The South Africa Fluid Power Association (SAFPA) was formed with specific objectives in mind, including raising professional standards, promoting the exchange of information and ideas, and stimulating and promoting education in the field. It seeks to achieve these objectives in a number of ways, including research studies.
SAFPA recently commissioned Tshwane University's Centre for Marketing Research and Development to undertake a study of the hydraulics and pneumatics industry.
The scope of the study included a survey of the confidential sales data of 70 companies active in importing and selling equipment and accessories in the hydraulic and pneumatic industries.
Ben van Rensburg, manager of the Centre for Marketing Research and Development, says that it was a welcome achievement given the large scale of the study.
"As an impartial institution, the task was to contact the various role-players and collect the required data by means of a structured questionnaire, covering numerous items. A mail questionnaire was used and had a response rate of 68%. For accuracy, an industry panel estimated the sales of the 32% of companies that did not wish to participate," says van Rensburg.
"The results of the survey showed that the South African fluid power industry had, in 2005, generated a turnover of approximately R2,23 billion and employed approximately 3100 people. Participants were very positive about the survey and view it as a huge benefit for the industry."
SAFPA views the success of this current survey as an indication that the industry is ready for similar projects and will benefit from the information yielded. A follow up study is planned with a view to getting a broader spectrum of the market to participate.
| Tel: | +27 11 061 5000 |
| Fax: | 086 589 2158 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.safpa.org.za |
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