Jonathan Rodin

https://staging1.creamermedia.com/

Jonathan Rodin

Jonathan Rodin is a former Reporter for Engineering News and Mining Weekly.

Tel: +2711 622 3744

Email: newsdesk@engineeringnews.co.za

Zest WEG signs long-term deal with paper mill

27th March 2015 Following the successful installation of a steam turbo generator set for packaging and paper group Mondi’s Richards Bay facility, motors, controls, electrical products and solutions provider Zest WEG Group, through its subsidiary Zest Energy, on November 14, 2014 signed a five-year long-term... →

Local manufacturers impelled to comply with global standards

20th March 2015 The international exposure of South African pumps manufacturers to international contractors is inspiring local pumps companies to supply products that adhere to international specifications and criteria, says foundry group specialist Steloy Castings. Steloy Castings CEO Danie Slabbert says... →

Heavy minerals industry growth mostly influenced by China

13th March 2015 The potential for growth in the heavy minerals industry largely depends on China, says mining consultancy Core Consultants MD Lara Smith. She says while it is difficult to consider the outlook for the heavy minerals sector as a whole – as heavy metals encompasses many different elements – the... →

Photo by Bloomberg
INCREASED POTENTIAL In light of the trends of the modern world the heavy minerals sector is faring well and gaining in importance

12.9% of mineworkers severely indebted

27th February 2015 A recent study by the University of Pretoria has shown that 12.9% of South African mining industry employees have emolument attachment orders (EAOs), or garnishee orders, against their names and are severely indebted. This is as a result of mineworkers’ stable employment status, as they are being... →

Photo by Duane Daws
A HELPING HAND Gold majors are putting various measures in place to deal with the actions of unscrupulous lenders and the effect it has on vulnerable mineworkers

Mining industry consumables demand remains stable

27th February 2015 Despite the current volatile state of the South African mining industry, the demand for consumables remains positive, as not many mines have closed down, says local screening and vibrating-equipment solutions supplier Aury Africa MD Mark Houchin. “As long as a mine is running, it will need... →

Seal solution decreases the impact of dust on communities

27th February 2015 Environmental management company I-CAT Environmental Solutions – in partnership with gold producer and surface gold tailings retreatment expert DRD Gold – has reduced the impact of dust on communities in the vicinity of DRD’s tailing dam surrounding the FNB Stadium, in Johannesburg, by applying... →

Composite armour provides added protection

20th February 2015 MOH-9 Armour Ceramics, a division of Multotec Wear Linings, part of the Multotec Group, launched its 99% alumina oxide ceramic (Al2O3) in December, available as both monolithic body armour and vehicle armour tiles. Owing to its improved hardness, lighter weight composite armour solutions can be... →

PROVIDING PROTECTION MOH-9 Armour Ceramics’ 99% alumina oxide ceramic is harder than steel and can provide superior protection compared with armour steels of comparable thickness

Energy-saving unit ideal for SA energy needs

6th February 2015 South Africa is implementing stricter electricity- and water-saving regulations, which will automatically create opportunity for those operating in the green solutions industry, as companies and individuals will be forced to consider alternative heating and cooling solutions, says green building... →

SOPHISTICATION The system is supported by a sophisticated automation system that enables the user to save money without compromising comfort

Heat transfer specialist commits to sustainability

6th February 2015 With industrial processes placing an ever-increasing demand on the environment, it is imperative for equipment manufacturers to streamline product development processes with energy conservation, energy management and the preservation of natural resources to ensure a sustainable future, says... →

Photo by reuters
SUSTAINABLITY The design of the coolers and condensers offers improved system efficiency and environmental responsibility by reducing water and electricity use

Couplings manufacturer extends product range

6th February 2015 Mechanical pipe-joining systems manufacturer Victaulic has extended its patented installation-ready line, making Style 107 QuickVic rigid couplings for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems available in DN250-DN300 10- and 12-inch sizes. The additional sizes provide more... →

EFFICIENCY OPPORTUNITY The additional sizes provide more opportunities for contractors, engineers and owners to increase efficiency by reducing installation time and increasing safety

Improved range of heat pumps introduced

6th February 2015 Technology group Johnson Controls’ latest offering in its York YLRA pump series – the air-to-water reversible heat pump YLRA – was launched in August last year to replace the discontinued YLAE HP pump. The YLRA heat pump features several new technological advances, including a more ecofriendly... →

Proper management key to unlocking mining growth

30th January 2015 Despite the projected economic, legal and labour-related challenges that the South African mining industry will face this year, there is significant opportunity for growth and development, with an opportunity for government to try to mitigate these challenges, believes multinational law firm... →

KEVIN CRON Norton Rose Fulbright is expecting some activity in the next 12 to 18 months, where companies will look to replace existing BEE structures with “something new”

Departments set to align BBBEE business practice regulations

30th January 2015 The Mining Charter is set to align with the Department of Trade and Industry’s Codes of Good Practice amendments, which come into effect on May 1, says law firm Fasken Martineau partner Paul Fouche. He says the alignment is inevitable, as a clause has now been included in the amended BBBEE Act,... →

PAUL FOUCHE Alignment is inevitable, as a clause has now been included in the amended BBBEE Act

MPRDA approval delay positive for industry

30th January 2015 The proposed amendments to the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) being put on hold by Mineral Resources Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi is a positive move for the South African mining industry, says International law firm Hogan Lovells partner and head of mining Warren Beech. He... →

WARREN BEECH The Minister will have to implement certain changes to settle perceptions about the uncertainty and volatility

Several challenges hampering investment in Africa

16th January 2015 African mining is expected to remain depressed, says mining consultancy Core Consultants MD Lara Smith, who believes 2015 will be characterised by depressed commodity prices, weakened demand and an oversupply in most commodity markets. Smith tells Mining Weekly that a price rebound is only... →

LARA SMITH The price of agriculture commodities, such as potash and urea, as well as energy commodities, such as coal, have declined sharply over the past quarter, driven by lower oil prices

Pipes manufacturer increases focus on quality in Africa

16th January 2015 Plastic pipes and fittings manufacturer and distributor Marley Pipe Systems is prioritising “quality without compromise” and educating the market that the cheaper option is not always best, as increased maintenance increases the costs of a mine. Marley Pipe Systems sales and marketing manager... →

Specialised equipment used for wind turbine transportation

12th December 2014 Heavy transportation and lifting provider ALE is playing a vital role in South Africa’s renewable energy sector, owing to the development of smarter solutions that are mitigating the challenges created by the increasing size and weight of wind turbines and the associated components. ALE was... →

Skills development essential for REIPPPP

12th December 2014 Although already late in reaching financial close, Round 3 projects of the South African government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) have been further delayed and Round 4 announcements are uncertain, owing to grid constraints and State-owned utility... →

Photo by Bloomberg
PERFECT TIMING The insecurity of stable supply and the appropriate load profiles means that rooftop photovoltaic (PV) is in the perfect position for tremendous growth

Renewable power a major energy growth source

12th December 2014 According to autonomous organisation the International Energy Agency (IEA), gas and renewable power are expected to be the major sources of energy growth on the African continent in the coming years. More than 620-million people, or two-thirds of the continent’s population, in sub-Saharan Africa... →

Gold majors discuss worker indebtedness

4th December 2014 The actions of unscrupulous lenders and the effect this was having on vulnerable miners were discussed by representatives of gold mining majors AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields, Harmony Gold and Sibanye Gold at a This is Gold conference, on Thursday. Owing of their stable employment, mining... →

Photo by Duane Daws
The Performance Network Group CEO James Denton

Engineering services supply tailored air-filtering system

28th November 2014 As the mining industry faces growing pressure to contain costs and maintain profits, mining houses are looking towards the engineering industry to offer innovative ways of overcoming these challenges, says Pretoria-based specialised engineering solutions company Rand Technical Services (RTS) MD... →

Fuel contamination presents liability for industry

28th November 2014 Owing to the amount of dirt and dust in the South African air, combined with insufficient tank breathers, oil and fuel contamination is rife. However, industry is focusing on reducing sulphur and aromatics content in diesel fuel to reduce air pollution, says wear control, lubrication and... →

Effective water filtration crucial for plant operations

28th November 2014 Evaporative water cooling specialist Industrial Water Cooling (IWC) has become the official Southern Africa distributor for Italy-based water filtration systems manufacturer Sati Filters. An effective water filtration system is crucial to the smooth running of industrial cooling tower... →

Company announces in-house financing

21st November 2014 Engineering support services company Babcock Africa, sole importer and distributor of DAF trucks to the Southern African market, announced in October that it had established a dedicated finance company, Babcock Financial Services (BFS). “This development will give Babcock the competitive... →

On-board software increases peace of mind

21st November 2014 Entry-level fleet owners can enjoy increased peace of mind regarding the safety of their large, cross-border vehicle fleets, owing to the cost-effective QIC-SUR global postioning system (GPS) tracking unit. Asset management solutions provider QCIC director Brian McKenzie explains that QIC-SUR is... →

Commercial vehicle assembly plant opens in SA

21st November 2014 Hyundai Automotive South Africa (SA) opened a semi-knocked-down (SKD) assembly plant in Apex, Benoni, in September, as part of a multimillion-rand investment in its commercial vehicle division in the local automotive market. The rationale behind the SKD commercial vehicle assembly plant was... →

Company launches new facilities

21st November 2014 Logistics services provider DHL launched two new facilities, in Plumbago Business Park, east of Johannesburg, for its Supply Chain and Global Forwarding divisions last month. →

Private-sector employment crucial for strong economy

21st November 2014 The current pessimism in the private sector can be attributed to the state of the South African economy which, in turn, has led to a lack of employment in the sector, says Imperial Fleet Management, part of the Imperial industrial services and retail group, CEO Nicholas de Canha. He adds that by... →

Positive responses to product received, growth expected

21st November 2014 Energy and petrochemicals company Shell has received positive responses from original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for its range of transmission-component protection oil, Shell Spirax, which was launched in April. Shell commercial technical manager Raymond Abraham explains that products, such... →

‘Loose’ language can determine outcome of contracts

7th November 2014 Current South African case law indicates that courts will be most inclined to find that an on-demand bond only exists where it is clear – on the basis of interpretation of the documents before the court – that the parties intended for the liability of the grantor to exist separately from the... →

BRIDGETTE MPHUTHI Construction bonds are largely issued by banks or insurance companies

Iron-ore project unaffected by price

7th November 2014 The fluctuating global iron-ore price will have no bearing at all on the success of iron-ore company Sundance Resources’ Mbalam-Nabeba iron-ore project, in Central Africa, says Sundance Resources MD and CEO Giulio Casello. “The fluctuations in iron-ore price - past or current - literally have no... →

Luminaires designed for African temperatures

31st October 2014 Luminaires and glass-fibre reinforced polyester manufacturer Beka Schréder launched its range of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting products in September, which ensures the LEDs and their supporting electronics are, at African ambient temperatures of 35 °C, not exposed to high temperatures,... →

Road infrastructure development crucial

31st October 2014 There is a clear plan laid out by government and significant investment proposed in terms of South Africa’s road network infrastructure development, which is positive for the country’s future development, as it is integral to growing the economy. “The fundamentals of any country, or city, is its... →

Road infrastructure integral to stable economic growth

31st October 2014 There have been significant changes in South Africa’s infrastructure over the past 20 years, primarily because a large portion of money from the fiscus has been allocated to development. However, the road infrastructure maintenance that needs to be undertaken is extensive, says engineering and... →

PPPs needed for future of road infrastructure

31st October 2014 Public–private partnerships (PPPs) and concessions are effective means through which road infrastructure can be developed, and the private sector can play important roles in road infrastructure projects, says business law and litigation firm Fasken Martineau partner Rakhee Bhoora. “This is partly... →

Civil engineers needed in public sector

31st October 2014 Currently, the civil engineering consulting industry in South Africa is extremely competitive, with many new entrants in the past few years, says engineering consulting firm GIBB technical executive Vuyiso Msipa. He explains that the competitiveness is mainly based on prices tendered for... →

Increased focus on water technology and conservation

24th October 2014 Owing to energy and chemical company Sasol’s water-conservation partnership with the Emfuleni municipality, 4.76-million cubic meters of water, to the value of about R26-million, have been saved in the past year. Speaking during the company’s financial results announcement last month at Sasol’s... →

School competes against universities in solar race

24th October 2014 Maragon Private Schools Olympus pupils competed at energy and chemical company Sasol’s Solar Challenge from September 27, which entailed driving a solar-powered car over eight days covering 2 000 km from Pretoria to Cape Town. The race is held in South Africa every two years, in collaboration... →

Construction and mining machinery launched locally

10th October 2014 China-based machine manufacturer XCMG launched a diverse range of specialist machinery on August 15 in Ruimsig, Johannesburg. The range includes truck loader cranes, cherry pickers, rollbacks, wheel loaders, excavators, backhoe loaders, skid-steer loaders and truck-mounted mobile cranes. →

Company plays a role in the future of cement industry

10th October 2014 South African cement manufacturer AfriSam has been developing composite technology cements since 2000 to reduce the carbon-intensive Portland clinker content of cement. As a result, when the National Building Regulations published its green-building requirements, AfriSam set the industry... →

Supplier serves brick manufacturer well for three decades

10th October 2014 Since its decision in 2010 to expand its premises and product offering, concrete equipment manufacturer and supplier Pan Mixers South Africa (PMSA) has noted a positive uptake in demand from the sub-Saharan Africa concrete industry, as well as strengthening business relations with local companies... →

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