What seems like only last year, has been 10 years, when it was announced that to support existing installations and future growth in the South African foundry sector, UK based Omega Foundry Machinery Ltd had signed an agreement with the owners of Endeco cc whereby Omega Foundry Machinery had purchased a majority shareholding in the company and it would change its name to Endeco – Omega Foundry Machinery (Pty) Ltd.
The company name would subsequently change to Endeco Omega Sinto in 2018 when Omega Foundry Machinery was purchased by Sintokogio Ltd of Japan to form Omega Sinto Foundry Machinery Ltd.
At the time of the joint venture agreement Endeco Omega Sinto was based in Alberton, Johannesburg, Gauteng. The company was established initially by the late Luis Dias as a design and details company before expanding into designing and manufacturing its own equipment for the foundry industry. Today the South African company still has a strong Dias association with Luis’ brother Rui as the Managing Director and Luis’ son Victor as the Technical and Sales Director.
Endeco signed a joint venture agreement Omega Foundry Machinery in 2015. The company name would subsequently change to Endeco Omega Sinto in 2018 when Omega Foundry Machinery was purchased by Sintokogio Ltd of Japan to form Omega Sinto Foundry Machinery Ltd
When the agreement was signed in early 2015, Chairman of Omega Sinto Foundry Machinery Mark Fenyes stated: “South Africa is a very important market for Omega and since gaining some significant projects in the region it was obvious that we needed to take the next step and establish a local presence. I am very pleased that an agreement to partner with Endeco has been reached, and we will be looking to build on the synergies between our companies to deliver a full range of services and products to the market.”
About Omega Sinto Foundry Machinery
Omega Sinto Foundry Machinery is a leading manufacturer of chemically bonded sand equipment and foundry machinery, including no-bake equipment, based in Peterborough in the UK. The company has a successful history of developing JV’s to support regional markets. The first JV company was formed in the USA in 2000 and subsequently similar ventures have been formed in India, Australia, Turkey and Malaysia.
The company celebrated its 40th anniversary in June last year with 150 staff, clients and guests and agents from around the world attending festivities at the company’s head office facility in Morley Way, Peterborough, which is situated in the county of Cambridgeshire in the east of England.
The range of sand plant and equipment that Endeco Omega Sinto manufactures consists of all the necessary equipment used in both green sand and chemical bonded sand projects, from a small ferrous or non-ferrous foundry to the largest semi-automatic or automatic complex, and for virtually any type, size, quality or quantity of casting
The company was originally part of Baker Perkins and began to function independently in 1984 after a successful management buy-out and then subsequent MBO by the current owner Mark Fenyes in 1996. The company has continued to specialise in the manufacture of equipment for the ‘chemically bonded’ or ‘no-bake’ process in the foundry industry.
“Our desire within the company has always been to ‘be the best’. From an initial complement of 12 staff the company now employs 170 people globally, manufacturing a range of mould handling, sand mixing, reclamation, core making and ancillary equipment.”
“In the last 40 years Omega has acquired or formed several strategic companies. Besides Peterborough our equipment is also manufactured and serviced in five other countries. These include, Tinker Omega, which is a USA based JV serving North and South America, Omega Sane Foundry Machinery PVT Ltd, an Indian based JV serving the local markets in and around India, WES Omega Foundry Machinery PTY, an Australian based JV with manufacturing sites in Melbourne and also Ipoh in Malaysia to serve that region and at Endeco Omega Sinto in South Africa.”
Omega also acquired Richards Engineering Ltd (founded 1873), a leading manufacturer of thermal sand processing equipment, in 2009. Omega then acquired the Italian design house ‘Tecnostudio’, based in Treviso, in 2015. The company specialises in specialist equipment design as well as greenfield projects for the industry.
The following year Omega established a WOFE (wholly owned foreign enterprise) in Shanghai, China and in 2017 acquired FTL Foundry Equipment. FTL, which stands for ‘Foundry Technical and Liaison’, was originally formed in 1964 and was a well renowned manufacturer of foundry equipment.
Omega invested over two million pounds to relocate to new premises in Woodston, Peterborough, UK, which it moved into in June 2012. “It was really to consolidate the manufacturing. We had five locations around Peterborough and I think it’s better for the workforce to combine into one area. That was the main reason, to get everyone under one roof,” said Fenyes.
In 2013 Omega, which had had strong ties with Japan-based metalcasting equipment manufacturer Sintokogio Ltd. for many years through a license agreement to manufacture and market the “USR” range of Sinto’s secondary reclamation units, announced an enhancement of the strategic alliance.
“We have also sponsored Peterborough United Football Club, a professional English football side, for many seasons.”
Sinto acquires Omega Foundry Machinery
“Another significant milestone in the company’s history took place in 2018 when Omega Foundry Machinery was acquired by Sintokogio Ltd or Sinto as many refer to it,” explained Rui Dias.
The equipment Endeco Omega Sinto manufactures includes reclamation plant, continuous and batch mixers, rotary drums, cooler classifiers, conveying systems, compaction tables, vibrating feeders and shake-outs, rollover units, rotary screens, aerators, weighing devices and additive screw feeders
“Sinto is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of foundry equipment, offering technologies for improving casting quality, productivity and work environment. Sinto serves customers and industries with solutions for foundry, surface treatment, material handling, environmental, mechatronics, consumables and more. Headquartered in Nagoya, Japan, the Sinto network extends to a group of 48 companies in 12 countries and regions, with 3 963 employees worldwide.”
“Sinto is able to offer sophisticated foundry technologies for improving casting quality, productivity and the work environment. Sinto has applied its experience and know-how of foundry technology to related fields, such as surface treatment, environmental equipment, and other applications, such as mechatronics, powder treatment, testing and measurement, ceramics, and material handling.”
“Sinto equipment includes flaskless moulding machines, automatic core setters, “Seiatsu”, tight flask moulding lines, flaskless and tight flask mould handling systems, Shalco shell and cold box core machines, automatic pouring systems for lip and stopper rod pouring, Barinder automatic grinding machines, robotics and integrated control systems.”
“Sinto has a majority shareholding in 3DCeram, a French company specialising in a range of ceramic 3D object printing processes and materials and also has ties with Laempe Mössner Sinto, a manufacturer in the field of core moulding technology.”
Additional equipment that Endeco Omega Sinto has designed and manufactured includes chromite sand separators, ladles, bucket elevators, dust extractors, moulding boxes, pneumatic conveying systems, degassing units, silos, a mono rail system, rotary sand dryers and mould drying and coating units
“In addition to the range of foundry sand plant and equipment that we have become known as the benchmark for in South Africa, we are be able to market the vast range of Sinto equipment that the company manufactures for the whole foundry process, from sand treatment to surface treatment finishing, which includes shot blasting equipment, blasting abrasives and peening media. This has opened doors for us,” explained Dias.
About Endeco Omega Sinto
Through the local development and in conjunction with the Omega Sinto UK design team and the policy of continually developing and introducing new equipment, it has enabled the company to remain in the forefront of the industry and essentially assist foundries in optimal capital investment decisions. An added benefit today for foundries is that Endeco Omega Sinto are also prepared to handle turn-key projects.
The range of sand plant and equipment that Endeco Omega Sinto manufactures consists of all the necessary equipment used in both green sand and chemical bonded sand projects, from a small ferrous or non-ferrous foundry to the largest semi-automatic or automatic complex, and for virtually any type, size, quality or quantity of casting. The equipment includes reclamation plant, continuous and batch mixers, rotary drums, cooler classifiers, conveying systems, compaction tables, vibrating feeders and shake-outs, rollover units, rotary screens, aerators, weighing devices and additive screw feeders.
An example of a sand reclamation plant that the company manufactures and installs
Additional equipment that Endeco Omega Sinto has designed and manufactured includes chromite sand separators, ladles, bucket elevators, dust extractors, moulding boxes, pneumatic conveying systems, degassing units, silos, a mono rail system, rotary sand dryers and mould drying and coating units.
Initially Endeco Omega Sinto outsourced all the fabrication work but since the company moved into their own facility in Alberton, Gauteng 30 years ago, all the manufacturing has been done in-house.
Move to Wadeville, Gauteng
“Our facility in Alberton was approximately 800m² and we had been there for 25 years. Eventually our boilermakers and fabricators were falling over each other. Space was at a premium and we needed to address the situation.”
“We moved to Lamp Road, Wadeville in 2000 and we now have 2 000m² of factory floor space at our disposal. As a result, it afforded us the opportunity to have a greenfield mindset when planning the deployment of our various fabrication services.”
“The extra space also allowed us to invest in our own metal processing equipment. The equipment – a 6kW fiber laser and a 165 ton press brake – were purchased at the beginning of 2024 and are used to cut and bend material to fabricate assemblies used in the manufacture of the foundry related equipment for clients in South Africa, as well as for UK parent Omega Sinto Foundry Machinery UK and other subsidiary companies within the group, including the USA.”
Equipment waiting to be packaged and delivered
“Another milestone and benefit for the company and our clients was that in 2023 we were accredited with ISO 45001, ISO 14001 and ISO 9001:2015 certification. Adhering to the standards of these quality, safety and environmental management systems aligns with the whole Sinto Group thinking and gives confidence and trust to all our clients. Additionally, performance and productivity standards have been raised on all levels of the company.”
“The synergies that have been created between our companies, – Endeco, Omega Sinto Foundry Machinery and Sintokogio Ltd, will ensure that the design and supply of foundry equipment to the South African market will be on a par with international standards and best practices.”
“As suppliers we can influence and adapt the mentality of the local industry as to how and when they embrace investment in new technologies. But more importantly we are here to support existing installations and create future growth in the South African foundry sector. We provide full market support in terms of installation, service and repairs, spare parts availability and, now manufacturing of the complete Omega product range.”
For further information contact Rui Dias on TEL: 011 907 1785 or visit www.endeco-omega.co.za