Investment in switchgear manufacturing in South Africa

30 August 2023 News

As part of ABB’s strategic plans to strengthen local manufacturing, the company has invested over R10 million to complete additional technology transfer that brings the manufacture of UniGear ZS1 medium-voltage switchgear to South Africa.

Previously, the product was fully imported from the Czech Republic, or other countries when needed. Due to the investment, 60 to 70% of the technology will be locally manufactured and assembled. As a result, the company’s customers will benefit from a higher design flexibility, faster accessibility, and decreased costs due to reduced import costs and delivery time.

“The size of the South African switchgear market is projected to register growth. The increasing number of investments in sustainable power generation, coupled with the growing population, is expected to drive the growth of the market. This illustrates both the importance of the domestic sector to multinationals and the strategic location of South Africa to a rapidly growing African consumer market,” says Yunus Hoosen, head of InvestSA, an agency of the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition.

The Distribution Solutions factory within the campus now employs around 120 people, ten of whom have been newly employed due to this investment. ABB plans to increase these numbers by employing more permanent engineers, contractors, and graduates – for example, through its graduate programme, in which over 70 graduates are currently participating.

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