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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
APRIL 2015
18
CONSTRUCTION
S
haw Controls, a company within the
Zest WEG Group, has extended its
product offering to encompass low
voltage (LV) and medium voltage (MV) ap-
plications. It manufactures switchboard
panels and control systems from 24 V up to
36 000 V (36 kV) for the industrial, mining
and infrastructure sectors.
“Shaw Controls offers a complete product
line from MV switchgear to LV withdrawable
Motor Control Centres (MCCs),” Valter Luiz
Knihs, Group Automation & Systems Di-
rector, says. These locally manufactured
products are independently certified in
accordance with the IEC 62271-200 and
IEC 61439-1/2 standards. According to IEC
specifications, LV covers applications up
to 690 V, while the MV range is from 1 kV
up to 52 kV. In addition, Shaw Controls has
recently received ISO 9001 accreditation
from Bureau Veritas.
LV switchboard panels range from SC 100,
SC 200 to SC 300 models, which can be
configured for various applications at dif-
ferent fault levels and current ratings. This
gives Shaw Controls the flexibility to be
able to offer fit-for-purpose solutions. A re-
cent addition to the Shaw Controls product
range is the CCM 03 ZA withdrawable MCC
which is an already well-established prod-
uct of WEG Brazil. This highly successful
MCC solution will now be manufactured in
South Africa.
All products include both a mechanical and
electrical interlock system to ensure max-
imum safety, while the construction itself
is robust. Switchgear panels are manufac-
tured in bent steel profiles and enclosed on
all sides by steel plating. Over-pressure re-
lief devices in the top provide for pressure
relief in the event of internal arc. Shield-
type MV switchgear have metal divisions
separating the compartments.
The general busbar configuration compris-
es one or more rectangular bars, manufac-
tured from electrolytic copper with tin-plat-
ed fittings. The LV compartment is located
in the upper front part, which houses the
measuring instruments, protection relay,
terminals, thermostats and contacts. This is
completely isolated from the MV via a steel
plate, with its own closable door.
The Zest WEG Group recently also an-
nounced a significant expansion of Shaw
Controls’ manufacturing capabilities. This
SHAW CONTROLS
EXTENDS ITS PRODUCT OFFERING
to encompass low voltage and
medium voltage applications
is to cater for the significantly extended
product range as well as the increased de-
mand for Shaw Controls’ E-Housing solu-
tions. This expansion will include the design
and establishment of a 2 000 m2 stand-
alone E-House and container conversion
facility. Shaw Controls’ E-Houses represent
a cost-effective alternative to traditional
containerised solutions manufactured in
standalone marine containers.
The expansion of Shaw Controls is in line
with the Zest WEG Group’s strategy of
extending its manufacturing capability to
boost its presence in the local market and
in Africa, which is perceived as a major
growth area. “Our aim is to position the
Zest WEG Group as a regional hub of WEG
and in so doing position Shaw Controls as
the number one panel builder and systems
integrator in Africa,” Louis Meiring, CEO of
the Zest WEG Group, says.
Shaw Controls will also be able to leverage
off the Zest WEG Group to offer a total solu-
tions package for its customers’ complete
electrical requirements, from switchboard
panels and control systems to transform-
ers, switchgear, MCCs, distribution boards,
motors and also full installation if need be.
“Our product range can be integrated with
the rest of the Zest WEG Group companies
for turnkey projects,” Knihs says.
Another milestone achieved by Shaw Con-
trols is that all of its LV products have been
successfully type tested to the IEC 61439-1
and IEC 61641 standards. The maximum
test rating is 690V+5% @ 65 kA. “We are
at the forefront of testing and compliance
in South Africa with all certification being
undertaken independently, which helps po-
sition the Zest WEG Group at the top end of
the local market,” Knihs concludes.
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