The National Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA) is helping manufacturers improve competitiveness by identifying opportunities to reduce energy, water and material consumption while strengthening long-term sustainability.

Speaking to Engineering News at the Manufacturing Indaba, NCPC-SA programme manager Ndivhuho Raphulu said the pressures facing manufacturers vary by sector, making it important to assess each operation individually before prioritising resource efficiency interventions.

Hosted by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research on behalf of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, the NCPC-SA provides technical assessments, cleaner production support and skills development to help companies improve operational performance and transition towards a low-carbon, circular economy.

Raphulu said the programme assists manufacturers in identifying opportunities that deliver financial, environmental and operational benefits, while also developing the skills needed to sustain improvements. He encouraged companies to engage with the NCPC-SA to access government-backed support and share knowledge on best practice in resource efficiency and cleaner production.