Competitive pricing and product quality have vastly expanded the Northern African and sub-Saharan export markets of South Africa’s leading fire door producer, Bitcon Industries. Bob Vollmer, director of Bitcon, says the company is experiencing constantly increasing demand for its fire doors, as well as security doors and anti-radiation doors from not only neighbouring states but also from the Northern African market. “With Bitcon’s pricing having the edge on competitors in Europe, the number of Northern African countries where our Rubidor fire doors have been installed is growing at an unprecedented rate, while the Southern African and local demand remains steady as well,” Vollmer stated.

Among the African orders for Rubidor fire doors secured by Bitcon in the past four months are for projects such as:

• African Barrack Gold PLC in the Kahama district of Tanzania (a direct order from Tanzania’s largest gold mine which is also among the top five gold producers on the African continent);
• Church of the Latter Day Saints in Itembe, Uganda (order placed by Total Source for the church project which has Seyani Brothers as main contractors);
• The new Gateway Mall shopping complex in Lilongwe, Malawi (an order placed by Stefanutti Stocks);
• The new Lady Pohamba private hospital in Windhoek, Namibia – the hospital has a 24-hour Level One Trauma Unit, the first of its kind in Namibia  (an order for both lead-lined and fire doors placed by Stefanutti Stocks);
• Extensions to the independent Maru-a-Pula Secondary School in Gaborone, Botswana (an order secured by Mercurio Trading which is, like Bitcon, part  of the Vitrex Group);
• New premises for the Lesotho Communal Authority in Maseru, Lesotho (order placed by the contractors, LSP Construction);
• Standard Bank expansion in Maputo, Mozambique (order from Pelican Systems); and
• Rehoboth Shopping Centre near Windhoek, Namibia (ordered by Wispeco).

During 2014, Bitcon also supplied Rubidor fire doors to African countries that included Ghana, Senegal, Swaziland, and Zambia. Bitcon produces its Rubidor fire doors; Anti-Bandit, Polar and Hippo security doors; transformer and lead-lined doors from a production plant in Jet Park, Boksburg.
Rubidor Class A, B & D hinged fire doors meet the requirements of SANS 1253:2003. The doors’ cores are constructed from a magnesium-oxychloride monolithic-reinforced insulating material with exceptional fire resistance and mechanical strength. Compliance with the national standard is based on successful tests for stability, integrity, insulation and impact resistance.

The doors are clad with a variety of finishes including masonite, timber veneers, galvanised sheeting, Formica laminate, and edged with hardwood lipping. Double doors are fitted with rebated meeting stiles. Bitcon also produces sliding fire doors in the Class A, B and D categories which fulfill the national test standard. The doors are available in single, bi-parting, or double direction format.