Partnerships
2026 Partners & Sponsors
Platinum Sponsor
Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)
The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of South Africa Limited was established in 1940 through an Act of Parliament (Industrial Development Corporation Act, 22 of 1940) and is fully owned by the South African Government. IDC priorities are aligned with the national policy direction as set out in the National Development Plan (NDP), Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) and industry Master Plans. Our mandate is to maximise our development impact through job-rich industrialisation, while contributing to an inclusive economy by, among others, funding black-owned and empowered companies, black industrialists, women, and youth-owned and empowered enterprises.
Simultaneously, the IDC must ensure its long-term sustainability through prudent financial and human resource management, safeguard the natural environment, and increasingly position itself as a Centre of Excellence for development finance. We support industrial capacity development proactively identifying and funding high-impact projects, creating viable new industries, and using diverse industry expertise to drive growth in priority sectors. This is done to facilitate sustainable direct and indirect jobs; promoting entrepreneurial development and growing the SME sector; and transform communities and growing black industrialists.
Platinum Sponsor
Sage
Sage exists to knock down barriers so everyone can thrive, starting with the millions of small and mid-sized businesses served by us, our partners and accountants.
Customers trust our finance, HR and payroll software to make work and money flow. By digitising business processes and relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, banks and governments, our digital network connects SMBs, removing friction and delivering insights. Knocking down barriers also means we use our time, technology and experience to tackle digital inequality, economic inequality and the climate crisis.
Silver Sponsors
ECIC
Absa
Absa is a proud supporter to the makers of Africa – the manufacturers that contribute to livelihoods, produce our food and beverages, manufacture automotive vehicles, clothe our nation and create the key components that support our infrastructure. Those who persevere through adversity.
At Absa we have a team of dedicated specialists who focus on understanding the nuances of the manufacturing sector. They are able to provide indispensable advice and valuable business insights to strengthen your business in this ever evolving and competitive market.
The cornerstones of our economy need imaginative, bespoke approaches to take business into the future. With a customer-centric approach that considers your business as well as the sector in which it operates holistically, we can understand your specific needs and provide solutions that suit you.
Effective management of working capital drives success for manufacturers, given that manufacturing sales follow a seasonal trend with imports, exports, stock and liquidity management key considerations as you move through the cycles. Understanding this seasonality is key to correctly solutioning your needs at the right time. We understand that with the right collaborations, we can play a significant role in transformation and sustainability. We support the sector through the funding of renewable energy and more advanced assets, ensuring energy efficiency and cost savings to your business.
We aim to unlock the potential in the manufacturing value chain of South Africa.
For Absa, this sponsorship of the Manufacturing Indaba is only the beginning. The real journey is in finding innovative solutions designed to support the growth of this industry and doing more to support processes, provide valuable resources and give access to relevant products, at the right time.
Odoo
Silver Sponsor & Social Media Sponsor
Hexagon
As a world leader in digital reality solutions, Hexagon harnesses the power of data to create autonomous technologies that empower the makers of the world to achieve greater efficiency, productivity and quality.
In Africa, we are focused on leveraging data from design and engineering, production, and metrology to realise a smarter manufacturing industry. Our solutions provide the tools required to analyse data and optimise operations, resulting in faster production times, reduced costs and increased quality.
Our mission to empower an autonomous future means helping manufacturers across the continent pioneer new digitalisation strategies that put data to work. Our solutions are designed to facilitate world-leading engineering with rapid feedback loops, empowering makers to bridge imagination and reality.
Gold Sponsor
Nedbank
The business of making things matter more than ever
South Africa‘s manufacturing sector is alive with possibility. Every factory, workshop, and plant holds the potential to build something greater: jobs, skills, exports, resilience, and a more inclusive future.
At Nedbank Business and Commercial Banking, we believe in that potential. We partner with manufacturers across the country who continue to move forward despite systemic challenges such as load–shedding, rising input costs, infrastructure challenges, and shifting global trade dynamics. These are businesses investing in sustainability, digitisation and localisation – and we‘re right there with them.
What sets us apart isn‘t just what we fund – it‘s how we partner. We bring deep sector knowledge, embedded relationship teams, and practical insight to the table. We help clients navigate complexity with clarity, from renewable energy transitions and green finance to compliance with new regulations like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and evolving trade frameworks such as AGOA.
We believe real growth is about more than survival. It demands bold thinking, investment in new technology, expansion into regional markets, and a complete reimagining of supply chains. The manufacturers leading this charge are not just keeping the lights on; they are lighting the way forward.
This year‘s Manufacturing Indaba is a platform to reset the conversation to one about readiness rather than riskand about choices rather than challenges. The future of manufacturing will belong to those prepared to think differently, move faster, and lead with intent.
At Nedbank, we see those leaders every day, and we are proud to support them.
See more. Think bigger. Think Nedbank Business and Commercial Banking.
Silver Sponsors
Sage
Sage exists to knock down barriers so everyone can thrive, starting with the millions of small and mid-sized businesses served by us, our partners and accountants. Customers trust our finance, HR and payroll software to make work and money flow. By digitising business processes and relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, banks and governments, our digital network connects SMBs, removing friction and delivering insights. Knocking down barriers also means we use our time, technology and experience to tackle digital inequality, economic inequality and the climate crisis.
ECIC
ECIC is the official export credit agency (ECA) of South African government. ECIC provides insurance that enables South African exporters to offer their services and products on the international market, with a particular focus on emerging markets that are considered too risky for conventional insurers. Its overarching goal and mandate from the South African government is to make South African exporters attractive to international buyers to attract foreign income, stimulate local economic growth and create local jobs.
Knowledge Hub Sponsor
Odoo
Odoo is a suite of open source applications that cover all your business needs:CRM,ecommerce, manufacturing,inventory,project management etc. Odoo’s unique positioning is to be both very easy to use and fully integrated.
Exhibition Visitors Bags and Social Media Sponsor
Absa
Absa proudly backs the makers of Africa – the manufacturers who empower our continent’s progress.
From producing the food we eat and the clothes we wear; to building the vehicles we drive and the infrastructure we depend on; you’re the backbone of our economy. You innovate, you persevere, and you shape the future.
At Absa, we see you and we are here to support you. With a team of dedicated sector specialists, we don’t just understand manufacturing; we live it. With deep insights into the challenges and opportunities within your industry, we are equipped to offer strategic advice and valuable business solutions that gives you a competitive advantage in an ever-evolving landscape.
We believe manufacturing needs more than just support. It needs partnership, bold thinking and tailor-made solutions that suit you. Hence at Absa, we take a holistic, customer-centric approach driven by collaboration and deep understanding of the continent. We not only understand your business, but also the environment you operate in, and we’re committed to helping you thrive in it.
Cashflows, stock levels, imports and exports, liquidity – we know these are real, daily pressures. Managing working capital well isn’t just smart; it’s essential. That’s why our financial solutions are designed to adapt to your business rhythms and keep you moving forward, confidently. By understanding your seasonality, we solve for your needs at the right time.
We are empowering manufacturers’ transition to a more sustainable future, supporting renewable-energy investments and funding modern, energy-efficient equipment to help reduce costs and boost long-term resilience.
For Absa, this sponsorship of the Manufacturing Indaba is only the beginning. The real journey lies in building lasting partnerships, fuelling innovation and opening doors to the resources, tools and funding that drive sustainable growth.
Let’s build the future of African manufacturing together, one story at a time.
Plenary Panel Sponsor
Yellow Door Energy
Yellow Door Energy is the leading sustainable energy partner for businesses, serving commercial and industrial customers in the Middle East, Africa and beyond. The company’s solar and battery energy storage solutions enable businesses to secure their energy supply, reduce electricity costs and lower carbon emissions. These solutions directly support companies’ and countries’ Net Zero targets. Yellow Door Energy’s shareholders are Actis, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Mitsui & Co., Ltd., and APICORP.
In South Africa, Yellow Door Energy is well positioned to support businesses through solar power purchase agreements (“PPA’s”) that can contain on-site solar PV, wheeling and battery energy storage systems (BESS). Through the solar PPA’s, private offtakers are empowered to address load shedding challenges, control their energy costs and eliminate supply volatility.
With operations in the UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and South Africa, Yellow Door Energy has one of the largest commercial & industrial project portfolios in the region, with 106 megawatts in operation and 104 megawatts awarded and under construction. The company has key existing relationships with a large customer base of over 50 companies, including multi-national businesses such as Nestlé, Majid Al Futtaim, DHL, Mondelēz, and Unilever.
Plenary Panel Sponsor & Exhibition Registration & Name Badge Sponsor
FNB Business Banking
As a leader in helping manufacturing grow from manual operations to unstoppable automation, FNB is committed to enabling businesses to navigate the challenges and embrace the opportunities presented by this growing and dynamic sector. A dedicated and highly skilled relationship manager proactively works with the sector team, supported by product specialists to identify key industry trends shaping the industry for that competitive edge, helping businesses connect to a network for sustained growth.
Our goal is to enhance efficiencies by offering tailored capital solutions that optimise cashflows, secure asset purchases, unlock trade finance and provide exclusive benefits for employees. This comprehensive approach ensures that we do not only address current challenges but also contribute to long-term success.
Breakaway Session Sponsor
Optimi Workplace
PwC
B2B Connect Sponsor
Discovery Green
Discovery Green is revolutionising renewable energy procurement for South African businesses. By converting 90% of your electricity demand into affordable, price-certain green energy, we provide complete certainty for executives transitioning their organisations to renewable energy.
Powered by South Africa’s largest wind and solar plants, our products maximise financial savings and minimise business emissions, taking care of all your business energy needs in a single, simple transaction. We combine 30 years of Discovery’s actuarial expertise with energy wheeling to maximise financial savings and minimise emissions – our solution is the only one that protects your business while fostering a sustainable future. Our mission is to make South Africa the global leader in renewable energy, creating employment and investment opportunities.
Plenary Panel Sponsor
FNB
FNB in partnership with WesBank aims to be a trusted sustainability partner, helping businessestransition to a more sustainable world.
Adopting greener and more sustainable energy solutions is now, more than ever, critical but access to renewable energy remains a concern. Businesses need reliable and high-quality energy for ongoing economic growth and the all-important priority of job creation. As a result, local businesses need to consider the implications of uncertainty, cost, quality, and environmental impact when it comes to energy usage.
Whether you are an SME or a large enterprise, access expert insights from our sustainability team to help you navigate the complex and evolving energy landscape.
Exhibition Registration Counters and Name Badge Sponsor
Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone Company (RBIDZ)
The Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone Company (RBIDZ) is a Special Economic Zone that is purpose-built and secure industrial estate on the north-eastern coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa linked to the international deep-water port of Richards Bay. It is tailored for the manufacturing of goods and production of services to boost beneficiation, investment, economic growth and the development of skills and employment. The RBIDZ is a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) that aims to encourage international competitiveness through world-class infrastructure as well as tax, VAT and duty-free incentives to qualifying investors. We are your gateway to world markets.
Conference Bag Sponsor
Chepa Corporate Services
Chepa Corporate Services (CCS Apparel) is a proudly South African clothing manufacturer founded by Dumi Mahlangu, with the mission to uplift, empower, and celebrate African excellence. As part of the ChepaAfrica Group, CCS is more than just a production house, it’s a creative hub where garments are crafted with purpose, pride, and meaning.
Driven by a passion for people and quality, CCS creates jobs, nurtures local talent, and produces high-quality, custom apparel for both emerging brands and established global names. Every piece is made with intention, not only to meet functional needs but to visually communicate African culture, and pride.
Our services include:
• Cut, Make & Trim (CMT)
• Full Package Production
• Branding & Embroidery
• Uniforms
• Corporate & Promotional Wear
• Sublimation Printing
• Brand & Production Consultation
CCS ensures that every garment carries the richness of African heritage and the excellence of local craftsmanship. We believe in clothing that tells stories, unites communities, and reflects the spirit of a continent rising with style.
Visitor Bag Sponsor
Crowe
Crowe Southern Africa is a leading professional services firm offering audit, tax, advisory, consulting, and business services to a diverse client base across the region. As part of Crowe Global, one of the top 10 accounting networks worldwide, the firm combines deep local expertise with global insight to deliver practical, forward-thinking solutions. Crowe Southern Africa serves owner-managed businesses, large corporates, and public sector entities across multiple industries. With a strong focus on quality and integrity, the firm is committed to helping clients navigate complexity, and manage risk in an evolving business environment.
Name Badges and Lanyards Sponsor
Discovery The Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ)
The Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone Company (SOC) Ltd (RBIDZ) is a Special Economic Zone that is purpose-built and secure industrial estate on the north-eastern coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa linked to the international deep-water port of Richards Bay. It is tailored for the manufacturing of goods and production of services to boost beneficiation, investment, economic growth and the development of skills and employment.
The RBIDZ is a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), encouraging international competitiveness through world-class infrastructure as well as tax, VAT and duty-free incentives to qualifying investors. This SEZ’s strategy is geared to provide significant contribution to the country’s economic growth through creation of employment opportunities, up- grading the skills, technology transfer, deepening economic empowerment of historically disadvantaged individuals and broadening of South Africa’s basket of export products.
