Stable growth in the electricity sector will likely have a positive effect on sales, says Jet Park-based stainless steel banding company Banding & Identification Solutions South Africa (Bisa) sales director Rosa Dos Remendos.

“This is positive, as the sector is a major market for our stainless steel band-and-buckle systems that are used for cable management purposes.”

However, Dos Remendos states that the challenging economic climate in South Africa and the flood of cheap stainless steel imports are affecting the local stainless steel industry negatively. “We believe that there will be a turnaround and business will improve. We maintain a positive attitude, which will help with positive development in the industry and the company.”

Further, Bisa believes that there is growth potential in niche markets, such as oil, gas, synfuel, refineries and power cables, because having a niche product that can provide a complete clamping solution for clients can create many new opportunities.

A trend that the company is poised to take advantage of is the demand for customised solutions for specific applications, such as its UL4000 Ultra-Lok cable clamping tool that can be used to prevent rail power cable theft. The UL4000 Ultra-Lok bands and buckles the cables through a strapping method.

The strapping on Bisa’s products is edge-dressed, meaning that the straps will not cut an operator’s hands.

Further, Bisa’s banding and buckling products can be used in a range of applications, from new cable infrastructure installations, attaching cable and cable trays to replace plastic cable ties that are used for cable management upgrade projects. These products can also be used to erect signage, in hose assemblies, for special packaging needs and when heavy equipment or parts need to be trucked over long distances.

Bisa has test certificates for all stainless steel products that it supplies. The company traces and monitors all the stainless steel used in the manufacturing of its products, which ensures that quality control mechanisms are in place throughout the production process.

“The band-and-buckle system can also be used for niche applications, such as securing tyre-wall barriers on racing circuits, attaching nozzles on cooling systems and the strapping of cladding,” concludes Dos Remendos.