HAZLETON PUMPS, a family owned and managed business located in Centurion, has been continually awarded since the company’s inception 37 years ago with numerous awards and is regarded as a world leader in the pumping of high head, high volume acidic liquids containing solids utilising their branded HIPPO submersible slurry pump range.

The first award HAZLETON PUMPS received was in 2000 and to date the company has received 34 awards for manufacturing innovation, management of technology and product development. HAZLETON PUMPS was honoured with the “Minister’s Awards” on three occasions over the years.

The HAZLETON PUMPS team of Niël, Thehan and Thys Wehmeyer receiving the Minister’s Award from the SA Minister of Science and Technology, Minister Naledi Pandor, with Dr. Ben Ngubane in attendance. In 2006  the “Minister’s Awards” for SMME Company of the Year was bestowed on the company for the design, development and manufacture of the largest Nickel Alloy Vertical Spindle Slurry Pump manufactured in South Africa designed to pump liquids containing solids and phosphoric acid.

In 2009 the “Minister’s Awards” for Sustainability Performance was received for the company’s ability to build long-term committed sustainable customer relationships.  Specific, specialised pumps are designed, developed and manufactured in collaboration with customers in order to meet their individual and customized requirements.

In 2013 HAZLETON PUMPS was awarded for a third time with the “Minister’s Awards” for the application of Science and Technology during the innovation process. Through customized engineering and advanced technology facilitated by a team of experts accommodating a wide variety of applications and specific duties the following pumps have been designed, developed and manufactured:

• Flame Proof Submersible Pump range, designed and manufactured to IEC 60079-1
• The world’s largest Vertical Spindle Froth Slurry Pump
• The largest High Alloy Vertical Spindle Pump capable of pumping phosphoric acids
• Medium Voltage High Volume Slurry Submersible Pump Range
• Medium Voltage High Head Submersible Dewatering Pump Range

During the period 2015/2016 HAZLETON PUMPS was awarded nine times as the winner of following awards:

South African Premier Business Awards (SAPBA)

Thys and Maureen Wehmeyer receiving two South African Premier Business Awards (SAPBA) from the SA Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa for the SMME of the Year as well as the Manufacturer of the Year in 2015. The Manufacturer of the Year Award was for the development of the Medium/High Voltage; High Volume   Submersible Slurry Pump range, which was a “world first” and exported to Canada.

Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) Awards:

Thehan and Maureen Wehmeyer receiving one of two Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) Awards for the Most Innovative Company of Year as well as the Customer Service Company of the Year in 2015.

The Award for the Most Innovative Company of Year was won for the design, development and manufacture of the HIPPO High/Medium Voltage; High head; High Volume Slurry Submersible Pump range.

These pumps have the capability to pump heads of up to 250 m using single stage impeller specifically designed for use at shaft bottom applications.

The Customer Service of the Year was bestowed upon HAZLETON for ensuring an affordable total cost of ownership to their clients and due to the high cost of labour in Canada as well as the exchange rate of the ZAR against the USD, HAZLETON PUMPS is able to repair the HIPPO Medium Voltage Submersible Slurry Pumps at least 30% cheaper in South Africa than in Canada – this includes the cost of shipping to and from South Africa! All pumps repaired are done to the same standard as a new pump and all repaired pumps carry the same warrantee as a new pump.

South African Flameproof Association (SAFA) Award

Thys Wehmeyer receiving the South African Flameproof Association (SAFA) Award of Excellence for the Most Innovative Product or Engineering Solution in 2015 for the design development and manufacturing of the Medium/High Voltage, High Head, High Volume Slurry Submersible Pump Flame proof pump range which was specially designed for use in underground mining applications where methane gas is present.

The pumps range are designed and manufactured to comply with the IEC 60097/1:2005 specifications.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Awards

Niël Wehmeyer receiving the two awards during the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Awards on behalf of HAZLETON PUMPS for the Company of the Year as well the Product of the Year in 2015.

The award for Company of the Year was given for establishing a manufacturing facility with capabilities to design, develop and manufacture of the HIPPO Slurry Pump range locally in South Africa and with a local content of at least 95%.

The award for Product of the Year was for the design and development Medium/High Voltage, High Head, High Volume Flame proof Slurry Submersible Pump range for use in underground mining applications where methane gas is present.

The Southern African Stainless Steel Development Association (SASSDA) awards:

Being mainly involved with the mining industry HAZLETON PUMPS has used specialised materials, in particular the utilization of Duplex Stainless Steel which earned the company three awards from SASSDA in 2000 for Product Development; in 2008 for Product Innovation and in 2016 for Manufacturing and Innovation.

Thys Wehmeyer, CEO of HAZLETON PUMPS, receives the Southern African Stainless Steel Development Association (SASSDA) award as the Winner in the category Manufacturing Innovation 2016. This award was for the design and development Medium/High Voltage, High Head, High Volume Slurry Submersible Pump range utilizing Stainless Steel for use in the pumping of acidic liquids containing solids.

The All African Business Leaders Awards (AABLA):

Mathys Wehmeyer, in his capacity of founder and CEO of HAZLETON PUMPS, was awarded as the Southern African Industrialist of the Year during the All African Business Leaders Awards (AABLA) in 2016.

This award was given for establishing a manufacturing facility 37 years ago with capabilities to design, develop and manufacture of the HIPPO Slurry Pump range locally in South Africa. The local content of these pumps is in excess of 95%.

The unique design features of the HIPPO submersible slurry pump range have proven the products reliability and efficiency internationally in particular in the mining industry and exported extensively over the past 15 years to the following countries:
Canada; Russia; Australia; Namibia; Botswana; Mali; Senegal; Lesotho; Tanzania; Zimbabwe; Mozambique and Madagascar.

HAZLETON PUMPS exports currently 60% of the products which are manufactured locally in South Africa.