Modern Mining December 2023

SUPPLY CHAIN News

With almost seventy years of demonstrated expertise in complex engineering, heavy fabrication, and machining for its own range of material handling equipment, Bell Equipment is now offering these special ist services to all industries in the country through its newly formed division, Bell Heavy Industries (BHI). Bell Equipment’s Group Business Development Director, Stephen Jones emphasises the current scarcity of compa nies providing these vital services locally. “South Africa has seen a huge reduction in engineering companies, and, in response, Bell launches new Bell Heavy Industries division we have strategically positioned our South African manufacturing facility to fill this void by providing project engineering and contract manufacturing through BHI. The growth of Bell as a well-established mining, earthmoving, and agriculture equipment manufacturer, both domestically and in terms of exports around the world, is testa ment to the skills available and the quality of products that we make in Richards Bay. We’re confident in our ability to expand into other industries and believe this will benefit not only the manufacturing sector but the whole country.”

The 45 000 m² undercover manufac turing area in Richards Bay complies with the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System and welds to the internationally recognised ISO 3834-2 Appendix 10 stan dards. It is well equipped with specialist machines including horizontal and verti cal CNC (computerised numerical control) machining centres, 5-axis boring machines, laser cutters, high-definition oxyfuel and plasma cutters, bending brakes, and advanced welding technology. A blasting plant, phosphating tanks, sealed spray booth, galvanising bath and an automated powder coating installation are available to take care of surface treatments. 

Bell launches new Bell Heavy Industries division.

Astec’s GT205 screening ‘beast’ exceeds expectations of Lizarox

the Astec Global Track machine boasts a capacity of 600 tph. It has proved itself more than up to the task since it was delivered, says Lizarox director Michael Crackett, who describes the massive unit as “a beast”. The screen is operating in line with an Osborn mobile jaw and cone crusher that were supplied to Lizarox six years ago. The three-deck mobile unit is fit ted with a 5 x 20 screen and a Caterpillar C4.4 129 HP Tier III diesel engine. Crackett says Lizarox chose the Astec GT205 because the screen is robust and its opera tion is straightforward. “Certain competitor products are unnecessarily complicated. The maintenance of some equipment is dif ficult as a result of the logistics challenges experienced globally since the Covid-19 cri sis. With the Astec GT205, we felt we had a degree of independence if we needed to run repairs amid any supply challenges as we are familiar with the major components used to drive the machine.” 

The first Astec mobile track unit supplied in South Africa, an Astec GT205 three deck mobile screen, has been successfully

commissioned by Astec Industries for long-standing customer Lizarox. Installed at a quarry in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal,

Astec’s GT205 screening ‘beast’ exceeds expectations of Lizarox.

38  MODERN MINING  December 2023