Trade and investment mission inspires hope

International relations

Gauteng businesswoman Jill Carol Sesoko is one of many South African entrepreneurs who dream of growing their businesses outside of South Africa.

Sesoko’s Krugersdorp based company, GreenThermo Energy, was part of the South African businesspeople that participated in the Department of Trade and Industry’s Trade and Investment mission to Ethiopia and South Sudan recently.

The aim of the mission was to find export markets for South African products and services.

The mission also intended to increase trade and investment between South Africa and the two countries, and also help South African companies that would like to export value-added products and those looking for investment opportunities and joint venture partnerships.

GreenThermo Energy, which also manufactures biodiesel, is South Africa’s only supplier of fuel performance catalyst (FCP).

FPC is a fuel combustion technology that enhances the combustion power of fuel, thereby increasing the burning rate of fuel, resulting in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption of up to 10 per cent, among others.

According to Sesoko, GreenThermo Energy boosts environmental saving efforts of petroleum wholesalers, bulk consumers, logistics and fleet management companies in realising sustainable improvements in fuel efficiency and emissions reduction through innovative fuel combustion based green fuel products and services.

The company has, for the past four years partnered with the Australian fuel manufacturer to deliver a localised, dedicated fuel efficiency service tailor-made to meet Africa’s fuel energy efficiency needs.

“I am hoping that we will be able to get exposure and make inroads into the market there.

“We have no doubt that our product will generate interest there but we are hoping to do more than that by signing contracts and sealing deals to supply the catalyst and add value to the current initiatives to promote cleaner and greener fuel strategies,” said Sesoko, a mother of two from Ga-Rankuwa, Tshwane.

Sesoko is confident that opportunities for her company would also open up in other countries, as many of them are in the process of adopting the mandatory use of biodiesel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment.