IVECO and Atlas Véhicules Industries Group have handed over 50 IVECO S-Way heavy-duty trucks to Abrar Industries during a delivery ceremony held at the company’s facility in Casablanca, Morocco

The fleet consists entirely of IVECO S-Way 480 models equipped with hydraulic systems and will be deployed across Abrar Industries’ heavy-duty transport operations.

Abrar Industries Group is one of Morocco’s leading industrial companies, with activities spanning construction, infrastructure development and the production of building materials. The company plays an important role in supporting major public and private sector projects throughout the country. It operates under Abrar Invest, a Moroccan holding company established in 2001 with interests in construction, industry and real estate.

Bouzroud Abderrahmane, deputy general manager at Abrar Industries, commented, “IVECO is a trusted brand, known for its reliability and quality support. It provides professional service and attentive assistance to meet customer needs.”

Giovanni Coraggio, IVECO business manager for Morocco, added, "We are particularly proud to announce the conclusion of a highly significant strategic agreement with a major partner in Morocco, Abrar Industries, a renowned company leader in the public works, industry, and real estate. This transaction represents an important step forward in strengthening our presence in Morocco and confirms the competitiveness and reliability of our solutions in the industrial vehicle sector."

"This achievement is the result of close collaboration with the customer, aimed at addressing the specific operational and logistical needs of the territory and teamwork based on continuous commitment of all our company’s departments, as well as the strength of the relationships we have built over time with Abrar Industries and our local partner Atlas Véhicules Industriels. We look to the future with great confidence, with the goal of further consolidating our presence in the country and continuing to support the development of increasingly efficient, sustainable, and cuttingedge transport systems."

IVECO S-Way the driver-centric heavy-duty truck

The IVECO S-Way forms part of the IVECO Way range and has been developed as a business-focused solution for fleet operators while providing a comfortable and efficient working environment for drivers. Building on the success achieved since its European debut in 2019, the truck combines fuel efficiency, advanced technologies and lower operating costs.

The latest version incorporates an updated powertrain and next-generation rear axle, helping improve fuel economy while maintaining the strong performance levels associated with the model. The vehicle has earned positive feedback from operators for its reliability and ownership costs, while drivers continue to value its comfort and usability.

For transport and logistics companies operating in highly competitive markets, fleet productivity and uptime remain critical. The IVECO S-Way has been designed to address these requirements through a combination of vehicle technologies, connectivity and support services that extend throughout the truck’s operational life cycle.

Designed to maximise fuel efficiency

The vehicle’s cab has been completely redesigned with a strong focus on reducing fuel consumption and improving operational efficiency.

Its aerodynamic profile has been refined to minimise drag, with the roof seamlessly integrated into the front section of the vehicle to create a smoother airflow path. A retractable front step provides convenient access to the windshield while remaining concealed during operation.

Additional aerodynamic enhancements include a redesigned grille, integrated headlights, updated bumpers with built-in deflectors and reshaped wheel arches. Together, these features contribute to improved airflow around the vehicle.

Further gains are achieved through an optimised aerodynamic kit featuring rubber extensions that reduce the gap between the tractor and semitrailer. The redesigned door structure extends to the second step, creating a smoother side profile and reducing turbulence during highway travel.

A new cab designed around the driver to provide superior driving comfort on board

Driver comfort and usability were central to the development of the new cab. The interior layout has been redesigned to improve ergonomics, accessibility and overall driving experience.

Key controls are positioned within easy reach, while the multifunction steering wheel incorporates 22 switches, enabling drivers to access essential functions without removing their hands from the wheel. The dashboard and central console have also been updated to enhance convenience and operational efficiency.

Features such as the Start/Stop engine button and electronic key slot are strategically located near the DNR controls for improved accessibility.

The cab offers a standing height of 2.15 metres at its centre, while the redesigned roof and wider upper section create additional interior space. Access to storage compartments and the upper bunk has also been improved.

The sleeping area combines practicality with comfort through a symmetrical design, integrated controls, USB charging points and conveniently positioned storage solutions. Climate control systems, including air conditioning and optional parking cooler and heater systems, help maintain comfortable cabin temperatures in all operating conditions.

Designed for driver safety

Safety has been a key consideration in the development of the IVECO S-Way. The reinforced cab structure complies with ECE R29.03 crash standards and delivers high levels of occupant protection.

Visibility has been enhanced through one-piece side windows and improved mirror positioning. Full LED lighting further improves illumination, extending visibility and increasing obstacle detection capabilities in low-light conditions.

The truck is also equipped with a comprehensive suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems designed to support safer driving, improve vehicle control and reduce driver fatigue.

When parked, security is strengthened through the redesigned door structure, which leaves only the lowest step exposed, while an additional mechanical door lock inside the cab provides further protection.

A renewed line-up for high business productivity and TCO performer

The updated engine range complies with Euro III and Euro V emissions standards. Customers can choose from Cursor 9 and Cursor 13 engines, with outputs ranging from 360 hp to 560/570 hp. Engine performance and efficiency have been enhanced through the introduction of a Common Rail fuel injection system.

Both engine families are paired with the Hi-Tronix 12-speed automated transmission, which improves clutch control, durability and overall vehicle performance.

Additional technologies aimed at reducing fuel consumption include the Ecoroll function, which disengages the driveline on gentle descents to maximise momentum, and Ecoswitch, which adjusts engine performance according to vehicle load and operating conditions.

The Tyre Pressure Monitoring System also contributes to fuel efficiency and safety by continuously monitoring tyre pressures and alerting drivers to any deviations.

As mining companies across Africa intensify their digital transformation efforts, dependable wireless connectivity is emerging as a critical requirement for enabling real-time operations, telemetry and safer, more productive mining environments

In response to these demands, Tharisa Minerals and Datacentrix have partnered to deploy Africa’s first RADWIN FiberinMotion wireless network solution, establishing a scalable digital platform for connected mining operations.

The deployment has transformed Tharisa Minerals’ open-pit mining operation in South Africa into a more connected and data-driven environment. Tharisa, an integrated resource group supporting the global energy transition and decarbonisation agenda, operates the Tharisa Mine in South Africa’s North West province. The open-pit platinum group metals (PGM) and chrome mine is situated on the western limb of the Bushveld Complex, an area containing more than 70% of the world’s platinum and chrome resources.

The project began when Tharisa’s chief information officer, Paul Collins, approached Datacentrix to address a growing operational challenge faced by many modern mining companies: maintaining reliable wireless connectivity across an open-pit mine with constantly changing terrain and infrastructure layouts.

Previously, the operation relied largely on conventional 3G connectivity through SIM-enabled fleet vehicles. However, this setup was insufficient to support the company’s long-term strategy of enabling “Connected Machines and Connected People”, where operational data from mining equipment, systems and personnel can move seamlessly across the site in real time. Reliable connectivity is essential for applications such as fleet management, telemetry and safety monitoring across haul trucks, drill rigs and excavators.

“From our perspective, the driver wasn’t the technology itself, but the operational use case,” said Collins. “We needed to ensure that our maintenance teams in the pit could remain connected at all times. Without reliable connectivity, their mobility and efficiency were limited.”

The changing conditions within an open-pit mine created additional challenges for maintaining stable wireless coverage. As benches shift and haul roads evolve, line-of-sight conditions frequently change, often creating coverage gaps across the operation.

“The simplest way to describe it is that the hotspots are always moving,” Collins explained. “You don’t want to constantly rebuild your network infrastructure to accommodate this. It needs to adapt automatically as the operational environment evolves.”

Alternative technologies, including private LTE, 5G and mesh networks, were evaluated but did not meet the mine’s operational requirements due to concerns around complexity, adaptability and cost efficiency.

“We did consider LTE and 5G, but the cost simply didn’t justify the value for our use case,” Collins noted. “We’re a low-cost producer, so we actively look for solutions that support this strategy.”

“The key consideration was finding an alternative to LTE and 5G that could deliver similar functionality, but without the associated cost and complexity,” said Gys Malan, Solutions Architect at Datacentrix. “Tharisa also needed something easy to manage, without the overhead typically associated with traditional mesh networks.”

To address these challenges, the two companies selected RADWIN’s FiberinMotion technology, which offers low-latency, high-throughput wireless connectivity capable of supporting mobility in demanding mining environments.

Before full implementation, Tharisa and Datacentrix conducted a proof of concept (POC) within a live mining environment to validate the system’s performance. The POC combined fixed high sites for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint connectivity with two temporary six-metre mobile towers designed to simulate trailer-mounted high sites.

Testing was carried out across several fleet assets, including excavators, dump trucks and light-duty vehicles, to evaluate roaming performance, network stability and handover capabilities.

“The POC phase involved multiple iterations, with repeated testing and validation under real-world conditions until we were confident in the solution and the results were very encouraging,” said Collins. “We achieved broad coverage, and even where there were minor gaps, they aligned with our expectations based on tower positioning. It gave us confidence that we could meet our operational requirements.”

Following the successful trial phase, Datacentrix implemented the permanent network infrastructure, which included ruggedised trailer-mounted towers capable of moving alongside the evolving mine pit. The system has now been operating successfully for approximately a year.

“The key outcome for us was enabling telemetry across our fleet and improving visibility into performance,” Collins said. “We can now stream data, monitor operations and even support video feeds from equipment like excavators. That simply wasn’t possible before.”

Beyond productivity improvements, the platform has also strengthened operational safety through enhanced fleet visibility and monitoring.

“For example, we can track behaviours such as unsafe machine operation, enabling better operational control and contributing to safer working conditions,” Collins said.

The deployment has also created a long-term digital foundation capable of supporting both critical and non-critical operational traffic across the mining environment.

“We now have a network backbone that can support both critical and non-critical traffic, which is something we didn’t have before,” said Collins. “There’s still a maturity journey ahead in terms of optimisation, but the platform is stable and performing well.”

Malan noted that the solution also offers a lower total cost of ownership because the infrastructure can be fully managed internally without relying heavily on third-party providers. “This is different to an LTE environment, for example, which often would require external dependencies.”

The Tharisa Mine project marks the first deployment of RADWIN’s FiberinMotion technology in Africa, positioning the operation among the continent’s leading examples of connected mining innovation. Additional deployments are already underway elsewhere in the region.

“What started as a challenge to achieve reliable connectivity has become a long-term proven platform strategy for us,” Collins said. “We now know that we’ve invested in something that is not only effective today, but reusable across the group and scalable for the future.”

Tharisa is now extending the same technology to its Karo Platinum operation in Zimbabwe, a low-cost open-pit PGM asset located along the Great Dyke.

“The Tharisa deployment was the first in Africa, and a second is now in progress at Karo Mining in Zimbabwe,” he said. “The Zimbabwe rollout will cover a significantly larger operational footprint, further demonstrating the scalability of the solution in complex mining environments.”

Collins added that the ability to remotely deploy and manage the infrastructure has proven particularly valuable for expanding operations across multiple regions. “We now have enough confidence in the platform to roll it out in another country without needing a team on-site within close proximity. That’s a critical factor for us.”

He also highlighted Datacentrix’s contribution to the project’s success. “It comes down to trust and responsiveness. If I can pick up the phone and get support when I need it, that makes a big difference,” he said. “Datacentrix understands both the technology and the mining industry, which means we can align quickly and move forward without unnecessary complexity.”

“The RADWIN FiberinMotion solution has subsequently been adopted by several other local mining organisations, with the assistance of Datacentrix, reinforcing its ability to enable safe, scalable and cost-effective digital transformation across the full mining lifecycle,” Malan said.

Spiro has announced a US$215mn investment to accelerate the deployment of its electric mobility and battery-swapping infrastructure across Africa

Building on the support of long-standing institutional partners such as FEDA, its latest equity round draws capital from Europe and Africa, with investors such as Impact Fund Denmark and Equitane.

In a statement, Spiro said it confirmed growing global confidence in scalable infrastructure-led business models in Africa and other emerging markets.

The company added that it is looking to execute its next chapter of pan-African expansion.

“This investment will support the expansion of Spiro’s battery-swapping network, strengthen its industrial and assembly footprint, accelerate technology development and support the company’s entry into new high-growth African markets,” it noted.

With operations across seven African markets — Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon — it now looking to further expand local production and enter new territories, including Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

“This past year marked a defining strategic milestone for Spiro,” said Gagan Gupta, founder of Spiro and chairman of Equitane, an investment platform committed to African long-term growth.

“Across seven active markets, our deployment of 100,000 electric vehicles and 2,500 smart-swap stations has turned sustainable mobility into an affordable, everyday reality.”

Gupta also noted that Spiro has become a major driver of local industrialisation, value creation and manufacturing across African markets with 6,000 sustainable direct and indirect jobs.

Its industrial footprint includes manufacturing plants in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, alongside a state-of-the-art battery recycling facility in Nigeria.

“Supported by our global pool of investors, we are entering our next growth chapter to deliver clean, cost-effective energy and transport alternatives to millions of riders across the continent.”

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Africa’s first privately-financed sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant has secured funding from the Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund (EAAIF) and various Middle Eastern investors

The deal expands EAAIF’s footprint into the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region, following its ongoing expansion into Asia.

The US$212mn clean fuels project, located in Egypt’s Sokhna Special Economic Zone, will be owned and operated by Green Sky Capital Limited together with its local subsidiary, SAF Fly Egypt.

EAAIF, a Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) company managed by Ninety One, supported a senior secured loan of US$40mn for the development of the plant.

The transaction marks the first project-financed SAF plant in the MENA region.

The facility is designed to produce 200,000 tonnes per annum of biofuels, including SAF, Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), bio-propane and bio-naphtha and will utilise commercially proven Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) technology to convert waste-based feedstock into high-grade sustainable fuel.

To ensure long-term bankability, the transaction will be anchored by Shell who will purchase the facility’s products on a take-or-pay basis and act as its primary feedstock provider.

Martijn Proos, co-head of emerging market alternative credit, Ninety One, the fund manager of EAAIF, said the transaction arrives at a critical juncture for the global energy market.

“Amid heightened geopolitical volatility and energy market uncertainty, this first-of-its-kind facility provides a practical solution to advancing both decarbonisation and energy security,”he said.

“By acting as the global mandated leadarranger, Ninety One and EAAIF are demonstrating how institutional capital can be mobilised to support the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors like aviation, which is projected to account for 5% of global emissions by 2050 without intervention.”

The project is being developed with the support of regional sponsors, including Al Mana Holding, a Qatari diversified conglomerate, and Vision Invest, a Saudi Arabian infrastructure investor and developer.

Ninety One acted as the global mandated lead arranger and coordinating lender, facilitating the mobilisation of a total debt package of US$142.9mn with a US$40 million commitment from EAAIF and Ninety One’s Emerging Markets Transition Debt (EMTD) Fund.

Ninety One has also mobilised the participation of Qatar National Bank (QNB) via its Egyptian subsidiary, QNB S.A.E, with a commitment of up to US$31.4mn.

The debt financing was completed by The Arab Energy Fund, which acted as co-MLA and global structuring lender committed US$71.4mn to the project.

SAF is estimated to offer up to an 80% reduction in CO₂ emissions, compared to conventional jet fuel, supporting the aviation industry’s target of reaching net-zero by 2050.

The project's strategic location near the Suez Canal offers a direct export route to key demand centres in the EU and UK, which are currently implementing strict SAF mandates.

The transaction also demonstrates strong appetite among regional and international lenders for renewable fuels infrastructure, supporting both energy security and price stability amid heightened global volatility.

“Emerging markets have been transitioning toward renewables and cleaner energy sources for some time, driven by rising energy costs and the need to strengthen energy security,” said Alper Kilic, head of alternative credit, Ninety One.

“This investment highlights the critical role long-term capital plays in scaling next-generation energy infrastructure in emerging markets.”

He added that sustainable aviation fuel is “one of the most compelling – and challenging – decarbonisation pathways” requiring proven technology and strong commercial structures to deliver at scale.

“This project demonstrates how institutional investors can pursue attractive risk-adjusted returns while supporting the real-economy transition, and underscores the growing opportunity for transition debt strategies to finance high-impact assets in hard-to-abate sectors.”

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Supply chain boost for African businesses

AFC green bond to boost Ivorian solar sector

Vantage Capital, Greenpoint funding to boost SolarAfrica

Innovative technology for ‘shrinking’ catalytic converters - designed and built in South Africa by Jendamark Automation for the global market - relies on the precision of SEW-EURODRIVE’s highly dynamic servo-geared units and software

Based in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, Jendamark Automation is a specialist in advanced automated assembly systems for powertrains, catalytic converters, hydrogen technologies and other automotive components. Yanesh Naidoo, executive innovations director at Jendamark Automation, says that 95% of the locally produced machines are exported and are in operation in Europe, India and the USA.

"The shrinking machine - or ‘shrinker’ - is a core component within our catalytic converter assembly cell," commented Naidoo.

“This cell is a highly automated production environment in which multiple machines, robots and laser measurement systems operate in coordination.”

The process begins with the core of a catalytic converter - a ceramic ‘brick’ or monolith, coated with precious metals such as platinum and palladium, that converts exhaust gases into less harmful emissions. This brick is wrapped in a thick spring-like insulation mat and inserted into an outer casing (or can) of stainless-steel. In this process, there are many variable factors to consider, he explains.

“Because the ceramic monolith is extruded and baked, its diameter can vary slightly - by two or three millimetres in a passenger vehicle converter and up to ten millimetres in a truck converter,” he said.

“This makes the size of every monolith slightly different.”

To secure the monolith inside the casing with the right spring load, the casing itself has to be adapted. This is the key function of the shrinking machine - to reshape the stainless steel casing to the exact diameter required for each brick and mat combination. Shrinking stainless steel to tolerances of 50 microns requires enormous force and control which the shrinker achieves by closing a set of heavy tapered segments around the can.

“For a passenger vehicle converter we use twelve segments, while for a commercial vehicle converter - which is larger - we use sixteen,” stated Naidoo. “We pull a massive steel ring back over those segments and as the ring moves the segments close in, collapsing the can evenly around the monolith.”

Driving that motion are two powerful SEW-EURODRIVE servo motor systems, each connected to precision roller screws that pull the ring from both sides. Synchronizing those drives is critical.

“If one side is pulled just a few millimetres more than the other, this will damage these very expensive roller screws,” he explains. “This is where SEW-EURODRIVE’s technology comes into its own; the drives and controllers keep the two motors synchronised to within very fine tolerances, even at the high speeds we need to hit our 30 second cycle times.”

The speed at which Jendamark Automation’s shrinker operates is one of its critical advantages, Naidoo emphasises, and this has been achieved through its innovative tool changer. He explains flexibility is particularly important in converter production for commercial-vehicles as variants change every few hours. Traditionally, each change required a lengthy manual tool change which would mean two to three hours of downtime.

“This is why we developed an automatic tool change system for the shrinker,” he says. “We have got two cartridges outside the machine, one of which is preloaded with the next set of 16 segments. When the operator hits ‘tool change’ the machine ejects the old set, inserts the new one and locks everything down - all automatically in about 45 seconds.”

That innovation, also powered by SEW-EURODRIVE servo drives, has transformed productivity.

“We have reduced tool changing times significantly, giving our customers more production time per shift, allowing them to produce around 80 additional parts,” he says. “With two or three tool changes a day, the gains are massive.”

The entire catalytic converter assembly cell can contain up to 30 SEW-EURODRIVE servo drives, powering and synchronising multiple machines – from laser measuring systems to robotic handlers. Behind the scenes, Jendamark’s proprietary Variant Manager software orchestrates these movements.

“Every part coming down the line is slightly different, so every 30 seconds a new set of parameters - such as diameters, spring loads and positions - is sent to the drives,” Naidoo continued. “There are no fixed positions so it is completely dynamic, adapting in real time.”

Parallel to this performance, he adds, is an equivalent focus on reliability as customers require minimal downtime to ensure that their processes and products remain viable. He notes that a USA customer, Cummins (through its acquisition of Faurecia’s USA factory), has been running Jendamark’s shrinker for almost six years - during which time it has produced over three million catalytic converters.

“Apart from greasing the screws, there has been no major maintenance and no drive failures at all,” he stated. “That is a testament to the robustness of our overall design and of the reliability of SEW-EURODRIVE equipment.”

The customer was so impressed that it decided to standardise globally on Jendamark’s machines.

“They had two other suppliers’ machines next to ours on the same line,” commented Naidoo. “Now they’re replacing those with Jendamark machines, because of reliability and consistency of quality.”

Phillip Steyn, Branch Manager at SEW-EURODRIVE in Gqeberha, says the project exemplifies how advanced motion control systems enable complex automation.

“Our MOVIAXIS multi-axis servo system, combined with our efficient servo motors and dynamic gearboxes, provides the accurate positioning and torque that this machine needs,” remarked Steyn. “The challenge was to deliver very high torque while maintaining precise synchronisation and feedback at rapid speeds.”

He notes that it is easier to be accurate when machinery is moving slowly but it becomes much more challenging in the context of high speed machines like this one. SEW-EURODRIVE’s control architecture ensures that every motion - from the synchronised pulling of the ring to the positioning of the auto-tool change mechanism - is tracked and verified before the next cycle begins.

“There is a great deal of feedback between the drive and the upper level controller,” Steyn explained. “The system scans the input data - the product types and can sizes - and adjusts torque and position in real time. It is the brain and the muscle working together.”

Naidoo highlights the value of SEW-EURODRIVE’ integrated unit - the motor, gearbox and drive - which is already matched for torque and speed.