[South Africa] Business people head to Germany in search of opportunities

A group of South African business people is in Germany on an Outward Selling Mission to seek sub-contracting opportunities from the German and European multinationals in the electronics, automotive, metals and services sectors with the aim of being incorporated into the global value-chains of the companies. 

The mission, which is organised and funded by Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) is part of the department’s efforts to create market access for South African products in markets with potential to grow the country’s exports. In addition to meeting with various German development agencies, banks and associations, the businesspeople will attend the 53rd BME Purchasing and Logistics Symposium and Exhibition which will take place in Berlin from 14-16 November 2018.

It is one of the most important and biggest purchasing and supply management events in the world attended by more than 2 000 supply chain managers and logisticians annually.

The BME is the leading professional association for supply chain managers, buyers and logistics specialists in Germany and Central Europe. It has more than 9 000 individual and corporate members from small and medium-sized firms to large enterprises, including Germany’s Top 200 companies.

The association has expressed its willingness to establish a relationship with South Africa in order to integrate industrial products into the supply chain of its member companies in Germany.

“In addition to potential collaboration with the German companies belonging to BME, the exhibition will expose South African companies to trade and investment opportunities available in Germany. It will also be a good platform to promote South African products and services to potential new customers from the different parts of the world. This will potentially enable our companies to obtain new business and penetrate new markets,” says the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies.

He adds that it is expected that South Africa’s participation in the exhibition will have a positive impact in terms of increasing export sales from the targeted sectors in South Africa.

www.thedti.gov.za