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The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies has launched an about R8-million Durban branch of the South African Chemical Technology Incubator (Chemin) at the Westville Campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in Durban today.

The business Incubation centre is assisting a number of chemical technology businesses in the region by offering free support services to small business owners. The current incubated enterprises are mainly focusing on chemical detergent, cosmetics, and hear care products.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Davies said that Chemin's focus is on developing the downstream chemicals manufacturing industry in South Africa.

“These sectors include relatively high value pure chemicals that are typically used as active ingredients in formulated speciality chemicals used in industrial and non-consumer applications (e.g. paints, mining chemicals, textile specialities, paper chemicals), but does not exclude the production of other downstream chemicals. The aim of this project is to recover heavy metals by removing mercury, and europium. This technology has already been patented, furthermore millions of households are now using CFL bulbs, which were distributed by Eskom as an endeavour to reduce power consumption in the country”, said Davies.

The Minister indicated that incubated enterprises are also receiving access market information in the Chemical sector and external clients at a negotiated fee as well as a state-of-the-art laboratory containing specialised analytical equipment.

Davies also announced that as at 31 March 2014, forty two (42) applications to the value of about R682 million were approved over a three year. The total value of investment to be leveraged is R1.1 billion.

“Surely this is a good story to tell, as these 42 incubators spread across all 9 provinces and new 4 ones have been approved but will be fully established during the 2014/15 financial year. Manufacturing, Agriculture, ICT, and Construction are the leading sectors”, he added.
 
One of the incubatees Stanley Zulu, says they were taught how to manage business and finances and not mix it with personal life. According to Zulu, every aspirant entrepreneur is able to reach his dream.
 
‘We are all capable of being entrepreneurs, but we need to be disciplined and do research regarding any type of business that one is aspiring. Above all, we need to know the market and the competitor. Aspirant entrepreneurs should not go in business with an intention of getting reach quick or overnight”, said Zulu.
 
The Durban branch of the South African Chemical Technology Incubator is established in partnership with the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) Eskom Foundation, Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDEAT) and the University of KwaZulu Natal.  It was set up in December 2012 to develop entrepreneurs in the chemical business in Durban and the surrounding areas.
 
The centre is funded by both Seda and Eskom Foundation. The funding collectively contributes to the Centre establishment, operations, laboratory and the manufacturing pilot plant.