Solid Wedge successfully completes Royal Swazi plant expansion project
May 2022
News
Leveraging its experience in the field, Solid Wedge recently supplied, installed and commissioned electrical and instrumentation equipment for Royal Swazi Sugar Corporation Limited’s (RSSCL) Mhlume Sugar Factory capacity expansion and efficiency improvement project.
RSSCL’s Mhlume mill is a dual tandem setup with a milling tandem capacity of 175 tchr and a diffusion tandem capacity of 175 tchr. The combined capacity of 350 tchr is sufficient to process about 1,6 million tons of cane in a season.
To meet rising demand, RSSCL embarked on a capacity expansion project that entailed the construction of a new plant and expansion of the existing one. Here, the Swaziland stock exchange-listed company sought the services of Solid Wedge to supply, install and commission electrical and instrumentation equipment.
While the project was awarded in August 2017, execution of the four-month project started during the January to May 2018 period. “The scope was sizeable, and project timelines were tight and inflexible due to the client’s production requirements,” explained Lloyd Dzinotyiwei, MD of Solid Wedge. “Despite the tight timeline, the project was completed on time and within budget.”
According to Dzinotyiwei, Solid Wedge’s track record as a reliable equipment supplier, and its reputation in previous projects for the same client, were key in the awarding of the R5,5 million project. In addition to mobilisation and demobilisation, site management and supervision, the project scope included the supply of tools and equipment, consumables, scaffolding as well as transport and lifting equipment.
“The scope of the project also entailed the supply and installation of LV panels, variable speed drives, power cables and accessories, lighting and power sockets, cable trays and support, as well as instruments cables,” concluded Dzinotyiwei.
Further reading:
Schneider Electric to become Official Energy Technology Partner of McLaren Racing
Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric will become the Official Energy Technology Partner of McLaren Racing.
Read more...
Closing the skills gap: how WearCheck training boosts asset reliability
Wearcheck
News
Condition monitoring specialist company, WearCheck is tackling the skills gap head on, offering a wide range of practical, hands-on courses that cover various topics related to condition monitoring and maintenance.
Read more...
Young SA scientists awarded medals at IRIS Global Symposium in India
News
Young local scientists have been awarded gold and silver medals at the recent Initiative for Research and Innovation in STEM global symposium in India, where they displayed their scientific brilliance.
Read more...
60 day reduction in Kriel outage earns Eskom innovation award for Steinmüller Africa
News
Steinmüller Africa’s crane-free rigging solution has shortened the Kriel Unit 6 outage by 60 days, earning the company’s site team the 2025 Eskom Kriel Managers Award for innovation.
Read more...
Buyout model for solar investment
News
Sustainable Power Solutions has introduced a buyout model that converts existing solar and battery systems into immediate capital for South African businesses.
Read more...
Innovation award for Beckhoff’s XTS machine
Beckhoff Automation
News
The Premio Innovazione award has confirmed that Tetra Pak’s Cap Applicator 40 Speed Hyper has achieved a machine solution that pushes the boundaries of conventional packaging lines with a highly dynamic mechatronic solution based on XTS technology from Beckhoff.
Read more...
Vision meets reality at the Africa Automation Indaba
News
At the Africa Automation Indaba 2026, the panel ‘Automation for Africa – Opportunities, Challenges and Next Steps’ will feature a rare, high-level exchange where technology, ethics, entrepreneurship and data-driven reality shape what comes next for the continent.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: A tool not a crutch
Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control)
News
Every year, the dictionaries try to summarise a year of human behaviour with a single word, the word of the year. You can question the value of this, but it’s quite entertaining. Words are important,
...
Read more...
Timken funds Kids Haven STEM classroom
News
A bright new chapter in digital education has begun at Kids Haven with the official opening of a fully equipped STEM classroom at the Kids Haven Village. This exciting addition was generously donated by Timken South Africa and expertly installed by Breadline Africa.
Read more...
Technology trends that will and won’t shape 2026
News
A whitepaper by ABI Research shows that a clear trend is taking shape, and 2026 is set to be characterised by practical, outcome-driven change.
Read more...