All eyes on the Moon again
November 2022
News
Global interest in space exploration is at a fever pitch as NASA prepares its first lunar mission in 50 years. It also brings back memories of Pratley Putty being the only South African-manufactured product to have gone to the Moon. Prior to the Apollo 11 mission, the Ranger project of the 1960s was the first US effort to launch probes directly towards the Moon. This laid the groundwork for the successful Apollo 11 mission.
During the 1960s, South African manufacturer Pratley invented the world’s first epoxy putty. Initially it was intended to be used internally for insulating and affixing terminals to cast iron electrical junction boxes. However, the product was subsequently introduced into the local market as ‘Pratley Plastic Putty’, a name that ultimately became Pratley Putty.
An agreement to manufacture the product under licence in the United States was concluded with a US manufacturer, which then introduced it to NASA. However, the product was not yet ready for production in the United States, so when it was subsequently decided to use it for the Ranger programme, it was supplied directly from Pratley’s head office in South Africa. Consequently, Pratley Putty achieved recognition as the only South African-manufactured product to ever go to the Moon.
The South African Mint celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing in 2019 with its ‘South African inventions’ series, focusing on the ‘proudly South African’ Pratley Putty. In October 2019, Pratley Putty was featured as part of a ‘Destination Moon’ exhibition at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in the historic Electric Workshop in the cultural precinct of Newtown, Johannesburg.
“Our roots are in innovation, research, and development. It is a cornerstone of what we do at Pratley, and we continue to live and breathe it,” comments CEO, Andrew Pratley. “Pratley branded products not only offer exceptional reliability, but in accordance with our policy statement, their performance must exceed all others on the world market.”
Further reading:
BMG achieves GBCSA Net Zero Waste Level 2 Certification
Bearing Man Group t/a BMG
News
BMG has achieved Green Building Council South Africa Net Zero Waste Level 2 Certification after diverting more than 90% of operational waste from landfill, demonstrating how practical sustainability measures can deliver measurable environmental and commercial benefits.
Read more...
Pump spares and parts for Africa
News
KSB Pumps and Valves explains how its decentralised stockholding and local manufacturing keep spares and parts available across its installed base in Africa.
Read more...
Inspiration for times of change
Endress+Hauser South Africa
News
More than 2000 customers, partners and experts gathered in Basel, Switzerland, for the Endress+Hauser Global Forum in April 2026. Under the theme of driving sustainable transformation together, the event combined keynote sessions on strategy, technology and the future of work with practical case studies from across the process industry.
Read more...
Local energy solutions rewiring resilience across Africa
News Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Engineers across Africa are developing practical, scalable energy and mobility solutions supported by the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation.
Read more...
The gender gap in SA’s engineering sector
News
South Africa’s engineering sector is facing a critical gender imbalance, with women making up just 16% of registered engineering professionals compared to 84% of men.
Read more...
Safe removal of the historic US 181
News
Mammoet provided the heavy-lift expertise that helped remove the 2300 ton centre span of the historic US 181 Harbor Bridge in Corpus Christi, Texas, using a precision lift-and-lower method that protected nearby marine environments and reopened navigation channels swiftly.
Read more...
Going Green initiative sees African Group Lubricants adopt electric forklift fleet
News
African Group Lubricants is transitioning most of its forklift fleet to electric power, a move expected to cut diesel consumption by around 85% and improve conditions across its manufacturing facility while delivering a positive return on investment in the near term.
Read more...
Africa Energy Indaba 2027 aims to ignite the power revolution
News
Africa Energy Indaba 2027 takes place from 2 to 4 March 2027 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, bringing together ministers, utilities, investors and developers to accelerate energy generation, unlock investment and drive the continent’s industrial future.
Read more...
Major bearing tender for SKF
SKF South Africa
News
SKF has secured a major bearing supply tender from an Algerian steelmaker, reinforcing its position in the metals segment across North Africa.
Read more...
Mining’s decarbonisation journey requires putting ESG commitments into action
Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric specialists explain how mining and heavy industry can turn environmental, social and governance commitments into measurable decarbonisation results.
Read more...
printer friendly version