Mainly involved in the sugar industry Sucrotech added shipping to its portfolio to keep its workshops busy during the sugar crushing season when the work loading is less. We have been affiliated with the local shipping fraternity since Stuart and Ian first took over the company in 1997.
Stuart’s shipping knowledge stems from working for many years in the Marine Harbour Services know as Transnet
He later undertook large shipping contracts through his own company, Stuart Ritchie Engineering, doing the mechanical work for Elgin Marine where he worked with the shipping insurers and inspection services.
Sucrotech started out being the preferred repairer of small and medium pleasure vessel propulsion components for the third party inspection authorities where Stuart is still held in high esteem.
Servicing and Repairs
Inspection, repairs, testing and balancing of the propulsion units form the main workload in our workshop.
Together with repairs we also fabricate full stainless Steel rudders and specialised high speed / low weight components to create faster racing sailing vessels or to reduce drag and therewith fuel consumption of the bigger vessels
Sucrotech has one of the largest balancing machines locally which has a swing of 2,1m (dia) and can carry over 3 tons of equipment. The machine can be set to very high standards of balancing for high speed turbines and pump impellers
Maiden Voyage
After a major upgrade, including new engines gearboxes and propulsion units, Bosss Marine recently launched Bosss II a …ton vessel specially upgraded for off shore service and delivery.
With new propellers from overseas, Sucrotech detailed designed and manufactured thepropulsion system from the gearbox output shaft back through the stern tubes which included stuffing box seals, drive and connection couplings together with split retaining couplings
The alignment was carried out the old fashioned way using piano wire and inside mics to ensure the multiple ‘A’ brackets, seals through the hull and bulkheads and to the gearbox output shaft and coupling was correct and that the propeller 6m shafts could be pushed into place by hand.
An alignment double check was also carried out by laser.
Caisson doors upgrade
A caisson (/ˈkeɪsən/ or /ˈkeɪsɒn/) is a watertight retaining structure.
The Durban dry dock has been up graded to a standard 4 pole 90Kw VSD geared motor to replace the ailing 400V slip-ring direct drives which will now be placed in the Marine Harbour Museum.
The caisson can now be opened by joystick control in the main drive room or by a hand held remote switch whilst standing on the gate itself.
The mechanical structure and rope system has remained and is working well even with it being 83 years old and moving a 200 ton door when empty.
Sucrotech undertook the mechanical installation on behalf of the electrical contractor Controlectric.
| Name | Role | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | Reception | engineering@sucrotech.co.za | 031 579 2211 |
| Ronnie Chetty | Business Manager | ronnie@sucrotech.co.za | 078 577 0003 |
| Sheryl Moodley | Spares Servicing | sherylm@sucrotech.co.za | 066 017 5491 |
| Cheryl Callanan | Accounts | cherylc@sucrotech.co.za | 082 713 5740 |
| Gen Elliott | Commercial C.I.T | genevieve@sucrotech.co.za | 082 347 4664 |
| Clayton Chinneck | Group Sales and Marketing | clayton@sucrotech.co.za | 074 114 6649 |
| Stuart Ritchie | Engineering | stuart@sucrotech.co.za | 082 897 5275 |
Agents For
Affiliated To
