SA CAMS INDUSTRY BOOMING

PRELIMINARY results from a business survey commissioned by the HPA point to an increase in financial growth for the CAMS industry from R2,3 billion in 2003 to R4 billion in 2007 and to a growth among participating companies of 27% for 2006/2007.Although less than a third of HPA members participated, their responses have been used to produce preliminary results and observations. "While we cannot draw finite conclusions as to the overall size of the industry or get an accurate view of the breakdown of the market categories, the findings nevertheless prove that the industry is robust and healthy and continues to grow at a rapid rate," HPA chair, Dr Alan Tomlinson comments.
 The objectives of the study carried out by IMS were to establish:
  * A breakdown of the marketing / distribution of products
  * An estimate of exports
  * The extent of local versus imported products
  * The size of the product categories within the total surveyed market.
Tomlinson laments the poor member response, with 39 out of a possible 116 companies having participated. "But now that we are over the teething problems we intend doing this on a regular basis," he says. "The companies that participated have realised that it's painless, that there are benefits and that information submitted is strictly confidential. Hopefully more members will co-operate in future so that we can obtain more accurate statistics."
Only companies that participated in the survey will receive the full results.