https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

SA stainless seeks a passage to India

25th January 2002

By: Keith Campbell

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

  

Font size: - +

Mpumalanga province is seeking to develop downstream stainless-steel manufacturing by encouraging medium- sized companies in the Indian stainless-steel industry to enter joint ventures (JV) with local companies, Engineering News can report.

To this end, a trade and investment mission jointly organised and led by the Mpumalanga Investment Initiative (MII) – the province's trade and investment promotion arm – and the South African Stainless Steel Cooperation Development Initiative (SASSCDI), is now in India.

"India is one of the largest per capita stainless-steel markets in the world," points out MII investment promotion manager Paresh Pandya.

Stainless-steel items are status symbols in that country, so not only do they have stainless steel hollowware – pots and pans – but also houseware.

"As well as cutlery, they have stainless-steel plates, saucers, mugs, and tumblers in India," reports Pandya.

India was also chosen as the target for such a mission because the MII has already undertaken two trade and investment missions to that country and has developed strategic alliances with economic associations at the apex of that country's economy, such as the Confederation of Indian Industry, the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India.

"We're targeting medium-sized companies because they are most likely to consider entry into foreign countries on a JV basis – the big companies will just do it on their own," he explains.

In all, the mission has five objectives.

The first, obviously, is the promotion of trade and investment in the stainless-steel sector between the province and India through JVs.

Second, to source appropriate technology and new designs for stainless-steel manufacturers.

Third, to present the province as an advantageous base for the manufacture of stainless-steel utensils for the wider African market.

Fourth, to establish JV partnerships with Indian utensil manufacturers, and fifth, to understand the manufacturing and distribution components of the Indian stainless-steel utensil market.

To these ends, the mission is visiting four cities – New Delhi, Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Ahmedabad, and Jodhpur.

"We hope to achieve many JV opportunities – we've indentified specific Indian companies, and we're holding investment promotion seminars in each city, which will be followed by one-on-one meetings and a large number of visits to factories of possible JV partners," reveals Pandya.

Any manufacturing JVs that result from this mission would be targeted at the domestic South African, the African and other world markets.

Stainless steel already accounts for 25% of the province's gross domestic product.

Apart from the MII and SASSCDI, the mission includes representatives of Columbus Stainless, Aluex, Thos Begbie & Co, Southern Stainless Steel, Coldstar Refrigeration, VRN Stainless, Sher Steel and Alloy Supplies, Kelpar, and the Mpumalanga Stainless Initiative. The mission departed South Africa on January 19 and returns on February 1.

Edited by Keith Campbell
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

Comments

Showroom

WearCheck
WearCheck

Leading condition monitoring specialists, WearCheck, help boost machinery lifespan and reduce catastrophic component failure through the scientific...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
SBS Tanks
SBS Tanks

SBS® Tanks is a leading provider of innovative water security solutions with offices in Southern Africa, East and West Africa, the USA and an...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.62 0.688s - 271pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now