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Metals & Engineering News

Russian iron-ore miner urges industry to pursue cleaner operations

By: Marleny Arnoldi 30th August 2021 The current trend in reducing carbon dioxide emissions in ferrous metallurgy will become clear with the transition from blast furnace production to the metallisation process in steel production, and with the use of direct reduced iron (DRI) and hot briquetted iron (HBI), says iron-ore and HBI... →

Hulamin expects to report higher interim earnings

By: Marleny Arnoldi 26th August 2021 JSE-listed aluminium products supplier Hulamin has advised that its earnings a share for the six months ended June 30 will be between 137% and 140% higher year-on-year at between 28c and 30c. Normalised headline earnings a share will amount to between 8c and 10c – which is a year-on-year... →

Green Steel? look to hydrogen as the answer, BNEF says

By: Bloomberg 25th August 2021 Hydrogen made from clean power will be the cheapest way to bring emissions from steel production near zero by 2050, according to a BloombergNEF report. While making green steel with hydrogen requires a price premium now, the process will likely be cheaper than coal- or natural gas-based... →

Numsa starts nationwide demonstrations amid wage deadlock

By: Marleny Arnoldi 23rd August 2021 The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has started with nationwide demonstrations, while wage negotiations with the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) are ongoing. Seifsa says this action has, so far, involved peaceful demonstration and... →

DMRE confirms 102 solar and wind bids as renewables procurement resumes

By: Terence Creamer 20th August 2021 The Independent Power Producer Office (IPPO) has released the project names and technologies bid in response to Bid Window 5 (BW5) of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), the bid deadline for which was August 16. The list released shows that 63 solar... →

South32 posts higher manganese, aluminium output from South African operations

By: Marleny Arnoldi 19th August 2021 Diversified miner South32 has posted a 21% year-on-year increase in manganese output from its South African mines to 2.26-million tonnes for the year ended June 30. The JSE-, ASX- and LSE-listed miner has a 44% interest in two manganese mines – Mamatwan and Wessels – in South Africa, based in... →

Hillside Aluminium, in Richards Bay

Proven performance of zinc for structural longevity

By: Marleny Arnoldi 17th August 2021 Amid a global wave of stimulus programmes and resultant construction activity, the International Zinc Association (IZA) deemed it opportune to demonstrate the proven performance of zinc to protect steel from corrosion in the built environment. In a webinar on August 12, IZA Africa Desk manager... →

Hot dip galvanized structural steel

Seifsa says Numsa picketing over wage deadlock would be premature

By: Marleny Arnoldi 17th August 2021 The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has served notice that it intends to start picketing following failed wage negotiations with the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa). The federation says it views this notice as “premature,... →

Change drives steel supplier forward

By: Anna Moross 13th August 2021 The significant steel shortages have been a huge challenge for steel supplier Stewarts & Lloyds since the start of the pandemic; however, through active in-house changes, the company has created opportunities to benefit from inceased volumes of product. Stewarts & Lloyds branch manager of steel... →

Steel supply at a Stewarts & Lloyds branch

STEEL SUPPLY The market has changed, and we have managed to grow our tonnages and do better than previous years overall

Supplier rejoins institution

By: Anna Moross 13th August 2021 Fasteners, bearings and welding equipment suppliers Bolt and Engineering Distributors (B.E.D.) Group has a long-standing historical association with the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC) and has recently decided to rejoin the industry body. “Fasteners, bolts and nuts,... →

Steel construction learning reinvisioned

By: Anna Moross 13th August 2021 Nonprofit organisation the South African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC) is evolving its technical learning sessions for steel construction to a digital platform. The SAISC has been offering technical sessions for engineers since early March and, according to SAISC marketing director... →

An image of Amanuel Gebremeskel the technical director of SAISC.

AMANUEL GEBREMESKEL The weekly technical sessions are the first step towards the future of structural steel training courses available to SAISC members

Coolers manufacturing for smelting furnace successfully completed

By: Theresa Bhowan-Rajah 6th August 2021 Foundry and engineering company Thos Begbie recently completed the manufacture and supply of specialised coolers for a platinum producer’s smelting furnace site in Rustenburg, in the North West. The company’s scope of work included the manufacture and supply of cast copper coolers, drill-and-plug... →

Thos Begbie sales manager Jurgsen Dercksen seated

JURGEN DERCKSEN The end walls of the furnace take most of the hammering during the smelting process and will be replaced more frequently than the rest of the furnace

Pin gear drives used in kilns

6th August 2021 Engineering solutions provider BMG’s comprehensive range of Tsubaki power transmission components encompasses pin gear drive units that replace conventional gear rack systems, with typical applications being in rotary kilns, casting lines, drives for large transporters, handling robots and pallet... →

BMG pin gear drive unit on a white background

FIRM GRIP Pin gear drive units replace conventional gear rack systems

Business seeks to nudge localisation debate beyond import substitution

By: Terence Creamer 4th August 2021 Business is aiming to progress ongoing negotiations on the use of local-content regulations to revive manufacturing in South Africa beyond calls for blanket import substitution by identifying specific products or sectors where the country has the competitive advantages in place to increase... →

Soaring aluminum drives up cost of everything from beer to foil

By: Bloomberg 3rd August 2021 For consumers and economists hoping commodities inflation will soon subside, the aluminum market delivered some discouraging news on Monday. The world’s second-largest brewer, Heineken, said the rising costs of freight and the metal used in beer cans will have a “material effect” on profit next... →

Seifsa, Numsa to meet on August 10 to discuss deadlock

By: Marleny Arnoldi 3rd August 2021 The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) has declared a counter dispute against the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) after the union refused to accept the federation’s proposed wage offer. The offer was made at the Metal and Engineering... →

Seifsa appoints Lucio Trentini CEO

By: Creamer Media Reporter 2nd August 2021 Industry veteran Lucio Trentini has been appointed CEO of the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) with immediate effect. Trentini, until his appointment as CEO, was the operations director at Seifsa. He has been with the organisation since 1990 and, over the... →

Concrete pole achieves 8kN of force testing

By: Cameron Mackay 30th July 2021 Concrete products supplier Rocla subjected its 11 m concrete cast pole to 8 kN of force testing at its manufacturing plant, in Roodepoort, in May. Rocla’s cast concrete pole has become the preferred option for electrification and electric power line projects. →

Rocla's spun concrete poles for windfarm

INNOVATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE PRODUCTS Today these poles are used for electrification, telecom infrastructure, security and lighting

Equipment supplier distributes compaction range to local market

By: Cameron Mackay 30th July 2021 Compaction technology manufacturer Bomag has entrusted local equipment supplier Smith Power Equipment to distribute its light compaction equipment range in South Africa and selected cross-border markets, after the dealer agreement was signed at the end of 2019. Smith Power Equipment sales... →

Smith Power Equipment BOMAG equipment on construction site

ROBUST SUPPORT SERVICES The three-to-one warranty is unique locally, as three- to six-month warranties are normally offered for this kind of equipment

Production surplus meets growing rail industry demand

By: Theresa Bhowan-Rajah 30th July 2021 Although stainless steel supplier Columbus Stainless can meet South Africa’s stainless steel material demands in all sectors, including the railroad industry, the apparent stainless steel consumption is too low to fulfil the mill’s total production capacity, says Columbus Stainless market... →

3CR12 grade steel train wagon transporting coal

STRONG AND STURDY Ferritic stainless steel contains at least 10.5% chromium

AMSA reports decade-high interim Ebitda

By: Marleny Arnoldi 29th July 2021 Primary steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has reported its strongest interim earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) in a decade at R3.21-billion. This compares with a loss of R1.2-billion reported for the six months ended June 30, 2020. →

ArcelorMittal South Africa CEO Kobus Verster

AMSA CEO Kobus Verster unpacks the primary steel producer's strong interim performance

Numsa rejects Seifsa’s wage offer

By: Marleny Arnoldi 28th July 2021 The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has declared a deadlock in wage negotiations with the Steel Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa). Seifsa and labour unions Numsa, Solidarity and Uasa on July 28 continued with negotiations over the proposed 4.4% wage increase offer. →

Nickel nears seven-year high with metals rising on demand bets

By: Bloomberg 27th July 2021 Nickel rose for a third straight session, approaching a seven-year high on booming demand for the metal used in stainless steel and electric-vehicle batteries. Copper advanced the most in more than two months. Nickel gained as much as 2.1% to $19 780 a ton. It reached $20 110 in February, the... →

AMSA to report interim profit

By: Marleny Arnoldi 23rd July 2021 Primary steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) expects to report headline earnings a share of R1.76 for the six months ended June 30. This marks an improvement of at least 186% on the headline loss a share of R2.39 posted in the prior comparable six months. →

Seifsa reaches agreement with CEO to ‘mutually separate’

By: Marleny Arnoldi 23rd July 2021 The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) has announced that its CEO Kaizer Nyatsumba has left the organisation to focus on his consulting company KMN Consulting. Seifsa had placed him on precautionary suspension early in May, pending an investigation of sorts,... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Seifsa outgoing CEO Kaizer Nyatsumba

South32 secures power for Hillside, weighs green options

By: Esmarie Iannucci 23rd July 2021 Diversified miner South32 has finalised an energy supply agreement for its Hillside aluminium smelter, in South Africa. The miner on Friday said that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa had approved the long-term energy supply agreement between Hillside and national energy provider... →

An aerial view of South32's Hillside aluminium operation in South Africa

Rio Tinto’s RBM shuttering one of its four furnaces

By: Simone Liedtke 21st July 2021 Rio Tinto’s Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) operation in South Africa will shut one of its four furnaces owing to the depletion of available feedstock at the plant. This is the result of mining operations being halted following an escalation in the security situation at the operations which... →

Hulamin resumes production as unrest subsides

By: Donna Slater 20th July 2021 JSE-listed aluminium fabricator Hulamin has resumed production activities as of July 16, owing to an abatement in the recent domestic civil unrest in South Africa, which was centered in KwaZulu-Natal. The company is headquartered in Pietermaritzburg – a town that experienced a significant flare... →

Various services available to sugar mills

16th July 2021 Engineering components company BMG is working closely with KwaZulu-Natal’s sugar mill engineers in the industry’s off-crop period to refurbish and replace worn components in preparation for high productivity in the upcoming season. Original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) Dorstener brand gearboxes... →

CARRY ON BMG has designed, fabricated and installed new carriers, reducing the normal 24-week delivery period to only four weeks

Botswana begins first iron-ore mining project

By: Reuters 13th July 2021 Botswana has begun work on its first iron-ore mine, a senior government official said on Tuesday, as the country seeks rapid diversification from diamond mining. The African nation's heavy reliance on diamonds, which account for a fifth of the Botswana's GDP and more than two thirds of its... →

Seifsa revises wage offer

By: Marleny Arnoldi 13th July 2021 The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) has tabled a revised conditional wage offer aimed at securing an agreement for the metals and engineering sector. Seifsa is offering a 4.4% increase, which is equal to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate in April, across... →

Seifsa tables three-year wage offer

By: Marleny Arnoldi 12th July 2021 The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) has tabled, on behalf of its 19 affiliated employer organisations, a wage offer to trade unions. The unions, including Solidarity, Uasa, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, the Metal and Electrical... →

Vibration meter serves industries

9th July 2021 Testing technology provider Comtest offers its Fluke 805 vibration meter which measures overall vibration, bearing vibration and temperature simultaneously for clients such as frontline mechanical troubleshooting teams and machine operators of high-end process facilities.... →

FEELING THE VIBE The new Comtest vibration meter picks up vibration in mechanical and high end processing facility applications

Macsteel appoints new COO

By: Marleny Arnoldi 8th July 2021 Macsteel Service Centres South Africa has appointed Tom Cowan COO. Cowan, who holds a mechanical engineering degree, has been in the steel industry for 29 years – all of which he has spent working for Macsteel. →

Hot dip galvanising offers corrosion-resistance, a long life

By: Donna Slater 5th July 2021 Hot dip galvanising (HDG), a process that has been around for 185 years, offers corrosion-resistance properties found with few other methods, HDG expert Terry Smith has said. In a webinar hosted by Creamer Media on June 30 on behalf of the International Zinc Association, he spoke about the... →

Service, product offering expansion creates market opportunities

By: Theresa Bhowan-Rajah 2nd July 2021 Cutting and precision tool manufacturer and distributor First Cut has recently expanded its cutting and grinding range of product and service offerings to include welding solutions. This expansion was prompted as the welding process is the next natural step that follows the cutting process in the... →

ANDREW POOLE Forming the backbone of the broader South African economy, the steel, fabrication and metal processing sectors are essential

Master plan set to boost local market

2nd July 2021 Speaking on the steel master plan, which is a blueprint for the industry to re-energise itself and expand production, the Southern Africa Stainless Steel Development Association (Sassda) states that the broad structure demanded is in place and export councils are now working to boost the local... →

MASTER PLAN The broad structure demanded is in place and export councils are now working to boost the local stainless steel sector

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