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The DACT is set to gain stature in the casting industry for sound financial, social and environmental management. Providing a sound training and incubating facility and establishing successful small businesses to benefit the community in which it operates.
The DACT offers a number of services to incubatees and businesses in the area. The incubator boasts exceptional technical expertise and state of the art equipment which clients are able to utilise.
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The DACT is a centre of activity where casting businesses can obtain valuable information (management, technical) and assistance in ensuring viable operation.
The DACT endeavours to provide services and infrastructure so that trainees can effectively be exposed to all the aspects of aluminium casting operations and associated management and business activities in training them to successfully establish business ventures as entrepreneurs. The DACT provides mentorship and managerial and technical assistance to incubated and other aluminium casting businesses in the area to ensure their success.
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 | Aluminium Centre for Technology (DACT) as an independent legal entity with structures and fiduciary responsibilities accordingly. |
| To provide entrepreneurs with infrastructure, tools machinery and equipment as well as access to raw material and marketing services in order to successfully establish businesses. |
| To provide training that is congruent with National Qualifications Framework requirements so that trainees' qualifications are recognised in the industry. |
| To ensure practical training and technologies offered are effective and provide trainees with adequate skills to effectively commence casting operations. |
| To market the products manufactured by entrepreneurs in the centre so that acceptable sales levels are maintained and a demand for the products generated. |
| To implement qualitative measures with a view to be internationally competitive. |
| To ensure that legislative requirements in terms of employment and safety aspects are met at all times. To adhere to principles of good governance and internal control so that sound financial decisions are made and donor agreements honoured. |
| To be aware of opportunities for financial assistance, joint ventures and partnerships with private and public sectors in order to grow and continue operations. |
| To provide entrepreneurs access to information, networks and opportunities so that their operations will stay abreast with technological progress and that they are able to implement appropriate technologies for their operations. |
| To ensure that there is a planned inflow of new incubates into the facility and that success rate ensures sufficient graduates from the facility. |
| To provide infrastructure and access to the tools and machinery to such an extent that other casting business in the area will utilise the facilities. |
| To ensure financial sustainability by ensuring effective income streams for the Centre. |
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Establishment
The Zululand Chamber of Business Foundation (ZCBF) was established in 1995. One of its ancillary projects, the Downstream Aluminium Pilot Project (DAPP) was initiated in 2000. The DAPP facilities were completed in 2002 and officially opened in July. This initiative prompted the Department of Trade and Industry to also contribute to the Aluminium Industry.
DTI Commitment
At this event, the DTI pledged its support for the initiative by providing funding for the establishment of an aluminium Incubator. The aim of the project being to provide training to potential entrepreneurs in aluminium technology, while producing marketable products in the interest of decreasing to project's dependence on donor funding. The first 17 candidates have successfully completed their training through the ZCBF's Youth Project.
Training
Stringent selection criteria are applied to ensure that only the candidates most likely to succeed in the aluminium casting, are chosen. The project's steering committee has realised the opportunity to broaden the skills base offered to trainees, while boosting the foundry's potential for self-sustainability with the purchase of a fully operational foundry from Cape Town. Trainees will be the main source of candidates for inclusion as entrepreneurs in the incubator.
Operations
Cottage Castings was purchased and was commissioned in the DAPP Foundry early in 2003. The product range included garden furniture, decorative filigree work, ventilators, balustrades, lamp poles and light fittings which require substantial skill to produce, providing trainees with exceptional practical training after completion of the theoretical section. In addition, apart from the initial production of these products, substantial effort is spent on fettling, finishing off, polishing and filing, thus providing job opportunities for semi and not-yet-skilled people.
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