Engineering and steel production company Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions South Africa this year celebrates 60 successful years of engineering excellence in Africa.

The company on Monday said this milestone was testament to the diversified industrial group’s enduring commitment to delivering premium-quality and holistic solutions to its customers.

The German multinational parent company Thyssenkrupp initially operated through an agent in South Africa, before it cemented its African foothold in 1959 by establishing Krupp RSA, in Johannesburg, Gauteng.

Throughout the years, the company widened its footprint into neighbouring countries.

Following a merger between Thyssen and Krupp to form Thyssenkrupp, the South African company’s trading name changed to Thyssenkrupp Engineering in 1997.

In 2015, Uhde, Polysius and Materials Handling amalgamated to form Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions South Africa, which offers a full range of bulk materials handling, engineering, procurement and construction management services to sub-Saharan African mining and industries.

To help customers along their operational journey through service and after-sales excellence, Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions South Africa uses its service centre in Chloorkop, which was established in 2009.

“This technologically advanced advanced facility specialises in the complex engineering and refurbishment of original-equipment manufactured parts and components, spare parts management, field services, plant upgrades and redesigns, life-cycle services, operation and/or maintenance contracts, as well as machine audits,” the company stated.

“Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions encompasses 60 years of local experience and over 200 years of global expertise which enables us to deliver innovative engineering solutions to our customers and to cultivate lifetime partnerships as a trusted solutions provider,” commented CEO Philipp Nellessen.

He attributed the company’s success to highly skilled employees, energy efficient and quality equipment, technology and solutions and the company’s customer-centric focus.

DIVISIONAL EXPERTISE

Through the company’s expert business units, minerals processing, materials handling and process industries, Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions keeps in step with digital transformation, offering the latest technologies and innovations to industries including mining, power, petrochemical, cement and agriculture.

Nellessen noted that its minerals processing business unit offers customers a range of crushing and grinding technology tailored to bespoke plant process requirements.

To meet Africa’s growing demand for energy, the mineral processing business unit created a further dedicated power and energy division, which delivers efficient innovations such as turnkey biomass-fired plant solutions, from boiler supply to building the complete plant around the boiler.

“The materials handling business unit delivers exceptional pit-to-port solutions for efficient bulk handling solutions with equipment such as drum reclaimers, stackers, travel cars, ash spreaders, conveyors and shiploaders.

“Process industries comprises expertise and technology in the electrolysis, polymers, base chemicals and fuel storage sectors, as well as modular solutions for chemical and fertiliser plants,” Nellessen said.

In line with its drive to expand its presence in Africa and to get closer to customers, Thyssenkrupp has offices in Mozambique, Morocco, Tanzania and Ghana.

Meanwhile, Thyssenkrupp’s passion for community development and empowerment resulted in the opening of a technical training academy, on site at its Chloorkop service centre, in Gauteng, in the fourth quarter of 2018.

The academy offers technical training programmes aimed at developing and upskilling exceptional candidates for Thyssenkrupp’s workshop and site team environments.

“Since its inauguration, the company has vastly developed, expanded and diversified and this is only possible thanks to the steadfast commitment of our highly-skilled employees,” concluded Nellessen.