Recapitalise SA

Managed Development Initiatives

Managed Development Initiatives

Conveners of Industry Activity

Recapitalise is knowledgeable about supply chains, and related interventions that would help to grow and develop businesses in and the manufacturing economy.

Our focused research on clusters, in the South African Manufacturing Sector gave us insights and understanding regarding structural and other challenges curtailing the ability of manufacturing businesses owners to work together and build sustainable businesses.

We realised there where fundamental issues to be addressed, and steps would be needed to put in place by ensuring that there were adequate structures in place to deal with the shortcomings. We made it our business to address these challenges. We also realised that industry players were largely isolated and ignorant about changing their circumstances, and the government was not being supplied with sufficient good information to make evidence based decisions.

We made it Recapitalise business to bring manufacturers together and brake the isolation, and to put appropriate measures in place to better inform the government and industry stakeholders.

In collaboration with industry leaders who saw what Recapitalise did, the RSA Clusters Group and its subsidiaries were birthed, presenting industry with well equipped special purpose vehicles through which to engage the government and other stakeholders.

Knowing the environment

During the early days of the ANC government, prominent international thinkers helped the new government to restructure the government, and how it engaged with industry. It was a dramatic break from the way things had been done, that has been poorly understood outside of government circles.

Recapitalise research uncovered that Michael Porter had been instrumental in introducing the new way forward for the government, we made it our business priority to adjust our thinking in line with Porter’s thinking, theories and his messages to local business at the time. Needless to say, our Initiatives are well aligned to the government way of thinking, and we have a good understanding of, and relationship with, key government departments.

Recapitalise has made it their business with each new initiative to know the score, and are sure to make known our position in public comments on legislation, and policy changes.

Organising

The Manufacturing sector was ravished by poor decisions made by ill-informed politicians, in the recent past, assuming Manufacturing in South Africa, to be a sunset sector. As a result the industries within the Manufacturing Sector are not well organised, and largely ignored. There is a lack of facilitators and coordinators.

The RSA Clusters Group

Our intention is to help the manufacturing community in particular, to get better organised through the establishment of special purpose, managed industrial groups. These groups / associations are found in the industrial spaces where the manufacturing businesses reside, and in the supply chains that they serve. Under current Recapitalise management are:

  1. the RSA Clusters Group NPC, co-founded in 2018 by Recapitalise,SA and leading South African Industrialists, to revitalise and growth the Manufacturing Cluster in South Africa. Recapitalise SA is contracted to administer, and manages these initiatives to i
  2. the Electro Technical Industry Cluster of South Africa NPC (abbreviated ETIC) an RSA Clusters subsidiary,
  3. the Casting Forging and Machining Cluster of South Africa NPC (abbreviated CFMC) an RSA Clusters subsidiary,
  4. the Infrastructure Cluster of South Africa NPC (an RSA Clusters subsidiary that is currently idled), and
  5. the Rail Manufacturers Cluster NPC (an RSA Clusters subsidiary that is currently idled), and
  6. several Management Committees, and Working groups which use our services to facilitate, coordinate and manage Cluster Initiatives.

Process Standardisation

Through the RSA Clusters structures, we are able to manage and monitor technical and other standards that maintain minimum performance levels of goods in the market.

Recapitalise also use standardisation for processes used in the RSA Clusters Group. This helps to simplify processes, grow awareness around clusters game plans, to bring in support, and to unlock constraints. We recognise that Cluster Initiatives area foreign to most companies joining, ans want to make it as easy as possible to join a Cluster Initiative.

Harmonisation

In our view, industry development, needs to be inclusive in its approach , with activities synchronised, monitored and routinely assessed, across the width and breadth of Manufacturing Sector. This is perfect for Cluster Initiatives. It needs to involve all types of businesses, large and small, and, it cannot just focus on a part of an industry. To date the focus of Big Business, Organised Labour and the government is misguided, and remains centered around large labour absorbing industries. Continuously the potential of SMEs is being overlooked as a source of innovation and job creation. Agenda’ vary, and there is no alignment around growth plans for particular industries. The efforts of the government to develop industry Masterplans has been hijacked for personal gain. Needed for growth is a collaborative effort by businesses in industry to work out something new. Something that reduces costs and increase local content in the supply chains of Big Business, and lead Original Equipment Manufacturers.

Deliberate action is needed to strengthen and reposition players in the market, and to ensure that all voices are heard. The RSA Cluster Group is intimately involved in the harmonisation of multiple independent industry players to ensure that they do their part , and doing so perform at their peak.

Coaching and Mentoring

Meeting growth targets for any business, requires preparation and development of not only business plans, but also the development of key processes, and individuals to ensure that everyone is ready, and outcomes are optimised.

The same is true for Cluster Initiatives. The individuals in each independent business need to be developed to understand how to collaborate with on another (through tutors, mentors, and coaches) to understand their independent, and collective roles in a cluster Initiative. Bespoke clear processes need to be developed to maintain the independence of each business, in a collective when working together.

Both Recapitalise directors are accredited coaches and mentors. Please refer to our coaching and mentoring page for more information, or to book a coaching or mentoring session

Process: Conduct  Lead the performance – make changes as needed to improve outcomes (champion)

Conductors of Change

Changing the current outlook and environment for SMEs in manufacturing in South Africa is no small feat. It requires strong leadership, clear rules for engagement , and multi-levels of collaboration. It also requires the government, industry, academia, funders, and other stakeholders to play an active part. There are numerous challenges, and to little is being done to incentivise, direct, and support change. Our part in this is solidified in our co-founding and managing of the RSA Clusters Group, and advisory engagements to direct cooperative development discussions and activities.

Our intention is to help the manufacturing community in particular, to get better organised through the establishment of special purpose, managed industrial groups, whether in industrial spaces, or supply chains.

Structures, mechanisms, and tools developed by Recapitalise to support Industry interventions, are available to any independent groups, or cluster managers outside of the RSA Clusters Group Committee, for a fee.

Independent Facilitator

Recapitalise is a well equipped Independent Facilitator with Supply Chain and Procurement experience, and an in-depth understanding of how to localise engineered and technical products in South Africa. The RSA Cluster Group serves as a host for localisation workshops and working groups.