By Lizelle van der Berg
The Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) continues its work with the temperature-controlled supply chain, including cold storage, transportation, construction, equipment suppliers, and service providers.
The cold chain industry in South Africa started the year with the GCCA Fire Risk Insurance Seminar that was hosted in Johannesburg on 10 March 2022. A review of the seminar was published in the previous issue of Cold Link Africa.
The GCCA South Africa advisory council meeting and risk management committee meeting took place the following morning. Members of the Advisory Council serve the temperature-controlled products industry to help provide objective, insightful guidance, and act as a sounding board on how to implement best-practices in the region.
Members of the risk management committee study and review items related to risk management in cold storage facilities at all levels of operations, with a goal of improving performance and minimising the risk of members and the industry at large.
One of the main risks identified by the committee in a previous meeting was ammonia safety.
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Ammonia Virtual Short Course
On 9 May 2022, GCCA South Africa successfully hosted a 1-day Ammonia Virtual Short Course for employees working at cold stores using ammonia. Three of the four modules were taught by one of South Africa’s most well-known and trusted ammonia refrigeration subject experts, Andrew Perks.
The modules included:
- Ammonia and its advantages, dangers, and future
- Regulations and best practices in ammonia safety
- How we dealt with an ammonia spill – lessons learnt
- Manage the moment – is your ammonia emergency plan up to standard?
Feedback from students included: “Matching the training with a real-world example is valuable. It creates some much-needed context”. Students were taken step-by-step through an ammonia spill incident that took place in South Africa.
2022 Africa Future Leader Award
The Africa Future Leader Award recognises outstanding young professionals in the African cold storage industry who show potential for future career advancement but have not yet risen to top-level leadership positions within their country.
Applications for the award will open in June 2022. To be eligible for the award, applicants must be a GCCA warehouse member company, be 35 years of age or younger, possess a minimum of 3 years work experience in the industry, demonstrate excellence in their work and show potential to advance further in their career. Applicants will be evaluated by a panel of industry leaders and the 2022 Africa Future Leader Award recipient will compete against other GCCA future leaders from around the world in the 2022 Global NextGen competition.
GCCA South African Cold Chain Conference
The GCCA South Africa Cold Chain Conference (that will take place at Century City Conference Centre, Cape Town) is South Africa’s one and only venue bringing together cold store operators, distributors, manufacturers, producers, retailers, controlled-environment builders, equipment suppliers and service providers to discuss opportunities and innovations of this essential sector.
The conference provides leadership experience, knowledge, and exclusive networking with decision makers from across South Africa and beyond, in a relaxed yet professional atmosphere.
The conference will address topical issues that are so dear to temperature-controlled logistics companies, highlight current trends and outlook for the future. Leading industry and business experts will share their knowledge and thoughts, ideas, and solutions on the theme.
Cold chain companies will come together on the golf course for the 2022 South African Cold Chain Cup. This networking opportunity will conclude the GCCA South African Cold Chain Conference.
Who will be taking home the 2022 South African Cold Chain Cup?
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