REGION REPORT | AFRICA


customer, while we ensure that everything in the new system is performing as it should.” Grobler added, “The cost of maintaining


crane electrical and control systems increases over time. An electrical system modernisation not only helps improve the performance of your existing equipment, it also extends the lifespan of your crane without the major capex expenditure of purchasing a new crane.” New safety features and positioning capabilities can simply replace high-maintenance, obsolete components with newer technology offering a newer, tailored and fully integrated system. We are proud to have been able to resolve the customer’s crane challenges as cost efficiently and as timeously as possible. The end result has delivered a modernised and fully operational ‘new crane’. We are also delighted to be the preferred supplier to the same customer for a further two to three electrical crane upgrades over the next two years.” “Konecranes receives a substantial


number of enquiries from clients based in southern Africa, no matter the make of the crane. Key factors in our successful resolution of any mechanical or electrical performance issue are our quick technician-to-site response time for assessment purposes, and our ability to supply spare parts and components from our distribution centre easily to site. This ensures that the refurbished crane equipment is fully operational quickly, without cutting any safety requirements,” concluded Rautenbach. Wire ropes are part of many critical applications in mining, at ports, for crane operations, and in dredging, among other sectors. This means that the correct maintenance of wire ropes is a key component of plant operations. However, Colin Ford, MD of Lubrication Engineers (LE) South Africa says that using traditional methods can take maintenance teams hours to clean one wire rope, and even more time to apply new lubrication to that rope. Modern lubrication equipment does a


much faster and more effective job than these traditional manual methods. LE is a distributor of wire rope lubrication products from Viper, an Australian company, that significantly reduce the time required to lubricate wire ropes. “Whenever machines using wire ropes


come to a standstill, a plant loses valuable time. The Viper system helps because


Lubrucationi Engineers distribute wire rope lubrication products from Viper.


where it would take several people maybe two hours or three hours of scrubbing a rope to clean it – which sometimes leaves a machine like a winder rim or a shaft closed for more than a day – with Viper products, we’re able to clean and lubricate in a single pass within an hour,” said Gary Wentzel, senior technical sales representative, LE. A Viper lubricator is a collar with seals


that is strapped down and held in place so that a rope can move through it. A wire rope cleaner can be attached


to the front of the system, and this spins against the rope as it moves through it, removing old product and cleaning it. Then fresh product is applied as it moves through the rope lubricator. The Viper lubricator comes in three


different sizes to accommodate ropes from 6mm to 165mm: the mini kit ranges from 6mm to 44mm; the mid kit is from 6mm up to 67mm; and the maxi kit can handle ropes from 50mm to 165mm in diameter. “Other products only coat the outside


of a rope and seal the moisture inside the rope, which can cause corrosion. However, the Viper does more than just coat the wire rope; it lubricates it right through to the core of the rope,” says Wentzel. Often, corrosion occurs on the inside of


the rope, which is difficult to see without special equipment. An advantage with the Viper lubrication system is that as the lubricant penetrates to the core of the rope, it expels any water that could cause corrosion from the rope. Different types of greases and lubricants can be used with the Viper system, depending on the requirements for the particular application and rope being used. Another factor is the reduced risks of


this system compared to manual greasing, is It is safer for staff to use, requires smaller volumes of lubricant, and results in less leakage and mess.


Viper is becoming increasingly popular in the South African market, as operations managers see its effectiveness and the benefits of the time it saves their teams. “The interest in the market has been amazing and there has been a wide variety of people that have had interest in the Viper system,” added David Beukman, global business development manager, Viper. Beukman says the interest from so


many different industries is also a positive indication of the potential growth in these sectors. After a difficult few years for industries like mining, sentiments are positive and the willingness to invest in products like the Viper that prolong equipment component lifespans indicate that these businesses have adapted to their current economic environment and are still looking to contribute positively to the South African economic landscape. Lubrication Engineers (LE) South


Africa represents the LE brand in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia. LE hold the rights to Southern Africa on the LE brand, recognised internationally as a specialist in lubrication. Through LE Incorporated, they are a member of a worldwide network of companies spanning Europe, South America, Asia and Africa, while LE Incorporated operates in the USA and covers North America including Canada, Mexico and the USA. LE provides high performance, heavy-


duty, quality lubricants for virtually every industry and application, as well as expert technical back-up and support.


RGM CRANES: LIFTING ACROSS BORDERS Hoist Magazine recently sat down with Alex Dowling, Group CEO and Chairman of RGM Cranes, to discuss the company’s


www.hoistmagazine.com | January 2025 | 41


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