System intergrator's plans for growth in ever changing automation market
Jan 2000
System Integration & Control Systems Design
Adroit Technologies
Edenvale turnkey process automation supplier Craigcor Engineering has completed a restructuring phase that has repositioned the company in the ever-changing automation market. Established in 1980 as a contracting firm, the company is now well known as an automation specialist in the steel and power generation industries. "We are being kept busy - at a time when the market is fairly quiet - by large projects such as Mozal, where we are automating power control and metal management functions" comments MD Matthew Lingenfelder. "Our decision to become an Adroit system integrator (SI) two years ago during a project for Scaw Metals has since paid off handsomely.
"The strong local support that comes with the South African supervisory control and data acquisition (scada) software has enabled us to tender successfully on several challenging projects such as KSB Pumps in Gauteng," he says. "When we started on the KSB project, Adroit was the only scada system capable of tying all the different automation aspects and third party programs required for the task together.
"As a very flexible open system scada package, Adroit is easily configured to slot in seamlessly with the other systems used in the automation of KSB's test plant," Lingenfelder explains. Commenting on the South African economy, Lingenfelder says it was necessary to sell off Craigcor's installation division and separate high-tech functions from low-tech areas that can be out-sourced when required.
"I expect a revival in the automation industry in South Africa in 12 months' time," he says. "If not, we might shift more of our focus outside South Africa, where our close ties with companies like Adroit and Rockwell will be a strong advantage. "We already have clients as far as Saudi Arabia. "Lingenfelder believes that the nature of SI's in South Africa is changing.
More and more companies are separating their construction divisions from pure automation and project management. Several SIs are also no longer restricting their activities to the PLC/scada side of automation, but are branching out to higher level automation functions such as management execution and enterprise resource management systems. "The focus is now to deliver total turnkey solutions rather than involving several individual companies," he says.
"While this does translate in increased competition overall, it will ultimately result in the survival of the fittest, which will benefit industry as a whole. "It will also result in cross-pollination between automation and management tiers to speed up modernisation in South Africa."
Adroit
(011) 781 3513
[email protected]
Further reading:
PCS Global
System Integration & Control Systems Design
Project and industry:
PCS Global led a digital infrastructure initiative in a southern African data centre setting, aiming to merge several essential operational systems into one cohesive platform.
...
Read more...
Seamless migration from ET 200M to ET 200SP HA for future-ready automation
System Integration & Control Systems Design
Project and industry:
Moore Process Controls undertook a modernisation initiative spanning the mining, petrochemical, and oil & gas sectors. This project involved upgrading legacy Siemens ET200M I/O
...
Read more...
Proconics Modernises Refinery Tank Automation with Compliance-Focused, Brownfield Upgrades
System Integration & Control Systems Design
Project & Industry
Proconics was engaged to modernise automation and SCADA systems across a refinery tank farm. The project involved complex brownfield integration, aligning new automation with existing
...
Read more...
Project & Industry
System Integration & Control Systems Design
Project: Upgrading essential automation and SCADA systems at a coal mine.
Outcome: A modern, stable automation and SCADA environment with reduced technical debt and easier support, ready for expansion.
...
Read more...
Major digital transformation project for Isuzu Motors
System Integration & Control Systems Design
Isuzu Motors South Africa, in partnership with NoMuda and S4 Integration, has kicked off a major two-year digital transformation project to modernise its production environment.
Read more...
Modernising Vertical Filter Press Machines with Future-Focused Control Systems
System Integration & Control Systems Design
Project and Industry
Pressure Filter Specialists approached us to modernise vertical filter press machines for the Minerals and Metals industry. The goal was to improve reliability, reduce downtime,
...
Read more...
Project & industry
System Integration & Control Systems Design
Project and Industry
This project involved delivering a complete electrical, instrumentation, and automation solution for a new OEM drum-twister machine, replacing an ageing unit in a major cabling production
...
Read more...
It’s a risky business not to challenge standard language
System Integration & Control Systems Design
On the surface, contracts all look alike. Once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all, or so it seems. Maybe so, but hidden within the standard language can be language that shifts the other party’s risk to you.
Read more...
Containerised Electrical & Control System Powers Paste Plant in Botswana
System Integration & Control Systems Design
Delivering a complete, containerized solution for a mine’s paste plant in Botswana, this project stands as a model of modern EC&I execution — integrating electrical, control, and automation systems into
...
Read more...
Control system upgrade: Smelting
SAM Systems Automation & Management
System Integration & Control Systems Design
Systems Automation & Management recently completed a major control system upgrade in the smelting industry. The project was delivered on budget and achieved a positive ROI for the client.
Read more...
printer friendly version