OVERVIEW
Manufacturing Chemical processing could be a new sector.
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A provincial Integrated Manufacturing Strategy has been compiled. One of the report's findings was that because of North West’s strategic location near to the industrial hub of Gauteng and its low input costs and easy access to busy trade routes, it should make the development of the chemical processing sector a good proposition for investors. The province also has easy access to natural resources, especially with regard to the ingredients necessary for the manufacture of phosphate and nitrogen-based fertilisers. A sector strategy for clothing and textile manufacturing is also being developed. Manufacturing’s share of the Growth Value Add (GVA) of the province is 5%. The province already has a strong suite in automotive components and tyres (Brits), mining equipment and engineering (Klerksdorp) and food and beverages (Potchefstroom). The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is doing pilot projects in two villages to find out if there are commercial opportunities for the growing and making of Motlopi coffee. Motlopi coffee is made from roasting the roots of a Shepherd’s tree (or Motlopi). Land has been set aside for the project. Rustenburg has a mixture of enterprises, the biggest of which are mining-related smelters. Production of non-metallic mineral products is concentrated around Lichtenburg and Mahikeng (cement), and Rustenburg (stone). Tough Metals Toys factory and Totpak are located in Ventersdorp. As one of the country’s biggest producers of livestock, hides for car seats for the province’s automotive industry could profitably be sourced locally. The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) sometimes gives loans to help businesses weather bad times; at other times it extends loans (sometimes in exchange for equity) to new enterprises in new sectors. It is active in the North West in a wide range of sectors, including automotive.
ONLINE RESOURCES Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC): www.aidc.co.za Centre for Advanced Manufacturing: www.cfam.co.za National Department of Trade and Industry: www.dti.gov.za North West Development Corporation: www.nwdc.co.za
NORTH WEST BUSINESS 2019
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SECTOR INSIGHT Bridgestone’s Brits factory employs more than 850 people. SOS Tie & Die is a manufacturer of precision pressings, components and press tools, based in Brits close to Tshwane's Rosslyn automotive hub. Also in Brits are wire-harness manufacturer Pasdec Automotive Technologies, Bosch, and Dubigeon Body and Coach. Bridgestone’s factory is one of only four in the world that produces ‘"unflat" tyres. About 850 people are employed at the plant. The Centre for Advanced Manufacturing (CFAM) at North West University specialises in extruder technology. R CL Foods (previously Rainbow Chickens) has a large processing plant at Rustenburg. Dairybelle (Bloemhof ) and Clover (Lichtenburg) have cheese factories in the province. Water from the Schoonspruit Eye near Ventersdorp supplied South Africa’s first bottled water. Nestlé has purchased the rights to this water source. Nestlé’s soy-creamer processing plant is located in Potchefstroom. About 30% of the country’s grain and oil-seed crop pass through Senwes silos every year. Sasko operates a white-maize mill in Klerksdorp. The SAB Rosslyn Brewery supplies the North West with most of its beer.
