Local engineering company and polyure- thane lining manufacturer UMP has invested R12-million to double the size of its factory, in Edenvale, east of Johannesburg, and is poised to increase its supply to African and international markets, says UMP director Trevor Carolin.

It expanded its urethane division from 800 m2 to 2 600 m2, its machine shop from 350 m2 to 800 m2 and its engineering division from 650 m2 to 1200 m2. The factory complies with the ISO 9001 standard and this expansion has also doubled capacity.

“We can now pursue growth in international territories. The investment was prompted by our project to make a 12-mm-thick polyurethane wear liner for a phosphates slurry pipeline, in Morocco, and by depressed demand from South Africa.

“Some of the bends in the 900-mm-diameter pipeline that we had to line weighed more than 6 t and had a bend radius of 5 m, making them technical and difficult to line. We installed a crane that can lift 12.5 t up to a height of 10 m under the crane. We fulfilled the order for the Moroccan project while maintaining tolerances within 2 mm of design specifications,” he highlights.

Prior to the expansion, complex moulding required the client to supply steel inserts. UMP currently manufactures and machines these inserts before casting them with a specific urethane or rubber liner, after which they are bolted, assembled and placed in crates for delivery, notes Carolin.

“As a supplier from South Africa, we believe that we have the technology and skills to compete internationally in steelwork, fabrication and engineering, as well as in ceramic, rubber, basalt, fibreglass and urethane lining.”

UMP aims to open an office and rent factory space in Chile next year and to open a smaller factory in Zambia within the next two years.

“We will build large components in Santiago, Chile, and our presence will enable us to provide support for our customers in South America. We are targeting opportunities to supply liners for flotation tanks and piping used in the burgeoning Chilean mining industry.”

The company is also aiming to pursue growth opportunities in terms of its structural engineering and machining capabilities in Southern African Development Community countries and to manufacture components for processing and mining equipment, such as making the belt scales on belt feeders used on mines.

“The South African market for urethane products is too small to ensure steady demand for our production capacity. We have had a small presence in all the countries in which we operate, but believe that we must provide local support and services in these countries, while retaining the bulk of our manufacturing in South Africa. This expanded facility will ensure that we have the scope for large-scale projects, while maintaining quality control over our products and keeping product lead times low.”

The next phase of UMP’s expansions will include installing a plasma cutter in its structural steel division. UMP further aims to continue developing and retaining its own artisans and welders to maintain high-quality manufacturing, concludes Carolin.