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Maintenance News

Maintenance programmes crucial for mine cost management

By: Robyn Wilkinson 17th November 2017 In challenging economic times, mining companies are looking to ‘sweat’ their assets, and a key cost management strategy in this endeavour is the implementation of sustainable cost management programmes with structured and proactive maintenance programmes, says mining, materials handling and... →

Unique repair solutions have ‘unlimited’ applications

By: Robyn Wilkinson 17th November 2017 Applications for industrial lining solutions provider Groupline Projects’ (GLP’s) Armacoat and Armasteel composite repair systems seem to be “unlimited”, as the company embarks on a quest to tailor the repair solutions – tried and tested in the mining sector – for other industries, says GLP GM... →

AFTER The coatings are highly resilient and have, to date, proven to be completely durable, without a known failure

Construction company awarded R10m residential development contract

By: Simone Liedtke 17th November 2017 Construction company Motheo Infrastructure Contractors will use equipment – such as motor graders, 30 t excavators, compaction equipment and tipper trucks – to the value of about R10-million for its infrastructure contract at the South Hills integrated residential development in Johannesburg,... →

ARCHIE RUTHERFORD The South Hills project will have a positive impact on the local community

Geosynthetic products produce a sealing barrier for diverse applications

By: Simone Liedtke 17th November 2017 Geosynthetic products manufacturer and supplier Fibertex South Africa (SA) distributes a comprehensive range of NAUE Geosynthetics products designed for use as efficient sealing barriers, in a range of diverse applications, including construction projects. →

BENTOFIX X The carrier geotextile of the Bentofix X is coated with an additional, low-permeability polyethylene layer

Investment in infrastructure only way to realise integrated Africa dream

By: Schalk Burger 17th November 2017 The inaugural African Roundtable on Infrastructure Governance conference, hosted by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and co-sponsored by the World Bank, saw robust debate among members about the most effective way to overcome infrastructure development bottlenecks and leverage... →

Specialised welding enhances refurbishment capabilities

By: Robyn Wilkinson 17th November 2017 Having proven the benefits of laser beam welding for the refurbishment of industrial components in a range of experimental projects, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR’s) National Laser Centre (NLC) is working to commercialise this specialised technique for the South... →

PRECISION WORK Laser welding is best used in combination with other welding processes for applications that require the highly specialised capabilities

Maintenance and upgrades on cards for Platinum Corridor in 2018

By: Simone Liedtke 10th November 2017 The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) private concessionaire Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire (Bakwena) will conduct several maintenance and construction projects along the South African N1/N4 routes in 2018. →

Photo by Duane Daws
LIAM CLARKE Construction of a second carriageway on the N4 between the M17 and the R512 will start in January 2018

New course for employees to launch in 2018

By: Nadine James 10th November 2017 Germiston-based valves company Invincible Valves has established a bursary competition for schools within its community, scheduled to be launched in January next year. The competition will be open to matric students taking mathematics and science as subjects, and who have an interest in... →

COMMITTED TO EDUCATION The training facility, operational since May this year, caters for 12 employees who will be completing three valves training course

Dart valves, samplers enhance mineral processing plant efficiency

10th November 2017 Boksburg-based slurry equipment manufacturer eDART’s dual valves and poppet samplers continue to offer high-quality level control at South African miner Northam Platinum’s Booysendal plant near Lydenburg, Mpumalanga. eDART slurry valves director Richard Rule says when Booysendal was originally... →

TURNKEY SERVICE After the original installation at Booysendal, eDART assisted in the optimisation and fine tuning of the plant

Handheld ProcessMeter enables in-field valve positioner checks

10th November 2017 To keep a system operating properly, a good preventive maintenance programme that mandates periodic checks of valve positioners is required, says industrial product supplier Comtest Group. This is because valves, the actuators that move them, and the electronic circuits that control them, are all... →

MULTIPURPOSE TOOL The ProcessMeter comprises all the necessary tools for checking and recalibrating electronic valve positioners

South African rail operator rebrands, expands offering

By: Mia Breytenbach 10th November 2017 Following the investment by the Pan-African Infrastructure Development Fund 2 (PAIDF2), managed by Pan-African fund manager Harith General Partners, in South African locomotive and rail operator Sheltam Group in June, the company has launched several initiatives to enhance its offering to the... →

NEW FACE New initiatives for Sheltam Group include the rebranding to Traxtion

Upcoming energy event to showcase African project opportunities

By: Simone Liedtke 10th November 2017 A key focus point of the African Energy Indaba (AEI) – which celebrates its ten-year milestone next year – is to provide access to project opportunities across the African continent. →

Africa Energy Indaba (AEI) MD Liz Hart, AEI chairperson Brian Statham and South African Electrotechnical Export Council CEO Chiboni Evans discuss the AEI next year. Camera: Nicholas Boyd. Editing: Lionel da Silva.

High-pressure industrial cleaning suitable for various industries

By: Marleny Arnoldi 3rd November 2017 Water-jetting solutions provider Total Blasting says its ultrahigh-pressure jetting units are suitable for applications in industries such as petrochemicals (refineries), marine, offshore oil and gas, and automotive manufacturing plants. →

HIGH-PRESSURE CLEANING Total Blasting has provided many plants and industrial cleaning contractors with simple and flexible water-jetting capability

Continued volatility impacts on energy and chemicals company

27th October 2017 Continued volatility in the macroeconomic environment, particularly the stronger rand and low oil price, has adversely impacted energy and chemicals company Sasol’s financial performance, says Sasol CFO Paul Victor. →

Photo by Bloomberg
RECORD PRODUCTION Sasol showed great resilience and character through delivering record production volumes at Secunda Synfuels

Proper lubrication directly correlates with safety

27th October 2017 Lubrication can have a big impact on the safety of wind turbine operations by reducing operational safety risk at an operation during equipment servicing and maintenance, says oil company ExxonMobil Europe, Africa and Middle East (EAME) SHC brand adviser Rainer Lange. He explains that, inspecting... →

Photo by Bloomberg
GREASE THE SKIDS Reducing human-machine interaction requires having a robust lubrication programme that prevents unnecessary downtime and extends the service intervals of wind turbine equipment

Positive prospects for synfuels sector with focus on efficient maintenance

By: Simone Liedtke 27th October 2017 Welding and construction equipment-related supplier Renttech South Africa (SA) sees prospects for the synfuels industry improving, as the recent depressed period - owing to the decline globally in hydrocarbon fuel prices - has seen the petrochemicals industry focusing on efficient maintenance,... →

TO GROW AND PROSPER The country needs to have an efficient, cost-competitive local petrochemicals industry

Fabric containers used to divert Orange river for bridge-widening project

By: Donna Slater 27th October 2017 To facilitate the construction of a bridge-widening project in the Northern Cape, engineered fabrics company Kaytech used its geotextile containers to assist in redirecting part of the Orange river to allow pile-driving equipment access to riverside infrastructure. →

GEOTEXTILE SOLUTION The project required 1 000 GeoRevet Geobags to help create the piling platform structure

Bicacon considers manufacturing acquisition opportunities

By: Schalk Burger 20th October 2017 Construction and engineering services group Bicacon is investigating the viability of establishing a manufacturing division within the group to produce products for use by its maintenance division, says Bicacon Group strategy and planning head Bornapart Sibanda. The group continues to look for... →

BORNAPART SIBANDA Bicacon Group’s operations will provide its manufacturing company with a baseline demand for products and it can then pursue additional production for engineering-related industries

Buried utility locating facility essential for accurate information

By: Simone Liedtke 13th October 2017 Utility management company Bosch Munitech’s specialised Underground Services Location (USL) facility encompasses advanced utility detection and mapping services, which are essential for providing accurate information on buried utility infrastructure layouts, says Bosch Munitech underground and... →

NECESSARY SERVICE The Underground Services Location facility helps with the planning of new pipe designs, utility diversions and new construction

Supplier aims to change industry mindset

By: Simone Liedtke 13th October 2017 Industrial equipment supplier Smith Power Equipment (SPE) – a division of Smith Mining Equipment – is aiming to change the “bigger is better” mindset of the construction materials and equipment market in South Africa by offering construction equipment developer Kubota’s 3 t Kubota U30-6 mini... →

COMPACT EXCAVATOR The 3 t Kubota U30-6 mini excavator from Smith Power Equipment a compact machine

Product range to expand to construction industry

By: Simone Liedtke 13th October 2017 Owing to the risk posed by utility pipes, and electrical lines and cables in the ground, industrial product supplier Actum Industrial – part of the Actum Group – is targeting the construction, municipal, and oil and gas industry with its Ridgid range of tooling equipment – such as the SR-20 and... →

BUILDING ON THE PAST The SR-24 utility line locating instrument builds on the SR-20 feature set, adding a global positioning system and wireless communication

Well-maintained equipment ensures market competitiveness

By: Simone Liedtke 13th October 2017 Ensuring that income-generation capacity is not reduced in any way by ill-maintained equipment is an important way of staying competitive in the market, states Cape Town-based specialised equipment hire company Burma Plant Hire Group (BPH) MD Theuns Burger. →

THEUNS BURGER The proactive approach involves maintenance of a company’s equipment

Groundwater a viable water saving initiative

13th October 2017 South African consulting and engineering firm JG Afrika is working hard to change the mind-set around using South Africa’s groundwater to mitigate water scarcity, despite project failures in the past. JG Afrika technical director Mark Schapers and JG Afrika executive associate Regan Rose agree... →

MARK SCHAPERS JG Afrika’s systematic approach is transferred to all activities involved in completing groundwater projects

Western Cape municipality begins master plan to combat water loss

13th October 2017 The Drakenstein local municipality in Paarl, Western Cape, has begun a 20-year master plan to replace old or ageing asbestos pipes in the region with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes, which will achieve significant success in reducing water loss throughout the municipal area. Water leakage... →

MASTER PLANNERS Willem Liebenberg and André Kowalewski (right) of the Drakenstein municipality are at the forefront of the master plan

Partnership creates complete truck stop service concept

By: Schalk Burger 13th October 2017 A partnership between local truck and trailer service Laser Fast, oil and gas multinational ExxonMobil, its local distributor CentLube and tyre multinational Michelin Tyre Company has resulted in the creation of a complete heavy-duty vehicle service and fuel and driver rest stop in Meyerton,... →

Photo by Duane Daws
TRUCK SERVICES The truck stop service station provides all major checks and services for heavy-duty vehicles during rest stops

Renewed focus for construction equipment supplier

By: Simone Liedtke 13th October 2017 Welding and construction equipment-related supplier Renttech South Africa (SA) aims to provide an “unmatched” range of construction equipment for sale or to rent for the construction industry as part of its goal to grow consistently and sustainably. →

PREFERRED SUPPLIER Renttech SA is the preferred supplier of welding, power generation, lifting and rigging equipment to buy or rent in

Insurance plays vital role in construction project success

By: Simone Liedtke 13th October 2017 Owing to insurance playing a vital role in the ultimate success of a construction project, insurance provider Risk Benefit Solutions (RBS) says contractors and engineers need to ensure that a contract includes the contractor all risk policy, which includes cover against damage and any liabilities... →

GEORGE DAVIS Every construction project is unique and has its own set of risks

Disregard for PPE one of biggest causes of fatalities in work-at-height environment

By: Simone Liedtke 6th October 2017 Disregard for using personal protective equipment (PPE) is one of the common causes of workplace incidents, accidents and fatalities resulting from falls from height at sites in South Africa, states the Institute for Working at Height Professional Body (IWH PB). →

CONTINUOUSLY EVOLVING Personal protective equipment is continuously evolving to ensure maximum safety

Company provides energy-saving pumps solution

6th October 2017 Australia-based pump refurbishment company FITT Resources has prioritised energy efficiency as an important driver in its refurbishment packages. This includes South Africa-based manufacturer Vesconite, whose bushings are part of its energy-reducing refurbishment package. →

VESCONITE BENEFITS Materials used by Vesconite swell significantly less when exposed to water than other materials

Customer awareness key to investment confidence

By: Nica Schreuder 6th October 2017 Consumers and end-users in the pumps industry must become more educated and aware of product ranges and technological advances before investing in their next purchase, emphasises pumps products and solutions company Wilo Pumps product manager Thomas Plasket and business development manager Alex... →

INNOVATION Wilo Pump products aim for efficiency, versatility and innovation

Predictive maintenance made portable

6th October 2017 To detect early signs of component wear or failure in pumps and other mechanical assemblies, vibration sensors and monitoring systems company Monitran, represented locally by manufacturer Instrotech, has designed a portable, rechargeable instrument for measuring vibration levels. The MTN/VM220 is... →

Companies to benefit from work apparel innovation

By: Simone Liedtke 6th October 2017 Ongoing innovation in fabric manufacturing has led to greater durability and flexibility in the material used for work apparel, and companies need to ensure that workers wear such apparel consistently and correctly to benefit from these innovations, says personal protective equipment (PPE)... →

CLEAR UNDERSTANDING A clear understanding of health, safety and environmental (HSE) challenges is essential for proper HSE management and procedures

Exhibition marks firm’s international re-entry

By: Simone Liedtke 6th October 2017 Protective workwear manufacturer Sweet-Orr is set to exhibit at this year’s A+A Trade Show exhibition – which is an important trade forum for safety, security and health at work – from October 17 to 20 in Dusseldorf, Germany. →

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT Sweet Orr benchmarks its continuous improvement process in order to maintain national and international quality standards

Work apparel company sees further growth in sales

By: Simone Liedtke 6th October 2017 Since the beginning of the year, industrial supplier and solutions provider Total Blasting – a subsidiary of Total Product Solutions Group – has sold more than 50 sets of water blast and water jet personal protective equipment (PPE) and the company foresees this number steadily growing at a... →

SPECIAL DESIGN The personal protective equipment was designed to not restrict operator movement and flexibility

Rules, regulations reinforced to minimise fatalities

By: Victor Moolman 29th September 2017 With the biggest cause of fatalities in the working at height industry being workers falling from height, the Institute for Working at Height (IWH), together with the Department of Labour (DoL), is reinforcing rules and regulations within the industry that will assist in minimising these... →

BMG invests R400m in Joburg distribution centre

By: Mia Breytenbach 29th September 2017 Technical solutions provider BMG, which is part of Invicta Holdings, has officially launched its BMG World site, in Johannesburg, which is the culmination of a consolidation and supply chain re-engineering strategy that began nearly ten years ago. “The company’s R400-million investment to upgrade... →

BMG MD Gavin Pelser discusses the upgraded BMG World site facility in Johannesburg. Camerawork and Editing: Nicholas Boyd.

Cooling vest reduces industrial heat stress

By: Marleny Arnoldi 22nd September 2017 Staff exposed to hot environments, in combination with doing arduous work and wearing multi-layered protective clothing, such as firefighters, may suffer thermal physiological strain, says water jet cutting company Total Blasting, which is the South African distributing agent for Sweden-based... →

JUST CHILL TST Sweden’s cooling vest consists of nontoxic, nonflammable compound blends of salts, which are known to be an effective ingredient for temperature regulation

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