After many years of trying to break into the Ghana gold mining mar­ket with its modern mine winder drive and control systems, ACTOM Industry finally achieved a break­through late last year when it secured an important contract to upgrade the drive and control sys­tem of a man-winder at a gold mine. 

The mine is one of a number of gold mining operations in Ghana that are owned and operated by a leading international gold mining company. 

“We view this contract as a sub­stantial ground-breaking achievement for us, as we’ve been selected to re­place original equipment manufactured and supplied by an OEM not in any way connected with us,” commented Janna Kapp, ACTOM Industry’s General Manager. 

“In most of our mine winder drive and control system contracts, we are responsible for the design, assembly, supply, installation and commissioning of each system ordered, but in this instance, due to various regulations prevailing in Ghana that render it un­workable to have us participate in any of the on-site work involved, we had to negotiate a project plan with the client which would allow us to deliver and execute the project without undue risk to either party.” Janna said. 

“The agreed project plan ensures that the required standards and compe­tence for the on-site work are adhered to without the presence of ACTOM Industry’s personnel in Ghana,” he pointed out, adding that in terms of the project plan the client undertakes to procure and supply the labour force required for the installation work. 

The contract, due for completion in the first quarter of 2024, is for the replacement of the aging and outdated existing Ward-Leonard motor-generator set and associated electrical and con­trol systems with ACTOM Industry’s state-of-the-art DC system, compris­ing a thyristor converter system which regulates the DC voltage onto the retained 2 635kW motor. 

Other equipment that forms part of the new system includes transformers, switchgear and a safety and control system. 

“Our system is more efficient, less expensive and less maintenance-intensive than the legacy system it replaces,” said Janna. 

He concluded: “Now that we have succeeded in winning this important winder upgrade contract in Ghana, we believe we stand a good chance of being awarded further winder drive and control upgrade contracts for some of the other operations there soon.”