September 2013 Tube ProducTS InTernaTIonal
11
business & market news
Emergency water removal project
First Tech Piping, a division of the First
Tech Group, successfully completed
emergency piping work on De Beers’
Venetia Diamond Mine in the Limpopo
province of South Africa, within the tight
thirty-day timeline given for the project.
First Tech Piping is a manufacturer,
supplier and installer of HDPE
thermoplastic piping.
The company was requested in early
February to assist with the removal
of approximately one million cubic
metres of water that had gathered in the
lowest point of the opencast mining pit,
following unprecedented flooding in the
area in January.
Due to the urgency of the situation
from a timing point of view, the project
was initially regarded as ‘mission
impossible’, according to Pieter de Frey,
CEO of First Tech Piping, who says he
is exceptionally proud that his team
was able to successfully conclude the
project in record time.
Mr de Frey explained, “Following the
massive floods in Limpopo in January,
masses of water flowed into the open
pit. This was detrimental to the mine
because the water, which amounted to
around a million cubic metres, affected
the most concentrated diamond deposit
in the mine.”
Upon being approached by Venetia
Mine, which is the largest producer
of diamonds in South Africa, First
Tech Piping immediately initiated the
manufacture and installation of more
piping to remove the water.
“The pit is approximately 300m deep
with a surface area of 221 hectares
and required two additional pipe line
diameters, a 400mm and 450mm
nominal diameter, with different pressure
ratings up to 20,000 KPa, to dewater the
mine in the scheduled time,” said Steve
Ashley, technical executive at First Tech
Piping.
“The lengths of pipe, each 12m long,
were welded together on site using six
welding machines and a total of 8,300
bolts, which were also brought to site
for assembly. In the end, 500 welds
were completed.”
First Tech Piping’s original estimate of
the time frame for completion of the
project was 55 days, said Mr de Frey.
“Once we got to the site it seemed like
an impossible task, but thanks to the
strategic and creative manner in which
our team worked we managed to meet
the deadline.” This included keeping
First Tech Pipe’s manufacturing facility
open around the clock and remaining
open for the Easter weekend in order to
complete the project on time.
“Despite the pressure brought about
by this project’s urgent nature and time
constraints, First Tech Piping ensured
that all quality, health and safety
regulations were strictly adhered to,”
added Mr Ashley.
“De Beers promotes a culture of zero
harm to people, planet and profit and
the First Tech team working on-site
underwent strict safety inductions
before access to the site was granted.”
First Tech Group owns 19 production
facilities, and its 18 divisions have
branches and agencies situated
throughout South Africa, with active
national and international distribution
channels.
SABS certification, ISO 9001:2008
accreditation and Level 4 BBBEE
certification underline the group’s
commitment to providing service to
clients in a range of industries.
First Tech Piping
– South Africa
First Tech Piping assisted with the removal of water that had
gathered in the lowest point of the opencast mining pit
PP COMPRESSION
FITTINGS
20 BAR
E-mail:
Tel : +90(312) 394 40 95
Fax : +90(312) 394 40 99
PLASTIC MOULD FACTORY
100%
ORIGINAL
MADE IN TURKEY
.
com
