Sustainable Manufacturing – the way forward for South Africa’s manufacturers

August 2013 News

With the rapid industrialisation in Africa over the past couple of years, climate change and environmental issues have become dominant concerns for our future. Problems that we currently face in the manufacturing of products include volatile energy costs, global warming by greenhouse gas production, the use of non-renewable materials and increasing waste volume after manufacturing. This has led to renewed and strong efforts in the areas of sustainable manufacturing and efficient resource utilisation over the last decade.

In South Africa, one company that has fully defined sustainable manufacturing is Unilever. For years now, it has managed to shift focus from manufacturing efficiency based on machine utilisation to a more holistic view of manufacturing – one that is based on design for sustainability, product life cycle management and sustainable supply chain management. In February 2013, the company announced its plans to open a new factory worth over R800-million and spend R200-million on upgrading and expanding existing plants – all part of its R1bn sustainable project. There can be no doubt that this company is at the forefront of this trend and many other manufacturing organisations would do well to learn from them.

Unilever’s vice president of manufacturing, Sandeep Desai, will be among the speakers scheduled to discuss these issues and share their expertise at the Smart Manufacturing Forum which will be taking place 19-20 August at IIR SA’s Training Room – 1 Sixty Jan Smuts Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg.

For more information contact Leanca Bennett, IIR South Africa, +27 (0)11 771 7215, [email protected], www.iir.co..za/smartmanufacturing

Further reading:

Reinstatement opportunity for ECSA registration
News
In 2023 the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) announced a special opportunity for engineers in South Africa to reinstate their registration status if it had been cancelled. This exclusive offer is available until the end of August 2024.

Read more...

---

Fuel your competitive edge with tech that transforms
News
The KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition 2025, taking place from 22 to 24 July at the Durban Exhibition Centre, offers a vibrant, solution-focused platform tailored to the unique needs of KwaZulu-Natal’s industrial, manufacturing, engineering, maritime, agricultural and mining sectors.

Read more...

---

Helm wins for AI and automation at Business Excellence Awards
News
Helm, the South African leader in AI-powered customer experience solutions, has been recognised at the Business Excellence Awards 2025, receiving two prestigious awards.

Read more...

---

Schneider Electric launches first registered Innovation Hub in Africa
Schneider Electric South Africa News
Schneider Electric has officially launched its first registered Innovation Hub in Africa. This provides an interactive environment where visitors can explore the company’s integrated solutions across key segments and businesses such as energy, buildings, data centres, industrial, and power and grid.

Read more...

---

4Sight OT Automation receives Schneider Sustainability Impact Award
Schneider Electric South Africa News
4Sight OT Automation is a winner of the Schneider Electric Sustainability Impact Award in South Africa.

Read more...

---

A strategic milestone for Conical Technologies
Conical Technologies News
Conical Technologies has been appointed as the sole distributor in southern Africa for Mibbo, manufacturers of a vast array of products for the automation industry.

Read more...

---

Robotics TechTalk at UKZN
News
The Scientific Multidisciplinary Advanced Research Technology Lab at the University of KwaZulu-Natal recently held an exciting TechTalk. It was an opportunity to introduce students to the IEEE Robotics and Automation chapter, SAIMC, and the Robotics Association of South Africa.

Read more...

---

Top laboratory industry trends in the spotlight at analytica Lab Africa 2025
News
The future of laboratories and transformative diagnostic technologies will come under the spotlight in July at analytica Lab Africa, South Africa’s only trade fair for laboratory technology, analysis, biotechnology and diagnostics.

Read more...

---

Schneider Electric honoured with Gender Leader Award
Schneider Electric South Africa News
Schneider Electric has been awarded the Gender Leader Award at this year’s Africa CEO Forum. This award acknowledges those organisations operating in Africa that have shown a significant and continuous commitment to gender diversity and inclusion.

Read more...

---

Africa Automation Technology Fair 2025 closes on a high note
News
The Africa Automation Technology Fair 2025 officially wrapped up after three dynamic days at Gallagher Convention Centre, cementing its status as Africa’s leading platform for industrial automation, AI and IoT.

Read more...

---