Steel Construction Vol 40 No 2 - Tubular Steel Feature | Page 4

SAISC comment

Engaging stakeholders
and seeking Solutions
By Paolo Trinchero, Chief Executive Officer, SAISC

“
fortunate

We have been
to meet

with the Minister of Trade
and Industry, the Minister of
Economic Development and

There are so many things happening out

tell you that they are all passionate about

there at the moment. Have we started to

helping our industry and moving South

turn the corner? I hope so, but am not

Africa forward. They are acutely aware of

so sure. We are all very concerned about

the problems and that there are no easy

developments in the political arena not to

solutions.

mention a possible downgrade. Some of
our members have already put a potential

I would like to congratulate Wim De

downgrade on their risk registers. We can

Klerk the new CEO who will be joining

only hope this does not happen as we need

Arcelormittal South Africa later this year.

confidence to get construction going.

Wim made a very important point in a
news article the other day and I quote,

As I write this commentary, I just received

“How do we take this industry forward?”

the Minister of Public Works

another notice to creditors on the Evraz-

Something for all of us to think about.

in different forums.

is moving to a wind-down and disposal

What can each one of us do to improve our

of assets. This is really not good news for

industry and supply chain and ensure that

a proud steel industry. Highveld Steel

we not only survive but grow? We currently

was a key player in the development of

have three major initiatives which are

our industry and a key stakeholder in the

highlighted below:

I must tell you that they
are all passionate
about helping our industry
and moving

South
Africa forward.

They are acutely aware of
the problems and
that there are no easy

”

solutions.

Highveld Business Rescue. The company

SAISC. Many of the engineers out there
including me owe a debt of gratitude to
Highveld Steel for all the bursaries and
investment in education and training over
the years.

• Protection of our downstream industry
from unfair competition.
• Ensuring that fabricated structural steel
is localized through designation
• Ensuring proper codes and standards are

We hope that the company can be reborn

in place and enforced

in some way in the future. As an industry
let us see what we can do to assist people

We need to work tirelessly on innovation

that have been affected.

so that we no longer need protection and
our competitiveness gives us a steady

We now have a situation where 100

stream of work. This is key and recognized

percent of our Universal Beams and

by many of the participants around the

Columns are imported. Most major

table.

merchants have been importing the
Highveld range for some time but there

The SAISC is stepping way out of its

are some challenges particularly on

comfort zone on many issues from

some channel sizes. The SAISC and its

downstream tariffs to the construction

stakeholders are working on these issues

sector charter codes and transformation, so

and we should have more information

we need your input and support.

available in the next Steel Construction.
Steel Construction has a new editor and its

2

Steel Construction Vol. 40 No. 2 2016

We have been fortunate to meet with the

very own website: www.steelconstruction.

Minister of Trade and Industry, the Minister

org.za. We encourage you to send in your

of Economic Development and the Minister

comments so we can continue to drive

of Public Works in different forums. I must

excellence in everything we do.