The Society for Automation, Instrumentation, Measurement and Control (SAIMC NPC) is one of the main associations for C&I professionals. #SAIMC is duly recognized and registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) as a Volunatary Association (VA). Kindly note that there are other associations which also form part of C&I industry but have different objectives / scopes to that of the SAIMC. One of the main initiatives at the moment is to establish C&I as the 10th disipline (i.e. no longer a sub disipline of electrical engineering). For more info re SAIMC please visit www.SAIMC.co.za. 

Another body which exist locally is the the Industrial Instrumentation Group (IIG) which is an interest group consisting of suppliers (mostly “international” OEM’s) to the Automation and Control Industries (some are also SAIMC Patrons). The Group (of 27 PTY’s) strives to promote the interests of its members and the industrial automation sector within Sub-Saharan Africa. The areas the group mainly focuses on are legal, skills, training and promotional events surrounding the sector. It is estimated that there are +/- 350 to 850 companies within our industry. The industry is also estimated to be valued between R5B to R9B. 

At present we have no official trade association in South Africa for ALL “Automation role players” acting as a “central / joint" VOICE for Control & Instrumentation (C&I) businesses to communicate with government(s) in relation to business and judging review of IPAP / NPD, etc. they may not be fully aware of our industry and its potential which is a pity as it underpins South Africa’s industrialization plans.

Some patrons (suppliers) have also registered with the respective export / trade councils (+/- 19 in total) however the ideal would be to establish a platform to assist with promoting our industry but from a trade point of view e.g. to promote growth / sales (not to compete with existing channels). The logical step is to look at implementing this within IIG however its activities are assumed to be voluntary in nature. 

It is hence envisaged that feasibility funding be obtained re how best to structure model, determine needs of industry and if deemed valid, etc

Should you / your company wish to form part of this initiative to establish the industry body kindly contact petrus.klopper@ai2sa.co.za / +27 (0)82 559-7437