Although one of the main stories in this issue focuses in on the affects of the strike in the metals industry and the impact it is going to have on the industry in the future, I believe we must be positive, constructive and develop the strategic advantages that we have in abundance, in making our plans for the future. This country, in terms of lifestyle and possibilities in the mining and manufacturing industries, has so much to offer. Our history shows that we can be a peaceful and tolerant nation, unlike what is being experienced in many of the Middle Eastern countries right now. It is now up to us as a nation to work together for our mutual benefit. If not, history will reflect that Africa is a degenerative continent despite the rest of the world looking to it (Africa) being the next ‘China’.
Eight months ago we launched the Castings SA website and in this relatively short period we have accumulated over 3 000 unique users from 103 countries. This number is 50 percent up on our normal print circulation and we are growing on average between 30 and 40 readers per day. As we climb up the rankings these are bound to grow. What the numbers do emphasize though is the power of the internet. However you do need to keep the site active, and we do have the advantage of a sister site – Metalworking News – linking and interacting with the Castings SA site.
The synergies are paying off and we intend to keep working at it. Up now on the website is a list of all foundries operating in South Africa. More in-depth details of these foundries will be added as we complete our data collection for the 2015 Castings Industries Directory – a publication that has become synomous with the industry, and is now referred to as the ‘bible’ of the foundry industry in South Africa. It is intended that the website data will be equally as informative and, along with the quality editorial content, the Castings SA website will be recognised as the number one platform for information on the South African foundry industry, if it has not reached that status already. Together, the two websites of Crawford Publications are opening up new active engagements from parts of the world that we had not envisaged. This is incredibly fulfilling for us, because our brands – and your brands – are now reaching markets that were previously unattainable. Read ‘Casting a line, online’ further on in the magazine.
On a more somber note Rosemary Dias and her family would like to thank everyone who have been so supportive and for the heartfelt sympathy shown during the recent sad loss of her husband Luis. “The many messages of affection have given me great strength, and made me proud to realise how respected he was in the foundry industry, how many individual lives he touched and what a special man he was. Thank you everyone – we have many happy memories of Luis to remember.”