LONG-TERM COMMITMENT Former Transmission Components has been Ringspann’s agent and supplier for Southern Africa for almost thirty years
Germany-based power transmission solutions and technology provider Ringspann acquired its long-term agent and manufacturer Transmission Components in February.
“As Transmission Components is now a wholly owned subsidiary of an international group with a yearly turnover of €65-million, this acquisition opens the door to the world market for the company, while ensuring the future of the company,” newly amalgamated Ringspann Transmission Components MD Kurt Jeggle tells Engineering News.
Transmission Components, located in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, has been Ringspann’s agent and supplier for Southern Africa for almost 30 years. As the business relationship developed over the years, Transmission Components became a manufacturer for Ringspann in 2003/4 and quickly became their biggest supplier outside China, Jeggle says.
The sale of Transmission Components to Ringspann is expected to reduce delivery times of components to end-users in countries, such as the US and Australia, while the imported Ringspann components will also be more readily available, Ringspann Transmission Components assistant manager Rudi Jeggle points out.
He adds that the newly formed company increased its stockholding of more specific items by 10% to provide a faster service for the market.
In addition to being the largest manufacturer of rigid couplings and locking elements for the mining and industrial industry in South Africa, Ringspann Transmission Components currently exports about 60% of its manufactured products to Europe, Australia and the US, Kurt Jeggle says. He notes that this a significant increase, compared with the 25% to 35% about two years ago.
“Ringspann Transmission Components mostly exports to Australia and Germany, but also expects an increase in exports to the US within the next year,” Kurt Jeggle says, attributing the export demand increase to the lack of demand in South Africa, owing to a stagnant mining industry, declining commodity prices and a lack of investment.
Engineering Innovation
For the company to remain progressive in the engineering industry, it continuously focuses on new designs for its products, including a new design for a locking element that is used in conveyor pulleys that are currently in the final stages of completion, Kurt Jeggle says.
The locking element will handle more torque, while the shafts can be designed in smaller sizes without compromising the conveyor pulley size, he adds.
“These design improvements form part of efforts to reduce equipment costs and costs for conveyor pulley manufacturers; they also provide a higher efficiency and increased product life,” Kurt Jeggle concludes.