Capital Equipment News’ Juanita Pienaar spoke with Warren Walker, Head of Global Polyurethane Manufacturing at FLS, and Brad Shepherd, Global Director Service Line – Screen, Trommel, Feeder, and Sizer Consumables at FLS, to learn more about the company’s latest facility upgrades, innovations in polyurethane technology, and the broader implications for productivity, sustainability, and customer outcomes.
Investing in innovation
FLS’s Delmas facility, located in Mpumalanga, South Africa, has become a key global hub for the company’s polyurethane manufacturing operations. The recent launch of its upgraded plant signals not just a milestone for FLS but also for the industry at large. “This is the first of five global facilities to complete the upgrades, and we’re proud to kick off the launch here,” says Warren Walker.
The expansion significantly increases the site's production capacity, enabling it to meet growing global demand for next-generation polyurethane screen media and flotation consumables. “We’ve added a latest-generation polyurethane machine and invested in new tooling, pouring stations, post-curing ovens, and CNC capabilities. It’s a complete end-to-end expansion,” Walker explains.
The site now boasts a fourfold increase in production capacity, allowing FLS to deliver faster, higher-volume output without compromising quality. “All our investments are aimed at increasing throughput while maintaining or improving our precision and consistency,” Walker adds.
A step change in material science
At the heart of this transformation is a breakthrough polyurethane material known simply as “NexGen.” This new formulation delivers vastly superior performance in high-impact and abrasive screening environments.
Brad Shepherd is unequivocal about its impact: “This is a step change. We’ve spent around three and a half years developing this product. We tested a vast range of polymer formulations before landing on the one that gave us the best results.”
According to Shepherd, the material allows for thinner ligaments, allowing for greater open area, whilst improving wear resistance - key factors in improving screening efficiency and reducing downtime. “You can reduce panel thickness from 100 mm to 60 mm while maintaining or even increasing lifespan,” he says. “That’s huge for safety and ergonomics - these panels are lighter, easier to handle, and safer to install.”
He continues: “It’s not about what the product is; it’s about what it does. Less weight, less energy, better efficiency - everything adds up.”
Automation meets agility
FLS’s plant layout is a showcase of modular efficiency and advanced automation. The polyurethane machines are mounted on moveable trolleys for quick reconfiguration. The pouring stations are automated, with temperature-controlled heating pads that can be individually activated to conserve energy. “This gives us tremendous flexibility and lowers our power consumption,” Walker notes.
Even the curing process has been optimised. “Our post-curing ovens are designed to accommodate larger components with precise thermal control, essential for curing the new three-component polyurethane system,” he explains.
This emphasis on automation also ensures scalability. “With the same workforce, we’ve quadrupled our capacity. That’s the power of design efficiency and innovation,” Walker says.
Customer-centric engineering
One of the hallmarks of FLS’s approach is its unwavering focus on customer needs. From rapid prototyping using a five-axis CNC centre to creating retrofit kits for older flotation systems, the goal is clear: deliver fast, flexible, and effective solutions.
“If a customer needs a trial with a specific aperture, we can machine the tooling and cast the panel in a short turnaround time,” says Walker.
Shepherd echoes this sentiment. “We’ve modularised our low-stress trommel panel design so thoroughly that we can go from problem to solution in 48 hours. Thirteen different diameters each with three lengths are already standardised. This means less waiting, faster testing, and a quicker path to value.”
Beyond FLS equipment
One of the standout advantages of the new consumables range is that they’re not tied to FLS equipment. “We’re unconstrained by install base,” says Shepherd. “Our screen media and trommel solutions can be retrofitted to non-FLS machines. That’s a real game-changer.”
This open compatibility dramatically increases the addressable market, especially in regions where capital projects are few and far between. “Waiting for new equipment sales to drive consumables adoption would take decades,” he adds. “We’re not
waiting.”
Empowering the community
FLS’s Delmas facility isn’t just about machines and materials - it’s also about people. With 70% of its blue-collar workforce hired from the local community, the company plays a vital role in job creation and local development. “We’ve got 90 people in manufacturing and another 60 on-site at any given time, including contractors and support functions,” says Walker.
The facility also hosts a dedicated training hub. “We’ve partnered with a training academy to deliver a full three-year programme in welding and boilermaking for 6 local apprentices,” Walker says. “It’s part of our commitment to skills development and upliftment.”
Sustainability as a standard
Sustainability is deeply embedded in FLS’s strategy. The Delmas site has already installed 300 kW of solar panels, with plans to increase that by a further 500 kW. “We’re aligning with our global MissionZero programme to reduce emissions and increase renewable energy usage,” Walker explains.
The newly installed spray booth is another example. “It’s fully enclosed, which reduces VOC emissions and allows us to maintain consistent quality regardless of humidity,” Walker notes.
This is just the beginning
Both Walker and Shepherd are optimistic about what lies ahead. The upgrades in Delmas are just the beginning of a larger global rollout. “We’re setting a new benchmark here,” says Walker. “This is about making world-class products in Africa, for Africa and beyond.”
Shepherd concludes, “It’s more than manufacturing - it’s about solving real customer problems, pushing boundaries in material science, and making a meaningful difference across the mining and mineral processing industry. We’re just getting started.”