Good morning, everyone,

Welcome to the 26th Annual General Meeting of OCCA SA—the Surface Coatings Association of Southern Africa.

Thank you for taking the time to be here today. Your presence reflects a strong commitment to OCCA, and it’s truly appreciated.

Reflecting on CFA 2024

At this time last year, we were looking forward to the Coatings for Africa 2024 exhibition. And now, one year later, we can proudly look back on a very successful event.

The exhibition brought together a wide range of suppliers and innovations. Many attendees commented on the diversity of new products and raw materials on display. One visitor remarked that CFA2024 “featured a multitude of exhibitors” and that the Business Presentations Hub “hosted engaging and enlightening discussions.”

This dedicated hub ran a series of short technical sessions on key topics—like formulation trends, market performance, sustainability, and emerging technologies. We saw strong focus on areas such as direct-to-metal systems, auto-refinish solutions, and advanced corrosion-control strategies.

All in all, CFA2024 highlighted just how much innovation is happening in our industry—from advanced additives and coatings to digital tools aimed at improving quality, efficiency, and sustainability.

This once again underscores the important role OCCA SA plays in sharing new knowledge with the South African coatings industry—especially with our younger chemists and technicians.

Keeping the Industry Connected

One of the ways we’ve supported this goal is through our monthly webinars. These sessions—both from OCCA SA and from our UK colleagues—continue to provide valuable technical content and keep us connected across regions.

We are proud to be part of an international organisation, with OCCA UK as our headquarters. Through this global network, we have access to high-quality resources and professional support.

I’d like to remind everyone about the Members Area on our website—www.occasa.org.za—as well as on the UK OCCA site. There, you can find recordings of previous webinars and presentations. These sessions cover a wide range of topics and offer real insight into both current and emerging technologies in coatings and related fields.

A sincere thank-you to all our presenters who generously give their time and expertise. Your contributions are deeply appreciated.

OCCA’s Identity and Future Focus

Over the past year, OCCA-SA has continued to refine its identity and communication. Our byline—
“Representing the Coatings Technologists of Southern Africa”
—captures who we are and the broad industry we serve.

This inclusive message ensures we speak to everyone working in paint, coatings, and allied materials—across every sector and level.

Looking ahead, we’ll continue to build on what’s been achieved. Education and collaboration will remain key. We plan to strengthen ties with partners like The Corrosion Institute, continue offering local technical meetings, and host more online sessions.

We’ll also be placing renewed focus on membership growth and encouraging eligible members to apply for professional designations, including:

• Licentiate of the Technology of Surface Coatings (LTSC)
• Associate of the Technology of Surface Coatings (ATSC)
• Fellow of the Technology of Surface Coatings (FTSC)

These titles recognise professional achievement and dedication to our field.

Closing and Thanks

Before I close, I’d like to thank all OCCA members for your continued support of this very special Association.

Please continue to engage with your local section committees. We welcome your ideas, and we encourage you to contribute to webinars and technical meetings. Your input helps keep our organisation strong and relevant.

To the OCCA SA committee—I offer my heartfelt thanks. Your dedication and professionalism over the past year have been outstanding. I truly appreciate the support you’ve given me in my role as Vice President. I couldn’t do this without you.

Finally, I have made myself available for another term as Vice President of OCCA SA, and I look forward to working with all of you again in the year ahead.

Take care, and may 2025 bring continued growth and collaboration for us all.

Thank you.

Evert Bolt
Vice President, OCCA SA Division