Mine conveyor idler and components manufacturer PROK South Africa has started operations at its new conveyor idler manufacturing facility in Roodepoort, Gauteng. The facility started operations in early September, localising manufacturing capacity and giving mines greater access to PROK’s range of conveyor idlers and associated products.

The new manufacturing facility will manufacture the full PROK range of idlers and rollers, including steel rollers, rubber disc idler rollers, high-density polyethylene composite rollers, hybrid steel rollers, low- noise aluminium rollers, the Jackdown X impact frame range, and various conveyor accessories – all of which can be customised according to a clients’ requirements.

The new facility will employ between 30 and 60 people once optimally operational and will manufacture products to PROK’s international quality standards, giving African mining companies access to “proven” products and eliminating logistical and difficult trade-off challenges, says PROK Africa GM Philip le Roux.

“The South African facility has been set up to operate across three core segments: marketing and sales, in-house engineering and manufacturing. This structure mirrors the model PROK applied at its facilities globally, where local production capability is always backed by dedicated engineering and commercial teams on the ground, rather than a standalone factory operating in isolation from the market it serves,” he says.

The pipeline of work at the facility will cater for the high-volume, heavy-duty steel idler demand from, but not limited to, the South African mining industry, such as coal and iron-ore operations.

“Because the facility produces to the same standard that PROK applies internationally, it also strengthens PROK’s position to service international projects from a South African base . . . this facility represents the kind of localisation that adds real capacity to the sector rather than simply substituting for imports,” says Le Roux.

The in-house manufacturing capacity at PROK’s new facility is backed up by a dedicated team of engineers that is able to undertake the appropriate research and development processes involved in manufacturing.

“PROK’s pulley division, for example, relies on ‘industry-leading’ in-house design software, coupled with in-house manufacturing capabilities, to ensure quick turnaround on new and refurbished pulleys, with pulley designs run through an advanced design process incorporating finite element analysis to ensure every pulley is engineered to the best engineering practice,” he adds.

To make rollers and idler frames, PROK sources structural steel and related components locally, which Le Roux says strengthens local supplier networks and downstream industrial capacity, while ensuring a cost- effective final product.

Product Benefits

Each of PROK’s product and solution offerings is supported by several benefits aimed at improving operational efficiency at mining sites. For example, the international design standards applied to PROK’s idlers are designed to deliver long service life and reduce unplanned maintenance at client operations.

Clients will also benefit from faster access to replacement components and technical support from the new facility, reducing reliance on lengthy international shipping and customs processes, says Le Roux.

Fewer premature component failures, reduced unplanned downtime and lower maintenance labour requirements will, in turn, reduce the total cost of ownership and contribute to more cost-effective conveyor systems for mining operations, he adds.

PROK also aims to enhance its internal manufacturing processes for idlers at the facility by incorporating modern process automation to improve consistency and production throughput, without replacing or compromising the contribution of skilled labour, says Le Roux.

“This puts us in the position of speaking not about what we intend to build, but about a facility that is already producing, already staffed across its engineering and manufacturing functions, and already engaging with the local market. The scaling of resources and output described earlier is now firmly underway,” he concludes.