Like most industries in South Africa the foundry industry has suffered due to the influx of cheap imports from countries such as China. South Africa is not unique to this problem though. However, unlike most first world countries South Africa has not addressed the threat to its manufacturing base despite the government claiming that it had put in place localisation rules, which are largely ignored for very obvious reasons to most of us. Hate him or love him, Donald Trump’s policy of USA first is having the desired effect on the US economy and is accelerating growth for all of its industries and services. Many companies had already begun a re-shoring policy before Trump was elected as they were fed up with competing on a playing field that was not level. But more importantly they realised that cheap imports were having a serious detrimental effect on the manufacturing base in the US and time and again important issues such as quality and delivery schedules were not being met.

“MIS Engineering t/a Mitak has been manufacturing wear resistant castings for pumping, crushing, grinding and materials handling processes used in mining operations and the power generation, dredging and construction industries since its inception in 1973. Its scope of cast components that are used in the toughest operating conditions encompasses the full range of high chrome white iron alloys, and most with hardness in excess of 600 BHN,” explained Mitak’s Business Development Director Graham Anderson.

“The company has now decided to tackle the imported cast mill liners and ore handling chute market head-on.”

“Over the years Mitak have developed a great understanding of the high chrome white iron alloy range,” continued Anderson.

“Products manufactured in high chrome white irons are recognised in the mining industry where ore processing accounts for a large percentage of the production process. They are acknowledged for their hard-wearing, abrasion-resistant qualities and the material has been proven to be ideal for when manufacturing durable mill liners and for protecting ore chutes.”

“We manufacture liners for use in wet or dry milling applications, as well as for ball, rod and fully autogenous grinding mills. Over the past 45 years we have manufactured nearly 500 sets of mill liners and, in the process, built up a vast reservoir of expertise for a range of comminution and materials handling applications, thus enabling the development of specialised alloys that meet world-class mill liner standards,” said Anderson.

“Our promotion around mill and chute linings is built on a separate longer term strategy. We are aiming to build our capabilities to meet a need for products that we think the local industry has not done a great job on. Cast mill liners imported into South African mines, and also to mines elsewhere in Africa, have largely taken over the market and we want to change that situation,” said Graham Anderson, Business Development Director at Mitak.

“Despite the widespread perception that off-shoring production is cheaper, local manufacturers, and the mines in our case, can be more competitive by working with domestic suppliers. The cost of labour in China is increasing and the difference between our costs and Chinese labour costs is not as great as it once was.”

“Our products are world-renowned and most of our existing production is exported. Despite this we have identified an area that we feel we can penetrate. The first step in this direction was to exhibit at the Electra Mining Africa 2018 exhibition, which was a first for us. We have been encouraged by the reception we received.”

“We have had our busiest year ever in terms of order intake and we have some very positive growth opportunities in just about every one of our markets. We have the capacity and it will be up to us to satisfy our existing clientele and the anticipated growth that we have projected,” said Anderson.

For further details contact Mitak on TEL: 011 908 1696 or visit www.mitak.co.za