Plastics

Plastic manufacturing is small but highly diversified and is one of the fastest-growing developing sectors in South Africa; the country’s plastic products industry had sales of R12-billion in 2001. The Eastern Cape is home to the base of a growing plastics industry, centred on the Nelson Mandela Metropole, with a high growth core in automotive plastics but with production in a diverse range, for instance, for packaging and construction.

SOME OPPORTUNITIES:

• Agriculture: Irrigation pipes, shade cloth and growing sleeves as horticultural production expands.
• Automotive plastics: Expanded production of interior fittings and trim, instrument panels, components, exterior trim, bumpers, pipes/tubes.
• Construction & building: Pipes, films, fittings, frames and electrical fittings.
• Packaging: Bottling and packaging materials for dairy and juices. Packaging material exports.
• Plastics cluster: Cooperation on raw material purchase, storage, access to R&D and diversification.
• Plastics tools: machine tool production, including cutting, shaping, moulding.
• Recycling: Use in lower-value products and packaging.

USEFUL CONTACTS:

• ECDC plastics sector specialist
— Tel: 043-704-5606 | E-mail: plastics@ecdc.co.za | Website: www.ecdc.co.za
• Centre for Polymer Technology
— Tel: 012-841-4642 | E-mail: poltc@csir.co.za | Website: www.csir.co.za
• Department of Trade and Industry (chemicals and plastics)
— Tel: 0861-843-384 | Int. Tel: +27 11-254-9405 | E-mail: contactus@thedti.gov.za | Website: www.dti.gov.za