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Extended offering to include LV, MV products

FACILITY UPGRADE
The expansion of Shaw Controls’ manufacturing capabilities, motor control centre and production line cater for the extended product range and demand

Zest WEG Group CEO Louis Meiring discusses the global supply opportunities for Shaw Controls.

FACILITY UPGRADE The expansion of Shaw Controls’ manufacturing capabilities, motor control centre and production line cater for the extended product range and demand

22nd May 2015

By: Mia Breytenbach

Creamer Media Deputy Editor: Features

  

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Motor control systems manufacturer Shaw Controls, a member of motors, controls, electrical products and solutions provider Zest WEG Group, has extended its product offering to include low-voltage (LV) and medium- voltage (MV) applications.

The company manufactures switchboard panels and control systems from 24 V to 36 kV for the industrial, mining and infrastructure sectors.

“Shaw Controls offers a complete product line, from MV switchgear to LV withdrawable motor control centres (MCCs),” says Zest WEG Group automation and systems director Valter Luiz Knihs.

Zest WEG Group CEO Louis Meiring further notes that, as health and safety are increasingly becoming a key focus across various industries, including the LV, MV and high-voltage sectors, Shaw Controls has adapted its facility in Johannesburg and implemented the necessary requirements for its products in line with the International Electrotechnical Commission’s (IEC’s) specifications.

These locally manufactured products are independently certified in accordance with the IEC 62271-200 and IEC 61439-1/2 standards. According to IEC specifications, LV covers applications up to 690 V, while the MV range covers applications from 1 kV to 52 kV. In addition, Shaw Controls recently received ISO 9001 accreditation from Bureau Veritas for its quality management systems.

“Preventive design is key, and this forms part of the role that the company and international specifications play – by default – to build the necessary safety protection,” Meiring says.

LV switchboard panels range from the SC 100, SC 200 to SC 300 models, which can be configured for various applications at different fault levels and current ratings. This enables Shaw Controls to offer fit-for-purpose solutions.

Another recent addition to the Shaw Controls product range is the CCM 03 ZA withdrawable MCC, a well-established product of WEG Brazil, which will also be manufactured in South Africa.

All products have a robust construction and include a mechanical and electrical interlock system to ensure maximum safety. Switchgear panels are manufactured in bent steel profiles and enclosed on all sides by steel plating. Overpressure devices located at the top provide pressure relief in the event of internal arc. Further, shield-type MV switchgear is fitted with metal divisions separating the compartments.

Knihs further highlights that all Shaw Controls’ LV products have been successfully type-tested to IEC 61439-1 and IEC 61641 standards. The maximum test rating is 690 V+5% at 65 kA.

“We are at the forefront of testing and compliance in South Africa, with all the certification being undertaken independently, which helps position Zest WEG Group at the top end of the local market,” he says.


Zest WEG Group also announced a significant expansion of Shaw Controls’ manufacturing capabilities to cater for the significantly extended product range, as well as the increased demand for Shaw Controls’ E-Housing solutions. This expansion will include the design and establishment of a 2 000 m2 standalone E-House and container-conversion facility.

The expansion of Shaw Controls is in line with the Zest WEG Group’s strategy of expanding its manufacturing capability to boost its presence in the local market and in Africa, which is perceived as a major growth area. “Our aim is to position the Zest WEG Group in South Africa as a regional hub of WEG and, in so doing, position Shaw Controls as the number-one panel builder and systems integrator in Africa,” Meiring says.


While most of the facility upgrades were completed during the course of last year, Meiring notes that some smaller investments are ongoing, such as an expansion of the container yard, as this will push the envelope in terms of the company’s production capacity and flexibility in being involved in more larger projects in Africa.

“The containerised MCCs is a wonderful model for Africa, owing to the construction costs and logistical challenges of the continent,” he points out, adding that Shaw Controls spent a substantial amount of time refining its MCC offering to accommodate all the particular needs of customers.


Other key changes include the consolidation of the smaller works, such as smaller panel works from Zest WEG Group’s head office, in Johannesburg, to the Shaw Controls facility to provide the company with more flexibility when designing and manufacturing the MCCs, and adaptability to respond faster to deliveries of smaller panels.


Moreover, the general production capacity of Shaw Controls has almost doubled in the past 12 to 18 months, Meiring notes, adding that the investments are not completed yet, as the company is exploring more innovations such as automation.
While Meiring acknowledges the need for a more streamlined factory operation at Shaw Controls, another future step for Zest WEG Group will be to provide the company with a new, more efficient facility under one roof, which is “an imminent move”.

Edited by Leandi Kolver
Creamer Media Deputy Editor

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