Cape’s top exporters named

19 Oct 2012 - by Liesl Venter

South Africa’s biggest ship
repair and oil rig servicing
company, Dormac, was
named Western Cape
Exporter of the Year 2012
at a gala function last week.
Dormac has five
shipyards in South Africa
and has established a
reputation as a trainer of
artisans.
CEO Chris Sparg told
FTW more than 650
artisans had been trained to
date by the company with
another 110 currently on
the company’s books and in
training programmes.
“It is incredibly
important to us that we
train artisans – not just
for our own purposes as
a company but to benefit
our industry as a whole,”
he said.
Viola Manuel, executive
director of the Cape
Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, which runs the
Absa Capital-sponsored
award, said she was
delighted that the award
had gone to a company
that was so passionate
about training and
developing skills.
“Training and skills
development is an
important element
that we should be
encouraging within
business. This is exactly
what this region and the
country is looking for if
we are to grow our skills
base.”
Other winners
included Technical
Systems, a Bellville firm
that makes livestock
feeding equipment. It was
awarded the Transnet
Port Terminals trophy for
the best manufacturing
company.
The Credit Guarantee
trophy for the small
exporter went to Folioon-
line, a translation
agency in sub-Saharan
Africa, while the
Hermanus-based
Abagold, pioneers in the
abalone farming industry,
won the Cape Chamber’s
trophy for innovation.
The Transnet National
Ports Authority trophy for
the non-manufacturing
exporter went to Lona
Citrus, while the new
SA Maritime Safety
Association trophy for
excellence in design
was awarded to Keedo
International.