SBIDZ launches new local SME Co-lab Centre

About the SBIDZ

The Saldanha Bay IDZ is a strategic government initiative and a delivery partner for South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) goals, actively supporting the industrialization and growth of the economy to achieve a collective vision for the country.

The purpose of the SBIDZ is the creation of an enabling environment for the promotion of sustainable regional economic growth and job creation through the establishment of a world-class Oil & Gas Services and Maritime Repair & Fabrication Hub at the Port of Saldanha.

The Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone Licencing Company SOC Ltd (SBIDZ-LC) was formally awarded an Operator’s Licence on 31 October 2013, marking the formal beginning of our 30-year journey to realise this vision, utilising the SEZ legislation as a catalyst.

The SME Co-Lab Centre Launch
The achievement of our vison will support economic growth, industrialisation and sustainable job creation. Therefore the SBIDZ-LC plays a pivotal, catalytic role in the socio-economic transformation of Saldanha Bay and the region at large.
To ensure increased local participation and beneficiation in both our construction and operational phases, the SBIDZ, through its Development Programmes Unit, focuses on the strategic development and broadening of the local skills available within the SBM area, as well as the competence levels of local businesses, enterprises and contractors.

This year marks the opening of the SME Co-Lab Centre, located adjacent to our zone in Platinum Street in Saldanha. The SME Co-Lab Centre is a shared space that will offer shared offices, boardrooms and essential amenities, and where free Wi-Fi, printing facilities and access to laptops will undoubtedly bring efficiency to our local SME’s administrative burden. The Centre will also offer access to networking sessions with relevant public and private sector stakeholders and partners. The Centre is an additional resource to the larger SBM business community and seeks to complement the West Coast Business Development Centre and the work of many SMME supporting institutions and practitioners in the region.

What makes it unique is its proximity: it can support local SME’s who will be mainly involved in various business activities in and around the zone, the port and surrounding industries.

The SBIDZ CEO, Ms Kaashifah Beukes said that the establishment of the SME Co-Lab Centre is part of the SBIDZ’s strategic priorities towards inclusive economic growth and sustainable local partnerships as it supports the growth and participation of small companies, and local business associations and practitioners to connect with others. She also emphasized that the basic services at the Centre are offered at no cost to the users.