Catering for Africa’s agricultural and industrial manufacturing needs

Calculus Products is able to offer stakeholders in Africa’s agri-business and industrial sectors solutions to all their manufacturing needs.

Calculus is well-known for the signage it manufactures for oil companies, banks and other retails outlets across Africa.

Calculus is well-known for the signage it manufactures for oil companies, banks and other retail outlets across Africa.

The South Africa-based company has manufactured products for a number of well-known firms, including Standard Bank, Sonangol, Shell, BP, Audi, KFC, Sasol and Eskom.

Calculus specialises in laser cutting, CNC punching, CNC bending, guillotining, machining and welding of sheet metal components made of stainless steel, aluminium, mild steel, copper, brass and aluminium composite material. The company is also capable of manufacturing products made of other materials.

Products for the agriculture sector

From its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, Calculus is able to produce a variety of custom-made products for the agriculture sector. Some of these products include:

  • Agricultural implements
  • Cabins for tractors
  • Components for the fruit industry
  • Distillation plant parts
  • Crops spraying equipment
  • Extra heavy duty rotary mowers (slashers)
  • Extra heavy duty road grader

“By offering a combination of computer-controlled laser cutting and CNC punching technology we are able to save our clients a lot of money,” says Max Dietstein, manufacturing manager at Calculus. “Some designs are cheaper to punch, while for others, laser cutting is more suitable.”

Typical examples of products for the agriculture sector

Typical examples of products for the agricultural sector

Business opportunity

“Entrepreneurs in the rest of Africa can build viable businesses by importing our sheet metal components and then doing the assembly and installation in their home countries,” says Dietstein.

Calculus’ production process consists of three distinct stages, namely component manufacturing, assembly and installation. The manufacturing of components is by far the most expensive part of the process, mostly due to the high cost of the machinery. Calculus can manufacture any component based on the client’s own drawings. The finished components can then be assembled and installed in the client’s home country. Dietstein says that Calculus cannot identify specific business opportunities for the client, but can most certainly manufacture the required components or products according to specifications.

“Most small businesses don’t have the capacity to manufacture the sheet metal components because of the high costs involved in buying the machinery. It is therefore much easier for them to import the manufactured components, and do the welding, spray-painting and installation themselves,” explains Dietstein.

“For example, entrepreneurs can easily get involved in the high-volume signage business by importing the components from us, and then assembling and erecting it in their own countries,” he adds.

Calculus also offers training and mentorship to foreign workers in the assembly of components and installation of finished products.

Dietstein says that, depending on the design and volume, Calculus can comfortably compete with Chinese suppliers. “Our export port is Cape Town, which is much closer to West Africa than China. It is therefore significantly more cost effective to ship products from South Africa to countries such as Nigeria or Ghana,” he explains.

“Calculus is an active player on the continent and has been involved with projects in Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire,” says Dietstein.

Other products

In addition to components for the agriculture industry, Calculus also manufactures a range of other products. The company is well-known for the eye-catching signage it produces for filling stations and banks throughout Africa. Calculus has manufactured signage for companies in Angola, Nigeria and South Africa.

The company also manufactures the following products:

– Mobile ATMs
– Street vendor carts
– Stainless steel benches
– Electrical boxes for outdoor use
– Air conditioner casings
– Service vehicle canopies
– Metal components

Typical examples of other products Calculus can manufacture

Typical examples of other products Calculus can manufacture


Contact details

For more information, please contact Max Dietstein at:

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.calculus.co.za

CALCULUS PRODUCTS – LASER CUTTING, CNC PUNCHING, CNC BENDING, GUILLOTINING, MACHINING, WELDING AND MUCH MORE . . .


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