Steel Construction Vol 40 No 4 - Metal Cladding and Light Steel Frame | Page 4

SAISC comment

Food for the soul: seeking out and
celebrating excellence
in challenging times
With challenges like Brexit, slow growth
(SA and global conditions), elections,
commodity prices, interest rates (US and
RSA), China rebalancing or slow down,
Government policy etc. dominating the
headlines – let us not get too negative over
the challenges we are facing.
How is the out of the box thinking going at
the moment? Have you found a new one?

By Paolo Trinchero, Chief Executive
Officer, SAISC

Having done quite a bit of travelling for
Steel Awards, government department
meetings and customers visits (believe it or
not), despite obstacles we have seen some
encouraging signs and met passionate and
innovative thinkers across a wide range of
contexts.
Steel Awards as always provides food
for the industry’s soul as there is so
much innovation, hard work and passion
displayed for all to see. This years awards
are not going to disappoint, so please
keep those diaries open for the 15th of
September 2016.
Government departments you may ask?
Yes. We have spent an enormous amount
of time with dti, ITAC, SARS and the
IDC to name a few, together with other
associations. Although there is always
frustration from our members and media
directed at government, let me tell you,
there are many passionate hard working

“

people in every one of these departments
trying to assist the industry. I would like
to thank our members who sent through
contributions for the various committees in
which we are currently involved. This may
be hard for some members to hear but it
is often the lack of participation from the
industry which is preventing things from
moving forward more quickly.
Customers? Yes, customers. That means
you – our members. I am amazed that on my
travels I have seen new equipment installed
and clear innovation displayed, despite
some companies having been through more
than one round of retrenchments. This has
been food for my soul. I’d like to encourage
our members to share their experiences
with each other. We can all benefit from
seeing a bit of light at the end of what
seems like a very long tunnel.
As you all know by now, we never finish
a commentary without referring to
innovation. I have had a bit of fun writing
about an Italian innovation which is
mentioned a little later in the magazine in
the article “Is the steel industry going to
POT, or are we just green?”. I would like to
request our members to participate from
time to time by submitting their innovative
projects to the magazine. Many companies
have invested in energy saving initiatives
which could be of benefit to everyone, so
please share.

Steel Awards, government department
meetings and customers visits (believe it or not), despite obstacles
we have seen some encouraging signs and met passionate
and innovative thinkers across a wide range of contexts.
Having done quite a bit of travelling for

”

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Steel Construction Vol. 40 No. 4 2016