MechChem Africa January 2017

Plans to increase local drive assembly capability SEW-Eurodrive’s global president and MD, Jürgen Blickle (right), visits South Africa and talks about the company’s expansion plans.

S EW-Eurodrive’scommitmenttoSouth Africa and the continent is under- scored by the fact that the bulk of its regional turnover is still generatedby themining andminerals-processing industry. This is because the OEM remains a leading innovator and solutions provider in bulk materials handling and conveying technology. Paying a visit to the SouthAfrican head of- ficeinJohannesburgrecently,SEW-Eurodrive president and global MD, Jürgen Blickle comments that, while the mining industry is in a slump, “we are still very strong in min- ing”. Blickle reveals that the OEM plans to ramp up its local assembly operations, with an expanded assembly facility on the cards. Another key focus for future growth is boosting the aftermarket sector, which has seen the South African subsidiary establish a new Field Service Department and Repair Centre. “We want to increase the service

business, including servicing brands other than our own. This is an international trend, whereby we find customers approaching us for this particular service,” Blickle says. However, Blickle adds that themain focus is still offering complete replacement units wherever possible. “As so many of our prod- ucts are largely identical and interchangeable, we will simply offer a replacement unit as opposed to repairing an old one.” SEW-Eurodrive’s success on the continent is highlightedby the SouthAfrican company‘s celebration of its 30 th anniversary last year. Blickle explains that the OEM’s manufactur- ing base is distributed among 15 facilities globally, in addition to 75 assembly facilities, including Johannesburg. “Hence we are a truly global entity. The fact that we continue to invest significantly in South Africa is an indication of our commitment to the country and its economy.”

A distinct advantage of the OEM’s global footprint is an international pool of project and application experience. This not only encompasses manufacturing capability, but also an excellent grasp of local conditions and specific requirements. “What gives us the edge is not only howwemanufacture our products, using the latest methodologies and technologies, but our in-depth knowledge of highly-technical sectors such as mining, food and beverage and automotive,” Blickle elaborates. In South Africa, the Johannesburg assem-

Latest-technology geared-motor assembly cells SEW-Eurodrive Cape Town has invested in new assembly cells for geared motors to speed up production, increase quality and reduce wastage. As part of its ongo- ing development, the branch also plans a new assembly cell for electronics in the near future.

growth in terms of both volume and turnover. “The market is defi- nitely on the up compared to last year. We are doing surprisingly well, despite the prevailing tough market conditions.” Griffiths reveals that the food and beverage industry is very stable in theWestern Cape, where the large percentage of exports means that OEMs favour energy-efficient equipment such as SEW- Eurodrive’sIE3-compliantDRNseriesofasynchronousmotors.“One of the main reasons these new motors were launched was to cater specifically for increased export volumes into the US and Europe, where the standard regulations require IE3 compliance,” he says. q

“Wehavedefinitely started todomore businesson theelectronics side, especially in terms of servomotors andmechatronic units, which combine electronics with mechanical gearing,” com- ments branch manager Byron Griffiths. He explains that the assembly-cell development embarked upon by the Cape Town branch will increase its flexibility and capability for delivering total solutions to clients. It will also assist in reduc- ing stockholding, as a lot of components are interchangeable, as opposed to having to keep one item in stock in every available size and configuration. Cape Town is a significant production hub for SEW-Eurodrive, as it assembles units for other branches, including Nelspruit, Durban, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth. In addition, specific sizes and ranges are only assembled in Cape Town, and distributed to other branches when needed. “For example, a smaller location such as Port Elizabeth will rely on us for its production, from servo motors to geared motors,” Griffiths points out. He adds that the Western Cape market in particular is showing

SEW-Eurodrive Cape Town has invested in new assembly cells for geared motors to speed up production.

14 ¦ MechChem Africa • January 2017