A three-year partnership agreement recently concluded between the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the organisers of the yearly Manufacturing Indaba conference has resulted in the confirmed attendance of three leading international manufacturing experts, who will address delegates at the conference on June 30, in Ekurhuleni.
McKinsey & Company partner Richard Sellschop, from the US; Prima Industrie executive VP and European Factories of the Future Research Association chairperson Maurizio Gattiglio, from Italy; and Georgetown University faculty member Dr Charles Wessner, from the US, were expected to provide insight into the state of South Africa’s manufacturing sector and the country’s reindustrialisation efforts within the context of prevailing global megatrends.
Noting that the department was committed to the objective of helping to transform South Africa from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, DST technology localisation, beneficiation and advanced manufacturing chief director Beeuwen Gerryts said advanced manufacturing was globally recognised as an important mechanism of reversing deindustrialisation and creating decent, well-paying jobs.
“The combination of new and old knowledge and technologies are seen as additional factors of production to complement traditional factors in the manufacturing sector.
“There is no doubt that talent-driven innovation and advanced technologies are the primary drivers of manufacturing competitiveness into the future,” he commented.