Plant Equipment and Hire January 2018 | Page 23

TECHNOLOGY 2 1 “As far as our product mix goes, our applications would probably be a 60–40 split: 40% would be surface preparation, in other words, sandblasting, and 60% would be industrial cleaning — so heat exchanges, reactors, tanks, vessels, and so on.” Total Blasting complies with international safety standards and is a member of the safety-focused Industrial Cleaning Foundation (Stichting Industriele Reiniging, or SIR) and the WaterJet Technology Association (WJTA). The company has a fully fledged workshop geared to manufacture all types of water-jetting pumps, as well as do repairs and maintenance on pumps and other water-jetting-associated equipment. “Our biggest clients have 30 or 40 pieces of our equipment, so they have their own workshops and they do all the maintenance in-house,” Says Storer. “However, sometimes when equipment comes off a site and it is in a really bad state, they will send it here for us to do a full overhaul of the piece of kit.” Hydrodemolition Total Blasting is also involved in the field of hydrodemolition and has been supplying tools and expertise to the southern African market for over four years. Storer explains hydrodemolition as “the use of high-pressure pumps, water, and 1 & 2: Total Blasting has a state-of-the-art training facility and conducts training according to the required safety standards. Unlike conventional demolition methods like jackhammering, hydrodemolition does not damage the rebar or surrounding structure. robotics to break down and remove cement- based materials in situ”. This specialised demolition technique employs high volumes of water to target the specific demolition area with relative precision, supporting a cleaner demolition site. “Unlike conventional demolition methods like jackhammering,” he adds, “hydrodemolition does not damage the rebar or surrounding structure.” Total Blasting was involved in the recently completed major structural repairs to the M1 North highway bridges over Oxford and Federation roads in Johannesburg, with three employees with specialised skills in water JANUARY 2018 21