| 1980 Polyfos, a joint AECI (50%) and Samancor (50%) company, commissions new plant
to make sodium tripolyphosphate. Capacity is 4 000 t/a for use in detergents.
A R3.4 million plant, Welvic 2, officially opened at Midland.
Prolux Paints renamed AECI Paints.
AECI announces a research programme for using methanol as a fuel in diesel and petrol
engines.
Zimbabwe's first explosives factory opened to make Sinex Z cartridges.
AECI acquires 56% of the issued capital of Chemical Services from Debincor in exchange for
the issue of 1 725 000 new AECI ordinary shares.
1981
AECI Group turnover exceeds R1 billion.
1982
AECI Pension Fund's combined assets top R237 million and
membership exceeds 23 000.
Mankwe explosives factory opened in Boputhatswana. Production: 100 million capped fuses a
year and 80 000 tons of Anfex.
A Linear Low Density Polyethelyne plant to make Aecithene commissioned at Midland.
Capacity: 15 000 t/a.
Restructuring of AECI. Following a policy of divisionalisation begun in 1978, the
Company's five divisions' manufacturing and marketing operations are restructured into
three wholly-owned subsidiaries: AECI Explosives and Chemicals, AECI Chlor-Alkali and
Plastics, and Polymer Convertor Holdings. AECI Group now comprises six operating companies
- the three named above, and SA Nylon Spinners, AECI Paints, and Chemical Services.
1983
New safety fuse plant at Manwke Factory comes on stream.
Poly 1 plant at Midland makes its one millionth ton of Alkathene low density polyethelene
and AECI's total ammonia production exceeds seven million tons.
No. 3 Ammonia plant at Umbogintwini closed.
Manufacture of Energan bulk heavy Anfo and Powergel emulsion explosives begins.
Industrial Urethanes created as a wholly-owned subsidiary.
1984
AECI aquires Sentrachem's 40% share in Coalplex for R60
million.
AECI Explosives and Chemicals announces decentralised factories at Bethal, Welkom and
Klerksdorp.
Sales top R2 billion.
AECI and Triomf Fertilizer part company and Kynoch Fertilizer is reborn.
1985
Polymer Convertor Holdings disbanded.
Modderfontein's Ammonia 4 plant uprated from 1 000 to 1 300 tons per day.
Phasing out of nitroglycerin explosives manufacture at Somerset West Factory announced.
Government gives green light to phase two of AECI's Synfuels study.
1986
New explosives factory and distribution centre opened at
Bethal - produces Energex explosives and distributes explosives and accessories.
New company, AECI Converters formed. It incorporates the activities of Duropenta,
Sterkolite and Vynide.
Modderfontein and Umbogintwini health committees upgraded to full Town status.
Kynoch Chemicals formed to handle all aspects of the Group's agricultural chemical
business.
Chemical Resources formed to develop, manufacture, market and service a range of specialty
chemicals.
1987
Triomf Fertilizer's Potchefstroom assets acquired.
Coalplex plant at Midland Factory uprated to increase annual production of chlorine,
caustic soda and PVC.
AECI Explosives and Chemicals' Klerksdorp Factory begins operations.
AECI Paints opens factory at Umbogintwini.
AECI Converters acquires Polycon.
AECI's Duropenta and Everite's Pipekor merge to form DPI Plastics with 50/50 shareholding.
1988
AECI Converters reorganised with five operating companies:
AECI Plastic Systems, Autoplastic, Fashiontex Coatings, Polycon and Vynide.
AECI takes over CSIR's anaerobic microbiology division plus its equipment to bond with
Biotechnology Department at Research and Development Department.
AECI acquires the Cape operations of Sentrachem's Fedmis.
Also purchased: 50% of Sentrachem's phosphoric acid production facility at Phalaborwa (
joint venture AECI/Sasol).
AECI Chlor-Alkali and Plastics and CG Smith Sugar enter into 50/50 venture for a hydrogen
peroxide plant at Umbogintwini.
R920million Soda Ash Botswana project announced - business partners: AECI Limited, Anglo
American, De Beers and the Botswana Government.
AECI exceeds R4 billion sales turnover.
1989
Agrochemical interests of AECI and ICI merge to form ICI -
Kynoch Agrochemicals.
Gas project implemented by AECI Chlor-Alkali and Plastics to pipe methane from a
Johannesburg refuse site to AECI's Klipspruit cyanide factory. |