Celebrating 65 years: rebuilding and redefining its legacy
November 2024
Editor's Choice
News
Founded in 1959 by Neill Simpson, Axiom Hydraulics has grown into one of South Africa’s elite hydraulic companies. Over the past six and a half decades the team has weathered many challenges, but none as devastating as the fire of 2023. The fire ravaged their property, destroying stock, machinery, offices and the entire manufacturing facility, not to mention the years of memories.
It was a stunning blow, with the only saving grace being that it occurred on a public holiday, and thankfully no staff were injured. “Standing in the rubble of a once proud facility you begin to question if you will ever be able to recover. A 64-year history reduced to embers over the course of a single day. Your mind reels as you struggle to grasp the overwhelming scale of the loss. Where do you even begin?” reflects Eugene Tondolo. “A 64-year history was reduced to embers over the course of a single day.”
But it’s not the nature of Axiom to dwell in that mindset for long. They are fundamentally a solution-based company, and that is exactly what they leaned into during this time. Fortunately, they were able to move operations to another building that survived the blaze while they planned their next move. Load by load, the destruction was cleared away and the shell of the building revealed itself. New machinery and stock were ordered, and projects continued while a new facility was designed and construction started on a state-of-the-art facility.
“Fast-forward a year and we have emerged stronger than ever, restocked, and rebuilt from the ground up – just in time to celebrate our 65th anniversary,” says Tondolo. Celebrating milestones always feels good but it is even sweeter after surviving against such devastating odds. Now, under the leadership of Eugene Tondolo, the company has welcomed on board Impro Fluidtek to its brand family, alongside the well-established and world-class brands of SUN Hydraulics, Black Bruin, ASA Hydraulik, Ausco, Eckerle, Dura-Bar and Brevini.
Its portfolio of products is backed up by an extensive stockholding, meaning it offers faster lead times than most of its competitors. Not every project can be planned for, and if an emergency strikes, clients know they can trust Axiom to react and deliver.
As Axiom Hydraulics celebrates 65 remarkable years, its journey has been one of resilience, strength, determination and growth. Overcoming the challenges of a devastating fire, the team took the opportunity to rebuild, redefine, and renew their commitment to excellence. With new partnerships and an expanded portfolio of trusted brands, they are better equipped than ever to meet the needs of their industry and clients.
In honour of this milestone, they have updated their iconic logo − a symbol recognised and respected by many. This new look represents their vision, while honouring the legacy that has brought them here. Though they may appear a little different, their dedication to providing innovative solutions remains unwavering. Here’s to the next chapter of Axiom Hydraulics − bringing innovation to life and confidently embracing the future.
For more information contact Axiom Hydraulics, +27 11 334 3068, info@axiom.org.za, www.axiomsa.co.za
Further reading:
Connecting every transport node
RJ Connect
Editor's Choice Data Acquisition & Telemetry
Stockholm's bus system strategically links urban mainline, suburban mainline, non-mainline routes, community service buses and night buses. To acquire and process data from multiple sources and analyse onboard information on their moving buses, Transdev sought a dependable and powerful onboard computer. It teamed up with CatAB, Moxa’s local representative, known for delivering top-notch industrial data communication boards and equipment since 1988.
Read more...
Local range of planetary units
SEW-EURODRIVE
Editor's Choice Motion Control & Drives
As SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa actively extends its offerings to customers, the SEW PPK and SEW P2.e industrial gearbox ranges are good examples of solutions that are well suited to the local business environment.
Read more...
Case History 195: Unstable reboiler steam flow
Michael Brown Control Engineering
Editor's Choice
A high-pressure steam flow control in a reboiler on a column in a petrochemical refinery continually cycled when placed in automatic. Several attempts had been made to tune the controller, but these had been unsuccessful.
Read more...
Open control system for retrofit of conveyor control system
Beckhoff Automation
Editor's Choice
For every online retailer, warehouse logistics is part of the critical infrastructure. An Australian office equipment supplier has retrofitted the warehouse logistics installation of its central warehouse, and replaced the proprietary decentralised controllers of the conveyor lines with PC-based control from Beckhoff, based on powerful EtherCAT communication.
Read more...
Digital industrial platforms and why they are important
Editor's Choice
One of the most significant trends driving digital transformation is the emergence of digital industrial platforms. This article will briefly explore what digital industrial platforms are, why they are important, and how they might shape the future of industrial automation.
Read more...
Young robotics team takes world title
igus
Editor's Choice News
In an inspiring demonstration of innovation and teamwork, Texpand, a young South African robotics team, recently made history by winning the 2024 FIRST Tech Challenge World Championships.
Read more...
SAIMC: It’s not black and white
SAIMC
Editor's Choice SAIMC
Grey imports are a problem worldwide, not least in the automation industry in South Africa. The Supplier Advisory Council (SAC) operates under the umbrella of SAIMC, and is tackling this problem head-on.
Read more...
Loop signature 25: Tuning part 3 - Results of tuning a particular simple self-regulating process by several different methods.
Michael Brown Control Engineering
Editor's Choice
A couple of SWAG methods of tuning were given in the previous Loop Signature article. I have tuned a simple self-regulating process using those methods, and two other tuning methods, one of them being the sophisticated Protuner tuning package, which is the system I employ. The tests were performed on a very accurate and powerful simulation package, and the results are compared below.
Read more...
PC-based control for advanced hydrogen storage technology
Beckhoff Automation
Editor's Choice PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
The proportion of renewable energies from solar, wind and water is rising continuously. However, sufficient storage options are of the essence to use these energies as efficiently as possible. GKN Hydrogen offers a particularly compact and safe option, low-pressure metal hydride hydrogen storage systems with PC-based control from Beckhoff.
Read more...
Integrating HACCP management in manufacturing execution systems
TransLution Software
Editor's Choice
HACCP is a systematic approach designed to identify, evaluate, and control hazards throughout the food production process, providing a robust framework for safeguarding public health across various food industries. Maintaining readily available, accurate and up-to-date records is crucial to prove the execution of monitoring HACCP activities and to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements.
Read more...