Festo supervisory board vice-chairperson Dr Ulrich Stoll – a third-generation representative of the German family that owns a process-automation multinational that currently spans 61 countries – has confirmed that South Africa will remain the group’s ‘gateway’ into the rest of Africa.

Speaking at a ceremony this week to mark the company’s fortieth anniversary in the country, Stoll said Festo was committed to its South African investment and was excited by the opportunities arising both inside the country and across the rest of the African continent.

Accompanied by Dr Wilfried Stoll and Dr Kurt Stoll, who are second-generation owners and previous managing directors, he said the company would continue to invest in its South African unit, which had expanded to employ nearly 200 people, having been established in 1973 with only eight employees.

Globally, the company, which develops automation technology and offers industrial training and education programmes under the Festo Didactic banner, employs more than 16 000 people.

“We use Johannesburg as the hub for our regional activities across ten African countries. We are using Johannesburg as our hub today and we are determined to use Johannesburg as our hub for many, many more years to come,” he enthused.

Also reaffirmed was the group’s commitment to ongoing vocational training, with Festo Didactic having already trained more than 20 000 course participants from a range of industry subsectors. It had also established links with training authorities, universities and further education and training colleges.

Festo South Africa MD Richard Teagle reported that Festo Didactic was currently the largest African training institution for mechatronics, electric control, hydraulics and pneumatics, with the capacity to conduct short courses for around 1 200 learners yearly.

The company reported sales of €2-billion in 2011 and invests 7% of its yearly turnover into research and development and a further 1.5% to 2% on training and education.

“Learning, knowledge and education are the topics of the twenty-first century – on a individual level, on a corporate level and for society at large. Festo is determined to be a trusted partner in this quest and we are investing to make a difference in South Africa and Africa,” Stoll added, stressing that industrialisation required education.