New Tomra hub takes recycling in southern Africa to a higher level

Sorting technology specialist Tomra has opened a new regional headquarters in Johannesburg to ‘strengthen its commitment’ to customers in southern Africa.

‘This initiative is designed to boost technical support, service, and training and to ensure prompt availability of spare parts,’ the company says. The move will also improve operational efficiencies by bringing together under one roof all three Tomra divisions: mining, recycling and food.

Demo and test room

Tomra’s new facilities are housed in a two-storey, 1 800 M2 building which accommodates offices, a warehouse, a spare parts area, two training rooms and three meeting rooms connected to the company‘s global network of more than 4 000 employees. There is also space to demonstrate the latest sensor-based sorting technologies. The building’s location on the Longmeadow Business Estate, Edenvale, to the north-east of Johannesburg, is close to major road networks and Johannesburg’s international airport. 

Serious growth market

‘This investment underlines our long-term commitment to southern Africa,’ says Tomra’s senior vice president Albert du Preez. ‘This is a growing market and one we take very seriously. The 26-strong team operating out of our new headquarters will support customers in South Africa and all other countries in sub-Saharan Africa.’

On a sorting mission

Tomra’s role in Africa is of increasing importance, the company emphasises, as it is in other continents. ‘As the world’s population increases – and as millions more people in developing nations gain the living standards of the throw-away consumer society – more and more waste will end up in landfills, incinerators and oceans. With higher rates of recycling now needed urgently, we provide the technical solutions for extracting recyclable materials from waste streams.’