LHL Engineering’s vision is to be ‘the-go-to engineering team’ known for outstanding quality, safety, customer service and value. LHL has its roots dating back to 1969 when the company was started to support the German-imported LHL axel. In 2012 LHL converted to a Pty, and was taken over by CEO Nelson Govender in 2015, who made a significant investment ensuring that the company is well capitalised & resourced. LHL has a strong track record in the metals and engineering industry with the past 50 years seeing the company grow to become a future-facing global player, adding strategic value to local and international brands, across South African and global markets.
LHL is a specialist fabricator and installer of tanks; pressure vessels; heat exchangers (manufacture and refurbish); reactors; piping; structural steel and general steel component manufacture. Site- based installation and maintenance are also offered. The metals and engineering sector has been through tumultuous times over the past few years, which are aligned with the SA economic challenges, including the devastation caused by COVID-19, the 2021 looting and most recently the KZN floods. Due to these difficult times the demise of many of LHL’s competitors has been witnessed.
As a 100% black-owned enterprise with a Level 1 BBBEE Status with a 40% black female and 30% youth ownership the business is growing from strength to strength. LHL has operating facilities in Durban and Cape Town. Previously located in New Germany, LHL has recently moved to bigger premises, which are based in Glen Anil, Durban. The move saw the manufacturing space doubling in footprint, increased crane capacity and brand new state of the art machinery and equipment is being acquired which will enable the expansion of LHL’s pressure vessel manufacturing capacity.
Technology will play a critical role in positioning the company as relevant and ensuring it is able to compete with established larger players well into the future. Consequently, all new machinery and equipment, comprising robotics, 4IR, CNC and green technology, will have the aim of differentiating LHL’s offerings as unique.
Future growth plans include becoming a leading player in the metals and engineering industry by applying a 4-Pillar platform entailing financial resources, industry knowledge, customer trust and agility, to successfully drive product sales internationally. Target markets include sugar, chemical, pharmaceutical, petro-chemical, oil and gas, pulp and paper, water and sanitation, transport, and food and beverage industries in both the public and private sector.
LHL Engineering was selected to be part of the KZN Localization, Import Replacement and Enterprise Development programme which commenced in November 2021 and through the programme initiatives such as improved factory layout, production efficiencies, workflow methodologies, quality control measures, staff training and launching new products to a competitive and demanding market have been implemented.
LHL is being approached regularly by clients for tenders/quotes that were, as mentioned above, serviced by competitors who had to close their doors. In order to satisfy the market demand currently experienced, LHL is in the process of establishing a cooperative cluster with a group of companies to provide a one-stop facility that will boost their overall competitive advantages.
The cluster will create an interdependent and mutually beneficial relationship with shared services, including state of the art equipment supplied and maintained by strategic partners. With its workforce of 22 skilled employees, LHL’s future objectives are to capitalise on the new opportunities created through the cluster and to create further employment prospects.
Together with an impressive array of machinery and production facilities at its disposal and through its cluster partners, LHL will become a market leader with the flexibility, industry accreditation (ISO9001/2015, ISO45001, ISO3834, ASME V111 APP10), skills and knowledge to supply a wide range of products and services to satisfy market demand for different sectors.