Who we are
Werkman Engineering is a mining equipment manufacturing company situated in Potchefstroom, North West Province, South Africa. Our team, led by Bertie Werkman, CEO, and Etienne Erasmus, General manager, has decades of experience in manufacturing and delivering steel products of the highest quality to the mining industry in South Africa and abroad. We are committed to provide not only the products the mines require, but also to find unique solutions for every client’s specific needs, and to keep development, designs and manufacturing at the highest level, with safety of all mines and personnel as top priority.
Products we manufacture
SHAFT CONVEYANCES
- Skips
- Man and material cages
- Counterweights
- Loading/measuring flasks
- Vibrator chutes
- Equipping skeletons
- Skip tipping mechanisms
GENERAL ENGINEERING
- General structural steelwork
- Sinking equipment (kibbles and cactus grabs)
- Shaft steelwork (buntons, guides and station steelwork)
SPECIALISED PRODUCTS
- Werkman Mud-rush Safety Chute
WERKMAN MUD-RUSH SAFETY CHUTE
Safety is of the utmost importance. For this reason, we designed and patented, with detail and precision, the WERKMAN MUD-RUSH SAFETY CHUTE.
Back in 2015, after more than a year of research and development, the Werkman Mud-rush Chute was finalised, capitalising on some of the best features of the previously used “Libanon” chute, and addressing the limitations. It can be described as a new twist on an old favourite.
In 2016, the first newly designed Werkman Mud-rush Chute was installed and tested at one of the largest gold mining operations in South Africa. With the help of an advisory committee from the mine, the chute received the green light and passed with flying colours.
Since 2016, more than 50 chutes have been successfully installed at various shafts in the mining industry.
According to Werkman, who designed the chute in collaboration with engineers and mine-personnel from the mine, the chute was developed to address the need for extra safety measures by, among other things, providing easier access to blockages. There are many other advantages, including draining water out of the ore-pass safely, improved accessibility to remove oversize rocks and the added door at the opening is capable of sustaining a mud-rush. The added door is not only a safety feature, but also enhance control by the operator. The concern with the old “Libanon” type chute, is that it cannot control the excessive flow of material during a mud-rush. The Werkman Mud-rush Chute is designed to deal with exactly that.
The development of the Werkman Mud-rush Chute demonstrates an innovative problem-solving approach to the mining industry, which the team at Werkman Engineering uses right through each and every task.
Werkman concluded: “What motivates me most, in work and life in general, is when I am faced with a situation that seems impossible. The challenge to solve that problem and to look at obstacles from all angles, more often than not, the impossible becomes possible.”
For more information, contact Bertie Werkman at bert@skwprojects.co.za or Etienne Erasmus at Etienne@skwprojects.co.za.