Strong operational gains made at Tongaat Hulett mid-season

IN A MID-season technical review of operations, Tongaat Hulett, which is in business rescue, said that three of its South African sugar mills are outperforming expectations, with the latest performance data showing continuous improvement at the halfway mark of the 2025 sugar season.

- PHILIPPA LARKIN

Since entering business rescue in 2022, and thanks to funding support by the Industrial Development Corporation, the company has implemented a R145 billion rehabilitation programme aimed at stabilising and modernising operations across its Maidstone, Felixton, and Amatikulu mills, as well as its central refinery.

Both Maidstone and Felixton mills have significantly reduced lost production time caused by equipment failure and unplanned breakdowns, marking a clear turnaround in mechanical reliability since the start of business rescue. Maidstone’s Lost Time % has dropped from 33.5% in 2021 to just 12.4%, while Felixton has dropped from 27.1% to 12.9%. These figures represent some of the highest levels of mechanical efficiency recorded at both sites in the past five years. While Amatikulu had a slower start to the season, its performance has improved steadily, showing strong recovery after the first three weeks of operating.