HelioForge’s operations are organised as one continuous value chain, imported cells and components in, locally manufactured, installed and supported energy systems out. The operating footprint centres on the Durban Industrial Zone manufacturing base, supported by distribution hubs in Gauteng and the Western Cape that place inventory and technical support close to the country’s two largest demand centres.

The integrated value chain

• Manufacturing — module and battery assembly at the Durban plant; PV assembly line, quality-testing laboratory, warehouse, distribution centre and training academy.
• EPC & installation — the EPC division designs, installs and commissions turnkey solar and storage projects using in-house product.
• Storage integration — the battery-assembly facility builds BESS for backup, hybrid and microgrid applications.
• Distribution — Gauteng and Western Cape hubs supply the installer network with inverters, batteries and balance-of-system.
• Utility-scale supply — the plant supplies modules and BoS into IPP, fund, municipal and mining projects.

Facility and capacity

Phase 1 establishes the 350MW-per-year module-assembly facility in the Durban Industrial Zone, comprising a PV assembly line, quality-testing laboratory, warehouse, distribution centre and training academy. Phase 2 adds the dedicated battery-assembly line and expands module capacity to 750MW. Production capacity and utilisation, building into the mid-80s-to-90s per cent, are the core operating levers, since an assembly line earns its return only when it runs full.

Operating metrics and targets

Quality and process control

Automated testing labs, thermal-imaging inspection, performance certification and durability testing run through the operation, the quality infrastructure that lets a local manufacturer credibly claim internationally certified quality and that underpins warranty, procurement eligibility and the “built for African conditions” brand.