SOUTH AFRICAN SUPPLIERS
these , we ’ ve seen a sharp uptick in enquiries and contracts compared to the situation two years ago at the height of the COVID pandemic when orders dried up for a few months .
“ Business has improved and is back to pre- COVID levels .”
Mining is just one of Pilot Crushtec ’ s core markets , with , historically , 50 % of its business tied to the aggregates / construction sector .
“ At present , mining is probably the better of the two segments as a result of continuing global demand for commodities ,” Marais said . “ This has resulted in a great deal of mining activity in southern Africa which has been to our benefit . Demand for our Pilot Modular range of semimobile crushing and screening equipment has been particularly strong in recent months .”
According to Marais , both new and aftermarket customers are benefitting from the company ’ s continual local content focus .
“ We design and manufacture many products locally , so we are very well placed to supply equipment and spares ,” he said . “ Obviously , for some of the brands we import we are in a similar position to everyone else , but even here we try to ‘ localise ’ as much as possible .”
If the company installs a Metso Outotec crusher or screen , for example , any supporting infrastructure such as feeders , conveyors or skid structures will be fabricated by Pilot Crushtec at its facility in Jet Park , Johannesburg .
“ Because of the huge emphasis that we place on the aftermarket , we also maintain a comprehensive stockholding for both our locally manufactured and imported machines – we stock about 93,000 items with a total value of about R250 million in our 12,000 sq . m warehouse ,” Marais said . “ This large stockholding means that our customers can be assured of speedy delivery of the parts and components they need . There are no long lead times involved .”
The company is confident of continuing to grow its footprint in southern Africa , yet further north in Africa , in West and East Africa , the company also sees growth potential on the back of mining sector expansions .
“ Overseas we see major opportunities for our mobile double-roll crusher , the DoppiaTrac DR400 ,” Marais added . “ This is a machine that is entirely designed and manufactured in South Africa . It is a track-mounted , self-driven , feeding , crushing and stockpiling machine for use in medium to hard bituminous coal crushing applications , and we ’ re one of the few manufacturers in the world with a product of this type .
“ It has proven itself in South Africa ’ s coal industry and we would now like to market it more vigorously to coal miners overseas .”
Pilot Crushtec ’ s locally developed and manufactured Vertical Shaft Impactors should
also appeal to the global mining sector as a third or fourth stage crusher in the process flowsheet , according to Marais .
“ The quality of these machines is outstanding , and they are , moreover , aggressively priced ,” he said .
Proving its PDS worth
Booyco Electronics ’ contribution to the proximity detection space in mining is appreciated across the globe , yet South Africa – with its incoming Level 9 legislation – continues to remain a key market for the company .
The onset of the COVID pandemic slowed developments down for Booyco , but it has seen a resurgence of interest in its technology over the past 18 months and the company is currently
busy processing several requests for information from potential overseas customers , according to CEO Anton Lourens .
“ It is clear that mines are doing their homework on Proximity Detection Systems ( PDS ) – also known as Collision Prevention Systems ( CPS ) – that offer vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicleto-pedestrian detection , both in underground and surface applications ,” he said . “ They are assessing what systems are available to them , what technologies work best and which companies are the leading suppliers of PDS equipment globally .”
Southern Africa , including South Africa , accounts for roughly 80 % of Booyco ’ s business , but , in the last few years , partnerships with integrators overseas have allowed the company
JANUARY 2023 | International Mining 51