They have an enormous task, but the process needs to be speeded up

To start, we’d like to acknowledge the work the NRCS is doing with regards to safety footwear and the PPE categories they regulate.  The enormity of the task is sometimes overlooked but, taking into account that safety footwear only came into the NRCS portfolio a few years ago, it is still a relatively new category for them with an exhaustive number of both local and imported styles to consider.

Saying that, however, as a local manufacturer it can be frustrating and extremely costly when faced with long delays in the approval process and the lack of communication experienced in past years.  It is critical for the growth of the country’s economy and employment, that locally manufactured products across all industries be given a clear priority, similar to the directive given at the start of COVID to give priority to respiratory products.

As a business with over 1200 employees across 4 factories, we rely on getting products to market quickly in order to be sustainable and also to take advantage of growth opportunities.

Our development process versus importing from a catalogue comes at a significant cost with research, raw materials, labour and manufacturing time.  Then there is international safety accreditation testing, and sometimes retesting, which is paid in foreign currency and comes with its own delays.  Only after this significant time frame and financial investment are we able to even submit folders to the NRCS, whilst also needing to ensure we have procured enough raw materials to build saleable stock.  Delays thereafter in getting NRCS approvals can prove detrimental.