Combining over 500 man-years’ experience in the delivery of industrial and systems integration solutions, Control Systems Integration (CSI), a company in the Control Systems Integration Holdings Group, has expanded its footprint since its incorporation 11 years ago.
With its head office in Pretoria and a staff complement of 40, including 16 engineers and a strong administration and management component, CSI prides itself in its professional approach to systems integration. The complementary skills of the team ensure that the company is able to provide a comprehensive offering, which includes operations management, automation systems consulting and engineering support services, to continuous process and manufacturing businesses in southern Africa and abroad.
Customer-driven service
The recent inclusion of an Australian office, headed up by one of the shareholders, is a clear indication that the company’s sights are set on expansion through strategic planning. Sales and marketing manager André Brits explains that the opening of this offshore office underlines the company’s commitment to provide customer-driven service and supply to a wider market, in terms of its focused client base in the food and beverage, mining and manufacturing sectors.
Maintaining close relationships with its client base has resulted in a steady growth pattern over recent years and is underpinned by the company’s insistence on adopting industry best practice and professional governance models. This, Brits says, is made possible not only by the complete commitment exhibited by the company’s management team, but also by the fact that the company aligns itself with leading product suppliers.
As such, CSI is a Siemens Solution Partner for automation and drives products, a Schneider Electric Alliance Partner, a Wonderware Endorsed Partner and a Rockwell Automation System Integrator. Together with MESA (Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association) international association and membership with the Control System Integrators Association (CSIA), these close alliances allow CSI to provide solutions that promote profitability and uptime for its discerning clients.
According to Brits, the client requirements and projects often begin with an automation audit. This entails on-site client engagement to gain a good understanding of various factors, including the existing network architecture, control system design, control systems software and hardware, instrumentation, knowledge base and information systems. By undertaking this audit, CSI is able to analyse the existing systems and recommend a roadmap that will provide optimisation, enhancement, conformity, risk reduction and growth for the client’s operations.
Based on the results of the automation audit, CSI can advise the client on the best route to take in terms of instrumentation, as well as control system software and hardware. CSI employ two instrumentation teams who are responsible for all instrumentation elements including instrumentation installation, cabling and cable racking. It also manufactures its own automation panels for PLCs to ensure that each solution is custom built and properly tested.
In addition, the company takes responsibility for PLC programming, scada development, and the incorporation of information systems and networking solutions. The integration of the automation and control with other business systems forms a critical part of the company’s offering. The final part of the holistic package is the provision of maintenance and support on a regular and sustained basis, to ensure that the client operation remains functional and reliable.
Emphasis on training
In the midst of the project undertaking, CSI extends its expertise through the training of clients, both onsite and at its Centurion offices. This ensures that clients are completely familiar with the intricacies of their automation and control systems and that they are able to react to any anomalies or issues. Training is in fact a critical element in the company’s success, underlined by the extensive training programme implemented for its own staff.
Success, Brits says, is a product of many factors, including the company’s philosophy of remaining flexible. “We are empowered by customer satisfaction, so we are prepared to revisit proposals and amend them to suit the specific needs of clients and their operations. Furthermore, we believe in adding further value by not only partnering with high end suppliers, but similarly with strategic partners we have identified who are able to round out our offering. This applies to our local operation as well as in our cross border endeavours.”
The company has been involved in a number of high profile projects including the complete automation for Exxaro at the Grootegeluk Medupi expansion project.
For more information contact André Brits, Control Systems Integration, +27 (0)12 653 7901, andreb@controlsi.co.za, www.controlsi.co.za
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