Among the attractions of the Sandvik Digital Assistant (SAM) is that it delivers value to everyone in the crushing and screening value chain, raising the game for forward-looking mines.
Recently launched into Africa at the Electra Mining Africa exhibition in Johannesburg, SAM’s reception among large and small players on the continent has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Ali Jumaa, Digital Product Manager for Sandvik Rock Processing.
“There is no doubt that the local market is ready for SAM, judging from the enthusiastic response we have had from customers,” says Jumaa. “Mines are looking to work smarter, and SAM provides this ability to operators, technicians, purchasing departments and managers alike.”
He notes that Sandvik Rock Processing has developed SAM in line with the concept of a proactive user journey, so it provides instant and valuable support for various steps in this customer-OEM relationship. SAM combines a wide range of tools, information and guidance in one place, acting as an always-on digital assistant for daily operations.
“For instance, maintenance and site managers can track their equipment’s performance in real-time from the convenience of a laptop, tablet or mobile phone,” he explains. “At the same time, the mine’s purchasing department can access the SAM web shop to find the correct part numbers, create shopping lists and submit orders.”
Service technicians use SAM to find up-to-date documentation and manuals on their equipment, while operators can find ways to increase operational uptime and availability. Extensive operating data from the crusher is collected by sensors and transmitted through a gateway into cloud storage, where it can be analysed in depth and utilised in a range of calculations, algorithms and models.
“The data and analysis allow customers to finetune their performance, while developing more effective predictive maintenance and ensuring no unplanned stoppages,” says Jumaa. “SAM provides customers with real-time insight into their operations supported by fact based recommended actions that inform the most appropriate operating and maintenance strategies.”
A key benefit of the SAM system is the visual way that it represents data to the user, he explains. Customers can quickly visualise exactly how long the crusher has been operational or has been idling, for instance. The platform’s interface is also intuitive and user-friendly, he adds, so that customers do not need extensive training to learn how to use it. The platform even has features to guide customers on how to use it.
Having demonstrated a step-change in wear resistance on mines globally, Sandvik Rock Processing’s HX900 wear protection plates are now being launched in Africa.
The results achieved by the HX900 plates have been remarkable, extending wear life by many multiples in real life mining applications. The plates are mainly used in applications such as feeders, feed chutes, transfer chutes, skirt liners, rock box edge liners, load-haul equipment and buckets – in countries including Australia, Brazil, Peru, Sweden and the US.
“What makes our HX900 wear protection plate so effective is the unique combination of two different mechanical properties in a single piece,” says Phumi Motsamai, Regional Manager Screening Media & Wear Protection Africa at Sandvik Rock Processing. “The nodular iron resists the high impact of material, while the cemented carbides provide outstanding resistance to abrasion.”
The performance of carbide, for instance, has been shown to last up to five times longer than white iron, and up to 20 times longer than quenched steel. The longer wear life means extended replacement intervals and lower total cost of ownership (TCO), says Motsamai. This brings a range of operational benefits including higher productivity through less downtime, and improved safety as maintenance technicians are less frequently in contact with equipment. There is also less need for high volumes of replacement inventory to be stored on site.
She explains that the nodular iron – also known as ductile iron – is a special type of cast iron with a characteristic microstructure that enhances its mechanical properties. It contains graphite in the form of nodules or spheroids, which impart ductility and toughness.
“Nodular iron has a higher tensile strength and can undergo significant deformation without failing,” she says. “It absorbs energy well and has good fatigue resistance, making it ideal for components that are subject to dynamic and cyclic loading conditions.”
The cemented carbides in HX900 consist of hard carbide particles bonded together by a metallic binder of primarily tungsten carbide. With a hardness of about nine on the Mohs scale, tungsten carbide is one of the hardest known materials, just behind diamonds and cubic boron nitride.
“This extreme hardness gives HX900 outstanding resistance to wear and abrasion,” she says.
“Compared to quenched and tempered 500 HB steels, cast-in-carbides can last up to 10 times longer; this improvement can be up to 50 times longer compared to regular chromium carbide overlays and white iron.”
Motsamai cites a case study in which HX900 replaced Hardox 400 plates lining a transfer chute in a Brazilian gold mine. After the Hardox 400 plates had worn through after only two weeks and just 108,000 t of material throughput, the HX900 plates lasted 75 weeks – withstanding the passage of over 3,8 million tons of material. In a similar application, the HX900 replaced Hardox 500 wear plates – and extended wear life from 18 weeks to 52 weeks.
“In a copper mine in Sweden, the wear life of Hardox 500 in an accelerator chute was just two weeks – or 600,000 t of production,” she says. “After they installed HX900 plates, the mine was able to achieve a wear life of 32 weeks or 9 million tons.”
This innovation also has important sustainability benefits for customers, she continues, as the carbide production makes a key contribution to the circular economy.
“Our HX900 plates embody high levels of good sustainability practice, as they utilise 99% recycled nodular iron and 100% recycled cemented carbides,” she says. “Research has shown that using recycled materials in this way consumes 70% less energy and cuts overall carbon dioxide emissions by 40%.”
Sandvik Rock Processing has always taken great pride in its innovation and developing products that last longer and provide greater efficiency to customers. A case in point is its grand entrance into the screening media market in Africa, where the mining sector has long yearned for a supplier that places value on specific customer needs and tailored solutions to help operations meet their production targets.
Although screening media is a minor cost when compared to larger capital equipment on a mine, Phumelele Motsamai, Regional Manager: Screening Media & Wear Protection – Africa at Sandvik Rock Processing, stresses that it is a crucial part of any mining operation’s profit engine.
“Screen media plays a critical role in optimising productivity and material quality in mining and quarrying. Sandvik Rock Processing recognises the uniqueness of each operation and always seeks to address the specific requirements to ensure improvement of operations,” says Motsamai.
These efforts have not gone unnoticed, with the market responding positively to Sandvik Rock Processing’s innovative approach, recognising the value of the integrated offering and the drive to provide tailored solutions. By combining advanced technology with a deep understanding of customer needs, Sandvik Rock Processing is setting a new standard in the screening media industry.
“Our entry into the screening media market has generated a lot of excitement in the mining sector in Africa. Traditionally, customers have been concerned about the lack of screen media accessibility and the ultimate lack of support in some of the regions. With four Sandvik entities across southern Africa and a total of 11 across Africa, Sandvik Rock Processing has the necessary touchpoints across the continent to keep stock close to our customers which reduces lead times and maximises uptime,” adds Motsamai.
Sandvik Rock Processing manufactures a variety of screening media including polyurethane, rubber and wedgewire panels. Each type of panel is designed to address specific challenges within the mining industry, ensuring operations can maximise efficiency and productivity.
In addition to its screen media range, Sandvik Rock Processing offers a broad range of wear protection solutions. Through its long history of materials expertise and research, the company has developed materials that meet the highest quality standards and offer advantages such as long wear life, less maintenance, reduced noise levels and a better working environment.
A case in point is the new Sandvik HX900 cast-in carbide, a unique wear material that combines the wear resistance of cemented carbide with the shock resistance, malleability and forming capability of nodular cast iron. This ideal combination provides a wear-resistant material that withstands tough environments and has a long wear life in many extreme applications.
In line with Sandvik’s commitment to sustainability, the tungsten carbides used in the Sandvik HX900 wear plates are 100% in-house recycled. Using recycled materials consumes 70% less energy and cuts overall carbon emissions by 40%.
“Based on the trials conducted to date, the Sandvik HX900 outlasts any other wear protection solution currently available on the market. It is the shining star of our range, and we are excited about its commercial rollout,” concludes Motsamai.
Visitors to Electra Mining Africa this year are looking for crushing and screening solutions that will boost productivity while enhancing sustainability – and Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions has what they need. Exciting developments in the company’s integrated offering of crushers, screens, screening media, lifecycle services and digital technologies will be on display with the company’s competent team on hand to share technical information and insights.
According to Tarynn Yatras, Vice President for Sales Area Africa at Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions, the lineup will include a working demonstration screen with digital connectivity. Yatras highlights how the company’s pioneering technology is driven by its aim to advance the world through engineering.
“We lead the way in eco-efficient rock processing, and will be talking to our visitors at Electra Mining Africa about how we help to drive their productivity, profitability and sustainability,” she explains. “Our wide range of quality products are combined with lifecycle services to give customers fully integrated solutions across the crushing and screening process.”
The focus on eco-efficiency ensures customers can process rock using the least possible resources. In addition to the multi-function test screen on the company’s exhibition stand, visitors can inspect and discuss the Sandvik screening media and cone crusher that will be on display.
“Another exciting element of our Electra Mining Africa presence will be the digital technology that enhances our equipment’s performance and longevity,” she says. “Our automation and connectivity system (ACS) will be on display, as applied to our cone crushers (ACS-c) and our screens (ASC-s).”
These connectivity systems link back to Sandvik’s digital SAM platform, which uses data to drive insights, support and performance. Visitors can view the products and see the technology in action, she says, learning more about remote condition monitoring of machines and related service offerings.
She highlights the value of customers being able to monitor both their crushers and their screens on the same digital platform – given how closely these phases of the comminution process must operate. This opens valuable opportunities for plant optimisation, especially with the depth of expertise imbedded in the Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions teams around Africa. The SAM platform also allows a user-defined data selection, to suit the particular role in the plant – from management to operator.
“Among our continuous improvements in condition monitoring has been an upgrade from wired sensors to self-powering sensors on our screens,” she says. Local digital experts and those from Sweden will be available on the Electra Mining Africa stand to discuss the systems in detail – including the range of benefits that customers can derive.
“Customers are also looking to ways to achieve their climate change goals while reducing costs, and we will be showcasing how we promote decarbonisation by reducing energy use through equipment optimisation,” says Yatras. “Our vision – as a leading player in the mining sector – is aiming for a more circular economy while driving productivity to extract maximum value from resources.”
This is achieved through the integrated offering of crushers, screens, screening media, lifecycle services and digital technologies. Added to this is Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions’ extensive support footprint across the continent – close to the customer with world class local facilities and expertise.
Visit Sandvik Rock Processing in Hall 6 Stand C22.
In an environment where crushing and screening operations attach great importance to equipment uptime and productivity, an extensive footprint of 11 Sandvik entities in Africa enables Sandvik Rock Processing to respond to customer service needs timeously.
Nils-Peter Ahlqvist, Sales Support Manager Africa & Latin America – Crushing Division at Sandvik Rock Processing, says that in the midst of the current global supply chain challenges, shipping equipment and parts into the African continent has become a major challenge.
“Sandvik’s extensive footprint of entities across the continent gives us the edge to get the better of the prevailing logistical challenges. In southern Africa alone, we have 11 entities which act as logistics hubs that allow us to efficiently distribute parts throughout the region,” explains Ahlqvist.
Aftermarket support has always been the cornerstone of the company’s success. During Sandvik’s 76-year history in Africa, the company has become well-acquainted with the challenges facing its mining and quarrying customers and understands the important role that reliable aftermarket support can play in optimising equipment uptime and ensuring successful customer operations.
“The importance of local in-country aftermarket support infrastructure cannot be reiterated enough,” says Ahlqvist. “We rely on our widespread touchpoints in Africa to respond to service requirements timeously and to support customers with the expertise needed to achieve their production targets consistently and with the highest overall equipment efficiency. The 11 Sandvik entities are placed in strategic areas which are close to all the major mining and quarrying hubs.”
Having entities in the various parts of the region, he adds, speaks to Sandvik’s localisation strategy which seeks to give back to respective countries in which the company operates and Sandvik Rock Processing is continuing to invest in local capabilities and competence in the countries in which they operate. “To a large degree, these local entities employ local people and play a part in skills development, thus contributing to the growth of local economies,” concludes Ahlqvist.
As Sandvik Rock Processing makes significant investments in local screening media manufacturing capabilities, it is building the level of aftermarket support for its growing capital equipment portfolio.
According to Riaan Steinmann, EMEA Operations Director Screening Solutions at Sandvik Rock Processing, the company’s local and global R&D teams are developing exciting new product offerings.
“Our local screening media manufacturing operations at Crown Mines in Gauteng align with our global procurement focus on sourcing raw materials,” says Steinmann. “This makes it possible to use our own unique material formulations to manufacture world class screening media products.”
Together with its specialised materials, Sandvik Rock Processing also optimises each screening media panel design to maximise wear life and efficiency, he says. The company has developed panel load limit calculations to ensure structural integrity while avoiding over-designing.
“Optimising our screening media allows us to streamline our screen designs, leading to overall mass and cost reductions,” he explains. “As an essential part of our vibrating equipment offering, our screening media offer optimal performance at the lowest overall cost.”
He notes that the open-case polyurethane dispensing machine at Sandvik Rock Processing’s Crown Mines facility is specially designed in a flexible machine configuration – to produce a range of polyurethane products of the highest quality and at the most efficient rate.
“Various non-standard polyurethane parts can be made in an open-mould casting process,” says Steinmann. “This is achieved by placing moulds on a heated casting table, and then filling them with hot-coat polyurethane mixing systems using the dispenser casting hose.”
This allows the machine to produce parts such as non-standard-sized screening panels and sideliners, wedges, discharge liners and protector liners – providing flexibility in meeting a diverse range of products even at low volumes. He highlights that Sandvik Rock Processing regards innovation as a strategic cornerstone, using the discrete element method (DEM), for instance, to analyse material flow and optimise the selection of aperture size and type for each application.
“Our screening philosophy is that the optimal design and selection of screening media panel should cater to the distinctive characteristics of the ore being treated,” he explains. “This in turn needs to align with the vibrating machine’s physical and dynamic parameters. It is our strong portfolio in both vibrating screen equipment and screening media that puts us in the best position to provide tested solutions to the market.”
Sandvik Rock Processing R&D teams undertake continuous research using data from on-site performance. These studies investigate efficiencies and wear characteristics of screening media products under various operating conditions – and build the findings back into new designs and products.
The local production of screening media by Sandvik Rock Processing promises to deliver shorter lead times and lower transportation costs for customers. Importantly, there is also a positive impact on the resilience of the supply chain. Steinmann adds, “There is also the environmental benefit of shorter transportation routes, which aligns with our own sustainability goals and those of our mining customers”
“We work towards finding the right balance between local and global sourcing, and are committed to supporting the local economy, skills development and job creation capability,” says Steinmann.
He acknowledges that, like all businesses in South Africa, the local screening media facility must meet the challenges of power disruptions from loadshedding, cable faults and cable theft. To prevent these issues from affecting the reliability of production and supply, Sandvik Rock Processing has invested significantly in sufficient backup power generating capacity to keep the plant running as required.
Sandvik Rock Processing is introducing its upgraded 800i cone crusher series. A major talking point is the new ACS-c 5 automation and connectivity system, which integrates the capabilities of all of Sandvik’s crusher modules and subsystems into a single automation system.
The upgraded Sandvik 800i cone crusher series is now available globally, effective March 1, 2024, confirms Nils-Peter Ahlqvist, Sales Support Manager, Africa & Latin America – Crushing Division at Sandvik Rock Processing.
“The Sandvik 800i cone crusher range’s combination of high crushing forces, reliability and simplicity make it easier to operate, manage, maintain and service, resulting in productivity and uptime gains that are gamechangers for operational performance,” says Ahlqvist.
The latest Sandvik 800i crushers with new ACS-c 5 combine simple, yet robust mechanical design with powerful user-friendly automation to better support diverse operational roles. The new role-based interaction functionality simplifies the work of operators, maintenance personnel and engineers by offering guidance, access to valuable data and tools for proactive maintenance and optimisation.
The ACS-c 5 automation system guides the operator through alarms and recommended actions, streamlining the decision-making process during alerts and minimising the impact of potential issues.
“Maintenance personnel have access to an improved historical and operational data log, providing a comprehensive overview of the crusher’s performance. The new automation system offers engineers more opportunities to monitor, analyse and optimise the crusher’s performance,” explains Adam Taylor, Business Line Manager Crushing Solutions – Africa at Sandvik Rock Processing.
With sustainability in mind, the upgraded Sandvik 800i crushers are designed to eliminate inefficiency in operating mines, as well as in greenfields operations. For example, in flowsheets including three-stage crushing and conventional grinding, these crushers assist SAG/AG circuits with pebble-crushing and optimise particle size distribution for lump ores and heap leach applications. The Sandvik 800i crushers are also suitable in high pressure grinding roll (HPGR) circuits. They crush more and deliver finer particle sizes to the downstream processes.
“With the latest 800i crushers, we are able to produce much finer product (down to mill feeds of sub 6 mm) from our crushing and screening circuits, ultimately resulting in improved milling and overall process performance. This translates into less energy consumed and reduced wear in downstream processes. In other words, we allow customers to ‘crush more to grind less’,” says Ahlqvist.
The upgraded Sandvik 800i crushers are ready to be connected to the SAM by Sandvik cloud-based digital assistant. SAM collects information from all connected Sandvik equipment to provide a complete overview of the entire operation. Customers can look at the status of their connected equipment, communicate across teams, view alerts and notifications, pro-actively order spare parts, and much more.
“With the new SAM mobile app for iOS and Android, customers can have an overview of their crushing fleet, monitor equipment data and key parameters, receive alarms from the ACS system directly in their pocket and get recommended actions created to help them solve issues more quickly,” concludes Ahlqvist.
With its well established design and manufacturing capabilities in South Africa, Sandvik Rock Processing delivers customised and standard vibrating equipment solutions, including screens and feeders, to customers that enhance future flexibility.
Gideon de Villiers, Engineering Manager at Sandvik Rock Processing, says the company has built its success on decades of field experience – and the nurturing of its mechanical and metallurgical engineering skills base. Its 21,000 m2 facilities, in Johannesburg South Africa, house modern workshop and testing facilities that are ISO 9001:2015 accredited and produce world class solutions for global markets.
“A key aspect of our design philosophy is to ensure that our customers can be more agile when their operational demands change,” says De Villiers. “This allows cost effective modifications to be made relatively quickly, without unduly disrupting production.”
He emphasises that this is possible due to the depth of vibrating equipment related expertise that the company has developed, where in-house mechanical and metallurgical experts can come together to find screening and feeding solutions. It is also thanks to the far-sighted initial design of Sandvik Rock Processing’s screens, which carefully take into account the opportunities for future modification.
“There are various technical complexities to consider when creating a design that allows future flexibility,” he explains. “Achieving modified results with an existing machine – rather than replacing it – means a more sustainable solution with less waste. At the same time, the new design must accurately match the new requirements, which we can test and validate using technology like Finite Element Analysis (FEA).”
He notes that efficient design and engineering also make use of cutting edge software and tools such as advanced CAD and CAE solutions allows for sophisticated modelling, analysis and prototyping.
“We attract, retain and nurture some of the best skills in the sector, and encourage continuous improvement through training, academic programmes and specialised professional conferences,” says De Villiers. “We also collaborate with universities, research institutions and laboratories to promote cutting edge research and innovation projects.”
A recent success for an iron ore mining customer in the Northern Cape saw Sandvik Rock Processing extend the life of the mine’s scalping screen deck from six weeks to six months – by stiffening the frame and improving the panels’ rubber compound.
Across the diverse commodities landscape of Africa, the demand for vibrating screens and feeders is on the rise. Sandvik Rock Processing, a prominent player in the industry, has observed a noticeable surge in brownfields projects aimed at replacing existing equipment in various operations.
Frengelina Mabotja, Business Line Manager Screening Solutions at Sandvik Rock Processing, attributes this increased interest to the company’s strong reputation for delivering fit-for-purpose screens and feeders meticulously engineered to meet specific application requirements.
As one of the leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) specialising in screening solutions on the African continent, Sandvik Rock Processing stands out with its capability to provide optimised solutions that comprehensively consider every aspect of a process plant’s operation. Mabotja says that at the core of this capability lies the company’s formidable engineering team, playing a pivotal role in tailoring solutions to meet the unique needs of each customer.
“Unlike a one-size-fits-all approach, Sandvik Rock Processing takes a customised approach, recognising that each process plant possesses a distinct configuration and processes ore with its own characteristics. In essence, we position ourselves as a partner to our customers, offering bespoke screening solutions tailored to their specific operational requirements,” she explains.
One of the critical aspects of this tailored approach involves on-site inspections, R&D and close collaboration to ensure that replacement equipment not only meet but also exceed the required throughput. Sandvik Rock Processing often finds itself replacing competitor products that failed to meet operational criteria.
“In such instances,” Mabotja says, “delivering a solution that seamlessly fits within the existing footprint of the process plant while also achieving the necessary process requirements is where the company excels. This flexibility and adaptability are key strengths that set Sandvik Rock Processing apart in the industry.”
Backing this strength is the company’s extensive local manufacturing facility capable of delivering products with relatively short lead times. This capability ensures that customers’ needs are met promptly, minimising downtime and maximising operational efficiency.
Recent replacement projects undertaken by Sandvik Rock Processing span a range of commodities, including iron ore, diamonds, gold and platinum applications. This diverse portfolio underscores the company’s versatility and expertise in addressing the specific screening challenges posed by different commodities.
The demand for Sandvik Rock Processing’s expertise extends beyond the borders of Africa. Enquiries via the Sandvik network from across the globe further attest to the company’s reputation as a trusted provider of screening solutions.
Crucially, in addition to their products, Mabotja also emphasises the importance of customer support. Sandvik’s extensive network of operations in Africa and beyond provides customers with the assurance that proactive customer support is available whenever needed.
“Our ability to deliver custom-engineered screening solutions, coupled with a solid commitment to providing outstanding customer support, positions us as a pivotal player in meeting the growing demand for vibrating screens and feeders across Africa’s diverse commodities landscape,” Mabotja concludes. As the industry continues to evolve, Sandvik Rock Processing’s tailored solutions and expertise are set to play a central role in enhancing operational efficiency and productivity for their valued customers.
To keep pace with record equipment orders, vibrating screen and feeder original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Sandvik Rock Processing is driving manufacturing agility at its South African facility. Director Operations for the EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) Region, Riaan Steinmann, says the goal of agile manufacturing is to respond quickly to customer and market demands, while maintaining production output and quality.
“We have recorded a solid growth in the past three years in our screens product range. As a result, Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions South Africa is now well positioned as one of the leading vibrating equipment suppliers not only in South Africa, but in Africa at large,” says Steinmann. “We have also made strong inroads in other regions such as Europe and the Middle East.”
In fact, Sandvik Rock Processing South Africa’s exports have increased significantly with numerous screens being shipped across the African continent and internationally. A case in point is the recently completed order to supply over 72 screens and associated equipment to a large copper mining operation in Central Asia.
To meet this rising demand for its equipment, which has seen Sandvik Rock Processing South Africa producing about 60 machines a month in recent times, the company is driving agility within its manufacturing environment. Being agile has allowed the company to easily adapt to changing market conditions and meet or even exceed customer expectations.
“On the back of the significant growth of our screening offering in recent years, we have seen the need to continuously review and optimise our internal processes,” says Steinmann. “For example, our workshop layouts are based on job-shop lean manufacturing processes to cater for any customised components. We make use of in-house designed precision engineered jigs and fixtures to increase our production efficiencies and at the same time secure quality of these components.”
To further drive agility, Sandvik Rock Processing has adopted a strategic outsourcing programme for non-core components to alleviate pressure on its own manufacturing facilities and help ensure timeous customer deliveries. Some of the non-core components being outsourced to carefully selected service providers include cleats, bearing covers, gearbox shafts and housings, amongst others.
“We work closely with these suppliers, most of whom are within a 10 km radius of our Spartan manufacturing facilities. While we conduct regular quality inspections at their facilities, most of them have worked with us for many years and now have a strong understanding of our quality standards,” says Steinmann. “We also hold significant stock of various critical components to make sure our customers get the best availability and service.”
What makes the Sandvik Rock Processing South Africa manufacturing team even more agile is that the production and engineering teams work in close collaboration with each other to swiftly resolve any design and manufacturing discrepancies that might occur during manufacturing.
“Over time, our production and engineering teams have developed strict in-house quality standards which include, but are not limited to, welding procedures, fastening sequences, torquing of bolts, levelling, sequence of assembling subcomponents, shot blasting and paint specifications,” explains Steinmann.
In addition, Sandvik Rock Processing invests in its people to ensure its employees are trained to adopt an agile mindset. This allows them to meet the company’s evolving production needs at any time, whilst ensuring maximum productivity and efficiency.
“Upskilling our people allows us to build on our competence and stay ahead of industry needs,” says Steinmann. “We have an above average percentage of highly skilled and qualified staff, including boilermakers, artisans, certified welders and engineers. Having the right skills, however, is one thing, but being able to retain them is quite another. A positive working culture has been instrumental to our low staff turnover rate and a good retainment of skills.”
The impact of the current energy crisis in South Africa has been detrimental to local manufacturers, says Steinmann. The current fragmented factory operations, which are situated at different locations, make it a bit challenging to install backup generation capacity.
“We have, however, invited local suppliers to tender for the supply of alternative power supply sources for all our workshops. This will require a significant investment, but on the upside it will help ensure we continue to be the same reliable and agile supplier we have always been to our customers,” he says.
Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions, which includes the Kwatani screen products, the Schenck Process Mining screens and Sandvik’s original screening products, is well positioned to become the leading screening solutions provider with global best manufacturing practices in place. In addition, the company has a well-established global distribution and service network.
“Our facility is set to become the global engineering and manufacturing base for vibrating equipment for both local and international customers who are looking for quality cost effective screening solutions that will enable them to achieve the total lowest cost of ownership,” concludes Steinmann.
