Specialist industrial hose and couplings manufacturer Jachris has recently invested in three Leadwell CNC lathes that will be replacing 10 existing machines in the machine shop.
“We manufacture and import product for fluid and material transfer, fluid power and fire suppression across a wide spectrum of industries. Most of the time our products will be required to operate in harsh conditions and in many cases they will be important components in safety critical areas,” said Warwick Bouwer CEO of Jachris and the grandson of the founder of the company.
Jachris have recently invested in two Leadwell T7A horizontal turning centers and one Leadwell T7AM turning center with driven tools, all supplied by WD Hearn Machine Tools. All three machines are equipped with Renishaw tool probes for tool setting and broken tool detection, have Siemens 828DB CNC controls, an A2-6/65mm/10” chuck spindle configuration and BA65 1500 bar feeders
“When my grandfather Jacobus established the company in 1976 he was supplying coolant hose for furnaces, whether they were operating in general industry or on the mines. This is an area of manufacturing where you do not want to experience failures because the consequences are not worth thinking about. Equally you don’t want contamination occurring in the case of the food or petrochemical industries, for example,” explained Bouwer.
Jachris manufacture their own custom-built hose and fit the end fittings
“Our business has been built on design, quality of production and service. Intense quality assurance at every stage of production by means of visual inspection and a complete range of in-house testing facilities ensures that critical standards in safety and quality are met. Key partnerships, both local and international, coupled with extensive experience in the field of fluid transfer has enabled us to draw upon the highest level of technical expertise and propose practical solutions to difficult and demanding applications.”
“To keep abreast of our demanding high standards we knew we would have to address the situation in our machine shop as the machines in this department were getting a bit ‘tired’. Hundreds of different fittings, couplings, adaptors, swivels, flanges and various other end fittings are machined every day in that department. Stainless steel is the predominant material that we beneficiate but we also machine a variety of other materials depending on where the component or product will be used.”
Jachris stainless steel annular hose is manufactured to ISO 10380 Standard. Hose assembly manufacturing is according to ASME B31.3-20
“We had invested in a Leadwell V40L vertical machining center a few years ago and have been very happy with its performance. We have now invested in two Leadwell T7A horizontal turning centers and one Leadwell T7AM turning center with driven tools, all supplied by WD Hearn Machine Tools.”
“All three machines are equipped with Renishaw tool probes for tool setting and broken tool detection, have Siemens 828DB CNC controls, an A2-6/65mm/10” chuck spindle configuration and BA65 1500 bar feeders.”
Investment programme “This investment in our CNC machining department is one leg of a larger investment programme that the company has embarked on. Since 2012 the company has made hydraulic hose supply a priority but we have not neglected the industrial hose side of the business. Whereas all our hydraulic hose and components are imported from our partner Gates Hydraulic Hose & Fittings in the US – it is not the done thing in the industry to mix and match – the industrial hose such as our hand-built rubber hose (Elephant Trunk) is all manufactured in-house.”
Jachris manufacture their own end fittings
“It is in this department where we have invested in a calendering machine. Almost all the textile and rubber manufacturing firms require use of a calendering machine. The calendering machine imparts a smooth touch to the fabric by improving the fabric’s opacity and compressing it to make it lighter. It also reduces yarn slippage and can be used to impregnate rubber raw material with fabric. Most of the fabric and rubber we use to make our industrial flexible hoses go through this process before progressing to the baking/curing oven.”
“All the fittings and components used in this division are machined locally.”
Container hose workshops “Although not our idea we believe that we have perfected these onsite workshops. A major portion of our clients are in the mining industry and they have many yellow, red and green machines and vehicles running around and working on site. Hydraulics is therefore an important element of all this equipment and the hydraulic hoses will need replacing. We therefore have set up these container hose workshops (CHW) at the mine and they can carry out immediate repairs or replacement. Mines can’t wait for you to arrive from Johannesburg to solve their problem.”
“The CHWs also allow us to assemble our product as close to the end user as possible.”
An existing machine that Jarchris has on the floor is a Leadwell V40L vertical machining center
“We are not confined to the mining industry although it is a very positive source of supply for us and that is not just local. We have branches or subsidiaries in Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Ghana, Mauritania and the DRC servicing all sorts of industries.”
“Locally SAB, now AB Inbev, is a big client of ours as are the three entities that made up the Scaw Group before they were split up. These are examples of companies that don’t operate in the mining space.”
Industrial hose such as hand-built rubber hose (Elephant Trunk) is all manufactured in-house
“We are also 51% owned by ATA Capital, a majority black-owned investment fund manager company and this provides real benefits.”
“We do have other plans to invest more in our manufacturing facility in Springs including a dedicated metrology/inspection department. Overall we are very bullish about Africa’s prospects.”
For further details contact Jachris on TEL: 011 813 4009 or visit www.jachris.com