Serco begins anew in Durban

It may only become fully operational in the New Year, but Serco is already crowing about its extended premises in Phoenix Industrial Park, Durban.

The trailer and bodybuilding company has added 6 000 square metres of undercover space to its existing premises. All that is outstanding now is the green light from the eThekwini Municipality and for the state-of-the-art panel press to be commissioned.

“When the new line is fully commissioned with the new machinery in place, we’ll be able to double our capacity. This will give us a lot of scope for growth over the next few years,” says Serco’s MD, Clinton Holcroft. “There will be two or three months of training and testing before we go live.”

Holcroft says the injection panel manufacturing process, made possible by the new press, would be a first in southern Africa in the area of refrigerated vehicle building. “It will set a new benchmark for us in terms of panel strength and thermal efficiency.”

The new building has been fitted with clear sheeting along the sides to provide natural lighting. It also has a system to store rain water for use in the wash bays. There is a sophisticated fire sprinkler system in place and a dock leveller for easy and efficient handling of materials.

“We are excited about the potential of the new facility, which is going to change the way we manufacture. A production-line principle will bring improved efficiencies and increased output,” he concludes.