The Riversands Incubation Hub recently held a co-hosted session with Curro Pumps to explain the considerable benefits of its newly patented technology for pumps used in the mining industry. Engineering and technical SMEs on the Riversands campus were also invited to the informative meeting.
Chief executive officer of family-owned and run Curo Pumps Dr. Gavin Robinson explained that market interest for the South African developed and manufactured Gland Service Regulator was extremely high since its installation in a slurry pump spells substantial savings for all mines.
“We partnered with Riversands Incubation Hub to use one of the many venues at The Canvas Riversands. When we first introduced the concept of this session, we were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response to our invitation and I realised that we would need a larger venue and approached our friends at Riversands. For Curo Pumps, an added incentive was the inclusion of relevant SMEs in the audience.”
The Gland Service Regulator can be considered a preventative maintenance technique to ensure a longer life for the operating slurry pumps, which process the remnants produced by the ore extraction processes.
“One mine saved R10 million over a period of three months by installing our Gland Service. This technology has the potential to revitalise the local mining industry, given the fact that many current reclamation projects entail reworking previously discarded material. Think of the disappearing mine dumps around Johannesburg,” said Robinson.
With the Riversand Incubation Hub on the lookout for innovation and technology to help resolve South Africa’s unemployment crisis, CEO of the Incubation Hub, Jenny Retief explained how this technology could help resolve the crisis. “This new technology offers opportunities for our engineering SMEs while helping mines become vastly more sustainable into the future,” she said.
Robinson and Retief met about 10 years ago when Robinson was the Director of the Soweto Science Centre for a University of Johannesburg Maths Advancement Programme, where 1 800 learners were mentored and improved their marks at school.
Entrepreneur Sthembiso Mkansi from Liquid flow, who was in the audience, found the information extremely interesting.
“I’ll be recommending this new technology to my clients because it’s clear that it’ll solve recurring problems in plants.
It was an inspiring morning,” he said. Liquid flow offers pumps and engineering services and is based at Riversands Incubation Hub.
Related article:
The Yard at Riversands Incubation Hub celebrate World Malaria Day
