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Omnia resumes dividends after strong financial year performance

By: Simone Liedtke 22nd June 2021 Diversified chemicals group Omnia had a strong performance for the 2021 financial year, enabling it to resume dividends and return over R1-billion to shareholders, despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and general economic and sector challenges. Throughout the pandemic, JSE-listed Omnia... →

Batteries can help improve South Africa's rail network, says First National Battery

By: Simone Liedtke 21st June 2021 Reliable and well-maintained infrastructure is needed for passenger and freight trains to reach their destinations safely, and a key part of this infrastructure includes reliable and resilient railway batteries that powers trains and rail systems, says battery manufacturer First National Battery.... →

Innovative roofing solution sales increase

18th June 2021 Innovation, patience and determination over many years at steel manufacturer Macsteel Roofing has paid off. In March, Macsteel’s industry-leading roofing products and solutions had a substantial increase in sales, confirming Macsteel as the new leader in the South African industrial roofing... →

Massmart says localisation project yielding benefits, lauds DTIC

By: Schalk Burger 17th June 2021 Wholesale and retail group Massmart says its localisation focus, in partnership with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), is bearing fruit, with visible benefits being experienced by the group and an increasing number of local suppliers. Massmart, over the past nine months,... →

Rolls-Royce announces net zero emissions plans

By: Donna Slater 17th June 2021 Power and propulsion engineering company Rolls-Royce has announced its plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, at the latest. The company’s actions and the development of new low-carbon technologies will enable the users of such products to, in turn, lower their carbon emissions,... →

South Africa will continue to remove barriers to growth and investment, Ramaphosa tells investors

By: Terence Creamer 17th June 2021 Having already announced a key reform for the electricity sector, President Cyril Ramaphosa told international investors on Thursday that the country will continue to remove barriers to growth and investment through the Operation Vulindlela delivery mechanism. In an address to the SA Tomorrow... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Mpact reports ‘strong’ trading for first five months of 2021

By: Simone Liedtke 15th June 2021 Trading for the first five months of this year has been strong for paper and packaging manufacturer Mpact, with underlying profit exceeding pre-pandemic comparatives in both the plastics and paper businesses. Group revenue for the period ended May 31, 2021, was R4.8-billion and exceeded the prior... →

Suppliers to lose contracts for failing to cut carbon emissions – study

By: Donna Slater 15th June 2021 A new study by financial services provider Standard Chartered reveals that multinational companies will cut suppliers for failing to curb carbon emissions, with 78% of multinational corporations (MNCs) planning to cut ties with suppliers that endanger their carbon transition plans by 2025. For... →

Infrastructure and import substitution at heart of new master plan’s vision for steel revival

By: Terence Creamer 11th June 2021 A new master plan aimed at stabilising South Africa’s steel industry and creating a platform for the revival of the country’s embattled downstream steel fabricators was signed by representatives from business, labour and government on Friday. The ceremony, which took place amid the constant hum... →

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel outlines the main pillars of the Steel Industry Master Plan at a signing ceremony held at Hall Longmore’s factory in Wadeville, in Gauteng. Camera Work: Kutlwano Matala. Editing: Nicholas Boyd.

DTIC says to resolve Atlantis SEZ challenges

By: Schalk Burger 11th June 2021 The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has committed to resolving the challenges flagged by investors during a site visit to the Atlantis Special Economic Zone (SEZ), in the Western Cape, earlier this week, Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina says. Major challenges faced by... →

Collaborative effort needed to reignite sector

By: Halima Frost 11th June 2021 To address the effects of the lack of infrastructure projects in South Africa, cement manufacturer Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC) MD Njombo Lekula has called for industry and government to work together to mitigate the knock-on effects on the cement sector. “We urgently need an agile and... →

PLANT POWER PPC has invested substantially in improving its various plants technologies and infrastructure to maximise efficacy

Contracts awarded on strong foundation work

By: Halima Frost 11th June 2021 Concrete foundation specialist Gauteng Piling’s most recent projects have showcased the company’s diverse capabilities in the concrete piling industry. Gauteng Piling contracts manager Keoatlaretse Tema tells Engineering News that two of the projects include the installation of concrete piling... →

CONCRETE SUPPORT A total of 32 concrete piles were needed on the Mbombela Fresh Produce Market project

Producers under pressure

By: Halima Frost 11th June 2021 South Africa’s concrete and cement additive suppliers are under severe production pressures, owing to a global shortage of many of the primary raw materials used in the chemicals industry essential to produce concrete and cement admixtures, says additives and admixtures specialist Chryso Southern... →

IN THE MIX Admixtures and additives used in the manufacture of cement is is short supply globally

Projects, tariffs could boost sector demand

By: Halima Frost 11th June 2021 Although the local cement and concrete sector is experiencing its lowest production and supply levels in years, industry body Cement and Concrete South Africa (CCSA) CEO Bryan Perrie says earmarked infrastructure projects and import tariffs, if implemented, will be instrumental in boosting the... →

Cement & Concrete South Africa CEO Bryan Perrie discusses the current state if the industry, as well as the formation of the CCSA.

South Africa's industrial activity slows as electricity woes hurt recovery

By: Reuters 10th June 2021 South Africa's monthly manufacturing output contracted in April and mining production slowed, as electricity outages hit the strong recovery in economic activity seen earlier in the year. Factory production was down 1.2% month on month in April, with a majority of sectors contracting. Mining... →

BMG launches business-to-consumer e-commerce service

By: Schalk Burger 10th June 2021 Industrial engineered products and components manufacturer BMG has launched e-commerce services on its online shopping platform. The service has been designed to boost customers' buying experience of engineering consumables. →

CSIR launches programme to develop graphene capabiltiies, technologies

By: Schalk Burger 8th June 2021 The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has established a graphene programme to help South Africa develop capabilities, technologies and products based on graphene, the research organisation says. The platform is set to open the door to a range of industries to collaboratively... →

Tradecore Steel acquires KZN assets of Gibbsteel Pinetown

By: Simone Liedtke 8th June 2021 An acquisition has increased steel supplier Tradecore Steel’s processing capability in KwaZulu-Natal and further consolidates the company’s sub-Saharan footprint. Tradecore has acquired the KwaZulu-Natal assets of Gibbsteel, a producer of value-added steel products. →

EU’s Green Deal will have wide-ranging impact on SA exports, cautions Van Zyl

By: Irma Venter 8th June 2021 Europe’s Green Deal is not just a vision or an idea, but a well-funded policy that is being implemented, and that is set to have a wide-ranging impact on South African exports, says Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) executive chairperson Dr Johan van Zyl. Van Zyl stepped down earlier this year as... →

Johan Van Zyl

Masterplan to position South Africa as ‘globally significant’ renewables manufacturer

By: Terence Creamer 8th June 2021 Department of Mineral Resources and Energy director-general Advocate Thabo Mokoena reports that government intends using the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM), which is currently being drafted, to position the country as a “globally significant” producer of inputs used in... →

First-quarter GDP up 4.6%

By: Donna Slater 8th June 2021 South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased at a yearly rate of 4.6% during the first quarter of 2021, reports Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). The mining and quarrying sectors combined grew by 18.1%, contributing 1.2 percentage points to the overall GDP figure, while the... →

SAHPRA registers Janssen Covid-19 vaccine with conditions

By: Sane Dhlamini 7th June 2021 The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) announced on Monday the registration of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine on March 31, with conditions. SAHPRA CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela explained that one of the conditions is that the vaccine be manufactured under conditions... →

Seifsa calls for national disaster recovery plan for metals, engineering sector

By: Schalk Burger 7th June 2021 Industry body the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) has called for the creation of a national state of disaster support and recovery plan for the metals and engineering sector. Such a plan should provide an opportunity for the industries to reset, reposition... →

AfDB grants Mozambican enterprise developer $1m grant

By: Donna Slater 7th June 2021 The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has approved a $1-million grant to Mozambique-based small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) promotional agency the Instituto para a Promoção das Pequenas e Médias Empresas (Ipeme), to boost local content and development of SME initiatives in Mozambique.... →

Industry struggling with materials shortages, price increases

By: Cameron Mackay 4th June 2021 A shortage of raw materials, coupled with substantial raw-material price increases, has placed the local coatings industry under pressure, states South African Paint Manufacturing Association (Sapma) executive director Tara Benn. “A complex mix of demand and global chemical plant production... →

PAINTING A PICTURE The long-term outlook for the industry currently is that current demand for decorative paint will last for another few years, before it eventually levels out

Local service provider to supply machine for Beitbridge project

By: Halima Frost 4th June 2021 Bulk earthworks, demolitions and civil engineering service provider Icon Group has been awarded a contract to supply its three-sided impact roller to the expansion project at the Beitbridge border post, in Zimbabwe. The three-sided impact roller will be used to compact in-situ and construct bulk... →

TRIPLE POWER The three-sided impact roller will be used to compact in-situ and construct bulk earthworks

Pamsa opens applications for Masters of Engineering bursary programme

By: Simone Liedtke 2nd June 2021 The Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (Pamsa) Masters of Engineering (MEng) bursary programme is now open for applications for the 2022/23 intake. Applications can be submitted via Pamsa’s website by June 30. →

Solar energy to supply 70% of Chryso factory's electricity requirement

By: Schalk Burger 1st June 2021 Cement additives manufacturing company Chryso Southern Africa has installed a solar electricity generating system at its Jet Park premises, in Gauteng. The system will generate almost 240 MWh/y, says Chryso Southern Africa CEO Norman Seymore. →

Macsteel launches third Macsteel Express franchise partnership

By: Simone Liedtke 1st June 2021 Steel merchant Macsteel has launched the third of its independently owned Macsteel Express franchise partnerships, in Nelspruit, on June 1. Macsteel launched the first of its two franchise partner concept outlets in February this year in Klerksdorp and Welkom, respectively. →

Bidvest expects its full-year earnings to exceed that of the prior year

By: Simone Liedtke 1st June 2021 International services, trading and distribution company Bidvest’s growth for the 2021 financial year is set to accelerate, compared with its performance in the prior financial year. The company on June 1 reported that the first ten months of the 2021 financial year has made it clear that... →

Absa PMI rises in May, suggesting another quarterly expansion

By: Simone Liedtke 1st June 2021 The seasonally adjusted Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 57.8 points in May from 56.2 the month before, with four of the five subcomponents remaining well above the neutral 50-point mark. Only the employment index dipped back into negative terrain for May. →

Famous Brands posts headlines loss on adverse impacts of Covid-19

By: Simone Liedtke 1st June 2021 African food services franchisor Famous Brands reported a headline loss a share of 86c, and a basic loss a share of R12.37 for the financial year ended February 28 – largely owing to the adverse impact of Covid-19, which saw the food industry being among the worst hit sectors. CEO Darren Hele... →

Mondi completes acquisition of Turkish corrugated packaging company

By: Simone Liedtke 1st June 2021 Paper and packaging company Mondi on June 1 confirmed that it had completed the acquisition of 90.38% of the outstanding shares in Olmuksan International Paper for €66-million. The implied enterprise value on a 100% basis would amount to about €88-million. →

Free State MEC launches Industrialisation Support Incentives Programme

By: Yvonne Silaule 31st May 2021 Free State Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC Makalo Mohale has launched the Industrialisation Support Incentives Programme. The objectives of the programme are to stimulate local domestic manufacturing and production; to ensure job retention and job... →

Commission recommends approval of Air Liquide’s proposed acquisition of Sasol ASUs

By: Simone Liedtke 31st May 2021 The Competition Commission has recommended that the Competition Tribunal approve, with conditions, industrial gases company Air Liquide’s proposed acquisition of the business owning and operating 16 of petrochemicals group Sasol’s air separation units (ASUs). The target assets are 16 ASUs based... →

Air separation units at Sasol Secunda

Steel backlog won’t be solved by eliminating safeguard duties, AMSA avers

By: Terence Creamer 31st May 2021 Steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has rebuffed increasingly vociferous calls for the elimination of safeguard duties to ease ongoing supply constraints and price increases in the domestic market. CEO Kobus Verster acknowledges that some backlogs, which began to emerge in late 2019... →

Photo by Creamer Media
AMSA CEO Kobus Verster

Invicta to dispose of majority share of Kian Ann

By: Schalk Burger 31st May 2021 Investment management group Invicta Holdings will sell 51.19% of its Singapore-based machinery parts distribution company Kian Ann Group to entities controlled by Zou Jian Liang and associates and Loy Soo Chew. The transaction will simultaneously allow for share subscriptions in Kian Ann by... →

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