4 minute read
Casting into the future
COVER STORY Casting into the future
Mere months after opening its doors Steloy Foundries are already on the up and up. Pipes, Pumps and Valves Africa spoke with the general manager, Ferdi Engelbrecht, to find out more about the new business and its strategy going forward.
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It is a hive of activity at Steloy Foundries in Bronkhorstpruit in Mpumalanga. Understandably so, as this business is on a mission to deliver only the best quality products to its customers mere months after opening its doors. It has been a complete overhaul for the business – formerly known as Steloy Castings and liquidated just over four years ago with millions of rands of debt. Says Engelbrecht, “There is no link whatsoever between the new owners and the liquidated company. The decision to keep the name Steloy speaks directly to the quality of the products that came out of this foundry over the years. Steloy products have a reputation and that reputation is worth remembering and re-instating.” Two foundry sites named Cobalt Street and Tungsten Road in the Ekandustria area of Bronkhorstpruit were part of the purchase and work started immediately to get the business back up and running. “When we arrived on site in those first weeks it was hard to imagine we would be casting as quickly as we are. Most of the assets of the business had been sold to pay off debt and much of the plant itself was in complete disrepair. It resembled more of a war zone than a foundry. It was just a shell of a building.” All of the electric cablings had been vandalized and the property did not have a single working light or running tap. Work immediately kicked off to build the business back up. Not only in rehabilitating the foundry, but also procuring the latest equipment and technology. “Our goal from the get-go has been very clear. We want to establish a world-class foundry. The owners of the business have invested heavily and continue to do so as we set ourselves up to be one of the best foundries not only in the country but in the world.” According to Engelbrecht, the facility will be producing static castings in stainless steel and high allow metals for the petrochemical, pump, valve and actuator, pulp and paper, steel and cement industries. “Technical capabilities will enable the production of sand castings ranging from 0,5 to 2000 kilograms, once we are up and running fully. We have installed a 1,1-ton furnace another 500kg and two 250kg furnaces. This gives us the necessary capacity, not only to service our clients now but to meet future growth. The plant was made bigger creating the capacity that will be needed when we grow our footprint.” He said already targets of 75 to 100 tons per month had been revised and were now set at 272 tons per month. Steloy Castings in its heyday owned 40% of the South African market share and getting that market back is undoubtedly a goal for the new owners, explains Engelbrecht. “And it is an achievable target at that. Already we have customers that have returned and our outlook going forward is extremely positive.”
Quality drives growth
Over and above its brand-new equipment the management team have also ensured they grab back the skills lost with the liquidation of STelow Castings. “We have some of the most skilled people in the country working for us and we are extremely proud of the capability within this foundry. Skills are something of critical importance in our industry and it is about being able to give attention to detail. With the production personnel now in place, we can deliver quality products in a variety of fields.” He said to achieve the growth targeted Steloy Foundries needed to armour itself with the right people. “We have also set up to cater for all the ranges of stainless steel, all the steels, and the cast irons. We cater for the special alloys, the duplex cast alloys, the low allow steels, austenitic en martensitic cast irons, carbon and manganese
steels.” Engelbrecht said automation of processes was also on the cards. “Process such as moulding carousel, a flood coating station, a closing station including a pneumatic riser removal are all part of the plan.”
The team was also in the process of obtaining all the necessary accreditations including ISO and PED. “There are many benefits to having a foundry of this standard on local shores,” says Engelbrecht. “Not only can we deliver a quality product, but lead times are much faster and the cost is far more competitive.” But it is not just the local market being targeted. Engelbrecht and his team are confident that they can compete internationally. “The name Steloy in the past was known for being one of the leading stainless steel foundries capable of making a product such as micro-alloy that our overseas competitors battled with. There is no reason we cannot do that again. That is exactly what we plan to do.”
