Segmentation
 • Primary stainless steel
 • Secondary stainless steel
 • Manufactured stainless steel products

Vision
To achieve sustained export growth by developing a world-class, internationally competitive, stainless steel manufacturing industry with a strong focus on high value-added products and the world market.

Production Capacity
Columbus Stainless is the principal primary producer in South Africa and the major supplier to the local market.

The secondary market, by definition, is stainless steel scrap produced by the manufacturing sector which is ultimately recycled. The local foundries produce casted products including pumps and components, valves as well as spun-cast tubing.

Several products are manufactured by converters and fabricators. These manufacturers consumed 84 000 tons of primary stainles steel in 1996 of which 65 000 tons were locally produced amd 19 000 tons imported. In addition, 2 500 tons of scrap were used and 7 000 tons of finished products were imported.

The stainless steel manufactuirng industry produces products ranging from tank containers, catalytic converters and exhaust systems, vessels and process-flow equipment, tubes and pipes, structural products, foundry products, flanges and fittings, valves, pumps and components to sanitary ware, hollowware, cutlery and catering equipment.

Imports
In 1996 a total of 19 000 tons of primary stainless steel valued at R235 million was imported, whereas 7 000 of final products valued at R170 million were imported.

Exports
Some 214 000 tons of primary stainless steel to the value of R1,1 billion were exported in 1996, while 25 500 tons of stainless steel manufactured products valued at R447 million were exported.

Objectives

•	To invest in world-class downstream manufacturing facilities geared towards the international market and located preferably near the source of the primary stainless steel
•	To obtain and apply the latest technology in the manufacturing facilities of high value added products, in order to become and remain internationally competitive
•	To co-operate in the export market and pool resources to obtain market intelligence and to win export orders
•	To embark on a co-operative export marketing plan
•	To concentrate efforts on products with high added value and products with the best chances of export success.

Export Promotional Assistance
The DTI will work with all the stakeholders in the sector to:

•	Build "partnership" relations between the DTI, the industry association and individual manufacturers
•	Identify the best exportable products and all the export-ready role players in the industry
•	Assist those companies which need to become export-ready and provide relevant information to them
•	Develop an export culture in the industry through articles in specialised publications and by arranging export seminars and workshops
•	Identify and target the most lucrative foreign markets for each group of exportable products
•	Develop and export market strategy for each group of prodcucts based on the identified foreign markets
•	Arrange and financially assist one or two trade missions to visit some of the most lucrative markets. This will be done in co-operation with SASSDA
•	Encourage and financially assist export-ready manufacturers to participate in appropriate specialised international trade exhibitions
•	Arrange and financially asist an inward buying mission from the most lucrative markets to visit stainless steel product manufacturers. This will be done in close co-operation with SASSDA
•	Encourage and financially assist the stakeholders to establish an export council if they so wish
•	Through the foreign economic offices provide the industry with relevant foreign market information and intelligence on a continuous basis.