Vanguard Completes Construction Of
Particle Board Plant

Rigging and installation of a six piece, 125t drying drum

Vanguard, South Africa’s premier rigging and engineering provider, has handed over a fully commissioned particle board plant to Sonae Novobord in White River, Mpumalanga. The contract was awarded through tender and involved the construction and installation of the new plant, which was supplied by Metso Panelboard of Finland.

The project, which started at the beginning of December 2006, involved the complete mechanical and electrical installation of a new line at Sonae Novobord’s White River facility. This included the procurement and supply of all non imported materials and equipment and the inland transport of all imported plant.

The new line consists of resin dosing, glue kitchen, matt forming, pre-press, hot oil continuous press, press section with out feed, sanding line and the packaging and finishing lines. Each section was built concurrently and fully assembled before electrical commissioning began.

According to Vanguard Managing Director, Bryan Hodgkinson, the project encompassed all aspects of the installation from on-site logistics to commissioning. Vanguard deployed a team of in-house engineers, and specialised staff and equipment to complete the job.

“We utilised our own in-house cranes, including pick and carry cranes, hydraulic gantries, boom trucks, and other very specialised equipment much of which is unique to the Vanguard stable. This investment in specialised equipment goes a long way to reducing the amount of labour on any site and increasing construction productivity of the project. The experience gained by our construction teams, having completed a number of particle board plants, ensures we are able to deliver a well organised and efficient project, and I am glad to say, a happy customer.”

Vanguard completed a similar project for Sonae Novobord nine years ago and has an established relationship with the company.

“Vanguard is extremely pleased with the manner in which the project was completed and this has been the ideal platform from which to launch our endeavour of obtaining greater market share in the construction arena. This is further reinforced by the fact that we offer a unique approach to mechanical and electrical construction,” concludes Hodgkinson.