LH Marthinusen launches new industrial fan manufacturing and services factory

July 2025 News

LH Marthinusen, a division of the ACTOM Group, proudly opened its new industrial fan manufacturing and services factory in Ekurhuleni on May 29, 2025. This event marks a significant milestone in the growth of South Africa’s energy infrastructure and was attended by representatives from government agencies, Eskom, and various industry partners. The facility, a key investment by ACTOM, is set to expand over the next three years to meet the demands of contracts with Eskom.

LH Marthinusen features over a century of technical excellence and local industry leadership. With a history of pioneering electromechanical repair and manufacturing expertise established since its founding in 1913, this underpins its current expansion, building on a legacy deeply rooted in the country’s industrial progress.

The newly established factory not only manufactures industrial fans and their components, but also offers maintenance services for essential fan systems that support Eskom’s air pre-heater infrastructure. These fans are crucial for Eskom’s power generation facilities, as they play a key role in managing airflow and regulating temperature levels.

David Sullivan, divisional CEO of LH Marthinusen, highlights the strategic significance of this facility: “The launch of this facility underscores our dedication to fulfilling Eskom’s infrastructure needs with local products and innovative solutions. Our fans play a pivotal role in the successful operation of Eskom’s essential air pre-heater systems. This facility not only boosts our manufacturing capabilities, but also fosters employment growth and industrial development in the region.”

While the project aims to create 50 new positions throughout the first three years, the company envisages an additional 120 job openings to meet the infrastructure demands of Eskom and general industries. The production of each industrial fan requires 49 tons of steel, along with two tons of stainless steel. The substantial demand for local steel used in quadrifuge (four-stage) fan stations drives growth in domestic manufacturing and supply chain development.

ACTOM group CEO, Mervyn Naidoo, notes: “Our investment and expansion aligns perfectly with the goals of South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP). This supports industrial development while strengthening local manufacturing operations and establishing employment opportunities. This facility supports both energy security for the nation and the NDP’s mission to drive economic transformation and skills development, and modernise infrastructure. It further helps us construct an enduring economy which serves South Africa’s long-term development purposes.”

Further reading:

ACTOM invests in South Africa’s industrial future
News
ACTOM has transformed its Pretoria West facility into an integrated manufacturing hub for large power transformers, high-voltage equipment and lithium-ion battery energy storage systems, quadrupling transformer capacity and establishing a complete local energy storage ecosystem.

Read more...

---

WEG’s technologies at Electra Mining Africa 2026
News
At Electra Mining Africa 2026, WEG Africa will showcase its top solutions services, and expertise built for the mining sector.

Read more...

---

Rooibos heads to space in groundbreaking South African STEM initiative
News
Rooibos seeds will be sent to the International Space Station as part of a first-of-its-kind South African initiative combining space-based plant science with hands-on STEM education for learners in the Cederberg region and Cape Town.

Read more...

---

From the editor's desk: Turning the tide
Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control) News
Our last few Sustainable Manufacturing guides have tracked the changes in the energy industry in South Africa. This year, I found that the story has moved on still further. South Africa’s manufacturing ...

Read more...

---

Engineering a more inclusive future
News
Women engineers at Zutari are helping shape resilient communities across Africa and the Middle East, while inspiring the next generation to enter the profession in areas ranging from water security to large-scale urban developments.

Read more...

---

Schneider Electric inspires future women engineers
Schneider Electric South Africa News
Schneider Electric welcomed female engineering students from its education partner Sedibeng TVET College, Sebokeng to its Midrand headquarters for its Mandela Day Mentorship Café initiative, transforming a day of service into a day of inspiration, learning and opportunity.

Read more...

---

Supporting an inclusive circular economy transition in South Africa
News
The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation has released its Circular Economy Science, Technology and Innovation strategy. The document sets out how research, development and innovation can support South Africa’s shift away from a linear economic model.

Read more...

---

Why sustainability and resilience matter more than ever to navigate the ESG backlash
News
ESG, once heralded as a pragmatic framework for embedding long-term resilience into business, is facing growing resistance. The backlash we are seeing may appear reactionary, but it should not distract us from the facts. In this climate, I often find myself returning to the core purpose behind sustainability - creating long-term value in a world of escalating uncertainty.

Read more...

---

Electra Mining Africa showcases the technologies shaping tomorrow’s industry
News
Taking place from 7 to 11 September 2026 at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec, Electra Mining Africa will showcase thousands of products, technologies and services from more than 1000 local and international exhibitors.

Read more...

---

From the editor's desk: Building a better future
Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control) News
   This issue of SA Instrumentation & Control includes our Sustainable Manufacturing Industry Guide, which has some great examples of companies actively contributing to a net-zero carbon future. It’s also ...

Read more...

---