NE WS CSIR establishes industry forum to boost SA photonics industry
which is a result of a fragmented research,
potential synergies”, said UNIDO’s Juan
Could South Africa be missing out on
development and innovation value-chain,
Pablo Davila. “We agreed that the SQIS
the lucrative photonics industry due to
low levels of local technology transfer
programme could provide technical
a lack of public-private partnerships?
and minimal collaboration among various
assistance to help laboratories that have
With the fourth industrial revolution fast
stakeholders, has limited the growth
started the accreditation process and who
approaching, government and industry are
potential of South Africa’s photonics industry.
expressed interest in starting the process.”
increasingly being challenged to think about
As such, in 2015, South Africa experienced
The main areas of collaboration include
technology differently, and how it can be
a trade deficit of approximately R6.3bn due
training on management systems and
used to foster socio-economic development
to the high volume of imported advanced
technical capacity building; events to market
and establish formidable sectors of the
photonics manufacturing technologies.
and raise awareness of the importance
The low level of innovation output,
economy that will compete globally.
With six photonics application industry
a harmonised database of conformity
forum represented views from a
assessment bodies in the region. The event
variety of these sectors. Over 15
was organised with funding from the
industry players presented their scope
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.
challenges included lack of funding
Sartorius sends Christmas donation to Yemen
and collaboration opportunities,
Sartorius is donating 85 000 euros at
invisibility of photonics projects
Christmas time for humanitarian help in
that support industry, exportation
Yemen. This year’s charitable contribution
of photonics skills and lack of
will be made to the European medical aid
communication between government
organisation action medeor e. V., which
and the photonics industry.
supplies life-saving medications and food
Some of the frequently mentioned
to competing effectively in the fourth industrial revolution. According to an article titled The Future
of accreditation; and establishment of
domains in South Africa, the industry
of work, challenges and opportunities.
SA’s photonics industry is underdeveloped and a major hurdle
experiences, cross-fertilise, and identify
supplements to health facilities in Yemen.
Bring, photonics is one of the key
SADC region lab associations meet to share ideas on lab accreditation
enabling technologies that will assist the
Within the framework of its Sustainable
groups of the population have sufficient
foundational technologies of the fourth
Quality Infrastructure Programme
access to basic healthcare.
industrial revolution to reach their full
for the Southern African
potential. In preparation for this new wave,
Development Community
for the first time ever, the CSIR Photonics
(SADC), SQIS, the United
Prototyping Facility team hosted a Photonics
Nations Industrial Development
Industry Network Forum, which brought
Organization (UNIDO), together
together industry players in the South
with the SADC Regional
African photonics market. The objective for
Laboratory Association (SRLA),
establishing this quarterly forum is to create
organised an Expert Group
awareness of the various photonics industry
Meeting to explore potential
role-players, while identifying industry’s
areas of cooperation and
challenges and opportunities.
collaboration between SRLA
The decision to establish industry forums
members who are Member State-
After around four years of ongoing war and due to a failing economy in Yemen, not all
Photo credit: action medeor
That Photonics and Electronics Technologies
German lab supplier Sartorius have announced a large Christmas donation to the people of Yemen.
was a result of identified challenges that
National Laboratory Associations
are experienced by the South African
(MS-NLAs), and the National Accreditation
As part of its Christmas Donations
photonics market. Currently, the global
Focal Points that represent member states
Instead of Gifts campaign, Sartorius is
photonics market is worth $7tn, with over
without their own national accreditation body
supporting action medeor e. V. for the
3 000 photonics manufacturing companies
including Angola, Botswana, the Democratic
fifth time in a row and, for this special
across 50 countries. By 2024, the industry is
Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi,
purpose, has again decided to forego giving
expected to reach USD$979.90bn. However,
Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania,
Christmas gifts to customers and business
South Africa’s photonics market has not
Zambia and Zimbabwe.
partners. The ongoing conflict in Yemen
been able to enjoy the same success due to its miniscule global market share.
“The event served as an initial platform for MS-NLAs and NAFPs to meet, share
has killed an estimated 50 000 people and displaced countless others. M
Representatives from national lab associations in the SADC region met in Pretoria recently.
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LMS Issue 1 | 2019
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