A R68 MILLION black economic empowerment-backed German-designed brick plant being built outside Grahamstown is 70% complete, and awaits the arrival of a R1,2-million hi-tech manufacturing robot.
A R68 MILLION black economic empowerment-backed German-designed brick plant being built outside Grahamstown is 70% complete, and awaits the arrival of a R1,2-million hi-tech manufacturing robot.
Makana Brick chairperson Douglas Sipeliti, who heads 25% Eastern Cape empowerment group, Ifutha, said construction of the 160m-long, 8 000 square metre factory has been going according to plan.
About 90 workers have been working on the site since construction began 10 months ago.
Grahamstonian Sakhumzi Nkomonde, speaking on behalf of a group of eight new employees working at the new factory, said although the work was temporary and they would like a more permanent income.
They are now able to provide for 36 family members back home. More than 100 jobs are to be created when the new plant is fired up at the end of this year. The plant is expected to produce 2,5-million bricks a month doubling the present output to 5-million.
The new plant and the existing clamp kiln plant will operate side by side.The factory was designed by German Andreas Hassler’s Hassler Anlagenbau firm, assisted by Port Elizabeth engineer and shareholder John Offerman.
Sipeliti said the Hassler plant is one of the most fuel-efficient in the world and is able to vastly reduce emissions.
The new kiln is able to burn oil, coal and renewable energy resources, such as wood chips. It has a complex system of heat exchangers which enable “volatiles to be recombusted”, said Sipeliti.
This means that the same air is used three times, in the cooling, pre-heating and firing chambers. The final odourless emission is scrubbed clean of waste particles.The company will operate a powerful wood chipper which cuts wattle into chips.
