To meet the increased demand in valves and valve casting manufacturing, specialist foundry group Steloy Castings has invested more than R1-million in new facilities and technologies, including the installation of a new cold box core-making machine, states Steloy marketing and sales director Wynand Labuschagne.

“Owing to Steloy’s investment, the company can meet increased demand while ensuring that the quality of the castings is maintained,” Labuschagne says.

Steloy Castings completed the installation and commissioning of the Davcor 40 ∙ cold box core-making machine last month at its Tungsten Street facility, in Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng.

The machine, which is used for the mould and core making of higher-volume components, was installed to increase the com- pany’s moulding capacity to produce small to medium moulds and cores.

Other facilities include shell facilities, computer numerically controlled pattern-making facilities, as well as X-ray and inspection facilities.

The increase in demand for valve casting components stems from government’s valve designation policy for local procurement, which requires that 70% of supplied valves in South Africa must be locally produced. The instruction notice for the designation came into effect at the beginning of March.

Since the local valves designation process was initiated, Steloy Castings has been working closely with the Valves and Actuators Manufacturers Cluster of South Africa, as foundry castings form a key part of the valve-manu- facturing industry and an aim of the designation is to benefit local foundries by increasing casting production and employment opportunities, Labuschagne says.

Meanwhile, Steloy group sales manager Leon Reeves told Engineering News in March that the company had the systems and processes in place to provide highquality castings that were specified by manufacturers and required by State-owned enterprises. He added that the company is pre- pared to contribute to the localisation initiatives for a more com- petitive industry.

Steloy Castings has been supplying as-cast and machined com- ponents to the valves industry since 1984. The company specialises in stainless steels, nickel-base corrosion-resistant alloys, carbon steels and low-alloy steels, while producing castings for applications where severe corrosion and high pressure, as well as high or cryogenic temperatures, are prevalent.

Applications of the company’s castings include industries such as petrochemicals exploration and refining, mining, food and beverage, desalination and fertilisers, as well as chemical plants. Its customer base includes valves manufacturer KSB Pumps & Valves and Gunric Valves.

Further, the company is the first foundry to have been accredited and validated by TUV Rheinland Group, in line with the European pressure-equipment directive, to assist original-equipment manufacturers in producing pressurised systems to CE requirements.

As the company registered a significant increase in the number of quotes it had to provide, Labuschagne says the com- pany expects a 15% growth in the valve-casting sector of the market.

“Meanwhile, Steloy Castings aims to be ready and able to supply to the increase in demand for local castings and moulds when it arises,” Labuschagne concludes.