Dry Ice opens R5m plant in New Brighton
UNDERLINING Nelson Mandela Bay’s growing reputation as the country’s investment hotspot, Pretoria-based Dry Ice International launched a new R5-million production facility in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth yesterday.
Dry Ice, which is a leader in dry ice manufacturing and blast cleaning in South Africa, simultaneously unveiled a number of new brands and services at the launch, which was attended by Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip.
The warmly received launch, which included equipment and dry ice application demonstrations, also served to introduce the company’s products and services in the region, where Dry Ice already serves a growing customer base.
As a coolant, Dry Ice markets its ice to the fishing, hunting and commercial markets, like supermarkets.
In industrial applications, the company produces dry ice pellets which are used to blast clean metal and other materials.
With East London-based Mercedes-Benz as one of its clients, Dry Ice focuses on the automotive industry and other manufacturing concerns, specifically where welding is a part of the manufacturing process.
Dry Ice chief executive and owner Deon Roux said the company had been established in 1994 and had gone from strength to strength.
“For the past three years, we have conducted research into the Eastern Cape, specifically Port Elizabeth and East London, and have found that they offer a lot of potential,” Roux said.
He said the new facility would initially be manned by a staff complement of 10 people, but that this figure would increase to between 30 and 40 in the future.