THE Southern African Institute of Welding (SAIW) Gold Medal Award for 2008 has been given to GRW Engineering from Worcester in the Western Cape. The Gold Medal award, introduced in 1966, is the SAIW’s highest award and is made in recognition of outstanding contributions to welding technology or to the SAIW.

GRW Engineering was founded in 1996 by Gerrie van der Merwe as an in-house tanker builder in a transport company. He was joined in the business by his two sons Gerhard and Wentzel and then finally by Roussouw van Eeden. The company, which today employs more than 500 people, manufactures road and intermodal tank containers and is the market leader in South Africa. It also sells internationally, including into the very competitive European market.

“In a little more than a decade this family and friend have built up a successful company, using the best modern production processes including a computerised materials handling system, and laser cutting and robotic MIG/MAG automated plasma TIG welding processes,” says SAIW executive director, Jim Guild.

“The award was made to GRW in recognition of it being an “outstanding example of a world class tanker business built using the application of modern welding and cutting technology. GRW also has excellent training programmes. One of their welders, Phillip Janse van Rensburg, won the 2007 Young Welder of the Year competition,” says Guild.