Geared for growth

The Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ) continues to make fulfilling government’s objectives for quality investment opportunities, mineral resources beneficiation, agro-processing and contributions to energy diversification, for maximum job creation and investor attraction. 

The RBIDZ has come up with a “50-Year Master Plan” that articulates the entity’s developmental growth path by identifying a number of opportunities and industry sectors that the IDZ needs to target.

The RBIDZ offers an array of opportunities in the following sectors:

– Marine Industry: this includes the oil and gas industry, ship and boat repair, servicing of oil rigs and taking advantage of the Mozambique linkages and oil exploration activities taking place on major sea routes;

– Agro–processing: establishment of an agro-processing facility within the RBIDZ, which involves primary and secondary operations. Primary processing operations will involve activities such as crop-drying, shelling/threshing, cleaning, grading and packaging. Secondary processing will include milling, grinding, pressing and value addition of agricultural products;

– Technology and Innovation: establishment of a techno hub within the RBIDZ. This is a unique platform for creating investment partnerships in research, innovation, incubation, ICT and high-tech oriented industries to interweave technology and economic development; 

– Renewable Energy: manufacturing of solar panels, wind turbines, solar geysers, gas to power generation and biomass to power; 

– Aluminium and Metals: the existing aluminium and titanium smelter provides an opportunity for establishment of an aluminium and metals hub that will focus on beneficiation and value addition of basic precious and other nonferrous metals, fabricated metal products, electrical equipment, pipe and tube mills, and casting of iron, steel and nonferrous metals; and

– Pulp and Paper: beneficiation of pulp, wood-related products such as paperboard, paper, veneer sheets, wood-based panels, builders’ carpentry and joinery.  

The RBIDZ offers investors a prime, secure and fully serviced industrial estate in the investment zone. It provides a one-stop-shop information service with a streamlined regulatory regime, tax and duty-free incentives, motivations to increase international competitiveness and innovation, importing of new machinery and the establishment of export markets. 

There is also a secure customs area to expedite imports and exports. Other incentives are duty-free imports of capital equipment and raw materials, VAT exemption and the provision of world-class infrastructure and business links. This is a key location for businesses looking to access local and international markets.

We are proud to showcase our two latest investors to the Phase 1A site and extend a warm Zululand welcome to them.

SPS bring first in Africa to Richards Bay 

Not only is Richards Bay attracting new investors, the area is also attracting the best in the latest technology. Sizabantu Piping Systems, registered as SPS Manufacturing, is a prime example. The technology applied in their new plant about to be constructed will be a first in Africa and will allow plastic piping to compete against the traditional metallic pipe market. The product, Bi-Axle Orientated PVC pressure piping, will mainly target servicing the infrastructural and agricultural markets throughout South Africa and abroad. Key points of the new products include: higher pressure ranges and diameters; emerging contractors can do the work without the capital outlay required for costly equipment; and far less energy is used in the manufacturing process compared to traditional PVC piping, making it environmentally sustainable.

SPS, a South Africa-based company, is in a joint venture with Molecor Canalizaciones (MC), a Spanish-based company that is the world leading developer of PVC piping. SPS will be responsible for the commercial marketing and sales of the product, while MC will undertake the manufacturing and development of the product within Phase 1A of the RBIDZ.

MC is the patent holder and developer of the PVC-O technology. The Molecor TOM 500 PVC-O piping is a cost-effective, user-friendly product and a low maintenance alternative. It is specifically designed to meet the needs of the water engineering and emerging contracting industries in South Africa, as well as its export markets. 

Don Coleman, managing director of SPS, explains that the Molecor Tom 500 product incorporates world-leading PVC-O technology: “It offers a long service life, is low maintenance, requires zero cathodic protection, has excellent physical and hydraulic properties and is a tried and tested product with an exemplary track record.  

“This new user-friendly technology allows plastic pipe to be considered as a viable alternative in low to high pressure bulk water distribution projects. Bi-Axle Orientated PVC-O pipes are tough and light in comparison to competing pipe materials. The advantage is a marked improved production rate in terms of handling and installation,” said Coleman.

“The TOM PVC-O product satisfies the government’s target procurement requirements in that it is well positioned to service the emerging contractors requirements.” 

SPS was established in Southern Africa in 2002 and has nine operations, including plants in Mozambique and Swaziland. The company has a Level 3 BBBEE accreditation and will create an estimated 57 direct and 110 indirect jobs, excluding downstream operations such as logistics. 

Open for Business & Moving Zululand Ahead

Lovemore Brothers Machinery and Logistics was formed in 1989 by brothers Rob and Bruce Lovemore.  The Durban-based company has expanded over the years and since December 2014 is also operational in the RBIDZ Phase 1A zone near the Port of Richards Bay, trading as RB Energy Services.  

The company offers a wide range of one-stop services to clients. It boasts a substantial operating capacity by virtue of its quality fleet of crane and low bed trucks and infrastructure in the form of warehousing facilities and gantries. 

Services include:

– Machine moving and rigging, with the capacity to relocate heavy industrial equipment. This includes the erection, mechanical lifting and/or dismantling work of heavy industrial equipment and machines;

 – Removal and placement of heavy industrial equipment found in distillation plants, factories and refinery construction sites, where equipment is often located in very restricted conditions and requires complex rigging procedures to access; 

– On-site project management, computer generated crane studies, substantial resources of capital equipment and professional support in projects;

– Computer generated technical CAD crane design drawings and professional rigging studies.

The studies ensure that clients meet safety legislations and enables pre-execution examination of all aspects of the project;

– Transportation, offloading and storage of break bulk and containers directly from the vessel in port to a 24-hour secured facility at Lovemore’s premises;

– Fleet of crane trucks, capable of loading and moving cargo of up to 24 tonnes;

– Fleet of abnormal low bed trucks able to meet any transportation requirements;

– On-site services, which include precision rigging teams that offload, rig or place machinery or equipment and in addition to comprehensive engineering, design and safety services such as rigging and safety studies. 

Specialised Equipment

– Versatile crane trucks that have a narrow footprint and can fit into restricted spaces with low headroom. The crane can lift loads ranging from three to 23 tonnes and when used in combination, can lift up to 65 tonnes; 

– Two hydraulic boom gantries, each consisting of four lift housings with a 350-tonne lift capacity. Manufactured in the USA, these machines were selected for their robust design and outstanding safety features; 

– The Terex reach stacker fulfils the requirements of even the most difficult handling tasks, including high load capacities of up to 45 tonnes, and up to 52 tonnes on a hook. This “pick and carry” system not only provides powerful container handling, but its robust and compact design has excellent manoeuvrability.

The ultra-modern, extendable, rear steer, low deck Goldhofer extendable trailers are specifically designed to carry extremely long loads of up to 35 metres in length and 60 tonnes uniformly distributed. The deck can be raised and lowered, adding to the extendable trailer’s versatility as required along the route. Its automatic hydraulic rear steer capability allows the trailers to negotiate tight corners safely. 

– Storage Services: Lovemore has an area of 8 000 square meters of high-volume building storage facilities for industrial equipment. A mobile hydraulic gantry lifts up to 320 tonnes in warehouses suited to the stored cargo.

– Containers and Machine Packing: A large portion of Lovemore’s handling work is made up of six and 12-metre marine containers. With forklifts of up to a seven-tonne capacity, a full specification container packaging service is available from packing, lashing, chocking, coating and covering. 

– Moving gear: There are various types of tooling used to pack and unpack containers loaded with awkward cargo. Open top containers can be serviced directly by the overhead cranes. Very heavy cargo can be rigged on wheels straight from the container onto the storage floor.

– Crating: Lovemore custom designs and fabricates timber crates according to the clients’ requirements in terms of quality, size and capacity.  The company is registered and compliant with the guidelines of International Standard 15 for Wood Packaging in International Trade.

– Abnormal Load Logistics: The company has a modern fleet of heavy-duty mechanical horses with a variety of low bed trailers geared for transporting abnormal loads. The abnormal load services include: loading, transporting and offloading of various equipment, such as heavy machines, large vessels, boilers, industrial generators and transformers. The fleet range includes well decks, step decks, super decks, extendable trailers (up to 30m) and hydraulic gooseneck trailers. These vehicles are co-ordinated to combine seamlessly with the heavy duty rigging fleet.

Operations manager John Paine is excited about the future: “Lovemore is one of the largest rigging, machine moving, warehousing, lifting, abnormal load transport and mechanical project companies in South Africa. Our equipment is modern and sophisticated and our wide range of services can provide clients an all-in-one comprehensive package. Of major importance, we execute our operations to the highest safety standards. 

“We have invested heavily in this area because we believe in job creation and contributing to the economy. We obviously need the support of local business and industry to grow the company and increase our contribution to the (Richards Bay) area.”

Pictured at the sod-turning event are: RBIDZ chief executive Phumelele Motsoahae, uThungulu District Municipality Mayor Thembeka Mchunu, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Michael Mabuyakhulu, uMhlathuze Municipality Mayor Mduduzi Mhlongo,Sizabantu Piping System (SPS Manufacturing) managing director Don Coleman, managing director of Sam-Lib Civils Dion Ryland and deputy chairperson of RBIDZ Board of Directors Mel Clark.