Manufacturing matters highpoint for inaugural INDUTEC Conference

Keith Burton, Managing Director of African Agenda

The 12-in-one expo takes place from 20-22 May 2015 at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand. Aimed at addressing challenges and opportunities in the manufacturing industry, the conference is formatted to provide practical solutions, stimulate dialogue, exchange expertise and develop strategies.

"This inaugural conference features many industry experts as its key speakers and the two-day format provides a unique structure for interest groups to focus on specific topics, and debate policies that affect the broader South African industrial landscape," explains Keith Burton, MD of African Agenda, organisers of the conference.

Topics include industrial and manufacturing competitiveness, political risk and governance, international competition, regionalism and localism, financing, infrastructural limitations, transformation, regulatory issues and sustainability.

Major topic

A major topic to be discussed is 'Funding for green technology initiatives: the Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement Programme (MCEP)'.

MCEP is one of the Industrial Policy Action Plan programmes implemented by the dti in 2012, which provides increased support for manufacturers to upgrade production facilities that will sustain employment and maximise profits short- and medium-term.

Coenraad Bezuidenhout, CEO of Manufacturing Circle, will also discuss South Africa's' manufacturing prospects, challenges, trends and technologies. The sector currently faces many challenges such as low productivity, labour instability, difficult labour relations and poor international competitiveness.

Other topics

• 'Government's role in fostering a competitive manufacturing sector'
  
• 'Government-industry collaboration to drive growth in manufacturing through innovation, technology transfer and commercialisation', by Robert Houdet, Executive Director of NAACAM
  
• 'Case studies in public-private partnerships to develop skills and industrial growth', by Dirk van Dyk, CEO of National Tooling Initiative Programme; John Davies, CEO of South African Institute of Foundrymen and Steve Jardine, Project Leader of National Foundry Technology Network
  
• 'Increasing local and global market access', by Advocate Leslie Sedibe, CEO: Proudly South African
  
• Tebogo Machete from the CSIR and Dr Zolani Dyosi, a Director from the National Research Foundation (NRF) will present on industry-research sector strategies to drive competitiveness and growth of South African manufacturing
  
• The Industrial Symbiosis Programme, resource efficiency and the business case for greening South African Industry, will be presented by Ndivhuho Raphulu, CEO of the National Cleaner Production Centre and representatives of the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)
  
• 'Towards a circular economy: How far still to go for South African industry?' will be discussed Dr Raylene Watson, Deputy Director - Industry and Energy Business Unit: Royal HaskoningDHV
  
• 'Driving energy efficiency across industry: lessons from the Private Sector Energy Efficiency programme'
  
• 'Carbon capture and carbon tax: which way forward for the South African industry' will be discussed by the South African Centre for Carbon Capture and Storage

Industry workshops

In addition to the conference, four specialist workshops will be presented in two sessions on the second day. Topics include:

• 'Engenius', by the Engineering Council of South Africa
  
• Stainless steel by the South African Stainless Steel Development Association
  
• The lifting industry by the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association of South Africa
  
• dti product designation and clusters by the Valve and Actuator Manufacturers Cluster of South Africa

For more information, go to www.indutecconference.org.za