KwaZulu-Natal’s manufacturing sector enjoys a significant share of the South African economy and is the second largest in the country, with nearly a third of manufactured exports being produced here. The sector contributes 20% of employment to the province.

The KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition (KITE) is the proven launchpad for industrial technology products and services companies in the province. Being held at the Durban Exhibition Centre between 18 and 20 July 2023, and with four decades of serving the local market, KITE will once more provide an interactive platform for exhibitors and industry captains to discuss the large variety of solutions on offer.

“The potential that the province has for driving the economy is immense, this is reflected in the number of large projects that have been launched or completed over the past two years. KITE is proud to play a role in bringing the decision-makers from manufacturing and agricultural companies into a forum where they can see, touch, and experience the latest trends in industrial technology,” says Charlene Hefer, Portfolio Director at Specialised Exhibitions - a division of Montgomery Group.

Some of the more significant projects underway in KZN since 2021, include:

• May 2021 — HUHTAMAKI, a global provider of sustainable packaging solutions for consumers, invested in new fibre packaging capacity in South Africa by setting up a new manufacturing unit in KwaZulu-Natal to serve its existing and new egg-packaging customers. The new facility, located close to the Port of Durban, enables competitive exports of egg packaging for customers across East Africa. With the additional capacity, the business said it would be able to serve new customers in KZN.
• 2022 — In the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ) the R1.5 billion palm oil refinery for Wilmar Processing SA is envisaged to be operational by the last quarter of the financial year 2023/24. Also in the RBIDZ, Nyanza Light Metals operational product testing and development centre, forms part of the first phase of the R4.5 billion titanium pigment processing plant.
• September 2022 — Metair Investments subsidiary Hesto Harnesses unveiled a new R500 million, 35 000 m2 state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal. In partnership with Yazaki Corporation, Hesto Harnesses manufactures wiring harnesses and instrument clusters for supply to South African-based automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) — Toyota, Isuzu, Nissan and Ford.
• September 2022 — Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) board has approved plans that open the way for various expansions at the Durban and Richards Bay ports, including a new berth for handling liquified natural gas(LNG) at the Port of Richards Bay. The expansions form part of the R100-billion KwaZulu-Natal Logistics Hub Programme.
• October 2022 — VOLVO Trucks South Africa started assembly of Euro 5 specification trucks at its plant in Durban. Euro 5 variants have been available in South Africa since 2012, but they will now be assembled locally, for the first time.
• November 2022 — South African Breweries (SAB) R825 million investment into the Prospecton brewery expansion project will include a new ‘Flavoured Alcohol Beverage Blending Plant’, which will bring with it direct full-time employment for 56 people with new skills development drives aimed at upskilling workers on new processes.

Hefer points out that KITE exhibitors not only gain the opportunity to have a fruitful discourse with their target market, but also benefit from the additional show features, which are a drawcard for local industry. These include the SAIMechE free-to attend Seminar Theatre, which provides participants with a wealth of information on current trends and topics that have a direct impact on their operations. Likewise, the LEEASA (Lifting Equipment Engineering Association of South Africa) conference attracts delegates intent on learning about the latest regulations within the lifting industry.

“Partnered with several industry bodies, KITE is the best three-day marketing investment industrial technology suppliers could make. Not only do you get to meet current and new customers, but your brand awareness is substantially boosted by our strategic marketing and PR plan which is active pre-, during and post-show,” says Hefer.

To find out more information about exhibiting at KITE 2023, visit the website at www.kznindustrial.co.za