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Date Announced: 14 Dec 2022
ZEISS Group, Johannesburg, South Africa -- During his visit to Namibia and to South Africa this week, the German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Robert Habeck (pictured, right), joined the CFO of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG Justus Felix Wehmer and ZEISS South Africa head Seyfi Ceyhan for the inauguration of the ZEISS Academy Africa at the company’s regional headquarters in Johannesburg.
With a one million euro investment in equipment and facilities, the ZEISS Academy Africa is an important step to strengthen the presence of the company in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Through customer enablement and training on sophisticated products and solutions, the academy unleashes the full value of innovations in medical technology, industrial quality solutions and research microscopy solutions. Doctors and medical staff, engineers and researchers have access to hands-on training under near real-life conditions utilizing the most current ZEISS product portfolio.
Furthermore, ZEISS is opening up its training facilities to the next generation. This includes students in the medical and industrial engineering fields, in scientific research and in nature conservation. The Academy Africa also supports children and youth, especially from underprivileged areas, giving them access to microscopy and encouraging them to get into STEM subjects.
'Substantial potential'
Federal Minister Habeck commented: “The combination of making leading technology available to top professionals in the African medical, industrial and research sectors, and engaging youth in these fields holds substantial potential – further strengthening the German-African partnership and close cooperation.”
“South Africa and the entire African continent are growing in importance in our global strategy and reach. Significant investments, such as the new ZEISS office in Cape Town and the ZEISS Academy Africa here in Johannesburg, are paving the way to leverage the opportunity here in Africa,” said Seyfi Ceyhan.
Justus Felix Wehmer added: “ZEISS is strengthening its global presence and is building sustainable relationships in growing economies. Africa is a key driver of growth due to its rich natural resources that attract industrial and other investors, its leap-frogging digital transformation, and its young and energetic population eager to build its own sustainable future. We are delighted to be part of, and contribute to, this growth.”
ZEISS in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa
ZEISS has been present in South Africa for over 90 years. Today, 130 employees and 20 distributors across Sub-Saharan Africa are supporting customers and covering a wide range of the ZEISS portfolio.
This includes Medical Technology for ophthalmology and microsurgery, as well as Research Microscopy Solutions comprising light, laser and electron microscopes. ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions help, for instance, the automotive industry and its suppliers to ensure top quality according to global standards.
At its Johannesburg Vision Care production site, the company mills and fits eyeglass lenses for customers in the region. Finally, ZEISS offers binoculars and spotting scopes for hunters, bird watchers and other nature lovers – and supports BirdLife South Africa and other nature conservation organizations in the region.
Working closely with customers and enabling them to maximize the use and value of its technology has always been a key element of the ZEISS strategy. The ZEISS Academy Africa is now establishing both on-site practical training at the Johannesburg regional headquarters as well as online training modules, some of which have already been included in partnering universities’ curricula. These modules are now being offered to universities across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The ZEISS Academy Africa is strengthening and expanding existing engagements: in line with “helping people help themselves,” ZEISS has been providing medical care to people in underprivileged regions since 2005 through five global diagnosis, treatment and training centers for eyecare.
Three of these centers are based in Africa: University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria; Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College in Moshi, Tanzania; and the Shaheed a Fadheel Maz Center in Khartoum, Sudan.
In order to provide poorer regions with medical care, ZEISS has formed sustainable partnerships with international organizations such as the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and the Christoffel Mission for the Blind.
E-mail: info.za@zeiss.com
Web Site: www.zeiss.co.za
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