Sandvik Rock Processing says it has marked a significant step in its expansion across Africa with the successful completion of its first South African-manufactured screen package.

This milestone project was undertaken at the company’s Spartan facility in Johannesburg, which already produces the Kwatani and Schenck products as part of Sandvik’s screening solutions offering. The capability to also produce the Sandvik original screen range signals a new phase in Sandvik’s African presence and growth, the OEM says.

Riaan Steinmann, Europe, Middle East and Africa Operation Director Screening Solutions at Sandvik Rock Processing, says the achievement is a testament to the facility’s local design and engineering prowess. He emphasises the South African facility’s capability to build high-quality vibrating screens from raw materials, which also includes a range of exciter gearboxes using locally procured castings.

This innovative approach enables the company to maintain strict quality control and facilitates shorter delivery times for its customers, thereby improving the customer experience significantly, Sandvik said.

The screen package that marks this milestone was specifically ordered by a gold mining client located in northeast Africa. It includes a vibrating grizzly screen with a motor-driven exciter, five feeders and two custom-engineered feed-in chutes.

Steinmann praised the facility’s streamlined processes and the benefits of local procurement, which collectively allowed the project to be successfully completed within an impressive timeframe of three months.

“Manufacturing screens in South Africa represents the same standard as those produced in Europe or India,” Steinmann says, underscoring the global quality benchmark. He also notes the multiple benefits including reduced shipping times and costs due to Southern African Development Community trade agreements. Moreover, he highlights the positive impact on the local economy through exports and increased capacity, leading to job creation.

“Importantly, we aim to serve not only the African continent but also other regions within the Sandvik Rock Processing group,” Steinmann concludes. “The successful execution of this first Sandvik screen package has not only underscored our position as a world-class manufacturer but also underlines our ambition to become Africa’s preferred screening solution partner.”