Recent activities
Unpacking the SA automotive sector demand outlook
22 July 2020
The East Cape Automotive Industry Forum in partnership with the South African Automotive Benchmarking Cluster recently hosted a panel discussion that considered the local automotive sector demand outlook as a result of the impact of COVID-19.
Responsible and ethical employee cost optimisation during COVID-19
14, 15 & 16 July 2020
Our recession recovery support programme continued this week with our focus on responsible and ethical employee cost optimisation during COVID-19 and the often difficult conversations and decisions around this subject.
Cost Optimisation Strategies that Work
09 July 2020
Our recession recovery support programme continued this week with our focus on discovering innovative solutions and effective cost optimisation strategies that member-firms have implemented that work!
Member-Led COVID 19 Study Tour
07 July 2020
In partnership with the South African Automotive Benchmarking Club, ECAIF hosted a ‘Virtual Study Tour’ Session to review member firms’ best practice in response to COVID-19.
Employee Morale during COVID-19
02 July 2020
Employee morale expert, Sean Fjellvik (from Free to Grow), along with a panel of manufacturers from Smiths Manufacturing, TFG Manufacturing & Prestige Clothing, and Pep Clothing shared their employee morale insights and lessons.
Framing the Next 12 Months
26 June 2020
Facilitated by Prof Justin Barnes (Executive Director, Toyota Wessels Institute for Manufacturing Studies), we welcomed an esteemed panel of experts to discuss and debate the economic outlook of South Africa and the manufacturing sector in light of COVID-19.
Unpacking market demand in the “new normal”
24 & 25 June 2020
Our recession recovery support programme continued this week with our focus on unpacking the issues around the chemicals industry market demand challenges, and the outlook in the coming months.
Quantifying and offsetting the costs associated with COVID-19
10 & 11 June 2020
Our recession recovery support programme continued this week with our focus on Quantifying and offsetting the costs associated with COVID-19and the innovative solutions our members have deployed to offset these costs.
A new era of Occupational Health: COVID-19 Consideration
09 June 2020
Occupational Health is the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers, and the talk was given by Dr Naidu.
COST OPTIMISATION: Balancing employee productivity, morale and operating efficiency
03 & 04 June 2020
Our recession recovery support programme continued this week with our focus on COST OPTIMISATION and IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY – i.e. helping our firms do more with less in an environment of reduced demand and negative economic growth.
PHASE 2: COVID-19 Compliance Officers and key considerations from the President’s speech
27 & 28 May 2020
Our phase 2 programme is in its second week with us focusing our attention to that of the vital role of compliance officers and the latest critical areas of consideration from the President’s Speech as we move to Level 3.
PHASE 2: Recession Recovery Support Programme – Responsible restructuring and managing cost reduction
20 & 21 May 2020
Our phase 2 programme started this week with a focus on readying firms for the recession, and we looked at ways to reduce costs and methods to mitigate the impacts of the recession on cashflow and finances
PHASE 2: Recession Recovery Support Programme – Equipping firms with the tools to respond to the COVID-19 Recession
May 2020
Our phase 2 programme focuses on readying firms for the recession that’s coming, and we looked at ways to reduce costs and methods to mitigate the impacts of the recession on cashflow and finances.
Working Group Session: Business un-usual – Upstream and Downstream Supply-chain Management: Demand Forecasting & Inventory Management
13 & 14 May 2020
As we settle into operating in the new level 4 lockdown environment, it is vital to shift our attention to understanding the upstream and downstream supply-chains and in particular, demand forecasting and inventory management
Working Group Session: Business un-usual – Unpacking the latest regulations and scaling up operations in level 4
06 & 07 May 2020
We have officially moved to level 4 lockdown regulations. As such, our video conference working group sessions continued this week with our focus on unpacking these latest regulations and on scaling up operations in level 4.
Working Group Session: Business un-usual – Effective scenario-planning and effective cash flow management
29 & 30 April 2020
In this week’s discussion, we focused on the vital subject of scenario-planning and cash flow management within the new operational environment.
Working Group Session: Business un-usual – Creating safe working environments when operations resume
22 & 23 April 2020
In this week’s session, our working group continued their discussion on what the new post-lockdown business environment will look like with a particular focus on the health and safety requirements for firms intending to resume operations in this unusual climate.
Working Group Session: Understanding market dynamics and the impact of COVID-19 on localisation and the economy
State of the Auto Industry Port Elizabeth : Sector Growth & Competitiveness
State of the Auto Industry East London: Sector Growth & Competitiveness
SAABC visit to Supreme Spring
30 Oct 2019
The South African Automotive Benchmarking Club (SAABC) hosted a study tour at Supreme Spring in Nigel on Wednesday, 30 October. Aligned with pillar 6 of the South African Automotive Masterplan that addresses technology and associated skills development, our study tour hosts are firms that, investing for the future, are advancing their skill sets and are seeking innovative ways to maintain competitiveness.
SAABC visit to CRH Africa Automotive
03 Oct 2019
The South African Automotive Benchmarking Club (SAABC) hosted a study tour at CRH Africa Automotive in Port Elizabeth, on 3 October 2019. Aligned with pillar 6 of the South African Automotive Masterplan that addresses technology and associated skills development, our study tour hosts are firms that are investing for the future, are advancing their skill set and are seeking innovative ways to maintain competitiveness.
SAABC and ECAIF visit to Formex
19 July 2019
The South African Automotive Benchmarking Club (SAABC) and the Eastern Cape Automotive Industry Forum (ECAIF) had a study tour at Formex Industries in Port Elizabeth, on the 19th of July. Aligned with pillar 6 of the South African Automotive Masterplan that addresses technology and associated skills development, our study tour hosts are firms that are investing for the future, are advancing their skills set and are seeking innovative ways to maintain competitiveness.
SAABC Industry 4.0 Study Tour : Round 2
09 October 2018
The second round of the SAABC’s Port Elizabeth based Industry 4.0 focused study tours was scheduled for 09 October. The SAABC’s peer review mechanism is an outcomes-based format for participants to uncover both the relatively simpler applications that can quickly boost competitiveness and highlight the more foundational challenges and opportunities of Industry 4.0.
SAABC Industry 4.0 Study Tour (East London)
29 August 2018
The SAABC’s peer review mechanism is an outcomes-based format for participants to uncover both the relatively simpler applications that can quickly boost competitiveness and highlight the more foundational challenges and opportunities of Industry 4.0. The extent of Industry 4.0 adoption in SA manufacturing is generally low but pockets of best practice do exist.
SAABC Industry 4.0 Study Tour (Port Elisabeth)
1 August 2018
The SAABC’s peer review mechanism is an outcomes-based format for participants to uncover both the relatively simpler applications that can quickly boost competitiveness and highlight the more foundational challenges and opportunities of Industry 4.0. The extent of Industry 4.0 adoption in SA manufacturing is generally low but pockets of best practice do exist.
SAABC State of the Automotive Industry Workshop | Port Elizabeth Session
20 June 2018
The much-anticipated State of the Automotive Industry Address was a highlight on the automotive industry’s annual calendar. At the NAACAM Port Elizabeth regional meeting, the South African Automotive Benchmarking Club (SAABC) will share insights based on global and local industry performance data gathered during the course of 2017 and how these insights should inform executive-level decision making in the period ahead.
SAABC State of the Automotive Industry Workshop|Western Cape Session
12 June 2018
The much-anticipated State of the Automotive Industry Address was a highlight on the automotive industry’s annual calendar. At the NAACAM Western Cape regional meeting, The South African Automotive Benchmarking Club (SAABC) shared insights based on global and local industry performance data gathered during the course of 2017 and how these insights should inform executive-level decision making in the period ahead.
Industry 4.0 A revolution on the factory floor
22 May 2018
The South African Automotive Benchmarking Club visited the Atlantis Foundries. The automotive industry is placing increasing emphasis on the role of technology in improving production performance. To this end, the SAABC and The Cape Clothing and Textile Cluster have aligned to take member firms on a tour of Atlantis Foundries, a firm that has taken an early lead in the use of technology in the manufacturing environment. Supplying the automotive industry with more than 160 000 engine blocks per year, their recent ‘smart foundry’ experience serves as a great example for other manufacturers wanting to exploit data analytics to enhance performance.
SAABC State of the Automotive Industry Workshop
24 April 2018
The much anticipated State of the Automotive Industry Workshop was a highlight on the automotive industry’s annual calendar. Hosted by NAACAM, the South African Automotive Benchmarking Club (SAABC) shared supplier focused insights based on global and local industry performance data gathered during the course of 2017 and how these insights should inform executive-level decision making in the period ahead.
SAABC study tour programme 2017: Western Cape
6 December 2017
SAABC hosted a Best-practice study tour session at ACA Threads. The session included an introduction to the necessary supporting best practices, as well as a review of the approach to quality in place by the host firms.
SAABC study tour programme 2017: Gauteng
5 December 2017
SAABC hosted a Best-practice study tour session at Faurecia Rosslyn. The session included an introduction to the necessary supporting best practices, as well as a review of the approach to having a reliable and flexible environment in place by the host firms.
SAABC study tour programme 2017: Eastern Cape
28 November 2017
SAABC hosted a Best-practice study tour session at MAHLE Behr Port Elizabeth and Shatterprufe Neave. The session included a review of the local industry’s performance versus comparators for the particular focus area, as well as an introduction to the necessary supporting best practices.
SAABC study tour programme 2017: Gauteng
21 September 2017
The Study Tour Programme is a major activity of the South African Automotive Benchmarking Club (SAABC). The programme comprised sessions held in each of the major automotive regions in South Africa. Each session focused on a key industry market driver – Inventory, Quality, Flexibility and Reliability – as well as the associated importance of HRD. The theme for this session was Quality.
SAABC study tour programme 2017: Western Cape
13 September 2017
The Study Tour Programme is a major activity of the South African Automotive Benchmarking Club (SAABC). The programme comprises sessions held in each of the major automotive regions in South Africa. Each session focuses on a key industry market driver – Inventory, Quality, Flexibility and Reliability – as well as the associated importance of HRD.
SAABC study tour programme 2017: Eastern Cape
14 and 16 August 2017
The Study Tour Programme is a major activity of the South African Automotive Benchmarking Club (SAABC). The programme comprises sessions held in each of the major automotive regions in South Africa. Each session focuses on a key industry market driver – Inventory, Quality, Flexibility and Reliability – as well as the associated importance of HRD.
State of the Automotive Industry workshop 2017: Eastern Cape
13 and 14 June 2017
As one of its key annual deliverables, the South African Automotive Benchmarking Club (SAABC) shared insights based on global and local industry performance data gathered during the course of 2016 and how it needs to inform executive-level decision making in the period ahead.
State of the Automotive Industry workshop 2017: Gauteng
1 June 2017
As one of its key annual deliverables, the South African Automotive Benchmarking Club (SAABC) shared insights based on global and local industry performance data gathered during the course of 2016 and how it needs to inform executive-level decision making in the period ahead.
State of the Automotive Industry workshop 2017: KwaZulu-Natal
30 May 2017
As one of its key annual deliverables, the South African Automotive Benchmarking Club (SAABC) shared insights based on global and local industry performance data gathered during the course of 2016 and how it needs to inform executive-level decision making in the period ahead.
State of the Automotive Industry workshop 2017: Western Cape
29 May 2017
As one of its key annual deliverables, the South African Automotive Benchmarking Club (SAABC) shared insights based on global and local industry performance data gathered during the course of 2016 and how it needs to inform executive-level decision making in the period ahead.