Mining · Processing
Process plant buildings, workshops and crane-served halls.
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Structural steel export · South Africa
SANS 10162-1SANS 10160 loadsCrane girders & conveyor trestles
Steel Structures for South Africa: Mining, Industrial and Logistics
Heavy steel for South African mining, processing and logistics projects. Fabricated in South China to SANS 10162 designs, shipped to Durban in about 20 days and Cape Town in about 23, with erection supervision for your local contractor.
~20 daysShenzhen to Durban
22–25 daysTo Cape Town
24 m / 60 tLargest single piece
100%UT on CJP welds
01Why South China
Heavy industrial steel when local shops are fully loaded
South African fabricators are experienced, but heavy industrial packages for mines, smelters and processing plants often need more welded tonnage than local shops can release on program. Private owners and EPCs increasingly split packages: heavy members from Asia, platforms and site-fit items locally.
Our strength is the heavy end: crane girders, conveyor trestles, built-up columns, long-span roof trusses and transfer structures. Plate up to 100 mm, single pieces up to 24 m and 60 t, all CJP welds ultrasonically tested.
Durban is the main gateway for Gauteng, with rail and road links to the mining belt. We plan piece sizes for the inland leg as well as the sea voyage, so steel does not need re-cutting at the port.
- Detailing to SANS 10162-1 or to your engineer’s connection details
- Grades supplied against SANS 50025 / EN 10025 S355JR
- Coating for C4–C5 industrial and coastal exposure
- Piece lengths planned for N3 road transport to Gauteng
Heavy fabricated steel girder before blasting
02Codes & compliance
Designing and fabricating to South Africa requirements
South African buildings are approved under the National Building Regulations (SANS 10400) by the local authority. Steel design follows SANS 10162 with loads to SANS 10160. SAISC guidance is widely used for detailing.
| Topic | South Africa requirement | How we deliver |
|---|---|---|
| Steel design | SANS 10162-1 (limit states design of hot-rolled steelwork) | Connections to SANS 10162-1 or to the engineer’s schedule |
| Loads | SANS 10160 parts 1–8 (wind, seismic, crane loads) | Inputs taken from your drawings |
| Building regulations | SANS 10400 / National Building Regulations | Approvals and occupancy stay with your professional engineer |
| Fabrication & erection | SANS 2001-CS1 construction standard commonly specified | ITP, tolerances and dimensional records to the specified standard |
| Welding | SANS 10044 / AWS D1.1 / EN ISO 15614 | Qualified WPS/PQR, 100% UT on CJP welds |
| Steel material | SANS 50025 / SANS 1431 S355JR | Q355B/C supplied against S355JR/J2 with EN 10204 3.1 MTCs |
| Corrosion | SANS 12944, C4–C5 at coastal and processing sites | Zinc-rich epoxy systems or hot-dip galvanizing to SANS 121 |
Typical references. The project specification and engineer’s requirements govern.
Public sector procurement in South Africa often carries local content designations for steel. Our supply is best suited to private mining, industrial and logistics owners and to EPC packages where imported fabricated steel is permitted. We are happy to quote only the heavy members while local fabricators supply the rest.
03Shipping routes
From Shenzhen and Guangzhou to Durban, Cape Town, Ngqura and Richards Bay
Services from South China call at Durban first, then Ngqura (Port Elizabeth area) and Cape Town. Richards Bay suits bulk and break-bulk for KwaZulu-Natal projects.
| Port of loading | Port of discharge | Transit (days) | Typical mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shenzhen (Shekou / Yantian) | Durban | 18–21 | 40HQ / break-bulk |
| Guangzhou (Nansha) | Richards Bay | 19–22 | Break-bulk |
| Shenzhen (Yantian) | Ngqura / Port Elizabeth | 21–24 | 40HQ |
| Shenzhen (Shekou) | Cape Town | 22–25 | 40HQ / break-bulk |
| Guangzhou (Nansha) | Walvis Bay (for Namibia / Botswana) | 22–26 | 40HQ, often via Durban |
Transit times are typical port-to-port sailing times and vary with carrier, transshipment and season. Confirmed per booking in our quotation.
40HQ for building steel
Warehouses and plant buildings packed by zone, 22–26 t per container.
Break-bulk for heavy members
Crane girders, trestles and columns to 24 m on multipurpose vessels into Durban or Richards Bay.
Port to mine planning
Member sizes and lifting points set for road and rail transport to Gauteng, Limpopo or the Northern Cape.
Packing rules, 40HQ loading plans and break-bulk limits are covered in our 40HQ container steel loading guide and on the quality, NDT and shipping page.
04Building types
What we commonly supply for South Africa projects
South African enquiries are led by mining and processing structures, followed by warehouses in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
Bulk handling
Storage sheds, conveyor trestles and transfer towers.
Gauteng · KZN
Distribution centres around Johannesburg and Durban.
Members and systems most often ordered
- H-Beams & Plate Girders: crane girders and heavy welded beams for mining workshops
- Steel Trusses & Space Frames: conveyor gantries and long-span roof trusses
- Welded Box Columns & Beams: built-up columns for heavy plant buildings
- Purlins, Stairs & Platforms: platforms, stairs and walkways for process plants
Typical steel consumption
Warehouses typically use 32–45 kg/m². Mining and processing buildings with cranes and conveyors run 55–95 kg/m² and higher at transfer towers. Indicative FOB price is USD 1,100–1,800/t, confirmed per quotation.
05Delivery model
Clear scope: what we deliver and where our responsibility ends
We supply fabricated steel to South African owners and EPCs. We have no office in South Africa and do not perform site works.
FOB Shenzhen / Guangzhou
Steel delivered on board, export-cleared, with packing lists, loading plans and MTCs. You or your forwarder control freight and insurance.
CFR / CIF Durban
Freight and insurance to Durban, Richards Bay or Cape Town. Customs clearance, SARS documentation and inland transport stay with your forwarder.
Supervision & installation
Erection supervisors for first lifts, crane girder alignment and bolt tensioning, working with your South African erector. No civil works.
- Shop drawings for engineer approval in 5–10 working days
- Members match-marked and trial-assembled where fit-up is critical
- Packing designed for port handling and the inland leg
- Dossier with MTCs, UT, DFT and dimensional reports
06Reference projects
Heavy industrial and bulk-storage projects delivered in China
These projects were built in China. We show them as evidence of comparable heavy and long-span structures, not as South African references.
Shenshan · Bulk storage
50 m conveyor trestle and 47 m roof spans for a 750 kt grain reserve.
Guangzhou · 7,000 t
Xiangxue Health Industrial Park: 7,000 t of steel and 30.6 m spans.
China · 74 m span
China Aerospace Agricultural Innovation Center, 74 m clear span.
07FAQ
Questions South African buyers ask
Send SANS-based drawings and we return a BOM and FOB price within 24 hours.
Other markets we ship to
How long does shipping to Durban take?
About 18–21 days from Shenzhen, and 22–25 days to Cape Town. Add 25–40 days of fabrication after shop drawing approval, or 40–60 days for complex members.
Can you work to SANS 10162?
Yes. We detail connections to SANS 10162-1 or to your engineer’s connection schedule and fabricate to the construction standard in your specification, usually SANS 2001-CS1.
Which steel grade do you supply?
Q355B/C, supplied against SANS 50025 / EN 10025 S355JR or J2 with EN 10204 3.1 certificates. Independent testing is available on request.
Can you supply mining structures like conveyor trestles?
Yes. Conveyor gantries, trestles, crane girders and plant buildings are core products. Our Shenshan project included a 50 m conveyor trestle.
Do you erect steel in South Africa?
No. We supply steel and erection supervision. Erection and civil works are done by your local contractor.
Send your drawings. Get a 24-hour BOM and FOB price.
DWG, IFC, Tekla or PDF. Engineering review by our Tekla team, from 50 t or 2,000 m².