New owners, a new business model, a new structure – a new business.
Andre Dames – Operations Manager at Trifab Engineering Pty Ltd – started working at the company over 10 years ago. At that time the company was run under another name that had already been operating for 40 years. Its history shows that the company focus changed direction a few times but eventually settled down as a fabrication and assembly company by adding value to sheet metal and with a focus on stainless steel processing.
“I joined a company that was well established in industry and had its set ways. It was certainly not regarded as a production outfit but rather as a jobbing shop. It had also been involved in cutting-to-length from coil and then polishing, for a long time. It was profitable so there was nothing wrong with that,” explained Dames.
One of the first new machines to arrive at Trifab Engineering was a Hugong Intelaser 3015, which was supplied by TRM Supplies. The fiber laser has a 4kW fiber source and a bed size of 3 000mm by 1 500mm. Earlier this year a second fiber laser machine was installed by TRM Supplies but this time it was a 3kW Hugong Flashlaser 3015 fiber laser
“I was fortunate to be able to learn the many different processes in sheet metal processing, which included punching/perforating, bending, shearing, polishing and welding, because the company had the machinery and equipment to perform these tasks,” continued Dames.
New owners, a new business model, a new structure – a new business
The family-run company took on a new look three years ago when the founder decided to sell the business and retire. He wanted to have a clean break so Thomas Holtz, the current CEO of Multotec got his friend of 30 years and university mate Emil Berning interested in forming a partnership to acquire the business.
“I wanted to diversify my investment portfolio and the company looked like a good prospect. At the time I had some grasp of sheetmetal processing as had held senior management positions within a number of multinational engineering companies,” explained Berning.
Trifab Engineering have also purchased a Hugong hand-held fiber laser that was delivered by TRM Supplies. The machine is a HGLW-2kW fiber laser welder
“In fact, my whole career has been intertwined with engineering linked companies and some of them had their own manufacturing facilities. So, I had some knowledge and experience and of course I had built up a network.”
“We acquired the company in 2022 and Andre was the most senior employee in the company and had the experience and attitude that we were looking for so we appointed him as the Operations Manager. As it has transpired, he does much more than looking after the shop floor and has taken on many general management responsiblities.”
“At the same time, we changed the company name to Trifab Engineering as we wanted to establish a new image of a professional business. When we acquired the business, it was a going concern and despite the name change the business continued to operate without interruption.”
The company has also installed a Trumpf Trumatic 500 CNC punching machine with a work area of 2 535mm by 1 280mm by 8mm
Uplifting staff
Dames takes up the conversation: “Ask anyone in metal fabrication about their greatest challenge in this business and the conversation unfailingly falls back to skilled labour. Shop classes have gone extinct. Fewer people have mechanical aptitude. Heck, many are just happy to find someone who can read a tape measure.”
“We were in the same boat, like many others. With the new business model, new structure and plans that had been drawn up we had to focus on our human assets. I have learned over the years if someone takes an interest in you, they will respond with a positive attitude. And training is a very sure way of uplifting the staff attitude.”
“I knew that with the imminent strategy to invest in new equipment we needed the staff to be trained so where necessary they could work on the state-of-the-art machinery.”
“But it is not just about the training. It is also about transferring knowledge. Transferring your knowledge that comes with your experience in the industry. I have found that the combination of the training and allocating some extra roles has motivated them and you can see they have grown in their dispositions and attitude towards being productive.”
Trifab Engineering is very versatile in the type of work it does in metal forming and fabrication. The company is big in doing components for projects, ad hoc commissions and batch production and have clients in general industry, mining and extractive industries, HVAC, petrochemical and refining, food and beverage, architectural, construction and the leisure industry
“It makes sense that you evolve everything from the staff to the machinery, make everybody feel they are part of the team. With that comes the smiles on the faces and putting the company first. They have got to be excited to come to work because they are going to advance their own skills, knowledge and experience.”
“Most of the training has been done in-house but if someone wants to further their skills, we will support them.”
New equipment
“The company had been running on aged equipment that had become slow and really unproductive. When the punching machines were purchased, they were the latest technology available. We have now got rid of them except for one which we have kept for a specific job.”
“Getting rid of six machines gives you extra space on the shop floor and a chance to optimise the space and flow. If you look back at the company 80% of the equipment that we now use was not here three years ago. That is change for the better.”
Components that have been processed and fabricated
“One of the first machines to arrive was a Hugong Intelaser 3015 which was supplied by TRM Supplies. The fiber laser has a 4kW fiber source and a bed size of 3 000mm by 1 500mm.”
“Shortly after that a Hugong hand-held fiber laser was delivered by TRM Supplies. It is a HGLW-2kW fiber laser welder.”
“This was followed by a Trumpf Trumatic 500 CNC punching machine with a work area of 2 535mm by 1 280mm by 8mm. We did purchase it as a used machine but it had very few working hours on it. Besides it more than replaces the output that the six punching machines that we got rid of were giving us.”
“Then earlier this year our second 3kW Hugong Flashlaser-3015 fiber laser was supplied by TRM Supplies.”
“This gives us great coverage in the popular range of 1mm up to 6mm gauge. About 80% of our work is done with stainless steel but we are not limited to that.”
A general view of the laser processing and forming area of the shop floor
“We are also very loyal to our clients with respect to the fact that we will never go the finished product route. We do fabrication and assembly for them. We also generally refrain from taking on a client that is in competition to an existing client. We don’t believe in ‘horse-trading’.”
A bit more diverse and versatile
“Traditionally the components and semi-finished metal products that the company has supplied include architectural products, bench tops, chutes, clad plate, dished ends, fascia panels, flashings, flooring and walkways, gutters and guttering, kick plates and panels, but we are not limited to these.”
“We are big on doing components for projects, ad hoc commissions and batch production and we have clients in general industry, mining and extractive industries, HVAC, petrochemical and refining, food and beverage, architectural, construction and the leisure industry.”
The company offers laser cutting of mild steel up to 12mm in thickness, or up to 6mm for stainless steel, plasma cutting of steel sheets up to 3 000mm x 1 500mm, in thicknesses up to 12mm (stainless steel) and 20mm (mild steel), guillotine cutting for steel sheets and elements up to 4.5mm in thickness and bending of sheet with thicknesses of 3mm and lengths of up to 6 000mm
“We offer multiple primary processes to support or complement your manufacturing, assembly or product realisation operations. These include laser cutting of mild steel up to 12mm in thickness, or up to 6mm for stainless steel. For heavier duty cutting, our plasma cutting rig can handle steel sheets up to 3 000mm x 1 500mm, in thicknesses up to 12mm (stainless steel) and 20mm (mild steel).”
“Guillotine cutting for steel sheets and elements up to 4.5mm in thickness or diameter. Profiling shaping metal using templates with plasma and laser technology to create the curve or shape you’re looking for.”
“Our bending equipment can accommodate steel thicknesses of 3mm and lengths of up to 6 000mm. We have a Trumpf punching machine for accurate removal of small shapes from metal plate and we are able to add perforations to standard steel sheets up to 8mm in thickness.”
A product that has been semi-finished and fabricated for a client
“Our polishing adds a smooth, shiny finish to raw steel or a manufactured steel product. We can provide exceptional finishes for all your plates, dished ends, pipe, angles and square tubing, plus PVC coating for enhanced corrosion resistance and safety.”
“And we love the challenge of supplying components that require powder coating or painting done to them even though we don’t have these processes in-house.”
“We are certainly not regarded as a full production outfit but rather as a small batch jobbing shop. This you can see by the amount of different components we have on the shop floor. All sizes and shapes.”
For further details contact Trifab Engineering on TEL: 011 394 1312 or visit www.trifabeng.co.za
