Introduction to the South African Iron and Steel Institute (SAISI)

SAISI has represented the collective interests of the South African primary steel industry since 1962.

Nature of the organisation

The South African Iron and Steel Institute (SAISI) is a non-profit, pro-competition and non-governmental representative organisation serving the collective interests of the primary steel industry in South Africa.

SAISI's membership includes four primary carbon steel producers and South Africa's only primary stainless steel producer. The SAISI members are:

• ArcelorMittal South Africa Ltd with plants in Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging, Newcastle and Saldanha Bay.

• Cape Gate (Pty) Ltd in Vanderbijlpark.

• Columbus Stainless (Pty) Ltd in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.

• Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium Ltd in Witbank.

• Scaw Metals Group in Germiston.

SAISI does not presume to represent the interests of the downstream steel industry which is organised into autonomous sectors/associations/clusters. SAISI does however constructively engage with representatives of the downstream industry and Government through the deliberations of SAISI's Downstream Development Committee in ongoing efforts to promote the local beneficiation of South African produced primary steel products.

Affiliation

SAISI is an affiliate member of the World Steel Association (worldsteel).

Structure of the organisation

SAISI's Council provides strategic direction and approves policy and the annual operating budget of the secretariat. SAISI's chairperson is elected for a two-year term by the members of Council comprised of the chief executives and nominated members of SAISI's five member companies.

SAISI functions by means of interaction between representatives of SAISI's member companies within structured council and committee meetings with the support of the secretariat. SAISI's members are committed to a code prohibiting anti-competitive behaviour. The committees are supported by the secretariat to deal with matters of common interest.

Committees of the Institute

• Committee for Secondary Manufacture (COSM)

• Downstream Development Committee

• Committee on Economics

• Committee on Environmental Affairs

• Committee on International Trade

• Ferrous-supply Committee

• Safety and Health Committee

• Committee on Technology

The committees meet regularly to discuss topics that may be of collective interest to the primary steel industry. SAISI members fund all operations of the Institute.

SAISI Mission statement

The South African Iron and Steel Institute promotes the interests of the primary steel industry. We strive to render, through our specialist personnel, an indispensable service that will enable our members to become more competitive. The Institute strives to enhance the image of the South African primary steel industry while adding value for SAISI's members, stakeholders and other interested parties.

Vision for the South African steel industry

An efficient and financially sustainable steel industry that optimises the eco-efficiency of its products and processes, that fosters the health and safety of its employees, that demonstrates social responsibility, and conducts its business with high ethical standards.

Aims and objectives

The strategic objectives of the Institute are the following:

• To provide a secretariat infrastructure to support the effective and efficient functioning of the Institute's committees.

• To be a knowledge provider to its members and, where appropriate, to its stakeholders, actively managing the process of adding value to data.

• To manage the interface between the primary steel industry and the South African government.

• To stimulate growth in the use of local steel by promoting downstream development.

• To monitor strategic trade development issues such as dumping and free trade agreements and decide on appropriate action.

Key functions of SAISI

Two divisions, the Strategic Trade Development Division and the Financial Division carry out SAISI's operations and any other task that the Council or Committees may delegate to the Divisions from time to time.

The Strategic Trade Development Division is responsible for statistics and information relating to the local and international steel industry, matters related to international trade actions and the monitoring and influencing of trade policy.

The Financial Division is responsible for the administration of the COSM export assistance scheme as mentioned above.

The Financial Division also administers private funds of the primary steel producers to support the budgets of the Southern African Institute of Welding (SAIW), the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC), and funds the budget for the Professional Education and Training Scheme (PETS) administered by SAISC.

PETS provides bursaries for students and promotes professional development of practitioners in the structural steel industry.

The COSM Committee and COSM Trust oversee the administration of the COSM Fund by SAISI personnel. This private fund was established to promote the export of value added steel products, the growth of downstream industries and job creation. Four of SAISI's carbon steel producing members contributes to the COSM fund which in turn disburses support on submission of validated documentation by exporters. The broad purpose of the COSM Fund is to create an expanding market for locally produced primary steel products, to enhance South Africa's foreign currency earnings in general and the secondary steel industry's export potential in particular.

The rules of the COSM fund as well as the relevant application forms and documentation are available from the SAISI website.

Overview of the South African primary steel industry

The primary steel industry is a significant contributor to the South African economy and earns considerable amounts of valuable foreign exchange.

South Africa ranks in the region of 20th in terms of crude steel producing countries in the world producing in the region of 1% of the world's crude steel. South Africa is also the largest steel producer in Africa, producing more than half of the total crude steel production of the continent. Total South African crude steel production is in the order of 10 million tonnes per year.

South African primary steel producers manufacture in excess of 8 million tonnes of finished steel products per year of which about 5 million tonnes are consumed domestically. SAISI's members strive to be responsible and non-disruptive long-term exporters in selected international markets.

The range of primary carbon steel products and semi-finished products manufactured in South Africa includes billets, blooms, slabs, forgings, light-, medium- and heavy sections and bars, reinforcing bar, railway track material, wire rod, seamless tubes, plates, hot- and cold-rolled coils and sheets, electrolytic galvanised coils and sheets, tinplate and pre-painted coils and sheets. The range of primary stainless steel products and semi-finished products manufactured in South Africa includes slabs, plates and hot- and cold-rolled coils and sheets.

More expansive statistics on domestic and export steel sales, steel imports, steel despatches to industrial groups, and steel stock levels are available from the SAISI website or the SAISI offices.

COMPANY	TEL	FAX	WEBSITE
ArcelorMittal South Africa	+ 27 16 889 9111	+ 27 16 889 0070	http://www.arcelormittalsa.com
Cape Gate	+ 27 11 483 8500	+ 27 11 339 3935	http://www.capegate.co.za
Columbus Stainless	+ 27 13 247 9111	+ 27 13 246 1681	http://www.columbusstainless.co.za
Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium	+ 27 13 690 9911	+ 27 13 690 9293	http://www.evrazhighveld.co.za
Scaw Metals Group	+ 27 11 842 9000	+ 27 11 842 9705	http://www.scaw.co.za

SAISI
PO Box 6318, PRETORIA, 0001,
SOUTH AFRICA
Tel: +27 12 380 0900
Fax: +27 12 380 0915
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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