E180 million investment from United Kingdom firm

NGWENYA – The Peterstow Aquapower Group Douglas Barrows has invested US$25 million (approximately E180 million) for the establishment of a water hydraulic company at Ngwenya Industrial site.

The water hydraulic drills are for export to mining companies in the world. Chairman of the company Douglas Barrows said the investment was merely phase one, and has been completed.
The second phase is already being implemented and will include the construction of a 52 000 square metre factory shell, the largest in the country by far.

Currently, the company has employed 70 Swazis and taught them skills for operating the sophisticated machinery. When phase II is complete, Barrows says 80 more Swazis will be employed.

“Some of them are employed as cleaners, but we later equip them with other skills and redeploy them.”
The chairman was speaking at the company premises when French investors were taken on a guided tour with Swaziland Investment Promotion Authority (SIPA) officials.
The Peterstow Aquapower Group was founded by the Scottish Barrows and his son Allan more than 10 years ago in the United Kingdom.

Its business is the development and application of environmentally friendly and highly efficient water hydraulics in the global mining and civil engineering industries.
Barrows says the closed loop water hydraulics underground mining system will facilitate substantial cost saving for companies involved in the mining industry.

“The civil engineering products address a growing problem for contractors many of whom are being required to adapt and conform to a worldwide increase in environmental legislation
“Water hydraulics offer major cost reductions through greater energy efficiency, reduced labour complements, reduced environmental impact of operations and improved safety,” he said.

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