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Strengthening industry through decarbonisation
As global markets increasingly demand lower- carbon products and more sustainable manu- facturing practices, South African manufac- turers have an opportunity to strengthen their competitiveness through decarbonisation. This is the message of the National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC), a pro - gramme of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), at this year’s Manufacturing Indaba, held on 14 and 15 July at the Sandton Convention Centre. The NCPC showcased practical solutions that can support industry in this transition, primarily through energy and resource efficiency. The participation forms part of the NCPC's work to drive the dtic’s indus - trial development strategy, focused on ‘the 3Ds’: Decarbonisation, Digitalisation and Diversification, which aim to strengthen South Africa's industrial competitiveness while positioning local manufacturers to ac- cess emerging trade and export opportunities. “As industries across the world accel- erate towards low-carbon production, manufacturers are increasingly required to demonstrate measurable climate change mitigation. Decarbonisation is no longer an environmental obligation, but a business imperative and competitive advantage that can unlock efficiencies, improve resilience and enhance access to international markets,” says Programme Manager of the NCPC, Ndivhuho Raphulu. Reducing embedded carbon in manufac- tured products is particularly challenging in South Africa, where energy sources are typically carbon-intensive. However, energy, materials and even water efficiency hold significant potential for meeting decar- bonisation goals. In its international best- practice publication, NDC 3.0 Guidebook for Industrial Decarbonization, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) outlines five building blocks for industrial companies and sectors. The first
Manufacturing Indaba exhibition visitors had the opportunity to engage directly with NCPC specialists, who shared best practices in resource efficiency, cleaner production, energy efficiency, the circular economy and industrial sustainability.
two are materials efficiency and energy ef - ficiency – interventions that lie at the core of the NCPC service to South African industry. The other three are low-carbon energy and feedstocks; electrification and process change; and carbon capture, utilisation, and/ or storage. Manufacturing Indaba exhibition visitors had the opportunity to engage directly with NCPC specialists, who shared best practices in resource efficiency, cleaner production, energy efficiency, the circular economy and industrial sustainability. NCPC Technical Manager Kevin Cilliers also delivered two public presentations on practical approaches to industrial decarbonisation. On day one of the conference at the Knowledge Hub, Cilliers presented “Industry decarbonisation as a competitive advantage for trade and export," exploring how manu- facturers can leverage decarbonisation to strengthen competitiveness in an increasingly carbon-intensive economy. He also presented at the Insight Hub on day two of the conference, where his session, "Practical implementation of decarbonisation in industry," provided practical insights into how manufacturers can identify opportuni- ties, implement decarbonisation initiatives
and realise both environmental and business benefits. "South African manufacturers are operat- ing in an environment where sustainability is becoming a key determinant of competi- tiveness," says Cilliers. "Decarbonisation should not be viewed solely as a compliance requirement, but as a strategic investment that can reduce operating costs, improve resource efficiency and unlock new market opportunities." The NCPC has been helping industry im - prove energy efficiency since 2010 through training, energy management systems (ISO 50001), and support for implementing energy systems optimisation. This has enabled companies to reduce energy consumption, improve productivity, and strengthen sustainability performance. As a result, over 9.5 million tonnes of CO 2 - equivalent GHG emissions have been miti- gated in the past 15 years. The NCPC is a national programme that supports the transition of industry to a low-carbon, circular and resource-efficient economy. The NCPC is hosted by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on behalf of the dtic. www.ncpc.co.za www.industrialefficiency.co.za ment portfolio. Bart Robbeets, general manager of Industrial gases at Donaldson, said: “The iCue™ Connected Technology, on both com- pressed air and hydraulic filtration systems, uses an array of standard and optional sensors that deliver performance metrics specific to the end-user’s equipment and application. Organisations in demanding environments can set operational parameters and alerts to monitor performance from any connected device, with the dashboard providing 24/7 visibility. https://www.donaldson.com/en/
Donaldson launches smart monitoring system
Donaldson, a global leader in technology-led filtration, has launched its iCue™ Connected Technology for compressed air and hydraulic fluids filtration equipment. The iCue™ monitors the performance of industrial filtration equipment across a plant, analysing data to help drive efficiency. Sensors track performance indicators, pro- viding oil and gas operators with real-time insights to support uptime, manage mainte- nance intervals and extend equipment life. Available on the Ultradryer+ series of
heated desiccant dryers, iCue™ Connected Technology provides additional visibility into equipment status for organisations that rely on clean, dry compressed air and gases. The technology is also integrated into the Donaldson Hy-Pro™ Vac-U-Dry (VUD) vacuum dehydrators, designed to remove water and particulates from hydraulic and high-viscosity lubricating oils, helping opti- mise equipment performance. Already widely available on Donaldson Smart Collectors, iCue™ expands Donaldson’s filtration equip -
40 ¦ MechChem Africa • July-August 2026
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