The Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA) South Africa’s plastic pipe industry facilitator has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE).

The MoU encourages the two parties to cooperate to lobby and challenge statutory legislation and structures to facilitate the achievement of their common objectives. Some of the areas of cooperation agreed upon include the mobilisation of resources, where the two parties have agreed to support each other in sourcing funds for the implementation of their activities and plans that fall within the framework of the MoU.

Said SAPPMA CEO, Jan Venter: “the cooperation agreement with SAICE is aimed at expanding the association’s reach to the new generation of engineers entering the South African market. It is important for the local pipe industry to ensure an influx of graduates with qualifications to further develop the sector.  SAICE is an influential association and, with our target audience being largely civil engineering linked, greater access to them is now ensured.”

The agreement also entails a commitment to enhance and support each party in the creation and maintaining of relations with similar international institutions, as well as raising awareness in publications and on varying media platforms about each other’s activities.  The parties will have regular consultation sessions to advise each other on their programmes and activities.  With SAICE’s backing, SAPPMA will be able to participate in graduate engagement programmes at various universities in the country and spread the message about the need for engineers who are dedicated to advancing the pipes and plastic industry.

One of the first tasks of cooperation is SAICE’s assistance in distributing from their bookshop and e-sales facility SAPPMA’s recently published technical manual for engineers. The 2013/14 manual was released in October last year and provides technical information on the selection of plastic pipes for water supply and waste-water disposal projects.

“Plastic pipes are one of their priority areas of SAICE via their Water Division, and we are grateful to have a formalised our partnership with them.  As an organisation, they have the calibre and influence we need to increase our presence and educate the engineers about the importance of ensuring high standards of manufacture and installation when it comes to plastic pipes.  Similarly, we believe that our partnership will offer SAICE value by granting them access to the local plastics industry and relevant information”.