Top 5 Plastic Pneumatic Conveying System Suppliers in South Africa

Founded in 2005 and based in Johannesburg, South African ConveyTech Solutions (SACTS) has built a reputation as a reliable workhorse in the pneumatic conveying space. What started as a small team focusing on basic conveyor repairs has grown into a full-service provider, designing and installing custom systems for some of South Africa’s biggest plastic manufacturers and recyclers.

Their sweet spot? Modular systems that grow with your business. “We’ve worked with startups that start with a single line and scale to three shifts within a year,” says Maria Nkosi, SACTS’s sales director. “Our systems are built to adapt—whether you need to add a new pipeline for colored pellets or increase capacity from 500kg/hour to 2,000kg/hour, we don’t make you rip out the old and start fresh.”

A standout feature is their focus on auxiliary equipment integration. Many suppliers sell the conveyor and leave you to source the rest, but SACTS bundles in components like material loaders, cyclone separators, and even dust collectors. “It’s like buying a car with all the extras—you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues,” explains Nkosi. A recent project for a Cape Town-based plastic recycling plant saw them install a pneumatic system alongside shredders and granulators, ensuring seamless material flow from waste intake to pellet output.

Clients praise their after-sales support, too. “We had a sensor failure during a peak production run, and their technician was on-site within 2 hours,” recalls a plant manager at a Durban packaging facility. “Downtime cost us R5,000 an hour, so that quick response saved us big.”

If precision is your priority, PneumaticFlow Innovations SA (PFISA) in Pretoria is worth a look. Since 2010, they’ve carved a niche in high-tech, low-maintenance systems designed for delicate or high-value plastic materials—think medical-grade resins or micro-thin film pellets that can’t handle rough mechanical handling.

Their secret weapon? Vacuum-based conveying technology. Unlike pressure systems that push materials (which can cause friction and degradation), PFISA’s vacuum systems gently pull materials through smooth, food-grade stainless steel pipelines. “We tested 12 different plastic types, and our vacuum systems reduced material breakage by 40% compared to standard pressure conveyors,” says lead engineer Thabo Mokoena. “For clients making precision parts, that’s a game-changer for product quality.”

Sustainability is another focus. PFISA was one of the first suppliers in South Africa to integrate air pollution control systems directly into their conveying setups. “Plastic dust isn’t just a nuisance—it’s a health hazard and a fire risk,” Mokoena notes. “Our systems include HEPA filters and spark detectors as standard, not add-ons. We recently did a project for a pharmaceutical packaging plant that needed to meet EU dust emission standards, and our setup got them certified on the first try.”

While their systems come with a higher upfront cost, clients say the ROI is clear. “We used to lose 5% of our raw material to dust and breakage,” says a procurement manager at a Johannesburg medical device company. “With PFISA’s system, that’s down to 1%, and we haven’t had a single maintenance issue in three years. The extra cost paid for itself in 18 months.”

For businesses prioritizing green manufacturing, EcoTrans Systems Africa in Cape Town is a natural fit. Founded in 2012 by a team of environmental engineers, they’ve made it their mission to prove that efficiency and sustainability can go hand in hand—starting with pneumatic conveying.

Their flagship offering is the EcoFlow series, a line of energy-efficient conveyors that use up to 30% less electricity than conventional models. “We redesigned the blower motors and added variable speed drives that adjust airflow based on material demand,” explains founder Lise van der Merwe. “If the production line slows down, the system doesn’t keep blasting at full power—it matches the pace. Clients in energy-sensitive regions like the Western Cape love it, especially with Eskom’s tariff hikes.”

EcoTrans also stands out for its end-to-end waste management solutions. Many plastic processors struggle with leftover scrap or off-spec material, so EcoTrans pairs their conveying systems with hydraulic briquetter equipment to compact waste into dense blocks for easy recycling or resale. “A client in Port Elizabeth was paying R20,000 a month to haul away plastic scrap,” van der Merwe says. “With our briquetter, they now sell those blocks to a local compounder for R15,000 a month. It’s a double win—less waste, more revenue.”

Their commitment to local partnerships is another plus. EcoTrans sources 80% of their components from South African suppliers, from steel pipes to control panels. “It’s not just about supporting the local economy—local sourcing means faster repairs and lower shipping costs,” van der Merwe adds. “If a client in Durban needs a replacement valve, we can have it there in 24 hours, not two weeks.”

With over 30 years in the industry, ProMech Conveying Equipment in Durban is the veteran of the bunch. Founded in 1992, they’ve weathered economic ups and downs, technological shifts, and even industry regulations—all while building a loyal client base that includes automotive giants like Toyota SA and packaging leaders like Nampak.

What keeps clients coming back? Heavy-duty reliability. ProMech’s systems are built for the toughest environments—think high-temperature plastic resins, abrasive recycled flakes, or 24/7 production cycles. “We use thicker steel for pipelines, reinforced blowers, and gears rated for 100,000 hours of operation,” says general manager John Smith. “A client in the Free State has been running our original conveyor system since 2001—they’ve replaced the blower once, but the frame and pipes are still going strong.”

Their specialty is large-scale, multi-line systems. If you’re running a mega-plant with 10+ production lines feeding from a central silo farm, ProMech has the experience to design a network that avoids bottlenecks. “We did a project for a client in East London that needed to convey 15 different plastic types to 8 injection molding machines,” Smith recalls. “We mapped out the pipeline routes using 3D modeling to minimize bends and pressure drops, and now they can switch between materials in under 10 minutes without cross-contamination.”

ProMech’s weak spot? They’re not the most innovative when it comes to cutting-edge tech—you won’t find AI-driven predictive maintenance here. But for clients who value “set it and forget it” durability over flashy features, that’s a plus. “Our clients don’t want to tinker with apps or software—they want a conveyor that starts when they flip the switch and runs until the shift ends,” Smith says. “And that’s what we deliver.”

The new kid on the block, AeroStream Technologies, launched in 2018 in Port Elizabeth—and they’re already turning heads with their compact, budget-friendly systems tailored for small to medium-sized businesses. Founded by a team of ex-ProMech engineers, they saw a gap in the market: smaller operations couldn’t afford the high costs of big-name suppliers, so they were cobbling together DIY conveyors that were inefficient and unsafe.

AeroStream’s answer? The MicroFlow series, a line of pre-engineered, plug-and-play systems that start at under R100,000—half the cost of a custom setup. “We standardized the most common configurations—500kg/hour, 1,000kg/hour, 1,500kg/hour—so we can mass-produce components and pass the savings on,” explains co-founder Zanele Dlamini. “A small recycler in Bloemfontein told us they’d been using a jury-rigged vacuum cleaner and PVC pipes for years. Our MicroFlow system cost them less than a new delivery truck, and it doubled their throughput.”

Don’t let the low price fool you—AeroStream doesn’t skimp on quality. Their systems include features usually found in pricier models, like quick-disconnect pipelines for easy cleaning and smart sensors that alert operators to blockages. They also integrate filter press equipment for clients handling wet or sticky materials, like post-consumer plastic waste with residual moisture. “We had a client in George who recycles agricultural film—dirty, wet, and full of debris,” Dlamini says. “Our filter press separates the water and dirt before conveying, so the plastic flakes stay clean and the system doesn’t clog.”

Their agility is another advantage. Unlike larger suppliers with long lead times, AeroStream can deliver a standard system in 2 weeks, and custom tweaks take just 4-6 weeks. “Small businesses can’t wait 3 months for a conveyor—they need to start production yesterday,” Dlamini notes. “We’re small enough to pivot quickly, but we still back our systems with a 5-year warranty, same as the big guys.”