Dickinson Group of Companies shows increase in business by adopting new techniques

Local furnace and industrial services company Dickinson Group of Companies, has shown an increase of 60% in business over the course of last 20 years through constant expansion of its specialized industrial services in the aluminium industry.

The MD of DRS Mozambique, the aluminium smelter services company in the Dickinson group, Clinton Pretorius says that they offer a wide range of products and services integrated with the aluminium smelter industry. However, cost effectiveness is a key requirement in the industry.

DRS Mozambique has continuously adapted their methods to get the maximum benefit while keeping the cost to a minimum. Being in the industry for over two decades, they have worked with giants in the industry like BHP Billiton, Hillside and Bayside smelters in KwaZulu-Natal and Mozal, its partly-owned aluminium smelter in Maputo, Mozambique.

The company has helped many aluminium smelters increase efficiency and reduce the overall cost of production by their innovative techniques like adopting different methods to make the removal of spilled products quicker during basement clearing, where the aluminium pot shells are kept. This helps prevent the pots from overheating and creates an opportunity to reintroduce the spilled products into the aluminium smelting process.

They are also looking at new ways to extend the life of the induction furnace that is used to melt cast iron in the aluminium process by improving the lining technique aiming to increase the furnace life to 500 heats from its current 120 heats. This will ensure cost savings as well as increased safety.

The technology is currently being tested and verified by DRS Mozambique.