The Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) is pleased to announce the successful completion of its latest "Introduction to PVC" course. The two-day course, held on 23-24 March at Sasol’s polymer testing facility in Modderfontein, was attended by 13 industry role-players, and featured presentations by leading experts in the field of vinyls.

Congratulations to Calvin Young and Andre Wilken of Marley Pipe Systems; Gavin Pienaar of Elco Plastics; Steven Coates of Meraxis SA; Arshaad Mootheram and Simphiwe Zungu of Omya-Idwala; Reetesh Lucken of Unitrade; Solami Bassaw of Plastics SA; Iqbal Hiri, Krithika Haridass and Eugene Botha of Re-Vinyl; Siyethemba Masuku of Sasol and Ian Galloway of Alphaplast on successfully completing the course.

Monique Holtzhausen, CEO of SAVA explains: “The Introduction to PVC course was designed to provide participants with a comprehensive overview of the PVC industry and its various aspects. It is presented by stalwarts and experts in the industry and covers a wide range of topics, ranging from the size, scope, and challenges facing the local and international vinyl industry, to manufacturing processes, use of additives and stabilisers, SAVA's product stewardship programme, and recycling. Delegates were also given a tour of Sasol's testing facility, where they were able to observe the range of tests available to the industry”.

Another highlight of this course was the introduction of Ali Kalantaris of Omya Idwala, who focused on the use of calcium carbonate in PVC manufacturing. Mr. Kalantaris  focused on the use of calcium carbonate in PVC manufacturing. Mr. Kalantaris provided valuable insight into this important aspect of the industry and his expertise was greatly appreciated by all who attended the course.

“The feedback we received from the attendees was that they gained valuable insights into the latest trends, technologies, and innovations driving the industry forward. They also appreciated the opportunity to network with peers and industry experts, sharing ideas and best practices which will help them improve their operations and stay ahead of the curve,” Monique says.

SAVA is committed to providing high-quality training and education to industry professionals, and the "Introduction to PVC" course is just one of the many initiatives that the organization undertakes to promote the use of vinyls in Southern Africa. SAVA believes that through education, industry stakeholders can work together to improve the safety, sustainability, and profitability of the vinyls industry.