The 2003 Support Programme for Industrial Innovation (SPII) awards ceremony was held at the Meropa conference centre in Polokwane on Monday, 29 September 2003.
Poynting Innovations received this prestigious award presented by the Department of Trade and Industry in recognition of outstanding innovation. Ten companies were selected from more than 54 projects that were evaluated.
The SPII Awards acknowledge the exceptional achievements of entrepreneurs who turn innovative ideas into commercially successful businesses. Participants` progress is carefully monitored and some of the previous winners of the awards have reported remarkable growth in their businesses, including their exports and job creation.
Minister of Trade and Industry, Alec Irwin presented Poynting with this award for its patented SIP (Solder in Plastic) process. This process accounts for many of the antennas in the company`s mass production section. More than 120 000 units of SIP manufactured antennas have been sold in the past year and 29 new jobs have been created due to this novel manufacturing method. The primary product that is manufactured is a dual-band window mount antenna that operates in the 900/1800/2200MHz GSM band. It is used as a car kit antenna for cellular phones.
The SIP method involves the use of a plastic moulded item with an antenna artwork (represented by channels) on the surface of the plastic. The SIP process involves a special purpose machine with a closing plate which is pushed against the plastic item to close off the channels. Molten solder is then injected into these channels to form the antenna and its feed network in a single low cost mass production process. The feed cable is connected during this process. The cost of producing a SIP item is about one-tenth of the cost of an equivalent printed circuit board. SIP could in principle replace PCB components in antennas entirely and reduce costs considerably just by doing so.
According to Dr Andr'e Fourie, CEO of Poynting, the group has shown its mettle in using funding to achieve the aims of the fund managers. "We believe that current 'high risk` ideas receiving funding will similarly result in products which will drive increased sales, exports and employment in the years to come."
Poynting Innovations is situated in Wynberg, Johannesburg. The company supplies industry with electromagnetic engineering research and development services and products. For additional information on Poynting Innovations, visit http://www.poynting.co.za or call (011) 262-5155.
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