Construction World September 2020

PRODUCTS & SERVICE

Booyco continues technology DRIVE DESPITE COVID-19

W hile the COVID-19 lockdown has forced many companies serving the mining sector to downscale, Booyco Electronics is continuing to apply and develop its technologies for safer, more productive mining operations. :LWK LWV QDWLRQZLGH WHDP RI VRPH ͤHOG WHFKQLFLDQV VHUYLQJ opencast and underground mines – by far the largest footprint DPRQJ SOD\HUV LQ WKLV ͤHOG ̰ WKH SUR[LPLW\ GHWHFWLRQ VSHFLDOLVW has remained hard at work. While supporting those coal mines that worked through Level 5 and Level 4, the company has also been assisting customers to ramp up to full production after the initial stoppage. $FFRUGLQJ WR %RR\FR (OHFWURQLFV FKLHI H[HFXWLYH RͦFHU $QWRQ Lourens, the lockdown has even given his engineering team some welcome breathing space for their technology development. With collision avoidance standards in mines becoming stricter, technology is responding rapidly. “Our plans to grow our engineering team from 18 to over 30 experts this year remains on track, giving us added capacity to meet industry needs,” says Lourens. “Even under lockdown restrictions, this expanding team has continued its work on new features and functionality for our products.” The move to the Level 4 lockdown allowed opencast operations to resume and underground mines to move to 50% production. Booyco Electronics was on hand to assist with the required pre- start inspections and equipment checks, which then accelerated with the relaxation to Level 3. “While the lockdown restrictions were disruptive to everyone, we have learnt valuable lessons and LQFUHDVHG RXU HͦFLHQFLHV RYHU UHFHQW ZHHNV̹ KH VD\V ̸7KLV KDV left us stronger and better prepared to support customers in the ͤHOG ̹ /RXUHQV VD\V WKH FRPSDQ\ KDV QRW UXVKHG WR EULQJ HPSOR\HHV for many South African schoolchildren, particularly for learners returning to Laerskool Wierdapark in Centurion which boasts a newly-installed Rhino-Turf MT15 synthetic multi-surface for optimum playing conditions. This high-quality sports surface, installed by Turftech, replaced WKH H[LVWLQJ JUDVV QHWEDOO DQG KRFNH\ ͤHOG SURYLGLQJ WKH VFKRRO with a space-saving facility that caters to hockey, netball and tennis practice sessions. It can also be used as a playing area for the children during break time. “Laerskool Wierdapark wanted to move their sports offerings to the next level by implementing the latest facility for the learners,” explained Phillip Prinsloo, Turftech Sales Manager. “This multi-sports surface maximises on the available space, which is at a premium at most strong sporting schools. Through this installation, the school will be able to host value-driven tournaments, as well as better prepare the learners in various sporting codes, setting them up for more opportunities in high school. The exposure to one of the best-quality playing surfaces at such a young age is a big advantage for youngsters.” The Rhino-Turf MT15 synthetic multi-sports surface is an LPSURYHPHQW RQ WKH H[LVWLQJ ͤHOGV ZKLFK VWUXJJOHG XQGHU WKH UHJXODU IRRW WUDͦF 8QOLNH WUDGLWLRQDO KDUG FRXUWV WKH 7XUIWHFK PXOWL VSRUWV facility does not have to be resurfaced every two to three years, with the new synthetic surface only needing upgrading every 8 to

EDFN WR LWV RͦFHV LQ /HYHO WDNLQJ WKH VDIHU URXWH RI DOORZLQJ only one third back in June. Where employees were not required to physically touch a product, they continued to be deployed at home. “To date, we have used the lockdown as a valuable opportunity for training and refresher courses,” he says. “It has also been vital to communicate constantly with staff and entrench our safety procedures for future continuity.” Lourens warns that the lost production on mines will mean heightened pressure on the correct implementation of collision avoidance strategies. The anticipation of tighter safety regulations had led many mining companies to target the end of 2020 for proximity detection upgrades.

“In these tough economic times – and with time lost due to COVID-19 – mines cannot afford to get it wrong when executing projects to apply these technologies,” he says. “Detailed planning will EH YLWDO LQ GHͤQLQJ DQG LPSOHPHQWLQJ HDFK PLQH̵V VSHFLͤF FROOLVLRQ avoidance solutions. The 2020 deadline may now in fact be very GLͦFXOW IRU PDQ\ PLQHV WR PHHW ̹ ƒ Sporting excellence TO LAERSKOOL WIERDAPARK T KH UHWXUQ WR UHJXODU VSRUWLQJ ͤ[WXUHV LV D KLJKO\ DQWLFLSDWHG OX[XU\

10 years. Learners are now able to practice for much longer hours DQG IRU KRFNH\ VSHFLͤFDOO\ WKHUH LV PRUH FRQVLVWHQW EDOO UROO DQG play, speeding up the game. “The synthetic turf will allow youngsters WR SOD\ ORQJ KRXUV RQ WKH ͤHOG ZKHWKHU LW UDLQHG RU QRW̹ FRQWLQXHG Prinsloo. “If maintained, the surface will offer the school many years of hassle-free sports, without the need for cutting or use of fertiliser. There is also the massive advantage of not having to water the surface, a major cost-saving exercise in a water-scarce country.” Alongside the multi-sports surface, Turftech installed a high-end, customised fencing system that contributes to player and spectator safety, while also creating a proper drainage system to make sure water drains off the pitch as quickly as possible. Louis Dekker, principal of Laerskool Wierdapark, said the introduction of the multi-sports surface at the start of the year had been exceptionally well-received: “The learners and staff love the area, and parents have been particularly impressed with the professional look it creates. All the kids wanted to play on the surface during their break.” +H VDLG WKH VFKRRO ZDV EHQHͤWWLQJ IURP DGGLWLRQDO FRVW VDYLQJV as they don’t have to rent other astro-turfs for practice sessions. “It is such an advantage having a quality playing surface that can be used in all weather,” Dekker added. “And having quite a limited space meant that we needed something that could accommodate many sporting codes. We want to offer our children the best possible product, and Turftech’s installation is certainly that.” ƒ

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