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ENERTRAG South Africa scopes wind farm potential in eMalahleni

By: Marleny Arnoldi 15th October 2019 Hydrogen and renewable energy project developer ENERTRAG South Africa has started with the installation of a 120-m-tall wind measurement mast near Eskom’s Hendrina power station in Pullens Hope, Mpumalanga. A minimum of 12 months’ ground assessment of wind and general climate conditions, coupled... →

Toyota gives R70m endowment towards manufacturing studies

By: Irma Venter 14th October 2019 The Toyota Wessels Institute for Manufacturing Studies (TWIMS) has received a R70-million endowment from the Toyota South Africa (SA) Educational Trust to create a manufacturing ambassador scholarship to fund promising students who want to complete a manufacturing-focused Master of Business... →

The TWIMS campus

Seifsa president reflects on ongoing challenges in metals sector

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 11th October 2019 Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) president and board chairperson Elias Monage on Friday reiterated the challenges facing South Africa's metals and engineering sector, as well as the broader economy. In a copy of an address delivered by Monage during a Seifsa... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Dylan Slater
Seifsa president Elias Monage

Allmech’s Benoni-built electrode boilers exceed import quality

By: Tracy Hancock 11th October 2019 Benoni-based boiler manufacturer Allmech has produced its electrode boiler range since the late 1990s and, over the years, has developed different models to suite clients’ needs. “The Allmech Electrode Boiler range is our most successful locally manufactured product. It is a clean alternative... →

New digital industrial supply chain platform launched

By: Schalk Burger 11th October 2019 Multinational industrial equipment manufacturer Siemens has launched its MindSphere industrial supply chain platform, which provides ways of securely sharing information for companies and enable experts to offer their services directly to companies, says Siemens digital industry senior VP Ralf... →

Manufacturing contracts for third month in August

By: , Bloomberg 10th October 2019 South African factory output shrank for a third straight month in August. Manufacturing production declined 1.8% from a year earlier, compared with a revised 0.7% drop in July, Pretoria-based Statistics South Africa said Thursday in a report on its website. The median estimate of 11 economists in... →

Local OEM’s partnerships boost growth through expanded product range

9th October 2019 Bulk handling vehicles original-equipment manufacturer Desmond Equipment South Africa, also referred to as Dezzi Equipment, is aiming to capitalise on and boost years of consistent growth in the South African market by expanding its product range through partnerships. Cameron Mackay tells us more. →

Local OEM’s partnerships boost growth through expanded product range

Global value chain participation could offer boost for developing countries

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 8th October 2019 In an era of slowing trade and growth, developing countries can achieve better outcomes for their citizens through reforms that boost their participation in global value chains, a new World Bank Group report has found. These reforms can help these countries expand from commodity exports to basic... →

Presidential Climate Change Commission to be just-transition crucible – Creecy

By: Terence Creamer 7th October 2019 Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy has confirmed that the Presidential Climate Change Commission, which was proposed as part of agreements reached at the 2018 Jobs Summit, will be established and will become a key platform for facilitating South Africa’s ‘just transition’... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Dylan Slater
Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy

Taxis to have access to discounted tyres through Bridgestone, SA Taxi deal

By: Irma Venter 7th October 2019 Tyre manufacturer Bridgestone South Africa (SA) has entered into a strategic partnership with SA Taxi for the supply of a tyre specifically designed for the Toyota minibus taxi. The tyre will be locally produced, at the Bridgestone plant in the North West. →

Photo by Creamer Media's Irma Venter
Bridgestone SA CEO Jacques Fourie and Santaco president Phillip Taaibosch

Former German company now South African owned

By: Simone Liedtke 4th October 2019 Composite insulators and related products manufacturer Pfisterer has completed its rebranding initiative and is now known as Vexila. The rebranding follows after Pfisterer, which was solely owned by the German group Pfisterer, decided to exit the South African market owing to a strategic... →

Vexila CEO Gary Whalley

Concerns raised about modern slavery in supply chains

By: Kim Cloete 4th October 2019 Lawyers and activists have warned about the rising modern global slave trade, saying that up to 25 million modern slavery victims are exploited in global supply chains. They are enslaved across the spectrum, from farming, domestic work and construction to clothing factories, mines, the beauty... →

Local pumps manufacturing industry under pressure

By: Darren Parker 4th October 2019 A need to upskill industry newcomers, increasing labour costs and decreasing foundry capacity continue to place the local pump manufacturing industry under pressure, says industry association South African Pump Cluster chairperson Howard Jones. “Greater incentives need to be made available to... →

A HOT MESS South Africa’s pump manufacturing industry is dying owing to high energy costs, high labour costs, an underskilled workforce and increased international competition.

Most cyberattacks motivated by espionage

By: Schalk Burger 4th October 2019 Research by the Swedish Security and Defence Industry Association (SOFF) shows that 94% of all cyberattacks currently aimed at the manufacturing industry are motivated by espionage, usually with the intent to steal trade secrets or sabotage plants, says network and applications (apps) security... →

Outlook for wind energy in SA improving, despite headwinds

By: Terence Creamer 4th October 2019 After stalling last year, global renewable energy capacity additions are expected to recover strongly in 2019, supported by a solid rebound in onshore wind deployments and ongoing solar photovoltaic (PV) growth. The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects almost 200 GW of renewables capacity to... →

South African mining has ‘small window of opportunity to fix itself’, says panel

By: Simone Liedtke 3rd October 2019 The South African mining industry has "a small window of opportunity to fix itself and move forward" which demands that mining companies sort out their balance sheets and recognise that there is a level of profitability within the industry, PwC South Africa partner Andries Rossouw told delegates... →

PwC South Africa partner Andries Rossouw discusses some of the mining industry's opportunities with a panel at Joburg Indaba, wherein Accenture senior MR Rachael Bartels highlights how the mining industry underpins the circular economy. Video: Kutlwano Matlala. Video Editing: Nicholas Boyd.

South Africa should identify ‘low hanging fruits’ in tradable sectors – panel

By: Simone Liedtke 2nd October 2019 South Africa should identify the “low hanging fruits” it has in growing the country’s mining, manufacturing, agriculture and tourism sectors, economist Thabi Leoka says, dubbing these as “tradable sectors” that can help the economy grow. However, she laments that South Africa is “nearing that... →

Manufacturers struggling amid subdued local demand, concerns about key trading partners

By: Marleny Arnoldi 1st October 2019 The seasonally adjusted Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) declined to 41.6 points in September, down from 45.7 points in August. Absa stated in a release on Tuesday that this was the second consecutive large fall in the PMI this year and brought the index more ten points below a recent... →

Transnet aims to secure settlements on ‘unlawful’ loco contracts by end of financial year

By: Terence Creamer 30th September 2019 State-owned logistics company Transnet reported on Monday that settlement talks were under way with all four original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) supplying it with 1 064 new diesel and electric locomotives under contracts that had since been deemed “irregular and unlawful” by the group. Under... →

Transnet acting CEO Mohammed Mahomedy on the group's settlement talks with four original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) supplying it with 1 064 new diesel and electric locomotives under contracts that have been deemed “irregular and unlawful” by the group. Camerawork and editing: Darlene Creamer 30.9.2019

Transnet reports dramatic rise in irregular expenditure to R49bn

By: Terence Creamer 30th September 2019 State-owned freight logistics utility Transnet received yet another qualified audit for its 2018/19 financial year and also announced a dramatic rise in irregular expenditure to R49-billion, after locomotive contracts valued at R41.5-billion where added to the figure, which stood at R8-billion at... →

Transnet acting CEO Mohammed Mahomedy outlines the reason for the group receiving yet another qualified audit during the 2018/19 financial year, as well as the dramatic rise in irregular expenditure to R49-billion. Camerawork and editing: Darlene Creamer 30.9.2019

Extrusion press concept for aluminium sector developed

By: Halima Frost 27th September 2019 As a global service partner for clients, metallurgical industry plant and integrated systems provider, SMS group has developed a concept for extrusion presses offering significant flexibility and efficiency for the steel and aluminium industries. “SMS group service technicians are specifically... →

KEEP ROLLING ROLLING ROLLING A cold rolling production line supplied to an international client by SMS group

Demand growth continues to outweigh production growth

27th September 2019 Last month, macroeconomic researcher Fitch Solutions – a unit of the Fitch Group –reported that the global aluminum market will see a number of deficits over the coming years as solid demand growth, driven by the construction and autos sectors, outpaces production growth. Notably, the global... →

BUILDING SPEED The construction and automotive sectors have seen solid demand growth which has outpaced production growth

Versatile drives ideal for HVAC industry

By: Cameron Mackay 20th September 2019 Many features of the variable-speed drive (VSD) solutions provided by drive technology provider SEW-Eurodrive can be applied to projects in the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) industries, says SEW-Eurodrive mechatronic sales engineer Paul Strzalkowski. He states that here VSDs... →

MIXING CONVEYORS The conveyor system consists of a central conveyor that is fed by eight smaller conveyors, each of which contain various frozen-food products to be mixed

Schneider at forefront of Edge computing

By: Marleny Arnoldi 19th September 2019 According to research and advisory company Gartner, 75% of enterprise-generated data will be created and processed at the Edge by 2025. This is a massive increase on the current 10% of enterprise-generated data being created and processed with Edge computing, multinational electrical equipment... →

South Africa approaching gas supply cliff edge, industrial users warn

By: Terence Creamer 18th September 2019 The Industrial Gas Users Association of Southern Africa (IGUA-SA) warned on Wednesday that South Africa is in the midst of a gas supply crunch, which will worsen dramatically from 2025 onwards in line with depleting production from Sasol’s Pande and Temane gasfields, in southern Mozambique. The... →

Durban Aerotropolis to drive investment across KwaZulu-Natal

By: Shirley le Guern 16th September 2019 The proposed R1-trillion Durban Aerotropolis would be the hub of the KwaZulu-Natal economy and would not only connect the country’s second-largest economy with the rest of Africa and the world, but also drive billions worth of investment across the province, Premier Sihle Zikalala told guests at... →

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala

Durban aerotropolis masterplan expected to attract R1tn in investment

By: Shirley le Guern 16th September 2019 A masterplan for a Durban aerotropolis that is expected to attract about R1-trillion in public and private sector investment and create 750 000 jobs over a 50-year period has been unveiled. Speaking ahead of the launch of a Visitors Centre and the unveiling of an extensive model of the proposed... →

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Nomusa Dube-Ncube

Govt looking to create 'certainty' in local steel, manufacturing industries

By: Simone Liedtke 13th September 2019 Public Enterprises Deputy Minister Phumulo Masualle on Friday said the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) was looking to create “a sense of certainty” in the local steel and manufacturing industries by leveraging investments from State-owned entities (SOEs). This, he told delegates at the... →

Public Enterprises Deputy Minister Phumulo Masualle discusses measures being implemented by government to create more certainty for the domestic steel and manufacturing sectors. Video: Kutlwano Matlala; Editing: Nicholas Boyd.

4IR, AfCFTA to 'reshape' South African business, says Patel

By: Simone Liedtke 13th September 2019 South Africa’s steel industry will need a Steel 4.0 plan to adequately harness and respond to the pressures presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel said at the Metals and Engineering Indaba, in Sandton, on Friday. He explained that the... →

Master plans needed to expand productive South African sectors – Patel

By: Simone Liedtke 13th September 2019 To grow South Africa’s economy and expand its productive sectors, master plans will need to be developed for each of those sectors, Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel said on Friday. Speaking on the second day of the Metals and Engineering Indaba, in Sandton, on Friday, the Minister... →

Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel discusses some of government's initiatives in rebuilding the South African economy, alongside the steel and manufacturing sectors, at the fifth iteration of the Metals and Engineering Indaba, in Sandton. Video: Kutlwano Matlala; Editing Nicholas Boyd.

Predictive maintenance can be deployed cost-effectively in manufacturing

By: Schalk Burger 13th September 2019 While it is often more expensive and difficult to implement predictive maintenance regimes in existing legacy factories, there are ways that manufacturing operations can introduce cost-effective predictive maintenance, says information technology multinational Wipro South Africa business... →

SIMON SHAW Digital twins allow companies to model process and equipment changes and thereby contribute to their business strategy

African private businesses investing in digital tech to drive growth

By: Schalk Burger 13th September 2019 African private businesses are optimistic about their prospects for growth over the next year and are investing in digital systems to support that growth, advisory and professional services multinational PwC Africa says. The inaugural ‘Africa Private Business Survey’ surveyed 200 unlisted,... →

GERT ALLEN Companies want to have people on their boards who understand the benefits that can be realised from digital technologies

SAMSS launches hydrostatic drive underground mining vehicle in South Africa

By: Schalk Burger 12th September 2019 Metals industry equipment and service company South African Mining and Smelting Solutions (SAMSS) on Thursday launched its range of underground mining utility vehicles in the South African market. At the launch event, SAMSS, which is a subsidiary of multinational foundry industry equipment... →

Photo by Kutlwano Matlala
SAMSS dual lift utility vehicle

Seifsa president calls for greater industrial policy decisiveness

By: Terence Creamer 12th September 2019 Steel and Engineering Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) president Elias Monage has called for greater decisiveness on the part of the South African government in both defining which manufacturing sectors it intends supporting and in enforcing local-content rules, as well as legally... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Dylan Slater
Seifsa president Elias Monage

South Africa should focus on the speed at which it adapts to 4IR – Manamela

By: Simone Liedtke 12th September 2019 While the metals and engineering industries play a key role in preparing South Africa for the opportunities that the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) brings, Higher Education, Science and Technology Deputy Minister Buti Manamela says the department’s focus will be on digital technologies, such... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Dylan Slater
Higher Education, Science and Technology Deputy Minister Buti Manamela

South Africa’s BME enters into JV with Canada’s Consbec

By: Simone Liedtke 11th September 2019 Explosives and blasting company BME, a subsidiary of South Africa’s Omnia Group, has entered into a joint venture (JV) with Canadian surface drilling and blasting contractor Consbec. The BME Mining Canada JV, which will mainly be a manufacturing and services company supplying the surface and... →

BME CEO Joe Keenan

CHEM to set up South Africa’s first fuel cell factory in the Dube TradePort

By: Creamer Media Reporter 11th September 2019 Taiwanese electric solutions manufacturer CHEM Corporation will build the first fuel cell factory in South Africa. CHEM has established a subsidiary company called CHEM Energy South Africa, and secured a facility in the Dube TradePort special economic zone, near King Shaka International Airport,... →

A CHEM G5 ME fuel cell

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