The Manufacture of Tents, Tarpaulins, Sails and Other Canvas Goods in South Africa 2020

Manufacture of Tents, Tarpaulins, Sails and other Canvas Goods

The manufacture of tents, tarpaulins, sails and other canvas goods is a secondary subsector of the clothing, textiles, leather and footwear sector. Relative to other manufacturing industries in this broader sector, tents, tarpaulins, sales and canvas goods manufacturing is not acutely threatened by cheap imports. In fact, South African companies dominate the South and Southern African market. The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a surge in demand for camping tents for temporary shelters for the homeless. There has also been a rise in demand for humanitarian disaster relief tents. Companies who usually manufacture event tents and semi-permanent tented structures are quickly shifting production to meet the health system’s needs.

Competition

Role players indicate that while there is little competition for luxury safari tents, the market for military and humanitarian-related tents is pretty competitive locally and globally. There are several dozen major players in the industry, which is characterised by a relatively large number of small, medium and micro-sized enterprises.

Opportunities for SMEs

There are opportunities for new market entrants in less saturated geographic areas. In this industry, most companies are selling to the end-user, which means that a responsive small, local business is an advantage. Specific opportunities can be found in new and unique designs for event tents and for permanent tent structures for lodges and hospitality. There are opportunities in niche areas for entrepreneurs and small players.

Report Coverage

This report covers the manufacture of tents, tarpaulins, sails and other canvas goods with information on the state and size of the sector, influencing factors, and continental and international trends. There are profiles of 36 companies including relatively large companies such as Canvas and Tent and National Tent and Sails, manufacturers such as Canvalodge Manufacturing and sailmakers such as Supa Sailmakers and Fast Sails Covers.