Manufacturing

Arridex Launches West Africa’s first additive manufacturing hub. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Arridex has officially commissioned its Omnifactory in Lagos, marking the launch of West Africa’s first multi-technology industrial additive manufacturing facility

The commissioning ceremony was led by Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos state, and brought together senior government representatives, industry stakeholders, members of the diplomatic community and investment delegates participating in the Invest Lagos 3.0 forum.

The Invest Lagos delegation featured participants from the forum’s panel discussion on The Future of Technology and Innovation, where Kayode Adeleke, group CEO of Arridex, highlighted the importance of technology and innovation in advancing Africa’s industrialisation. His insights were shaped by Arridex’s operational experience across sectors including oil and gas, maritime, aerospace, defence, construction and manufacturing.

The Arridex Omnifactory brings together several additive manufacturing technologies within one facility, including Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), Cold Spray, Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). The facility enables the production of industrial components, spare parts and enhanced part designs for critical industries, while its large-format manufacturing capabilities support the creation of full-scale marine components and other large industrial structures.

The commissioning of the Omnifactory represents the transformation of two decades of accumulated expertise into a dedicated industrial manufacturing platform. Arridex commenced operations in 2005 as an asset integrity company serving Nigeria’s oil and gas industry before expanding its capabilities into maritime, defence, construction, technology and aerospace sectors. The company has achieved zero lost-time incidents across more than seven million operational man hours.

The next chapter of global manufacturing can be written from Lagos

For Nigeria and West Africa, the Arridex Omnifactory addresses long-standing challenges associated with dependence on imported industrial components. Companies operating ageing infrastructure have often faced extended procurement timelines, complex international supply chains and the growing challenge of sourcing legacy parts from manufacturers that may no longer exist. Through the Omnifactory, Arridex will enable these components to be manufactured on demand within Lagos.

Arridex has received Pioneer Status in additive manufacturing from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC). The company is also the first organisation qualified by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for additive manufacturing deployment in the oil and gas sector. In addition, its joint venture partnership with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) supports the local production of military-grade additive manufactured components.

Further strengthening its position in the global additive manufacturing ecosystem, Arridex is the first African member of the Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA). The company is also a Designated Strategic Partner of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), with Kayode Adeleke serving on the CWEIC Global Advisory Council.

"Today, I opened West Africa's first multi-technology industrial additive manufacturing facility in Lagos. By producing industrial components and spare parts here in Lagos, Arridex is helping to reduce our dependence on imports, strengthening critical industries and supporting economic growth," commented Sanwo-Olu.

"I commend the Arridex team for their vision and commitment to building solutions that serve not only Nigeria but the wider African continent. Lagos will continue to support investments that create opportunities, grow local capacity and position our state as a hub for innovation and industry."

“We did not set out to build the biggest company, but a resilient one. For over two decades, we have chosen the harder path, and that is to make in Africa what others import, to meet global standards without exception, and to put purpose before profit. The Arridex Omnifactory is where that conviction becomes infrastructure. The name on the door is new, but the work behind it is not. We are not stopping here. By the first quarter of 2027, we will commission the Arridex Mega Omnifactory, which will stand among the largest single-site industrial additive manufacturing facilities in the world. The next chapter of global manufacturing can be written from Lagos. We are building it.” concluded Adeleke.

EBOR strengthens South Africa’s automotive manufacturing. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber has welcomed the official opening of EBOR’s new manufacturing facility in Kariega, describing the development as a significant boost for the region’s industrial landscape and its position as the Bay of Opportunity and a leading manufacturing hub in South Africa

The investment by EBOR, an established automotive component manufacturer specialising in plastic moulded parts and assemblies, demonstrates continued confidence in Nelson Mandela Bay’s manufacturing capabilities and future growth potential. The new advanced facility expands local production capacity, strengthens the automotive supply chain, and contributes to the preservation and creation of sustainable employment opportunities within a key economic sector.

Covering 8,000 sq m, the Kariega facility represents a 60% increase in scale compared with EBOR’s previous operations. The expansion is supported by an estimated R100 million (approx. US$6.1mn) investment in infrastructure, along with a further R45 million (approx. US$2.7mn) allocated towards relocation, upgrades, and advanced equipment. With around 140 employees, EBOR continues to contribute to employment and the development of the region’s manufacturing ecosystem.

Manufacturing remains a vital component of Nelson Mandela Bay’s economy, accounting for approximately 22% of GDP while supporting industrial activity and employment. Investments such as EBOR’s expansion extend beyond individual companies by encouraging supplier development, enabling skills transfer, and strengthening economic resilience across the wider region.

Commenting on the opening, Denise van Huyssteen, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, said the facility highlights the metro’s continued attractiveness as an investment destination despite current economic challenges.

“EBOR’s expansion into a significantly larger and more advanced facility is a strong vote of confidence in the manufacturing strength of Nelson Mandela Bay. It reinforces our positioning as the Bay of Opportunity and speaks directly to the resilience and capability of our industrial base,” she said.

Van Huyssteen further emphasised the importance of ongoing automotive sector investment in supporting regional economic growth.

“Manufacturing remains the backbone of our metro’s economy. When companies like EBOR invest, they strengthen the entire value chain, support local suppliers, safeguard jobs, and enhance South Africa’s competitiveness in the global automotive industry,” she said.

She added that EBOR’s investment demonstrates the continued opportunities available within Nelson Mandela Bay’s industrial sector.

“At a time when economic uncertainty continues to weigh on business confidence, this investment stands as tangible proof that Nelson Mandela Bay remains a strategic manufacturing destination with deep industrial expertise, skilled talent, and established infrastructure. It is precisely this kind of commitment that drives economic renewal and builds long-term resilience in our metro,” Van Huyssteen concluded.

Jendamark Automation’s catalytic converter shrinker machine integrates a 12- segment precision shrinking system, where SEW-EURODRIVE servo gear units and motion control software ensure each can is accurately reduced to predetermined dimensions based on mat weight and component tolerances. (Image source: SEW-EURODRIVE)

Innovative technology for ‘shrinking’ catalytic converters - designed and built in South Africa by Jendamark Automation for the global market - relies on the precision of SEW-EURODRIVE’s highly dynamic servo-geared units and software

Based in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, Jendamark Automation is a specialist in advanced automated assembly systems for powertrains, catalytic converters, hydrogen technologies and other automotive components. Yanesh Naidoo, executive innovations director at Jendamark Automation, says that 95% of the locally produced machines are exported and are in operation in Europe, India and the USA.

"The shrinking machine - or ‘shrinker’ - is a core component within our catalytic converter assembly cell," commented Naidoo.

“This cell is a highly automated production environment in which multiple machines, robots and laser measurement systems operate in coordination.”

The process begins with the core of a catalytic converter - a ceramic ‘brick’ or monolith, coated with precious metals such as platinum and palladium, that converts exhaust gases into less harmful emissions. This brick is wrapped in a thick spring-like insulation mat and inserted into an outer casing (or can) of stainless-steel. In this process, there are many variable factors to consider, he explains.

“Because the ceramic monolith is extruded and baked, its diameter can vary slightly - by two or three millimetres in a passenger vehicle converter and up to ten millimetres in a truck converter,” he said.

“This makes the size of every monolith slightly different.”

To secure the monolith inside the casing with the right spring load, the casing itself has to be adapted. This is the key function of the shrinking machine - to reshape the stainless steel casing to the exact diameter required for each brick and mat combination. Shrinking stainless steel to tolerances of 50 microns requires enormous force and control which the shrinker achieves by closing a set of heavy tapered segments around the can.

“For a passenger vehicle converter we use twelve segments, while for a commercial vehicle converter - which is larger - we use sixteen,” stated Naidoo. “We pull a massive steel ring back over those segments and as the ring moves the segments close in, collapsing the can evenly around the monolith.”

Driving that motion are two powerful SEW-EURODRIVE servo motor systems, each connected to precision roller screws that pull the ring from both sides. Synchronizing those drives is critical.

“If one side is pulled just a few millimetres more than the other, this will damage these very expensive roller screws,” he explains. “This is where SEW-EURODRIVE’s technology comes into its own; the drives and controllers keep the two motors synchronised to within very fine tolerances, even at the high speeds we need to hit our 30 second cycle times.”

The speed at which Jendamark Automation’s shrinker operates is one of its critical advantages, Naidoo emphasises, and this has been achieved through its innovative tool changer. He explains flexibility is particularly important in converter production for commercial-vehicles as variants change every few hours. Traditionally, each change required a lengthy manual tool change which would mean two to three hours of downtime.

“This is why we developed an automatic tool change system for the shrinker,” he says. “We have got two cartridges outside the machine, one of which is preloaded with the next set of 16 segments. When the operator hits ‘tool change’ the machine ejects the old set, inserts the new one and locks everything down - all automatically in about 45 seconds.”

That innovation, also powered by SEW-EURODRIVE servo drives, has transformed productivity.

“We have reduced tool changing times significantly, giving our customers more production time per shift, allowing them to produce around 80 additional parts,” he says. “With two or three tool changes a day, the gains are massive.”

The entire catalytic converter assembly cell can contain up to 30 SEW-EURODRIVE servo drives, powering and synchronising multiple machines – from laser measuring systems to robotic handlers. Behind the scenes, Jendamark’s proprietary Variant Manager software orchestrates these movements.

“Every part coming down the line is slightly different, so every 30 seconds a new set of parameters - such as diameters, spring loads and positions - is sent to the drives,” Naidoo continued. “There are no fixed positions so it is completely dynamic, adapting in real time.”

Parallel to this performance, he adds, is an equivalent focus on reliability as customers require minimal downtime to ensure that their processes and products remain viable. He notes that a USA customer, Cummins (through its acquisition of Faurecia’s USA factory), has been running Jendamark’s shrinker for almost six years - during which time it has produced over three million catalytic converters.

“Apart from greasing the screws, there has been no major maintenance and no drive failures at all,” he stated. “That is a testament to the robustness of our overall design and of the reliability of SEW-EURODRIVE equipment.”

The customer was so impressed that it decided to standardise globally on Jendamark’s machines.

“They had two other suppliers’ machines next to ours on the same line,” commented Naidoo. “Now they’re replacing those with Jendamark machines, because of reliability and consistency of quality.”

Phillip Steyn, Branch Manager at SEW-EURODRIVE in Gqeberha, says the project exemplifies how advanced motion control systems enable complex automation.

“Our MOVIAXIS multi-axis servo system, combined with our efficient servo motors and dynamic gearboxes, provides the accurate positioning and torque that this machine needs,” remarked Steyn. “The challenge was to deliver very high torque while maintaining precise synchronisation and feedback at rapid speeds.”

He notes that it is easier to be accurate when machinery is moving slowly but it becomes much more challenging in the context of high speed machines like this one. SEW-EURODRIVE’s control architecture ensures that every motion - from the synchronised pulling of the ring to the positioning of the auto-tool change mechanism - is tracked and verified before the next cycle begins.

“There is a great deal of feedback between the drive and the upper level controller,” Steyn explained. “The system scans the input data - the product types and can sizes - and adjusts torque and position in real time. It is the brain and the muscle working together.”

Naidoo highlights the value of SEW-EURODRIVE’ integrated unit - the motor, gearbox and drive - which is already matched for torque and speed.

Nearly 40,000 configurations available - each truck is built to meet specific customer needs, making every unit virtually unique. (Image source: IVECO)

At the heart of IVECO’s industrial operations is its Madrid facility, the only manufacturing site in Spain dedicated to heavy-duty industrial vehicles

The plant produces the company’s complete heavy truck range for international markets including Italy, Germany, Spain and Turkey.

Covering 374,000 m², the facility is built around a 1 km main assembly line and is capable of delivering close to 40,000 different vehicle configurations. With 267 core models and more than 2,800 customisation options available, production is designed around highly specific customer demands. On average, the same truck configuration is assembled just three times annually.

“Every truck we build is essentially a one-off, custom-made to meet specific requirements,” commented José Manuel Jaquotot, director of IVECO’s Madrid and Valladolid plants.

“Each vehicle has a unique identifier that allows us to track it from cab production in Valladolid to final assembly in Madrid, ensuring full traceability and quality.”

Manufacturing operations at the Madrid site rely on a flexible and tightly coordinated production system supported by automation and intelligent logistics. Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) transport units across the line, enabling takt times to shift according to the complexity of each build while maintaining uninterrupted workflow across the plant.

Truck cabs arrive from the IVECO Valladolid Plant already painted and welded before being fully equipped in Madrid with dashboards, seats, bunks and airbags. The dashboard assembly process alone includes more than 100 electrical checks and is managed on a separate production line because of its technical complexity.

A major milestone in the process is the integration of the chassis and cab, commonly referred to as the “marriage” stage. Once combined, the vehicle progresses through the fitting of exterior parts, wheel installation and a series of final inspections. These include leak detection, geometry calibration and full functional testing before completion.

The site’s workforce remains central to its operational success. More than 2,700 employees support production activities, bringing the expertise and adaptability required to manage constant product evolution. During 2025, the plant successfully introduced ten new launches.

Sustainability also plays a defining role across operations. The Madrid facility operates entirely on renewable electricity and, in 2025, recycled almost 90% of the water used throughout production processes. Alongside the Valladolid plant, the site forms part of Iveco Group’s broader sustainability strategy and participates in a solar self-consumption initiative with Edison Next Spain, a project expected to help prevent around 500 tons of CO₂ emissions every year.

IVECO’s focus on decarbonisation extends beyond the vehicles themselves to the manufacturing ecosystem behind them. The Madrid plant reflects this broader ambition by combining advanced production technologies, large-scale customisation and sustainable industrial practices in one integrated operation.