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Chinese OEM reaffirms commitment to Africa

29th March 2019

By: Nadine James

Features Deputy Editor

     

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Chinese original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) Dadi Engineering Development Group (DEDG), 49% owner of vibrating equipment solutions provider Aury Africa, demonstrated its commitment to the African market by sending its senior management to participate in high-level meetings with African mining operations and showcasing its “industry-leading” dry-sorting technology.

The ten-day visit, which took place last month, was aimed at marketing the “highly successful” green innovation, which does not use water or media, creating significant savings in terms of water conservation.

Additionally, DEDG, which holds a 49% stake in vibrating-equipment solutions provider Aury Africa – with the remaining 51% held by black-owned local services company Nkomose Consulting Engineers & Projects – wished to reiterate the importance of the African market and its ability to leverage Aury Africa’s status as a Level 2 broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) contributor.

DEDG VP and Aury Africa chairperson Xiaoming Yuan tells Mining Weekly that the company is “very much cognisant of the need to be a B-BBEE- compliant company, as Mining Charter III states that mines must give preference to majority- black-owned companies”.

Yuan explains that Dadi, as a mining engineering group, regards the African mining and mineral resources market as one of its most important international markets. He adds that, while the group is currently focusing on South Africa, it has plans to expand to other African countries once it has established a “firm base” locally.

He notes that part of his responsibilities is to monitor the progress of the Aury Africa management team and visit the important existing and potential clients. “I believe that my visit was successful, because I saw significantly more potential for new business opportunities than I have seen on previous trips to the country.”

In particular, judging by his and Aury Africa’s experiences in South Africa, Dadi’s smart dry- sorting system is “quite unique” in terms of its sorting accuracy.

“Our smart plant system will revolutionise the mineral processing industry, ensuring it incorporates the best of modern technologies. These technologies afford a lot of benefits to our potential clients, including the fact that they are environment-friendly,” Yuan comments, adding that it could be a game changer in water-scarce countries, of which there are many in sub-Saharan Africa.

Dadi’s ‘smart’ plant concept uses automated control and sensor technology to monitor key parameters – ranging from pump pressure to conveyor-belt speeds – to boost operational efficiency on a proactive, real-time basis.

“Compared to the other mining engineering companies, we have many decades of in-depth knowledge in smart technology . . . we also have a greater knowledge and understanding of the mining industry,” he adds, noting how these characteristics create an advantageous position for both Dadi and Aury.

Yuan believes that African mining companies could potentially supply more commodities to China, as a result of US-China trade tensions, which has positive connotations for African companies upping production and subsequently increasing equipment purchases.

He notes that, to date, the US-China trade talks – which have been extended to next month – have neither had a marked impact on African commodities exports to China nor any “discernible impact” on DEDG’s subsidiaries, including Aury Africa.

However, Yuan states that Dadi and Aury Africa will continue to monitor the negotiations to ensure that they exploit any new opportunities that may arise, and implement contingency measures should there be any concerns.

Concerning Aury Africa, he affirms his confidence in the subsidiary’s ability to replicate the successes of its sister companies, Aury Tianjin and Aury Australia, which are market leaders in their respective regions.

“To achieve, Aury Africa has to develop structures that are similar to those in place in China and Australia,” Yuan says.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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