Unique items addressed at Afrimold Exhibition and TASA conference: 10-12-October 2012

                                                       Mr. Henk Snyman- GTI CEO

I wish to extend a most sincere invitation to all TASA members and everyone that is remotely interested in the future of the toolmaking industry. The last few months has seen a significant change in the toolmaking industry and also the support services that TASA as an organization can now offer its members.

 

STANDARDISED CONTRACT

One of the greatest challenges of the SMME toolmaking companies is cash flow. We have anecdotal evidence that there are several of the major clients that extends payments for tools to 90 or 180 days. Furthermore when it comes to payment, all types of interesting quality questions are raised by his clients. We should all acknowledge that this is patently unfair to small companies that are struggling to survive

 

With financial support from the Gauteng Tooling Initiative a Standardized Contract for the use by the toolmaking fraternity has been developed. This contract has been especially tailored to address the problem of clients requesting design changes, not paying according to the agreed schedule and changing the accept/reject quality criteria depending on which person does the final inspection.

 

Attorney Peter v R Coetzee is giving a talk at the TASA conference and he will also be available for consultation at the TASA stand at Afrimold Exhibition.

 

FRANCHISING – ACCESSING THE MARKET

 

TASA is launching the concept of a tooling franchise. What this entails is that a number of companies will work together as a franchise thereby improving their profile towards the customers and allowing them to collectively quote on more tools to be delivered in a shorter period because of cooperating as a cluster.

 

The companies participating in the franchise will meticulously measure their delivery, quality and cost so that they can compete with the international Chinese and European firms. This is the way forward to the creation of a cluster that will be able to quote on and successfully compete on the type of tooling that the OEMs and first-tier suppliers requiring South Africa.

 

At Afrimold TASA will have a section of such a mini factory that complies with the TASA franchise guidelines. Henk Snyman and Neil Sapsford will be at the TASA stand at Afrimold.