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Local manufacturing from Hissco International

Hissco International is a supplier of security detection products that has been selling equipment throughout Africa for the past 25 years. A specialist in security X-ray, metal detection and associated equipment, the company has now transformed from being a distributor to South African manufacturer in the X-ray segment.

In 2007, Hissco embarked on a programme of analysing designs and monitoring the performance of all major parts within X-ray equipment and accessories being sold on behalf of other manufacturers. These included generator tanks, controllers, power distribution boards and supplies, monitors, computer hardware, switchgear and roller conveyors. Over the years, the company was able to identify design flaws and test the performance of components, while measuring these against lifespan and cost-effectiveness.

In the intervening period, Hissco was able to remanufacture used equipment from the ground up and test its own designs and component permutations. This process enabled the company to draw up detailed specifications for the building of equipment in-house.

Since 2014, the company has also been producing and supplying its own accessories such as inspection trays, conveyor rollers and baggage slides, while also manufacturing its own range of security X-ray equipment under the HS Detection brand.

Hissco recently partnered with a renowned international company to manufacture all of the detector boards within their X-ray machines. Not only does this result in better image quality, but also these patented ‘picture pure’ detectors are achieving resolution values of up to 45 AWG (American Wire Gauge) with a steel penetration level of over 43 mm. The current industry norm sits around 38 (AWG) and up to 40 mm of steel penetration.

Hissco is now the only company to venture into local manufacturing in South Africa and has been busy setting up distributors in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Kenya, Russia and the United Kingdom. The company plans to expand its operations within the next 12 months to other countries across the globe.

Andy Hudson, director of Hissco International, commented, “With over 420 systems already sold, we are extremely proud of how far we have come over the past couple of years and are very excited about what the future holds for the business. It was a huge leap for the company to take this new direction and from humble beginnings as a small two-man operation to being the first and only South African company to be producing security X-ray machines locally, the sky is now the limit.”

The company currently employs a number of highly-trained professionals with 100+ years of experience in the field of security X-rays. “The future vision for the business is to expand our current international operations and to set up a global distribution network via our ever increasing contact base that we have accumulated throughout the years,” concludes Hudson.

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