →

Increasing energy cost prompts need for drive systems

By: Simone Liedtke 26th January 2018 The ever-rising cost of energy and the increasing pollution associated with power supply systems are continuously driving the need for alternating current drive systems with low harmonics and power regeneration, says Midrand-based variable-speed drive (VSD) and automation equipment supplier... →

U1000 MATRIX DRIVE The U1000 matrix drive does not require any additional filtering to achieve low harmonics

Misaligned pulleys affect belt efficiency and life span

By: Simone Liedtke 26th January 2018 Misaligned pulleys are one of the biggest contributors to premature failed belts, negatively affecting drive efficiency and shortening the life of the belt significantly, states engineering consumables and components distributor BMG power transmission GM Carlo Beukes. →

FENNER DRIVE ALIGNMENT LASER The Fenner Drive Alignment Laser is designed for accurate pulley and sprocket alignment

Motor solutions ensure simpler, more compatible installations

By: Simone Liedtke 26th January 2018 Owing to the installation of electrical products onto panels and enclosures being time-consuming and costly, electric solutions provider Magnet Group MD Brian Howarth says product installations need to be made simpler and more compatible with existing wiring through the supply of cost-effective... →

EASYPACT TVS The EasyPact TVS range encompasses nine sizes of contactors that cover a broad range of current ratings

Multifunction vibration meter redefines vibration screening

26th January 2018 Sandton-based distribution centre Comtest is offering electronic test tools manufacturer and distributor Fluke’s latest vibration meter, the Fluke 805, which provides quantifiable information on a bearing and the overall health of motors and other rotating equipment. →

VFD adoption triggers need for bearing protection rings

By: Simone Liedtke 26th January 2018 As the adoption of variable-frequency drives (VFDs) increases, so too will the need for the reliable mitigation of destructive shaft voltages, which will lead to increased demand for bearing protection rings, says bearing protection solutions provider AEGIS sales and marketing manager Adam... →

Economisers the key to boiler success

26th January 2018 Fitting an economiser on a boiler is a small addition that can provide big results in terms of helping companies reduce their operating costs and decrease their environmental impact, says heat and energy generation equipment provider Steam Generation Africa MD John Rundle. →

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