14 www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I May 2026
LOCAL MANUFACTURING business
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“ All our AC motors used are IE3. Since we have been in business, all our imported fans with AC electric motors were already IE3, which has been a standard internationally,” Xhallie notes.
The shift from IE1 to IE3 motors represents a substantial jump in energy performance. In HVAC applications – where motors traditionally used foot-mounted configurations – the transition has required adjustments in mounting systems and sourcing. Fan Movement is also planning comparative testing between IE1 and IE3 motors to demonstrate real-time power consumption differences – data that consulting engineers increasingly demand. In addition, the company imports EC fans equipped with IE5-level motor efficiency, ensuring alignment with global trends as the local market anticipates possible future shifts toward IE4 and IE5 standards.
The testing machine.
Quality assurance is another pillar of the local manufacturing drive.“ We have developed internal quality control systems to check every fan that we manufacture,” he confirms. The company’ s test bay records amperage, speed and other performance indicators, and Fan Movement is upgrading its variable speed drive( VSD) testing systems to provide more detailed performance data.
Consulting engineers, he explains, typically require performance curves, absorbed power data, and efficiency figures to verify that a selected fan will meet specified air volume and pressure requirements. To support this, the company is finalising its own fan selection software – designed to generate detailed performance data, including motor size, frequency and mechanical efficiency.
Third-party certification is also under consideration, particularly for new product ranges. While acknowledging that accredited laboratory testing is costly, Xhallie recognises its importance for market credibility.
Geographically, Fan Movement’ s ambitions extend beyond South Africa. Drawing on Xhallie’ s previous experience in African markets, the company already supplies projects in both southern and northern Africa. The long-term goal is to strengthen its identity as an African-based industrial engineering supplier – one capable of competing on performance, efficiency and lead time. For now, the emphasis remains disciplined growth.“ We recognise the increasing demand for technological advancement in the fan industry, and we are committed to investing in R & D capability,” he says.
In a sector often dominated by imports, Fan Movement’ s trajectory reflects a broader industrial narrative: rebuilding local capability, investing in compliance and efficiency, and steadily increasing the percentage of value created on home soil. For Xhallie, the strategy is pragmatic rather than ideological – manufacture what makes sense locally, source strategically where required and always measure performance.
The planned expansion of floor space, machinery and inhouse capability suggests that Fan Movement’ s infancy stage may not last long. RACA
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A Fan Movement workstation in the factory.
“ The company is finalising its own fan selection software – designed to generate detailed performance data.”
14 www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I May 2026