There is a lot more than nuts and bolts that go into a chair as Mariska Morris found out with her recent tour of the CE Mobility factory
Walkers, manual or power wheelchairs. You have a range of assistive devices to choose from – all on display as you walk into the CE Mobility head office in Maraisburg, Johannesburg. In the serene building, shopping for your mobility device is pleasurable.
It is easy to forget that you are only a few metres away from the grime, sweat and dust that goes into manufacturing a wheelchair. While CE Mobility imports a fair number of chairs to meet the demands of its customers, it also manufactures thousands of manual and power wheelchairs for the entry and mid- level markets across South Africa and neighbouring countries like Namibia and Botswana. To find out more and to better understand what goes into building a wheelchair, we visited the factory.
A chaotic business
As we wind around the back buildings, the drone of machines grow loud with steel meeting steel, fire put to metal and engines driving the whole process. Candice Brunsden, sales manager at CE Mobility, turns back. “Manufacturing is a highly complex and yet chaotic business,” she says as we turn the corner to the first step in the manufacturing process – manipulating the steel.
Metres and metres of metal are stacked near the entrance. The sheet metal is rolled up into disks, stacked atop each other. These metal strips are fed into a tube mill machine which slowly bends and then welds the strips into a round tube.
At the end of the large room, the tubing is stacked and stored in large shelving. The volume of tubing manufactured is impressive. To the right, the computer numerical control (CNC) cut-off machines cut the tubing to the desired lengths. From there, it is bent and shaped to create the frames, armrests and pushrims.
Moulded like playdough
The tubing is fed into bending machines and ring rollers which mould the individual parts. Particularly captivating was seeing how easily the tubing is rounded to create the pushrims for the wheels.
The lack of effort gave the impression that the steel was no more than playdough. The care and caution of the workers; however, gave an indication of the true strength that lay beneath the roar of machinery.
All these parts are then welded together and sent for coating. Parts are sprayed with a powder paint with 26 colours to choose from, which is then baked at 200 degrees Celcius to ensure a uniform and durable finish.
Plastic Pebbles
Wheelchairs aren’t all cold steel. Many of the components require more malleable plastic parts. For this, CE Mobility uses what can only be described as “plastic pebbles” in an Injection Moulding Machine. The pebbles are melted, shaped in a mould and then cooled for mass production of plastic parts.
When asked whether CE Mobility recycles wheelchairs, Candice explained: “CE Mobility isn’t involved in the end-of-life recycling of wheelchairs. We as South Africans tend to use our equipment until it is completely finished. Sometimes, we’d use wheelchairs for decades. But we do recycle our scrap metal and plastic used during manufacturing.
Whatever plastic and metal aren’t used in the wheelchair manufacturing process are piled in a bin at the back of the buildings to be recycled.
Innovation
Most of the machinery at the factory is less glamourous and more practical in appearance. It gives the sense of simplicity and functionality rather than aesthetics. Except for the engineering room. Here CE Mobility staff design and manufacture the more complex components of the wheelchairs. The sleek designed, high-tech machinery ensures the best quality possible, while providing opportunities to make the parts more efficient.
The CNC lathes and high-tech CNC machining centres use precise design instructions and programs to manufacture parts to very exact specifications. CE Mobility plans to further expanding its capacity to build parts. While it waits on the necessary equipment to expand manufacturing, it uses 3D printing to make the parts! Talk about futuristic.
A loud business
Once all the individual parts are constructed, they are brought to the main factory floor where an assembly line puts everything together. The tyres are put on rims, the upholstery fitted and screws tightened. The final product – in a form you can actually recognise as a chair – is lined up on the factory floor before it is moved to the storage facilities.
The sheer volume of chairs leaves one awestruck. It is easy to forget just how many wheelchairs are truly needed to keep the disability community (and broader society) mobile.
Candice points to a room off to the right of the factory floor. As we pass through the doors, we are met with the women responsible for the upholstery of the chairs, safe behind their COVID screens. Aside from their smiles and friendly demeanour, I’m struck by how quiet the room feels compared to the hustle and bustle of the factory floor – worlds apart.
It seems manufacturing is a loud business too! Fortunately, CE Mobility takes care of its employees. Aside from adhering to COVID regulations with screens, social distancing and masks in place, traditional personal protective equipment, such as noise-cancelling headsets, are worn.
People behind the parts
While the factory was undeniably loud, busy and possibly a little chaotic (as can be expected when producing such quantities), what truly stood out were the people. CE Mobility employs over 200 people across its eight branches.
When asked why the company decided to manufacture locally, CE Mobility managing director Rodney Outram explained: “CE Mobility is invested in our country. How better to show this investment than manufacturing wheelchairs locally?
“This creates job opportunities, but also allows us to produce wheelchairs that are more affordable without compromising on quality. With our own innovations, we hope to offer our customers even more in the future,” he says.
As for the staff at the factory in Maraisburg, everyone was friendly, patient and helpful. It is clear that the staff are passionate about what they do. They take care with each nut, bolt and wheel. What better way to ensure quality than dedicated, passionate staff?
