iTek Drives expands into larger premises near OR Tambo airport
ITEK Drives, a leading supplier of variable speed drives and control panels, has moved to larger premises in the industrial and commercial hub of Meadowdale, near OR Tambo International Airport.
The new property provides a warehouse with facilities for receiving and dispatch, a large workshop for product assembly and repair, a variable speed drives (VFD) showroom, reception area, a training room, and offices. The building has space for further growth.
iTek Drives is Africa’s leading supplier of the Optidrive range of VFDs south of the Sahara. Also known as inverters, VFDs are the electronic controllers commonly fitted to fans, pumps, compressors and cranes to smoothly manage electric motor acceleration and deceleration by changing voltages and frequencies.
Optidrive is a British product, manufactured by Invertek in Wales. Since 2016, iTek has grown this brand in Africa, with an emphasis on quality and competitive pricing. In 2024, the company opened a comprehensive testing, repairs, programming and software centre in Johannesburg.
Increasing sales is one reason for iTek’s move to larger premises. The space at Meadowdale is also sufficient to develop alliances with electric motor companies. Another reason is distribution. iTek recently announced the sale of VFDs, control panels and specialised electric motors to a copper mine in Zambia. Proximity to OR Tambo will facilitate rapid delivery by air.
Sales Director Ryan Bisnath said he anticipates working more closely with importer Emac (Electric Motors & Components) to supply flame-proof motors, explosion-proof motors and slip ring motors to the African market. Brands will include KMMP, VEM, and CEMP. iTek will marry these European motors to Optidrive VFDs and iTek’s locally-built control panels, to deliver a turnkey system.
“By serving as a single-source supplier, we will remove the difficulties and risks associated with ordering and assembling an integrated system from two or more separate companies,” Bisnath said.
“Our core business as a variable frequency drives supplier has not changed, but we hope to make the customer’s purchase of his integrated motor and drive systems a lot easier.”
iTek’s move to new premises took place in February. The new street address is 28 Bell Street, on the corner of Watt, Meadowdale, Johannesburg.
