BI a critical supplier to sugar mills
August 2020
News
From the growing of sugar cane on the agricultural side to sugar refineries on the production side, leading supplier Bearings International (BI) plays a key role in this important economic sector. With 60 years of experience servicing this industry, it has gained meaningful expertise that has cemented its role as a critical supplier.
“The sugar industry remains a major focus and contributor to our portfolio,” comments Nick Allanson, branch manager for Sugar Chain in Durban. As a distributor of various quality brands in the industrial power transmission sector, BI is able to incorporate these products into the drive solutions it supplies to the sugar industry.
Typical solutions provided relate to the conveyor equipment used to move the cane through all the stages of processing required to extract the sucrose, to the final movement of the waste by-product used as a combustible fuel source for the boilers.

Nick Allanson.
Reliable conveyor systems are critical for sugar mills to maintain productivity, as any stoppages here have a knock-on effect on the entire process. “Mill operations are dynamic in nature, with so many stages being interdependent. Hence the production time that can be lost is substantial. It also takes a meaningful period to get a mill up and running again and its throughput balanced,” comments Allanson.
Here BI focuses on stocking loose components, which plays an important role in servicing the sugar industry. “Without loose components, we do not have the flexibility necessary to respond timeously to the demands of a particular sugar mill, remembering that mills have differing chain requirements,” explains Allanson.
Loose components are vital for the refurbishment of used chains, a particular focus for BI for many years. As profitability in the sugar industry has come under increasing pressure over the past five years, extending the life of chains is essential to assist in reducing the operational costs of sugar mills. Without a large stock of loose components, BI would be unable to contribute to reducing the total cost of ownership of these chains.
Allanson elaborates that every year in the off-crop season, chains are sent to the Durban facility for stripping, inspection, refurbishment and reassembly. However, BI is also capable of conducting on-site inspections of chain conveyor equipment in order to assess whether or not a particular chain can be used for the next season without placing undue risk on production output.
Further reading:
Reinstatement opportunity for ECSA registration
News
In 2023 the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) announced a special opportunity for engineers in South Africa to reinstate their registration status if it had been cancelled. This exclusive offer is available until the end of August 2024.
Read more...
Comtest calibration user group seminar
Comtest
News
Comtest invites metrology and calibration professionals to a focused technical seminar series aimed at demystifying some of the most common hurdles in inter-laboratory comparisons.
Read more...
Functional safety explained
News
The SAIMC supports Pepperl+Fuchs, a National Member, in a free four-part online seminar series focused on Functional Safety.
Read more...
The Future of manufacturing in Africa
News
The future and development of African manufacturing will be discussed extensively at the upcoming Manufacturing Indaba conference, to be hosted on 15 to 16 July 2025 at Johannesburg’s Sandton Convention Centre.
Read more...
Hot topics at IFAT Africa and analytica Lab Africa 2025
News
Burning issues such as climate-smart infrastructure, sustainability in waste and water management, the circular economy and Extended Producer Responsibility will come under discussion at the three-day conference and forum presented by analytica Lab Africa and IFAT Africa at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg from 8 to 10 July 2025.
Read more...
RS South Africa showcases industrial solutions at MTE Phalaborwa
News
RS South Africa recently showcased its latest industrial and electronic solutions at the Mining and Technical Exhibition in Phalaborwa in Limpopo.
Read more...
Specialised Exhibitions appoints Joshua Low as commercial director for Africa
News
Specialised Exhibitions has appointed Joshua Low as commercial director for Africa. This strategic addition to the leadership team comes as Specialised Exhibitions embarks on an ambitious phase of growth across the African continent.
Read more...
WearCheck earns Dissolved Gas Analysis accreditation
Wearcheck
News
WearCheck is now accredited to perform Dissolved Gas Analysis for transformers, following a recent assessment by SANAS.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: Riding the hype cycle
Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control)
News
The other day I came across an entertaining article on the ten biggest tech failures of the last decade. Google Glass, 3D TV and Elon Musk’s hyperloop have faded into obscurity. Others, like the metaverse,
...
Read more...
STEMulator – a gift to the youth of the nation
Editor's Choice News
STEMulator is a groundbreaking virtual platform designed to ignite the spark of curiosity in young minds and stimulate their interest in STEM subjects.
Read more...