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| COVER STORY: Bystronic back to the customer. Forward to the future Integrating technology, service, long-term relationships and understanding customer needs take renewed priority. Bystronic’s presence in South Africa stretches back decades to when its first CO2 laser was installed in 1988, and the sheet metal, tube and material equipment processing specialist can trace its roots back to the 1960s when the company was founded in Bützberg, Switzerland as a dedicated equipment manufacturer for the glass processing industry. Read more |
| Structa Technology upgrades its bending division with a Yangli 14 metre tandem press brake Second Hugong HGLB 6015 fiber laser recently installed and a new Yangli 1 000 ton four column hydraulic press is just about ready to be shipped. You could probably count less than the number of fingers on one hand to represent the number of tandem press brake setups in South Africa and Structa Technology is one of them. Read more |
| AGOA lifeline for South African exporters as US Senate backs extension The United States Senate has quietly approved a two-year extension of AGOA, moving to keep it in place until the end of 2028. This follows a late extension to the programme in February 2026, which allowed the trade deal to continue until the end of the year. The February extension came almost five months after the Act lapsed in September 2025, and applied retroactively. The Senate voted 90 to six in favour of the extension, with the AGOA provision included in a larger government funding bill. Read more |
| Maykestag launches cutting and drilling tool brand with South African partners Vermont Sales Austria’s leading manufacturer of HSS and solid carbide cutting and drilling tools Alpen-Maykestag has launched its Maykestag brand in South Africa in conjunction with South African partner Vermont Sales. The Maykestag brand is aimed at metalworking machining companies that require milling, drilling, countersinking, reaming and special tooling applications to be performed. The company also manufactures a range of taps and dies that will be marketed in South Africa under the Vermont Sales division – Maykestag South Africa. Read more |
| You are never too old to start your own business as is the case at Norden Engineering Works Starting a business at age 65 offers unique advantages, including decades of professional experience, established networks, and financial stability. However, in today’s world not everyone is mentally prepared or financially able to stop working at 65. In fact, it’s not unusual for people to keep working well into their 70s or 80s these days. This is the case of Henk Zuidersma who established Norden Engineering Works at the beginning of 2025. Read more |
| John Thompson secures major international boiler order, marking a historic milestone for South African manufacturing John Thompson, a division of Actom and a South African manufacturer of industrial boilers and energy solutions, has secured a significant new order from a major industrial company in Indonesia for a 320-ton-per-hour Bagasse fired boiler. This marks the company’s fourth order from the Indonesian client in recent months and represents the largest industrial water‑tube boiler ever built at John Thompson’s Cape Town facility. Read more |
| Adendorff Machinery Mart introduces range of CNC milling machines and CNC lathes Adendorff Machinery Mart, a leading South African importer and retailer of quality tools and machinery, has partnered with OPTIMUM Maschinen Germany GmbH to introduce a range of standard CNC machines to the South African market. The range includes three CNC milling machines and three CNC lathes, all developed in Germany, produced under European standards, and equipped with Siemens SINUMERIK control systems. Read more |
| Alba Precision Manufacturing: Turning an opportunity into a highly skilled job shop When Derek Howitt, a toolmaker by trade with a strong background in the aerospace and automotive industry established Alba Precision Manufacturing in Retreat, Cape Town, in 2009, the business was built around an opportunity to apply his experience in production engineering and CNC machining to the requirements of the local automotive industry. Alba is as a CNC production engineering business with capabilities in turning, milling, CAD/CAM programming and 3D inspection. Read more |
| KSB Pumps and Valves manufactures mechanical seals for its own pumps and other brands KSB Pumps and Valves continues to expand its range of mechanical seals for its own pumps as well as introducing solutions fit for a wide number of competitor pumps and applications. The company is one of the world’s leading pump and valve manufacturers and has recently taken steps to develop and manufacture its own range of mechanical seals that are matched exactly to the purpose of different pumps using its advanced manufacturing facilities across the globe. Read more |
| Traxtion confident in the direction of regional rail reforms and mineral boom Rail services provider Traxtion is positioning itself to profit from a regional mineral boom and sweeping reforms across the continent that are opening up freight rail networks to private firms, CEO James Holley said recently in a Reuters report. Traxtion, one of Africa’s largest private freight rail operators, announced a R3.4 billion rolling stock investment programme in December 2025. Read more |
| ITAC grants a 20% duty increase on certain rock drilling equipment parts The International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) has recommended an increase in the general rate of customs duty on certain rock drilling equipment parts, classifiable under tariff subheading 8467.99.90. The recommendation comes after Gauteng-based Derry Engineering (Pty) Ltd applied for an increase in the general rate of customs duty on certain rock drilling equipment parts, from free of duty to the WTO bound rate of 20% ad valorem. Read more |
| ITAC recommends duty increase for train rails and review after three years ArcelorMittal South Africa gets more protection. The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC) has recommended that the general rate of customs duty on imported train rails be increased from 5% to 10% ad valorem, a move aimed at supporting domestic train rail manufacturing and strengthening South Africa’s steel value chain. Read more |
| Titanus Slew Rings adds 5-axis DMG MORI CTX gamma 3000 TC to its large machine portfolio Titanus Slew Rings (TSR) has added a large turn-mill machine, which is one of the largest DMG MORI machine’s to be installed in Africa. At the end of last year Meadowdale, Isando, Gauteng-based TSR completed the installation of one of Africa’s largest CNC turn-mill machines. The 5-axis DMG MORI CTX gamma 3000 TC has a swing of 630mm, a distance of 3 050mm between centres and can machine a component up to 3 tons. Read more |
| Argent Industrial acquires Ramsden Group in the UK South Africa-headquartered and JSE-listed Argent, which operates manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution businesses across multiple sectors, including steel trading, security products, and aviation refuelling systems in South Africa, the US, and the UK, entered into three separate share purchase agreements with the owners of the shares of the Ramsden Group for £10.84 million (R238.19m). Read more |
| Epiroc acquires the business of mining aftermarket solutions provider Eventspec The Competition Tribunal has approved the acquisition of Eventspec’s business and associated intellectual property by Swedish mining and infrastructure equipment multinational Epiroc’s subsidiaries Evrypart and Epiroc Holdings South Africa. Eventspec, a South African mining aftermarket solutions provider, manufactures parts for drill rigs, mine trucks and loaders, and provides related rebuilds, repairs and services. Read more |
| Cape Town’s industrial exhibition calendar to include Cape Industrial Technology Exhibition (CITE) in 2027 The Western Cape continues to strengthen its position as one of South Africa’s most dynamic industrial economies. Investment across manufacturing, logistics, agro-processing, infrastructure, renewable energy, and marine industries is creating demand for technologies that improve productivity, efficiency, and operational resilience. Read more |
| Half-empty mills, full import pipelines: SAISI In the July 2026 issue of Steel Matters, the South African Iron and Steel Institute’s (SAISI) monthly newsletter, two of the main topics in the newsletter are Steel under pressure: Crude steel output continues to decline, with mills operating well below available capacity and, the import question. Primary and downstream steel imports remain elevated as domestic production weakens. Read more |
| Make better use of carbide by leveraging your CAM strategy with ISCAR Machine shops are under constant pressure to increase throughput, improve part quality, reduce tooling costs, and lower the overall cost per component. While advances in machine tools, workholding, and cutting-tool materials have helped manufacturers become more productive, one of the most effective opportunities for improvement is often found in the connection between carbide tooling and CAM strategy. Read more |
| Physical AI: Three keys to turn manufacturing hype into reality Critical principles to keep in mind as you start your artificial intelligence journey. The pace at which AI is advancing is dizzying. Nearly four years ago, when OpenAI launched ChatGPT, we were in awe that a chatbot could do everything from distilling complex scientific concepts into quick summaries to writing college essays to penning haikus. Read more |
| TRUMPF and Cutlite partner for laser cutting solutions TRUMPF, the German high-tech company, and Cutlite, an Italian manufacturer of 2D laser machines, are joining forces and entering a strategic partnership. To this end, TRUMPF is acquiring the business of Cutlite Penta S.p.A. from its ultimate parent company, El.En. S.p.A. With this step, TRUMPF is expanding its offerings for customers in the field of customised, large-format, very high-power laser cutting and oversize tube machines. Read more |
| Two Chinese robots amaze onlookers at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing Usain Bolt’s world record of 9.58 seconds for the 100-metre sprint broken by 0.19 seconds. A robot has smashed the existing human record in the 100-metre sprint at the start of a world championship held in China recently. During the opening ceremony of the World Humanoid Robot Games, the humanoid robot from the Chinese team X-Humanoid crossed the finish line in just 9.39 seconds. Read more |
| Rapid job losses in the German automotive industry Jobs in the German automotive industry are disappearing faster than in any other industrial sector, according to reports citing experts. By the end of the first half of 2026, the German automotive industry, considered a key sector in Germany, employed 691 500 people. According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), this represents the lowest figure since comparable records began in 2005. Read more |
| BMW Group develops software for humanoid robotics in component production The BMW Group is expanding its expertise in the field of physical AI, with the Landshut plant taking on central software development tasks for AI-supported robotics in component production. The focus is on open software platforms, the generation, provision and processing of training data, simulation and motion planning, as well as the training of robotic systems. Read more |
| Japanese machine tool orders surge 52.8% in June The Japan Machine Tool Builders’ Association (JMTBA) released preliminary machine tool orders for June 2026. Total orders reached JPY 203.5 billion, up 15.0% MoM and up 52.8% YoY. Orders increased MoM for the first time in three months and YoY for the 12th consecutive month, surpassing JPY 200 billion for the first time. Read more |
| Machine tool demand in the US is booming Manufacturers and machine shops booked more than $3.4 billion in new orders for metal cutting and forming machines during the first half of 2026, setting a new record for demand during any comparable period this century. Machine shops’ and other US manufacturers’ demand for new capital equipment rose to $672.7 million in June 2026, 15.6% higher than May’s result and 56.8% above June 2025. Read more |
| Italian machine tool sector wants tougher EU trade rules on China The European Union must bolster trade defence measures against aggressive competition from Chinese machine tool manufacturers or risk a further erosion of Europe’s position in the strategic sector, an Italian industry association said recently. Brussels has been examining ways to shield European industry from what many manufacturers say is the negative fallout from China’s industrial overcapacity and subsidised exports. Read more |
| HERMLE and HWR USA announce partnership HERMLE has announced the integration of HWR USA pneumatic plates and vises as standard equipment in its new HS flex hybrid automation and handling system. This collaboration with Maschinenfabrik Berthold Hermle AG is set to enhance flexibility in automated manufacturing processes. HWR USA’s SOLIDGrip standard vises, available in sizes ranging from 155mm to 255mm, offer seamless handling, storage, and changeover capabilities. Read more |
| Paper filter fleece technology Paper filter fleece technology has revolutionised coolant and lubricant purification in metalworking, particularly for high-precision operations like grinding, milling, turning, and honing. By combining or replacing traditional cellulose papers with synthetic multi-layer 3D fleeces (such as polyester, polypropylene, and viscose), manufacturers achieve sub-micron particle filtration down to 1 µm. Read more |
| GM finds partner to manage parts supply chain General Motors has established a financial association with a company called Procura Auto Parts, which will serve as its purchasing agent and supplier for critical auto parts. According to the automaker’s Form 8-K financial filing, the ‘purchasing facility’ is a three-year arrangement with a credit line of $4.5 billion. Procura will be a parts distributor to GM suppliers, but also handle working capital financing for those activities. Read more |
| Some encouraging signals for the German machine tool industry The VDMA recorded a 21% year on year increase in mechanical engineering orders in June and 5% growth for the first half of 2026. The slightly positive half-year result of order intake is encouraging. However, it needs to be examined in detail due to special effects and significant differences in domestic and foreign business. The need for reform remains high for Germany and Europe. Read more |
| Harntech: Harnessing the power of manufacturing engineered wiring harnesses and auto electrical solutions through automation For a wiring harness to perform its function, every conductor, terminal, connector and protective component has to be correctly specified, processed, assembled and tested. For equipment operating in mining, construction, agriculture, automotive and other industrial applications, a harness failure can bring a machine to a halt. Read more |
| Renlaw – Africa’s leading manufacturer of industrial cutting tools The industry of consumer packaging, generally speaking, may be full of consumable items, but the process of raw material sourcing, designing, engineering and finishing of components for OEM manufacturing processing lines, are often closely guarded secrets. For most manufacturers, an industrial blade is a consumable. For Renlaw, it is an engineered component that can influence machine uptime, product quality and the cost of production. Read more |
| Mastercam 2027 set to change machine definition management Mastercam has announced the release of its latest software version, Mastercam 2027, featuring the innovative Machine Definition Manager. This development aims to overhaul the traditional method of handling machine definitions, which often involved navigating several dialogues and managing intricate machine data, potentially leading to unintended changes across multiple projects. Read more |
| Sandvik Coromant expands CoroCut® 2 with new and updated geometries -GL and -CR Sandvik Coromant is expanding its versatile parting and grooving concept CoroCut® 2. The expansion includes the introduction of the new parting and grooving geometry -GL and the updated parting-off geometry -CR, offering benefits such as increased chip control in long-chip material and a strong edge for high-feed parting-off. Read more |
| DN Solutions AM2CNC platform integrates additive manufacturing and CNC machining in single workflow DN Solutions will showcase AM2CNC, the company’s integrated Additive Manufacturing and CNC machining workflow, at IMTS 2026 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. DN Solutions will demonstrate how a metal preform progresses from Additive Manufacturing to a finished, ready-to-use part on a single connected platform. Read more |
| Mitutoyo unveils advanced scanning and touch-trigger probes for CMMs Mitutoyo Corporation has announced the launch of two new coordinate measuring machine (CMM) probes designed to meet growing industry demands for higher accuracy, greater durability and improved measurement productivity. The company will introduce the MPP-002 small high-accuracy scanning probe and the MTP-002 small high-accuracy touch-trigger probe. Read more |
| Cut inventory and costs with new drill/mills from TaeguTec TaeguTec has introduced two new drill/mill end mill ranges that promise to reduce machining cycle times by eliminating tool changes between drilling and milling operations. The SDM solid carbide end mills, part of the ApexMill family, and the MXDM interchangeable heads for MaxiRush toolholder bodies both offer manufacturers the ability to drill holes to 1XD depth and immediately transition to milling operations without changing tools. Read more |
| New LK Metrology laser scanners have high-speed ethernet connectivity In an expansion of its dimensional inspection equipment portfolio, coordinate measuring machine (CMM) manufacturer LK Metrology has launched a new range of laser scanners and complementary technologies that use high-speed, industry-standard Ethernet communication. They are designed to raise the efficiency of data-intensive metrology tasks on CMMs. Read more |
| Yamazaki Mazak at AMB 2026 Yamazaki Mazak is preparing to return for AMB 2026 from 15 to 19 September 2026, where it will demonstrate how manufacturers can unlock greater productivity, flexibility and resilience through smarter process integration, advanced automation and secure connectivity. Taking place in Stuttgart, Germany the show will see Mazak present seven machining solutions that underline the breadth of its technology portfolio. Read more |
| PCD Diver milling cutter for aluminium machining from Gühring Chip removal can often be difficult when machining very long-chipping aluminium alloys. During drilling, core drilling and countersinking, very long chips are created and do not break and flow away, but remain in the machine in lumps. If they have to be removed by hand, downtime occurs – an absolute no-go, especially in series production. Read more |
