THE Duys Engineering Group has re-established its heavy engineering capabilities and successfully completed two large projects for an international mining operation, creating employment, developing skills and boosting the economy with foreign earnings in the process.
The company’s fully equipped Richard’s Bay factory completed the manufacture of 23 large pontoons each weighing 40 tons. The pontoons will float on an inshore man-made lake to form the base for the client’s mining process plant.
Group chairman, Henk Duys says the nine-month project processed 1,000 tons of steel. One hundred and forty people were employed on the project, and many acquired new skills as a result.
Duys also successfully handed over a 75-ton work barge manufactured in its specialist New Germany-based engineering works. “Forty men and women were employed on this project many of whom had been unemployed for some time, and new skills were acquired,” says Duys.
Duys explains that the barge will be dismantled into six large subsections for abnormal load transport to Richards Bay harbour. From there it will be shipped to the mine and re-assembled on site.
Built to international marine standards the barge is propelled hydraulically with a fully-tilting and side thrust propulsion system for manoeuvrability in confined spaces. It will carry two large cranes and be used for general mining plant maintenance and service.
Heavy engineering capacity
“Duys has recognised the need to re-establish South Africa’s heavy engineering capabilities in anticipation of a significant upgrade in the country’s infrastructure following the expected focus on employment creation driven by a key target of the Government of National Unity,” says Duys.
This year, Duys upgraded its Richards Bay heavy engineering facility and re-established its engineering operations in New Germany.
Duys says the engineering side of the business has taken back space in what had become exclusively an auto parts operation in New Germany. “Design, project management and client service take place at the New Germany head office and most of the heavy engineering is done in Richards Bay where we have all the equipment we need. The Port of Richards Bay is also a convenient location for exporting completed projects,” says Duys.
The Duys Engineering Group was established in Pinetown in 1960 and is also heavily invested in the automotive component manufacturing industry. The company supplies component parts to the country’s major automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and has facilities in New Germany, Pretoria and Gqeberha.
