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As loading shedding continues to negatively impact on agricultural output, Sub-Saharan gas market leader Afrox will be displaying a range of LPG power generation alternatives, in addition to its tried-and-trusted welding equipment, consumable, gases and personal protective equipment (PPE) at the 2015 NAMPO Harvest Day event.
More than 70 000 guests are expected to attend the 48th annual NAMPO Harvest Day from 12 May to 15 May, 2015. The event – which is hosted in Bothaville, Free State, by Grain South Africa –constitutes one of the largest privately owned and organised exhibitions in the world, in addition to being the largest show of agricultural machinery and livestock in the Southern Hemisphere.
Afrox events manager Mark Perfett indicates that NAMPO serves as the ideal platform for the company to further enhance relationships with the agricultural sector. “A considerable amount of welding equipment and consumables is utilised by the agricultural sector. With all major industry decision makers in one location, NAMPO enables us to widely reach this sector more effectively.”
The largest challenge currently facing the agricultural sector is load shedding, and Perfett reveals that Afrox is positioning itself as a more cost effective and safer energy solutions provider through its well-known LPG Handigas. “Handigas LPG can be used in agricultural applications such as chicken broiler heating, welding, cooking, lighting and heating for home usage. By educating the market about the convenience and availability of alternative energy, we are able to provide much needed supplement to the power grid.”
Each year, Afrox develops a NAMPO exhibition theme that supports its wider strategy. The 2015 theme is ‘Quality you can trust’. Perfett notes that the Afrox quality management system ensures that all products are supplied to international, national and company standards.
“These quality products, together with first-class customer service, efficient systems and an underlying commitment to safety, ensure a superior customer experience. Afrox will be out in force at NAMPO 2015 with a range of products and services on display that underpin this theme,” he says.
Among the products on display at the Afrox stand this year is the locally manufactured SMOOTHFLO regulator, which is widely recognised as the most technologically advanced gas pressure regulator ever introduced to the global industrial market. SMOOTHFLO is one of the safest gas regulators in its class, offering a multi-stage-like performance from a single-stage regulator.
Afrox will also be displaying its GoldFlo bronze-coated GMAW wire for high integrity work. Its improved chemical composition levels ensures improved weld metal de-oxidisation, making it ideally suited to welding metals with a medium to high presence of mill scale or rust. “The bronze coating enables welding of current densities up to 25 per cent above normal copper coated wire, achieving a higher melting and deposition rate and increasing welding speeds by up to 20 percent,” adds Perfett.
As part of its total welding solution, the Afrox stand will also showcase some key welding consumables for the agricultural sector, including; stainless steel and low hydrogen electrodes, which come in DriPac packaging for extra protection against any moisture pick-up. Other consumables on display include; hardfacing electrodes for farm equipment repair; Vitemax premium electrodes for mild steel application, as well as the cost-effective alternative electrode, Transarc 6013.
What’s more, Agrigas is Afrox’s exclusive industrial gas offer that provides farmers with the flexibility to keep cylinders without having to pay a monthly rental for those not used. The rental fee is included in the gas price and is only charged when the gas is refilled. Currently this offer is available in 10,2 kg and 4,6 kg oxygen cylinders and 8 kg, 6,9 kg and 4,6 kg dissolved acetylene (DA). The soon to be launched 7.1kg Argoshield 5 cylinder will also be on display, which is used in the MIG welding process as a shielding gas.
For small MIG and TIG welding requirements, Afrox offers farmers its Portashield and PortaTig shielding gases in highly portable 1,8 kg and 1.9 kg cylinders respectively. Refillable Portashield and PortaTig cylinders use the same valve as the large shielding gas cylinders – eliminating the need for an additional regulator. This convenient and cost-effective offering incorporates a once-off non-refundable service and maintenance fee for the lifetime of the cylinder.
Visitors to the Afrox stand can also learn more about its value-added service exchange scheme, known as ‘Servex’. Under this scheme, standard welding and cutting equipment that is not in good working order can be instantly exchanged for a reconditioned equivalent at a reduced price, without having to wait for repairs to be carried out.
“The major advantage of the Servex scheme is that it ensures welding and cutting equipment is always in good working order, making it easy to exchange an old or damaged piece of Afrox equipment for a new, safety-certified product at a well discounted price,” Perfett concludes.
Afrox will be exhibiting at Stand 49 throughout the duration of the NAMPO Harvest Day event. A professional technical team will be in attendance to provide one-on-one demonstrations, answer technical questions and sell products at special prices. Afrox will also be hosting competitions and giveaways.