With the imminent retirement of Managing Director Errol Preston, Harchris Heat Treatment has been acquired by Erindale Holdings (Pty) Ltd, new owners that have a background in the agriculture and mining sectors. As part of the agreement, which was signed just over a year ago, Errol Preston has remained on in a consulting capacity to oversee the handover and mentor the new owners.

“The acquisition of Harchris Heat Treatment is an important milestone for us as the new owners and provides significant end market diversification and additional reach, both of which are key strategic drivers for our business. We are pleased with this recent development and look forward to furthering our core values of customer service, quality, technical expertise, and providing solutions to our customers,” said Shane Potgieter, who is the new Managing Director.

“It was decided to purchase Harchris as a going concern, and therefore, the majority of the original staff have stayed on. Additionally, we have appointed a Business Development Manager, a Junior Production Manager and a Processing Plant Engineer.”

The services that Harchris Heat Treatment, one of South Africa’s oldest heat treatment companies, offer includes stress relieving, annealing, spherodising, sub-critical annealing, solution heat treatment, normalising, water and oil quenching and they specialise in annealing and hardening of chrome iron. The services include both the non-ferrous and ferrous sectors

“The services that Harchris Heat Treatment, one of South Africa’s oldest heat treatment companies, offer includes stress relieving, annealing, spherodising, sub-critical annealing, solution heat treatment, normalising, water and oil quenching and we also specialise in annealing and hardening of chrome iron. The services include both the non-ferrous and ferrous sectors.”

“As part of constantly improving our customer service, we have endeavoured to turn Harchris into a one-stop manufacturing shop. Therefore, we have partnered with a local shot blasting company and can now offer shot blasting, corrosion protection, and painting services. In addition to this, we have a 500-ton press on the premises and a 30-ton, 14-ton and 7-ton truck for any transport requirements.”

“Future expansion plans include the commissioning of a brand-new pit furnace with recuperative burners by the end of 2025, as well as the commissioning of a muffle furnace in the second quarter of 2026.”

“The company now has 25 furnaces of various sizes, shapes and methods of heat treatment. The majority of furnaces are gas-fired, and the balance electrical heating. At Harchris, we can accommodate jobs up to 18 metres in length, five metres in width and 50 tons in lifting capacity. The majority of work currently heat treated include high pressure vessels, fabrications, castings, bars, billets, plates, pipes and wire rod.”

Harchris was established by Harry Preston, father of the previous MD Errol Preston, in 1950 as Central Welding Works – a general engineering company. In 1951 the company moved to New Era, Springs, Gauteng and still occupy the original premises.

For further details contact Harchris Heat Treatment on TEL: 011 813 2050 or visit www.harchris.co.za