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

In the manufacturing sector? The dti may be able to help you

[Michael Bratt] If your manufacturing business is in need of a boost, come June 4 the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) may be able to assist you. That is the day when applications open for its newly launched Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement Programme (MCEP). 23 May 2012 11:29

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

Gloom over water and electricity

This is according to the Manufacturing Circle, which recently released its 2012 first quarter Manufacturing Survey results. The survey featured 50 chief executive officers from a variety of manufacturing companies. 22 May 2012 11:49

The case for job creation and retention in SA's white goods manufacturing sector

[Dave McDonald] South Africa's white goods manufacturing sector (fridges, microwaves, cookers, small electrical appliances, etc.) is the latest casualty of globalisation. It is shrinking rapidly, replaced by cheaper imports, with ownership of some operations recently moving to international companies that have well-established global manufacturing supply chains. 22 May 2012 11:49

Alarm raised over SA manufacturing

South Africans are living through "dangerous times", Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan told Parliament on Friday, saying it was "clear that investment is still held back by both global and domestic uncertainties". 22 May 2012 12:18

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

Labour laws to set new course

In March, cabinet approved the submission of the amendment bills for the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) to Parliament. The two will deal with the phenomenon of labour broking and child labour, among other things. 2 May 2012 07:08

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

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

Polystyrene can solve housing problem - PSPC

Two of South Africa's most pressing needs, namely the need for sustainable, low-cost housing and the need to divert recyclable materials away from the country's landfill sites which are rapidly approaching their fill capacity, have found an unlikely common solution in recycled expanded polystyrene (EPS). 18 May 2012 06:48

BMW's Rosslyn third shift will create 600 new jobs

According to Business Report, Frank-Peter Arndt, member of the BMW AG board of management responsible for production, said BMW South Africa plans to introduce a third shift at its production plant in Rosslyn by the end of this year, increasing the installed production capacity of the plant to more than 90 000 units and creating 600 new jobs. 23 Feb 2012 10:01