Firms eye opportunities in South Africa

MindMill, which deals in web enabled software for personnel assessment, and bio-energy systems company Niercon have joined 12 other firms from across Northern Ireland for the 10-day mission to Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.

All the participating companies will be meeting business contacts lined up by Invest NI through its marketing services. MindMill is one of three companies involved in the mission that have previously travelled to South Africa with Invest NI.

Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI trade director said: “The support for this mission from so many companies new to the South African marketplace is immensely encouraging and significant. It indicates a growing recognition among business here that South Africa offers substantial opportunities across a very broad range of business sectors.

“Smaller companies on the mission such as MindMill have developed business there from their participation in previous Invest NI organised visits to this huge market. South Africa is one of the world’s most dynamic markets and the gateway to the rest of Africa, which many observers predict will grow rapidly in importance as a trading community over the next few decades.

“Among the features that make South Africa attractive to our companies is the position of English as the business language. The financial system is similar to our own. Furthermore, business links between the UK and South Africa are strong, making the country a good market for large and small companies prepared to commit the time and other resources required to develop contacts there.”