ALLWELD NUCLEAR AND INDUSTRIAL: Forging Africa’s Nuclear Engineering Future
The world of energy infrastructure and industrial fabrication is dynamic, and few companies from Africa have carved out as distinctive a footprint as Allweld Nuclear and Industrial. One of the oldest established engineering solution companies in South Africa, Allweld sets out to be the preferred partner for specialised maintenance and engineering services in the marine, mining, nuclear and industrial markets, with expansion and success taking it far beyond the bounds of Africa.
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Previously known as Allweld Marine & Industrial, Allweld Nuclear and Industrial has been serving the African market with distinction since 1962 in sectors spanning petrochemical, food and beverage, marine, mining, nuclear and renewable energy.
Originally a specialist welding and industrial engineering firm in Cape Town, Allweld built its reputation serving local marine, mining and industrial clients across South Africa. Over its lifetime it diversified into broader industrial services, refining its project management and fabrication expertise across heavy‑industry sectors, developing a foundation in high‑quality welding and precision engineering which naturally opened doors into the nuclear sector.
Now, more than six decades into a journey reflecting a strategic evolution built on quality, capability and foresight, Allweld stands as a certified partner in the high‑stakes nuclear sector, and CEO Mervyn Fischer brings a wealth of expertise in the form of 28 years’ experience in various roles at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, as well as in the private sector. “I bought into the company and took control in 2019,” Fischer tells Enterprise Africa, “and the name change followed in 2021. Our focus ever since has very much been on certifying the company to the nuclear standards of the world.”
NUCLEAR SUCCESS
Fischer refers the company’s achievement of ISO19443 certification, the globally recognised quality management standard tailored specifically to the nuclear industry, representing a defining milestone in Allweld’s modern history. In 2023 Allweld became the first company in Africa to attain this certification for nuclear welding and supply services, underlining its adherence to the most demanding requirements of the nuclear supply chain, while, in turn, enabling it to work and partner with international nuclear operators and engineering contractors.
Fischer and his strong team of industry experts have been instrumental in spearheading the development and implementation of an ASME NQA-1 aligned Integrated Management System for Nuclear activities, a critical demonstration that welding procedures, materials, quality control systems and personnel training all meet international nuclear requirements. “We still service all of the industries that we have always serviced,” Fischer clarifies, “but nuclear has become the main focus as we ready for a nuclear renaissance.”
Allweld’s foundation is in advanced welding and metal fabrication, he explains, in high-pressure, success-critical environments such as energy plants and offshore installations. Its nuclear operations focus on specialised welding, fabrication, and maintenance activities performed under strict standards aligned with the international nuclear supply chain, and the company’s footprint is increasingly taking its operations beyond the bounds of South Africa.
“We have established Allweld Nuclear and Industrial in Namibia, which is also certified to ISO19443. We are positioning Namibia as one of our regional bases for supporting energy, mining and nuclear-related projects across southern Africa,” he relays, with this major uranium-producing country and its close proximity to South Africa’s nuclear industry pegged as a strategically important territory for nuclear development.
“We have also set up Interweld, a combination of Intermarine UK and Allweld in South Africa and a locally-based company in the UK, which is an international operating brand and joint venture specifically targeting the UK nuclear market. It was established to expand our specialised nuclear welding and engineering capabilities into European nuclear markets, particularly the UK, but also Poland, one of the fastest-growing nuclear markets in Europe; we have just registered Interweld Polska which will soon join our UK and Namibian arms in being up and running.
“In the longer term we have plans to expand even further into other parts Africa, where new nuclear builds are scheduled,” Fischer adds, naming Ghana, Zambia, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya among the targeted territories.
PARTNER OF CHOICE
Allweld Nuclear and Industrial has carved out a distinctive position in a competitive African sector, a powerful combination of nuclear certification, adherence to international engineering standards, international partnerships and expanding presence all differentiating it markedly. “When I took over the company, I realised that our competitors had all the same certifications as us, which is why it was so important to gain ISO19443, with its much more stringent requirements than ISO9001, to set us apart from all the others. It allows for seamless entry into other quality focused markets, with quality-focused clients, that operate in the likes of hydrogen and LNG,” Fischer explains.
“We can guarantee that with our quality management system that the client is going to receive exactly what they want and what they specify, while precluding the possibility of any counterfeit, fraudulent or suspect items being fitted to their plant.”
While its industrial and nuclear sectors are competitive, very few companies in Africa can match the full scope of Allweld’s offerings. “Our vision is to become the partner of choice within the industries we serve, and we are the preferred supplier to many of the biggest players within the nuclear sector – we have signed long-term agreements with Westinghouse and Framatome, who we already supply with our services.”
To keep its provision quality, certified, and relevant, the Allweld Training Academy was launched at the Africa Energy Indaba in Cape Town in March. The Academy has been in the works for the last five years but is now a mainstream part of the Allweld offering. Designed by leading industry minds to focus on nuclear skills training and nuclear industry knowledge, the long-term vision is to provide a local base for an expected increase in nuclear energy activity in the region.
“We will train radiation protection technicians, radiation decommissioning workers, I&C technicians, nuclear welders, and more,” says Fischer. “There will also be an academic programme around nuclear for non-nuclear executives and leaders which will provide base knowledge of policy, IAEA milestones, operational and construction and decommissioning frameworks to assist in countries that are not yet active in nuclear as they follow that path – especially useful in Africa.”
With the potential rollout of small modular reactors (SMRs) across South Africa, and with suggestions that older coal power stations could be converted to house nuclear capability, Fischer is proud to be pushing the cutting edge through the Allweld Training Academy. “It’s big for us, we will be partnering with Government, SOEs, and communities to ensure lasting skills are in place.”
The year ahead promises to mark yet another defining chapter in the growth story of one of South Africa’s longest-serving engineering solutions outfits, a continuance of its evolution from a specialist welding firm into a recognised player and preferred partner in the global nuclear supply chain, translating technical milestones into international expansion and strategic collaboration.
“The vision was to take our services internationally, and we have already accomplished that to a large degree,” Fischer smiles. “Achieving those unique nuclear certifications has been crucial, alongside our excellent safety record and BEE Level 1 status, and makes us even more attractive to, and looked upon favourably by, international OEMs and companies in the nuclear space.
“Our expanding footprint and partnerships, new, purpose-built operational hubs and the growing demand worldwide for nuclear-grade engineering expertise is seeing Allweld enter a new phase, defined by global reach, technical credibility and a growing role in the future of energy infrastructure.”