Information and Communication Technology (ICT) company, Yekani Manufacturing will officially launch a R1-billion world-class Smart Factory and Innovation Hub at the East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ) on Tuesday, 05 June 2018.

The announcement of the billion rand investment in the city made by Yekani Group CEO, Dr Siphiwe Cele, follows hot on the heels of the call to action from President Cyril Ramaphosa who has called on industry to re-industrialise intermediate cities and stimulate manufacturing in the country, and is a welcome development for the city of East London. The 28 000m² state-of-the-art facility will boost employment opportunities in the region and it is estimated that the increased operational capacity of the hub will create approximately 1 000 new jobs and make Yekani the largest employer in the zone.

Originally SATV, the company was established in 1974 in East London and has gone through several ownership changes before being bought by the Yekani Group in June 2016. The wholly Black-owned Electronics Contract Manufacture and ICT giant manufactures electronic devices for diverse sectors including the telecommunications, utility metering, consumer electronics and e-Education sectors. It maintains the highest quality standards and adheres to International Standards Organisation (ISO), South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and the Institute for Printed Circuits (ICU) prescripts.

The company was the first in Africa to manufacture Cathode-ray tube televisions (CRT) and was a contract manufacturer (CM) of components for companies like Samsung and MultiChoice. According to Cele, “We are now elevating our status to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and forming partnerships with Original Design Manufacturer (ODM’s) in China and other foreign markets.” He went on to say that “In partnership with the ELIDZ and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Yekani is establishing a cluster of Small Medium Micro Enterprise (SMME’s) that provide us with various components for production.”

“The hrsionub is geared to manufacturing innovative technology products for clients in the consumer, automotive, defence and aerospace industries. We want the world to know that Africans are capable of pioneering new technology. We believe that this new home will allow us to showcase our capability, flexibility, expertise and quality and contribute to the development of the manufacturing industry, not only in the country but also in the African continent,” concluded Cele.

Yekani Manufacturing - a 100% Black-owned electronics contract manufacturer and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) company - is an identifier of innovation opportunities and an enabler. Yekani Manufacturing and Yekani Technology are privately owned companies that form part of the Yekani Group - a holding company incorporated in 1998. These entities boast an executive management team with 30 years’ experience spanning multiple sectors.

The company’s new home located in the East London Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) in East London -  is a R1-billion-worth world-class Smart Factory and Innovation Hub - able to create new value to achieve advantage over our competitors. This Technology Innovation Hub is geared towards manufacturing innovative technology products for clients in the consumer, automotive, defence and aerospace industries. Yekani is about growth through commitment to its greatest strength that lies within - its biggest asset - its people.