Local industry faces challenges

The South African fasteners manufacturing industry is facing challenges, such as raw materials, distribution and utilities difficulties, says fastening technology specialist provider Swagefast Fastening Systems MD Jay Rossouw.

He says these challenges are caused by factors such as weak economic growth and grey imports from China.

“The lack of maintenance and repairs on existing infrastructure, as well as a lack of logistical networks implementation, are the current trends in the local market. With the economic climate and high unemployment rate, the available capital to implement the aforementioned becomes increasingly difficult.”

Further, the constrained electrical supply and limited logistics, owing to the riots and floods in KwaZulu-Natal, have created production disruptions and higher input costs.

Rossouw says the pricing of raw materials – used to manufacture Swagefast fasteners – has been “volatile”.

Despite these challenges, there is potential in the manufacture of nonstandard, specialised fasteners to meet individual client requirements in a less competitive market, he adds.

International Accreditation

Swagefast was awarded European Conformity (CE) accreditation in February of this year for its Installation Tooling Equipment range of products.

The company decided to apply for accreditation because it has been receiving more enquiries from clients in the European Union (EU) since the end of last year.

“We have the right product at the right price, but before the CE accreditation, we were unable to meet the requirements for the EU market. We then decided to move forward and start the process of achieving accreditation. Growing the brand and securing employment for our workforce ensures a stable future in an uncertain economic climate,” explains Rossouw.

Additionally, by complying with international standards and quality requirements, product confidence is established, with clients assured that the highest standards of product and quality control have been applied at all times prior to receiving the ordered product.

Rossouw adds that tendering for international projects provides more opportunities for the company, with such opportunities becoming prevalent in the renewable-energy generation space, owing to the global emphasis on renewable energy.

Product Offerings

Fastener manufacturers are focusing more on the quality of fasteners supplied than the quantity of new fasteners.

As such, rather than emphasising only standard supply in the market, the company created specialised pins and collars for clients.

“For instance, a client would need several different sizes of pins on a particular project, which created confusion among the operators of what Swagebolt Pin goes where. So, we created a new design, which allows for several lengths of material to be joined using a specialised Swagebolt Pin-and-Collar, thereby increasing productivity and completing the work in a much shorter time.”

The design and planning for these fasteners began in 2019 with final testing and implementation completed in 2020.

The Swagebolt Pins-and-Collars are used to clamp two or more pieces of metal together, which Rossouw says is safer and more time efficient than welding in environments with vibration or harsh weather, as the pins and collars are designed to be a permanent and vibration-resistant joint.

“When it comes to the unique challenges of the South African market, this fastener can help curb the theft and vandalism of steel structures by securing the structural material in a tamperproof way. This is more cost-effective for our clients – and government – and provides continued safety on railway and power lines.”

The company’s Multigrip Swagebolt Pins were successfully implemented on one of South Africa’s deepest mine shafts in the North West.

The entire underground shaft section at the mine was originally fitted with standard fasteners, but refitted last year with the Multigrip Swagebolt Pins to ensure the safe use of the shaft for the remainder of the life of the mine.

In addition to the mining sector, Swagefast also services the rail, transportation, engineering, construction, petrochemical and agriculture sectors.

“We aim to better understand the challenges faced in South Africa and how we can influence the future moving forward by fostering relationships between the economy, politics and vision of the State. We also aim to aid local communities by creating opportunities through training and skills development.

“Our products, combined with our vision, will enable us – as an employer – and our clients in this crucial area of manufacturing and design to not only lead the way forward but also dominate the local and international fasteners industry,” concludes Rossouw.