Pneumatic equipment manufacturer ATS 2000 is the first local company to manufacture pneumatic air hoists, which lift more than 15 t, for industrial and mining applications. It is also a first for Africa and the southern hemisphere.

The lifting-equipment innovation and design, as well as the manufacturing, is done at the company’s Sandton facility, the benefits of which include job creation, capital being kept in South Africa and an opportunity to export.

“Pneumatic air hoists are very robust and are used in all industries including mining, shipyards, petrochemical plants, the automotive industry, foundries, oil rigs and any application that requires heavy duty, continuous lifting and explosion protection, as air hoists are intrinsically safe,” says ATS2000 MD Glenton Rebello.

The air hoists are manufactured to comply with several standards, which include the SANS1638, the US B30-16 and Australian AS1418.2. The company is also in the process of getting compliance with the European standards. The SANS1638 includes the industry requirement for pneumatic chain hoists to be fitted with load limiters from 500 kg upwards.

The industrial series lifting and pulling hoists have a low maintenance vane motor, which allows for a 100% duty cycle, with lubrication-free technology and internal silencing. The air hoists also have infinitely variable speed from a pull-cord control system.

All ATS 2000 TH Mining (THM) hoists are fitted standard with a proven slip clutch type load limiter, which is robust and is the only type of load limiter to work on both lower hooks in a mining rigging application, where overload control and full power and lifting speed are required on both lower hooks.

ATS 2000 was established to repair, maintain, manufacture and supply spares for all makes of pneumatic tools. In 1996, it acquired the THM air hoist range from THM and subsequently continued developing the range to currently produce the machines with lifting capacities ranging from 0.25 t to 50 t.

“We aim to make a difference in leading innovative design and manufacturing, in the shortest lead times, being cost-effective and supplying technologically advanced heavy-duty pneumatic equipment in the industrial and mining sectors, and proudly South African” says Rebello.

To watch a video in which ATS2000 MD Glenton Rebello highlights the benefits of the local manufacturing of air hoists, scan the barcode with TagReader (at www.gettag.mobi) on your cellphone, or go to ‘Video Clips’ on www.engineeringnews.co.za