Company Announcement - Powermite is a component, equipment and system specialist that leads the southern African market in the supply of a comprehensive range of high quality, locally manufactured electrical products suitable for an extensive array of mining and industrial machinery.

“Quality and reliability are prerequisite for extending the lifecycle of products operating in the notoriously stringent mining environment to optimise uptime and productivity,” says Powermite Director, Donovan Marks. “Our range of electrical products manufactured locally by Proof Engineering and Ampco are ISO9001:2008 compliant. Both operations also respectively carry SABS approval to IEC60079 Part 1 and 2 and SANS 1489 – 2005, and to 60309 Part 1 and 2. Marks adds that local manufacture ensures rapid product and spares availability, another vital element to maximising production levels.

Proof Engineering has over 45 years’ experience in the manufacture of world class components, equipment and systems for mining, marine, industrial and general engineering applications across southern Africa. The company’s stable of electrical products are used on machinery operating in both underground and opencast mining such as continuous miners, shuttle cars, pumps, tunnel boring machines, transformers, gate end boxes, etc.Proof produces PLM366 and 415/515 plugs and sockets as well as an 11KV 800A tunnel coupler and adaptor for open cast applications. “We also have a 22kV 400A coupler for draglines and we recently extended our product offering even further with the launch of a new 35kV 400A coupler and adaptor for overhead line skids,” adds Marks. An extensive series of plugs, sockets, couplers and adaptors, ranging from 120A 1.1kV to 400A 12kV, is also available from Proof for underground equipment.

Unique to the offering from Proof Engineering is the phase-to-phase segregation which eliminates the risk of phase-to phase-faults which, in addition to costly downtime, can cause serious injury to personnel. Another innovation from Proof Engineering is the unique ProAlloy coupler which is manufactured from non-theft material. Marks explains that in addition to the fact that this material combination of zinc, copper and aluminium makes the coupler 33% lighter than its brass counterpart, it also holds no resale value. The subsequent reduction in theft risk lowers the potential for unplanned downtime and subsequent production losses.

Ampco manufactures plugs and sockets suitable for certain underground operations as well as a product range that primarily focusses on industrial applications. Available from 16A to 63A, 200-230Volt, 16A to 125A 380V to 400V and 16A to 125A 500V to 525V, these products are ideally suited for mobile generators, pumps, welding machines, factory installations, etc.

The Ampco range features a unique interlocking design which prevents the end user from removing the plug under load. The application of LM 6 reduces the possibility of corrosion and extends product lifecycle.

Proof Engineering and Ampco are part of Powermite and all three operations are part of the Hudaco Group.