Founded in 1952, APE Pumps has been designing, developing, manufacturing and refurbishing pumps for over seven decades. Have you witnessed any major shifts in the pump industry?

TZ: Over recent years, we have seen a greater focus placed on energy efficient pumps. As electricity prices continue to rise, industries are under pressure to reduce their energy consumption to stay competitive.

We play an important role in helping our customers run an efficient system and therefore assist them in selecting the best pump. Oversized pumps often operate inefficiently at partial load. Correct sizing ensures the pump runs near its best efficiency point (BEP). Instead of running at a constant speed, variable speed drives (VSDs) adjust the pump speed to match the actual demand, significantly reducing energy use, especially in systems with fluctuating loads. Additionally, if a system runs on multiple pumps (for example three pumps), it is possible to save energy costs by switching off the third pump and allowing the system to run on two pumps during low demand periods.

Maintenance obviously also plays a huge role in keeping pumps efficient. Worn components like seals, bearings, or impellers can drastically drop efficiency if not maintained. Clients provide APE with old pumps to bring to OEM specifications. We help clients with their service and maintenance cycles, advising them on when their pumps need to be maintained or taken out of service for a overhaul.

Some of our customers ask for regular condition monitoring, where we visit a client to test for the efficiency of pumps and do a vibration analysis as well as monitor temperature, energy efficiency, temperature, pressure and flow.

Another major trend is the rise of remote monitoring systems for pumps. By using IoT-enabled sensors and cloud platform, operators can continuously track pump performance, detect inefficiencies, and identify potential failures before they occur.

Following the April 2022 floods, APE Pumps was able to confirm via its remote monitoring system that pumps at a waterworks in Durban were still operating and were not damaged by the floods. They were able to disprove the need for another contractor to repair those pumps at a cost in excess of R10 million.

From an APE perspective, are there any other changes that you have been implementing to better suit your customers’ needs?

It can take in excess of 12 weeks to fix and maintain very large pumps. We have been working hard to decrease that turnaround time. As a South African OEM, APE is not dependent on imports from overseas territories. Every pump component needed is made at our factory in South Africa. This creates quicker turnaround times for delivery, guaranteed quality and better customer service.

We have also found that improving workflow can make a  significant impact in terms of turnaround time. APE Pumps has purchased a process scanner that can track the movement of all incoming and outgoing parts within their factory. This is done to improve efficiencies, identify potential bottle necks and to give customers up to date information on the status of their new pump or repair.

In some of our service level agreements, APE can keep stock of brand-new units for a client so that we can implement a service exchange. The client will provide APE with an old pump to bring to OEM specifications and APE will give the client the new pump. Many companies are no longer keeping critical spares in stock, so we do this for them.

APE Pumps has also made significant technological investments to reduce outsourcing any part of the manufacturing process, thereby improving quality and turnaround time.

These include:

• A centre lathe equipped to handle jobs ranging in lengths of up to 8 m and in varying diameters for components such as columns, shafts, and impellers (specifically for circulating water pumps)
• A key slotter for keyway cutting (a drive system feature on one of the group’s impeller-lines to enable rotation around the shaft)
• A 12-ton CNC horizontal boring machine for the final machining of larger impellers, which typically measure around 3m in diameter
• A vertical boring machine for the machining of larger components with a Ø3500
• A 450-ton press that can split impellers off shafts
• A shot blasting machine to clean and prepare metal surfaces
• A 3D printer that can print various pump parts in different plastics, even carbon fibre reinforced plastic. This assists with rapid prototyping, where pump designs can be easily modified without expensive tooling. Impellers, veins and casings can be optimised for better efficiencies and material waste can be reduced.
• Dedicated 3D scanning room for their 3D scanner, it is equipped with large screens for viewing and comparing measurements, models, and drawings

Currently, the team is exploring artificial intelligence, using it to assist in writing code to automate various software functions as well as to fully utilise APE’s extensive database when specifying and designing pumps for certain applications.

What kind of growth has APE Pumps seen over the past five years?

Aside from adopting new technology and better, improved methods of manufacturing pumps, the majority of the equipment purchases are due to the substantial growth experienced by APE Pumps.

Over the past five years, our employee headcount has increased by 56% and our revenue has quadrupled. This is without including increased revenue from the 100% acquisition of Eigenbau and future 55% acquisition (waiting for competition commission approval) of a process engineering and turnkey contracting company.

We have grown because customers see the value of dealing with an original equipment manufacturer, giving guaranteed quality, reliability, and performance. Customers benefit from access to original design documentation, genuine spare parts, and expert technical support, reducing the risk of downtime and costly repairs.

Our workshop and factory are expanding with our growing sales. But most importantly, we are continuously upskilling our staff. Currently, staff members are getting trained on the vault system with regard to record keeping and work flows as well as training on drawing software and programming.

While APE Pumps have many long serving employees, we have also employed a younger generation of talent. There is a serious culture of learning at APE Pumps. We like a two-way mentorship approach, where the ‘old’ teach the ‘young’ and vice versa, in modern versus tried and tested techniques.  With 70 years of proven expertise, APE is uniquely positioned to capitalise on its legacy by embracing smarter technologies, streamlined processes, and innovative thinking to deliver even more efficient, responsive, and future-ready pump solutions.