Frost & Sullivan: Sub-Saharan Africa Needs to Match the Pace of Automation with Improved Staffing
-- The untapped natural resources in SSA provide a strong reason to increase production levels in all industrial sectors, especially mining
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Jan. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Automation and control systems (ACS) technologies in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) are set to experience a surge in investment following a slew of industrial sector project expansions, escalating global demand for mineral commodities, and enhanced awareness of the benefits of automation. Africa, however, will require more skilled personnel to adapt to increasing automation levels.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.industrialautomation.frost.com), Sub-Saharan Africa's Automation and Control Solutions Market in the Mining Industry: An Analysis of the Top 3 Countries, finds that the market earned revenues of $13.20 million in 2012 and estimates these revenues to grow to $18.70 million in 2019, at a compound annual growth rate of 5.2 percent. ACS technologies covered within this analysis include distributed control system (DCS), programmable logic controller (PLC), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), manufacturing execution systems (MES) and human-machine interface (HMI).
An improving global economic climate has boosted the mining industry in the SSA region and encouraged greater process efficiencies, which, in turn, has compelled infrastructure provision and higher investments in automation equipment. Automation providers that are eager to make the most of the mechanisation trend in the African mining industry will be looking to offer end users a lot more than just 'machine control'. By providing asset and project management, they can gradually chip away at the resistance they had experienced for 15 to 20 years.
Even though certain government and labour groups are lobbying against increasing automation levels within the sub-region, there is an obvious need to lay or build more roads, railways, ports and bridges to optimise the extraction of the region's natural resources. While this stokes automation endeavours, some mining companies are unable to adopt more advanced technologies due to a shortage of skilled labour.
"Automation solution providers not only have to compete with anti-mechanisation groups, but also have to contend with the lack of infrastructure and the cyclical nature of the mining industry," said Frost & Sullivan's Consulting Manager for Industrial, James Fungai Maposa. "They, therefore, need to educate end users on the benefits of automation and attempt to extract value out of the private investments in SSA's infrastructure."
While the presence of international mining houses in SSA's mining sector is expected to have a significant influence on the industry's ACS purchases, price-sensitive participants tend to opt for lower priced Asian imports. Yet, the rising interest in automation technologies is anticipated to cause a proliferation of suppliers across the region. New suppliers initially set up presence in South Africa, but Ghana and Tanzania's proximity to Europe will encourage automation technology suppliers from Europe to also establish a footprint within these countries.
"With regards to technology, modern PLCs have added functionalities, which allow them to operate as small- to medium-sized DCS," noted Maposa. "This has catalysed the purchase of PLC technologies and this technology type is expected to continue to account for the majority of product purchases over the next six years."
If you are interested in more information on this research, please send an e-mail to Samantha James, Corporate Communications, at samantha.james@frost.com, with your full name, company name, job title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company website, city, state and country.
Sub-Saharan Africa's Automation and Control Solutions Market in the Mining Industry: An Analysis of the Top 3 Countries is part of the Industrial Automation & Process Control Growth Partnership Service program. Frost & Sullivan's related research services include: South African Market for Distributed Control Systems and Programmable Logic Controllers, North American Explosion Proof Motors Market, Industrial Pumps Market in Turkey and European Bearings Market. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.
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Sub-Saharan Africa's Automation and Control Solutions Market in the
Mining Industry: An Analysis of the Top 3 Countries
M8FF-10
Contact:
Samantha James
Corporate Communications – Africa
P: +27 21 680 3574
F: +27 21 680 3296
E: samantha.james@frost.com
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