Inaugural SABS Expo to highlight certification significance

According to the SABS spokesperson, Tobey Matlaisane, with 14 October marking World Standards Day, it is worthwhile for industry stakeholders, business people and the general public to visit the show as they will learn and understand what the ‘SABS Approved' mark means and the role the bureau plays in the South African economy.

“Well, essentially our business is to ensure that products and services in the South African market meet the highest standards. We have seen people being sold sub-standard goods, mainly due to lack of knowledge of what to look out for before making a purchase. So this expo is not only to highlight those products that meet the highest standards, but also to educate consumers and businesses on what to look out for and how to make informed purchase decisions in the future,” said Matlaisane.

The SABS has over 5000 certified clients across various industries segmented within its seven clusters, namely: Chemicals, Electro-technical, Food and Health, Mechanical and Materials, Mining and Minerals, Transportation and Services.

According to Matlaisane, there will be a variety of other activities during the three-day event, where captains of industry and opinion leaders will conduct and participate in a convention based on the World Standards Day theme, “Intelligent and Sustainable Buildings”, workshops on various industry related topics, the Design Excellence Awards, the design summit, a gala dinner and the SABS President's Awards ceremony.

The workshops will focus on the following topics:

• Energy efficiency: The role of standardisation in energy efficiency, especially in the face of the current electricity crisis.
  
• Conformity assessment solutions: Certification is increasingly being used as third party recognition of compliance to standards. This workshop reviews certification of services and its benefits in other sectors.
  
• Building standards: The output of the construction industry and its impact on our economy and environment. This workshop will shed light on the new regulations and standards.

The Design Awards will showcase the 2008 award winning products and achievements of South African industrial product designers, encouraging local product design and manufacture, as well as promoting international competitiveness of local industrial products.

SABS CEO, Martin Kuscus, said that he hopes the SABS clients will fully embrace the expo, as holding a SABS certification adds credibility to any product or service and inevitably augurs well for consumer confidence, business success and economic growth.

“Trust is a critical element in the SABS mandate and in line with our mission, protecting the integrity of the South African market and consumers is key in the sustainability of our business. We also pride ourselves in creating a competitive advantage for the South African industry as well as creating access to local and international markets,” Kuscus concluded.

For more information, visit: www.sabs-expo.co.za