SA to become Africa's locomotives manufacturer, Molefe

According to Allafrica.com, Transnet chief executive Brian Molefe said that South Africa is on track to become a manufacturer of locomotives for the rest of Africa. 30 May 2012 14:15

Industry short of NGP's 5-million new-jobs goal

The South African office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Business Unity South Africa (Busa) and the Black Business Council (BBC) said they believed the government's New Growth Path strategy goal of 5-million new jobs in the next decade, was in jeopardy. Therefore, they signed a memorandum of understanding to conduct global studies into local procurement before creating a programme that could boost job creation, Business Day reports. 30 May 2012 13:49

SA to become locomotive builder

South Africa is on track to become a manufacturer of locomotives for the rest of Africa, Transnet chief executive Brian Molefe has said. 30 May 2012 11:51

Nampak, Nedbank enter into R1bn loan agreement

Nedbank Corporate Banking and Nampak have entered into a R1 billion, five-year term loan in a continued drive to support the company's growth aspirations particularly in the glass sector. This follows on Nampak's successful acquisition of the remaining 50% stake in Nampak Wiegand Glass. 30 May 2012 10:49

Chintsa Crafters are testing SA's bamboo market

Five crafters from an east coast resort near East London are helping to assess the readiness of the South African market for bamboo products as development financier, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), continues with the implementation of one of its strategic agro-processing initiatives, bamboo. 30 May 2012 10:10

Flexible packaging grows exports

The economic crisis in Europe and the US is a real challenge in the Western Cape where many fruit, vegetable and wine growers strive to manage the negative effects of weak demand for exports. 28 May 2012 12:18

Plastic pallets have green advantages - ExtruWood

Many solutions have been explored over the years to find environmentally sound ways of producing industrial pallets. The traditional wooden pallets have been under scrutiny by vehicle and fleet owners because of the many problems they present on the road. 28 May 2012 07:38

Phumani Paper Project is creating employment

In poverty-stricken rural areas across South Africa, local unskilled people have learned how to craft high quality paper by hand using the agricultural plants that grow in their provinces. They use the fibres of bananas, pineapples, mealies, river reeds, hemp, sisal, ficus, cotton and grass, along with agricultural and other waste, to make their uniquely South African paper. 28 May 2012 07:17

Developing, engineering cables, Aberdare focuses on SA growth

South African power cable manufacturer Aberdare Cables, part of the JSE-listed Altron Group, has increased its production capacity by 25% over the past ten years, Engineering News reports. 66 six years old Aberdare, a member of the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers, has three manufacturing sites in Gauteng, Port Elizabeth and Pietermaritzburg. 25 May 2012 13:45

SA reminded of manufacturing sector's poor state of health

Writing in Engineering News, the publication's editor Terence Creamer says that South Africans were given another reminder recently about the poor state of health of its manufacturing sector. "Despite warnings that the output improvements of January and February might not be sustainable," hew says, "it nevertheless came as something of a shock to learn that manufacturing output fell by 4.3% month-on-month in March, and by 2.7% year-on-year." 25 May 2012 13:36

Dti engages business on MCEP

JOHANNESBURG: The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) on Tuesday, 22 May 2012, engaged stakeholders on the newly launched Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement Programme (MCEP). The MCEP, launched last week by Minister Rob Davies, is a new incentive and a key component of the Industrial Policy Action Plan3. 25 May 2012 07:18

Sheraton Hotels looks to SA company for solar power

A member of the Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa (Sessa), Pacific Solar Technologies has provided the collectors for an ambitious solar water heating project in China. According to the company's Sarel Joubert, some 330m² of non-pressurised solar collectors were installed for the Sheraton Hotel in Jinan, the capital of Shandong province in Eastern China, to bring the total area to 660m². 25 May 2012 07:10

Second-window renewables developers begin to emerge

Developers, manufacturers and equipment suppliers confirmed as preferred bidders during the second tender window held under South Africa's R100bl Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPP) have started to emerge, Engineering News reports. 24 May 2012 17:08