1 May 2017
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
SEW-Eurodrive Cape Town has invested in new assembly cells for geared motors to speed up production, increase quality and reduce wastage. The branch also plans a new assembly cell for electronics in the near future.
“We have definitely started to do more business on the electronics side, especially in terms of servo motors and mechatronic units,” says branch manager Byron Griffiths. He explains that the development will increase its flexibility and capability to deliver total solutions for clients. It will also assist in reducing stockholding, as a lot of components are interchangeable.
Cape Town is a significant production hub for SEW-Eurodrive, as it assembles units for other branches, including Nelspruit, Durban, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth. Griffiths adds that the Western Cape market in particular is showing growth. “The market is definitely on the uptick compared to last year. We are doing surprisingly well, despite tough market conditions,” he continues.
He reveals that the food and beverage industry is very stable in the Western Cape, where the large percentage of exports means that OEMs favour energy-efficient equipment such as SEW-Eurodrive’s IE3-compliant DRN series of asynchronous motors. One of the main reasons these new motors were launched was to cater specifically for increased export volumes into the US and Europe, where the standard regulations require IE3 compliance. Griffiths concludes that what gives SEW-Eurodrive a competitive edge is its quick turnaround and lead times, coupled with excellent customer service and aftermarket support.
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