ACTOM Turbo Machines (ATM) has made further important strides recently towards expanding its business and increasing its profitability.
Already recognised as one of the market leaders in the turbo-machinery field in the Southern Hemisphere and also enjoying the enviable status of an “essential facility” to power utilities, the division’s latest growth spurt results from its acquisition of two used large processing machines on an auction a year ago – comprising a 5-axes CNC boring mill with the capacity to handle work-pieces of up to 20t and a CNC vertical lathe capable of handling work-pieces of up to 50t and 3,6m in height and 3.6m in diameter.
In addition, towards the end of last year the division extended its existing fleet of CNC lathes and CNC milling units by acquiring two used CNC lathes with a swing of 800mm diameter and 3m between centres and three used 3-axes CNC milling units, each with a capacity to handle work pieces of up to 6t. Another valuable item of used equipment purchased by ATM at about the same time is a low-speed balancing unit with the capability of balancing rotors from 100kg to 6t.
“We’ve been very fortunate in being able to have the opportunity of acquiring all this additional process equipment at very affordable prices. This applies especially to the large boring mill and vertical lathe, both of which we were able to purchase at around 10% of market value,” commented Chris Bezuidenhout, ACTOM Turbo’s Divisional CEO.
“It will be appreciated how much we have extended our boring and lathe capacities when I tell you that our boring capacity was limited to work-pieces of up to only 8t, and our previous highest lathe capability was limited to a work-piece of only 4t and 1,6m in diameter,” he added.
“In addition, because of the hugely increased capacity the two newly-acquired machines provide, they have raised us into a new league in terms of what we’re able to do, bringing in new and larger customers and opening up wider markets to us.”
Among a number of projects that ACTOM Turbo has won and completed to date since these two machines were installed and put into operation at the division’s Sasolburg plant in November last year were:
- The manufacture of parts for six steam chests for a local power station.
- Line-boring on compressors and turbines for a variety of major customers.
To accommodate the boring mill and vertical lathe ACTOM Turbo extended its workshop floor area by 500m2 to a total 2500m2, while with its subsequent acquisition of the other additional machinery it has further extended its covered working space by another 500m2 to house these in.
In addition, it has greatly extended its Fabrication department’s floor space to 2000m2 now, from only 150m2 previously. This included an increase in crane capacity to 10t and the acquisition and installation of a plate roller capable of rolling plates of up to 25mm thick and 2.6m in width.
“The expansion of the Fabrication section came about directly as a result of us winning more contracts, which necessitated it,” Chris remarked.
