Mpumalanga’s diverse economy offers numerous investment opportunities – large and small – to prospective investors. In the manufacturing sector, through the presence of Columbus Stainless based in Middelburg, the province has strength in the production and availability of stainless steel, the availability of which provides greenfield and joint-venture opportunities in the production of products such as pipes and tubes, hollowware and catering equipment.
Sappi’s paper mills – the largest in the southern hemisphere – provide a resource of paper for further beneficiation. As a result, there are opportunities for the production of items such as packaging. At SASOL’s petrochemical complex in Secunda, some 250 different by-products and feedstocks are generated offering the opportunity for further beneficiation into items such as synthetic rubber and plastics.
TSB Sugar is one of the largest sugar mills in SA. Its presence creates opportunities to beneficiate this raw material into items such as confectionery and soft drinks.
The mining sector is a producer of large volumes of coal, ferro-chrome and other minerals. There is ample opportunity to further beneficiate these natural resources and produce items such as tombstones and architectural stones for cladding buildings. The availability of clays creates opportunities to produce ceramic items such as tiles and electrical insulators.