The pressures experienced by the South African petrochemical industry – including the trend towards the reduction of operational carbon footprint, and a proliferation of new technological developments – present new and dynamic opportunities for the industry if it can evolve apace with industry developments.
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Glen Pringle, Director of Vital Engineering, believes this is an exciting and concerning time for the petrochemical industry. “Looking at the industry, there are myriad positive developments throughout the rest of Africa, which we can exploit, even in these tough economic times,” he observes, adding that increased oil and gas exploration, potential new refineries and extensions to existing refineries are planned along the East and West African coasts, giving a clear indication that the greater petrochemical sector is definitely not stagnant.
Having been a key supplier of a wide range of products including gratings, stair treads, pressed pattern floors and safety handrails to the petrochemical, mining and other industries for the past 80 years, Vital Engineering is well acquainted with the needs of the industry – and with developments in materials technology. This has placed the company in the privileged position of being able to continually meet the needs of petrochemical clients by adapting and expanding its product ranges in line with international industry requirements and trends.
“We are pleased to have a secure base of repeat business within the petrochemical sector and a growing base of referred clients. We reliably produce quality products on-time, on-specification and within budget,” Pringle says.
Petrochemical plants produce certain products that can be mechanically or chemically aggressive and corrosive, acidic or alkaline in nature, representing yet another set of limitations and specific requirements when it comes to construction materials of choice. Vital’s glass-fibre reinforced resin (GRP) or aluminium gratings are suitable for non-spark environments, Pringle points out.
“Because we thoroughly understand the properties of our products, which are influenced by factors such as manufacturing method, structural configuration and chemical additives, we can lend valuable support to our clients, so that the correct products are specified, leading to enhanced plant lifetime and performance and, most importantly, reduced safety risks,” he adds.
Vital Engineering’s products, which are particularly popular in the petrochemical industry, typically include its mini-mesh or solid top GRP products, aluminium or stainless-steel patterned plate products, and expanded metal products for applications such as safety guards, lock-out areas, and secure areas on petrochemical plants.
“Vital Engineering clients value the fact that our entire range of products – which includes mild steel, GRP, aluminium, ferritic and non-ferritic stainless steel – is manufactured according to the most stringent international standards, including ISO 9000 /15. It is therefore no wonder that a growing number of clients have been specifying Vital Engineering’s product ranges in their designs,” Pringle continues.
“We are extremely proud to be the supplier of choice to these consulting engineers and clients, and we go the extra mile to keep it that way. We offer our clients many configurations with tailored products to meet their specific industry requirements as far as possible, and do our best to provide them with valuable guidance and advice based on our manufacturing knowledge of each product, suitability and application,” Pringle concludes.
