Enhancing Industry Through Collaboration - South African Institute of Foundrymen

Thursday, February 19, 2015, the 2^nd Strategic Alliance Workshop “Enhancing growth through active collaboration”, hosted by the National Foundry Technology Network (NFTN) in conjunction with South African Institute of Foundrymen (SAIF) and Valve and Actuator Manufacturers Cluster of South Africa (VAMCOSA) a cluster operating under the auspices of the South African Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC), took place at the Birchwood Conference Centre, Boksburg.

The event, a follow on session from the first Strategic Alliance workshop “How to win back lost markets” held in 2013, in anticipation of National Treasury issuing the Instruction note to formalise the implementation of designation for valves and actuators.

“Today’s strategic alliance marks one year of designation for the valve sector and provides an opportunity for industry and stakeholders such as the dti, NFTN, SAIF, VAMCOSA and Eskom a key customer, to review where we are, discuss and engage on constraints, challenges and developments between the two sectors over the last year, and, to work together to formulate objectives for the year ahead” said Steve Jardine, Project Leader for NFTN.

More than 80 delegates attended the workshop including 29 foundries and 16 Valve manufacturers.

The day closed on the development of 9 key action points that industry has committed to work towards in the coming year, in summary they are:

An agreement that there should be common objectives in the interest of the respective industries.
An Agreement to work together to improve the value chain – SOCs such as Eskom, Vamcosa as well as players in the cast and forged metals sector.
Identified need to seek off-take commitments and planning schedules from the buyers.
Monitoring of orders for valves received in the foundry environment.
Develop a register of approved foundries capability and certification to be supplied to valve manufactures.
The NFTN will provide ISO and PED certification assistance to foundries.
Product development, engineering and design partnership approach to be developed, looking at developing competitive capacity for high volume, import replacement opportunities’.
Review import and trade protection – including anti dumping through WTO, and more industry support for development (incl.) cost of tooling
Partner to reduce lead times and to apply international best practices between foundries and the valve industry.

Presenters at this year’s event focused on key issues;