The Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers (SAPPMA) successfully convened its 19th Annual General Meeting on November 22, 2023, at the Plastics SA auditorium in Midrand. The event showcased the resilience and dedication of the plastic pipe industry, with renowned economist Dr. Roelof Botha serving as the keynote speaker.

During the meeting, SAPPMA Chief Executive Officer, Jan Venter, emphasized the pivotal role of the plastics pipe industry in Southern Africa. He highlighted the industry's critical importance in providing reliable water supply and sewage disposal, expressing concern about the potential consequences of inadequate investment in infrastructure.

"For years SAPPMA has been making public statements that the impact of unreliable water supply and sewage disposal could be vastly more uncomfortable than going without electrical power for a few hours a day (as bad as that is). We seem to be getting very close to this scenario," noted Venter.

He further pointed out the challenges arising from insufficient government expenditure, leading to a double curse of disservice to citizens and injustice to the capital-intensive manufacturing sector. The need for sustainable gross margins, capital investment, and long-term progress to ensure the industry's viability was also highlighted.

Amid these tough trading conditions, Venter provided a comprehensive overview of SAPPMA's achievements in the past year, focusing on standards, quality, technical support, marketing, and training. Despite the challenges, the plastic pipe association demonstrated its commitment to maintaining high industry standards and adapting to increasing complexity.

"There is a marked and continued increase in complexity in this industry due to increasing competitiveness, focus on quality, and technical development. We now have 124 national standards listed on our website," he remarked.

SAPPMA members were thanked for their cooperation as the importance of an objective, knowledgeable, and representative organization in the plastics pipe industry was emphasized.

"With your ongoing support, we will continue to fulfil our mission to create consumer confidence in the plastic pipe industry and to ensure the long-term sustainability of the industry with top-quality piping system,” Venter concluded.