Robyn Wilkinson

https://staging1.creamermedia.com/

Robyn Wilkinson

Robyn Wilkinson is a Creamer Media Writer for Engineering News and Mining Weekly.

Tel: +2711 622 3744

Fibre laser technology on the rise in steel industry

1st July 2016 Cutting solutions provider First Cut is supplying fibre laser cutting machines to South Africa, which are greatly improving the efficiency and cost effectiveness of laser-cutting operations in various industries, including the steel industry, in a difficult economic climate →

Cost-effective products for quarrying

17th June 2016 Heavy-equipment manufacturer Bell Equipment is introducing cost-effective products to help mining and quarrying companies manage the challenges in their industries. Bell Equipment quarry industry specialist Tyron Ravenscroft notes that, much like the mining industry, the quarrying industry is... →

B25E SUPERTRUCK Bell Equipment’s supertruck provides a lower cost-per-ton solution for quarrying

Solution for disposal of used oil answer to reducing emissions

17th June 2016 An environment-friendly product for the disposal of used oil generated by quarries and other mining operations has been developed by commercial explosives and blasting solutions developer AEL Mining Services. The solution is also expected to help the mining industry prepare for the carbon tax... →

GREENER BLASTING SOLUTIONS An ecofriendly product for the disposal of used oil from quarries is offered by AEL Mining Services

On-site plugging possible using explosive welding

10th June 2016 Engineering, manufacturing, construction and maintenance services provider Steinmüller Africa offers explosive welding and explosive expansion services to its clients. As part of this service, the company has increased its focus on on-site plugging which enables it to fix leaks in heat exchangers... →

HEAT EXCHANGER APPLICATIONS An assembled tube bundle of a heat exchanger manufactured using explosive welding

Trade test centre registered

10th June 2016 Engineering, manufacturing, construction and maintenance services provider Steinmüller Africa has registered its Technical Training Academy as a decentralised trade test centre, enabling the company to perform trade tests in the field of welding. →

JACO VAN DEVENTER SAIW’s 2014 Young Welder of the Year will compete in the Beijing Arc Cup this year

Product offering focuses on employee safety

10th June 2016 Specialised lubrication and maintenance products provider Orapi Africa is introducing products for use in welding and cutting processes that not only increase the life span and operating efficiency of machinery and equipment but are also environment friendly and aligned with international... →

WIDE PRODUCT RANGE Orapi offers specialised products for various industries

Cost-sharing initiative to save small businesses

10th June 2016 Welding services provider Federal Steel Company MD Phakamile Buthelezi has implemented a cost-sharing initiative that has helped to keep several small businesses in Turfontein, in the south of Johannesburg, afloat during a challenging economic start to the year for the welding industry. →

PHAKAMILE BUTHELEZI One of Federal Steel’s first projects was the fabrication of over 100 m of balustrading at Orange Court residential apartments

International exposure key for South African fabricators

10th June 2016 There is a tendency among local and international original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to underestimate the capabilities of South African sheet metal fabricators. This makes industry collaboration crucial to increase the exposure of local fabricators and prevent the loss of orders to... →

ANDRÉ VISSER Fabrinox MD (left) says South African fabricators should capitalise on partnerships with international original-equipment manufacturers in full

Niche welding companies remain optimistic

10th June 2016 Despite a challenging start to the year for companies in the mining and engineering sectors, friction welding specialist Manapp Industries director Shannon Frost and welding and cutting solutions provider Shield Technologies CEO Wayne Holt are optimistic about their companies’ prospects. →

SPECIALISED WELDING Friction welding produces high-strength welds

Aligning welding training with international standards

10th June 2016 Welding industry association Southern African Institute of Welding (SAIW) is working with government organisations, such as the South African Qualifications Authority and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations, to further develop its courses so that they are aligned with local... →

SEAN BLAKE The implementation of international welding standards is key for the South African industry

Need for greater focus on local welding skills

10th June 2016 The lack of good quality artisanal skills in South Africa, specifically welding skills, calls for a bigger focus on the development of training schools, says specialised stainless steel products supplier Plasma Cut technical director Manny da Silva. →

WELDING FACILITY Plasma Cut aims to be a solutions driven welding company

Improved project implementation will drive infrastructure growth

10th June 2016 Infrastructure construction specialist Inyatsi Construction Group Holdings chairperson Frans Pienaar says a willingness from government to transfer the responsibility for the implementation of infrastructure projects to the private sector will help to drive growth in the industry. →

South African software to improve plant operations

20th May 2016 South African process and operations management solutions provider BluESP is introducing Model Predictive Control, a form of advanced process control technology, with applications to improve plant efficiency in several industries, including smelting and minerals processing. →

PLANT OPTIMISATION BluESP’s Model Predictive Control technology the software is ideally suited to the smelting and minerals processing industries

Conveyor engineered to withstand high temperatures

20th May 2016 Global mining solutions provider Tenova TAKRAF Africa is introducing the Superbelt conveyor technology, developed by Italian environment-friendly hot bulk materials handling solutions provider Magaldi Italy, to Southern Africa. The conveyor has been designed specifically for hot bulk materials... →

MAGALDI SUPERBELT CONVEYOR The conveyor is ideally suited to conveying materials in heat processes

Fire safety needs to be self-regulated

20th May 2016 Global safety, health and environmental management services provider Nosa maintains that it is imperative that businesses in fire-related industries, such as smelting and minerals processing, assume a self-regulatory role with regard to fire safety standards. Nosa marketing, social media and... →

Value derived from waste streams

20th May 2016 Ingenuity has become paramount to the survival of minerals processing industry suppliers amid the challenging economic climate, says South African furnace and kiln manufacturer Thermopower Furnaces South Africa (SA). The company has undertaken several projects aimed at deriving value from waste... →

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS An iron fines reduction tube designed and manufactured by Thermopower Furnaces SA

New data monitoring device to be introduced

6th May 2016 Energy consultancy firm EON Consulting will introduce the new Check Meter that it is currently developing at this year’s African Utility Week, which will be held in Cape Town from May 17 to 19. →

PROVIDING KEY DATA An example of the 11 KV towers where the Check Meter will be installed and provide both analogue and digital data

Metering systems reduce percentage of unbilled purified water

6th May 2016 Smart Utility solutions provider Sensus will showcase products designed to assist with accurate water metering and remote data collection – or automated meter reading/advanced metering infrastructure (AMR/AMI) – at this year’s African Utility Week, which will enable municipalities to reduce the... →

IPERL The IPERL is the company’s most advanced electromagnetic smart domestic meter

Government support imperative for solar energy in South Africa

6th May 2016 One of the biggest challenges hindering large projects in the commercial and industrial sectors in South Africa is the lack of a legal framework enabling the production of alternate sources of energy, says photovoltaic module manufacturer SolarWorld Africa MD Gregor Kuepper. →

SUNMODULE BISUN Solar power generated through innovative technology is a valuable resource in South Africa

Unreliable energy supply prompts alternative supply growth

6th May 2016 Load-shedding and the ongoing tariff hikes from State-owned power utility Eskom have cemented the need for alternative energy sources that do not depend on the national grid, says energy consultancy firm EON Consulting MD Bertha Dlamini. →

Photo by Duane Daws
FOCUS ON NUCLEAR POWER Koeberg nuclear power station is a prime example of the benefits of nuclear power as an alternate power source

Room for improvement in energy transmission and distribution

6th May 2016 Despite South Africa’s achievements in its renewable energy programme to date, power transmission and distribution continue to warrant improvement if electricity supply is to be stable in the country, says professional services firm KPMG infrastructure advisory head De Buys Scott. →

IMPROVING THE POWER SUPPLY CHAIN South Africa’s growing power generation capacity needs to be supported by transmission and distribution systems

Energy management systems crucial in South Africa

6th May 2016 National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC) is assisting South African companies in instituting energy management systems to make their operations more energy efficient. This not only saves costs for companies but is also a necessity in a country where energy availability is under threat, says NCPC... →

FAITH MKHACWA Every employee is responsible for improving industrial energy use through the implementation of energy management systems

Emissions control gaining traction in Africa

29th April 2016 The importance of emission control is gaining traction not only locally but also in sub-Saharan Africa, where it held little priority previously. This is especially true of international companies, says air filtration company Freudenberg Filtration Technologies (FFT). →

BAG FILTERS An example of FFT’s product offering – a bag filter unit for a fume extraction system at Ausmelt Copper Smelter

Company assists clients with 2020 deadline

29th April 2016 Air pollution and dust-control equipment designer, manufacturer and supplier John Thompson Air Pollution Control marketing and sales manager Gerard Pretorius says the company is ready to assist clients in complying with new emission standards by 2020. →

INCREASING FILTRATION EFFICIENCY Pulse jet bag filter replacing ESP on a kiln dedusting filter plant

New opportunities, jobs in emissions control sector

29th April 2016 As a result of South African companies’ efforts to adhere to the standards of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act by 2020, many higher-end jobs are being created, especially in the associated fields of design and engineering, third-party compliance testing, airshed studies and... →

DRY SORBENT INJECTION PILOT PLANT Lodestone Engineering uses its pilot plant to design various upgrades

New products aid compliance

29th April 2016 Engineering, manufacturing, construction and maintenance services provider Steinmüller Africa boiler process group leader Warwick Ham says the company’s product offering positions it well to help South African companies meet stricter emissions standards because of its long-term establishment in... →

Installation of largest air environmental project under way

29th April 2016 Resource industries solutions provider Tenova Takraf Africa is installing the largest air- environmental plant that the company has received to date at platinum producer Impala Platinum’s (Implats) Impala Platinum refineries, in Gauteng. The first phase is complete and is in the process of... →

Zambian mining services boost means to unlocking industry wealth

22nd April 2016 To bridge the information gap between local businesses and the copper mines operating in Zambia, the Zambian Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) will launch a new Web-based facility – Zamb2b.com – at the Copperbelt Mining Trade Expo and Conference (CBM-TEC) in Kitwe next month. →

DEVELOPING INDUSTRY Local businesses need assistance to increase the opportunities associated with copper mining in Zambia

Govt support imperative to develop downstream copper mining activities

22nd April 2016 The lack of downstream development in Zambia’s copper mining industry is a concern that nonprofit organisation Copper Development Association Africa (CDAA) is seeking governmental support to address, reports CDAA director Evert Swanepoel. →

EVERT SWANEPOEL The Copper Development Association Africa urges the Zambian government to develop downstream business activities for the copper industry

Expo ‘highly valuable’, says supplier

22nd April 2016 Mining products manufacturer and supplier Osborn Engineered Products says this year’s Copperbelt Mining Trade Expo and Conference (CBM-TEC) will provide it with an opportunity to find a Zambian representative agent or dealer for its products. Sales director Noel Bessler says that this will help... →

FLEXIBLE OFFERING Osborn’s modular crushing plants are designed to be fully containerised for transportation and thus can be easily moved from one site to another

Mining industry facing challenging downturn

8th April 2016 Despite being ranked Africa’s third-most attractive mining investment destination, Ghana’s mining industry continues to face several challenges that impede operations in the country, states Ghana Chamber of Mines external relations and communications director Ahmed Nantogmah. →

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES Ghana’s government is liaising with the mining industry to ensure that the country remains an attractive location for mining investment

New Act to curb illegal mining in Ghana

8th April 2016 Enforcing the new Minerals and Mining Amendment Act (MMAA) No 900 of 2014 will do much to reduce the onslaught of illegal, or galamsey, miners on mining concessions in Ghana, claims Ghana Chamber of Mines external relations and communications director Ahmed Nantogmah. →

Miner confident about operations in Ghana

8th April 2016 Gold mining company Newmont Mining believes it is on track to reach its 2016 production target of between 760 000 oz and 820 000 oz of gold for its Akyem and Ahafo mining projects, in Ghana, where the company has adopted efficiency measures to allow for its operations to be as productive as... →

GROWING IN GHANA Newmont Mining is considering expanding its Ahafo mine, thereby furthering its mining investment in Ghana

Securing stability agreement crucial for operations

8th April 2016 JSE-, NYSE- and SWX-listed gold producer Gold Fields is in advanced negotiations with the government of Ghana to secure a stability agreement by the end of 2016, which will enable it to operate in the country under stable fiscal conditions. →

POWER PLANS Genser Energy should be in a position to meet the power supply needs of Gold Fields’ Damang (pictured) and Tarkwa mines in Ghana by 2018

Côte d’Ivoire challenging Ghana as mining destination

8th April 2016 Côte d’Ivoire has created an investment environment that is more attractive to foreign capital than that of Ghana, claims Australian gold explorer, developer and producer Perseus Mining CEO Jeff Quartermaine. →

EDIKAN MINE Perseus will continue to invest in its mine in Ghana, while pursuing other mining opportunities in Côte d’Ivoire

Association sets 2020 target

25th March 2016 The Paper Recycling Association of South Africa (Prasa) aims to increase the recovery of recyclable paper products to 70% by 2020 through raising awareness about the importance of keeping paper products in a recyclable state throughout their life cycles. →

RECYCLING IMPERATIVE Prasa urges businesses and individuals alike to maximise opportunities for paper recycling

Plan in motion to manage carbon tax uncertainties

25th March 2016 Through education, lobbying and research, the paper industry will manage policy uncertainties regarding the inception of carbon tax, says Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (Pamsa) executive director Jane Molony. →

Mill upgrade set to increase capacity by 60 000 t/y

25th March 2016 The R765-million expansion to paper and plastic packaging manufacturer Mpact’s Felixton mill will increase capacity by 60 000 t/y to 215 000 t/y upon completion, says Mpact CEO Bruce Strong. →

Sappi envisions growth in renewable resources

25th March 2016 Despite the challenges in South Africa’s economic and political landscapes, international pulp and paper company Sappi’s Southern Africa regional CEO Alex Thiel claims that it is an exciting time for the industry, as there is opportunity for growth in renewable resources. →

ALEX THIEL Sappi is excited about upgrades to the Ngodwana and Saiccor mills, in line with the company’s new vision for itself

Contraction of paper industry unlikely despite challenges

25th March 2016 Despite the difficult economic climate, Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (Pamsa) executive director Jane Molony believes that it is unlikely that there will be significant contraction in the paper industry this year. →

FORESTRY The paper industry aims to stimulate rural development and improve timber yield through forestry initiatives

About

Engineering News is a product of Creamer Media.
www.creamermedia.co.za

Other Creamer Media Products include:
Mining Weekly
Research Channel Africa
Polity

Newsletters

Sign up for our FREE daily email newsletter

Receive daily sector news alerts

More

Subscriptions

We offer a variety of subscriptions to our Magazine, Website, PDF Reports and our photo library.

Subscriptions are available via the Creamer Media Store.

View store

Advertise

Advertising on Engineering News is an effective way to build and consolidate a company's profile among clients and prospective clients. Email advertising@creamermedia.co.za

View options

Subscribe