Black industrialist company takes off in composites industry
BFG Africa’s R50-million factory will boost Africa-wide environment-friendly composites fibreglass design and manufacturing.
A composites manufacturing facility owned by BFG Africa was officially opened last Thursday in Evergreen Road, Tunney Industrial Area, Elandsfontein.
The 9.500m² factory, the first of its kind in South Africa, produces materials made of fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) for applications across the infrastructure, mining, automotive, transport and architectural sectors.
The materials are particularly durable, lightweight and environmentally friendly.
BFG Africa is the pan-African subsidiary of one of the largest and oldest diversified composites manufacturers in the world, BFG International.
BFG Africa is majority black-owned, with 51 per cent acquired in June, 2018, by the Mergence Group, a diversified financial services group founded in 2014.
Masimo Magerman, Mergence managing director, said, “We were delighted to provide BFG International with a local partner who can assist with unlocking further opportunities in the composites space.
“Our objective is job creation and skills development and to grow the black industrialist sector in South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa.”
Dr Samer Aljishi, group president of BFG International, said, “Currently 27 people are employed by BFG Africa, 18 of whom underwent extensive training in Bahrain.
“The company is well positioned to benefit from the roll-out of transport infrastructure and rolling-stock (interiors and claddings), renewable energy projects (composite-based wind turbines) and automotive projects.”
As an initial contract, entered into with the Gibela Rail Transport Consortium, BFG Africa will clad the interiors of a fleet of 600 commuter trains that will be supplied to the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) over a 10-year period.
The first delivery on this project was met in May 2019.
BFG Africa is also working on an affordable emergency housing solution, whereby lightweight collapsible structures can be transported and erected within hours to disaster areas.
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Managing director of BFG Africa Arshad Gove, said, “The factory is regarded as one of the best of its kind in the world, with state-of-the-art equipment, including several specialised presses.
“The manufacturing processes include tooling, open contact moulding, resin transfer moulding, painting, SMC material production, SMC press moulding, vacuum infusion, assembly and product integration.
“Composites fibreglass has replaced conventional materials in locomotive, buildings and specialised applications.
“Composites fibreglass as a ‘material of the future’ has an imprint in many developed nations and we are excited to be leading the charge with applications in Africa in the areas of architecture, rail and transport, wind energy, housing and many other areas by using this advanced material.”
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