Hot Platinum - Manufacturing, Metals and Mining Sectors

Year of Formation and Background to Founding:
The company was formed in 2003. The company Hot Platinum (Pty) Ltd is a technology spin-out from the University of Cape Town. Ali Brey and Irshad Khan spun-out the company, which was initially focussed on the development and manufacture of induction furnaces for jewellery manufacture. The first induction melting and casting system, called the ICON3CS, was sold in 2005. In 2006, Brimstone Investment Corporation provided the initial capital to establish operations and expand the business. Hot Platinum (HPT) established distributors in India, Thailand, Denmark, Russia, Africa and the USA.

HPT has won numerous awards and, in 2006, the ICON3CS won the coveted SABS Disa Design Award for the Best Product in South Africa.
Hot Platinum expanded its range to provide specialised equipment to the laboratories in the mining sector which could reach temperatures of 2 500 °C in under 60 seconds. Leveraging its expertise in power electronics, automation and product design, HPT expanded its offering to supply induction heating furnaces for various applications including systems to melt and cast up to 2 t of metal, specialised vacuum systems and atomisation systems.

Company Mission, Products & Services:
HPT is a black-owned, Level 2 BEE South African technology company focused on the manufacture and supply of turnkey induction heating systems for various heating applications in the mining, manufacturing and metals industries. HPT combines energy efficient induction heating technologies, with a high level of automation and system design, to provide complete heating solutions.   

HPT combines its cutting edge, energy efficient induction technology with a high level of system automation to produce complete solutions for heating and processing both base and precious metals.

HPT is one of the leading manufacturers of induction heating systems in South Africa and supplies systems to various other countries in Africa, Europe, India and Australia.

HPT also supplies complete solutions for process automation, robotics and renewable energy systems to various sectors.

HPT has also established itself as a fuel cell systems integrator and supplier of power conversion systems for various applications. HPT has manufactured various fuel cell systems including backup power solutions, and has manufactured the first hydrogen powered forklift in South Africa in collaboration with HySa Systems.

Number of People Employed: 15 full time staff members

Greatest Corporate Achievement:
The design and manufacture of a completely automated 1.2 MW heat treatment plant to produce components for the mining sec­tor. The process entails braz­ing, heating, quenching and induction tempering. All systems are fully automated and controlled from a centralised control system and user interface. Producing in excess of 15 000 parts per day, the system is also fully Industry 4.0 compliant.

Hope for the Future:
HPT aims to expand its footprint in Africa and the supply of turnkey automated heating solutions to the manufacturing, metals and mining sectors, as well as establishing itself as the leading fuel cell systems integrator in Africa.