From the growing of sugar cane on the agricultural side to sugar refineries on the production side, Bearings International (BI) plays a key role in this important economic sector. Typical solutions provided relate to the conveyor equipment used to move a cane through all the stages of processing required to extract the sucrose, to the final movement of the waste by-product used as a combustible fuel source for the boilers. Reliable conveyor systems are critical for sugar mills to maintain productivity, as any stoppages have a knock-on effect on the entire process.
“Mill operations are dynamic in nature, with so many stages being interdependent. Hence the production time that can be lost is substantial. It also takes a meaningful period to get a mill up and running again and its throughput balanced,” says Durban branch manager, Nick Allanson. “Here BI focuses on stocking loose components, which play an important role in servicing the sugar industry. Without loose components, we do not have the flexibility necessary to respond timeously to the demands of a particular sugar mill,” he explains.
Loose components are vital for the refurbishment of used chains and extending the life of chains is essential in reducing the operational costs of sugar mills. Allanson adds that every year in the off-crop season chains are sent to the Durban facility for stripping, inspection, refurbishment and reassembly.
However BI can also conduct on-site inspections of chain conveyor equipment.
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