FFS COMPANY HISTORY

The Founder Members of the FFS Group were, from left, Diane Hurter, David Savage, Tony Hurter and Peter Froude. (Photo 1995)

Fuel Firing Systems was established in Durban, South Africa by Tony and Diane Hurter in response to the changing energy scene of the 1970's. The objectives were to develop firing systems capable of handling unconventional fuels, to process waste and other materials into useful fuels, and to market fuels and energy systems.

The need for effective utilization of waste has grown steadily, and the philosophy on which the company was founded is even more relevant in today's world of environmental awareness and concern.

From inception, the Company committed much of its resources to the research and development of alternative fuels and firing equipment. This commitment began with the conversion of small boilers to pulverized coal firing. Later, emphasis was shifted to the recovery and firing of waste petroleum liquids, and this proved to be a significant factor in the Company's growth. The first plant for recycling waste oils and solvents was built in Durban in 1978. It was subsequently relocated and has been progressively enlarged, with additional plants being established at Secunda and Cape Town. The Company acquired a comprehensive solvent recovery plant in Pietermaritzburg in 1990.

The Company's main thrust has been in the processing and sale of liquid fuels for marine and industrial furnace applications. FFS has designed and constructed processing plants for converting diverse feedstocks into quality controlled liquid fuels.

The FFS group comprises FFS Refiners (Pty) Ltd, and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Waste Fuel Salvage (a property-owning concern) and OilXOil, together with shareholdings in Nkosi Energy and in Fluid Separation Systems. Today the Company employs more than 320 permanent staff and 50-70 contract workers and has processed up to 800 000 tons of unconventional fuels and oils per year.