Archive: July 29, 2024

Pumping success! B.E.D. Burgersfort celebrates successful collaboration with WADA Group at platinum mine

July 29, 2024

Bolt and Engineering Distributors (B.E.D.) Burgersfort is pleased to announce its successful collaboration with WADA Group, in the supply of pump spares to a nearby platinum mine, marking a significant milestone in enhancing operational efficiency for the customer.

In November and December 2023, WADA Group Branch Manager Ryno Alberts entered into discussions with Christo Viljoen and Lucky Mgiba, Area Sales Managers (ASMs) at B.E.D. Burgersfort, to address the Group’s requirements for high-pressure pumps and tailings pump spares.

“We were excited to convey the excellent benefits of the products we planned to supply – not to mention the substantial potential cost-saving to the mine,” Viljoen explains.

Engaging with Ryno Alberts, Viljoen and Mgiba soon developed a comprehensive understanding of the mine’s specific spares requirements – and supply challenges – securing their confidence in B.E.D.’s ability to deliver the required spares.

“We leveraged our longstanding relationships at the mine, and implemented cost-effective solutions to effectively address their requirements. Our ability to ensure prompt delivery and availability of spares through strategic stock management was also crucial in the success of this initiative,” explains Viljoen.

Pumping production

Since the commencement of this collaboration, B.E.D. Burgersfort has supplied a range of wet-end pump spares – including throat bushes, cover plates, frame plates, impellers, expeller rings, gland assemblies and shaft sleeves. As a result, substantial cost-savings, uninterrupted operations and production have been achieved.

“This collaboration and supply project has been immensely rewarding. As a company, B.E.D. takes great pride in excellent service delivery, and we sincerely appreciate this new opportunity to service the customer with critical equipment spares,” remarks Justin Pullinger, Operations Manager for B.E.D. Burgersfort.

Mgiba adds: “The success of this collaboration has extended to other mining sector customers in our region, which we are now also supplying. This further underscores our dedication to providing reliable solutions and enhancing operational efficiency.”

WADA Group Branch Manager Ryno Alberts says that the collaboration with B.E.D. Burgersfort was natural and seamless: “Having our own foundry – meticulously built by engineers who gave real thought to the design and the output of our products – has given us a tremendous advantage as suppliers. We understand the mining industry and that downtime is more costly than any part we might supply.

We therefore ensure that we always have substantial stock on hand so that no client experiences downtime. WADA Group rarely works with third parties, but with B.E.D. Burgersfort we knew that we were working with a team which takes customer service and quality as seriously as we do.”

Customer service: a mindset, not a department

“Maintaining regular communication and proactive follow-ups allowed us to support this customer’s ongoing supply and operational requirements efficiently. It is all about upholding a culture of excellence, teamwork and continuous improvement: all integral to B.E.D.’s operational ethos,” Pullinger points out.

Emphasising the importance of a customer-centric approach, he adds: “At B.E.D. Burgersfort, customer service is not a department – it is a mindset which permeates every aspect of our operations. We are committed to listening to our customers, anticipating their needs and delivering solutions which add demonstrable value to their operations.”

Of course, great customer service starts from within: “Effective management and team support are essential pillars of our organisational culture. We believe in empowering our team members, providing them with the resources and guidance they need to excel in their roles,” Pullinger enthuses.

Mgiba concurs: “This fosters a culture of collaboration and mutual support among team members. Whether it is sharing expertise, providing assistance on challenging tasks, or offering encouragement during demanding times, every person in the company contributes to a positive and inclusive work environment, where everyone feels valued and supported.”

By prioritising customer service excellence alongside operational efficiency, B.E.D. Burgersfort reaffirms its position as a trusted partner to the mining sector, dedicated to delivering tangible results and exceeding customer expectations.

Quality and training could safeguard the future of the steel sector says the SAISC

July 24, 2024

There is no time like the present to address the ongoing concerns of quality and training in the steel value chain, according to Amanuel Gebremeskel, CEO of The Southern African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC).

As the custodian of steel industry knowledge and standards across Africa, the SAISC is calling for realistic planning. Gebremeskel explains: “We especially need to safeguard the future of the downstream steel industry, which employs over half a million people. It is well known that the steel sector has experienced quality and training issues for several years. However, this has now become even more relevant. Merchants do not want to inadvertently supply low quality steel products – and rejecting steel after fabrication or erection can be very expensive. From both sides, we need a more holistic, over-arching programme which caters to any eventuality.”

Steeling for change

Gebremeskel notes that the greatest risk remains the pervading uncertainty: “The well-publicised prospective closure of the primary steel producer ArcelorMittal (AMSA) long products division would have had massive repercussions for the automotive, construction and mining industries, amongst others. For now, however, this has been suspended – and the good news is that the ‘longs’ business is to remain operational.

However, the AMSA long products division remaining operational – but without firm lead-times – could introduce another challenge. Projects are planned months, if not years, in advance and any fabricator trying to ensure procurement of materials requires supplier commitment. Decisions need to be made now, Gebremeskel warns.

“With such uncertainties mini-mills which are already producing limited amounts of long products from scrap will come under increased pressure, as will merchants sourcing replacement supplies – not only from these local mini-mills – but also from many different countries,” he adds.

Gebremeskel believes steel could therefore be sourced from “anywhere and everywhere” – with importers searching for the best prices and most viable logistics. This, inevitably, brings up the issue of quality.

“For the foreseeable future, quality is going to be a significant issue in the steel sector. This dovetails with the question of human capital. With the loss of skills to retirement and immigration, are there enough people who can evaluate whether or not the steel is of good quality?” Gebremeskel asks.

He continues: “Fabricators will need to implement stricter quality control of steel. At present, this process is based on trust. Fabricators trust merchants, who in turn trust the mills. However, with the diversification of steel sourcing, this process must be rejigged. What initiatives can the industry afford – and in which direction will it go to address these challenges? We need quality training, supported by a stringent quality regime.”

Making its quality mark

With ever-greater pressure on steel merchants, mills and mini-mills to provide quality and adhere to standards, the SAISC’s proposed quality certification programme and quality mark will become more important than ever. This first-of-a-kind quality certification oversight programme will refine, monitor and uphold quality standards across the steel supply chain – and will be signified by its own steel quality certification brand mark or stamp. This is on track for roll-out within the next 24 months, Gebremeskel confirms.

Drawing from well-established international best practices, including US and UK standards, it fills an important gap, he explains: “The SAISC has always recognised the dire need for quality standards monitoring and measurement for steel products and projects in South Africa – and, in fact, throughout the region. There is currently no independent regional assessment body to which the industry can turn for the measurement and enforcement of quality controls even on a professional, voluntary / self-regulated certification basis.”

Poor quality comes at a high price

Gebremeskel adds that the entire value chain needs to be trained on quality because – as per the lesson of the national power utility failing to adhere to technical standards during the construction of certain major power plants – due to the use of poor quality products, fabrication and erection can result in costs running into billions of rands.

“The final price tag on inferior quality materials and products is always much higher than if one took the time to gain the knowledge to ensure the correct quality is specified and delivered in the first place. The SAISC’s new quality certification programme aims to confront this challenge head-on and, eventually, uplift the entire steel industry,” he says.

The programme will involve the training of staff in all aspects of quality at companies that apply to quality for the SAISC quality certification stamp. This will be followed up by the Institute’s steel experts who will monitor product and project quality before a company can qualify for certification.

Stamp of quality

As the future of South Africa’s entire steel sector could hinge on quality control, Gebremeskel is calling for an ‘all hands on deck’ approach, with stakeholders integrating quality into their business strategies, working closely with the SAISC on training and promoting the use of the SAISC quality certification stamp.

“Our ultimate vision is for this to be recognised as the highest voluntary quality certification stamp on the continent. By obtaining the SAISC certification, companies throughout the steel value chain will be able to set the standard in Africa from a quality perspective – while also ensuring the sustainability of the critical downstream steel sector,” Gebremeskel concludes.

Food for thought: the myriad applications of hot dip galvanizing in agriculture

July 16, 2024

Whether for products such as wire fences and piping, pivot conveyors for irrigation or frames and gutters for greenhouses, the agricultural sector has traditionally bought and specified hot dip galvanizing as a preferred corrosion control mechanism. However, the Hot Dip Galvanizers Association of South Africa (HDGASA) needs to tackle a new set of challenges for the agricultural sector, according to Executive Director Robin Clarke.

“As with all other sectors, standards against which materials are supplied vary greatly. The HDGASA’s role is in educating users and specifiers to ensure that the quality of their purchases meets the correct specifications for a particular application and location,” he explains.

Specifications are based on solid science. Environmental data on weather patterns, different soil conditions and general rates of atmospheric corrosion all feed into the HDGASA’s advice to the sector: “As an example, for a sugar farmer along the KZN North Coast, we would have broad empirical data on issues such as the level of chlorides from ocean breezes, as well as rainfall and humidity metrics. Coastal regions are highly corrosive environments – and a higher specification of hot dip galvanizing would be required for something like a wire fence, pertinent to the relevant conditions and application. By contrast, a farmer in a far drier region such as Beaufort West would need something completely different,” he continues.

Clarke says hot dip galvanizing is a preferred corrosion control method for agricultural applications for two reasons: over time, the zinc-based coating reacts with the environment to form a hard-wearing zinc carbonate patina, which is abrasion-resistant and ideally suited to dealing with wind-borne dust and animal traffic. Secondly, if the outer zinc layer is compromised by accidental impact, the zinc layer provides cathodic protection. The zinc around the fractured chip sacrifices itself as an anode, thereby protecting the carbon steel substrate.

Engaging at ground level

Clarke points out that, with more emerging farmers and newcomers to the agricultural sector, the HDGASA sees an opportunity to engage with end-users more directly, to support them in applying the appropriate standards and specifications relevant to their application(s).

There are a number of standards when it comes to the corrosion control coating of fencing wire, and also of roof sheeting. As such, when farmers go to their local co-op, they will typically find a variety of fencing rolls in stock. This makes it hard to tell the various grades apart – and they may be induced to choose the cheapest roll. This begs the question that – although it is still fencing – is it the correct fencing for the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast application, for example?

Similarly, several grades of roof sheeting and cladding – and their coating grades – may be applied in the construction of barns, stock pens and the like. Again, the same challenge pertains to this application. For this reason, it is critically important that galvanized materials are clearly tagged and labelled: “It is imperative that our national standards and codes specify the use of appropriate and relevant product labelling. Those choosing unmarked product, based solely on price, do so at their own peril,” Clarke warns.

He points out that, during the 1950s and 1960s, product ranges were narrower – and were typically manufactured according to higher-end specifications. As markets opened up, a wider product range – and price-driven economic competition – drove an increase in manufacturing according to the lowest specifications.

Another challenge stems from the agricultural sector’s cost pressures and at times, uncertain future. Therefore, purchasers tend to buy on price – rather than adopting the better option of purchasing with the lifecycle costing of the material in mind.

“There must be an incentive for manufacturers to produce high-end materials. Farmers investing in their facilities are therefore encouraged to consider purchases against a 25-year window of operations and return-on-investment. It is here that choosing the right specification is critical,” Clarke reiterates.

Maintaining a complex supply chain

He also notes that while hot dip galvanizing ensures low maintenance, end-users do need to protect their investment. An example of such preventative action includes clearing high grass around fences and fence posts. Similarly, piles of damp soil around fence posts or the sides of barns – which form a wet poultice that can be detrimental to the service life of structures – should be cleared.

That said, the market for galvanizing does not stop at the farm gate.

“Hot dip galvanized steel is a core material for many food processing facilities. From a hygiene point of view, hot dip galvanized structural elements may easily be washed down – provided there is good drainage,” Clarke explains.

He adds that the HDGASA’s role may also extend to advising on design – as was discovered during a recent visit to an animal research facility: “Certain design elements were not correct – and steel had not lasted as long as had been expected. Pens should be designed to ensure that faecal matter and urine do not impinge on the structural elements, thereby causing higher rates of corrosion.”

Food for thought – for the future

Whether it is standards, specifications or maintenance, Clarke says that one of the biggest challenges in South Africa is a serious disconnect between the formal and informal sectors.

“The formal sector certainly has exposure to standards. In most cases, large commercial farming enterprises will have utilised the services of professional engineers who are familiar with the value of the standards required. Small-scale agricultural businesses tend to buy on price – and product quality is often taken at face value. The former requires the HDGASA’s continued support – and those at grass-roots level also need access to our assistance.

However, no matter where farmers or other enterprises find themselves throughout the agricultural supply chain, we would encourage them to see the benefits – and implement hot dip galvanizing where it is required and appropriate. To this point, the HDGASA – and our members – can assist those in the agricultural sector to ensure that product and product sustainability meet the end-user’s expectations,” Clarke concludes.

AES: Energy assessments provide powerful insights which ‘fuel’ change

July 8, 2024

When a production or manufacturing facility is built, everything is new and operating optimally. Over time, equipment deteriorates – or modifications are made with the best intentions, but not always with energy efficiency in mind. It is therefore good practice to do regular energy assessments to ensure  for example that steam traps are working correctly, and there are no steam piping ‘dead legs’.

“Someone may move a machine, and the line which used to provide steam energy is not properly isolated – but is still receiving energy. This is what we term a ‘dead leg’ and is extremely inefficient,” explains Brenainn Cross, Technical Director at specialist operations and maintenance service provider to the steam and boiler sector, Associated Energy Services (AES).

Detail is in the data

AES engages clients regarding precisely what equipment is on site, and how their steam process operates, which entails requesting data from their systems. Where reliable data cannot however be provided – as sometimes is the case – AES employs data capturing equipment to fill in the gaps.

When it comes to doing an accurate energy assessment, Cross says understanding a company’s steam offtake is vital: “We want to know what their process looks like, how much energy they use, how they use it and when. Some companies have a very flat profile (such as a tissue manufacturer) where there is a very consistent offtake – while others have a batch-driven process (such as a tyre or a food manufacturer) with peaks and troughs throughout their steam offtake cycle.

“Many businesses do not realise that products use steam differently. They see steam use as a linear process, and do not appreciate that product type and mix has a big impact. There is great value for clients when they start understanding their own energy usage-related data – and AES’s energy optimisation capabilities, once we have the correct data,” he advises.

This information allows AES to estimate whether or not the client’s thermal energy plant is fit for purpose.

Finding the energy blind spots

Cross maintains that a lack of data – and analysis – around the conversion rate of fuel into energy is a substantial blind spot for many manufacturing or processing companies. Most focus on fuel consumption versus the quantity of product made – a process known as ‘fuel to product out’ costing – rather than monitoring how efficiently fuel is converted to steam energy and thereafter how much steam energy is used to produce the product.

He admits, however, there is no single ‘silver bullet’, and that energy assessments must be carried out on a case-by-case basis: “In instances where we see a mismatch between energy plant or equipment installed on site and the client’s energy usage profile, we will raise this. What we can achieve could be constrained by the incorrect or inadequate equipment. We have to assess whether capital investment is required for us to meet our energy optimisation commitments accordingly.”

To this point, AES’s advice may extend beyond the boiler itself, to issues such as water treatment and asset care: “One of our clients currently needs to consider additional feed water treatment to address a hard water challenge, and remove total dissolved solids that can affect overall boiler energy efficiency and – in the worst case – damage equipment,” Cross adds.

While data collected regarding pressures, flow rates and temperatures is invaluable, it is often difficult to access and complete a full and detailed risk assessment of all equipment while it is operational. For this reason, boilers need to be taken offline for inspection – so that AES can raise any problems with a client and discuss ongoing asset care and maintenance; as well as the impact thereof on the energy usage and optimisation process accordingly.

The power of change – and metrics

Cross describes an energy assessment as a “conversation continuing throughout AES’s relationship with the client”. Ongoing assessments are also vital due to staff and management changes: “We know the baseline situation when we take over the boiler operations and maintenance, however incoming staff and management may not. Therefore – from a perception perspective – it is very important that the client is consistently made aware of the implications were no energy assessments or optimisation to be done – and how pivotal these are to the long-term productivity and sustainability of their facility,” he says.

Energy savings speak for themselves. An example is the 21% and 38% improvement respectively registered at two food processing plants where AES is responsible for energy optimisation.

For Cross, initial assessments usually identify “low-hanging fruit” or early energy saving gains. Take insulation: AES has countless examples of advising clients to insulate heated surfaces as a quick way to recover wasted energy.

“Uninsulated steam lines result in energy losses through radiation heat transfer. For a steam line with the specific parameters stated, insulating this piping would amount to a reduction in CO2e of ~620 tonnes per annum,” he says. This is illustrated as per the table below:

 Nominal Pipe size 150 mm
Steam pressure 10 bar (g)
Ambient temperature 20 °C
Equivalent length of pipe 100 m


Assessments ‘fuel’ change

“Over the past three years, we have seen increased pressure from larger clients requiring a more direct line of sight when it comes to their energy efficiencies – specifically with a view to environmental or carbon tax concerns,” Cross observes.

He adds that AES has been asked to assess many unusual prospective fuel types, including the use of process byproduct streams as potential fuels. “An assessment often proves that the potential energy generation does not warrant the capital expenditure required to make the fuel change,” he explains.

The game-changer is the baseline cost of the energy, notes Cross, citing a recent energy assessment where a fuel switch for a client has the potential to unlock significant operational savings.

“Throughout the process, input from specialist engineers allows us to fully assess – and convey to the client – the true value of fuel (or other) changes. In manufacturing or processing facilities, the focus is on the process but not on the conversion of energy – and often not sufficiently on its cost, quality or efficiency.

Regular, accurate energy assessments really focus clients’ attention on powerful insights which AES can then use, to make the changes required to achieve energy usage and cost-savings, as well as improved environmental and operational sustainability,” Cross concludes.

Colossal Concrete Products: making a concrete difference in rail and other infrastructure sectors

July 3, 2024

There is light at the end of the tunnel for South Africa’s railway network, according to Colossal Concrete Products, Southern Africa’s largest producer of precast concrete railway sleepers.

Chief Executive Officer, Gwen Mahuma-Madida and Chief Operating Officer, Mmapitso Kiewiet – who both personify the pivotal role women play in the rail and infrastructure sectors – believe that the thousands of kilometres of  track criss-crossing South Africa will over time be restored, contributing towards economic recovery and forging critical linkages across the SADC region and into Africa.

A Colossal vision for rail

Mahuma-Madida explains that she, together with fellow investors, chose the name ‘Colossal’ because they had a colossal or massive vision of developing infrastructure products and services across the continent.

In 2021, Colossal Concrete Products – a Level 1 B-BBEE venture – purchased a precast concrete products manufacturing facility in Brakpan and a mothballed operation at De Aar in the Northern Cape from the company formerly known as Aveng Infraset.

The De Aar facility reopened in October last year, following the conclusion of a 1-year contract with Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) to supply precast concrete railway sleepers for upgrading of existing rail infrastructure. This has been extended by six months to December 2024.

Both Mahuma-Madida and Kiewiet believe that rail will rise above challenges such as poor maintenance, vandalism, theft and lack of investment: “With new leadership, there is a fresh new and invigorated approach and mind set. This will not only have a major impact on the rail network and other infrastructure of the country, but also on our own workforce. We can produce a million sleepers a year – and so currently, are not even scratching the surface of our full capacity,” Mahuma-Madida points out.

“Having said this, we believe that we will benefit from the escalation in the delivery of infrastructure upgrades – as well as the resumption of maintenance of our rail infrastructure. However, we can also increase demand for our products through working closely with the private sector in construction, mining, engineering and renewable energy. This applies both in South Africa and throughout Sub-Saharan Africa – where we are actively pursuing distribution agreements for our products,” she comments.

Pan-African infrastructure expansion

Colossal’s opportunities extend beyond their contract with Transnet Freight Rail. The company also supplies PRASA via third-party contractors; as well as private sector rail projects at sites such as a manganese ore mine in the Northern Cape.

Colossal also recently supplied rail sleepers and poles for a 109-kilometre railway upgrade project in Namibia and distributes poles in Botswana. In further expansion, the company’s recent distribution agreement and collaboration with Eswatini precast concrete manufacturer and distributor NPC is expected to open up a new sub-Saharan African market – and an export springboard for precast concrete products via the port of Maputo in neighbouring Mozambique.

Mahuma-Madida says that Colossal has a variety of products – including concrete poles, masts, culverts and pipes – which play a role in the whole infrastructure value chain.

“We are also trying to grow into larger markets such as telecommunications, energy and construction. One of our most significant advantages is the flexibility to set a unique and sustainable system of modular, portable ‘project factories’ which cater for specific projects and can be dismantled post-completion.”

Making a difference

Colossal believes its contribution to developing infrastructure goes beyond the actual physical product: “We help to change people’s lives and make a sustainable difference. For example, there is a whole economy around a rail network: it not only boosts a country’s gross domestic product (GDP) – but promotes ease of movement, facilitating transport of both people and goods. This means less heavy commercial transport vehicles on the road – and therefore less damage to the road infrastructure,” explains Kiewiet.

Making a difference in peoples’ lives started close to home for Colossal: not only were jobs retained, but employment in the De Aar and Brakpan facilities has collectively increased to just under 200.

“For us, our investment in people encompasses the local community around our Brakpan and De Aar facilities, with some 10 people benefitting from each person employed.

As this business is very seasonal and depends on key contracts and orders, we have a base of permanent employees and then we hire limited duration contractors (LDCs). In Brakpan, we are extremely proud to recently have made some of these LDCs permanent – and are hoping to employ even more people. In De Aar, we started with just a handful of people whom we re-employed in their former positions – and we have then scaled it up as we opened more production lines,” explains Kiewiet.

Women ‘steaming ahead’

Mahuma-Madida’s entrepreneurial initiatives have been focused on rail since 2012: “This is an industry about which I am very passionate. Together with fellow investors, I am still looking for other opportunities, products and services which we as Colossal Concrete Products can supply into numerous different infrastructure-related sectors: from renewable energy, to water, roads and the mining and construction sectors – and of course, rail.”

Colossal is also focused on promoting the role of women in the sector: “In administration, we are highly weighted towards women. In the factory, because the work requires heavy lifting, there are more men. However, we do have women who work in our prepping and stacking departments,” Kiewiet adds.

Mahuma-Madida adds that there are significant opportunities in quality and safety. From the procurement of raw materials to dispatch, and from testing to research and development, there are areas where women can excel.

A concrete foundation for the future

In addition to creating jobs, Colossal has also made strides in improving quality with a product reject rate far below the industry average of 0.5%: “We are proud to say that the average reject rate at our culvert plant is 0%. Furthermore – despite the volumes we produce at our longline plant – our reject rate average there is 0.1%, which is a true testament to our quality and manufacturing processes,” Kiewiet enthuses.

“Over the past three years, we have turned this business around, not only securing the TFR contract but securing our leading position as the largest supplier of railway sleepers in Southern Africa; as well as being a major supplier of other precast concrete products required for infrastructure development not only locally but across the continent.

As such, Colossal has built up a great reputation as a trusted manufacturer of quality, innovative precast concrete products – as well as a company which takes care of its staff, customers and suppliers. We have substantial capacity to produce quality precast concrete infrastructure products across Sub-Saharan Africa, and we are ‘on track’ to do just that,” Mahuma-Madida concludes.