Archive: August 26, 2025

The HDGASA is a lighthouse: illuminating the path with knowledge and training for galvanised steel fabrication, says associate member Rand York

August 26, 2025

The Hot Dip Galvanizers Association Southern Africa (the HDGASA) serves as a lighthouse, guiding stakeholders through the complexities of steel fabrication, and corrosion protection in South Africa, according to Justin Corbett, Joint CEO of Rand York Castings.

A proud HDGASA associate member and a shining example of South African export success, Rand York Castings – a family business established over 40 years ago – specialises in hot dip galvanized steel substrates and fabrications. The company supplies high-quality products to global markets in mining, civil construction, geotechnical engineering, and, more recently, agriculture.

“Today, quality is assumed, but as a nation, South Africans often lack a deeply ingrained quality ethic,” Corbett explains. Many companies aim to beneficiate steel for international markets, and partnering with the HDGASA provides essential guidance, protection, and expertise on corrosion control and quality specifications.”

Leading by example in global projects

Rand York’s four decades of excellence are evident in its contributions to iconic structures worldwide: the refurbished Sydney Harbour Bridge, the London Bridge, the roof of the BC Place Vancouver stadium (hosted of the FIFA Women’s World Cup) and innovative avalanche protection walls in Iceland.

“We have done extensive work in Iceland. We supplied steel facing with an integrated basket made from 10 and 12mm wire to create an extraordinary, mechanically stabilised wall to counter a once-in-a-100-years avalanche. Just six months later, that avalanche arrived and it did exactly what it had to,” Corbett explains.

The company excels in high tensile, niche products crafted from premium materials. Corbett  says that no other local firm exports more galvanized sections than Rand York:

“We use specialised steel grades with high tensile strength, excellent elongation, and chemical profiles optimised for hot dip galvanizing. Several bespoke sections are rolled exclusively for us, followed by in-house fabrication, including cutting, punching, bending, and welding.”

Rand York is South Africa’s leading supplier of hollow drill steel, collaborating closely with global mining original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Its mining portfolio also includes steel shouldered pipe couplings for underground water and air reticulation, and through its Technobolt division, the company supplies rock anchors and bolts for roof support. Ground stabilisation in the civil engineering space is also an important business for Rand York.

“A prime local example is the ongoing upgrade of the EB Cloete interchange on the N3 Durban outskirts, where we have supplied thousands of ground anchors,” he advises.

Exporting to 65 countries across all continents, Rand York provides steel profiles for mechanically stabilised walls – the most prevalent civil engineering design in modern history. Locally, these can be recognised by their interlocking panels at the Marlborough interchange and many other Gautrain locations. The company maintains a strong partnership with GeoQuest, global experts in such systems, where hot dip galvanizing is essential for permanent structures with design lives exceeding 50 years.

In agriculture, Rand York supplies hot-rolled steel sections, fabricated and galvanized for greenhouses, meeting the sector’s growing demand for durable solutions.

Rand York’s galvanizing is handled by long-term partner Transvaal Galvanisers, fostering a decades-long collaboration built on trust and precision.

Corrosion control expertise

Corrosion protection is at the heart of Rand York’s operations. The company offers a comprehensive range of solutions, including hot dip galvanizing, duplex coatings (such as epoxy), bitumen coating and Denso wrapping. “Hot dip galvanizing represents 80% of our corrosion protection work,” says Divisional Manager Kingsley Corbett. “We are frequently consulted by OEM clients on project-specific requirements to comply with global specifications, especially in highly corrosive environments.”

The HDGASA: a beacon of support

The HDGASA plays a crucial role in Rand York’s success, providing up-to-date insights on international standards from Canada, Australia, Japan, and beyond. “They are attuned to every nuance and variation in specifications, which has been invaluable for our overseas and domestic clients,” Justin Corbett emphasises.

Training is another key benefit. Kingsley Corbett, a qualified Level 2 Galvanizing Inspector through HDGASA programmes, advises on standards and clarifies distinctions between aesthetics and functionality. “Specifications might permit a small black or uncoated spot, but confusion often arises – HDGASA training demystifies this,” he says.

Over 30 shopfloor staff have completed Level 1 training, empowering them to identify potential issues early and ensure product integrity.

The HDGASA’s objective third-party mediation has also proven vital. In one instance, a shipment exposed to high humidity during transit developed white rust, risking rejection. HDGASA experts Robin Clarke and Anthony Botha diagnosed the cause and outlined simple rectifying steps, salvaging the consignment.

“In essence, the HDGASA has been pivotal to our business: a true lighthouse offering trusted knowledge, advice, and training,” Justin Corbett concludes.

The essential pillars of corrosion control are built on steel value chain collaboration, co-ordination and communication, says the HDGASA

August 19, 2025

Duplex coating – combining hot dip galvanizing with painting – is an extremely effective method of corrosion control.

“Paint on hot dip galvanizing is an excellent system, but it does require that everyone in the value chain understands the requirements for best practice,” says Robin Clarke, Executive Director of the Hot Dip Galvanizers Association of Southern Africa (HDGASA).

Several award-winning projects demonstrate its efficacy. These include the Kirstenbosch Gardens walkway – the steel work on the Cape Town soccer stadium – and the Standard Bank facade in Maputo. All required high levels of corrosion control, as well as architectural synergy with their surroundings.

Grappling with technicalities

The HDGASA frequently assists designers, architects, fabricators, galvanizers and paint professionals regarding the best approach to take to the duplex coating process – and its website includes useful documentation and methodologies to guide them.

For example, Clarke explains that a structure may require a paint over-coating to prolong service life in harsh marine and agricultural locations, exceptionally high pollution areas and corrosive micro-environments within processing plants.

However, both aesthetic and legislative requirements may play a role: “These might relate to a specific aesthetic to complement the surroundings – or a legislative requirement such as colour coding of pipelines, or meeting Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requirements with regard to high-rise structures in and around airports or flight paths,” he advises.

Tried and tested corrosion control

Clarke describes hot dip galvanizing as a well-established, tried and tested, preferred corrosion control method. Extensive research between the 1940s and 1960s on hot houses in the Netherlands produced a very repeatable outcome when it came to service life. The same applied to certain paint systems. These were put onto the same galvanizing base as a third leg of the experiment – and the outcome was that the lifetime of the coating exceeded the sum of the two individual parts by at least 1.5 times in aggressive environments and up to 2.8 times in less corrosive situations.

Clarke explains that laboratory tests also determined that when paint became porous, the zinc from the galvanizing process plugged and sealed the micro-porosities, giving new life to the coating.

Another benefit is avoiding under-creep on a paint system: “If the paint is penetrated, the steel can rust under the paint. That does not occur when you have painted onto a galvanized or zinc-based coating. The zinc will sacrifice itself to restore the coating and, if it cannot, it will sacrifice itself to protect the carbon steel substrate.”

Collaboration and co-ordination to mitigate corrosion

Once duplex technology has been specified, important decisions around steel selection and preparation follow.

The HDGASA frequently advises about the best corrosion control approach in extreme environments, specifying silicon-controlled steel in terms of the SANS 1471 (parts 1 and 2) guidelines.

“The best manufacturing practice starts with ensuring that you select the most appropriate steel – which is silicon-controlled steel – and ensure the consistency of your steel supply throughout the project. If this is a substantial project that requires various steel suppliers, it will be very difficult to deliver the same paint aesthetic,” Clarke observes.

Clarke adds that, in terms of SANS 14713 for best manufacturing practices, the design must ensure an even flow of cleaning materials across the steel articles, address best practices in terms of welding, control of de-fluxing and anti-spatter. Safety is also paramount in the case of enclosed containers, where venting and filling holes need to be placed appropriately.

Communicating to achieve the perfect outcome

Clarke says the HDGASA recommends commencing with a gentle sweep blast of air to remove any products of oxidation, remnants or contaminants on the surface.

“We advocate very strongly that the paint manufacturer makes a recommendation in accordance with the ISO 12944 standards, which relate to a variety of painting systems that will be effective depending on the coating durability required for the project,” he says.

He also emphasises that the paint coatings for a single project should come from the same manufacturer to avoid incompatible paint.

“The engineer, the architect/designer and fabricator must inform the galvanizer that the material is to be over-coated or painted before the galvanizing process starts. At that point, the galvanizer and the painter will also need to liaise regarding the requirements for post-galvanizing surface preparation.”

“The painter will have looked at the HDGASA’s codes of practice and prepared the surface before following the manufacturer’s recommendations to ensure that the paint is correctly mixed, applied and cured.

Therefore, adherence to the methodology of collaboration, co-operation and communication will ensure that the client ultimately receives a hot dip galvanized and painted article that – instead of lasting under ten years, will have a service life of double that,” Clarke concludes.

The measure of quality: Malben Engineering’s metrology laboratory is the heart of data-driven production consistency

August 6, 2025

Although pressing and welding have been at the core of Tier 1 automotive supplier Malben Engineering for 50 years, it is the company’s investment in its state-of-the-art metrology laboratory which, alongside these services, has set it apart, says Plant Manager, Jithin Kottikkal.

“The metrology laboratory – which effectively analyses the ‘pulse rate’ of the entire plant – supports the production process and determines overall production compliance by providing the data which, quite literally, sets the company free,” Kottikkal explains.

This expression – ‘the data sets you free’ – perfectly encapsulates the company’s data-driven approach to ensuring that each completed part fully meets the stringent safety and dimensional accuracy standards of its original equipment manufacturer (OEM) customers; as well as the company’s own even more stringent in-house requirements.

Kottikkal adds that whereas, in the past, prototype parts and tools were made and tested, today’s software and scanning technology not only reveals if anything is out of specification within minutes, but confirms if reverse-engineered modifications will work.

Investing in consistency

Metrology and Welding Quality Systems Head Cheslyn Reid explains that Malben’s investment in statistical process control (SPC) ensures the consistency of metal pressings: “OEMs assemble using robots and cannot accept components which vary from their tight specifications and tolerances. The same goes for the sophisticated welding robots responsible for Malben’s sub-assemblies.

Pressings are tested every 15 minutes using component-specific measuring jigs designed around locator data (LD) files provided by customers. Customer-specific level 1 and 2 points are identified to ensure that their specifications are met. Level 3 and 4 points are then added to complete Malben’s own SPC checks,” he explains.

Reid advises that Malben insists on using more points than typically used by others: “We would rather spend a little longer checking a part. We place a lot of emphasis on stabilising pressings, focusing on variation reduction and aiming for repeatability. We track all material variances – including mechanical properties – to drive press set-up consistency and ensure repeatability.”

Should a problem be detected via the checking fixture, a component is immediately sent to the metrology laboratory, which is equipped with CNC-controlled profile measurement systems – as well as two 3D blue light laser point cloud scanners.

Investing in speed

The super-fast scanners can scan up to 1.2 million points per second in a straight line. Unlike comparable equipment, they do not need to be pre-prepared and marked before analysis: “We can pick up our equipment and ‘go for gold’ immediately! We can scan smaller components in the laboratory – and larger components measuring up to 5 metres long in the tool room – as these scanners are fully portable. We leapfrog by setting up the arm, scanning a section and then moving on to the next segment. Within just four minutes, precise and accurate data is available.”

He adds that Malben has also invested in software that enables reverse engineering: “If a tool breaks or cracks, we scan the tool. We have the software to reverse engineer and manufacture the same section of a tool that needs to be replaced.”

The scanning process creates a software mesh of the physical part, which is then compared to the CAD model to identify potential problems and make adjustments.

Senior Metrologist Clayton Venkanna continues: “The scanners and the CMM (co-ordinate measuring machine) provide the first data scan, which we overlay onto the CAD model. In this way, we complete a dimensional analysis using colour maps to define a deviation from the CAD model. The colour map visually enables us to check real-time data, and plot from part to part. We can see the specific point where the last part ran, and where we are currently running.”

For Reid, it is important to understand the process capability which delivers a consistent part, taking into account any deviations while also ensuring that even these remain consistent throughout entire production runs. Shifts indicate that something important has changed in the process.

Speed is also critical, adds Venkanna: “Presses run at up to 20 strokes per minute. You cannot keep a press standing waiting on the results. Immediate action and quick responses are critical. That way, we support our production team faster – which is what sets us apart.”

Investing in data

One of the first component manufacturers to use red light scanners in 2015, Malben had upgraded to ultra-accurate blue light scanners by 2021. Equipment suppliers provide internal training and software updates for the highly skilled team operating the laboratory.

“It is not just the machines, but their application and integration into our operational and quality system which is really important. We use our equipment and technology to its full capacity, to guide all of our technical decisions and make critical judgment calls,” Kottikkal stresses.

With contingencies in place to cover breakdowns, a CMM which can verify the accuracy of its blue light scanner counterparts – and staff trained to ensure there are no interruptions to this vital SPC process – Malben is perfectly equipped to achieve the highest quality standards.

In a sector that is constantly evolving, Malben remains committed to investing in the latest measuring technology.

“Investment decisions are driven by the scope of new work that is sourced. We need to ensure that new equipment is cost-effective and allows us to meet our customer requirements regarding quality and tolerances,” Reid concludes.

Precision, people and performance: B.E.D. Lephalale powers industry with the perfect fit, fast!

August 4, 2025

Located in the heart of Limpopo, Bolt and Engineering Distributors (B.E.D.) Lephalale has evolved into a trusted solutions partner for some of South Africa’s most demanding industries. From mining and power generation to agriculture, the branch has become known for its agility, responsiveness and commitment to operational uptime and customer success.

“To provide the perfect fit fast ‘– as per B.E.D.’s operational ethos – we need more than stock on our shelves,” says Limpopo Operations Manager Gerhardt Theron.

“We also pride ourselves on implementing the B.E.D. slogan ‘it’s our business to know your business’. To do this, we need the right team, the right knowledge and the right processes to anticipate and solve customer challenges before they become problems. At B.E.D. Lephalale, we are focused on these elements, to ensure success.”

Small team, big results

Despite being one of the smaller B.E.D. branches, Lephalale operates with precision and purpose. The team is highly skilled, drawing on decades of experience in welding, fasteners, and bearings. In addition to aligning operationally to the company’s ethos of providing customers with ‘the perfect fit, fast,’ this tight-knit group embraces B.E.D.’s renowned 100/0 principle: taking 100% responsibility, with 0% excuses.

One of the branch’s major accomplishments has been its pivot from a primarily mining-focused customer base to a growing share of the local agricultural market. By for example recognising the critical role of specialised bearings in farming equipment – and leveraging its team members’ in-depth technical knowledge of bearings – B.E.D. Lephalale is now firmly positioned as a key player in supporting local agri-businesses with speed and accuracy.

Strategic hires and a strong emphasis on people development have also underpinned the branch’s success. From experienced team members with 16 years in the industry, to new employees who have quickly moved from administrative support to internal sales, Theron highlights that the right people are central to delivering on B.E.D.’s customer service commitment:

“Teamwork makes the dream work, as the saying goes! We are very appreciative of the effort our people put in, and we build the branch around those individuals who show initiative, grow into their roles and genuinely care about the customer,” he explains, adding that – in line with the 100/0 principle – B.E.D. Lephalale’s culture rewards accountability, not hierarchy.

Location and fast delivery

The branch’s proximity to large-scale operations such as Medupi Power Station and the surrounding mining activity has further cemented its strategic importance and driven a need for the responsive delivery, for which the Lephalale team has become known, and which has become a cornerstone of its service offering. “We could not run a business with deliveries only twice a week. We therefore motivated for – and secured – daily deliveries, because when a machine stops, the customer needs the part today and not tomorrow,” advises Theron.

This operational step-change has driven significant growth: stock volumes have increased, a new warehouse extension is planned, and the branch now regularly sees deliveries increasing exponentially, from two to eight tons. This all reflects a business built to enable productivity: high-impact support, informed advice and unmatched urgency.

The team also reinforces partnerships through site-specific support, and plans to host future branch open days to better showcase its full product range to key target sectors including power generation, mining, agriculture and fabrication.

B.E.D. Lephalale also recently participated in a local agricultural expo with resounding success, strengthening its visibility in the region and fostering new customer relationships: “It was a great opportunity to showcase our capabilities and connect with existing and potential agri customers face-to-face,” enthuses Theron. The event highlighted the branch’s growing presence in the agriculture sector, further establishing B.E.D. as a trusted local partner for fasteners, bearings, tools, and technical support.

Excellent products = excellent results

Product excellence also plays a role. A stand-out example is the branch’s supply of an eco-friendly degreaser to mining and agriculture customers throughout the region, now moving thousands of litres per month: “This is a niche product, but one that speaks to the value B.E.D. brings: reliable supply, tested performance, and a deep understanding of what keeps local industries moving,” Theron emphasises.

By partnering with trusted brands like SKF, a global leader in bearing technology and motion solutions, battery-operated power tools provider Milwaukee – as well as premier welding supplier Fronius and plasma cutting solutions provider Hypertherm – B.E.D. Lephalale also ensures the reliable supply of high-quality equipment and consumables which keep mining, power generation and agricultural operations operating at full capacity.

As Theron puts it: “We do not just want to sell ‘another product’ – we want to sell our customer the best product for their needs. It is about enabling our customers to stay up and running, and about being their trusted local supplier – the first people they call – who they know will supply the right product, on time!”

While independently agile, the branch also remains deeply aligned with the B.E.D. Group’s national vision and ethos, ensuring consistent value for its local and regional customers.

“From power generation to mining and agriculture – from fasteners to specialist bearings, PPE and lifting equipment – B.E.D. Lephalale continues to prove that small teams – when driven by the right people, precision and performance – can make a big impact!” Theron concludes.

Biomass is building up steam – Local interest in using biomass for industrial thermal applications is growing

August 1, 2025

Pressure is mounting for local manufacturers to swap fossil fuels for biomass to reduce their carbon footprints and mitigate carbon taxes. Experienced steam and boiler operations and maintenance service provider, Associated Energy Services (AES) has spent the past 14 years reviewing solutions, says Commercial Director, Dennis Williams.

The exception to the rule

While the market requirements and the drive to make the biomass switch-over are growing, Williams points out that in practice, this is not as prolific as is commonly believed: “Currently, in South Africa, biomass is mostly for own-energy usage, such as by sugar mills (bagasse) and sawmills (timber residues). The application of biomass for industrial thermal energy applications – such as steam – are still the exception,” he explains.

Notwithstanding this, however, Williams adds that just over 10% of AES’s current client base uses biomass for steam generation, but that interest in alternative fuel sources such as biomass is growing amongst another 20 to 30% of the company’s current client base.

Multinationals with stringent global carbon reduction targets, and food manufacturers supplying sustainability- and -socially-conscious retailers are under the most pressure to change. ”Multinationals assume that it is as easy to decarbonise in South Africa as it is elsewhere. That is simply not the case, as we have a completely different and more constrained energy mix. Also, coal is available at a relatively low cost locally,” he advises.

Williams says that every user aims to access gigajoules of energy using a consistent and repeatable fuel specification – so that they can select suitable technology and maximise efficiency to achieve the lowest possible steam cost.

Every biomass type has different technical characteristics. However in general, biomass has low energy and bulk density.  Moisture content also impacts on the realisable calorific value of the fuel.  “The particle size and processing required to match a suitable combustion system is a critical consideration. In some cases, the impact of silica – entrained within the biomass – can impact on ash clinkering and combustion system complexities. In agricultural biomass, the chemical composition of the ash can have slagging or fouling impacts on the heat transfer system. This must be accommodated in terms of the design of the combustion or boiler system utilised,” he explains.

Innovative integration

Retrofitting existing energy plant is possible: “This usually means re-use of the boiler heat exchange component of the steam plant, and retrofitting a combustion system to suit the fuel – such as a gasifier or Dutch oven with a step grate.”

New technologies include bio-digesters with CHP (Combined Heat and Power) plants including waste heat recovery, gasification or even pyrolysis solutions – with suitable heat recovery in the form of steam generation plant on the back-end, to convert the thermal energy to usable steam.

In addition to the capital investment, companies also need to consider storage space and the logistical considerations of transporting (frequently bulky) biomass.

“The major impact is usually the cost of technology change, as a new boiler system is usually required. The major ‘pro’ is that CO2 emissions from biomass combustion are deemed carbon-neutral – and therefore the carbon footprint and carbon tax benefits attributable to their usage versus high-carbon fossil fuels is substantial,” Williams observes.

Stand-out steam success stories

Taking the above into account, AES has still had some ‘stand-out’ steam success stories, where clients have successfully converted to the use of biomass for their thermal energy (steam) requirements:

  • A FMCG client has applied biomass for over 10 years after sourcing a state-of-the-art biomass boiler from Belgium: “The unit provided about 6 – 8% efficiency benefit over lower-cost waste heat boiler solutions – but has a capital cost of some 40% more. The plant has delivered on its decarbonisation requirements, but increased costs operationally,” Williams reports.
  • A dairy client introduced a biomass boiler to offset its use of fuel oil: “They saw a substantial drop in their carbon footprint as a result, and will see significant ongoing benefits in terms of massively reduced carbon tax liabilities,” Williams comments.
  • A food manufacturer, which chose a biomass hot water solution to offset the carbon footprint of liquid fuels: “This plant has only been operational for 18 months, and is tied to a production plant expansion which is yet to be undertaken. This will enable the client to reduce operating costs, while also ‘greening’ its overall energy mix,” he says.

The future of biomass 

Williams advises that companies considering changing to biomass should partner with an experienced service provider, which is technology- and –fuel-agnostic, with project execution and operations and maintenance experience: “Be open-minded, clear about your goals and intentions and understand that decisive action is critical to making progress,” he recommends.

AES’s input entails securing a reliable supply of biomass to prevent untenable cost escalations – as more and more companies jump onto the biomass energy space.

Typical biomass resources are timber and timber-related residue. Agri-residues such as sunflower husks, corn cobs, peach / apricot pits, macadamia shells, straw or plant fibres are now considered. Other novel biomass uses include vegetation for rehabilitation of land, and energy crops.

“Some biomass suppliers have tried to formalise their offerings to provide a basis for quality, specification and cost consistency, and as traditional options such as timber residue get taken up, there will be a need for alternatives in the market.

The process will be repeated to again define specifications, set quality parameters, identify suitable combustion or boiler technology and determine a workable set of economics. It gets more complicated as each level of biomass gets absorbed by energy plants. Lowest-cost options are taken up first, and latter alternatives can be more costly,” Williams concludes.