LIZ HART Job retention and business sustainability are critical aspects facing many manufacturers.
This year’s Manufacturing Indaba has been rescheduled to take place on December 9 and 10 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng, as a result of the impact of Covid-19 and the lockdown imposed on South Africa by government.
The event was originally slated to take place on June 9 and 10.
“Traditionally, December has not been a great month to host events. However, we believe that the market will be keen to engage and work this coming festive season to make up for the economic impact of Covid-19,” says event organiser Siyenza Events MD Liz Hart.
She tells Engineering News & Mining Weekly that the themes and content of the event will centre on key aspects relating to manufacturing that have emerged from the impact of Covid-19.
“Global value chains are undergoing profound changes, with important implications for the manufacturing and production ecosystem. Covid-19 is accelerating the change of value delivery models, with unprecedented consequences for manufacturers and supply chains.”
She explains that mitigating the impact of Covid-19 on manufacturers and supply chains will require new approaches and new forms of collaboration to increase overall resilience.
In addition, further focus on driving the growth potential of manufacturing is needed, while new business models in a post- Covid-19 era will be explored to support manufacturing growth.
Hart adds that the event will also focus on digitalisation, where it will be explored as a means of mitigating the lingering impact of the lockdown.
Other areas of the programme, such as sector-specific content, will still be a focus of the conference.
“Incentives, government support and access to new markets, as well as intra-Africa trade, remain critical topics for manufacturers to expand and unpack. Moreover, the development of localisation will be a pressing issue to be discussed at the event,” Hart says.
She notes that job retention and business sustainability are critical aspects facing many manufacturers.
“Manufacturers are facing continued downward pressure on demand, production and revenues as the Covid-19 pandemic intensifies. Additionally, many are facing cash flow liquidity challenges and difficulties in managing debt obligations,” she laments, adding that many companies will be significantly affected by the impact of the pandemic, the true extent of which will be known only after some time.