Richards Bay investors buck up SMMEs
Nyanza Light Metals aims to start construction in 2018/19.
NEW investment projects worth R320-million will give local small businesses major boosts in coming years.
Last week the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ) hosted a dialogue session for its clients and various SMMEs (small, medium and macro enterprises), in which the investors clarified their future needs for goods and services.
‘The meeting gave our investors a platform to illustrate the nature of supply base that they look for in order to meet their manufacturing and operational requirements,’ said RBIDZ Business Development Executive Manager, Sihle Ngcamu.
‘It also provided the SMMEs with an opportunity to interact with RBIDZ investors and understand the business developments in the pipeline, preparing them to meet the locators’ business requirements, including standards and methods of operations.’
Pigment plant Nyanza Light Metals, which will create more than 800 construction jobs and about 300 operational positions in phases, will provide contracts for suppliers in security and cleaning services, logistics and waste management.
Paint distributor ProStar Export Paint will seek services in transport, waste disposal, cleaning and garden services, office equipment and waste materials.
Most of the investors are not yet operational – except for logistics company Lovemore Brothers, which opened its doors in December.
They are, however, getting prepped to put down roots.
Pipe maker SPS Manufacturing is likely to commence construction of their factory in September and Nyanza Light Metals will soon commission the plant’s Environmental Impact Assessment process.
Nyanza aims to start construction in 2018/19.
An optimistic Ngcamu said he expects another R8.7-billion worth of developments to come to the region and create around 2 000 jobs.
