Printing SA hosted a plant tour for its Gauteng-based members, which included Ren-Form, Ren-Flex (a company within Ren-Form), Caxton, CTP Publishers and Printers Limited, and Screenline, on 6 November 2023.
Guests at the event included members of Printing SA, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED).
Tasneem Motara, MEC, Department of Economic Development, gave the keynote address at Ren-Form, followed by a printing, packaging, signage and visual communications industry position statement by Jermaine Naicker, MD, Printing SA, with closing remarks and a vote of thanks by Abisha Katerere, HOD Marketing, Printing SA.
This was followed by a presentation by Thegy Rajha, marketing, Ren-Form. Ren-Form is an integrated print and digital communication company that provides clients with a complete range of print, technology, marketing and communication solutions and services. For 30 years, this family-owned business has produced multiple award-winning products and marketing collateral, supplying the South African, African and global markets.
Later that morning, the party then went to Ren-Flex for a plant tour. Ren-Flex, a company within the Ren-Form Group, offers the largest selection of in-mould labels (IML) in the South African Market. The first labels were printed in 2011 and due to its rigorous quality systems and attention to detail, Ren-Flex continues to deliver superior labels to various industries.
This was followed by a CTP plant tour, where CTP training manager, Riaan Kruger, held a presentation. Caxton and CTP Publishers and Printers Limited is recognised as one of the largest publishers and printers of books, newspapers and commercial print in South Africa. They are involved in various fields of publishing and printing i.e. newspapers, magazines, commercial print, book printing, stationery, packaging and labels. Approximately 5500 people are employed by the group.
During the afternoon, a final plant tour was held at Screenline, where MD Neil De Greef held a presentation. Specialising in outdoor and indoor screen and digital advertising solutions for over 50 years, Screenline provides printed brand activation services for some of Africa’s leading corporates and small businesses.
This annual event has been a platform where Printing SA invites delegates from various government departments that are directly linked to the industry in that they provide policy frameworks, access to funding and regulatory and legislative policies that directly or indirectly impact on the industry. Printing SA presented a number of key topics it felt needed some attention, with the aim being to grow its sector and align its goals with the National Development Plan. Some of these included:
The industry is prepared to mobilise resources to drive the process and assist the DTIC, how can this be achieved?
The need for a dedicated Sector desk for the printing sector at DTIC. Currently many sectors within manufacturing are included, but the print value chain has been ignored over the years. How can this be achieved?
There is an alarming increase in imported finished goods landing on South African shores daily. The printing and packaging industry are in dire straits as they steadily lose business because South African food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and beverage manufacturers (among others) are opting to procure their printing overseas. The impact of this decision (because it is so easy to make) extends beyond the printing and packaging manufacturers, and it hurts the entire print value-chain.
The printing sector needs to identify the funding opportunities that various government departments offer to SMMEs, entrepreneurs and others, and how to access these to grow businesses within the sector.
The deliberations were robust and some firm commitments were made to revert to Printing SA with answers to some of these questions, where the responsible authority would be engaged by the GDED and subsequently a response would be provided to Printing SA.
During the plant tour, delegates were exposed to the various types of printing that the industry provides as well as the level of employment within Printing SA’s member companies and they were particularly impressed with how many women are employed in the industry. Printing SA will be following up with the various stakeholders that were engaged and look forward to sharing the positive feedback with the industry in due course.
PRINTING SA
+27 11 287 1160
info@printingsa.org
http://www.printingsa.org
