Lonza completes acquisition of Arch Wood Protection

Lonza Group, a supplier to the global life sciences, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries that is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, has completed the acquisition of Arch Chemicals, and its worldwide interests, including Arch Wood Protection's South African operation, Arch Wood Protection (SA). Read more >>

SA productivity is worst in 40 years

South Africa's productivity is at its lowest level in 40 years, according to Adcorp's Employment Index, reports The New Age, and labour productivity growth, an important indicator for job creation, had remained negative throughout the year. Read more >>

Rainwater harvesting solutions launched

In a bid to encourage rainwater harvesting, retention and reuse, Engineering News reports, precast concrete infrastructural products and solutions provider Rocla Southern Africa has launched, in collaboration with Rocla Australia, two water harvesting systems - the Rocla ecoRain and the ecoRain. Read more >>

Motor industry boosts SA factory output

According to Statistics South Africa, South Africa's manufacturing output grew by 7.7% year-on-year in volume terms in September compared with a revised 5.9% expansion in August, this is higher than the 4.8% year-on-year output growth in September, expected by Reuters-poll economists, Fin24.com reports. Read more >>

2011 car sales significantly higher: Naamsa

Timeslive.co.za reports that, according to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA (Naamsa), 2011 domestic new car sales could be significantly higher than last year. Read more >>

Incentives may mean more clothing jobs

According to Mail and Guardian Online, there is good reason to try to keep the South African textile and clothing industry going because it could create many more jobs, raise skills levels and eventually pay better than survival wages. Read more >>

SA manufacturing up 7.7%

Manufacturing production in SA grew 7.7% year-on-year (y/y) in September after a revised increase of 5.9% (5.6%) in August, data released by Stats SA on Wednesday, 9 November, showed. Read more >>

Hybrid and EV manufacturers not courting Black consumers

[Mintel Oxygen reports] CHICAGO, US: The hybrid and electric vehicle market is having a tough year in 2011 in the US. Sales for hybrid vehicles are down 2.7% through August 2011, despite the fact that US vehicle sales are up 10.5%. Read more >>