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Here’s why…
Legacy and unity
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We’ve been representing the retail motor industry for more than 100 years.
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With more than 8 000-member businesses, our unity is our strength.
Your voice
RMI represents the industry at:
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Centralised wage negotiations.
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Various MIBCO and Industry-related Boards and committee structures.
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Various South African Bureau of Standards (SABS)
committees and working groups.
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The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS), defending our
industry when compulsory specifications and standards are compromised.
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The Moto Health Care Fund, Industry Provident Funds
and the Sick, Accident and Maternity Pay Fund.
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Meetings hosted by reputable organisations recognised by government, big
business, consumers and relevant stakeholders like Business Unity SA (BUSA).
Supports your business
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Professional industrial relations advice ensuring procedural
and substantive fairness when disciplining staff.
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Chairing of disciplinary hearings and AUTOMATIC
entry at the CCMA, DRC and Labour Court.
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Exceptional CPA support at the National Consumer Commission (NCC)
and the Motor Industry Ombudsman of South Africa (MIOSA).
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Facilitation of a business-to-business complaint where both parties are
RMI members, with a complaint resolution rate in excess of 95%.
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Training needs and representation via merSETA and W&RSETA.
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Industry-specific products like RMI4BEE, RMI4LAW, RMI4OHS and RMI4SURE.
Keeps you in the know
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Industry labour relations seminars.
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Automobil magazine and weekly web letters.
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Commenting on industry topics in the media, and participating
in and hosting numerous conventions and shows.
news
news
offee, eggs, walnuts, rice and lentils could
be just as likely found in your future car’s
interior as your shopping basket according
to a new study by design and engineering consul-
tancy Callum.
Designers and engineers went beyond mate-
rials already under consideration to identify fresh
sustainable options that its customers could ben-
efit from through its SMS design study. Using a
retromod Porsche 911 interior as the basis for
the research, the team led by Charlotte Jones and
Ian Callum identified coffee pulp, eggshells, red
lentils, walnuts and rice as viable materials for a
car interior in 2030.
With thousands of tonnes of food wasted ev-
ery day in the UK alone, Callum consulted with
green-tech company Ottan to determine the
most appropriate materials capable of replac-
ing plastics yet still meeting the rigorous design,
environmental and engineering requirements of
a car. Solutions identified that could meet the
temperature and wear specifications included
adopting eggshells mixed with resin to create a
smooth, opaque material with either a glossy or
matt surface. Application examples include the
trim surround for the window switches. By add-
ing walnut shells to the eggshells, the recycled
content of Ottan’s material increases to 84 per-
cent from 78 percent.
Out of date rice or lentils can be turned into a
smooth translucent material, ideal for illuminat-
ed areas of the car such as lamp covers or illumi-
nated switches. As a flame-resistant alternative,
coffee pulp could replace traditional plastics for
glossy, decorative trim such as dashboard inserts.
With seats requiring a blend of wear resis-
tance, comfort and colour fastness, Callum
opted for preloved materials that would usually
go to landfill. “Around the world, we consume
roughly 62 million tonnes of textiles a year and
around 87 per cent of the total fibre input used
for clothing is either landfilled or incinerated,”
says Callums’s head of materials and sustainabil-
ity, Charlotte Jones. “Companies such as Planq
take jeans, then shred and press them with po-
tato or corn starch to create a hard veneer that
could be used for seat shells or dash centres.
The SMS design study was created by Callum
to illustrate that there is another way, and we
can support manufacturers and suppliers who
identify and engineer alternatives that end con-
sumers are increasingly looking for.”
The seat centre facings in the Callum design
study use Camira, a fabric made from marine
plastic waste such as polyester, whilst the bolster
surfaces are covered in Féline, a soft material
produced from PET bottles. Each offers no weight
penalty, another factor considered for the resto-
mod upon which the study is based, and crucial-
ly each can be recycled again if needed. For the
carpet, Jones proposes Econyl, a material that
uses nylon carpets or fishing nets to create a new
hard-wearing fabric.
Whilst SMS is a concept, Callum selected ma-
terials that have the meet or have the potential to
meet automotive requirements and be produc-
tion feasible by 2030 – the next step is to trial the
materials in upcoming projects.
Callum’s new recipe for a
more sustainable car interior
fter more than two decades, Ford is returning to Formula One. The
iconic American automaker and Red Bull Powertrains are entering
into a long term strategic technical partnership for the development
of the next-gen hybrid power unit to be used from the 2026 Formula One
season onwards.
Red Bull Ford will provide the power units for both the Oracle Red Bull
Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri teams from 2026 to at least 2030.
“This is the start of a thrilling new chapter in Ford’s motorsports story
that began when my great-grandfather won a race that helped launch our
company,” said Bill Ford, executive chair. “Ford, alongside world champions,
Oracle Red Bull Racing, is returning to the pinnacle of the sport, bringing
Ford’s long tradition of innovation, sustainability and electrification to one
of the world’s most visible stages.”
Starting from 2023, Ford and Red Bull Powertrains will work to develop
the power unit that will be part of the new technical regulations, including
a 350kW electric motor and a new combustion engine able to accept fully
sustainable fuels, ready for the 2026 season.
Ford’s return to Formula One with Red Bull Racing is all about where we
are going as a company, increasingly electric, software-defined, modern ve-
hicles and experiences. F1 will be an incredibly cost-effective platform to
innovate, share ideas and technologies, and engage with tens of millions of
new customers,” said Jim Farley, President and CEO, Ford Motor Company.
Ford will provide technical expertise in all areas where it can add value
to the front-running World Championship team. Areas to be explored to-
gether are in the combustion engine development and key developments
like battery cell and electric motor technology, power unit control software
and analytics.
Ford returns to Formula One
www.automobil.co.za
March 2023