An aggressive growth strategy in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa over the past decade has resulted in a CAGR of 6% in volume sold since 2015. “The result of this is that our sales volume has nearly doubled during this time,” says Paul Deppe, MD of FUCHS LUBRICANTS SOUTH AFRICA and regional vice-president of sub-Saharan Africa.
Deppe was speaking at the official opening of the expanded facility of FUCHS LUBRICANTS SOUTH AFRICA in Isando. “This growth would not have been possible had the FUCHS Group not the confidence and desire to sup-port its subsidiary in South Africa.” More than R650-million has been invested in creating capacity at the South African subsidiary over the past eight years. “It is a huge confidence boost in the country and the FUCHS business in South Africa,” says Deppe.
Joining the event from FUCHS SE was Dr Ralph Rheinboldt, chairman of the South African subsidiary and member of the FUCHS SE Executive Board responsible for EMEA, Dr Sebastian Heiner member of the FUCHS SE Executive Board and CTO, and Matthias Spethmann, vice-president of EMEA OEM sales.
“FUCHS has marked a significant milestone with the completion of its expanded plant in Isando,” says Deppe. The project commenced in 2020 with the purchase of an adjacent site to accommodate the company’s growth. This expansion follows the initial investment in a new grease plant commissioned in 2018.
The newly built facility, which now spans 6 ha, doubling its previous size, represents a R500-million investment in “creating capacity” and technological advancement. The project includes a new office complex, warehouse, laboratory, tank farm, oil lubricants blending plant, and state-of-the-art filling machines. Completed in December 2024, the expansion has increased production capacity by over 40%.
The development has been a key factor in FUCHS’s growth, which now employs nearly 450 people, up from 250 in 2015. No staff redundancies took place during this period, with the company continuing to invest in employee training and upskilling.
FUCHS worked closely with several partners, including global engineering firm DRA Global, the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management (EPCM) consultant. Other consultants who contributed significantly were GPD Studio (architect), ILS (warehouse designer), ASP Fire (fire engineer), Stadler & Schaaf (plant automation), and Handson Electrical (electrical engineer).
Among the highlights of the new facilities is the modern office complex, which serves as the head office for South Africa and regional office for sub-Saharan Africa. It is designed to house 110 people in a sustainable, energy-efficient environment, certified net-zero carbon by the Green Building Council of South Africa.
The new 7 000 m² warehouse, four-and-a-half times larger than the previous one, incorporates SAP warehouse management technology supported by integrated scanning systems, and design incorporating narrow and wide aisle racking for flexibility and to maximize space utilization. The automated fire system conforms to NFPA standards and includes automated spill barriers. In addition, sustainability elements such as rainwater harvesting and a solar PV system which will increase total renewable energy supply to 30%.
A critical part of FUCHS value offering is quality control and product development. With the growth of operations, the laboratory has been renovated and upgraded. The upgraded laboratory supports FUCHS’s commitment to quality control and product development.
The expansion of the oil lubricants production capacity includes a new tank farm, blending plant, and filling hall designed for future growth. The tank farm includes capacity for 1 300m³ of base oil storage, 120 m³ of heated additive storage and 300 m³ of blending capacity.
There are 3 new filling lines, an IBC and drum line, a 20L filling line and Small Pack filling line currently configured to fill 5L and 1L pack sizes. All 3 lines have a high degree of automation. The IBC and drum line features a diving head piston nozzle to limit foaming and a load cell with level sensors for accurate volume and weight measurement. The 20L line and Small Pack filling line all have a range of quality features like weight checking, cap sensing, induction sealer sensing, label vision sensing and batch code printing.
“This expansion is set to enhance FUCHS’s operational efficiency, quality control, and production capacity, ensuring continued growth and customer satisfaction. The company extends its gratitude to its employees, consult-ants, and customers for their unwavering support throughout this transformative journey,” concludes Deppe.
