Mechanical Technology May 2016

⎪ Local manufacturing and beneficiation ⎪

Increasing local transformer manufacturing: a strategic move for greater local involvement

L ouis Meiring, chief executive officer at Zest WEG Group Af- rica, says the acquisition last year of Heidelberg-based TSS Transformers facilitated immediate ac- cess to additional facilities as well as best-in-class technical skills. “Upskilling ourselves in this critical market sector and increasing our local manufacturing base was a strategic move that will see greater involvement from Zest WEG in this industry,” Meiring says. Zest WEG Group is owned by Brazil- based WEG and this significant invest- ment in local manufacturing highlights WEG’s financial commitment to its local operations. Meiring says the acquisition was in line with the international player’s intention to expand its global network of businesses and manufacturing plants. The WEG Group aims to increase its sales year-on-year by a minimum of 17% until it reaches an annual turnover of US$10‑billion in 2020. WEG Transformer Africa (WTA) oper- ates two major facilities and is poised to reinforce its position as a leading African manufacturer of electrical equip- ment. The last two years has seen the recapitalisation of the WTA Wadeville operation. Andre Mans, COO of WTA, says that this extensive investment pro- gramme has seen the facility undergo a complete makeover with the upgrading of equipment and streamlining of processes. “Today, WTA Wadeville is a modern oper- ation that boasts best-in-class production and manufacturing capabilities,” he says. WTA Wadeville produces standard distribution, power and special applica- tion transformers ranging from 50 kVA to 10 MVA in voltages up to 66 kV with off-load tap switches or on-load tap- changers. Known for its responsiveness to customer-specific needs, the facility also has the engineering expertise and capability to manufacture special trans- formers for mining, industrial, rectifier/ WEG Transformers Africa, a d i v i s i on o f Ze s t WEG Manufacturing, is determined to continue growing its share in both the South African and African transformer markets.

WTA’s modern facility houses what is considered to be the best privately operated oil sampling laboratory in South Africa.

An important value-added service offering from WTA is its suite of structured transformer maintenance programmes that allow customers to protect these assets from degradation.

This facility houses what is consid- ered to be the best privately operated transformer oil sampling laboratory in South Africa. Mans says this is a crucial differentiator in the market as it gives customers access to skilled technicians who analyse samples on state-of-the-art equipment to world-class standards. Concluding, Mans says that an im- portant value-added service offering from WTA is its suite of structured transformer maintenance programmes that allow customers to protect these assets from degradation. q

traction, converter and thyristor drive applications. WTA also manufactures a range of mini substations. Mans says that, where applicable, the transformers carry SABS certification. The Heidelberg facility, which was previously TSS Transformers, was ac- quired in the third quarter of 2015 and boasts an impressive 45 000 m² foot- print. The modern facility is capable of locally manufacturing power transformers up to 40 MVA in voltages up to 132 kV, as well as mini substations and moulded circuit breakers.

Mechanical Technology — May 2016

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