Hulamin and BHP Billiton, Richards Bay have established an economic development initiative focused on developing and supporting high-level entrepreneurs in aluminium fabrication or beneficiation. The initiative, known as Aluminium Beneficiation Initiative (ABI), plans to identify, support, and train 100 – 150 entrepreneurs over a period of three years.

“This exciting initiative is expected to encourage beneficiation of value added aluminium products, and tackle import replacement within the aluminium industry resulting in the growth of the size and depth of the industry, and which in turn will result in a number of positive socio-economic benefits for the general economy,” Reginald Nyandeni of Hulamin is quoted as saying.

The official launch of the Aluminium Beneficiation Initiative is planned for March 2015. The mentoring of participants in this national initiative is a critical element to its success. Shefa Enterprises (Pty) Ltd has been retained to identify possible mentors located in major centres in South Africa.

Shefa Enterprises is calling on selected retired, semi-retired and active business professionals to provide mentorship services to businesses participating in the ABI. Mentors should be suitably qualified and experienced individuals who will be required to assist these businesses to grow, increase their competitiveness, capacity and capability, so as to contribute to economic growth, equity, job creation and local downstream usage of aluminium.

It is expected that mentors will have experience in the aluminium industry having being involved in primary or secondary manufacturing either in semi-fabrication or in downstream fabrication of semi- finished or end products made of aluminium. Mentors should be technically competent and knowledgeable of aluminium fabrication processes. It is recommended that mentors have a minimum of 5 years experience in a manufacturing environment.

At this stage the objective is to identify and profile a pool of possible mentors, and to obtain their interest and establish their availability and terms of engagement.

Should you be interested in becoming a mentor in this initiative email Reynold Easthorpe on reynold@shefaenterprises.co.za.