Hydro Power Equipment (Pty) Ltd (HPE), the Gauteng-based hydropower pioneers, attributes its continued growth to the fact that the use of hydro power in the mining sector is one of the most cost effective power supplies still available to the industry in addition to the company's continued investment in technological development and training.
HPE has been active in the mining sector for over 20 years and is constantly investing in innovation in order to remain at the forefront of hydro power applications and solutions.
The company, which offers a range of valves and mechanisation solutions, recently appointed Andre� Swart as its new CEO, taking over from Geoff Minnitt.
Swart says, "HPE has always prided itself on its ability to develop hydropower solutions to our customer's specifications. Our innovation resources are the backbone of the company, and give us the edge over our competitors. Now, with the company's continued growth - some 30% per year over the last 10 years - HPE will shortly be opening a dedicated training centre not only to ensure that our employees are fully trained before going out to the external workshop and maintenance contract sites, but it is also envisaged to offer the employees of our customers the crucial training they need to operate our products and systems".
Minnitt tells Mining Weekly that HPE has over the years surpassed his wildest expectations in terms of innovation and market share He remains with HPE but will be looking at alternative activities that will bolster HPE's growth and ability to offer other mining related solutions and products.
Minnitt says, "It was time for me to find new challenges in the industry and refocus my activities, so Andre�, who has been with the company for over 15 years, is a natural successor to the CEO position. He brings immense management and strategic expertise to the position, and will be looking at skills development issues more closely as well as ensuring that our international standards recognition processes are maintained and improved on and that we remain competitive".
HPE will be ensuring that staff managing maintenance contracts in the gold and platinum industry are well briefed and technologically up-to-speed in order to maintain its reputation of 24-hour support back-up for customers. Their engineers are on call to assist customers with all installation, servicing, fault-finding and maintenance needs.
During the last three years, HPE has developed many new products, two of them being the Drifter, which is a powerful 10kW drilling machine used on the drill rigs and the Down-The-Hole-Hammer (DTH Hammer) which offers a cost effective solution for box hole drilling. Equipment traditionally used for drilling box holes has focused on drilling from the raises downwards or the more dangerous method which involves people inside the box hole drilling from the bottom up whereas the new DTH Hammer drills from the haulage up into the raise.
Swart says, "The mining industry is starting to realise that mechanisation is the only way forward. Mechanisation plays a large role in improving safety at mines. The new technologies available ensure that mining manpower is removed from previously dangerous environs and situations. Additionally it reduces exposure by personnel to high risk areas underground.
"With the unfortunately high prevalence of HIV in the workplace, the ability of management to replace manual labour satisfactorily is proving difficult. Mechanisation is the way forward, and hydropower mechanisation solutions offer the most cost effective alternative.
"HPE also recognises the importance of product support and back-up. It is one of the foundations of HPE and we are well positioned in terms of technical expertise to offer this to our customers with absolute confidence," says Swart.
The perception that hydropower causes excessive water usage and waste has changed, and over the last 5years HPE's hydropower technologies has been introduced to conventional air mines with success. The company is operational in more than 20 air operated mines within the platinum and gold mining sectors.
AWARDS
HPE has consistently been recognised over the years for their innovative design techniques and has received over nine design awards from SABS as well as six SABS prototype awards since 1999. The SABS Design Awards are for HPE's Rock Loader; Development End Drill Rig; Monorail Raise Climber and Raise Drill Rig; Safety Isolation Valve; Support Rig; Stope Roof Bolter; Excalibur Water Cannon; Pump Control Valve and their Universal Rig. The SABS Prototype Awards have been for their Hydro Pump; Trike Rig; Hydro Fan; Case Motion Drive, Multi Stage Ratio Valve and their Cooling Car Valve.
The company was also awarded a DISA Design Excellence Award for their Long Hole Rig in 2004.
HPE hydropowered solutions are in use at all 4 of the hydropower shafts in South Africa and, other than the drilling equipment, supply, high pressure valves suitable for 250 bar, one of the few companies in South Africa to do so. The company also offers rock handling equipment (Water Operated Loaders); Instope Equipment; Reticulation; Pipe Connectors as well as Chainsaws and Box Hole Chutes. The company also supplies Furnace Tapping Equipment to the smelting industry as well as Descaling Valves to the Steel Mills.
The company currently employs over 250 people.
Caption 1: ANDRE SWART AND GEOFF MINNITT
HPE prides itself on its ability to develop hydropower solutions to customer specifications
Caption 2: INVESTMENT VALUE
HPE continues to invest in technological development and training 
