After much consideration and identification of the significant needs within the South African pumps industry, six key member companies have decided to reactivate the South African Pump Manufacturers Association (Sapma).

The six companies, namely KSB, Grundfos, SPP Pumps, Franklin, Sulzer and John Crane, will form the foundation of Sapma.

Sapma had been active for more than 40 years, and its membership represented the manufacturers of pumps and associated and supporting industries; however, about four years ago, it was decided to change Sapma from an employees’ organisation to a nonprofit company and, subsequently, the Southern African Pump Systems Development Association (Sapsda) was founded.

However, several former Sapma members believed that this move left the pumps companies without representation at the relevant bargaining council.

This belief gained credence during last year’s strike action which left pumps companies’ employees vulnerable and without the necessary representation.

Therefore, after ardous discussions and a ballot vote in May 2015, the two associations split.

Sapsda will continue as a nonprofit organisation with no affiliation to the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa), while Sapma has once again joined Seifsa and will enjoy the benefits that the organisation offers its members.

Sapma will also again offer relevant training and value-added service in the pumps and associated sector markets as they have done over the years.

Sapma acting chairperson Lorraine Smart notes that Sapsda’s Pump Basic and Advanced Hydraulic training was based on modules that Sapma had developed many years before. Therefore, once the organisation is completely up and running, Sapma will continue with that training with the long-term aim to get some of the modules accredited.

“It is important to maintain the training component for technical training and learnerships to maintain [skills growth] within the industry. “There is a definite need for training in the pumps industry to retain . . . knowledge and pass it on to the next generation,” says Smart .

She adds that, in business, in general, experience is lost owing to retirements, emigration or other staff changes within companies or industries. Therefore, it is important for the pumps market to retain the experience and knowledge gained over time and pass it on to the upcoming sales and other staff members.

Sapma is currently in a reactivation phase, and is collecting and sorting through all the required administration processes and paperwork. The organisation is almost fully operational and should start serving members with various interventions in about two months’ time. Its doors are open for new members as well as those wishing to rejoin.