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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
MAY
2016
Eastgate Shopping Centre, one of Johannesburg’s
largest super-regional malls, is nearing the
completion of its 24-month refurbishment and
extension programme with the project being
driven by asset manager, Stanlib.
Cobus Schutte, a project engineer at
Hatch’s Johannesburg office.
PROJECTS AND CONTRACTS
These range from thermal power gener-
ation (including conventional and
advanced technologies) to cogene-
ration, gasification (coal, biomass and waste),
coal-to-liquids and gas quality control. The latter
includes flue-gas emission reduction to syngas
handling, treatment and carbon management.
Cobus Schutte, a project engineer at Hatch’s
Johannesburg office, has extensive experience
in the petrochemical industry, including his
role as lead licensor mechanical engineer for
the front-end engineering and design of a coal
gasification facility in India.
Schutte has continued to play an important
role in a long-term contract with Sasol,
which originally appointed Hatch as one of
two preferred engineering companies for
its Fixed Bed Dry Bottom (FBDB™) gasifi-
cation technology.
“The engineering services that we are
providing here on an ongoing basis include
materials handling design, machine design
and pressure vessel design,” Schutte explains.
“Here Hatch is playing a key role in fine-tuning
its gasification technology in order to boost its
syngas generation and coal-to-liquids business
over the next decade.”
In the power generation arena, Schutte has
been involved with a project inMozambique on a
100 MWgas-fired power station project, utilising
reciprocating engines. He is also engaged with
evaluating different technologies and tenders
for a major gold producer in Tanzania. These
range from hybrid solar thermal solutions to
thermal solutions only for a 30 MW power
generation facility.
“We have also completed a feasibility
study for a client in the municipal wastewater
industry for the generation of electricity
from methane produced in its anaerobic
digesters,” Schutte adds.“We are looking at 1 MW
to 1,8 MW of electricity production, also from
reciprocating engines.”
Schutte is also involved as owner’s engineer
on the 2 x 300 MW expansion of the Hwange
thermal power station in Zimbabwe for client
ZPC. Hatch is assisting the Zimbabwean elec-
tricity in tender evaluation and adjudication, as
well as detailed design reviews.
“If you want to talk power generation and
energy projects in general, Africa is definitely
the place to be,” Schutte comments. “While we
are not aware of too many large-scale power
generation facilities being erected, there is a lot of
focus on own generation, such as remote mines
or any kind of production facility.” As an example
of the latter, Schutte points to Hatch’s involve-
ment with a boiler and turbine refurbishment
The shopping centre will soon be ready to launch as the leading
premier lifestyle destination in the East of Johannesburg with
133 000 m² of prime retail space to cater for every kind of shopper.
The extensive project has already seen a façade and image trans-
formation. Alex Phakathi, Liberty Property Portfolio fund manager for
Eastgate Shopping Centre says, “The design approach takes its inspiration
ENERGY SOLUTIONS IN AFRICA
Global engineering and consulting firm Hatch has a range of
innovative technologies in the energy sector, which it is showcasing
at various mining, petrochemical and industrial projects in Africa.
project for a copper plant in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo.
Schutte currently heads up the Custom
Machine Design Group for Hatch in the Africa,
Europe and Middle East region. “My responsibil-
ities range from teammanagement to technical
reviews as well as business development with
new and existing clients.”
He stresses that Hatch is able to bring a full
spectrum of solutions to the table. “We have our
different business units, all with their own subject
matter experts, who can assist with everything
from concept designs through to technical
evaluations and feasibility studies.
“Then we have our project delivery group,
with its own highly experienced engineers,
who can assist with the execution of the
full project lifecycle, from basic engineering
to detailed execution, and then also to
manage the construction of our clients’ facilities,”
Schutte concludes.
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TWO YEAR REFURBISHMENT ALMOST COMPLETE
from Eastgate’s location in a valley with beautiful surrounding views out
to the northern and southern hills. Massive windows have been added on
the lower and upper level of Woolworths to emphasise the external envi-
ronment and achieve more natural light. The refurbished entrances have
double volume glass facades with huge overarching roofs to welcome the
landscape into the centre and in turn allow the centre to reach out to its
physical environment. The relocation of lifts and mall links and the creation
of an additional two levels of parking have considerably improved the flow
of foot-traffic of the mall. One of the goals of the project is also to improve
accessibility for shoppers.”
The project has ensured the introduction of fast-fashion powerhouse
outlets such as Zara and River Island. 2016 has already seen the further
introduction of a diverse selection of premium brand tenants such as the
high-end skincare specialist Dermalogica store that opened in February.
In addition, a number of new food offerings will be introduced to the
centre. The Nü Health Food Café chain of trendy health restaurants has taken
Cape Town by storm, and Eastgate shoppers will be able to enjoy the Nü
Health offering in April. Nü Health is a complementary match for the health
conscious and trendy clientele that frequent Eastgate.
Seven Colours due to open in April will add to the centres café offering.
Shoppers can also look forward to the re-opening of Bedfordview’s favou-
rite, Harpers. Harpers will be located in a new stand-alone store near the
new Zara mall link.
In early December 2015, Ster-Kinekor unveiled a cinema and entertain-
ment complex. The offering boasts luxurious Cine Prestige 3D cinemas and
an IMAX® theatre.
Phakathi concluded,“We are delighted with the success of the project to
date and encouraged by the positive consumer feedback. Currently there
are over 280 tenants trading at Eastgate Shopping Centre with the figure
due to increase to over 300 by the end of 2016.”
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