South Africa already has some impressive industry on the go and, technologically, South Africans have accomplished some remarkable things, including the first heart transplants, the CAT-scan machine (was a South African innovation), we have developed adhesives that have made it to the moon, pebble-bed nuclear reactors, a complete body X-ray in seconds, and much more... but there is still far more potential.
Such innovations flourish in an environment where these gifted individuals and teams have ready access to the latest of what is available in science and engineering. I believe that we have truly great potential, and all of us would benefit if a culture were fostered that worked to make it easier and encouraging for these people, so the talent can be put to best use. Historically the majority of our population was fettered by racial prejudice, but since the abolition of apartheid we now have an even greater potential available.
When there is a greater consumption of the technology components and materials required, economies of scale would reduce costs and permit a greater selection of alternatives to be available to those looking for solutions. This would of course come full circle, encouraging (and making it profitable) for more players to come in, which would consume more parts and materials, and again contribute to further improved economics of scale...
Of course you also need a consumer market that is ready to spend money on the products and services developed by these geniuses... but while necessity is recognised as the mother of invention, it is also true that people do very quickly find needs that they never knew they had when a really useful machine/tool/gadget/process hits the market!
We are in a first-class position right now, as our economy is in a growth phase - now is a great time to get enthusiastic about adopting that culture that I was speaking of. One way of helping consumption of technology components and materials increase is to make sure that all those looking for such things can find them... quickly and painlessly.
High on the list of things that SA Instrumentation and Control aims to achieve, is to let you know what is available and where you can find it. In the contact details, at the end of every article, we often include the website URL, where you SHOULD be able to find a goldmine of information on the topic concerned. Here is where we pass the baton - from here on it is up to the vendors, manufacturers, system integrators, engineers and institutions to take you straight to what you need.
In the interests of our continued efforts at keeping the industry connected (and particularly as a help to those newer to the industry - who are SA's future) we have called upon Dr Maurice McDowell to write a series of mini-reviews of a representative cross section of the players in the industry. In his research, Maurice experienced a fair level of frustration finding useful, up-to-date information on many of the websites he went to.
In this February issue, we take a break from these reviews and Maurice has instead written a brilliant article that hits the nail right on the head. Some sites are great, others are pretty sad. Keeping a good website can improve a company's public image and contribute to the sales effort - but far more than that... it will contribute to making South Africa a place where industrial innovation can grow and thrive - which will create more jobs, and all will benefit. Go and read Maurice's article 'SA's I&C websites' - and in future, when a website ticks you off... give the company a call and encourage them to sort it out!
It is easy for a company to budget website efforts according to the dynamics within the confines of their own organisation, and to deduce from these dynamics that, for them, any website effort is bordering on inconsequential. But when enough organisations adopt such a negative attitude, the industry is the poorer for it - and we all feel it, those individuals included.
Better that everybody pulls on the oars.
John Gibbs - editor, [email protected]
Online business directories:
Instrumentation & Control: www.ibg.co.za
Hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical drives, etc: www.mcbg.co.za
Electronic components: www.ebg.co.za
IT (Information Technology): www.itd.co.za
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