Chinese-headquartered liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder manufacturer Tianlong on October 21 launched its LPG cylinder manufacturing facility in Boksburg, Gauteng – the group’s first in South Africa and in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Tianlong previously imported LPG cylinders for South Africa and SADC, using a brand registered with the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association of South Africa (LPGSA), Tianlong South Africa executive business manager Nicolas Bereng explained to Engineering News on the sidelines of the launch.

Now, this $13-million (R200-million) facility enables Tianlong South Africa to manufacture these cylinders locally, with the facility ramping up to produce 1.2-million cylinders a year, across various sizes, depending on the demand for locally manufactured products, he informed. 

Speaking at the launch, Tianlong CEO William Wang pointed out that the group as whole had produced over five-million cylinders to date this year.  

He welcomed the launch of the Boksburg facility, highlighting that it was aligned with the group’s aim to bring manufacturing closer to clients, thereby reducing costs, without compromising on quality.

This facility also builds on the group’s entrenched footprint in Africa, with an established presence in Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroon and Guinea.  

The processes to establish the facility started last year, when the premises was secured.  

However, challenges were encountered in terms of compliance on certain areas, which required collaborating with the Department of Employment and Labour and LPGSA to ensure the facility adhered to the required standards of LPG manufacturing in the country, as well as the requisite labour laws.

Bereng said the company would maintain its partnership with these stakeholders and welcomed participation from the industry at large, to ensure it remained compliant and continued to improve.

Tianlong is certified by LPGSA. 

The facility has already created 89 jobs, with over 200 positions to be sustained once it reaches full operational capacity.

Built with high-quality automation and safety systems, and boasting a dual-tech production line, the facility is expected to drive both economic growth and technological exposure within the energy manufacturing space.

Ekurhuleni Developmental Planning and Real Estate MMC Nomadlozi Nkosi said the establishment of the facility showcased confidence in Ekurhuleni as the “manufacturing capital of the country”, and enabled it to display its export competitiveness, with the facility set to serve South Africa and SADC.

Nkosi expressed hope that it would be a catalyst for sustained growth of LPG in South Africa.

This was echoed by LPGSA MD Gadibolae Dihlabi, who underlined the importance of LPG as part of the country’s energy mix.

She pointed out that, despite being used in the country for many years, LPG had not reached the levels of other energy sources, owing to myriad factors including supply constraints and incorrect safety and class perceptions surrounding its use.  

Dihlabi called for LPG to play a greater role in the energy mix going forward, to mitigate the energy supply and affordability challenges that still persist in the country, and especially given that energy poverty disproportionately affected women and girls.

Energy and Water Sector Education Training Authority skills delivery and quality assurance executive Robyn Vilakazi said the availability of a local manufacturing facility should bring down prices of the cylinders, which would help provide a source of energy for cleaner cooking, as well as heat for households.

Dihlabi added that the launch of a facility of this size and scale was a “major milestone” in the LPG sector, with this also expected to help reduce illegally imported cylinders coming into the country, and encourage legitimate cylinder ownership. 

Bereng said the facility enabled industry participants to have more options for local purchases.

The Gauteng Growth and Development Agency acknowledged the longstanding bilateral relationship between South Africa and China, highlighting the latter’s support in investment and skills development.

Bereng pointed out that small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) were involved in the construction process of the facility.

Moreover, Tianlong supports SMMEs starting their own gas brands by sourcing cylinders through the company, as well as in the application processes with LPSGA to ensure they are permitted to sell their products.

In terms of the facility, with no alternative local facility to reference, skills development and technology transfer were provided by the group.