A NEW company supplying a branded range of premium electric motors was announced at the KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition held in Durban last week.
Well-known for his expertise and extensive experience in electric motor solutions, co-founder, Hilton Fortmann says, “S&L Africa is a joint venture between Shanghai Explosion Proof Motors and me.
“The new company’s headquarters are here in South Africa, and the partnership agreement has been established to provide quality premium motor solutions and localised support to clients across South Af-rica and sub-Saharan Africa,” he says.
Although the brand is relatively unknown in the country, S&L’s low- and high-voltage motors have been trusted by both local and international companies for over a decade with a vast installed footprint in South and Sub-Saharan Africa, says Fortmann, CEO of S&L Africa.
He says in addition to being a direct supplier of premium cast iron and explosion-proof motor solutions, the company also provides fast local access to stock and spares, as well as Industry-leading turnaround times for manufacturing and delivery.
To service the KwaZulu-Natal region, Fortmann is partnering with Elonics, a company specialising in in-dustrial automation and connectivity solutions, particularly as the official importer and distributor of LS Electric automation and drive products. “It makes sense that we can provide a drive and motor package together. Elonics has been in the business for 38 years and we make a good team,” he says.
“We’ve started rolling out in KZN and, as we establish the S&L brand in other regions, additional partner-ships will be set up.”
According to Fortmann, S&L motors already power key sectors, including petrochemicals, agriculture, construction, mining, and general industry. His immediate focus is on supporting that existing base, where the products have proven quality, reliability and energy efficiency.
The low-voltage range includes IE3 (high efficiency) IE4 premium efficiency and IE5 (ultra efficiency) cast iron, EXD (IE3) flame-proof, (IE3) cast iron pad-mounted, (IE3) steel-frame and NEMA motors in a range of power and efficiency levels.
The high-voltage motor range includes TEFC, CACA and CACW Series (160 kW–20,000 kW, with frames from 355 to 1000.
S&L products are backed by over 30 years of manufacturing excellence. “This product excellence & qual-ity is underpinned by technical support in the form of engineering expertise and application support, as well as responsive customer service and tailored aftersales assistance.”
Fortmann says S&L Africa’s head office will be in Johannesburg and the company’s focus will be on key distribution businesses to support the end-users markets as well as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
“Our motors are certified to global standards including IEC, MEPS, ISO, and ATEX. As per the VC 9113 Compulsory Specification the S&L motors are tested to IEC 60034-2-1 and IEC 60034-30-1 as well as meeting the SANS 1804 local requirements. With stock, spares, and application support available locally, we are ready to support Africa’s industrial evolution with world-class motor solutions.
“This is an exciting step forward, and I look forward to partnering with businesses who value reliability, quality, efficiency,” he says.
