South Africa to supply global pump market

Laura Franz Engineering News Features Reporter Willem Kempen with the vertical circulating pump, believed to be the largest pump ever manufactured in South Africa Leading local pump supplier Sulzer SA, of Elandsfontein, Gauteng, is manufacturing what is believed to be the largest vertical pump ever produced locally, with further potential for the large-scale export of similar pumps to its international group of companies.

This development was initiated by Sulzer International some nine months ago when it approached Sulzer SA to tender for the manufacture of the cooling/circulating water pumps, which it intends to supply to Sulzer International as part of package deals for other pumps, for use in powerstations and other applications.

“It turned out that the circulating water pumps produced by Sulzer in Europe were not competitive in terms of price, and therefore the group is looking to other sources from which to obtain these pumps.

“Sulzer SA is traditionally a lower-cost pump producer and, as it turns out, is also quite competitive on the international market in terms of its circulating water pumps,” explains Sulzer SA GM: sales and projects Willem Kempen.

Sulzer Brazil, of South America, is also a potential supplier to Sulzer International from which to import these lower-cost, yet reliable, pumps, he continues.

The basic development of this vertical circulating water pump took place originally at Sulzer headquarters in Switzerland.

Application and customisation of the design is being undertaken by Sulzer SA at its manufacturing plant in Elandsfontein.

The company has already successfully sold large vertical pumps to France, Israel, the UK, and now Egypt.

It has received an order of R22-million for five large vertical pumps for a Dead Sea works project in Israel.

The bare-shaft pumps in the range of vertical circulating water pumps cost anything from R500 000 to R2-million, points out Kempen.

Should it be selected as Sulzer’s international supplier, it would not only be a tremendous boost to for the company, but also for South Africa, as it would create a number of jobs, and would also have a positive spin-off on industry in general.

The awarding of the contract would also mean that Sulzer SA would have to build a new testbed facility to accommodate the larger pumps being manufactured on a regular basis.

This range of vertical pumps, although they utilise existing proved hydraulic designs, still needs to be customised for the client as dictated by the application and circumstances.

A decision regarding the supply of these pumps within Sulzer is expected during the next two months, comments Sulzer SA CEO Rainer Vach.

If Sulzer SA is chosen as supplier, Vach notes that the company will not only be investing in expanding its Elandsfontein manufacturing facility, but it will also rely on a considerable deal of outsourcing.

“We are fortunate that we have good fabrication shops, and also close relationships with foundries that produce high-quality castings,” adds Vach.

Sulzer has already concluded supply agreements with two South African foundries – Rely Precision Castings and Thomas Foundry – to supply castings for Sulzer worldwide.

The pumps can be fabricated from a variety of materials, depending on the quality of the water the pumps will be operating in.

These materials vary from the highly-alloyed and specialised variety, such as stainless steel and duplex stainless steel – which would be used when pumping corrosive sea water, for example – to carbon steel and cast iron.

In the domestic market in general, Sulzer SA focuses on the water transportation industry – with clients such as Rand Water and the Department of Water Affairs – and on the mining, petrochemical, and power-generation sectors.

Outside South Africa’s borders, considerable potential exists in the wet copper mines of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sulzer is following closely the privatisation initiatives in Zambia in this regard.

Abroad, the company is tendering for the supply of mine-dewatering pumps for a mine in Kazakhstan in the Middle East, and is awaiting an order for dewatering pumps from an Australian mine.

Kempen reinforces the fact that, due to the shrinking of certain markets, the South African pumps industry has become even more competitive than before.

“The constant threat posed by imports due to the limited number of local trade barriers means that South African companies have to focus on being more productive and cost-conscious,” he continues.

“We hope that, by next year, we will see some improvement in the local market, which depends on large capital projects for survival,” concludes Vach.