The MC comprises 26 of SA's leading manufacturing companies, including Hulamin, PG Group, Consol Glass, PPC and Bell Equipment.
The organisation added that the strong rand eroded margins on exports and reduced competitiveness. They called for government intervention and the provision of "correct" incentives to boost the productive capacity of the sector.
The incentives, they said, should focus on achieving a relatively stable and more accommodative interest rate environment, providing specialized export support measures and achieving a "realistic" exchange rate.
Manufacturing confidence deteriorated in the first quarter of 2011, the bulletin, which surveyed 18 CEOs in the sector, found.
Export sales growth fell 75% in the first quarter from 80% in the fourth quarter of 2010. Higher total input costs were also a concern for manufacturers. These were mainly driven by a surge in imported input components, on the back of higher commodity prices.
Employment levels remained unchanged in the first quarter, the bulletin showed, with the number of manufacturers who increased employment by one percent or more rising a modest 16.7% in the first quarter.
For more than two decades, I-Net Bridge has been one of South Africa’s preferred electronic providers of innovative solutions, data of the highest calibre, reliable platforms and excellent supporting systems. Our products include workstations, web applications and data feeds packaged with in-depth news and powerful analytical tools empowering clients to make meaningful decisions.
We pride ourselves on our wide variety of in-house skills, encompassing multiple platforms and applications. These skills enable us to not only function as a first class facility, but also design, implement and support all our client needs at a level that confirms I-Net Bridge a leader in its field.
Go to: http://www.inet.co.za
