DIGITAL RELIABILITY IN DEMANDING CONDITIONS: A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO ASSET INTEGRITY

As industrial operations across Africa contend with escalating environmental and operational pressures, the need for intelligent, real-world asset integrity solutions has never been greater. DGC AFRICA, a leading asset integrity management and industrial solutions provider, is answering this call with the rollout of DGC SmartAsset Intelligence, an advanced AI-powered reliability platform designed to empower plant operators with real-time insight, predictive foresight, and actionable data.

Marking a decade of operations in Zambia and expanding across Sub-Saharan Africa, DGC AFRICA is redefining what it means to maintain operational excellence in the face of heat, corrosion, power instability, and resource constraints.

UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE: HARSH CONDITIONS AND OPERATIONAL COMPLEXITY

Mining and industrial sites across Africa face a uniquely complex reliability equation. Intense heat, abrasive dust, and corrosive materials accelerate the deterioration of critical plant assets such as smelters, crushers, mills, and furnaces. This degradation is further compounded by unstable energy supply, particularly in regions like Zambia, where frequent power outages and diesel shortages compound operational risks and elevated costs.

These challenges, if left unaddressed, result in:

• Increased frequency of unplanned shutdowns

• Escalating maintenance costs and replacement needs

• Shortened equipment life cycles

• Decreased production efficiency and safety risks

A PROVEN, STRUCTURED APPROACH TO ASSET INTEGRITY

DGC AFRICA’s digital offering is embedded in its broader Integrated Asset Management (IAM) framework, a full-scope reliability strategy built around phased deployment and contextual execution:

ASSESSMENT AND BENCHMARKING

Every project begins with a detailed diagnostic of asset performance, maintenance practices, and operational constraints, establishing a reliable baseline for strategic planning.

DIGITAL ENABLEMENT AND CONDITION MONITORING

IoT-enabled devices and sensor networks are installed to continuously track asset health, with data fed into analytics engines for ongoing interpretation and optimisation.

PLANNED MAINTENANCE AND SHUTDOWN EXECUTION

DGC deploys site-ready multidisciplinary teams to execute high-efficiency shutdowns, structural refurbishments, refractory lining, and mechanical overhauls, aligned to production schedules and safety standards.

RETROFIT ENGINEERING AND LIFECYCLE EXTENSION

Ageing equipment is modernised using advanced tools such as 3D scanning, component redesign, and reverse engineering, extending asset life without capital-intensive replacements.

STRATEGIC ADVISORY AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

For continuous performance enhancement, clients benefit from post-execution support, including failure mode analyses, maintenance optimisation, and real-time KPI tracking.

OPERATIONAL IMPACT: FROM COST CENTRES TO PERFORMANCE DRIVERS

DGC’s approach enables mining companies to transition from reactive maintenance models toward predictive, cost-efficient reliability strategies. Results include:

• Significant reduction in unplanned downtime

• Lowered total effective maintenance costs

• Longer equipment lifespans with reduced CAPEX exposure

• Improved safety and environmental compliance

• Better maintenance resource allocation and planning precision

Rather than treating maintenance as a necessary expense, DGC reframes it as a strategic investment in operational stability, output continuity, and long-term asset value.

WHY DGC AFRICA: GLOBAL CAPABILITY, LOCAL EXECUTION

DGC AFRICA’s advantage lies in its technology, deep operational experience, and regional footprint. With a permanent presence in Kitwe, Zambia, and established relationships across key mining hubs in Southern and Central Africa, the company offers:

• Fast mobilisation of site-ready technical teams

• Contextual understanding of local regulatory and operating environments

• Embedded partnerships with communities, suppliers, and authorities

• Hands-on familiarity with site layouts, production cycles, and historical challenges

Combining world-class systems with grounded local expertise, this hybrid model ensures that every digital transformation is technically sound, commercially viable, and execution-ready.

DRIVING THE FUTURE OF MINING: AI-POWERED RELIABILITY, DELIVERED

As Africa’s mining and industrial sectors move toward greater digital maturity, DGC AFRICA enables this shift, one plant at a time. The launch of DGC SmartAsset Intelligence represents more than just a technological milestone. It is a strategic evolution in how asset integrity is achieved, managed, and sustained across the continent.

DGC now empowers clients with:

• Faster, evidence-based decision-making

• Deeper predictive insights with lower data science requirements

• Integrated workflows that simplify execution and reduce risk

• Scalable deployment across sites, asset classes, and geographies

FROM INSIGHT TO IMPACT: WHAT DECISION-MAKERS NEED TO KNOW

For plant managers, maintenance leaders, and reliability engineers, DGC AFRICA delivers a clear value proposition:

• Better reliability, not bigger budgets

• Operational insight, not information overload

• Real-time control, not reactive firefighting

In a high-stakes, high-variability sector, where equipment failure means production loss and safety risk, predictive intelligence is the new gold, and DGC AFRICA is at the forefront of delivering it.

READY TO TRANSFORM YOUR ASSET INTEGRITY STRATEGY?

DGC AFRICA offers more than a service; it delivers a roadmap to performance, backed by proven frameworks, robust digital tools, and a team invested in client success.

Explore how SmartAsset Intelligence can support your operation.

Contact DGC AFRICA today to schedule a consultation or on-site demo.

ABOUT OUR COMPANY, HISTORY, AND PARTNERS

Dickinson Group of Companies (DGC) was founded in 1910. Please visit our website for comprehensive information about Our Company – History, Vision & Values, Strategy, Global Alliances, Africa Footprint, Commitment to Safety, Anti-Corruption Policy, References, and Industrial Solutions.