Page 52 - Glass Machinery Plants & Accessories no. 1-2019

outh Africa is the largest country in Southern Africa and the 25th-largest country in the world by land
area and, with over 57 million people, is the world’s 24th-most populous nation.
SSouth Africa as an upper-middle-income economy, and a newly industrialised country. Its economy is the
second-largest in Africa, and the 34th-largest in the world.
South Africa has a mixed economy, the second largest in Africa after Nigeria. It also has a relatively high gross
domestic product (GDP) per capita compared to other countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The country makes up,
more than one third of the turnover of the African continent, thanks above all to mining activities such as gold,
diamond, platinum, iron, chrome and coal, along with industries connected to these activities.
As far as macroeconomic facts and figures are concerned: in 2017, South Africa’s GDP increased by 1.3%, while
2018 was a more difficult year than expected due to two consecutive contractions in the first two quarters
of the year. During the third quarter, there was a turn-around, with an increase of 2.2%, leading to a real GDP
growth in the first nine months of 2018 to + 0.8%, with an upward forecast estimate. The South African
Reserve Bank has decided to the bank refinancing rate unchanged at 6.5%. With a view to re-launching South
Africa as a destination for investments and therefore the creation of jobs, in November 2018, the newly-elected
President Ramaphosa chaired an “Investment Conference” for national and international investors. During the
conference, the President outlined the measures provided for in the Stimulus Plan and sought to reassure
investors on the determination of the Government to enact a new agrarian reform without jeopardizing property
rights. Moreover, during the conference investments of over EUR 17 billion were announced, representing a
moment of optimism for the South African economy, in addition to the positive data already seen with the third
quarter GDP and the forecast for the fourth quarter.

Exhibitors Company profile - Visitor Profile
Suppliers of equipment and materials
The event will be free-to-attend for all business and
professional visitors who will be registered on entry:
U GLASS PRODUCTION / PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY
Owner / Chairman Sales & marketing manager
U HOLLOW GLASS FORMING AND PROCESSING Managing Director / CEO Finance and accounting
U GLASS PROCESSING AND FINISHING Plant / factory director manager
Technical director IT department
U GLAZING & FENESTRATION Production director Logistics, handling and storage
U SOLAR & PHOTOVOLTAIC Purchase department department
Technicians / engineers Repair and maintenance
U TOOLS, CONSUMABLES, SPARE PARTS AND EQUIPMENT Production department department
U MONITORING AND CONTROL SYSTEMS R&D department Education & training
Test & inspection department department
U CONSULTANCY, ENGINEERING, SERVICES

Global marketing campaign

The organizers will provide a comprehensive marketing
campaign spearheaded by Glass Machinery Plants
& Accessories, Glass-Technology International and
Glassonline.com, the world’s leading business
media for the glass industry:
s %XTENSIVE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN IN THE MAGAZINES
Hilton Sandton Hotel s 7EEKLY NEWS BULLETIN UPDATES
s !NNOUNCEMENTS ON WWW GLASSONLINE COM AND ON OTHER
Hilton Sandton 5-star hotel is located in the heart of Sandton’s busi-
international industry websites
ness district and the guests have easy access to the Gautrain, Stock
Exchange, Global Banking Institutions, Nelson Mandela Square. A free s 0ERSONAL INVITATIONS TO LEADING PLAYERS
shuttle to Nelson Mandela Square and Sandton Gautrain Station is also s 3OCIAL NETWORKING
available. Nearby attractions include the Apartheid Museum, Lion Park
and the Cradle of Humankind.