On 8 March, a select group of SAIMC members from the Copperbelt in Kitwe congregated at the premises of incoming SAIMC Zambia chairman T.C. Siame’s Trescha Electronics. This would hail the beginning of the one hour drive to Ndola along a wide stretch of road sidled by commercial forests of pine and eucalyptus trees, interspaced with acacia and other native short brush that changes in colour and temperament over the seasons – brown and yellow in the cool dry winter to deep greens and burnt sienna in the rainy summer months. More recently, short-rise industrial developments and warehouses have also begun to sprout, as well as a large Chinese shopping mall and several places of lodging.
Established industry is facing growing competition from new investors taking advantage of the mining sector growth, and also
the diversification of the Zambian economy to include more production of food and sustenance-based products. Neelkanth
Cables is one of the new investors and, after observing their steady progress, the team decided to investigate the operation. Neelkanth hosted us and not only did they give us a technical presentation on general cable manufacture, they gave us a tour of the facility and showed us various experimental processes, as they endeavour to provide application specific cable in line with the exacting needs of the Zambian market.
Members were exposed to the various stages of copper/steel cable production from raw materials through to finished product. The meshing of IT and production machinery that is modern automation inspired us, leading to some lively conversation on the bus ride back to Kitwe.
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The Johannesburg Branch of the SAIMC hosted a successful Technology Evening on 10 September. The event was well attended and generously sponsored by Phoenix Contact.
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