PHOTO: ACD RotoFlo’s three lines – including extruders and mills – are up and running at the new factory in Hilston Road, Kya Sands

ACD RotoFlo – which suddenly and unexpectedly became South Africa’s main manufacturer of Rotational Moulding Powders earlier this year – has achieved a minor miracle by upping capacity in an emergency operation which, thankfully, enabled it to continue supplying both its customers as well as several distress orders.

Clive Robertson and the ACD RotoFlo team had been planning to move to larger premises in Kya Sands, Johannesburg, in February and March when they were pitched into a potential crisis by numerous additional orders for Roto Powders after the main rival supplier suddenly closed shop.

ACD RotoFlo was inundated with requests for Powder – the new orders started coming in just as the relocation of the extruders and mills was about to commence. The Colour Compounding and Milling of Roto Powders is a specialised operation and, with import lead times of eight weeks or more, there was a strong possibility that some Rotomoulding companies would have material supply cut off.

ACD commenced business just two years ago, on 1 April 2012. This original operation, which ACD RotoFlo Managing Director Clive Robertson bought in February that year, was a ‘distress business’. From those meager beginnings, with just a handful of customers, Robertson and his team had sampled interested parties with a range of colours that were received with satisfaction in the market.

With more confidence under the belt, ACD RotoFlo started to expand its horizons. All profits were pumped back into the company, to improve productivity and conditions of the production staff. With the support of the Market and ACD RotoFlo staff, the company grew steadily during the rest of 2012. In 2013 Robertson was able to secure the services of Michael Boltau, who joined the company as Operations Manager. Boltau made an immediate impact with his knowledge of the transport industry: he set about improving logistics and enabled the company to supply ‘long distance’ and cross-border clients as well – lowering costs and improving delivery lead times. This provided impetus for ACD RotoFlo to expand further.

By October last year ACD RotoFlo was bursting at the seams with orders exceeding capacity, but it somehow managed to keep up with its scheduled shipments.

“All orders were achieved with a smile,” said Clive.

Expansion project
The latter part of 2013 saw ACD commence its first big expansion, to increase capacity by 30% – a project which included installing new plant and moving to larger premises. The move was necessitated by power and space constraints. New premises fortunately became available, in Hilston Road, Kya Sands (the premises were previously used by the Astrapak company City Packaging), and the entire operation was scheduled to move to the new site – just 800m away.

Moving a factory that is overflowing with orders is a tricky task, and the original plan was to install the additional equipment at the new plant … but the extra unexpected orders made what was a tricky task and extremely tricky one. So the new capacity – including two additional mills which arrived from Canada mid-February – was installed first, commissioned and put into production for a few weeks (the original intention was to only tackle this task in April and offer product from these lines in May/June). Then the existing ‘old factory’ was moved one line at a time.

The scheduled shutdown-to-start-up was allocated just three days per line. With the unbelievable support of Vadim Drozdov (VAS Advanced Engineering) and his small team of electrical/electronic assistants, the move went according to plan. Commissioning of Line 2 met all the expectations and was operational without interruption to orders. Line 3 was moved and commissioned at 9.30pm on Wednesday 5 March – only three hours late!

The plan was to consolidate and allow everyone time to learn the way around their new environment and optimise the new production facility, but this was not to be!

Following the unforeseen spike in orders, and the miraculous achievement of moving its plant in close to record time, ACD RotoFlo is now operating its full Phase 1 capacity – with near on 600 tons/month capacity – Phase 2 new capacity is currently being fast tracked – with another potential 200t/m capacity at its new plant. Phase 3 will commence back in the old factory when new plant arrives in SA sometime mid-2014.

“Furthermore, ACD RotoFlo is currently evaluating the market requirements which may entail another full production line. But these kinds of expansions normally take three to four months to secure plant and equipment offshore. So ACD RotoFlo is back on the expansion drive and the market will be notified as things progress,” said Clive.

“I strongly believe in simple philosophies such as ‘Do what you say and mean what you say!’ We at ACD RotoFlo are extremely fortunate to have cultivated very supportive relationships with all our suppliers and customers. We could not have succeeded to this level if they did not believe in us and given us the support they have so far,” he added.

“In return we have made it our priority to treat them in the same way as they treated us – with respect; dignity and above all adhered at all times to trading terms and conditions. We intend not to disappoint any of you out there, thank you from the depth our hearts!”

Partnership
ACD RotoFlo is a partnership between Clive Robertson and Deepak Kothari of Rotoflow Polymers in Aurangabad India. The company became South Africa’s largest Roto Moulding Powders Supplier in mid-2013, exceeding all expectations.

It manufactures Colour Compounded Rotomoulding Powders as well as speciality Powder Coating grades for fluidized bed coating. Special compounded grades are also manufactured subject to customer requirements. ACD RotoFlo also assists and facilitates customers’ requirements for other speciality Roto Powders from offshore suppliers.