Electricity and Control September 2020

DRIVES, MOTORS + SWITCHGEAR : PRODUCTS + SERVICES

Reliable technology and trusted support

Leading provider of industrial automation solutions, Nidec Control Techniques, delivers the reliable technology and trusted support services that businesses look for in today’s competitive environment. The company attributes its growing customer base across South Africa this year to three key qualities: “It comes down to flexibility, support, and uncompromised quality,” says Regional Manager Bruce Grobler. Nidec Control Techniques provides engineered drive solutions designed to meet the technical requirements for each application. “These solutions are tailored by our engineering team, who will assist the customer with the design and seeing it through to implementation,” says Grobler. The company can also provide a pre-assembled, ready-to-install freestanding drive in a fast turnaround time. Nidec Control Techniques’ DFS (Drive Free Standing) is supplied ready to use with no additional engineering required and is designed to integrate with existing cubicle setups. It provides for energy-efficient motor control and is suitable for use in high ingress- prone environments. With fast, easy installation, the DFS ensures maximum plant availability. Nidec Control Techniques’ team of application engineers is at the ready to provide support to customers when they need it, and the company prides itself on delivering cost-effective high-quality solutions, fast. Grobler highlights three projects the company is currently working on in different environments. One

currently has 28 appointed partners in 22 sub-Saharan African countries outside of South Africa, and is expanding its footprint into new sectors across the region. With extensive manufacturing and assembly facilities in South Africa, Zest WEG is driving its African growth strategy through local partnerships with carefully selected value-added resellers (VARs). “The local content mandate is playing an increasingly important role in the supply of equipment and services into the formal business sector across the African continent,” says Milan. “It brings services closer to the customer, empowers local business and builds local economies.” He highlights that the company selects its VARs also for their technical and operational capability and capacity to of- fer customers more of Zest WEG’s portfolio of products and services. “While initially we focused primarily on electric motors, we are now promoting a comprehensive portfolio of Zest WEG electrical products and solutions,” he says. “These include geared motors, low and medium voltage drives and automa- tion solutions, panels, MCCs, E-houses, power and distribu- tion transformers, mini-substations, a selection of traditional and renewable and hybrid power generation solutions as well as electrical infrastructure and mobile solutions.” Milan notes that the business is also diversifying beyond is a desalination plant in Oman. While the water pumping application is fairly standard, the engineering required a specific turnkey solution which couldn’t be solved by an off-the-shelf product. The Nidec Control Techniques team custom-built the solution – amid language barriers and the global Covid-19 pandemic. “Key to this project is that our solution is very simple but delivers a high-level task,” Grobler explains. In South Africa, the team has been working with Inpro in Durban on a complete automated conveyer loading and box storage system for a fertiliser operation. “We equipped the warehouse with a maze of conveyors which work in synchronicity, in conjunction with a SCADA system and data transmission over industrial WiFi.” Closer to headquarters in Johannesburg, Nidec Control Techniques has been working with a refuse bag and bin liner manufacturer since 2015, providing 130 machines to The company holds substantial stock and its team of application engineers is geared to meet customers’ needs flexibly and efficiently.

Building business across Africa

“The key to sustainable growth in Africa is partnering with locally owned companies that have proven track records, are technically sound, have a strong market knowledge and a business culture aligned with our own,” says Taylor Milan, Africa Business Development Executive at Zest WEG. The company, a fully owned subsidiary of WEG,

Zest WEG on site at a copper mine in Kitwe, Zambia.

14 Electricity + Control SEPTEMBER 2020