Pictured: Bruce Ndlela (Bell Equipment director of business and public business sector); Leon Goosen (Bell Equipment: group commercial director);Philani Gumbi (Bell Equipment sales representative), Gary Bell (Bell Equipment chief executive); Thabo Semone (Bell Equipment sales representative)

Bell Equipment, as the largest manufacturer of infrastructure equipment on the African continent, felt it was important to answer the South African government’s call for strategic partnerships.This was said by Gary Bell, CEO of Bell Equipment, officially opening the second Public-Private Infrastructure Forum in Johannesburg.Bell Equipment was the main sponsor of the forum.

“We would like to pay tribute to his Excellency the President of South Africa for driving the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission (PICC) with its 18 strategic integrated projects that will cost somewhere in the order of R4trillion,” he went on to say.

“These are overarching projects that have up to 20-year project life cycles as opposed to the typical five-year projects designed to coincide with election cycles.”

“Colleagues, we would know that infrastructure drives growth and development as it lays the foundation on which the industrial activities and economy of the nation takes place.”

According to Bell, his company has closely followed the work of the PICC since its establishment and is excited by the possibilities it represents.The further possibilities created by the work of the National Planning Commission coupled with the evolution of the National Development Plant and the Industrial Policy Action, could see South Africa becoming a global powerhouse.

“The New Growth Path (NGP) is an ambitious plan designed to enhance growth, employment creation and equity and we fully subscribe to its strategic objectives,” he added.

“Bell Equipment from its humble origins in Empangeni in 1954 has managed to grow its business and now supports and sustains more than 3 500 quality direct jobs worldwide and somewhere near 10 times that, through our multiplier effect.Support from government and its various programmeshave assisted this growth.”

“We see the infrastructure programme as promoting broader industrialization of the economy, through the use of locally manufactured components and supplies.In this context infrastructure must also drive skills formation, particularly in critical areas such as engineers, artisans and technicians.As the only sizeable local manufacturer and distributor of mining, construction, agriculture and infrastructure equipment necessary for these projects, we reaffirm our pledge to support there various government programmes.”

Bell emphasized that his company had invested heavily in the South African manufacturing sector and boasts an industry-leading 24 Customer Service Centres with 30 more spread across the rest of the African continent.

“The test of our effectiveness will be how well we can coordinate and integrate our work and the different elements of the Infrastructure Plan,” he said.

“This means addressing capacity constraints in the state, promoting wider partnerships in the society and improving coordination.

“Our government is helping to build infrastructure that will create opportunities for South African companies such as Bell Equipment to expand trade and investment across our borders.As an example, the Development Bank of South Africa and the Industrial Development Corporation are accelerating investment into the SADC region and are supporting infrastructure projects in numerous countries, particularly in the key areas of electricity generation and transmission, and in strengthening road links in the region.”

These, according to Bell, are sectors in which Bell Equipment has a direct and vested interest.

“We have no doubt that as Africans working together we can build a brighter future for all our people,” he said.