Trade News
Heavy engineering company DCD Dorbyl recently placed an order with Afrox for 40 complete customised Harris gas cutting sets. The order, secured against stiff competition, is Afrox’s biggest to date for these gas cutting sets.
Afrox’s Stewart Powlesland, Regional Welding Processes and Applications Specialist, says DCD Dorbyl needed the gas equipment to handle the high volume of pre-work cutting necessary before fabrication could take place on various parts of the Siepin 3000 pipe laying vessel.
The order included a requirement for Afrox to make up 25 30 m sets, which were assembled at the company’s Paarden Eiland Gas & Gear retail outlet and delivered to the Dry Dock section of the Cape Town harbour, where DCD Dorbyl was working on the vessel.
When welding commenced, E7018-1 electrodes and E71T-1 fluxcore wires were used to weld the sections that had to be modified for pipe laying. Approximately 25 tons of Low Hydrogen electrodes and six tons of Trimark fluxcore wires were used.
“Although we faced strong competition when tendering for this business, Afrox’s service capabilities and track record at the harbour during previous refurbishments of this type proved to be the deal-maker,” says Powlesland. “DCD is one of our Western Cape branch’s key customers and the number one fabricator at the harbour.”
Popular Gas Equipment brand Harris — exclusive to Afrox — has been incorporated into Afrox’s mainstream range of products and is accessible to customers through all Afrox branches, as well as selected Gas & Gear retail outlets around the country. A selection of Harris products is currently manufactured under license at Afrox’s state-of-the-art Gas Equipment Factory in Germiston — including the Harris Model 92/77 regulators, Monarch 28 cutting torches and series 2890-F cutting tips.
Afrox’s relationship with Harris goes as far back as the 1970s, when the company was granted exclusive rights to distribute Harris gas equipment throughout sub-Saharan Africa.