28 May 2025 Presentations
Richards Bay – 23-24 April 2025
Metallurgical solutions provider Spectrum Technical, based in Richards Bay South Africa, recently hosted its third Aluminium Technology Seminar, drawing participation from across the southern African aluminium sector. The two-day event, held at the Indaba Lodge in Richards Bay, showcased global advancements in casthouse operations, aluminium processing, and sustainability trends.
“We’ve built a reputation for not only providing leading equipment and technology but also creating platforms where industry professionals can share knowledge and ideas,” said Kumaran Poonan, Director of Spectrum Technical’s metals division. “Following the success of our previous seminars in 2013 and 2017, the 2025 edition was designed to reflect the evolving needs of the aluminium industry, especially around digitalisation and responsible production.”
This year’s seminar saw over 80 delegates in attendance, representing smelters, extrusion plants, rolling mills, and service providers from across South Africa. Our technology partners from Canada, Sweden, France and Italy delivered technical presentations Delegates included process engineers, metallurgists, plant managers, maintenance and operations teams involved in both primary and secondary aluminium production.
The keynote address was delivered by Muzi Manzi, CEO of the Aluminium Federation of South Africa (AFSA), who set the tone for the event by outlining key trends in the global and local aluminium sector. His presentation highlighted South Africa’s strategic position in the decarbonisation of global supply chains and called for stronger collaboration between technology providers and smelters. “We have both the natural resources and technical expertise to lead the next phase of aluminium innovation. Forums like this one are critical to building alignment and momentum,” he noted.
Day one began with a welcome address by Kumaran Poonan of Spectrum Technical, followed by an industry outlook from Muzi Manzi, CEO of the Aluminium Federation of South Africa (AFSA). Presentations included:
- Giovanni Magarotto (Tomorrow Technology, Italy) on eco-friendly Casthouse Dedicated Vehicles
- Arnaud Subra (Sermas) on Sawing and Machining Solutions for casthouse applications
- Charles Dumont (STAS INC, Canada) on optimising Casthouse and Ladle Shop Operations
- Lino Bellantuono (SIB Torino, Italy) on Renewable Energy Solutions for used beverage can recycling
- Emil Bjärkvik (Precimeter Control, Sweden) on Automation and Molten Metal Level Control
Day two continued with further technical sessions, including:
- Damien Ventura (Sermas) expanding on advanced sawing technologies
- Marc Andre Martel (STAS INC) presenting on Chlorine-free Aluminium Treatment
- Charles Dumont (STAS INC, Canada)_introducing BATSCAN, a breakthrough in inclusion measurement
- Emil Bjärkvik concluding with updates on Precimeter’s latest technology developments for molten metal control
Damien Ventura (Sermas France) Giovanni Magarotto (Tomorrow Technology Italy), Lino Bellantuono (SIB Italy), Arnaud Subra (Sermas France), Emil Bjarkvik (Precimeter- Sweden), Marc Andre Martel (STAS Canada), Kumaran Poonan (Spectrum) Charles Dumont (STAS Canada)
“Each speaker brought relevant, practical insights,” said Thami Maphanga, Metallurgist at Spectrum Technical. “Delegates appreciated the mix of real-world applications and future-focused technologies. The networking sessions also allowed for valuable dialogue between smelter teams and OEMs.”
Several delegates noted the seminar’s strong balance between operations and strategy. “It’s not just about equipment – it’s about aligning maintenance, production, and sustainability goals,” commented a Supervisor at a major smelter.
The event also included a gala dinner where delegates engaged informally with one another in a fun filled evening.
Spectrum Technical Aluminium Seminar Delegates
