• EXCURSION
30 YEARS OF LESSONS FROM MANUFACTURING IN MINING
By Sharon Mdaka
Established at the advent of democracy, Power Process Systems( PPS) has stood the test of time to provide a practical lens into how disciplined manufacturing, local engineering capabilities and refurbishment-led thinking continue to underpin a mining sector that is under constant pressure to deliver tighter safety compliance and sustained cost control.
Its factory floor reflects three decades of adjustment to a shifting safety culture, fluctuating commodity cycles and evolving technologies across South African mining and utilities.
Very few companies survive for more than three decades, particularly in a demanding sector like manufacturing. Born out of necessity to address a specific need, they broke into the industry with their fibreglass kiosks.“ We evolved as the industry’ s needs changed. Improvements in efficiency, safety and cost pressures required us to continuously adapt. We became involved in working with utilities such as Eskom and City Power, collaborating on design working groups to develop enclosures and systems that met specific operational requirements,” explains company director, Nhlanhla Zondo.
From the outset, it becomes clear that process discipline sits at the centre of the company’ s longevity – not as a concept, but as a daily operational practice. Each job begins with a detailed job card that tracks a product from design through to cutting, fabrication, finishing and final assembly.
From CNC punching and laser cutting through to bending, welding and powder coating, the emphasis is on consistency rather than speed for its own sake. Laser cutting has become a key enabler, allowing PPS to achieve high levels of precision while reducing the need for secondary finishing. Laser welding further limits grinding requirements, improving productivity and finish quality while easing pressure from rising labour and energy costs.
For mining operations, these details are not academic. Poorly specified or inconsistently manufactured enclosures and kiosks can result in premature corrosion, electrical failures or safety risks once installed on site.
Quality control at PPS is not treated as a standalone compliance exercise. ISO-aligned processes are embedded into everyday workflows, with sign-offs required at multiple stages across production.
According to operations director Ervin Toth, this traceability plays a direct role in managing risk, both for PPS and for the mining operations that ultimately install the equipment. Every product is assigned a job number and bill of materials, ensuring each department understands exactly what materials are required, which processes must be followed, and how long each stage should take.
That level of visibility allows progress to be monitored daily and deviations to be identified early, before they become costly delays.
All images by © African Mining, incorporating Mining Mirror
Each job begins with a detailed job card that tracks a product from design to finish.
From CNC punching and laser cutting through to bending, welding and powder coating, every process is done at the facility.
This approach allows the business to trace faults back to specific processes or design decisions, should issues arise later. In mining environments, particularly remote or high-risk operations, the consequences of failure extend far beyond replacement costs. Downtime, safety incidents and logistical delays can quickly outweigh any upfront savings achieved by under-specifying equipment.
That reality underpins PPS’ s manufacturing philosophy: reliability first, aesthetics second, and cost optimisation achieved through smarter design rather than material compromise.
Manufacturing is ultimately about optimisation and balancing cost, performance and speed. Reflecting on the past three decades,
20 • African Mining • March 2026 www. africanmining. co. za