Automation industry calls for collaboration to make SA globally competitive
1 February 2018
News & events
Speaking at the official launch of the Africa Automation Fair 2019 in Johannesburg last week, stakeholders noted that South Africa was emerging from turbulent times, but said that through collaboration to drive progress, the automation sector could help fast-track economic growth and development.
The automation sector, now moving toward a digital ‘Industrie 4.0/IIoT’ era, is poised to drive greater efficiencies and make South African enterprises internationally competitive, which will ultimately benefit all South Africans, they said.
Oratile Sematle, president of the Society for Automation, Instrumentation, Measurement and Control (SAIMC), noted that the industry had already progressed to a point where its voice as a collective is now heard in government, institutions and various sectors. “But knowing that if we use automation in the right ways, we can ultimately change the landscape of the South African economy and improve the lives of all people, we need to continue to collaborate to drive further progress, and make South Africa great again,” he said.
Marc Van Pelt, chairman of the Industrial Instrumentation Group (IIG) and MD of Pepperl+Fuchs noted: “As we seek to bring the country to new levels economically, we need to look to automation and smart manufacturing to make our industries competitive on a global basis. At the Connected Industries conference last year the sector started the Industrie 4.0/IIoT discussion, and the next questions are: Who is using it? Is the sector ready? As a country, we still have a long way to go.”
Sematle and Van Pelt encouraged industry stakeholders to step up collaborative efforts through forums such as the Africa Automation Fair and Connected Industries conference, where the sector is able to assess the automation industry’s challenges and seek solutions to support progress.
The Africa Automation Fair, which marks its 21st anniversary in 2019, and the Connected Industries conference, will expand their scope and reach in 2019, delivering Africa’s largest showcase of industrial automation and control technologies. The event, incorporating the Connected Industries conference (Industrie 4.0/IIoT), is a focused networking platform for the automation and control industry and works closely with industry associations including the IIG and SAIMC.
For more information visit www.africaautomationfair.com
Further reading:
WearCheck turns the focus on friction modifiers
News & events
One of the most important features of a lubricant is the reduction of friction between two surfaces.A dditives like friction modifiers are added to perform this function. Wearcheck turns the focus on friction modifiers
Read more...
From the editor's desk: Where is AI taking us?
Technews Publishing
News & events
Welcome to another year with
Motion Control. May it be a happy and healthy one where you can rise to the challenges ahead and still enjoy all the good things we have in this country.
As we continue
...
Read more...
Timken funds Kids Haven STEM classroom
News & events
A bright new chapter in digital education has begun at Kids Haven with the official opening of a fully equipped STEM classroom at the Kids Haven Village. This exciting addition was generously donated by Timken South Africa and expertly installed by Breadline Africa.
Read more...
Bearings International enters South Africa’s pump market
Bearings International
News & events
Bearings International has entered into the local pumps market through an exclusive distribution agreement with leading Italian pump manufacturer, SAER.
Read more...
SKF launches the Patent Bay
SKF South Africa
News & events
SKF is launching The Patent Bay, a new platform open to companies that aim to accelerate technologies with the potential to advance sustainability, by making selected patents freely available to others.
Read more...
SKF and Sieb & Meyer announce strategic partnership for magnetic bearings
SKF South Africa
News & events
SKF has announced a strategic partnership with Sieb & Meyer, a renowned expert in variable frequency drives and control electronics.
Read more...
Young SA scientists awarded medals at IRIS Global Symposium in India
News & events
Young local scientists have been awarded gold and silver medals at the recent Initiative for Research and Innovation in STEM global symposium in India, where they displayed their scientific brilliance.
Read more...
UKZN’s SMART lab wins aviation award
News & events
The SMART Lab at UKZN was awarded first place in the Aviation Research and Development category at the Civil Aviation Authority of South Africa’s award ceremony for outstanding contributions and achievements in the aviation sector.
Read more...
Hamar Controls earns dual Siemens Partner Awards
News & events
Hamar Controls, a provider of advanced electrical, control and instrumentation solutions to Africa’s mining and industrial sectors for over 40 years, has been honoured with two Smart Infrastructure Partner of the Year Awards by Siemens.
Read more...
Schneider Electric to become Official Energy Technology Partner of McLaren Racing
Schneider Electric South Africa
News & events
Schneider Electric will become the Official Energy Technology Partner of McLaren Racing.
Read more...
printer friendly version