4th Quarter 2012Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Another year is slowly coming to an end. It is mid-October as I write this letter and already I see Christmas decorations for sale in the shops.
It will be interesting to see what happens this festive season with all the fall-out from the wildcat strikes. Big firms are sitting on their profits in case of hard times, while capital expenditure and even maintenance budgets are being frozen. This we can all feel on our bottom lines. Even banks have been cutting back on staff. Let us see what the retailers can pull off this year, but I am not going to hold my breath. An industry that seems to feel the opposite effect is chocolate manufacturers. Apparently their sales increase when times are tough so there must be something to comfort eating.
On the plus side, we as South Africans have something to look forward to. Our most recent SAFPA technical talk was on the Bloodhound SSC (Super Sonic Car), due to drive across South Africa’s Hakskeen Pan in the Northern Cape. This is just an amazing project with the ultimate aim of reaching 1610 kmph in a car – a car being described as having at least four wheels in contact with the ground at all times and being in the full control of its driver. To put it in perspective, the speed of sound is 1236 kmph, and the speed of the Eurofighter Typhoon, the world’s most advanced fighter plane, is 2472 kmph. To put it in another way, it has the power of more than 150 Formula 1 cars.
SAFPA feedback is as follows:
Marketing
With our recent push for membership, accompanied by an industry specific questionnaire, a lot of insight has been gained. Firstly we have increased our membership by a good margin, and secondly we are learning what exactly the industry expects from the SAFPA council. Without a shadow of doubt, education and what can SAFPA do in this regard are the top concerns.
Education sub-committee
With this in mind, we have established an education sub-committee to deal with this subject specifically. Having been down the MERSETA route, we feel it is now prudent to try and establish a SAFPA standard for hydraulic and pneumatic training against which individuals can be assessed.
Safety training course on hose assemblies
With over 50 people having already attended this course, and courses regularly becoming over-subscribed, it is clear that industry is beginning to see the merits in this safety orientated training. Keep an eye on our website for proposed dates in the near future.
Hydraulic Handbook
The Hydraulic Handbook is available for purchase at R75. It has come out very well, with good feedback from those who have taken the time to read it. It is a great year-end gift for customers and you have the council’s permission to place a ‘With Compliments’ logo inside the front cover.
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