Fire protection systems provider Advanced Fire Suppression Technologies (Advanced FST) will exhibit the fire suppression systems of fire protection products manufacturer Ansul, and the automatic lubrication systems of lubrication solutions provider Raasm at this year’s Electra Mining Botswana expo, which will be held from September 10 to 12 in Gaborone, Botswana.

Advanced FST CEO Armand Barnard notes that the Ansul vehicle fire suppression system is one of the only such systems with the correct approval for mining applications in Africa, namely FM5970, which is a comprehensive and rigorous testing programme for vehicle fire suppression systems and the AS5062 standard for fire protection of mobile and transport equipment.

He adds that the new Ansul fire suppression agent, the LVS, can extinguish not only three-dimensional (3D) fires but also has super cooling capabilities to cool down super-heated surfaces, such as exhaust manifolds and turbo chargers, found in mining equipment.

A 3D fire refers to a liquid-fuel fire, where the fuel is discharged from an elevated or pressurised source creating a torch-like pressure-fed fire.

The Raasm automatic lubrication systems supply lubricating grease to the moving parts of the vehicle to reduce friction and increase longevity of the moving components. The components of the Raasm lubrication systems are interchangeable with all other lubrication systems.

Barnard adds that, owing to the system being automatic, downtimes – as a result of insufficient lubrication – are reduced. Ensuring that parts are lubricated efficiently can also result in reduced costs of repairs and spare parts. The system programmes dosing times to specific machine requirements and ensures that the correct quantity of lubricant is supplied at every stage.

“This system will provide the asset owner with the assurance that every lubrication point is lubricated 24/7 with the necessary amount of grease and never skipped. It takes out the human error factor and increases longevity of the asset.”

Further, Advanced FST is focusing on expanding its automated lubrication system services and also firefighting vehicle manufacturing on the continent, he says.

This will be achieved by “partnering with companies with good reputation and the necessary skills as well as take advantage of the current infrastructure” that will give the client a value-add service at a far better price. The company also plans to double up on marketing efforts.

Barnard concludes that Electra Mining is a great opportunity for companies to meet potential clients and showcase the best products in their respective fields: “The industry needs quality events to introduce clients to new technologies and products.”