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LOCAL MANUFACTURING
TROX SOUTH AFRICA EXPANDS PIETERMARITZBURG FACILITY TO DRIVE VISION 2030
Contributed by TROX South Africa
business
TROX South Africa has officially broken ground on the expansion of its Pietermaritzburg factory, marking the start of a decisive new chapter for the company.
The development forms a cornerstone of TROX South
Africa’ s Vision 2030 strategy, a roadmap designed to reclaim market leadership, double sales volumes, and establish the business as a meaningful contributor to the global TROX GROUP.
TROX South Africa’ s managing director, Quinton Brent emphasised the significance of the investment.“ This is more than the start of construction; it is the beginning of an exciting new chapter. A chapter built on progress, resilience and ambition,” he said. Since its establishment in 1972, TROX South Africa has grown into a trusted name in air distribution and air conditioning, but the business has also faced serious constraints in recent years. Underinvestment in both people and facilities, coupled with outdated manufacturing processes, has restricted the company’ s ability to meet demand in a growing but highly competitive HVAC market.
The expansion directly addresses these challenges. The Pietermaritzburg factory has long operated at maximum capacity, with insufficient storage space for raw materials and finished goods, limited dispatch flexibility, and machinery prone to frequent breakdowns and slow cycle times. Even where production capability existed, the company’ s enterprise resource planning( ERP) system was not fully configured or effectively utilised, resulting in incomplete data and inefficient scheduling. Brent acknowledged these constraints candidly:“ While the factory has the capability to plan production, the current ERP system is not being used effectively, largely due to incomplete or outdated planning and sales information.”
To overcome these issues, TROX South Africa is investing in new high-precision machinery to reduce lead times and improve efficiency, while expanding the factory floor to allow greater production flow and larger stockholding. A fully reconfigured ERP system will integrate planning, sales and production, enabling real-time visibility and tighter co-ordination across the business. These upgrades will not only modernise the facility but also create the operational backbone for Vision 2030.
RACA Journal I January 2026
The vision is built on six performance pillars: quality, lead time, service, price, factory constraints, and customer expectations. For Brent, these are not abstract concepts but measurable areas of transformation.“ While the HVAC market in South Africa is forecast to grow only 1 – 2 % annually, with inflation running at 6 %, we cannot depend on the economy to drive our success. We must outpace the market by improving our internal performance,” he said. TROX South Africa’ s immediate target is to reclaim market share, positioning itself not only as a local leader but also as a significant contributor to the group’ s international operations.
The factory is also being equipped with advanced capabilities in sheet metal forming, CNC punching, welding, powder coating and in-house testing, bringing a broad range of production processes under one roof. For the first time, customers will benefit from a fully localised supply chain that covers both product manufacture and spare-part production, enhancing after-sales service and reducing system downtime. In line with TROX GROUP’ s sustainability commitments, the facility is embedding circular economy practices, including metal offcut recycling and powdercoating recovery systems, while new machinery is selected not only for precision but also for its energy-efficiency profile.
This commitment to sustainability extends beyond process optimisation. TROX South Africa will invest in solar energy systems to power its operations, reducing dependence on
A 3D rendering of the eventual building.
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All images provided by TROX South Africa