Industry’s appetite for automation, digitisation to increase

It is expected that the services sector will continue to grow rapidly after Covid-19, as a result of the mining industry’s increased appetite for automation, digitisation and “all things Industry... 

Modular units serve projects countrywide

Prefabricated and modular buildings manufacturer Kwikspace has completed various mining civil infrastructure upgrades and has supplied buildings to over 40 mining clients in South Africa in the... 

Manufacturer expands abrasive products range

German-owned abrasive products manufacturer PFERD South Africa is continuing with product line extensions for its coated and bonded abrasive products to meet market needs. This follows the... 

Toolkit caters for agriculture sector

Tools manufacturer Jonnesway’s customised Agri toolkit is a solution comprising tools that have been selected by farmers, for farmers. “The Jonnesway Agri toolkit has become a key offering under... 

College introduces digital artisan training

In addition to the initial training of artisans, during which they are taught how to work with hand-held and power tools, artisan and mining skills training college Colliery Training College (CTC)... 

Dust control creates safer working conditions

Diamond tools and equipment manufacturer Diamond Products’ dust control attachments ensure that operators are no longer required to wear additional attachments or tools when using hand-held power... 

Compressors are worth ‘their weight in gold’

Rand-Air recently secured a repeat hire with a long-standing customer in the mining industry; when underground compressors were required, Rand-Air met the customer’s specific requirements, explains... 

Solar reduces reliance on grid, generators

Solar energy equipment supplier Valsa Trading reports that the solar photovoltaic (PV) ground-mounted structures that it recently supplied to a large mine, in the Northern Cape, reduced the miner’s... 

Company launches HX Series excavators for various applications

Construction equipment supplier HPE Africa has launched its HX Series excavators, which will be available in April nationwide. HPE Africa believes that the series will be well suited to most... 

Battery packs changing the market

Lithium-iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery packs are “revolutionising” the market for electric industrial equipment, such as forklift trucks and cherry pickers in construction, says industrial... 

Colliery installs filter press systems at processing plants

Mining investment firm Menar will implement a programme comprising the installation of filter press systems at both of its Zululand Anthracite Colliery (ZAC) processing plants to maximise water... 

Project aims to transform HVAC-R sector

The Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection, together with the Bavarian Environment Agency, has entered into bilateral cooperation with the Western Cape government in... 

Specialist installs humidifier at tobacco plant

Humidification specialist Humidair, in collaboration with air conditioning contractor Fifty-two Engineering, completed a humidification project for a tobacco company in Edenvale, Gauteng at the end... 

Planned maintenance essential during pandemic

With ventilation and filtration having become paramount in the prevention of Covid-19 infections, preventive maintenance for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment has become... 

Partnership aids expansion into Southern Africa

Global refining, manufacturing and marketing company Q8Oils – subsidiary of petroleum giant Kuwait Petroleum Corporation – is now a key competitor in the South African lubricants market, owing to... 

Company makes a significant investment locally

Lubricants manufacturer and distributor FUCHS Lubricants South Africa has invested more than R250-million in South Africa for the completion of the construction of a warehouse and office complex,... 

International standards lacking locally

Lubricants distributor OILY SA’s offering is comparable to that of other major oil companies, such as oil industry company Shell, petroleum refining company Total and independent lubricants... 

Solutions provided for hazardous oil spills

Spill response company Spill Tech offers customers an efficient way to manage hazardous spills and discharges. This includes an oil spill kit to deal with oil spills at fixed facilities, enabling a... 

Survey shows decline in local pipe market

The Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (Sappma) has released the findings of a qualitative and quantitative pipe survey that shows a decline in infrastructure investment,... 

Projects can bolster local steel tubes and pipes industry

Steel industry association the Steel Tube Export Association of South Africa (STEASA) believes that the fast-tracking of the 50 strategic integrated projects and 12 special projects – announced in... 

Awareness grows for atmospheric bottled water

Consumers being more cautious about the purification of drinking water has resulted in growing awareness of atmospheric water generation technology company Aqua Air Africa’s atmospheric bottled... 

Mixture of strategies will provide suitable water treatment solution

A mixture of strategies will provide the best water treatment solution for a water-scarce country, such as South Africa, says global technology company ABB Energy Industries South Africa sales... 

Stilted supply boosts price

In the past year, the price of iron-ore has recovered quite well, mainly on the back of constrained supply in South America and the economic recovery in China, with the latter driving consumption,... 

Chinese steel industry could jeopardise project

The Chinese steel industry is close to peaking, as it is expected to exceed one-billion tons in 2020; consequently, analysts predict that iron-ore consumption in China will plateau and decline,... 

Bulk air coolers improving efficiencies and working conditions

Thermal engineering solutions provider Industrial Water Cooling (IWC) recently supplied a field-erected bulk air cooler for a mine site in Burkina Faso, in addition, supplying the associated... 

Company designs, constructs ventilation and cooling systems for mines

Specialist mine refrigeration and ventilation consultancy group Bluhm Burton Engineering (BBE) is fully committed to the underground mining project for De Beers’ Venetia diamond mine, in Limpopo.... 

Crime, health and safety concerns for mines

Theft, as a consequence of mining equipment and machinery remaining idle for a long period, is an issue for operations on care and maintenance, says law firm ENSafrica mine and occupational health... 

Pandemic pushes more mines into care and maintenance

A downturn in the global demand for certain minerals, uncertain and cyclical commodity prices and the increasing costs of production have resulted in several mines and beneficiation operations... 

Declining demand breathes new life into breathalysers

Covid-19 has resulted in reduced demand for breathalysers, as “clients immediately assumed that there would be significant danger for people using breathalysers because of the way the virus is... 

Powder a new solution for spills

Strict health and safety regulations in the mining industry mean that any liquid spills in workshop areas or elsewhere need to be cleaned quickly and effectively. To cater for such spills, South... 

Software solutions to ensure health, safety at mines

Business management consultant Decision Inc. has implemented health and safety software solutions at iron-ore and manganese mines in the Northern Cape, amongst others. The company offers their... 

Covid-19 measures hinder production

Health and safety measures at Canyon Coal mines have changed drastically since the emergence of the pandemic, and this has had an impact on production, says Canyon Coal health, safety and... 

Expected e-commerce growth to stir demand for warehousing

A local increase in online sales owing to the Covid-19 pandemic is expected to stir demand for warehousing in Africa, says architecture firm Paragon Group director Estelle Meiring. “Traditionally,... 

Maintenance management in mining is essential

With the lockdown causing severe restrictions for mining operations in South Africa, mining companies have had to revisit strategic planning and adjust objectives for the current financial year,... 

Predictive maintenance key for fleet management

The mining industry is trending towards the adoption of predictive maintenance, intelligent prognostics and the leveraging of the Industrial Internet of Things, all of which assist in improving... 

Covid-19 halts nonessential projects

The Covid-19 pandemic and its subsequent impact on industry have halted all non-essential projects. However, demolition contractor Jet Demolition contracts manager Kate Bester expects that projects... 

Industry 4.0 adoption muted in South Africa

The adoption and impact of Industry 4.0 in South Africa is still relatively muted, compared to the rest of the world, with its biggest challenges being education, connectivity, and electricity and... 

Covid-19 exposes businesses to risk of cyberattacks

Owing to the current Covid-19 lockdown, initiatives are being rolled out in many countries, and owing to interruption, many businesses believe that they may have to deal with an industrial control... 

Resilience paramount for Society 5.0 era

New strategies are necessary for socioeconomic inclusivity and sustainable development given the novelty of the era of Society 5.0 combined with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). In this era,... 

Company approves R3m budget for Artisan 4.0

The Colliery Training College (CTC) board has approved R3-million towards achieving its Artisan 4.0 vision by the end of 2020. Artisan 4.0 will enable an artisan to know about bearings, gearboxes...