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The increasing demand for African mineral and natural resources has continued to attract
various multinational companies seeking to venture on the continent, Zambia, inclusive in
search of ‘reliable crushing infrastructure’.
The increasing mineralization by many African countries, led by Zambia, Africa’s top copper
producer, has spurred the demand for mining and aggregate processing technology in the
country, giving leeway for several companies to find a ready market for their technology to
assist improve infrastructure.
The stead increase on Africa, buoyed by the continued inflow of foreign investment and the
subsequent need for secondary infrastructure especially in Zambia, has given rise to many
companies in the private sector to find a niche for their markets especially the crushing
machinery to maximize production both in mining and other sectors.
This in turn has given ample market for mobile and semi-mobile modular crushing and
screening equipment in Africa which have grown rapidly in recent years chiefly because
of unwavering demand for aggregate and the resulting increase in plant production
capabilities.
One of the companies that has capiitalised on the increased demand for the technology is
Ndola-based Zamm Imports Limited, which has continued to grow from strength to strength
as demand for its equipment continues on the rise since its inception.
The company’s plant which started on a small scale-has grown four-fold and with it has now
embraced 18 Pilot Crushtec machines which is now operational, having been commissioned
in July 2010.
Dubbed ‘The biggest Pilot Crushtec modular plant’, has since been installed at a limestone
crushing site in Ndola, in northern Zambia, lying about 450 kilometres north of the Zambian
capital, Lusaka.
Its presence on the market has helped raise hope for effective and maximized production of
various metals and other products in both mining and the private sector in general.
Various players have identified its potential to grow and its achievements are not far from
being attained, being a going concern.
“I believe this plant is a showpiece for both Pilot Crushtec and Zamm Imports Ltd and I am
proud to have been part of the process to create it,” Pilot Crushtec Africa sales manager
Wayne Warren is quoted by Mining Weekly as having said.
According to Warren, the plant which has been named Zamm-Stone Crusher, “is one of the
nicest plants in Zambia” and includes most of the products in the current Pilot Crushtec
range.
Included in the deal were: a Pilot Modular/TRIO MJ3042 jaw crusher, three Pilot Modular
MC 1000 11m conveyors, a Pilot Modular MC1050 20m conveyor, a Pilot Modular DD4815
double deck screen, a Pilot Modular MC800 16m conveyor, a Pilot Modular MC800 20m
conveyor, a Pilot Modular/TRIO MC130 standard cone crusher, a Pilot Modular MC130
short head cone crusher, a Pilot Modular MC1200 25m conveyor and a Pilot Modular/TRIO
TD6118 triple deck screen.
Zamm Imports owner and founder, Jignesh Soni, is optimistic with the future of the
company which initially a small enterprise and has grown to competitive levels since
inception.
It is envisioned that the plant will initially be used to crush 2000 tons of 0-5mm, 5-10mm,
10-19mm and 19-25mm aggregate per day given the expanse of the raw material where
the company is located.
“The Ndola area has the largest reserve of the finest quality limestone in Zambia and we will
be using the plant to supply the booming construction sector and the mining sector, where
the limestone is used to neutralize acid,” explains Jignesh.
The speed of delivery and installation impressed Jignesh as the order was finalised in March
and the plant was fully set up by the middle of June.
“After many enquiries to various South African and Chinese companies, I was shown the full
range of Pilot Modular/TRIO crushers at Pilot Crushtec which particularly impressed me as
this approach eliminates the need for any civil works, which can take up to a year to set up
and commission,” he explained.
With the largest modular plant ever installed by Pilot Crushtec at the company’s disposal,
Jignesh is overwhelmed by the fact that Zamm-Stone Crusher was and is the largest.
“But I am impressed about this fact and hope to build an even bigger plant the future. I am
always on the lookout for future business in the crushing category and will expand further
into crushing ores for the mining industry in the Copperbelt. Pilot Crushtec will be my first
point of call when I need to purchase a plant,” he adds.
In 1999 Jignesh established Zamm Imports as an importer, distributor and retailer of
electrical goods, furniture, fabrics and all household goods. It has outlets in both Ndola and
Kitwe on the Zambian Copperbelt province and also has a transport division with a fleet of
25 Volvo superlink trucks.
After receiving a contract to supply Zambian Portland Cement (ZPC) with aggregate, the
company expanded into various parts of the country where it has set up branches to meet
in the increased demand for the facility in the industry.
Zamm Imports’ potential to ‘override and conquer’ the African market has been noted by
various players that believe, the equipment has raised more hope for Africa’s crushing
abilities and maximize on time to meet the demand for such services.
African targets are currently being exceeded, contributing to 90% of export sales and 40%
of overall sales. There is a lot going on in Africa, especially with the infra- structure needed
around mines owing to the commodities boom, players in the industry have observed.
The Pilot Modular crushing and screening plant, the largest ever in Zambia, was installed
and commissioned at Zambian limestone aggregate producer, Zamm Imports late last
year. At the time, company’s African sales manager, Wayne Warren who saw the potential
was optimistic for the Zambian market’s growth and remarked; “Zambia is growing its
infrastructure at an ever-increasing rate, expanding road and rail networks and constructing
power stations, all of which are geared to exploit its mineral wealth,” Warren says.
The company supplied five processing machines to platinum-group metals producer
Zimplats’ Selous metallurgical complex, and has seen a steady growth in demand for its
modular systems in other African markets, most significantly Zambia, Tanzania and the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), earlier this year,.
“In August, we received orders for one of our larger aggregate plants in Zambia, and a
smaller modular plant for gold mining has just arrived in Tanzania. We have just sent off a
modular primary crusher and conveyors for the gold-mining industry in Mali and various
modular cone crushers and screens to the DRC to upgrade an existing copper ore plant.
Both mobile and modular equipment have been moving fast,” says Warren.
Demand growth in these markets can be attributed to an increase in investment from Asia,
as well as the company’s strategy of high visibility in Africa.
“Chinese foreign investment has given new life to Africa and is responsible for so much
secondary infrastructure building. Although there is concern that they are taking away local
or regional work opportunities, my experience has shown me that it is actually increasing
opportunities. Every country that is struggling in the world today is trying to find work in
Africa, and that is what is creating this boom,” Warren Warren adds.
“Owing to where we are located in South- ern Africa, and our support structures, Chinese
companies are willing to purchase regionally.
Further, African countries are insisting on better-quality infrastructure from Chinese
investment, which results in their buying our modular and mobile equipment,” he says.
Further, financing issues have not hampered product exports and equipment installations
as the majority of Pilot Crushtec’s Africa-based clients pay cash upfront, with no bank
financing.
However, supplying into Africa does present challenges for the company, but its on-
the-ground approach and emphasis on a quick turnaround have been successful for the
company in the African market.
“Getting the equipment to site is challenging because of transport and other logistical issues
in Africa but, once equipment has arrived, our technicians take no longer than two weeks on
site to commission the plant. It takes longer for our systems to reach a site than it does for
the systems to be operationalised once they are there,” says Warren.
Locally, the company continues to service the South African mining industry but it has
experienced a decline in projects relating to infrastructure development, owing to the
completion of larger construction and roadworks projects initiated three to four years ago
and the absence of new large-scale projects, explains Scherf.
Pilot Crushtec’s modular systems comprise a standardised suite of compatible equipment
including jaw, cone, impact and vertical shaft impact crushers, screens and conveyors that
can be moved and configured for individual clients. Warren says that the highest demand
in Africa has been for the company’s modular crushing and screening plants, owing to their
ease of mobility and high production capacity.
In particular, the track-mounted MegaStak stockpile conveyors and Rubble Master mobile
impact crushers have been well received in the market.
Pilot Crushtec will be holding its annual open day on October 13 at the company’s premises
in Jet Park, which will feature the launch of new product offerings including the TwisterTrac
VS300 VSI crusher, the Pilot Modular/TRIO MC 170 (66”) cone crusher, a MegaStak TC1050
tracked conveyor, and the CDE EvoWash 71 sand-washing plant.
With the oncoming of such crushing technology, Zamm Imports has led the way for
economic growth in Zambia-what with the high-tech crushing plant set up in the middle of
Zambia?
