Engineering News

Re-established two years ago, the Mpumalanga Stainless Initiative (MSI) is making strides, with a number of projects in the pipeline and several success stories from completed and existing projects.

Listing its current projects, MSI marketing manager Owen Maroleng tells Engineering News that the initiative is busy with the construction of a 5,3-km-long palisade fence around Columbus Stainless Steel and a 3,4-km-long palisade fence around Middelburg Ferrochrome. Both projects, begun in April and June respectively, are scheduled for completion by the year-end.

The projects follow the successful completion of a similar project at Thos Begbie, in Middelburg, where the MSI designed and installed a palisade fence.

“We are also in the process of supplying the Middelburg Country Club with stainless-steel wastebins for its golfing greens,” enthuses Maroleng. He explains that the bins have been sponsored by the local industry, working together with Columbus Stainless Steel.

MSI was established by the stainless-steel giant in 1990 as an intiative to grow the stainless-steel market by encoura-ging informal businesses to manufacture rudimentary stainless-steel hollowware and utensils. However, it was not succesful as it lacked focus and community commitment.

In 2001, a business model was developed with an operational budget drawn up for a reincarnation of the MSI. This saw the construction of the plant, which boasts some of the most modern sheetmetal equipment in Mpumalanga.

Local companies and associations have pledged to support and fund the education and training of the entrepreneurs. Strong support has come from the Mpumalanga provincial government and the Middelburg local government, with the latter having donated the land and infrastructure, while central government has donated a substantial five-year guaranteed cash grant.

During 2001, the Mpumalanga government made R3,2-million available to establish the incubator, while the Middelburg municipality upgraded the site and facilities.

In addition, the Japanese government sponsored the purchase of some equipment and the Middelburg business sector sponsored equipment, training and provided experienced management and resources to the development of the manufacturing incubator.

In its technological developments, one of the MSI entrepreneurs is in the final stages of developing a profile cutter/pallisade cutter, a four-axis machine with XYZ for profile cutting and XYZA for the palisade cutting. An MSI stainless-steel manufacturing incubator plant also makes stainless-steel food trolleys, which it is currently supplying to the Nelspruit and Middelburg town councils.

In a learnership programme, the manufacturing incubator is negotiating to supply toolboxes to learning institutions in the region.

Maroleng predicts there is much potential for stainless-steel products, particularly for the health and food industries. He adds that the MSI is currently negotiating with some European companies for the supply of palisade fencing.

The organisation is working with previously-disadvantaged South Africans in establishing sustainable entrepreneurial projects that will create long-term job opportunities in the region.

The manufacturing incubator aims to create an environment where emer-ging enterprises are established and are able to use the equipment at the plant, which will enable them to manufacture high-quality products without having to invest in the equipment themselves. Further, Maroleng states that the initiative will shift its focus from domestic products to industrial products.

“We will also focus on supplying various products to the mining and power-generation industries,” he avers, adding that the initiative has been approved as a supplier to Eskom and the Department of Correctional Services.