Building on its robust foundation in South Africa, engineering and automation solutions provider Iritron and Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, are rapidly expanding their Mining, Minerals & Metals (MMM) partnership across key mining regions in Africa.
Marking one year since Iritron achieved Schneider Electric Certified Alliance Partner status under their MMM banner, this geographic growth has aligned with a broader industry trend focusing on critical minerals and digital modernisation to meet the continent’s evolving resource demands.
“This collaboration has grown leaps and bounds, extending our combined reach to markets including Zambia, Namibia, Tanzania and Ghana, all key players in Africa’s mineral landscape,” says Johan Pretorius, Schneider Electric’s MMM segment leader for Anglophone Africa. “By integrating Schneider Electric’s industry-leading technologies with Iritron’s local engineering expertise, we are uniquely positioned to support mining operations across the continent.”
Trevor Graham, Iritron’s business development lead for the alliance, adds: “The strength of our relationship is the foundation of our success. With over 25 years of mining engineering excellence, coupled with Schneider Electric’s global technology leadership, we continue to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of the mining sector.”
Aging mines are facing challenges such as deepening ore bodies and resource scarcity, with the partnership providing tailored automation and digitisation solutions that improve operational efficiency, safety and sustainability. Their unified ‘Copper to Cloud’ approach connects physical infrastructure with cloud-based analytics for real-time visibility and smarter decision making.
“Our alliance with Iritron supports customers in their digital transformation journey. From physical equipment, circuit breakers, cables and sensors to cloud-based intelligence and analytics, we provide a full stack of integrated solutions that improve safety, operational efficiency and sustainability,” adds Pretorius. “This increased regional collaboration also supports mining operations targeting critical battery minerals, gold, uranium and copper, vital to global supply chains and green technologies.”
Skills development
The partnership is also leading the charge in preparing the mining workforce for the future. Through innovative training solutions and collaborative initiatives, the partners are equipping mine workers and local communities with critical digital and technical skills needed to navigate complex, modern mining environments.
Recognising that outdated training infrastructure has long hindered the mining sector, this strategic alliance is revitalising training centres and introducing integrated training panels and augmented reality modules. “We are bridging the skills gap by developing training platforms that simultaneously empower electrical and instrumentation technicians in a unified environment,” says Graham.
Iritron and Schneider Electric plan to continue expanding training programmes, aiming to establish at least one advanced mining training centre annually and to grow this model across multiple mining operations throughout the region. Looking forward, the companies intend to deepen partnerships with stakeholders across Africa’s mining ecosystem to deliver sustainable, digitally-enabled transformations at scale. “Our objective is to continue innovating alongside Schneider Electric to bring these advanced technologies to our clients,” concludes Neels van der Walt, head of sales and business development at Iritron.
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| www: | www.iritron.co.za |
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