The founding in 2001 of Dynamic Fluid Control Pty Ltd brought together seven of the most well known and established brands in the local and international valve industry. Some of these date way back to 1958, and under its new name DFC seeks to continue the central traditions of excellence in production, service and technical support that characterise both the individual brands and the company as a whole.
There are many similarities in the originalbrands under Aveng Manufacturing DFC’s stewardship, recognition of which has resulted in the firm splitting its services and products to focus on its two principal markets: water and mining. DFC Water and DFC Mining and Industrial respectively are the two resulting entities, and both act as the marketing, service and research and development arms of Dynamic Fluid Control. Each of these pairis both managed and serviced by a highly dedicated team, one which places a keen focus on customer satisfaction and the selling of effective solutions.
The valve manufacturing unit has had firmly established roots in the valve business dating back to its founding by Blakeborough Valves, a UK company, in 1948. At this time the primary manufacturing concerns were of gate, reflux and equilibrium float valves, however, the inevitable addition over the years of various products to its portfolio eventually resulted in the company’s dual specialisms in the Water and Mining industries, and the eventual formation of what we now know as Dynamic Fluid Control (PTY) LTD. From these inauspicious beginnings DFC now boasts the largest valve manufacturing facility in Southern Africa. Its established facilities in the USA, Europe and Australia, allows DFC to serve the global mining and water markets, via its team of 3 600 employees and its 18 factories across Africa.
Aveng Manufacturing itself manufactures and supplies concrete products to the construction sector, and provides services and engineered solutions to clients in markets from mining, water, oil and gas through toconstruction, as well as rail construction and maintenance services to the transport sector. Alongside DFC the group also includes comprises Aveng Manufacturing Infraset, Aveng Manufacturing Duraset and Aveng Manufacturing Lennings Rail Service. Although the group’s origins unquestionably lie in modest construction projects, it is now placed to offer expertise in the full range of services, including steel, engineering, manufacturing, mining, concessions, public infrastructure and water treatment.
As this South African consortium continues to establish itself worldwide, the group achieved solid revenue growth of 13%to R3,5 billion as well as much improvement in operating earnings for the previous financial year, a 26%riseto R227 million. This was in large part due to the award of major construction, maintenance and materials supply contracts for railway projects in South Africa, Mozambique and Zambia, and was bolstered by ongoing construction products in South Africa. In the key areas of construction products and rail construction and maintenance, the group’s Aveng Manufacturing Infraset arm benefited from pursuing significant opportunities in South Africa and Southern Africa, increasing its supply of both concrete sleepers and pipes to rail projects.
Among its most notable achievements were the 58 000 sleepers delivered by its newly constructed factory in Tete, Mozambique to the Nacala Section 2 Railway Project, as well as a further 140 000 sleepers from its Brakpan factory to Zambian Railways. Aveng Manufacturing placed significant focus on expanding its capacity in the rest of Africa over the course of the year, embodied by this new factory in Tete which commenced operations in March 2014, and which is now well placed to capitalise on other opportunities in the coal mining and related infrastructure developments, both in Tete province and further afield in East Africa. While the group also operates a factory in Swaziland, it is considering further expansion of its Zambian factory to accommodate increasing demand from Zambian Railways.
Dynamic Fluid Control was able to use this ever increasing global footprint to good effect,seeing a 9% growth in its annual revenue to R427 million.Higher international sales volumes in the USA and Finlandbrought about such success,while the weaker rand helped to mitigate what were softer mining and water markets in South Africa and Australia. It also entered into long-term contracts with two major market players – Tsurumi, a Japanese supplier of water pumps and Clay-val, a European supplier of large water valves – which will see DFC supply both company’s products to the rest of Africa.
Growing its presence in international markets has been at the forefront of DFC’s operations in recent years, and it currently trades in North and South America, Europe, Russia and the Middle East. Supply agreements with these international water pump and large valve suppliers will help greatly in diversifyingDFC’sextensive product range yetfurther, while the newly acquired Atval will also give DFC access to the high-pressure knife gate valve markets in Africa, Europe, and North and South America. Meanwhile, the US arm of DFC’s operations is seeking to pursue opportunities to expand into Latin America, Canada and Russia, further strengthening its position in the global markets.
It speaks volumes of the DFC approach that, this far down the line from its founding, it is still able to meet the requirements of what are the harshest valve operating environments in Africa. DFC mining division executive director Pat Stander explains that this is largely down to the fact that, “we provide technical advice on the correct valve for any application free of charge,”not needing to look to Australia, South America or even the Far East for valves, “because we make them closer to home, here in South Africa”.DFC has three main valve ranges for mining applications: Saunders, Insamcor and RF Valves, with each of these three corebrands using local components, such as rubber linings, producedin DFC’s own rubber plant. These are linings that DFC has developed over several years for different applications, resulting in a far more durable end product. “DFC manufactures a product that is going to outperform rather than underprice,”states Stander,“delivering the lowest lifetime cost to the customer rather than the lowest initial purchase price.”
The new team at Aveng Manufacturing DFCcomprises individuals with specialist skills acrossthe water, effluent and mineral processing sectors, and is focussed now on expanding the business across the African continent.DFC’s innovative and sustainable infrastructure management solutions focus on improving plant efficiencies, and mean that it remains the leading local provider, manufacturer and supplier of valves and pumps in its chosen industries.
With water resource management among the most significant global challenges of the 21st century, the situation in South Africa is particularly complex. This is a semi-arid country with low rainfall, limited underground aquifers, and a heavy reliance on water transfers from other nations, and thus DFC’s focus on reducing costs and energy usage for customers and improving and securingan efficient and uninterrupted water supply becomes ever more crucial.DFC’s commitment to supporting the local community as it does this runs throughout the business. As a local leader it creates jobs in South Africa and supports local foundries and other industries, as well asbuying locally. Its 60 years of honing its craft is now centred around its 100% owned rubber processing facility, developed over, offering a peerless selling proposition moving into its next stages.