The Manufacturing Circle, in association with marketing and public relations management company Siyenza, has launched the yearly Manufacturing Indaba, set to take place on November 12 and 13 at Gallagher Estate, in Midrand.
The event will address the barriers facing the manufacturing industry and bring together business owners, industry leaders, government officials, capital providers and professional experts to discuss challenges and brainstorm solutions.
“The launch of this event will bolster existing programmes, such as the Industrial Policy Action Plan, which prioritises manufacturing as a key growth sector for the future,” says Manufacturing Circle executive director Coenraad Bezuidenhout, adding that growing and boosting South Africa’s manufacturing sector will benefit the whole Southern African Development Community.
The indaba aims to realise the growth potential for job creation and skills development of the manufacturing sector in South Africa.
South Africa’s manufacturing industry continues to face tremendous challenges, says Bezuidenhout.
“With the flooding of unfairly incentivised imports onto our markets, local producers of goods that use locally sourced raw materials face serious barriers in competing fairly in the global and regional manufacturing sectors.
“The growth of other emerging economies and the cheap labour they offer also threaten the growth and prosperity of the South African manufacturing sector, which, in turn, affects our nation’s productivity and gross domestic product,” says Bezuidenhout.
Formed in 2008, the Manufacturing Circle interacts with government and other stakeholders to review, debate and help formulate policies which will have a positive impact on South Africa’s manufacturing base.
It comprises several of South Africa’s leading medium-sized and large manufacturing companies from a wide range of industries. Some of the members are the leading South African exporters of manufactured goods to markets worldwide, while others are locally based and locally focused companies competing with the best in the world.
The conference programme will include plenary sessions and breakaway debate sessions to unpack and encourage active participation at the event.
Topics to be discussed include the challenges and opportunities facing the South African manufacturing sector in the next five years; localisation as a global trend, which involves developing and maintaining a skilled workforce; oppor- tunities for growth in the small business manufacturing environment and how large manufacturers can benefit from small business; the incentives available to ensure foreign investment and the establishment of global companies worldwide to benefit the South African manufacturing sector; access to finance; as well as the strategies for growth and competitive advantage, including the productivity debate.