Musa Makhunga, President of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry delivering the welcome address at the 2018 KZN Exporter of the Year Awards. Photo Credit: Kenako Mutlimedia RSS Durban Chamber announces 2018 winners and finalists - KZN EXPORTER OF THE YEAR AWARDS2018-10-05 Durban - Last night at the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Exporter of the Year Awards Banquet, the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in partnership with Transnet Port Terminals, announced the winners and finalists of the 2018 edition of the KZN Exporter of the Year Awards, in recognition of the outstanding performance of companies exporting from KwaZulu-Natal. The Award winners and finalists were announced at the Awards Banquet held at Durban ICC Arena, which were designed to promote and honour businesses that have proved their excellence in robust international markets and to inspire other ambitious companies to export their goods and services.
The 2018 KZN Exporter of the Year Award Winners and Finalists are:
CATEGORY: EMERGING
Winner: BBF Safety Group (Pty) Ltd
Finalist: Amanzi Meters (Pty) Ltd
Finalist: Scenicel (Pty) Ltd t/a Avolands
CATEGORY: SMALL
Winner: Anderson Engineering Food & Chemical Equipment (Pty) Ltd
Finalist: Amanzi Meters (Pty) Ltd
Finalist: Hillcrest Aids Centre Trust t/a Woza Moya
CATEGORY: MEDIUM
Winner: Bata South Africa
Finalist: Saddler Belts & Leathercraft (Pty) Ltd
CATEGORY: LARGE
Winner: Sumitomo Rubber South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Finalist: Sappi Southern Africa Ltd
Finalist: Dormac Marine & Engineering (a division of Southey Holdings (Pty) Ltd)
CATEGORY: AFRICA
Winner: Amanzi Meters (Pty) Ltd
Finalist: BBF Safety Group (Pty) Ltd
Finalist: Anderson Engineering Food & Chemical Equipment (Pty) Ltd
CATEGORY: SERVICE PROVIDERS
Winner: Indian Ocean Export Company (Pty) Ltd
Finalist: Mediterranean Shipping Company (Pty) Ltd
Finalist: Kuehne + Nagel (Pty) Ltd
CATEGORY: MANUFACTURERS
Winner: Sappi Southern Africa Ltd
Finalist: BBF Safety Group (Pty) Ltd
Finalist: Anderson Engineering Food & Chemical Equipment (Pty) Ltd
CATEGORY: AGRO-PROCESSING
Winner: Scenicel (Pty) Ltd t/a Avolands
CATEGORY: CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
Winner: Hillcrest Aids Centre Trust t/a Woza Moya
Finalist: Africa!Ignite
CATEGORY: SERVICES SECTOR
Winner: Dormac Marine & Engineering (a division of Southey Holdings (Pty) Ltd)
CATEGORY: B-BBEE
Winner: Kuehne + Nagel (Pty) Ltd
The value of exports from KZN increased from R 130 billion in 2016 to approximately R 139 billion in 2017 with the KZN exports in 2017 accounting for 20.82% of KZN's gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices. The top 5 commodities exported from KZN in 2017 included; motor vehicles for the transport of goods, unwrought aluminium; chemical wood pulp, dissolving grades; flat-rolled products of stainless steel (of a width of 600mm or more); and titanium ores and concentrates.
During his welcome speech, Durban Chamber President, Musa Makhunga, congratulated the winners and finalists as well as the nominees as exports are a crucial area of our economy that can drive economic growth and job creation in our region.
"Exports play a key role in our economy and can have positive knock-on effects on our regional economy as they can result in growth in our manufacturing and industrial sectors which can promote growth along the value chain and job creation. Additionally, KwaZulu-Natal has a strong trade partnership with countries such as Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Burundi and Djibouti on the African continent and China, the United States of America, Japan, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, India and Germany in the rest of the world. We need to improve on those relationships and learn to replicate that success in other countries in order to improve our export profile as well as catalogue of products and services," said Makhunga.
For the past 18 years the title sponsor for the KZN Exporter of the Year Awards has been Transnet Port Terminals and other key strategic partners include Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal (TIKZN), Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) and the Export Credit Insurance Corporation (ECIC).
During her keynote speech, Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) Chief Executive Nozipho Sithole spoke about TPT's vision to become one of the world's top 5 terminal operators in the next 5 years; and how the exporters being recognised at this year's KZN Exporter of the Year Awards can be part of this legacy. "As TPT, we want to bring our customers and stakeholders with us on this exciting journey that looks to position TPT as the leading maritime and logistics solutions company in the world. We want to encourage the exporters who have been recognised for their outstanding efforts at this year's awards, to continue increasing export volumes so we can strengthen the region and country's economy" she said, urging big business to assist SMMEs by breaking down the barriers to entry. "SMMEs are key to job creation, and we cannot leave them behind in our pursuit to put economic growth on an upward trajectory," said Sithole.
"It is a known fact that KwaZulu-Natal, and the ports of Durban and Richards Bay are key conduits for trade into South Africa and the SADC Region at large. With our existing infrastructure via our ports, road, rail and air logistics platforms we are able to meet all the requirement and demands of Exporters. KwaZulu-Natal is truly the Trade Hub for the region," says Lester Bouah, Executive Manager: Exporter Development and Promotion at TIKZN.
The awards were adjudicated by, Dumisani Zikalala (SEDA); Odirile Ramasodi (ECIC); Claude Moodley (TIKZN); Louise Pelser (South African Footwear and Leather Export Council); and Thembi Phahla (TPT).
At the Awards Banquet, the Durban Chamber CEO, Palesa Phili, launched the Durban Chamber's new electronic Certificates of Origin solution, essCert, which provides all exporters with a secure, online tool for the application of electronic Certificates of Origin.
"Our partner service provider, essDOCS, operates the world's most substantial electronic Certificate of Origin network, including more than 200 Chambers of Commerce and over 33,000 Exporters and Freight Forwarders, issuing electronic Certificates of Origin out of 12 export countries and receiving electronic Certificates of Origin into 203 import countries," said Phili.
In closing, Phili invited all exporting companies and individuals that export their goods and services to other countries to enter the 19th edition of the KZN Exporter of the Year Awards for 2019.
"The Awards create a platform for exporters to promote their businesses as well as their products and services and provides opportunities to capitalise on potential growth and revenue streams via access to new prospects," concluded Phili.
#KZNExporter18 #KZNtotheWorld
Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) is South Africa's leading terminal operator responsible for loading and offloading cargo aboard vessels calling the seven South African ports. Boasting a staff complement of over 9000 across 16 cargo terminals, TPT's operations target four major market sectors namely: automotive, containers, bulk and break bulk. Nozipho Sithole is the Chief Executive responsible for realising the new Transnet 4.0 strategy which is aimed at repositioning the business as a facilitator of trade and among the world's top five in the next five years. Current plans are focused on geographic expansion, service innovation and diversification aided by competitive approaches hinted by the fourth industrial revolution. For information, visit www.transnetportterminals.net.
About the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Founded in 1856, the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the largest member-based metropolitan chamber in South Africa and advocates on behalf of and represents the eThekwini business community as the "voice of business in Durban". The Durban Chamber's strategic purpose is to help create a conducive economic and business environment to facilitate and promote economic growth in the region in partnership with key stakeholders. For more information, visit www.durbanchamber.co.za. Media contacts
Lucian Naidoo
Manager: Marketing and Communications
031 335 1000
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