2.2011
trends in automation
Synergies
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Economic power in the Cape
Automation technology in South Africa
South Africa is a partner
of a large number of industrial nations throughout the world.
Very promising future domestic markets are the automotive industry and the infrastructure
sector. Festo South Africa has already grown to a significant size in both sectors over
the years.
S
parse deserts, tropical forests,
fertile valleys, impressive
mountain landscapes, fantastic
beaches – South Africa’s variety
of landscapes enthrals tourists from all
over the world. It’s also because of the
fascinating wildlife in the numerous game
reserves that more and more Europeans
are travelling to the “other end of the
world”. No surprise then that tourism
is responsible for about 8% of the gross
domestic product (GDP). However,
compared with manufacturing industries
and international trade, tourism only
accounts for a small part of the growing
economic power of the country at Africa’s
southern tip. Certain industry sectors,
such as mobility and infrastructure, open
up good development opportunities for
companies and investors from all over
the world.
Open to many cultures
South Africa is trying hard to unite its
more than 49 million inhabitants with
their great variety of cultures, languages
and faiths. According to the President,
Jacob Zuma, the future prosperity of the
country is increasingly linked with the
economic structure of the BRIC states:
Brazil, Russia, India and China. But the
European Union too represents an
important trading partner. In 2009 the
Trade Development and Co-operation
Agreement, which has been in existence
since 2000, incorporated not only the
previous regulations on the trade of
goods but also the areas of migration,
health, space travel, energy, information
technology and maritime transport.
A driver for the continent
Although it only has 6% of the African
population, South Africa produces 25%
of the continent’s gross domestic
product. It has more than 45% of the
mineral extraction industry and about
50% of African purchasing power. South
Africa therefore took a leading role in
setting up the “New Partnership for
Africa’s Development” (NEPAD), an
economic development programme
of the African Union.
The national economic figures speak for
themselves. In the fourth quarter of 2010
South Africa’s gross domestic product
(GDP) rose by 4.4% compared with the
previous quarter. Since 1993 the average
growth in GDP has been about 3.3%
per quarter. According to experts,
South Africa is one of the most strongly
differentiated and most promising growth
markets in the world. The combination of
a well-developed economic infrastructure,
comparable with those in purely
industrialised countries, and a rapidly
Umbrella acacias
are what characterise South Africa for many travellers.
“South Africa is a hidden champion that
is now cutting an excellent figure on the
international trade scene.”
Richard Teagle, General Manager of Festo South Africa