Mechanical Technology May 2016

⎪ Industry forum ⎪

Women in shipping From carpentry to procurement, welding to training – the women at Elgin Brown & Hamer (EBH) Namibia are working hard and having fun. Having found themselves in a tough industry, one that has been traditionally dominated by men, these women all have one thing in common: they like to stand up and be counted. ‘Be yourself’ and ‘stand up for what you believe in’; ‘hold your head up high’ – these are common phrases uttered by EBH women, who all pay tribute to a company that, far from being dis- criminative, actively encourages career development among all its employees, men and women. “As women at EBH we are given the chance to study and grow in our careers. We feel honoured, and empow- ered to make decisions,” says Klaudia Shitthigona, acting technical training officer in the HR department at EBH Namibia. “In a globally competitive indus- try such as shipping, where world- class standards have to consistently be achieved, the skills of each and every It is not only large blue-chip mining companies that are opting for a premium product and technical after-sales support from Weir Minerals Africa. Small mining operations in its sub-Saharan African and Middle East territories are also partnering with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). “These operations include ag- gregate and sand producers, who have become a very strategic growth market for Weir Minerals Africa,” says Rene Calitz, the company’s head of strategy and marketing. She reports ongoing success with the company’s Trio ® comminution equipment, especially in the quarrying environment. The company recently received a contract for a 300 t/h plant in Zambia, followed by its latest comminution project in the Middle East, a 400 t/h crushing and screening operation in Saudi Arabia. She says the success that Weir Minerals Africa is enjoying in this mar- ket can be attributed to the company’s commitment to lowering the total cost of ownership of its customers’ opera- tions. The OEM achieves this through its extensive research and development programme that is geared to improving

In brief AZ Armaturen South Africa has invested in a new multiple axes CNC lathe and milling machine with live tooling. The state-of-the-art machine will allow AZ to increase productivity, flexibility, improve the quality of their plug valves as well as further expand the skill-sets of its staff on world-class technology. Instrotech , distributor and manufacturer of a large range of process control instrumentation and specialised systems, has merged with TIA Online to form the Instrotech’s Test & Mea- surement division . Agencies now represented include Rycom Instruments, Time Electronics, Scope T&M, Kehui and Seaward. Master Power Technologies , the power solution and data centre specialist, has recently opened a branch in Windhoek Namibia as part of its plan for growth in Africa. The operation officially opened on 1 March 2016. Rockwell Automation has announced that its board of directors has elected Blake D. Moret, a 30-year veteran of the company, as president and chief executive officer, effective July 1, 2016. Keith D. Nosbusch, 65, who has been in the role since 2004, will continue as chairman of the board. Engen Petroleum , a leading producer and mar- keter of fuels, lubricants and oil-based products has recognised Upington as a welcome refuelling and refreshment stopover on the routes of long haulage companies and their drivers. The new truck port can comfortably cater for 100 over- night stopovers and offers restrooms, showers, a laundry, an ATM, a take-away and biltong shop and an OK Express supermarket. Goscor Access Rental is the preferred supplier of equipment for the construction of Mr. Price’s new national Distribution Centre (DC) in Keystone Park, Hammersdale, KwaZulu-Natal. With an ingenious in-house designed bracket for the safe and efficient lifting of piping, the rental company has also solved a problem that has plagued the industry for years. Leading southern African supplier of sensing, measurement, counting, switching, monitoring and positioning instrumentation, Countapulse Controls , has released the new Hengstler Tico 772 multifunctional counter into South Africa. Engineered for simplicity and reliability, this electronic preset counter is suitable for time control, position indication, control of rotation speed and batch counting. Leading materials handling equipment solutions provider Goscor Lift Truck Company (GLTC) has appointed Windhoek-based Barex Equipment as its new dealer in Namibia. Erich Bartsch, MD of Barex Equipment says he is delighted to have been given this opportunity to distribute such a world class range of products.

individual, regardless of gender, have to be nurtured and maximised,” says Uys. “EBH Namibia has made significant headway in empowering women in the maritime sector, thereby bridging the gender gap,” says Hannes Uys, CEO at EBH Namibia. “As long as the employee is physically and mentally capable of performing a job, gender should have nothing to do with opportunity,” he adds. “We believe that our drive for equal opportunities and the value we place on training and skills development makes EBH Namibia an employer of choice,” he concludes. www.ebhnamibia.com With the right ‘can-do’ attitude and an eye for opportunity, women will continue to enjoy fulfilling careers in the shipping and marine industry.

Flexibility reaps rewards for OEMs and quarries

Trio products include crushers, screens, feeders and chutes. longevity of wear items, while constantly improving the overall performance of existing solutions. Complementing this strategy is the solid footprint that Weir Minerals Africa has developed on the continent. It has facilities in all the major mining centres in sub-Saharan Africa. This infrastructure is being used to support those quarries op- erating in countries across South Africa’s borders where aggregate and sand is in high demand for large infrastructure delivery programmes. Weir Minerals Africa’s policy of provid- ing the same level of service to mines and quarries of all sizes is paying off. www.weirminerals.com

Mechanical Technology — May 2016

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