The South African Fluid Power Asso- ciation (Safpa) reports that fluid power market growth exceeded general industrial growth in the economy, as a result of more companies having been identified as importers of fluid power products worldwide.

The association says its second fluid power market survey, which covered the 2010 calendar year, included a bigger pool of participants. The association’s survey aims to provide a better understanding of the breakdown of sales of the major product groupings and was released in the middle of last year.

Safpa executive committee member Manny Vieira tells Engineering News that the survey, which was conducted by Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), aimed to establish the size of the domestic fluid power market.

“In our original survey in 2006, we identified 72 role-players, while more than 100 compa- nies were approached for the 2010 survey to provide TUT with turnover numbers,” he says, adding that the findings of the first survey were released in 2011.
“Improved survey numbers provided a better understanding of our market in South Africa,” adds Vieira, noting that Safpa expects the results of the 2012 survey to be released by the end of May.

He says the survey provides an understanding of the domestic fluid power industry and is beneficial for significant role-players, as they receive an indication of market share of the different products sold in the industrial market.

Vieira adds that, for companies that are sub- sidiaries of international groups or that are distributors of leading international manufacturers and brands, it is essential to have as much detailed information on market size as possible.

“The leading companies use the survey as a decision-making aid for our Southern African region,” he states.

The survey for the 2012 calendar year is again being conducted by TUT on Safpa’s behalf. “The survey is conducted independently by TUT to ensure confidentiality of individual company figures and impartiality,” Vieira notes.

He says participating companies will receive the overall turnover figures revealed by the survey free of charge. “However, those companies that do not participate, but want to know about the industry’s sales size number, will have to pay a fee to Safpa for this information.

“Safpa carries the entire cost of the survey and presents the full findings of the survey in book form. We see this as a way of encouraging companies to become members and active supporters of Safpa and our industry,” he states.

Further, Safpa will be releasing results of its member survey, which was undertaken over the course of the second half of last year, at its forthcoming annual general meeting, which is scheduled for later this year.

“Forty-four member companies were interviewed for the 24-question survey, in which we sought to get members’ insight into what they require of Safpa,” Viera explains.

In conjunction with the British Fluid Power Association (BFPA), Safpa has rolled out the Safpa hose-safety training course.

“It is a one-day course and we pay a small royalty fee to the BFPA to use its material locally. One of our committee members attended a training course in the UK to facilitate the training in South Africa,” says Vieira, who adds that safety is paramount in all sectors of the economy and proper training in hose assemblies is vital.

He says the courses are planned for the near future and interested parties should regularly check Safpa’s website for details or call its office.

“Safpa has set up an education subcommittee to further identify training requirements and industry needs in the Southern African region. There is a great need for training and once the subcommittee completes its mandate, it will report back to the Safpa executive committee,” Viera concludes.