Key equipment supplier TAKRAF Africa, part of the global mining, material handling and minerals processing group, TAKRAF, is supplying six new-design Redler Chain Conveyors to the Willowton Group’s factory in Isando, Gauteng – South Africa. This order, placed in April 2018, makes the Willowton Group the first company to install these new conveyors, which are specifically designed in-house by TAKRAF Africa, and which are a breakthrough development for the FMCG market.
Combining the proven Redler brand with a lighter, more cost-effective design of the casing, the conveyors utilise the high quality Redler chain housed in a structure manufactured from laser-cut, relatively light-weight plate-work. This unique fabrication approach has eliminated the expensive and time-consuming welding process, enabling the delivery time to be reduced by up to four weeks. Furthermore, laser cut plates eliminate boilermaker tolerances and ensure a perfect fit on site.
In addition, TAKRAF Africa is now able to assemble the conveyors utilising its in-house capacity, providing a valuable upskilling opportunity for its employees.
The conveyors were ordered by the Willowton Group as part of their expansion programme for their plant in Isando, with this new design conveyor being first demonstrated to the company using a test casing. The longest conveyor is 40 m in length, with the other five ranging between 20 to 24 m long, all conveying sunflower products at 25 tph. TAKRAF Africa’s scope of work covered the design and fabrication of this equipment.
TAKRAF Africa is the exclusive licence holder/supplier in Southern Africa of the trademarked Redler range of equipment.
Through its more than 40-year business relationship with the Willowton Group, TAKRAF Africa has supplied more than 150 machines to the group across its various operations. This includes more than 40 to the Willowton Group plant in Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal and more than 100 Redler machines to the Isando plant. The machines include both Redler en-masse chain conveyors and chain elevators.
The Willowton Group, South Africa’s largest sunflower seed crusher, operates across South Africa producing a wide range of products, including edible oils, margarines and spreads.
“TAKRAF Africa is proud that the Willowton Group, a loyal and valued client, was the first recipient of this important new development in conveyors, one which enables the FMCG market to enjoy the benefits of the renowned Redler conveyor but tailored to the needs of the sector,” says Antonie le Roux, Specialised Handling Manager, TAKRAF Africa.
TAKRAF Africa, previously known as Bateman Engineered Technologies prior to Tenova acquiring the Bateman Group in 2012, has supplied more than 5,000 Redler chain elevators and chain conveyors throughout Southern Africa over the past 40 plus years.
Proven over decades, Redler machines convey a wide range of solids, including coal, woodchips, sand, lime, cement, fly-ash, sunflower seeds, maize, wheat, flour, grain and many more. They convey particulate solids cleanly, gently and economically by inducing material to move like a liquid through dust-tight casings. As a result, these low maintenance systems ensure minimal product degradation, while the dust-tight casings protect the conveyed material and the environment from mutual contamination.
TAKRAF, a Tenova company, is an integrated solutions provider to the global mining, bulk material handling, minerals processing and beneficiation industries, offering innovative technological solutions as well as process and commodity knowledge along the industry value chains. With the integration of the well-known DELKOR and, Tenova Advanced Technologies (formerly Bateman Advanced Technologies) brand of products into TAKRAF as specialized product lines, our portfolio for the minerals processing and beneficiation sectors has been considerably enhanced.
Tenova, a Techint Group company, is a worldwide partner for innovative, reliable solutions in metals and mining. Leveraging a workforce of over three thousand forward-thinking professionals located in 22 countries across 5 continents, Tenova designs technologies and develops services that help companies reduce costs, save energy, limit environmental impact and improve working conditions.
The Willowton Group has been in operation since 1970 and has grown to become South Africa’s largest sunflower seed crusher, palm oil importer, as well as one of the leading competitors in the South African FMCG market.
The group operates across South Africa with manufacturing facilities in Pietermaritzburg, Johannesburg and Cape Town. A wide range of products encompasses edible oils, margarines and spreads, beauty, toilet and laundry soaps, candles, chocolate, baking and industrial fats. Well-known brands include, among others, Sunfoil, Sunshine D, D’lite, Crown, Woodenspoon and most recently Allsome rice.