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Materials & Equipment News

Construction sector ailing while government’s infrastructure plan stalls – MBA North

By: Irma Venter 31st October 2022 Following a harrowing two years for the construction sector, this year started with cautious optimism amid promises that a series of major infrastructure works would be fast-tracked, says Master Builders Association (MBA) North executive director Mohau Mphomela. “Also, the value of building plans... →

Afrimat's interim earnings decrease, but diversification, efficiency improvements continue

By: Darren Parker 28th October 2022 Midtier mining company Afrimat reported a 14.5% decrease in headline earnings a share to 252.2c for the six months ended August 31. The Afrimat board declared an interim gross dividend of 40c a share – on par with the previous comparable period. →

Ecolabelling system for South Africa’s construction sector launched

By: Irma Venter 28th October 2022 Agrément South Africa (ASA) has launched an ecolabelling system for building materials and products sold and used within the country, known as the ecoASA label. ASA is an entity of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure and was appointed as the competent body (and licensor) to oversee... →

Tender cancellations, lack of projects contribute to lower construction sector confidence

By: Schalk Burger 19th October 2022 Confidence expressed by businesses in the construction sector fell to 42 in the second quarter, industry organisation Consulting Engineers South Africa's (Cesa's) Bi-annual Economic and Capacity Survey (BECS) shows. The lower confidence is owing to a more negative economic outlook in view of... →

Case launches upgraded, efficient backhoe loader to the South African market

By: Donna Slater 17th October 2022 Construction plant manufacturer and distributor Case Construction South Africa (SA) launched the brand’s newly redesigned V-series backhoe loader to the South African market on October 13. Based off of Case’s T-series backhoe loaders, the new V-series features European fuel efficient tier-three... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
An expert Case equipment operator and sales representative demonstrates the capabilities of the new 580V backhoe loader to guests of the launch event.

MBA North warns against unethical contractual practices

By: Irma Venter 14th October 2022 The Master Builders Association (MBA) North has issued a practice note for its members aimed at helping them fight back against what it calls unethical contractual practices that have become prevalent in the industry. MBA North executive director Mohau Mphomela says the association has noted... →

Barloworld says Russia order book in sharp decline, Avis to exit group this year

By: Irma Venter 14th October 2022 Barloworld’s Caterpillar equipment trading business in Russia is starting to feel the heat from international sanctions imposed on the country on the back of its invasion of Ukraine. This is evident in the group’s order book in the country, which, as at August 31, stood at $30-million, compared... →

Harbour Arch’s live-work-play concept includes refreshing affordable component

By: Irma Venter 14th October 2022 The first phase of the Melrose Arch mixed-use development opened in Johannesburg in 2001, more than 20 years ago. Since then, the concept of a city-within-a-city has gained traction, with the idea of living, playing and working in the same space now a much more familiar idea in South Africa. The... →

AfriSam promotes use of extended cement products to reduce carbon footprint

By: Darren Parker 13th October 2022 Cement producer AfriSam is continuing to promote the reduction of clinker content in its composite cements as a way of reducing carbon emissions. As a long-time developer of composite or extended cement products, AfriSam has managed to achieve a notable reduction in its clinker factor without... →

Coega welcomes Mhlobiso Concrete to Zone 5

By: Schalk Burger 3rd October 2022 Special economic zone (SEZ) the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) has welcomed Mhlobiso Group subsidiary Mhlobiso Concrete to Zone 5 of the Coega SEZ. Mhlobiso Concrete is supported by its sister companies, Mantishe Construction, Mhlobiso Plant Hire, Mhlobiso Asphalt, Mhlobiso Transport and... →

Govt, ASA launch ecolabelling system for the construction sector

By: Irma Venter 3rd October 2022 Agrément South Africa (ASA) has launched an ecolabelling system for building materials and products sold and used within the country, known as the ecoASA label. ASA is an entity of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) and was appointed as the competent body (and licensor) to... →

Supply chain hiccups prevent Bell from fully capitalising on post-Covid demand growth

By: Irma Venter 30th September 2022 The growing demand for commodities, post-Covid-19 stimulus packages and increased infrastructure spend in a number of markets all stimulated demand for Bell Equipment’s products in the six months to end-June. However, the bad news is that supply chain challenges constrained sales and prevented... →

SA largest aluminium-producing country in Africa

By: Leah Shelene Asaram 30th September 2022 In 2021, South Africa produced about 720 000 t of refined aluminium, becoming the largest aluminium-producing country in Africa, says Aluminium Federation of South Africa (Afsa) CEO Muzi Manzi. “A large proportion of the primary metal produced is used in the local market as remelt ingots to... →

AUTOMATION Aluminium - the best metal for manufacturing electric vehicles and creating the necessary charging infrastructure

Adoption of PPE slow for women in industry

By: Sabrina Jardim 30th September 2022 Safety equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) are often not designed to accommodate female bodies, often resulting in women feeling uncomfortable when working at heights, owing to ill-fitting fall-arrest systems, says women’s safety wear manufacturer Sisi Safety Wear fall protection... →

An image depicting a smiling man, Ruaan Breedt

RUAAN BREEDT Sisi Safety Wear’s harnesses have been designed with an elastic chest strap to mitigate severe injury

Contamination at source affecting recycling

By: Halima Frost 30th September 2022 A substantial portion of plastic waste is not recycled and ends up in landfills, contributing greatly to plastics being regarded as the biggest environmental threat, says industry body Plastics SA executive director Anton Hanekom. Forty-three percent of recyclable plastic waste in South Africa... →

A group of Bricks baled together made out of cement and polystyrene which makes them more cost effective, lightweight and insulated

Plastics SA executive director Anton Hanekom discusses the circular economy and how plastic must maintain its position in it instead of in the environment

Circular economy uptake addressed

By: Halima Frost 30th September 2022 The need for and uptake of the circular economy mindset by larger organisations locally and globally was addressed during a webinar hosted by the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) last month. The webinar, titled ESGS Webinar: Circular economy: Opportunities and Benefits,... →

A man wearing protective gloves holding a handful of shredded tires which have been broken down for recycling at the Unki Mine in Zaimbabwe owned by Anglo American Platinum

GETTING TIREDThe world does not have enough resources to cater to the growing population, forcing companies to take up the circular economy

FFS expanding storage, handling capacity for bulk bitumen imports

By: Schalk Burger 29th September 2022 Hydrocarbon solutions company FFS Refiners is investing R350-million into the expansion of the existing storage and handling facility of FFS Tank Terminals that will enable the bulk import of bitumen, an essential product in critical road construction projects, into the Port of Durban. FFS Tank... →

Russia order book in sharp decline, Avis to exit business this year – Barloworld

By: Irma Venter 29th September 2022 Barloworld’s Caterpillar equipment trading business in Russia is starting to feel the heat from international sanctions imposed on the country on the back of its invasion of the Ukraine. This is evidenced in the group’s order book in the country, which at August 31 dropped to $30-million compared... →

A Caterpillar dump truck

Rio Tinto, Shougang to collaborate on finding low-carbon solutions in the steel value chain

By: Creamer Media Reporter 22nd September 2022 Diversifed miner Rio Tinto and Chinese steel producer Shougang Group have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote research, design and implementation of low-carbon solutions for the steel value chain. The MoU’s focus areas include low-carbon sintering technology, blast furnace (BF)... →

Robust cement demand in Rwanda offsets subdued South African demand – PPC

By: Schalk Burger 14th September 2022 Cement producer PPC recorded a 9% year-on-year increase in revenue, excluding from its Zimbabwe operations, for the five months ended August 31, driven by robust demand in Rwanda. Cash generation remains positive and the group has reduced its net debt, the company notes in a September 14 trading... →

Surface miners can help tackle mounting waste problem – Aspasa

By: Donna Slater 13th September 2022 South African surface mines should “take the lead” and help find solutions to a mounting crisis of building rubble that threatens to overwhelm municipalities, suggests environmental consultant and Aggregate and Sand Producers Association of South Africa (Aspasa) lead environmental auditor Anthony... →

Environmental consultant and Aspasa lead environmental auditor Anthony Bowen

Construction sector adds value to economy in second quarter – Afrimat index

By: Donna Slater 12th September 2022 JSE-listed industrial minerals, bulk commodities and construction materials miner Afrimat reports that, compared with the first quarter of this year, the construction sector managed to increase the value added to the economy by 4.1% in real terms in the second quarter. This was revealed in the... →

Afrimat's Glen Douglas operation

Bell hamstrung by supply-chain challenges as demand soars

By: Irma Venter 9th September 2022 The growing demand for commodities, post-Covid-19 stimulus packages, and increased infrastructure spend in a number of markets all stimulated demand for Bell Equipment's products in the six months to end-June. However, the bad news is that supply-chain challenges constrained sales and prevented... →

Leon Goosen

Manufacturers must increase export potential – export council

By: Halima Frost 9th September 2022 Igniting investor relations and export potential, as well as increased investment in projects, are paramount to gaining traction when trying to reignite the economy post Covid-19, stresses South African Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC) CEO Eric Bruggeman. He highlights the opportunities... →

A row of capital equipment, or construction equipment, including graders and diggers on a construction site with the sun rise in the background

South African Capital Equipment Export Council CEO Eric Bruggeman discusses the state of the sector

Building activity boosted by office conversions – economist

By: Irma Venter 9th September 2022 The first five months of the year saw a “remarkable improvement” in the value of buildings completed in the metros and larger municipalities, with the category for additions and alterations coming out on top in terms of year-on-year growth, at “a whopping 92%”, says Optimum Investment Group... →

Luminaires best fit for refineries

By: Leah Shelene Asaram 9th September 2022 Leading manufacturer of luminaires Beka Schréder deems their luminaires as the best fit for zoned environments, such as oil refineries. “All products produced by Beka Schréder are locally manufactured in Olifantsfontein, Gauteng, and developed specifically to withstand South Africa’s harsh... →

An image of Beka Schréder’s LEDNOVA luminaire

LEDNOVA Offers optimal photometric performance and high reliability to reduce energy consumption

OMV striving for ‘smart company’ status in construction sector

By: Simone Liedtke 6th September 2022 Having grown into a substantial business in the sectors in which it operates, aggregate supplier OMV believes the secret of its success lay in the company’s provision of optimum solutions for the needs of its customers. Compared to other sectors, the company managed to survive the pandemic with... →

OMV MD Oscar Goudriaan talks to Creamer Media at this year's Electra Mining. Video & Editing: Creamer Media's Nicholas Boyd.

SA economy shrank in second quarter, hit by KZN floods, load-shedding

By: News24Wire 6th September 2022 South Africa’s economy shrank by 0.7% in the second quarter of 2022, Statistics SA said on Tuesday. This is slightly better than expected. The median expectation among economists polled by a Bloomberg survey was for a contraction of 0.8% in the second quarter. →

A photo of Toyota's Prospecton vehicle assembly plant

Declining financial health of customer base a concern for Italtile

By: Darren Parker 25th August 2022 Tiling retailer Italtile CEO Lance Foxcroft is concerned about the financial health and investment sentiment of the company’s customer base going forward, given the context of rapidly rising living costs and general disillusionment with regard to the domestic sociopolitical environment. Higher... →

AFC invests $3m into Nyanza’s titanium dioxide pigment plant

By: Donna Slater 22nd August 2022 Infrastructure solutions provider the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has become a codeveloper and early-stage investor in titanium dioxide pigment manufacturer Nyanza Light Metals’ $550-million 80 000 t/y titanium dioxide pigment plant in South Africa. The AFC is making an initial $3-million... →

Afrimat declares formal dispute over unmet Gravenhage sales conditions, pays Glenover R250m

By: Donna Slater 22nd August 2022 JSE-listed building materials, industrial minerals and bulk commodities company Afrimat has declared a formal dispute as a result of conditions precedent not being met in its acquisition of the Gravenhage manganese mining right and associated assets from Aquila Steel and Rakana Consolidated... →

Building activity boosted by office conversions – economist

By: Irma Venter 19th August 2022 The first five months of the year have seen a “remarkable improvement” in the value of buildings completed in the metros and larger municipalities, with the category for additions and alterations coming out on top in terms of year-on-year growth rate, at “a whopping 92%”, says Optimum Investment... →

Graph of buildings completed in first five months of 2022 in South Africa

Major milestone achieved

19th August 2022 In what has been described as a major milestone and a significant boost ahead of the start of port operations, Lekki deep sea port, on July 1, 2022, took delivery of three Super Post Panamax ship to shore (STS) cranes and 10 rubber tyred gantries (RTGs) and witnessed the arrival of the first... →

A large shipping vessel with gantry cranes and materials handling equipment is the first vessel to dock at the new Lekki port in Nigeria

IM'PORT'ANT PROGRESS The construction and progress of the new Lekki Port is gaining traction and will soon be fully operational

Original parts a must – supplier

19th August 2022 Heavy lifting solutions provider Criterion Equipment, which specialises in the supply and support of TCM forklift trucks, stresses that the local market must invest in quality branded replacement parts. “We encourage consumers to take special care when sourcing spare parts for forklifts from... →

The shape of a forklift made out of various parts and spares

FORK-FIT Criterion equipment stresses that the correct original-equipment manufacturer parts should used when repairing and maintaining the vehicle

Assembly project finalised without a hitch

By: Halima Frost 19th August 2022 Heavy lifting and rigging specialists Lovemore Bros Mechanical Projects division has reached the tail end of a substantial assembly project for Wallenius Wilhelmsen Solutions South Africa (WW Solutions), a subsidiary of global shipping and logistics solutions provider Wallenius Wilhelmsen. The... →

Wheel loaders and excavators lined up after being assembled by Lovemore Bros at its Boksburg facility

BUILT TO BUILD The construction vehicles were assembled at Lovemore Bros' Boksburg branch

Crane supplier announces new distributorship

By: Halima Frost 19th August 2022 Materials handling equipment distributor and service provider Charco Cranes used the KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition, held in February, as well as smaller industry-related events, as launchpads to highlight its recently acquired distributorship of the Italy-based Donati range of... →

A row of Donati hoists at a manufacturing plant

HEFTY HOIST The Donati range of cranes and hoists are now available to the South African market with various lifting capacities

R16bn Harbour Arch development sees Tower 1 reach highest point

By: Irma Venter 18th August 2022 Tower 1 at Cape Town’s new Harbour Arch mixed-use precinct has topped out on the twenty-third floor, 95 m above ground – 30 months after breaking ground in January, 2020. “Reaching the highest point of Tower 1 at Harbour Arch represents a significant milestone in our construction journey,” says... →

Image of Tower 1 in the Harbour Arch development

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