In a strategic move that, it says, will consolidate its resources and further enhance its service to customers, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has moved its South Africa headquarters to brand new, purpose-designed premises in Kempton Park near Johannesburg.
According to Simon Andrews, Managing Director at Sandvik South Africa, the state-of-the-art Khomanani facility includes three large workshop areas and office space on a 62,000 sq.m site.
“As the Tsonga name Khomanani reflects – ‘hold each other together as a unit’ – our new home unites us under one roof to collaborate, adapt and learn as we strive towards higher standards,” Andrews says. “The technical synergies of the workshops add to our commitment and capacity for local production that meets global quality requirements.”
Two of the workshops are dedicated to refurbishment and rebuilding of local equipment for the southern African region – mainly Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. This is where new standard-format equipment is configured for local use – typically including features like safety systems, lighting, toe-hitches and decals to customer specifications.
“Our remanufacturing facility allows us to completely rebuild machines to OEM standards, including the sub-assembly refurbishments on transmissions, axles, differential and pump motors,” Andrews says.
The first workshop has 23 bays for machines to be refurbished, while the second is specially equipped with 100 t capacity flooring for the heavier tracked equipment such as underground continuous miners and surface drill rigs. The layout of the site allows the heavy transport vehicles to loop in and out with equipment without needing to manoeuvre, improving workflow and efficiency, the company says.
A combination of cranes from 5 t to 30 t capacity – as well as a specialised 50 t forklift – facilitate safe and quick off-loading and reloading.
The third workshop focuses on local assembly of equipment for both South Africa as well as global markets to Sandvik’s OEM standards.
“Our investment in local manufacturing capacity is an important vote of confidence in South Africa and its mining sector,” Andrews says. “The quality of our work is also world class, allowing Sandvik to shift certain manufacturing duties from elsewhere in the world to our new facility.”
In line with Sandvik’s international guidelines, the design of Khomanani prioritises energy and water efficiency. With a shared solar photovoltaic system and use of LED light bulbs, the building is expected to achieve a 48% saving on energy, also making greater use of natural light, roof insulation and ‘low-E’ coated glass.
Water-efficient fixtures, fittings and systems, as well as rainwater harvesting, will improve water consumption levels by 42%, according to the company.
