AISI adds maritime to its menu

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AISI, a CSIR effort to boost the South African aerospace industry, has widened its focus to include the maritime sector.

The Aerospace Industry Support Initiative, better known by is AISI acronym, now has a marine manufacturing, maintenance and repairs and associated services development programme running in conjunction with its aerospace sector offering.

The programme seeks to assist suppliers in the ship and boatbuilding, maintenance and repair and associated services value chain. With industry participation, the programme will be a pilot aimed at supporting suppliers with marine standards and accreditations as well as technology enhancements.

This ring-fenced programme focuses on improving competitiveness in the local marine supply chain and providing “better response to designated public procurements in the ship and boatbuilding industry” a statement has it.

The new AISI addition provides industry with relevant tools, support and responses to sector specific needs. Exponential growth in company participation demonstrates benefits the programme has contributed and offers.

With fifteen contracted beneficiaries, mainly small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME’s) at present, the programme aims to strengthen participation of local companies and development of suppliers to improve competitiveness. This will happen by way of technology and capacity localisation.

“The central focus of the programme is assisting beneficiaries to obtain the relevant standards and accreditations, to participate in the marine manufacturing and repairs industry, technology enhancement projects are also supported as niche capability,” according to the CSIR.