Composites multinational BFG International, of Bahrain, has officially opened a R50-million factory in Ekurhuleni, South Africa, to supply fibreglass components for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (PRASA’s) new trains.

The investment, which is the first-ever by a Bahraini manufacturing enterprise in South Africa, has been pursued in partnership with black-owned financial services company Mergence, which is a 51% shareholder in BFG Africa.

Mergence MD Masimo Magerman describes the investment as the “start of a new era in material design and manufacturing in Africa”, noting that composites are emerging as preferred material, owing to their light weight, low energy and resilience.

BFG International group president Dr Samer Aljishi tells Engineering News Online that the South Africa factory incorporates state-of-the-art technologies and is among the most advanced in the group’s network of 19 manufacturing facilities globally.

He also reports that the 9 500 m2 facility has scope for further expansion, which will be pursued should BFG succeed in securing orders in other sectors, including renewable-energy, mining, transport and automotives.

Aljishi is particularly optimistic about BFG Africa’s prospects in the renewable-energy sector, owing to the fact that its composites are being deployed increasingly in various wind-energy components.

He also expects the South Africa unit to capture market share in the automotive, and building sectors as original equipment manufacturers and architects increasingly incorporate light-weight composites into their products and designs.

Department of Trade, Industry and Competition acting deputy director-general Yunus Hoosen says government views composites as central to its “re-imagined industrial policy”, which will seek to attract and stimulate advanced-manufacturing investment.

Hoosen also said that the investment would enable South Africa to localise the production of components for use in various sectors using materials and technologies that would become increasingly prominent in the unfolding Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The initial focus, however, remained the delivery of components to the Gibela consortium, which has been awarded a contract to supply PRASA with 600 commuter trains over a ten-year period.

BFG Africa MD Arshad Gove indicates that the initial components were supplied to Gibela from Bahrain, but that, with the opening of the factory in South Africa, parts are now being produced and supplied to the Gibela plant, in Dunnottar, from the Germiston facility.

The facility, which employs 27 people, incorporates several specialist presses and the manufacturing process includes tooling, open contact moulding, resin-transfer moulding, painting, SMC material production and moulding, vacuum infusion, assembly and product integration.

Minister of Trade and Industry Ebrahim Patel has also welcomed the investment, saying the scale of the facility will enable the company to will meet South African requirements, as well as those of other sub-Saharan Africa markets.

Patel also describes the factory as a "positive step for localisation of component manufacturing", noting that it will lead to 76% of the components required for PRASA's new trains being built in South Africa.