Manikam Michael Nadar
Department of Operations and Quality Management, Durban University of Technology, South Africa.
Manduth Ramchander
Department of Operations and Quality Management, Durban University of Technology, South Africa.
Raveen Rathilall
Department of Operations and Quality Management, Durban University of Technology, South Africa.
Kishan Singh
Department of Operations and Quality Management, Durban University of Technology, South Africa.
In this post, we present a brief overview of our recently published book chapter titled “The Effects of Humane Entrepreneurship on Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises’ Performance”
The data illustrates the slow yet steady growth of glass, metal, paper, and plastic packaging in South Africa over the past decade, up to the estimated figures for 2023. The only exception occurred in 2020, when all packaging substrates experienced negative growth due to the impact of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. This pattern underscores the need for a robust and sustainable post-consumer metal packaging recovery model, despite anticipated challenges that will affect multiple stakeholders across the South African metal packaging value chain, including raw material suppliers, converters, brand owners, and the retail sector.
The South African packaging industry relies heavily on the intricate interdependence between raw material suppliers, converters, brand owners, and retail groups across its multiple supply chains. This interconnectedness is essential both upstream and downstream to ensure the efficient movement of packaged products and the flow of related information, ultimately meeting the needs of South African consumers.
Converters are synonymous with manufacturers and refer to entities that transform raw materials into consumer and industrial packaging products. Brand owners are individuals or organisations that own and manage a specific brand or trademark, directing its strategy, marketing, positioning, and overall identity.
The growth trajectory of the South African packaging sector from 2012 to 2022 reflects a consistent upward trend, disrupted only in 2020 due to the economic slowdown caused by COVID-19 trade restrictions. This data highlights the industry’s sustained year-on-year growth and underscores its expected contribution to the South African economy, particularly in terms of transformation, industrial development, and job creation.