The Automotive Focus Group (AFG) had a very busy schedule in December as there was the annual kids’ Xmas party, as well as a charity donation to the Father Ray Foundation, and an informative address by Frank Beernaert from EFTEC.
The Xmas party was held at the Pinnacle Resort and featured the rosy cheeked and suitable rotund Santa Bill who brought toys for all the children, even writing each child’s name on the parcels. Such a clever Santa.
Frank Beernaert, EFTEC.
As a ‘thank you’, the parents of the AFG children brought along presents which were donated to the Father Ray Foundation, to be handed out to the needy children at the Foundation’s Xmas party.
Finally, the AFG held their last information seminar for the year on Dec. 11 at the Amari Tower’s function room, with an address by Frank Beernaert from the EFTEC organization.
These informative sessions are very popular with this one also being addressed by Australian Ambassador H.E. Paul Robilliard, with Leigh Scott Kemmis, president of the AustCham, in the audience.
Frank Beernaert went through the important features in the EFTEC product ranges, which are used for sealing, bonding, coating and damping. One of the main items, ‘Plastisol’ has nine components and the testing of the final product is very extensive, as it gets used by the OEMs. The life of the product at 100 years will outlast the vehicle it is used in.
With his connection to the automotive OEMs, Frank also gave the AFG members his crystal ball gazing, and predicted that the 2015 output figures would be back at the low levels of 2013, and that export would be the growth engine, suggesting that by 2016 it will be 2.5 million units, rising to 2.7 in 2017 and 2.8 in 2018.
After the address, the AFG members adjourned to the Amari gardens to join the Joint Chambers of Commerce networking, the final event in the 2014 calendar.
