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Durban - Durban based Mathe Group has commissioned a multi-million rand tyre processing facility in Hammarsdale.
The 2 500m² factory and 1 000m² warehouse that came on stream in February are equipped with approximately R20m worth of cutting edge equipment that was brought in from China last year.
“It has the capacity to manufacture two tonnes of truck tyres per hour and up to 24 tonnes per day. At present, we are feeding in a truck tyre every 1½ minutes,” said Vusumuzi Mathe, the entrepreneur who set up Mathe Group in 2010.
The new factory is highly automated and has allowed Mathe Group to up-skill the staff working at its New Germany operation to operate the new equipment. There is also potential to grow the workforce as the throughput and the number of end products grows.
The New Germany operation is in the process of being disassembled.
According to Mathe, Mathe Group processed approximately 40 000 tyres during 2015. Over the next two years, this is expected to dramatically increase to approximately 150 000 tyres. These 150 000 tyres will produce approximately 7 000 tonnes of rubber crumb per annum.
At present, 50% of the rubber crumb produced at Mathe Group Hammarsdale is exported. The remainder is sold locally with a large portion going into downstream exports through the manufacture of products that are sold globally.
