From new developments such as the iconic 67 000 m2 Sasol Place headquarters in Sandton, to a slew of infrastructure projects such as wastewater treatment plants and bridges, fischer anchoring systems have played a pivotal role in the South African construction industry.
Available in South Africa exclusively from leading distributor Upat, fischer anchoring systems have been used extensively throughout South Africa for a range of structural applications, of which the most recent example is Sasol Place.
Thousands of express anchors were used for the main façade brackets, specified by project contractors Façade Solutions of Benrose and Marble Classic of Spartan in order to withstand the high wind pressures that these façades have to endure, explains Upat Technical Manager Kevin Owen.
In February, fischer supplied a contractor with FIS V injection mortar anchors used to erect precast road barriers at Sasol’s Secunda plant in Mpumalanga. The contractor had to comply with Sasol’s stringent health and safety standards.
These included having barriers able to withstand the force of a 20 t truck crashing into them at speeds of up to 50 km/h. The FIS V injection mortar anchors were selected owing to their proven record in anchoring heavy loads in concrete and masonry.
The fischer FH II bolt anchor has been a fixture of the local construction industry for a long time, and these anchors were used extensively to affix steelwork to the concrete section of the Nellmapius Bridge in Pretoria nearly a decade ago. There have been no issues relating to the anchors since, which is testament to their durability and strength.
In the late 1990s, fischer supplied a large number of express and resin anchors to contractors installing handrails at the Olifantsvlei Wastewater Treatment Works in Johannesburg. These anchors have held firm, ensuring the safety of workers on-site ever since.
Geosynthetic material supplier
Specialist geosynthetic material supplier and installation contractor Aquatan, a provider of rubber linings for reservoirs, dams, and mining applications, has been a user of fischer products for many years.
Aquatan installed the original rubber linings for a reservoir at a water treatment plant in Cape Town in 1991. These rubber linings have held firmly, without a single failure, thanks to fischer express stainless steel anchors. The success is particularly notable given it is such a highly corrosive and humid application.
When this water treatment plant was refurbished in January, Aquatan contacted fischer to enquire if the original 27-year-old anchors could be reused to resupport the lining of the reservoir. Laboratory testing of samples revealed that the integrity of the anchors was still sound for another 25 years.
“This puts fischer’s 50-year guarantee on its anchoring systems in context, given that these are highly-engineered, premium products,” Owen highlights. The anchoring systems therefore have an enviable reputation in the construction industry, and continue to be specified by major contractors such as Stefanutti Stocks and WBHO Construction.
About Upat
Upat SA (Pty) Ltd. is a 100% South African owned business that began trading in 1983. From the outset, Upat has been committed to the building industry, supplying not only a range of anchor bolts, but also rotary hammer drilling machines, tungsten-tipped masonry drill bits, powder actuated tools, and allied building and construction products.
Upat’s ability to supply a range of top-quality products at market-related prices has resulted in it becoming a market leader in Southern Africa. Upat is proudly the sole Southern African distributor of the fischer range of construction fasteners, the Milwaukee power-tool brand, the AEG power-tool brand and the Stabila range of measuring tools.
