Archive: December 13, 2024

Bolt and Engineering’s collaboration with leading PPE suppliers highlights commitment to safety and excellence

Bolt and Engineering Distributors (B.E.D.) is proud to highlight its enduring partnership with Dromex, a leader in the provision of high-quality personal protective equipment (PPE). This collaboration underscores a shared commitment to worker safety and excellence, driven by a deep ethos of care and responsibility from both parties. Over the years, this relationship has strengthened, showcasing the dedication of both companies to provide innovative and reliable PPE solutions.

Human connection

At the heart of this longstanding and successful partnership lies a strong human element and connection. Bolt and Engineering’s PPE Product Manager, Annelien Crock, emphasises the importance of personal accountability within the B.E.D. team: “Our relationship with Dromex is built on mutual trust and a shared commitment to safety. We align ourselves with suppliers who share our values and ethos, ensuring that we offer our customers the best possible protection. The products we provide are those which we would use ourselves, reflecting our dedication to quality and reliability.”

Dromex’s vision of a world where every worker is safe all the time resonates deeply with Bolt and Engineering. This shared vision has been a cornerstone of their partnership, fostering a strong bond and mutual support. “We do not just see this as a business relationship,” Crock adds. “It is a very valued partnership, where both sides provide their expertise and support each other. This synergy ensures that our customers receive the technical support and innovative solutions they need to maintain a safe working environment.”

Commitment to Excellence

As a leading PPE supplier, Dromex is renowned for its stringent testing and certification processes, ensuring that its products meet the highest standards of safety and reliability. This commitment to quality is mirrored by Bolt and Engineering’s dedication to providing their customers with the best possible products and services. “We only work with the best in the industry,” says Reinette Human, Marketing Coordinator at Bolt and Engineering. “Our clients know that the PPE they receive is accredited, trustworthy and tested. This gives them confidence in the products, and in B.E.D. as their PPE supplier.”

One of the standout features of this partnership is the comprehensive support and technical expertise provided by Dromex. Crock shares an example of this collaborative spirit: “We had a customer facing issues with recurring hand injuries, despite using gloves. Dromex promptly sent a technical expert to assess the situation, and together, we identified the right product for the specific application. This (literally) hands-on approach solidifies our partnership and ensures that our customers receive the best possible solutions.”

Expanding the circle of safety

The partnership between Bolt and Engineering and Dromex is not an isolated or once-off success story. B.E.D. has cultivated strong relationships with other key PPE service providers and industry leaders, such as Drager and Bata.

For instance, Bolt and Engineering recently collaborated with Drager to test various PPE masks in practical settings to determine their efficiency in the field. B.E.D. has also taken a unique approach by thoroughly assessing customer requirements, and standardising glove offerings to ensure quality and cost-effectiveness. “We aim to provide a complete turnkey solution for our clients, from the smallest nut to the PPE needed to safely use power tools,” Annelien explains.

Bolt and Engineering also provide personalised solutions, such as custom-conti suits, pre-packed and labelled PPE for annual issuing, and in-house embroidery services. These tailored services save customers time and money, streamlining processes and ensuring that their safety requirements are efficiently met.

The PPE division at B.E.D. has seen significant growth, particularly under the leadership of Annelien Crock. From 2023 to 2024, the division has rapidly expanded, a testament to the dedication and expertise of the team. “Our culture of accountability and responsibility is key to this success,” says Crock. “We live by our ethos of 100/0: 100% responsibility, with zero excuses. This approach has not only enhanced our service delivery, but also built confidence and trust with our customers.”

Looking to the Future

“As Bolt and Engineering looks to the future, our partnership with Dromex and other leading PPE sector suppliers will remain a highly-regarded strategic asset. The collaboration and cooperation at the heart of these partnerships ensure that they are more than just business agreements.

Rather, each of these represents a shared journey towards excellence and safety. By leveraging these strong relationships and continuously innovating, Bolt and Engineering is well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of our customers, and ultimately, to ensure safer working environments throughout industry,” Crock concludes.

Turn up the volume to boost sector recovery, says the Hot Dip Galvanizers Association Southern Africa (HDGASA)

Reflecting its ethos of being ‘passionate about excellence’, Malben Engineering, a pioneering industry trailblazer in the ongoing drive towards sustainable manufacturing in the automotive sector and MIBCO (Motor Industry Bargaining Council) member, has recently been announced as the winner of the Environmental Stewardship category in the SEIFSA Awards For Excellence.

A national federation representing 16 independent employer associations in the metal and engineering industries – with a combined membership of over 1 300 companies employing over 170 000 people – SEIFSA created the Awards For Excellence to honour the brightest and best in the metals and engineering sector. The Awards not only recognise the talent within organisations, but also companies which champion excellence in the face of industry challenges.

Malben Engineering, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, is a Level 4 BBBEE supplier of stampings and welding components to local vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and other sectors such as mining and construction. The company is also South Africa’s first automotive component manufacturer to trial ‘green’, low-carbon steel, and  recently scored an impressive 98% in an international Responsible Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI) supply chain audit initiated by Ford – the highest score ever achieved by a local supplier and another ‘first’ in South Africa.

Malben Engineering’s Operational Director Luca Smargiasso, notes that the increasing demand for green steel – and the ultimate decarbonisation of the local steel supply chain – will be game-changers for South Africa’s steel and automotive sectors.

“The SEIFSA Environmental award is dedicated to our founder Amerigo Smargiasso, for his inspirational leadership over the past 5 decades, and to our partners in the green steel venture. These are leading German steel and technology group Salzgitter AG and their local representative United Steel Services, which supplied the green steel; and local value-adding steel processor and merchant Allied Steelrode, which facilitated the sourcing and importation thereof.

“Malben Engineering is proud to be at the forefront of the sustainability evolution in South Africa, and see this award as another demonstration of our passion for supplying world-class product. Through agile decision-making and authentic, people-centric values, we are furthermore passionate about innovation and new technologies,” he says.

As such, environmental and sustainability imperatives remain at the core of the company’s operations.

“We would also like to thank our management and staff for their enthusiastic hard work and dedication in establishing, maintaining and continually improving our quality and environmental management systems. These focus on productivity and efficiency, minimising waste and pollution, optimising natural resources and ensuring that we have the flexibility to adapt to the changing needs of our sector and our customers,” Smargiasso concludes.

Clarifying boiler water treatment – Essential to ensure effective heat transfer and energy management

Poor boiler water treatment is the primary cause of poor boiler performance, according to Chris Paterson, Managing Director of specialist operations and maintenance service provider to the steam and boiler sector, Associated Energy Services (AES).

Not all water is created equal and there is a lot more to water treatment than ensuring that it appears clean, he says. Yet, this is where many companies are tempted to cut costs.

However, because correctly treated boiler water is integral to preventative maintenance and essential to ensuring boiler safety – as well as operational and energy efficiency – this is one of the first and most critical issues that AES addresses when taking over the operations and maintenance of a client’s boilers and energy plant.

A drop in water standards

Poor infrastructure has reduced municipal water quality – while the increased cost of this water source has persuaded many companies to switch to alternative streams such as borehole water and stored rainwater – creating a whole new set of challenges, says AES Operations Director Ray Lund.

“Each of these streams has different properties. Hardness levels (how much calcium and magnesium is in the water) and total dissolved solids (TDS) need to be considered. When using borehole water,  the iron and silica content need to be checked. Furthermore, boiler water should be thoroughly tested over time to see what is in it – and to check the variability of the various contaminants – so that one can design and install appropriate treatment equipment and technology,” Paterson advises.

According to Lund, the quality of water going into a boiler has two direct impacts: the first on the life of the boiler and the second on its heat transfer capacity and efficiency – which affects the overall energy plant management.

Corrosive water damages internal boiler surfaces, Lund explains: “It can cause pitting of the surface material. This often results in boilers either having to be downgraded to operate at lower pressures because the material has been compromised – or even scrapped.”

Clarifying boiler water treatment

Using the analogy of a domestic kettle, Lund explains that compounds such as calcium and magnesium form a hard scale which adheres to surfaces. This limits the transfer of heat from the fire side of the boiler to the water side, making the boiler inefficient when it comes to the production of steam.

However, this does not happen immediately. Paterson warns: “Poor water treatment damages boilers over long periods. Water does not go off specification in one day. Therefore, water treatment needs to be done correctly and consistently, every single day. Unfortunately, this is what many manufacturing and processing facilities miss.”

Lund notes that the relationship between on-site boiler operators and water treatment companies forms a strong foundation for a watertight boiler water treatment strategy: “We partner with water treatment companies to train boiler operators in the importance – and practice – of testing feedwater daily. If any elements are out of specification, they raise that with the regional AES team, and we escalate this to our water treatment partners.”

At the beginning of the process, solids are removed via different forms of filtration. Plants with very high TDS might require the installation of a reverse osmosis (RO) plant which can be a very effective energy-saver, as it requires fewer blow-downs of the boiler to clean it out.

“Typically with municipal water supply, the TDS is low, so we proceed directly to a softener. However, there are some areas in the country where the water is very hard. We look at various technologies to identify the most cost-effective way in which to manage that over the long term,” says Lund.

PH control is always critical, and must remain within the right parameters to facilitate the formation of a protective layer which protects the internal surfaces of the boiler.

Lund adds that oxygenates should also not be overlooked: “It is important to remove as much oxygen as possible before water goes into a boiler to prevent oxygen pitting – especially when boilers have economisers, as there will be oxygen left in the water, causing pitting corrosion and increasing the risk of equipment failures.”

Another consequence of poor water treatment is foaming: this results in liquids – rather than hot gas – being carried from the boiler into the steam piping network and flowing through the system, which can cause a condition known as ‘water hammer’. Pockets of water travel at the same velocity as the heated gas – potentially causing severe damage when reaching a pipe bend.

“This foaming also disrupts the measurement of water levels to the point where – despite indications that these are correct – there may be very little to no water in a boiler, causing it to overheat or even to explode,” he explains.

The last resort: tipping the ‘scales’

According to Lund, when scale has built up to the point where the equipment is at risk and efficiencies are compromised, clients have two options – using an on-line descalant – or a difficult and expensive off-line acid wash, which essentially “pickles the boiler”.

In this instance – in addition to lost production time – as it can take up to four days to acid wash a boiler: the cost of the chemicals, as well as neutralising and disposing of the resulting acid effluent can have a very negative financial impact. Boilers requiring repairs after this acid wash process will further add to the overall cost.

“Years of poor boiler water treatment can really add up, with negative operational and financial consequences. With this in mind – and aligned with our performance guarantee to clients, we do as much as we can to ensure that all AES clients are aware of potential water quality concerns and the related risks, allowing for timeous preventative action to be taken if required,” Paterson concludes.

Coated with success: B.E.D. announces major surface engineering company customer win

Bolt And Engineering Distributors (B.E.D.), a leading supplier of engineering products and services, proudly announces a significant customer win with a surface engineering customer, one of South Africa’s leading providers of thermal spraying and coating technology. This collaboration, which underscores B.E.D.’s dedication to providing top-quality welding solutions and exceptional customer service, began a year ago when one of the customer’s team members was introduced to Kevin Jenkins, the newly appointed B.E.D. Area Sales Manager (ASM) for the Vaal region. The customer – already acquainted with the high standards of Fronius’s welding machines – had a unit which required service and calibration.

Leveraging its expertise as a longstanding and experienced Fronius distributor, B.E.D. efficiently managed the repair process, returning the machine to optimal performance. This success was pivotal in building trust and demonstrating B.E.D.’s capability to meet the customer’s high expectations.

“We are very pleased to announce our collaboration with this valued customer! This is a testament to B.E.D.’s unwavering commitment to quality and customer satisfaction – and to the excellence of our supplier Fronius’s welding equipment and solutions,” says Mike Giltrow, CEO of B.E.D.

Addressing customer requirements

Following the repair and return of their welding machine, the customer encountered an operational issue regarding the selection of the correct settings for a specific welding application. Demonstrating dedication to customer satisfaction, a specialist from B.E.D.’s welding division accompanied the ASM to the customer’s site. The hands-on support and training provided speedily resolved the issue, again showcasing B.E.D.’s commitment to ensuring optimal operational performance for its customers.

Recognising the need to remain competitive in the market, the customer then expressed interest in the Fronius TPS400i Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) machine, driven by their requirement to offer advanced welding processes to their clients. B.E.D.’s welding specialist provided comprehensive insights into the CMT machine, initiating the quotation and purchasing process.

Expertise and confidence

“The customer’s expertise in surface engineering, and the variety of welding processes required for this – including, for example, their familiarity with the cold metal transfer welding process – combined with their confidence in B.E.D. and in the Fronius brand – played a crucial role in their decision-making process,” Jenkins explains.

He adds that throughout the discussions, B.E.D.’s welding division’s extensive industry knowledge was very evident: “Our welding team addressed all the technical queries raised by the customer, providing detailed explanations on materials, machine capabilities and optimal welding settings. This technical support was instrumental in securing the order of the new CMT machine.”

B.E.D.’s welding division’s in-depth technical experience, and understanding of Fronius’s products and solutions assured the customer of the quality and reliability of their purchase. The promise of ongoing support and backup service, along with training for the machine operator post-commissioning, further reinforced the customer’s confidence in their decision. “In addition, our welding division team ensured that all potential issues were promptly addressed, providing robust operational support to the customer,” Jenkins advises.

Successful implementation

Upon delivery and commissioning of the CMT machine, B.E.D. also conducted thorough training sessions, ensuring that the customer’s welding team was well-versed in the use of the new equipment.

“This hands-on approach guaranteed that the customer could maximise the machine’s capabilities from the outset. Since automating their CMT process, the customer has reported outstanding results, reaffirming their satisfaction with Fronius’s welding technology – and the sterling support received from B.E.D.,” Jenkins enthuses.

“Our collaboration with this market-leading surface engineering customer exemplifies the synergy between our technical expertise and their commitment to excellence. By providing comprehensive support and high-quality solutions, we have strengthened their operations and affirmed our dedication to customer satisfaction.

B.E.D. is proud to have facilitated this customer’s enhancement of their welding processes, enabling them to maintain a competitive edge in their market. Our collaboration exemplifies B.E.D.’s ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality engineering solutions and fostering strong, supportive relationships with our customers,” Mike Giltrow concludes.