Colossal Concrete Products: Two Years Down the Track in De Aar – Firmly on Track to Leverage the Rail Revolution and to Diversify

In October 2023, South Africa’s leading concrete sleeper manufacturer, Colossal Concrete Products (CCP), re-opened its moth-balled railway sleeper manufacturing plant in De Aar in the Northern Cape, a courageous move which has left it perfectly positioned to benefit from the subsequent rail revival in South Africa and across the African continent.

The re-opening – initially to manufacture railway sleepers for a Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) contract – was also a strategic move in the wake of growing pressure for government to address the long-term underinvestment, vandalism and lack of maintenance which has all but crippled South Africa’s railway system.

The recent announcement that 11 new private sector players have been authorised – and are in negotiations with government to operate alongside the state-owned entity for six key routes – is a long-awaited breakthrough.

For Chief Executive Officer Gwen Mahuma-Madida, this will be a game-changer – not only for companies such as Colossal Concrete Products, but also for exporters and importers, which will benefit from a more competitive, reliable and efficient logistics network. Moving freight from road to rail will not only cut costs and wear and tear on infrastructure, but potentially unlock bottlenecks at ports, boost mining and export revenues and even reduce carbon emissions.

Appointing private sector operators will also enable government to leverage private investment to repair and upgrade the railway system.

Two years down the track

The De Aar and Brakpan facilities, which have supplied industry with pivotal precast infrastructure products for over 65 years, produced the first concrete rail sleepers in 1958 and have been recognised as trailblazers in rail infrastructure innovation ever since.

“We are extremely grateful that the facility has remained fully functional – and that we have been able to make a positive impact in the lives of our people there, and in the local economy. One of our greatest achievements has been the exceptional quality of the products produced at De Aar, with very low reject levels,” Kiewiet enthuses.

On track for diversification

Technical Sales and Service Manager Werner Booyens, who is part of the business development team, says that in addition to manufacturing railway sleepers and related rail infrastructure, Colossal’s De Aar facility also produces water channels and chutes, precast concrete culverts, IWJ (in-the-wall joint) pipes, valve chambers, sump/pump station rings and certain sizes of kerb stones for the renewable energy and agricultural sectors, and related regional projects.

The De Aar facility also produces concrete water and feeding troughs for sale directly to farmers or via agricultural co-operatives. Furthermore, renewable energy plants – both solar and wind – are a key target market. Colossal Concrete De Aar produces three types of trench covers for renewable energy installations – a product which Booyens is confident will continue.

Other products – which are yet to be manufactured at De Aar – are the concrete poles/masts, which would appeal to municipalities reaching as far as Kimberley. “Back in the day, the De Aar facility supplied the masts for the 150-kilometre Kimberley-De Aar electrification project. It also supplied the masts, which facilitated the supply of additional power to the iron ore line,” says Operations Executive Chris Marinaki.

According to Kiewiet, the company is open to new ideas and new applications for existing products – and is prepared to work alongside potential customers. For example, over the past few months, Colossal has worked with consulting engineers to develop container plinth foundations within which electrical equipment is stored on wind farms.

The same goes for the railway engineers who are set to revitalise and potentially increase South Africa’s rail network. Colossal has the capacity to deliver a million concrete railway sleepers per year from its De Aar and Brakpan facilities.

“Our vision for the De Aar facility – and indeed for Colossal Concrete Products as a whole – is to be a fully functional rail, infrastructure, pole and mast manufacturer: a one-stop concrete infrastructure products provider which can support the public and private sectors across South Africa,” Mahuma-Madida concludes.