The 2023 NAACAM Show provided an innovative platform for growth and collaboration across South Africa’s (SA’s) automotive manufacturing value chain showcasing the global competitiveness of the automotive component industry. The show was aligned to the vision of SA’s Automotive Masterplan 2035 with a focus which includes promoting localisation and doubling employment in the auto sector by 2035.
Held in partnership with the Tshwane Economic Development Agency (TEDA), the 2023 theme was “Component Factories of the Future: Driving SA’s Manufacturing Excellence”. The show’s pivot was a conference that addressed key topics in the automotive sector with a focus on long-term, sustainable growth of the country’s automotive and component manufacturing industry. It also provided a platform which included B2B networking sessions and meetings between exhibitors, buyers, and stakeholders. Visually, an exhibition allowed component manufacturers to showcase products meeting sector needs.
The theme set the agenda to explore new ways of thinking and drive production strategies and innovation for the future of our sector. The two-day conference was part of the biennial NAACAM Show gathering that brings together local and international automotive manufacturing experts, professionals, and enthusiasts to advance knowledge and foster collaboration within the local automotive components sector through insightful discussions and exhibits that showcase the depth of South Africa’s manufacturing capability in the key part of the country’s industrial economy. “Embracing cutting-edge technologies and fostering a culture of continuous innovation and collaboration amongst the stakeholders will ensure we build our country’s automotive manufacturing sector to allow it to grow and thrive in the years to come,” says Renai Moothilal, CEO of NAACAM. A further focus was on financing and energy considerations to support sector compliance with carbon emission regulations while maintaining global competitiveness. Technological advancements, including factory automation and digitalisation, was examined for their role in growth, competitiveness, workforce upskilling, and business creation. Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel, who delivered a keynote address, says investment is the lifeblood of growth.
Developed in partnership with the Gauteng government and automotive related agencies, the second day of the conference honed in on accelerating the holistic development and growth objectives of the local automotive component industry. The discussions focused on inclusivity and the development of Black industrialists, plus an examination of the expanding and rapidly industrialising wider African regional automotive industry, and the identification of strategies to stimulate investments, foster partnerships, and establish a vibrant and competitive manufacturing base on the continent.
Closing out the NAACAM Show conference, the Auto Industry Transformation Fund (AITF) hosted host its annual Women in Autos discussion in association with the Women Economic Assembly (WECONA). The programme focused on promoting and strengthening investment towards women and youth transformation in the automotive sector. The NAACAM Show week ended with the South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC) hosting a tyre safety activation at the Gerotek testing facility.
