Casting of Metals in South Africa 2022

Casting of Metals in South Africa

The metal casting industry has been contracting over the last two year due to poor economic growth, high input costs, inconsistent supply of electricity and high levels of imports. The value of metal castings exports declined in 2021 and employment in the industry has decreased. There is potential for increased demand for the industry’s products from end users in the mining, automotive and energy industries.

Key Trends and Issues

Companies in the industry are increasingly seeking to diversify their sources of income by ensuring their customers are spread over various industries. Foundries are also increasing the number of value-added services they offer. The rising prices of the foundry industry’s two largest input cost components, electricity and scrap metal, are putting the industry under pressure.

Electricity Crisis

Stable and cost-effective power supply is important for foundries since their processes consume relatively high amounts of electricity. Outages disrupt production, lead to under-utilisation of production capacity and higher costs, substitution of locally-manufactured products by imports, the threat of not fulfilling export orders and losing contracts and investment uncertainty. Companies are subjected to loadshedding and load curtailments and forced to spend capital on alternative or back-up electricity sources.

Report Coverage

This report is on the casting of metals in South Africa, which produces finished and semi-finished products of cast iron and steel (ferrous metals) and cast non-ferrous metals. It includes information on the state and size of the sector, influencing factors, trade statistics and developments and information on notable players. There are profiles of 26 companies in the industry, which include those of listed companies ArcelorMittal South Africa and Hudaco Industries, as well as players such as Atlantis Foundries, Cast Products South Africa, MIS Engineering and Pressure Die Castings.