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January | 2023 | Coralynne & Associates' Press Office
Weak economic conditions in construction have led contractors to find new ways of surviving, and some strategies could undermine the longevity of roads and buildings, says AfriSam Construction Materials Executive Avi Bhoora.
Avi Bhoora, AfriSam Construction Materials Executive.
“On the aggregates side, we find that the call for ‘brown’ material – as opposed to the high-value ‘blue’ material like quartzite, tillite and dolomite – is rising,” he says. “While some brown materials can be modified by additives, they cannot match the quality of competent rock.”
In the past, G1 aggregate was the main base course for roads, with G2 as the sub-base, and G4 and G5 used for the selected layers. Bhoora says that recently there are efforts to substitute these, using products with names like G4A or G4A Special, for instance. Specifications are being adapted possibly because of cost pressure, but have not yet stood the test of time.
“During my 40 years in construction, I have been involved in projects building roads that have outlasted their expected 25 year lifespan by a decade or more,” says Bhoora. “It is uncertain whether the new specifications will be as effective, especially with the much heavier loads on our roads today. My personal view is that going this route might be short sighted in the long run.”
AfriSam has long been known as a specialist in high strength readymix products.
In terms of the readymix market, he says the average strength of concrete supplied has been gradually declining. AfriSam has long been known in the sector as a specialist in high strength products for demanding applications like high-rise buildings – with concrete strengths up to 100 MPa for high-rise projects.
“There are fewer projects like this currently, but there are also signs of users ‘buying down’ when it comes to readymix,” he says. “Whereas 35 MPa was the average strength we supplied until recently, that average is now closer to 28 MPa. This is concerning, as skimping on concrete strength is certain to have long term consequences for buildings’ longevity.”
He notes that there is still insufficient work entering the project pipeline throttling, holding back the potential of the construction sector to create jobs and build valuable infrastructure. Contractors and their supply chain remain under pressure, with low margins leading to the demise of amalgamation of important industry bodies.
Despite the travails of the global economy and uncertainty in many countries, Africa will be the place to do business in the coming years.
So says Raymond Obermeyer, managing director of SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa, whose company has worked successfully around southern, central and east Africa for decades. The company’s expansion efforts are now ramping up, as SEW-EURODRIVE has embarked on a progressive branch establishment strategy.
Raymond Obermeyer, managing director of SEW-EURODRIVE.
“Customers around Africa know our brand well, and respect the precision German engineering that underlies all our products,” says Obermeyer. “They also rely on our strong service ethic, which is based on our culture of responsiveness and understanding customer needs.”
A key aspect of the company’s high levels of customer support derives from its infrastructure and capability – as well as having a presence close to customers’ sites. Ready availability of stock, and quick turnaround times for designed solutions, are ensured by SEW-EURODRIVE’s newly built and expanded facility in Aeroton, Johannesburg.
SEW-EURODRIVE is ready to service the African continent. SEW-EURODRIVE is strengthening its footprint by establishing new branches around Africa.
“These new headquarters – worth around R500 million in infrastructure and stock – was a carefully considered investment in our future growth,” he explains. “It has also enabled a three-fold increase in our stockholding, which is vital to ensuring that customers get what they need, when they need it.”
In addition to serving branches in Nelspruit, Durban, Cape Town and Gqeberha, this state-of-the-art facility supports over 23 more countries in Africa. It is this proven branch model that the company is now rolling out. Moving gradually away from the distributor model of product sales and support, he explains that four countries are strategically targeted each year for a branch establishment.
“Taking a phased approach to our growth strategy, we began establishing branches in our key growth areas of Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya and Tanzania in 2022,” he says. “In the years to come, we aim to target around four countries a year in which to put a branch in place.”
The model, emphasises Obermeyer, has benefits not only to customers but also to the host countries. While the investment is greater, there is more control over factors like service quality and performance. By appointing and training its own staff, SEW-EURODRIVE is ensuring that customers get a uniformly high standard of support, irrespective of their location.
Construction of SEW-EURODRIVE’s new headquarters enabled the company to increase its stockholding three-fold. SEW-EURODRIVE, through its state-of-the-art facility, support over 23 more countries in Africa, in addition to South Africa.
“This strategy also aligns with the growing trend in Africa towards localisation,” he points out. “Countries are wanting to see more local benefit from economic growth, and a move away from relying on foreign companies and expatriate workers.”
Building on the experience of running its own strong branch network in South Africa, SEW-EURODRIVE is excited about the prospect of building capacity around Africa. This includes more formal training and mentorship of local staff in African branches – to service the continent’s already large population of SEW-EURODRIVE motors, gearboxes, geared motors and other equipment.
“Our equipment is to be found in a wide range of industries around Africa – from food and beverage to cement, mining and pharmaceutical,” says Obermeyer. “Our hands-on approach to our work means that we understand operating conditions in each country, and so we have developed the expertise to deliver the way our customers require.”
He emphasises that casual observers tend to underestimate the recent growth – and potential – in most African countries. It is being driven by considerable investment in world class industrial facilities which demand high-tech equipment supported by qualified and experienced experts.
“This is where SEW-EURODRIVE is positioned,” he concludes. “We are leveraging our experience in these markets to deliver the best quality equipment and components – supported by unsurpassed service and commitment to customers.”
Preparing the way for expanding the Ash Disposal Facility (ADF) at Eskom’s Kendal power station, a 3 km stream diversion has been completed by a joint venture of Concor and Lubocon Civils.
The diversion was part of the joint venture’s contract to add 65 hectares to the ADF footprint, giving the power station the necessary ash disposal capacity for the future. According to Concor contracts manager Pierre van Vuuren, the new stream is about 30 m wide and 3 to 5 m deep – channelling clean water around the ADF area.
“It was a massive undertaking, with the installation of over 4,100 gabion baskets and almost 2,000 Reno mattresses lining the waterway,” says van Vuuren. At 300 mm deep, the wider dimensions of the mattresses make them ideal for creating a stable floor for the stream. The more square-shaped gabion baskets were used mainly for the stream slopes, especially where faster water flow was expected to cause erosion.
Pierre van Vuuren, contracts manager at Concor.
Being filled with rock, the stacked gabions and mattresses form a monolithic structure, while the rock fill allows water to flow through the structure. At the same time, soil is retained between the rock, providing the necessary relief from hydrostatic pressure.
“Each basket was three cubic metres in volume, and they were all filled by hand,” he says. “This required more than 42,000 t of rock, and took about 120 workers over 19 months to complete.”
The rock was sourced from local quarries and crushers. A key concern of the design was to ensure the necessary robustness of the structure, so that it can withstand a 1-in-100-year flood. Sustainability is also an important aspect of the design, making sure that the new stream will be conducive to the natural vegetation of the wetland that it replaces.
“The base of the stream comprises wetland material, which we took from the wetland itself, while the sides are layered with topsoil,” he explains. “This is allowing the rapid revegetation of the stream with reeds and other aquatic life.”
Concor’s Kendal ADF contract includes a substantial stream diversion. The new stream is about 30 metres wide and three to five metres deep.
The addition of biodegradable hydro mulch blankets on the sides helps to prevent erosion for the first six months after completion, and a seeds spray fosters the growth of grass as a ground covering. Almost 70,000 square metres of geotextile was applied to the subsoils and stream diversion.
To accommodate the topography of the landscape and predicted flow rates of the stream, the diversion is comprised of four different ‘sections’, each with their own design characteristics. The Type A section is lined with gabion baskets and a biodegradable blanket, prioritising the stability of topsoil to prevent erosion while facilitating the rapid growth of plants. Type B is the flatter portion of the stream, while Type C comprises 17 steps where the stream descends more steeply and water flow accelerates. Type D, similar to Type A, has wetland material at the bottom and topsoil on the sides.
: Construction of the stream saw over 4,100 gabion baskets and some 42,000 t of
rock being used.
Each gabion basket was three cubic metres in volume and they were all filled by hand.
The diversion of the stream has been a central aspect of the ADF expansion at Kendal, requiring the work to be carefully scheduled in accordance with environmental regulations. These rules specified that certain activities on the new ADF area could only proceed once the stream diversion was complete.
“Every aspect of this project is conducted with priority being given to the environmental aspects,” concludes van Vuuren.
The global company Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions will this year integrate its two recent South African acquisitions into the Sandvik company structure – with the aim of becoming the preferred crushing and screening supplier to the mining industry in Africa.
Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions South Africa will be formed from Kwatani, acquired in December 2021, and the mining related business of Schenck Process Group (SP Mining), acquired in October 2022. According to Mats Dahlberg, Sandvik’s vice president for screening solutions in Europe, Middle East and Africa, the goal is to become a leading force in the mining industry in Africa.
“Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions will continue to have a strong customer focus, providing the screening solutions that the customer needs and asks for,” says Dahlberg. “This we will do by strengthening our regional manufacturing and engineering capabilities in South Africa.”
He highlights that this will support the company’s ambition to further strengthen its presence throughout Africa, by building on the existing Sandvik entities located throughout Africa. The process will ensure the business is close to customers, providing not only leading screening solutions but also quality service and support availability.
The Kwatani acquisition has already been very positive for the Sandvik group, with good volume growth year on year, Kwatani which was previously a family business is leveraging half a century of experience, innovation and customer loyalty.
To produce the volumes required the company has added factory space and outsourced some production to other Sandvik facilities globally. Kim Schoepflin, Kwatani’s current CEO and daughter of founder, Gunter Vogel, believes there is no better company than Sandvik to continue the legacy created by the well-established family business and to accelerate the successful global rollout of the Kwatani technology and screening philosophy of “engineered for tonnage”.
“Over the past year we have successfully integrated the Kwatani business into Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions while achieving record growth,” says Schoepflin. “This has been thanks to our leading edge technology in vibrating equipment, our world class manufacturing facility, our family of employees and suppliers, and our valued customers across the globe.”
Dahlberg emphasises that Kwatani’s success is based on a truly customer-first perspective and a strong team spirit within the organisation, all of which is underpinned by its strong local engineering and manufacturing capabilities.
“We feel very confident that Kwatani’s legacy gives great growth opportunity to the Sandvik crushing and screening business both in Africa and globally,” he says. “Significantly, while the Kwatani screening solutions will in future be sold and branded as Sandvik, the well-respected Kwatani product name will remain both in Africa and the rest of the world.”
The other leg of Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions South Africa is the regional arm of SP Mining, one of the global market leaders in screening solutions in the industry. Dahlberg points out that this acquisition strengthens Sandvik’s capability to support customers in Africa through additional manufacturing capabilities, engineering and service capabilities.
“Together the Kwatani and SP Mining offering gives us world leading solutions for some of the largest screens available in the world, as well as an improved lifecycle offering to our customers,” he says.
Dahlberg notes that Kim Schoepflin and Kwatani General Manager Sales & Service Jan Schoepflin have decided to pursue other opportunities outside the company, and will leave Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions at the end of February 2023. Tarynn Yatras will assume the role of Head of Sales & Services for Screening Solutions in Africa and become a member of the Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions South Africa management team.
“We are grateful for the strong foundation that Kim and Jan are handing over to Sandvik with a very strong performance,” says Dahlberg. “This can be measured not only in products but also in the quality of Kwatani’s people and its positive culture. We feel confident that their legacy provides a great growth opportunity within the Sandvik crushing and screening business both in Africa and globally.”
Purpose designed enclosures – rated for their ingress protection (IP) – allow dry-type transformers to be employed in outdoor applications despite high levels of dust and moisture.
“The absence of oil in dry-type transformers makes them safe and suitable for many indoor applications,” says David Claassen, managing director of Trafo Power Solutions. “However, we are now installing them increasingly in very demanding outdoor conditions due to their safety, reliability and low maintenance cost.”
This trend is not being held back by the fact that dry-type transformers are air-cooled, he explains, as the enclosures are carefully designed to facilitate adequate cooling. The temperature rise of each transformer needs to be considered in the enclosure design, alongside the customer’s available footprint – so that the dimensions of the enclosure are suitable.
“Transformers must of course be protected from water, and also from dust which can inhibit heat losses and potentially even lead to short circuits,” he says. “Our IP-rated design ensures that we meet the demands of the prevailing outdoor conditions while cooling the transformer so that it operates optimally and safely.”
IP rating is a ranking of the level of protection against ingress that an enclosure can provide. In an IP rating of 65, for example, the first digit refers to the level of solid particles being excluded – while the second digit refers to moisture levels. Trafo Power Solutions regularly designs transformer enclosures for high IP ratings such as IP65 or IP66.
A dry-type transformer in an IP23 enclosure for a mining application. Custom built enclosures housing transformers for a specialised mining application.A 12500 kVA cast resin transformer fitted in an IP23 enclosure. A 1600 kVA dry-type transformer in an IP31 enclosure suitable for corrosive areas.
“This means that we can provide a level 6 protection against dust, which is essentially dust tight,” he says. “The level 5 or 6 moisture protection demonstrates that the enclosure will protect the transformer against jets of water and even water from heavy seas.”
He notes that most enclosure designs can disperse heat by the natural flow of air. There are various levels of temperature rise associated with the transformer’s specific insulation class, however, so other technologies can also be applied. Certain applications will require a forced air system, operating in a closed loop to ensure sufficient insulation from outside conditions.
“If more cooling is needed, there are also technologies which use water as a medium to effectively remove heat from an enclosure,” he says. “There are other challenges too that we can address, such as the risk of condensation where outdoor temperatures are very cold.”
Trafo Power Solutions collaborates closely with its Italy-based technology partner TMC Transformers to design the enclosures at the same time as the transformer itself – delivering optimal results for the customer.
South African based vibrating screen and feeder original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Kwatani reports that orders for its equipment have surged in recent months to record levels, with orders coming not only from South Africa and the southern African region but also overseas markets.
Jan Schoepflin, General Manager Sales & Service at Kwatani.
“The current level of business is the best we’ve ever seen since the company was founded nearly 50 years ago and every month now is turning out to be a record month,” says Jan Schoepflin, General Manager Sales & Service at Kwatani. “The growth is quite astonishing – in fact, 50 to 60 %, year on year.”
He adds that Kwatani is currently producing around 60 machines a month. “To keep pace with demand, we’ve rented an additional 3 000 m2 of factory space to complement the 17 000 m2 we already have,” he says. “Being part of Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions, which in turn is a business area within the Sandvik Group, we’ve also been able to outsource some production to other Sandvik factories overseas, including Sandvik’s Indian factory.”
Kwatani single deck screens ready to be delivered to the copper mining customer in central Asia.A large scalper Kwatani screen used in mining iron ore, ready for testing at Kwatani.A motor driven single deck Kwatani screen for the zinc mining industry.
One of Kwatani’s current orders – won in the face of intense opposition – involves the supply of over 70 screens and associated equipment to a large copper mining operation in Central Asia. This is the largest order in Kwatani’s history and probably the largest single screen order ever to be won by a screen manufacturer based in Africa. “We’re expecting another large order from this region shortly – it won’t be quite as big but will still be very substantial,” says Schoepflin.
Kwatani is also busy with two big contracts in southern Africa, one for a major platinum mine in South Africa and the other for a zinc project in the DRC. Both projects are in the construction phase.
According to Schoepflin, the surge in sales reflects not only more buoyant conditions within the global mining industry but also Kwatani’s membership of the Sandvik Group.
“We became part of Sandvik at the end of 2021 and this has opened many doors to us,” he says. “We’ve always been big in Africa and were, in fact, already ranked as the biggest screen manufacturer on the continent prior to being acquired by Sandvik but were less strong in certain other parts of the world. Being part of Sandvik has given us improved access to many markets, particularly in South America where Sandvik is the dominant supplier of mining equipment.”
Schoepflin also points to the quality of Kwatani’s products as another reason for the skyrocketing demand for its equipment. “We produce bullet-proof products that work reliably and efficiently and that have been proven in Africa’s mining areas, which are probably the toughest in the world in terms of the demands placed on machines,” he says. “Equipment that works well in Africa will perform anywhere.”
He adds that the fact that Kwatani’s equipment is manufactured locally is another major plus for the company. “Our manufacturing costs here in South Africa are low by global standards and our exports also benefit from the fact that South Africa’s currency, the rand, is very weak. The result is that our machines are very competitively priced.”
Kwatani forms part of Sandvik’s crushing and screening division within Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions. This now includes not only Kwatani and Sandvik’s own screening business but also the recently acquired mining related business of Schenck Process Group, making Sandvik the world’s biggest supplier by far of vibrating screens and related equipment.
Dewatering, slurry and sludge pump specialist Integrated Pump Technology will now be marketing the Grindex submersible pump range in more countries around Africa.
Jordan Marsh, general manager at Integrated Pump Technology.
The company’s success in southern Africa with the quality Grindex brand has led to an expansion of its geographic footprint, according to Jordan Marsh, general manager at Integrated Pump Technology. This feather in the company’s cap comes with a five-year renewal of the Grindex distributorship – a step up from the previous three-year term.
“We welcome this vote of confidence in our ability, and look forward to the new business that we anticipate from a number of exciting new markets,” says Marsh. “Our strategy over the years has been to build traction across Africa through a systematic expansion into new markets.”
The seven new countries where Integrated Pump Technology will market the Grindex brand are Angola, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. This substantially augments the company’s potential for growth, he says. It has already had great success in South Africa, Namibia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique and Madagascar, as well as Lesotho and Eswatini.
“This step will see our mining focus growing into territories which are highly prospective,” he says. “For this reason, we have recently employed a dedicated person to handle these areas which includes identifying and appointing the most suitable local agents and distributors.”
He notes that, in many of these countries, the mining sector is playing a fundamental role in pioneering economic growth and creating the basis for development. With the buoyancy of commodity prices in recent years, these areas have improved as targets for global investment.
“Our success in Africa has led to a situation in which we now generate more business outside our traditional market of South Africa, than we do inside our borders,” says Marsh. “This trend is likely to continue, as we see blue sky potential in the mining of battery minerals like copper, cobalt and manganese.”
Grindex stock being prepared for dispatch to distributors in Africa.The Grindex brand will now be distributed by Integrated Pump Technology to seven new countries in Africa. A Grindex Minette ensuring dry working conditions underground.
This approach is driving the company’s strategy for 2023, when its expansion project kicks into high gear. Marsh explains that the modus operandi is based on understanding each market and working closely with local distributors. These local players, he emphasises, are chosen for their expertise and experience, but also for the quality of their technical facilities.
“We expect our local partners to keep sufficient stockholdings, and to service and repair Grindex equipment to our stringent standards,” he says. “We support them with training and specialist knowledge, and contribute substantially to local skills development in each of the markets in which we operate.”
That Proximity Detection System (PDS) technology has over the years ushered in a new era in mine safety management is no overstatement. Given the pace of development in the past two years, Anton Lourens, CEO of Booyco Electronics, says the PDS is advancing its value proposition beyond the avoidance of accidents on mine sites.
“To provide context, the PDS technology is increasingly part of the development of ‘digital twin’ simulations, where mines are analysing big data to understand their operations better. This has been a big developmental step during the past few years. Owing to the large amount of available operational information it is now possible to see how machines interact and operate, allowing for proper traffic flow analysis and implementation of suitable traffic management plans,” says Lourens.
Over the years, the PDS, he adds, has proven to be a relevant and important tool in the industry’s quest for Zero Harm. Over and above its primary functions, the technology can now be used as an evaluation tool to identify incident hotspots, review heatmaps, analyse traffic flow and inform traffic management plans.
Looking ahead, Lourens believes that PDS technology will continue to develop, particularly leveraging advancements in areas such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and other technologies. He is also of the view that no single technology will offer a total solution; integration of multiple technologies such as GPS (Global Positioning System), RF (Radio Frequency), cameras and radars, among others, will be key to providing the industry with the best possible tool to realise Zero Harm.
“By adding different technologies, the value proposition to the customer is expanding. The PDS is therefore transforming from being a legislative and often a ‘grudge’ purchase to a prized, must-have tool that offers immense value to the industry,” concludes Lourens.
Already leveraging the global economic recovery, Efficient Engineering is gearing up for continued growth – while strengthening the industrial foundation of the South African economy.
Efficient Engineering has an established track record producing quality dump bodies.
According to Gary Colegate, chief operating officer at Efficient Engineering, the company has seen exciting growth in orders from OEM customers in the mining sector who recognise its world class design and fabrication capability. Its ongoing upskilling efforts have been matched by the latest technology, including a recent R55 million investment in state-of-the-art CNC floor and table type machining centres – probably the largest in the country.
Buoyant commodity prices have been driving both new projects and expansions across the mining sector, Colegate points out. Much of the company’s new business is also from significant aftermarket demand, such as buckets or bowls on rigid earthmoving trucks. He notes that many global OEMs active in South Africa are looking to maximise their local content, due to considerations of cost effectiveness and disruptions in global logistics.
As a result, Efficient Engineering has had considerable success in capturing business from its overseas competitors. Its agility and ability to fulfil orders rapidly have given it an advantage in an environment where issues in global supply chains have led to longer lead times.
“With our engineering legacy dating back over half a century, we employ some of the most experienced artisans and boilermakers in South Africa,” he says. “Our quality systems and in-house design and production capacity ensure that we compete toe-to-toe with the world’s best; matching them in terms of our cost-competitiveness and quality.”
Efficient Engineering is gearing up for continued growth. Efficient Engineering leads the sector in the fabrication of pressurised equipment. Efficient Engineering prides itself on its contribution towards building the local economy.
He emphasises that the company’s decades of deft management and entrepreneurial skill have allowed it to outlive some much larger players in this segment. Its established reputation has ensured a loyal customer base that implicitly trust its brand and reliability, he explains.
“On the strength of the growing interest from global customers in our offerings, we believe the future looks bright,” he says. “Based on our record performance this year, we continue to invest in technical capacity so we can constantly improve our output capacity and turnaround times.”
Efficient Engineering prides itself on its contribution towards building the local economy – in the interests of job creation and future growth potential.
“As a leading player in the engineering sector, we have always worked hard to support South Africa’s industrial platform as a basis for economic success,” he says. “In fact, there is widespread commitment in the private sector to developing the local economy and creating employment opportunities. We need a combined effort from all stakeholders including state-owned enterprises to support local production.”
A fluorite mine located some 100 km outside Pretoria, South Africa, is the first recipient of Sandvik Rock Processing’ first locally manufactured SmartPlant™ in Africa. Following its recent commissioning, the 300 tph plant has already met process guarantees and reached nameplate capacity.
Sandvik opted for the mine to commission a conveyor supplier of its choice, purely to shorten the time to production and reduce costs for the customer.
To improve efficiency and productivity, a South African fluorspar producer went into the market for a new processing plant in 2020. The SmartPlant™ concept from Sandvik Rock Processing appealed to the customer for several reasons, but mainly because of the fast delivery time, flexibility and substantial cost savings it would offer the operation.
SmartPlant™ is a range of pre-defined Sandvik SmartStations that can be mixed and matched to meet individual customer needs for maximum productivity and performance, thus reducing waiting time, maximising uptime and increasing profitability. Delivery generally takes about 22 to 30 weeks ex-works. Where there are peripheral design changes to the pre-defined SmartStations, lead times may be shorter than the standard 22 to 30 weeks.
According to Jaco Benade, Project Manager– Crushing and Screening at Sandvik, the deal was negotiated midway through the COVID-19 hard lockdown of 2020. The order was placed during Level 5 of the lockdown, with manufacturing commencing during Level 4. Despite the challenges brought about by the travel restrictions, compounded by the global supply chain disruptions, the plant was still delivered on time and within budget.
Following its recent commissioning, the 300 tph plant has already met process guarantees and reached nameplate capacity.
“A major talking point of the project was the short delivery time of 22 weeks ex-works at a favourable capital cost for the customer,” says Benade. “The SmartPlant™ concept allowed the customer to choose from the pre-defined SmartStations, combine and configure them to meet specific site and operational needs, with no extra design and engineering costs.”
While the designs are very much pre-defined, the SmartPlant™ still offered a great deal of flexibility for the customer. “The modular approach of the SmartPlant™ meant that the customer could tweak design parameters such as height, capacity and liner profiles, amongst others, without much concern about cost deviations and time implications,” explains Glen Schoeman, Vice President – Sub-Sahara Africa at Sandvik Rock Processing.
Regarding flexibility, Sandvik’s approach to the project was also a major plus for the customer. For example, based on its understanding of the customer’s budget and time constraints, Sandvik opted for the mine to commission a conveyor supplier of its choice, purely to shorten the time to production and reduce costs for the customer.
In line with Sandvik’s ‘safety first’ culture, the project was delivered with no lost time injuries, all the way from project inception to commissioning. “Despite the arduous conditions on site, ranging from excessive heat to wet weather conditions, the project was completed with an impeccable zero harm safety record,” says Schoeman.
The new plant comprises a full suite of Sandvik equipment, including jaw and cone crushers, screens and feeders. Informed by customer needs, Sandvik opted for a much bigger front-end of the plant, comprising a large tip area and bigger jaw crusher. The Sandvik CJ412 primary jaw crusher, which takes a 750 mm top size, is fed by a box bin and a grizzly feeder.
The plant also employs two Sandvik CH840i cone crushers for secondary and tertiary crushing, the very first units of the company’s 800i series range of cone crushers in Africa. Another first in Africa is the rotary feeder on top of the cone used to distribute material into the crusher. “This is a fantastic approach,” says Benade. “The rotary feeder turns slowly, evenly distributing material around the edges of the crusher. This reduces pressure peaks in the crusher caused by uneven feed, a common challenge in crushing plants. The rotary feeder has passed with flying colours in terms of its performance at this particular site.”
View of a customer set up at night.
As the name suggests, the plant is ‘smart’ in every aspect. The CH840i cone crushers come with Sandvik’s Automation and Connectivity System (ACS) as standard. The system continuously monitors and optimises crusher performance and controls the complete lubrication system, increasing uptime and reliability. It can automatically adjust crusher settings to compensate for crushing chamber wear, ensuring consistent product size.
In addition, the SAM by Sandvik digital service supports operational excellence in the plant. “SAM by Sandvik brings people, activities and data together in an easy-to-use, seamless and collaborative way. It allows both client and OEM remote access to the plant. The system itself provides a holistic view of the plant, enabling the customer to make informed decisions and the OEM to respond proactively to any equipment health and performance issues,” concludes Benade.
