Sparks Electrical News May 2020

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

5

FAMILY-OWNED AND MANAGED BUSINESS STILL INNOVATING AFTER 72 YEARS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

as a pollution clean-up and water filtration material, while another min- eral called Perlite has thermally-insulating properties that makes it ideal as an energy-saving building material. This is very much in line with the modern trend towards increased environmental stewardship, and aware- ness of our responsibility to future generations,” Pratley stresses. Never one to rest on his laurels, either as an individual or as a com- pany, Pratley says definite plans are in place to Pratley in exciting new directions in the near future. “We are looking at some totally new busi- nesses that will be even more diverse, ensuring our continued relevance, expansion, and growth in a volatile and complex business environment,” he concludes.

Another tip for success is quite an unexpected one: “Do take calculated risks,” Pratley urges. “Here I am referring to risks that, if they do not pan out, will not necessarily bring about the demise of the company. Being completely risk-averse will impact on your decision-making when it comes to R&D in particular, which is both costly and risky. Yes, it is entirely possible that some avenues will be blind alleys. On the other hand, you can stand to reap rich rewards.” While Pratley acknowledges that he himself “is not getting any young- er, I plan to be around for a while yet,” he cites his lasting legacy as having kept a highly competent group of people together over the years. People who have remained with the company for a very long time, and essen- tially identify with the business as their own extended family. Part of that legacy has been a penchant for developing world-class

Enquiries: www.pratley.com

Charles and Andrew with their father, Kim Pratley.

products, such as Pratley Putty. This product not only put Pratley on the map, but in outer space, as it was used by NASA as an adhesive on the Ranger Moon Module Project in 1967. Pratley Putty has since be- come a household name, used to repair and secure everything from swimming pools to the hulls of sunken ships. Looking to the future, Pratley acknowledges that any business has to move with the times. “While the essence of business has not changed since the pyramids were built, the tools of business have, and obviously so has materials science. We must keep abreast of all of those changes. If one seeks to be entrepreneurial, one has to be at the leading edge. We spend a lot of time and energy on that.” This has meant that many Pratley products have, indeed, been ahead of the curve at the time they were developed. “For example, one of the minerals we pro- cess which is called Zeolite has found a modern niche Zest WEG has delivered a locally manufactured main power transformer to a wind farm project near Swellendam in the Western Cape. The 45 MVA transformer will receive 33 kV from the wind turbines and step this up to 132 kV for the main power grid. Stuart Brown, sales team leader, transformer division at Zest WEG, says the design and construction of the power transformers shows the high level of expertise and technical capacity in South Africa. “With two of the few local transformer manufac- turing operations in the country, we have the added advantage of being able to draw on the technical experience of our parent company, the world-wide WEG group,” says Brown. “In designing power trans- formers for renewable applications, we gain valuable insights and important skills transfer from WEG ex- perts in the US and Brazil.” Brown highlights, for instance, that the high har- monics content is a feature of the inconsistent cy- cles associated with renewable energy sources. This requires a specialised design and manufacturing capacity to ensure that a transformer in this applica- tion delivers its intended lifespan and high reliability. He says the local manufacture of main power transformers can contribute significantly to the lo- cal content of renewable power projects, which by their nature must import much of their specialised equipment. This helps project developers to comply with the Department of Trade and Industry’s local content requirements. “Zest WEG’s B-BBEE Level 1 status allows renewable energy developers and contractors to align their projects with South Africa’s transformation goals,” he adds. The transformer was built at Zest WEG’s Heidelberg facility which, combined with the WEG global operations, offers the market more than 30 years of experience in the design and production of larger power transformers. Following comprehensive testing at the facility’s laboratory in 2019, the transformer was delivered to site and assembled under the supervision of Zest WEG engineers in January 2020. They also conducted full on-site testing of the unit, as well as cold commissioning. Local power transformer for wind farm

Enquiries: www.zestweg.com

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

MAY 2020