As the South African sugar industry continues to optimise efficiency, uptime and sustainability across cane handling, processing and refining, SEW-EURODRIVE is helping drive this momentum with its world-class drive technology and local service support.
With decades of experience across the agricultural and agro-processing sectors, SEW-EURODRIVE’s core offering to the sugar industry includes its trusted 7 series R, F, K and S gearboxes, coupled with energy efficient DRN IE3 motors. For high demand applications, its robust range of SEW Industrial Gear units delivers the torque and reliability required in critical operations such as cane crushing, conveying and drying.
“Sugar mills operate in harsh high-load environments where drive system reliability is paramount,” says Cliffton Bridge, branch manager at SEW-EURODRIVE SA KZN. “We take great care in selecting the right gear motor for each application, using appropriate service factors to prevent premature failures and ensure long term performance.”
As the sugar industry intensifies its focus on energy efficiency, SEW-EURODRIVE’s IE3 motors have long set the standard. The company has exclusively supplied these high efficiency motors for more than eight years. This is well ahead of the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) legislation that came into effect in June 2025.
Cliffton Bridge, branch manager at SEW-EURODRIVE SA KZN.
“Many of our customers have peace of mind knowing that their operations already meet the latest energy efficiency benchmarks,” he notes. “SEW-EURODRIVE has always prioritised sustainability and cost saving through technology.”
Just as vital as product performance is responsive support, especially for an industry that runs around the clock. SEW-EURODRIVE’s regional plant in Durban, together with its national network, ensures 24/7 technical assistance and rapid turnaround on assembly, spares and service.
“We know how costly downtime can be for sugar producers. That is why we invest in local capabilities to get our customers back online as quickly as possible,” Bridge says.
At the South African Sugar Technologists’ Association (SASTA) Conference and Exhibition, SEW-EURODRIVE showcased its standard geared motor range, widely used across South African sugar mills, and also selected SEW industrial gear units and drive models. “SASTA is not only a platform to display our technology,” Bridge continues. “It is also about showcasing our people, our commitment and the level of professionalism we bring to every customer relationship.”
With a proven track record and a focus on continuous improvement, SEW-EURODRIVE remains a trusted partner to the sugar industry, powering performance from cane field to refinery.
Smarter motor technology for high-performance industrial automation Adroit Technologies
Motion Control & Drives
Adroit Technologies is bringing Mitsubishi Electric’s EM-A series permanent magnet motors to Africa, offering servo-like speed and position control at a lower cost by combining patented sensorless control with the FR-E800 inverter to eliminate encoders while achieving IE5 efficiency.
Read more...A smarter approach to simplifying motion architecture
Motion Control & Drives
n motion system design, the wiring and drive placement between motor and drive are often decided by default, yet they shape a machine’s cost, footprint and adaptability. Kollmorgen sets out how single-cable and decentralised architectures simplify the cabinet.
Read more...Robotic case packer achieves 99% uptime Rockwell Automation
Motion Control & Drives
DCC Automation designed a new robotic case packer for a nutrition supplement manufacturer using delta robots and a unified Rockwell Automation control platform, cutting changeover time from 45 minutes to 5 minutes, and achieving 99 to 99,5% uptime against the previous 10% per-shift downtime.
Read more...igus puts 3D-printed wear materials to the test igus
Motion Control & Drives
A new igus white paper compares its tribological iglidur 3D-printing materials directly with conventional POM, reporting lower wear, more stable friction and up to ten times longer service life in gear testing for customised, low-volume and replacement components.
Read more...SEW-EURODRIVE’s expanded local engineering capability SEW-EURODRIVE
Editor's Choice Motion Control & Drives
At Electra Mining Africa, SEW-EURODRIVE demonstrated how its expanded local engineering capability, digital technologies and lifecycle support strategy help customers improve reliability, energy efficiency and total cost of ownership across the full life of their drive assets.
Read more...Latest Danfoss automation drive Bearing Man Group t/a BMG
Motion Control & Drives
BMG has launched the Danfoss iC7-Automation enclosed variable speed drive range in South Africa, backed by significant local stockholding of 400 V models up to 710 kW, approved warranty workshops, and DrivePro digital asset management support.
Read more...Severe-duty workhorses powering mining
Motion Control & Drives
Mining machines such as rock crushers, pumps and conveyors need motors that combine high torque with robust enclosures, seals and cooling. WEG Africa explains how severe-duty motors deliver more than a decade of reliable performance in harsh conditions while meeting modern energy-efficiency standards.
Read more...Looking beyond the spec sheet when choosing motion architecture
Motion Control & Drives
When machine builders focus only on torque, speed and price, engineering time, integration effort and long-term maintainability get overlooked. Kollmorgen explains how thinking at the system level, not the component level, leads to better motion architecture choices.
Read more...Economy drive system closes the drive gap in the entry-level segment Beckhoff Automation
Editor's Choice Motion Control & Drives
Beckhoff has launched an economy drive system pairing its new AX1000 servo drive and AM1000 servomotor with the AF1000 dual-axis variable frequency drive on a shared EtherCAT platform, targeting series machines and price-sensitive markets without sacrificing TwinCAT integration or functional safety.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version