Modernising water infrastructure: what will it take to address the water challenges in Africa?

JOHANNESBURG, SA,  Water is a critical resource and has a tremendous impact on Africa’s development. Unfortunately, climate change, together with a soaring population, has led to an increase in the demand for water – a demand that in many countries, outstrips the available resources. As the availability of water declines, the facilitation of water for domestic consumption, agriculture and other uses is becoming critical, as is the modernising of water infrastructure to meet the growing demand. Bear in mind that Africa is a continent with 1.2 billion people, and a…

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Alpla builds new manufacturing plant in Lanseria, South Africa

Austrian packaging manufacturer Alpla is building a new production site near Johannesburg which will combine activities from five existing plants. As part of the consolidation, the production of five existing plants in Harrismith, Denver, Isando, Kempton Park and Samrand will be transferred to the new plant in Lanseria. Located in the province of Gauteng, the factory aims to simplify and optimise manufacturing processes while also contributing to improving logistics and transport. Standard bottle solutions and tailor-made packaging for the food, personal care, home care, chemical, detergent and pharmaceutical industries will…

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New boss for South African Mint

The South African Mint Company, a subsidiary of the SA Reserve Bank, has announced the appointment of Honey Mamabolo as its new managing director Director. The central bank said Mamabolo’s background as an engineer, together with her experience in finance and manufacturing, makes her an ideal fit for the role. She has 20 years’ experience across various industry sectors, including mining, retail banking, energy, development finance and manufacturing. Before joining the South African Mint, Ms Mamabolo was the Chief Executive Officer of Thebe Unico, a leading manufacturer and supplier of…

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Egypt develops comprehensive strategy for manufacturing cars

The government has developed a comprehensive strategy for the automobile and electric cars industry, said Egyptian Minister of Military Production Mohamed al-Assar on Sunday. He added that the plan is currently being formulated and will soon be announced by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met with the relevant ministers on Saturday to discuss this strategy, Assar said. This strategy covers multiple dimensions, such as converting cars to work with gas or electricity and replacing cars over 20 years of age with a new electronic model, he said.…

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Realigning water industry assets in digitally enhanced operations

Digital transformation is blending information and operational technology for asset performance improvements that reduce costs, optimise efficiency and improve conservation in the water and wastewater operations. “This opportunity comes at a time when water is recognised as a limited, high-value resource,” states Jacques Squire, Water and Wastewater Segment Leader at Schneider Electric South Africa. “The United Nations projects that if current water usage trends continue, by 2030 the world will have only 60% of the water it needs. This pending scarcity compounds pressures already mounting in the industry.” Industry pressures…

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Rand-Air’s portable LED lighting units: placing mines in a favourable light

With the enormous investment placed in large open-pit mines, the pressure is on these operations to produce. Inevitably, this dictates that they work around the clock. However, working at night does present some very real potential safety hazards which are not present during the hours of daylight. This is according to Craig Swart, Fleet Manager at Rand-Air, the leading local provider of compressed air and power to the mines, as well as to many other industry sectors. “The most serious potential hazard in an open-pit mine – even during daylight…

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TLT-Turbo On-site Test Lab Advances Product Quality

Global ventilation fans and systems manufacturer, TLT-Turbo GmbH, has spent the past five years investing in and equipping its on-site test lab. The test lab now provides streamlined processes for research, advancing product quality and expanded capabilities for material testing. With a focus on particle impact wear testing, the test lab is driving innovation forward at TLT-Turbo as the results help improve product reliability, quality and performance in their final operating environment. Patrick Baumgärtner a Research and Development Engineer – and expert in wear and corrosion protection – at TLT-Turbo,…

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Using partnerships to bring innovative benefits to society

Working closely with partners in industry, government and communities, the Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (CRPM) at the Central University of Technology (CUT) in South Africa is using its social and technological innovations to help solve societal problems in Africa and beyond. The CRPM, which specialises in additive manufacturing – better known as 3D printing – has made a name for itself in the field of medical product development, designing and manufacturing a range of medical devices, including pre-operative models of a patient’s skull to help surgeons plan their…

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Proudly SA: Creating employment in SA through re-industrialisation

JOHANNESBURG – Last week we joined Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev)/(SAB Breweries) on a trip to the Free State to celebrate and visit one of the companies that has come through its Enterprise and Supplier Development programme and entered its supply chain. Kevali Chemicals, manufacturer of waste-water treatment solutions, sanitation, cleansing and detergent products as well as adhesives, is located in Harrismith. The company’s success comes as a result of a combination of commercial decisions and economic conditions that conspired to put them on a significant growth path, enabling them to…

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South Africa’s army is running out of money – crippling its ability to secure the country

South Africa’s army is running out of money – crippling its ability to secure the country “We are facing a ticking time bomb. It is a matter of concern that SANDF plans currently are based on ‘as resourced model, and not on Joint Force Employment Requirement,” said the co-chairperson of the committee, Cyril Xaba. “The consequence of the decline in budgets translates in decline in capabilities, something which if continues, will further cripple the ability of securing the country“.  To combat these issues, the committee encouraged re-investment into the country’s defence…

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