Leading SA energy service provider Eya Bantu is leveraging its new Gqeberha facility to assemble Swedish-Swiss multinational corporation ABB’s gas insulated switchgear (GIS).
Having enjoyed a fruitful 15-year working relationship, the two companies have taken the next step to ensure more supply chain capacity and reliability as they look to explore new markets and buttress growth in the sector.
Eya Bantu, which specialises in the installation and maintenance of switchgear and control plant panel manufacturing, will now be assembling the new ABB-built 33kV (GIS) ZX at its newest manufacturing facility, located near its Leadwood Crescent operation in Fairview.
GIS is designed for industrial purposes and is a compact metal-encapsulated switchgear consisting of components such as circuit-breakers and disconnectors, which can be safely operated in confined spaces.
Combined with digital protection and control technology, sensor systems and plug-in connections, the ZX series is also fit-for-purpose for the future.
The ZX2 AirPlus switchgear design offers a climate-friendly alternative to end users with a green focus.
The new GIS will also increase the local content of the ZX GIS series to 60%.
The full benefits of ABB’s global experience, expertise and manufacturing excellence are now available in SA, thanks to the newly formalised partnership with Eya Bantu.
According to ABB’s SA product marketing director, Avi Ramdhin, customers previously had to incur extra costs to carry out an in-person inspection at an ABB feeder factory in Europe.
This also meant customers could not have direct access to inspections during the execution of their projects and the manufacturing process of the specific products required.
“These are some of the issues we have overcome with the new partnership with Eya Bantu,” Ramdhin said.
“There is a perception that quality products traditionally only came out of the European Union countries.
“However, we are proving in today’s ‘new normal’ that local quality, processes and manufacturing facilities are evolving and of a global standard.”
Duplicating ABB’s feeder factory concept in SA is a major coup for the country and ABB’s own customer base.
“We have brought global experts in to assess the local factory and assist us to ensure it meets the global standards,” Ramdhin said.
Previously switchgears had to be imported fully from either Germany or the Czech Republic.
However, according to Ramdhin, 40% of the components are now imported from these countries, “with the Gqeberha facility at present supplying 60% of the local requirements”.
“The main reasons for the partnership are to better serve our customers in terms of flexibility and lead times, and for Eya Bantu to leverage the international brand power of ABB,” Ramdhin said.
He added that ABB was also making a significant contribution to boosting the SA economy and fulfilling its own environmental, social and governance (ESG) objectives.
Eya Bantu’s new factory has also contributed to job creation in the region by employing a complete contingent of wiremen, test engineers, installers and commissioning engineers.
Eya Bantu director Jadri Hurter said the opportunity to partner with ABB was a huge opportunity and privilege.
“To expand on our ranges is something we are always looking for,” Hurter said.
“We will be really looking to penetrate the market now, especially within the renewable energy sector and we will benefit a lot from this,” he said.
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