Cape Town lifting equipment company BB Cranes has secured an order for a fourteenth overhead crane to be installed at the Gamsberg zinc mine, in the Northern Cape.
The order was placed by mining and construction group Mota-Engil, which has a contract with Black Mountain Mining for drilling, excavation and transportation work at Gamsberg.
Parent company Condra did the design, and BB Cranes will manufacture the 20 t, double-girder electric overhead travelling crane at its Cape Town factory for delivery in September.
The crane, which will span 18.2 m and deliver a 12 m lifting height over a long-travel distance of 40 m, will be used for maintenance and repair duties in Mota-Engil’s workshops.
BB Cranes will manage manufacture, deliver, install and commission the latest order as a turnkey project, supporting it with technical service and maintenance from Cape Town.
The company has managed the lion’s share of Gamsberg Zinc’s crane maintenance requirements since the first machines were commissioned, a Condra spokesperson said, noting that the 13 cranes previously installed by BB Cranes were designed and manufactured in Johannesburg by BB Cranes’ parent company, Condra.
The first 11 were delivered to the mine during its initial development in 2017 and a further two units were commissioned as a separate order last year.
Currently, there are two 10 t double-girder overhead cranes in service, one 40/8 t double-girder crane, several 5 t single-girder machines and various hoists and lifting beams.
BB Cranes’ proximity to the mine facilitates the application of technical support, knowledge and service expertise more quickly than would be possible from Johannesburg.
Three to four service teams, one on 24-hour standby, are available to all BB Cranes customers. The company also employs two lifting machinery inspectors for certification.
Condra acquired a majority shareholding in BB Cranes in 2016 to expand its distribution network and achieve a closer presence to customers in the Western and Northern Cape provinces.
The company completes its cranes using Condra components and subassemblies as necessary.
Last year, BB Cranes moved to larger premises in Rivergate Industrial Park to meet increased demand from mining and local government customers.
There has been notable recent success in the Western and Eastern Cape’s water treatment utilities, where orders have been taken from wastewater works in Cape Town (Zandvliet), George and Knysna.