Locally made, price-competitive SMC enclosures

29 September 2021 Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets & Panel Products

The majority of electrical enclosures used in South Africa are coated with mild steel. Standard off-the-shelf sizes used to be locally manufactured but the tide of low-cost imported steel products has almost completely displaced local steel manufacture in this sector. The probability that there is any local content in the boxes that are bought from stock from any electrical wholesaler in South Africa is close to zero.

Local manufacturer, Allbro, compounds a special version of glass reinforced polyester (GRP) known as SMC (sheet moulding compound). This is a well-known composite material that is used in the manufacture of critical structural parts for jet skis, manhole covers, truck body parts, car parts and many consumer products that require durability greater than what steel can provide.

SMC enclosures have historically been about three times more expensive than steel enclosures, but Allbro has changed the price position of SMC enclosures. Local mould manufacture, local raw material sourcing and compounding, local labour and local energy costs, when combined, make the company’s Allbrox family the only SMC composite enclosure that can compete with cheap steel imports on price, according to Allbro.

Allbrox is amongst the most durable SMC enclosures available worldwide, thanks to a unique coating process that allows the enclosure to withstand decades of the harshest weather conditions. The material underneath the coating is also able to endure decades of abuse from the elements and Allbro goes so far as to assert that there is no enclosure in the world that will last as long as Allbrox.

Over the last five years the range has grown to include 19 part numbers covering a broad range of sizes. Allbro says the industry in South Africa is rapidly recognising the benefits of this home-grown solution and more and more specifications are being changed to support the introduction of Allbrox as a plant standard. The local support base is a fundamental aspect for the success of the product range on a competitive world stage.

Further reading:

Polypropylene pole-top boxes support smarter, more secure electricity networks
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets & Panel Products
As South Africa accelerates the rollout of smart prepaid electricity metering, innovative enclosure technology from Power Process Systems (PPS) is helping utilities improve network security, reduce electricity theft and protect critical electrical infrastructure.

Read more...

---

Cabinets for industrial applications
Vepac Electronics Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets & Panel Products
Verotec’s VERAK cabinets addresses the most stringent enclosure requirements providing both IP65 environmental protection and EMC screening.

Read more...

---

Flat-pack enclosures
Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets & Panel Products
The launch of Rittal’s FR IT flat-pack enclosure marked a milestone for the company, introducing the local market to a high-capacity, top-tier IT enclosure in a convenient and cost-effective flat-pack format for the first time.

Read more...

---

Flat-pack IT enclosure
Rittal Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets & Panel Products
The introduction of the FR IT flat-pack enclosure by Rittal marked an important milestone for the company, bringing a high-capacity, premium IT enclosure to the local market in a convenient and cost-effective flat-pack format for the first time.

Read more...

---

Click-in module carrier frames
Phoenix Contact Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets & Panel Products
The tool-free Heavycon series click-in module carrier frame from Phoenix Contact simplifies the assembly and installation of heavy-duty connectors significantly.

Read more...

---

Die-cast enclosures in non-rectangular formats
Communica Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets & Panel Products
These models from Hammond Manufacturing, the 1590TRP and 1590STP, provide additional flexibility for product designers who require strong aluminium enclosures, but want alternatives to the traditional rectangular form factor.

Read more...

---

Enclosures engineered for extremes
RS South Africa Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets & Panel Products
When electronic components face the relentless demands of heavy industry or unpredictable outdoor elements, Takachi’s IP67 diecast aluminium enclosures provide a robust line of defence.

Read more...

---

IP66 and IP67 Node & Hub enclosures
Vepac Electronics Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets & Panel Products
The idea behind Node & Hub is simple: enclosures should not be an afterthought. They are the backbone of every smart system protecting, mounting, and connecting the technology that makes the modern world tick.

Read more...

---

Smart track busway for scalable power delivery
RS South Africa Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets & Panel Products
The latest generation Legrand Data Center Track Busway system combines mechanical safety, smart diagnostics, material efficiency, and modular flexibility to provide a dependable platform for optimised power distribution.

Read more...

---

Battery modules with lithium iron phosphate technology
Phoenix Contact Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets & Panel Products
With its new lithium battery modules with IQ Technology, Phoenix Contact is expanding its portfolio with powerful energy storage solutions with a capacity of 284 Wh.

Read more...

---