Fischer Stainless Steel Tubing is currently highly active in the export market, exporting to companies like Faurecia of the Czech Republic, a multinational involved in the production and supply of exhaust and other automotive components.
The company produces top-quality direct off mill automotive tubing as well as products for other general engineering industries. Fischer South Africa is wholly-owned by Fisher Edelstahlrohre GmbH of Germany, and sources all of its stainless raw materials from Columbus. The company is well-known in the market for its production of round, square and rectangular stainless tube manufactured in accordance with ISO 1127.
Relocated
Fischer Tubing was first established in Transkei in 1990, and relocated to new premises in Centurion in 1991. In 1997, Fischer Tube-Technik was established as a separate plant to focus on bending, expanding and sizing of tube, with a focus on the export markets. Fischer produced about 4 000 t of tubing during 2000, of which 65% was supplied to the automotive industry. Fischer boasts an annual production capacity of about 5 000 t when running on a three-shift basis.
“In only a few years we have built up a solid customer base, and have increased our production capacity by in excess of 600%. In order to do so we have imported the latest technology from Germany to provide superior quality solid and perforated tubing,” said Erich Kotzenmacher, MD of Fischer.
Commitment to quality
The company’s commitment to quality is reflected in the adoption of the international ISO 9002 quality programme, and its aim to achieve QS9000, an automotive-industry driven quality system. The company manufactures tube in both ferritic and austenitic stainless material sourced from Columbus, using grades 304, 409 and 3CR12. “We are aware of the competition within the automotive industry, and as a result have imported the latest technology into the country in order to continue adding value to our quality products, and sustain our growth and share of this market,” concluded Kotzenmacher.
Fischer operates from a 16 000 m2 site, with a factory area of about 3 600 m2 at Hennopspark, Centurion, near Pretoria. The company’s link with its German parent ensures the latest technology transfer of high-quality German standards for longitudinal welded seam tube manufacturing.
The mills installed at present can produce round tubing ranging in size from 15 to 76,2 mm diameter; oval, square and rectangular tubing ranging from 12 by 12 mm to 60 by 60 mm in square, and 30 by 20 mm to 70 by 50 mm in rectangular. Wall thickness ranges from 0,4 to 2,5 mm.
