NEWS PRODUCTION
Chemicals producer implements ‘best practice’ at its factories After eight decades of traditional production methods, a.b.e. Construction Chemicals implements ‘best practice’ of restructuring and streamlining the a.b.e. production processes at both the company’s factories.
B
A new continuous flow production process is now in place for increased productivity.
uilding industry veteran,
what we have implemented for the
1938, using equipment and systems
for staff buy-in, which is always a
a.b.e. Construction
restructuring and streamlining of the
unheard of in those pre-war days.
formidable quest. But change is
Chemicals has introduced
a.b.e. production processes at both
Introducing best practice has not
vital to safeguard the future of all
a policy of ‘best practice’
the company’s Isipingo and Boksburg
only called for staff training but also
at a.b.e,” he added.
to maintain its leading position in the South African market, says
At the Isipingo plant, best
Rob Winter, general manager of the
practice was introduced in
Chryso Southern Africa subsidiary.
September 2019 with the
The first stage of the modernisation
implementation of measures
of production by a.b.e. in 2019 called
such as revising the plant layout,
for an investment of about R3.5m and
minimising manual labour,
another R4m will be invested for the
introducing computerised logic
second stage – involving increased
control systems, and installing
automation, in particular – in 2020.
modern equipment to handle
abe Construction Chemicals
operations such as product
was founded in 1932 but started
conveying, in-line weighing, box
operations in 1939 in Durban as a
taping and shrink wrapping.
supplier of bitumen to municipalities
“It was also decided to move
in KwaZulu-Natal. The company has
production of the popular a.b.e.
over the years grown in both size and
Hydroproof waterproofing range
diversity to become a major supplier
to Boksburg where a new
of specialised construction products
continuous flow production
to the building, civil engineering and
process is now in place for
building maintenance industries,
increased productivity. The
supplying products directly to
relocation of Hydroproof
customers through its branch
production to Boksburg was
network as well as through builders’
influenced by the fact that
merchants and hardware stores.
Hydroproof’s main markets are
Winter says, after more than eight
far removed from KZN and mainly
decades of traditional production
centred in Gauteng and the
methods, a.b.e. needed an injection
Western Cape. Importantly, it also
of best practice. “In our case that
meant that spare labour capacity
meant workflow maximisation,
at Boksburg could be utilised,”
increased automation, and slashing
Winter stated.
of production costs. ‘Best practice’
factories,” he states.
“The introduction of production
is a technique generally accepted as
methods and equipment to
preferable to alternatives because
achieve best practice has been a
it produces results superior to
challenging process for a.b.e. which
other means – and this is precisely
started manufacturing back in
OUR NAME IS OUR STRENGTH, INSIST ON
GENUINE TRI-CIRCLE LOCKS TRIED AND TRUSTED SINCE 1930
For more information contact SALESCOPE 011 728 4192 jason@salescope.co.za DIY & INDUSTRIAL TRADE NEWS MAY 2020
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