SOUTH AFRICAN SUPPLIERS
through OEMs who manufacture large mining and earthmoving machinery as well as equipment for minerals processing and materials handling .
“ If we are busy , then this means they ( OEMs ) are also experiencing high demand for their products ,” he explained .
The company is currently attempting to broaden its customer base and has been very active in recent months at events such as Bauma in Germany , MINExpo in USA and Mining Indaba in South Africa .
“ These efforts are already bearing fruit and we ’ ve recently secured work from an OEM specialising in ground engaging tools ,” Davidovics said . “ This relationship has really taken off with three orders in place for product destined for the US market .”
OEMs , in general , are looking to increase their local content when bidding for business in South Africa , and this trend is benefitting Efficient Engineering , according to Davidovics .
“ Beyond this , we are capturing business from some of our overseas competitors ,” he said . “ Due to capacity issues at steel mills and the problems that are affecting global supply chains , their lead times are lengthening , and this is opening up opportunities for Efficient Engineering . We are affected by the same constraints , but we are an agile company and can fulfil orders very fast .”
This is thanks to 21,000 sq . m of fabrication space at its premises in Tunney , Gauteng , plus some of the best equipment available globally , according to Davidovics .
“ For example , we ’ ve just installed a state-ofthe-art Computerised Numerical Control floortype boring machine and a second machine is due to be installed in the middle of next year – representing a total investment of R55 million ($ 3.2 million ) – which is probably the biggest of its type in South Africa and possibly even in the southern hemisphere ,” he said .
Like Weba Chute Systems , Efficient Engineering is taking note of the demand out of West Africa , but it is also looking to take market share in Central and South America , plus fill some of the fabrication capacity in Eastern Europe that has been lost through the war in Ukraine .
Crushing the competition
An OEM as well as a distributor of Metso Outotec equipment , Pilot Crushtec has witnessed increased demand for its crushing and screening equipment over the past six months .
“ Overseas , we ’ re seeing this in Australia and New Zealand , in particular ,” Francois Marais , Director of Sales and Marketing , said . “ Our international business also includes African countries outside of South Africa – mainly in southern Africa up as far north as the DRC . From 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
Pilot Crushtec ’ s DoppiaTrac DR400 double-roll crusher is a track-mounted , self-driven , feeding , crushing and stockpiling machine for use in medium to hard bituminous coal crushing applications
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 )
International Mining | JANUARY 2023