A leading materials handling and air environmental specialist serving the African market, Tenova TAKRAF Africa has successfully transitioned from Bateman Engineered Technologies, combining an extensive track record and in-depth understanding of the African market with the global expertise of the international Tenova TAKRAF group,

With its century-long heritage rooted in sub-Saharan Africa, the company’s product offering is ideally suited to the demanding operational realities that mining companies face locally, and is supported by tried and tested business processes tailored to the needs of small to mega projects.

While the company offers the best of overseas technologies, it has tailored them to operate efficiently in local conditions and has also developed products specifically for the African market, enabling it to cover the value chain, says Tenova TAKRAF Africa MD Riccardo Tonini. He adds: “The Bradford Breaker, including our latest mobile version, is a leading US product, from Terrasource, which we modified extensively for local conditions.”

The company’s approach to innovation extends beyond product development, covering, for example, financing solutions and new product development with potential to positively impact on communities. Tonini cites as an example the modular overland conveyor, an indigenous development from Tenova TAKRAF Africa, which is not only a breakthrough in conveying but will also involve local communities in execution.

A subsidiary of Tenova Mining & Minerals South Africa, the company is a Level 3 broad-based black economic empowerment contributorwhich, despite challenging industry conditions, has achieved an average yearly turnover of about R800-million for the past three years, as well as an order backlog of R700-million to R800-million.

Current projects include the materials handling portion of Sasol Mining’s Tweedraai expansion project in Secunda, power utility Eskom’s Kusile power station project, and the emissions abatement plant at Impala Platinum’s refinery in Springs, Gauteng, believed to be the first of its kind in Africa.

The company has consolidated its transition with a move to its own dedicated premises in Spartan, on Gauteng’s East Rand, bringing the Tenova TAKRAF Africa and Tenova Delkor Sub-Saharan Africa engineering, warehousing and long-established laboratory facilities under one roof. The 3 400 m2 facility includes 1 800 m2 customer-focused stores and 500 m2 laboratory space. Satellite offices in Middelburg, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape ensure that Tenova TAKRAF Africa is “right at the doorstep of its customer base”, says Tonini.