SAPICS: 2015's top African Supply Chain event

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This year’s South African Production and Inventory Control Society (SAPICS) conference will be focusing on ‘The Pulse of Africa's Supply Chains' as a main topic, alongside many other key issues unique to the African supply chain. The event will take place between the 31st of May and the 2nd of June at Sun City in South Africa.

Doing business in South Africa can prove to be a mixed experience for a supply chain manager. On one hand, the country has some of the most developed infrastructure on the continent, not to mention a more mature, sophisticated market. However, South African infrastructure still does not compare to that in the West; the country is also facing long term energy problems. These problems obviously become all the more pressing when operating in less affluent African countries.

Beverley Kujawa-Waugh and Professor Hannie Badenhorst-Weiss (Lecturers in Supply Chain Management at the University of South Africa) will be conducting an interactive workshop which will provide stakeholders in African supply chains with an unrivalled networking and knowledge exchange opportunity.

In the run up to the conference, Wayne Whiffler, EY's Executive Director who is also responsible for Supply Chain, said: "Upon entering African markets, the complexities in the supply chain increase exponentially. The surge in cross-border flows, local regulations, tax implications, and the lack of infrastructure all add to the challenge of growth in developing markets."

It is therefore becoming clear that Africa certainly doesn’t lack demand and as key economies such as Nigeria and South Africa continue to diversify consumers are wanting the best technology from the West. Investment must clearly be directed at developing infrastructure capacity, but also on training the skilled supply chain workers of the future.