Local companies seal deals at Intra-African Trade Fair

Trade conditions remain constrained but stable - SACCI

Some of the 80 government-supported South African companies who are showcasing their products and services at the seven-day long Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), which started in Durban on Monday last week, have been sealing deals that will see them exporting their products to different African countries in the near future. 

The Managing Director of SA Ladder, Mr Thomani Lekgade says the show has been excellent to his company as he signed and closed deals with Zimbabwean and KwaZulu-Natal companies. 

He says he also held fruitful meetings and obtained good leads that he will be following up on. SA Ladder manufactures ladders, trolleys, castors, wheels, store bins, scaffolding and ladder accessories for Southern African and other international markets 

The Managing Director of Anwa Laboratoria, Ms Tshifhiwa Modiba is excited that the show has enabled her to make a breakthrough in exporting. Her Johannesburg-based company manufactures oral dosages in the form of syrups, topical creams and cosmetics containing organic compounds. 

“We have signed numerous deals and have had fruitful meetings with businesspeople from Algeria, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Rwanda who want us to set up plants in their countries and manufacture there. 

“We also met with companies who want to buy and distribute to their customers. We have been overwhelmed by the reception our products are receiving from countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Morocco and Malawi. The African Export-Import Bank has shown interest in funding us to expand our foot print across the continent,” says Modiba. 

The Sales Manager of Swagefast, Mr Neil Koen, says the show presented an opportunity to interact with other businesspeople from various countries in Africa. 

As a result, he said they have prepared numerous quotes, some have been accepted, and the orders are being prepared for the clients in Namibia and Mozambique. His company specialises in fastening systems for the mining industry, railways, solar systems and agriculture. 

The South African pavilion has been showcasing the best of South African local manufacturing capability in the agriculture and agro-processing; automotive; construction and infrastructure development; consumer goods; energy and power; engineering; footwear; leather and textiles; heavy Industries and light manufacturing; health care and pharmaceuticals; Information and Communication Technology  and Innovation; logistics; and mining sectors. 

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