Sheet-metal component manufacturer Fabrinox will take receipt of the last of three newly acquired pieces of machinery no later than mid-August, as part of an equipment investment programme to increase its manufacturing capacity, MD Andre Visser tells Engineering News.

The equipment investment was undertaken in response to increased demand for Fabrinox’s fabrication services in South Africa and Africa, which required the company to align its business with the growth opportunity.

Fabrinox's equipment was ageing and reaching the end of its life span, which prompted the company to acquire a new laser cutter, bending break and tube bender.

The tube bender, which was acquired last month through Italian tube-processing technology and equipment provider BLM Group, underwent a factory acceptance test and was signed off before being shipped to South Africa.

Visser says the BLM tube bender is a fully electric computer numerically controlled machine, which is suited to bending tubes with an outside diameter of 80 mm.

More importantly, the machine features three-dimensional (3D) visual graphic programming, which can use design models exported from 3D computer-aided design software programmes, without requiring any additional programming.

The tube bender also features right, left and push bending – not a common method – to bend wide radii, he says.

Visser adds that the machine has low electricity consumption, a small footprint and a high accuracy level.

The acquisition of the tube-bending machine will enable Fabrinox to broaden its scope of supply and access new markets and customers, while also eliminating unnecessary processes at its manufacturing plant, such as the need to weld jointed sections to form bends.

The new tube bender forms part of Fabrinox’s comprehensive equipment complement, which includes three laser cutters, three bending machines, a guillotine, a hydraulic press, an eccentric press, two overhead cranes, a knuckling machine, three plate rollers, five machines used for fitting and turning, several welding machines, a bead blasting booth and a stainless steel polishing machine.

As part of its growth plans, Fabrinox has also increased the number of installation teams at the company by employing an additional ten people. The installation teams install equipment manufactured by the company or equipment manufactured by its customers, which are based worldwide. The installations are undertaken mainly in the dairy, mining and food processing industries, says Visser, noting that installation demand has grown steadily over the past five years and exponentially in the last 12 months.

By increasing its installation workforce, Fabrinox will be better equipped to service this demand, while having the freedom to take on new work.

The installation teams are currently operational in China, Russia, Europe and South Africa, highlights Visser.

Fabrinox is also considering the future expansion of its business to further enhance its processes and increase its capacity, he says.

"This expansion will entail smaller investments in the second half of 2014 to acquire smaller machines and equipment, but, for now, our primary goal is to get our recently acquired machines to perform at full capacity."

Visser describes the South African and African steel-consuming markets as "vibrant" and notes an increase in steel demand and consumption. "It would, therefore, be unwise for Fabrinox not to increase and expand its services by adding value to its current offering," he says.

The targeting of multinational companies that are operating successfully internationally, as a way of spreading the risks that Fabrinox is experiencing, is also part of its growth strategy.

"We are undertaking work for multinationals operating overseas and the subsequent pipeline of work provided looks promising," concludes Visser.