Company Announcement - Powermite, part of the Hudaco Group, is a leading supplier of superior quality high-performance cable festoon systems for the efficient feeding of power, data, air, or fluids to keep mobile bulk materials handling and mining machinery moving. Powermite is a specialist supplier of electrical and mechanical equipment for moving machinery to local industry for close to 50 years. Since establishing a partnership with French multinational, Delachaux, and its Conductix-Wampfler operation, Powermite’s materials handling division has been distributing Conductix products including Cable Reeling Drums(CRD’s), slip-ring housings and festoon systems to the Southern African mining and industry for over 40 years. With over 100 years of collective experience in electrification systems, Powermite/Conductix-Wampfler offer world-leading designs and manufacturer of state-of-the-art, customised cable reeling drums and festoon systems.

Open cast and underground mining operations, stockyards, ports and other bulk handling facilities rely on powerful electric machines to do the heavy work. Maximum uptime, fundamental to high production levels, relies on reliable, easy to maintain materials handling machines. “It is therefore essential to install high quality specialised festoon systems to ensure uninterrupted and reliable feeding of energy, data, etc. to these machines even in extremely harsh and arduous environments,” states Powermite Marketing Director, Donovan Marks.

The cable carriers used on the Festoon systems are custom made, compact, rugged and reliable in order to protect and manage flat and round power/data cables for electrical energy and data transfer to machinery. These low maintenance feeding systems contribute to maximised uptime and productivity due to easy installation and uncomplicated operation. Irrespective of the particular cable or hose package, the running speed or location of the machine (indoors or out), Powermite/Conductix-Wampfler has the appropriate ISO 9001:2008 certified system to keep plants, mine sites, cranes and ports moving. Incorporation of the latest modern technology into the modular design ensures an above-average operational life of the cable festoon systems, even in the harshest of environments.

Available in an array of configurations, these feeding systems are ideally suited for use on virtually any type of moving equipment, such as bulk material conveyors, stackers, reclaimers (including circular), travelling hoppers, rail car dumpers, plating lines, water treatment and car wash systems that operate in industries such as mines, steel mills, ports (container handling and ship-to-shore power supply), power plants, airports, warehouses, automotive facilities, etc.

The Powermite/Conductix range comprises light, medium and heavy duty festooning for straight runs, bends or circular configurations. The design and correct alignment of the cable significantly influences the performance of energy and data transmission. The I-Beam cable carrier is suited for heavy duty applications including bulk container handling by cranes typically found at ports. With a load capacity of up to 125kg and maximum system length of 150m. The C-Rail cable carrier is an ideal energy supply system for light to medium duty applications. Suitable for indoor and outdoor use, the C-Rail is available in zinc-coated and stainless steel and Marks adds that Powermite can also supply a special version for explosion-proof areas, although these are fully imported systems. “We also offer festoons that run on diamond track or square rail which has been specially engineered to reduce dust accumulation by preventing dirt build-up,” explains Marks. 

Powermite supports a complete range of cable and festoon hardware and accessories including cable guiding and anchoring devices, damping devices, junction boxes, cable connectors, organisers and clamps, connection boxes, towing clamps, reels, cable, rope and webbing plugs and end clamps, etc. and can be contacted for all festooning requirements.