Uitenhage Super Steel: Comprehensive Structural Steel Solutions in Kariega, Eastern Cape

Located in the heart of the Nelson Mandela Bay automotive hub, Uitenhage Super Steel (USS) has built a long-standing reputation for manufacturing and erecting structural steel since 1972. The business operates as a turnkey provider within the construction sector, offering design, fabrication and on-site erection services across commercial, industrial and agricultural projects throughout the Eastern Cape. USS emphasises a reliable, quality-driven approach supported by a structured quality management framework and an extensive in-house capability.

The company’s service offering is organised around four core capabilities. First, in Design & Manufacturing, USS combines advanced fabrication technology with a dedicated drawing office that uses TEKLA software to manage design intent, workshop drawings and project documentation. This digital backbone supports seamless communication with clients, main contractors and project teams, and enables detailed reporting and progress tracking. The in-house capabilities extend to a Plate Beam Welding Machine, introduced in 2014, which broadens the range of product configurations to include customer-specific plate girders, plate beams, tapered beams and box beams. This flexibility is designed to meet diverse structural requirements while maintaining a focus on precision and quality.

Second, the Beam Building service encompasses the creation of high-integrity plate girders and related beam products. The facility can accommodate a wide range of beam profiles, with web heights from 200 to 2,000 millimetres and flange widths from 150 to 1,000 millimetres. Plate thicknesses range up to 30 mm for webs and 80 mm for flanges, with beam weights up to 1,000 kilograms per metre and lengths up to 12 metres (longer lengths on request). The manufacturing process includes pre-cut plates that are blasted prior to assembly to ensure optimal welding quality, followed by options for delivery to client workshops, or further on-site assembly and finishing where required.

Third, the Erecting service is delivered through a dedicated crew and infrastructure that ensures efficient on-site assembly of the manufactured steel. A notable aspect is USS’s partnership with TIAPOINT, an erecting entity established to support small and medium enterprises within the industry. The teams bring substantial field experience, with supervisors averaging over a decade in steel erection, and the broader crew collectively possessing many years of hands-on practice. The erection discipline is reinforced by health and safety compliance, with documentation and audits provided on request to support project governance.

Fourth, the Cranes & Trucks capability underlines USS’s logistics and on-site mobilisation strength. A versatile fleet of mobile cranes, including Rough Terrain, All Terrain and Spider Cranes, supports lifting operations from 2.9 to 90 tonnes. Rigging services and transport logistics complement the on-site erection programme, enabling timely delivery of fabricated steel to sites and smooth project execution.

Quality management is a central pillar of USS’s operating model. The company maintains a Quality Management System aligned with ISO standards (ISO 9001:2015 in later documentation) and adheres to relevant South African standards for welding and structural steel. A comprehensive electronic data book accompanies each project, providing clients with the necessary documentation to satisfy engineer compliance and project close-out requirements. The facility’s commitment to quality is reinforced by external affiliations with professional bodies such as the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction, the South African Institute for Welding, the Master Builders Association, and the Contractors Plant Hire Association. These memberships reflect a sustained focus on technical excellence, safety and continuous improvement.

USS’s plant and capability stack is supported by substantial physical facilities. The site features a 6,000 m² fabrication area, a 1,000 m² plate girder workshop, an 850 m² material store, a 1,300 m² paint shop and a 425 m² mechanical workshop. In combination with a TEKLA-driven drawing office and modern plate processor technology, the business is positioned to handle complex projects with high precision, from initial design through to coating and handover. The paint shop’s enclosed environment and airless spray system help to control weather-related schedule risks and ensure consistent coatings in line with client specifications.

Typical projects and case studies span substations, automotive facilities, production workshops and related industrial structures. Customer feedback highlights professional, accurate and reliable performance, with several testimonials noting effective communication, timely delivery and high-quality workmanship. Several reviews also commend the team for going the distance on large-scale projects and for delivering on-site execution with strong standards of safety and coordination.

Practical tips for customers include providing clear project requirements early, enabling the TEKLA design team to prepare accurate workshop drawings and a detailed Bill of Quantities. Early engagement with the in-house plate beam welding and coating teams can help align fabrication capabilities with site delivery schedules. For coating needs, clients should specify surface preparation and coating thickness requirements to ensure the final finish meets engineer and owner expectations. The extensive crane and transport fleet supports staged delivery to minimise site disruption, while the on-site TIAPOINT erecting team offers a ready source of skilled personnel for structural installation and handover readiness.

USS operates from its long-established base in Uitenhage, Kariega, serving clients across the Eastern Cape. While specific business hours are not listed on the public portals, the organisation’s depth of capability and project experience suggest a commitment to responsive service within standard industrial practice and project scheduling norms.