Armscor, the Armaments Corporation of South Africa, was established to meet South Africa's needs for defence-related products and services and to maintain key industries and technologies for that purpose.

Armscor's primary aim is that the South African National Defence Force should be provided with solutions to all their requirements, with the emphasis on technical excellence and value for money. It provides specialist guidance to clients and partners who need cost-effective solutions, without jeopardising the quality or capability of products and systems. It offers clients and partners a range of services including acquisition, export promotion and facilitation, government to government contracting opportunities, development of technologies, test and evaluation and defence industrial participation.

Today, Armscor is predominantly a highly specialised acquisition organisation manned by qualified specialist staff comprising engineers, scientists, technicians and support personnel.

As a result of its considerable international marketing experience, Armscor also offers a substantial promotion and marketing support service to the South African defence-related industry. It is furthermore responsible for the marketing and selling of surplus equipment for the South African National Defence Force.

Armscor has also become an international leader in the field of quality management and in this regard provides a comprehensive quality assurance service. It can ensure the quality of the design process, act as an independent third party authority and secure the qualification of products. The Armscor "Mark of Quality" assures the highest standards to buyers and sellers alike.

Through Armscor one will have best access to South Africa's leading technologies in artillery systems, counter-mine and demining equipment, avionics, command and control, and communications, and in the upgrading of products.

GATEWAY TO THE DEFENCE-RELATED INDUSTRY

ARMSCOR is the gateway to the South African defence-related industry. It will contribute to our country's economic growth by playing a leading role in establishing new export markets for defence and humanitarian equipment. ARMSCOR will support technological development and will encourage the application of defence-related technology for civilian use and, vice versa, commercial technology for military purposes.

It will play a leading role in the maintenance, logistics, after-sales support and standardisation of defence equipment, thereby providing and ensuring cost-effective and affordable defence solutions. ARMSCOR actively supports defence industrial strategic imperatives through its innovative Industrial Participation Programme.

ARMSCOR's HUMAN RESOURCES PHILOSOPHY

Some of the core elements of ARMSCOR's Human Resources philosophy, which is intended to support the corporation's pursuit of world class performance, is in support of the corporation's transformation process and the optimal utilisation of its human resources. The highest calibre of staff is employed and because of the nature of Armscor's task, a large percentage of the staff is made up of highly skilled workers such as scientists, engineers, and technicians.

ADAPTABILITY, TRAINING AND SOCIAL PROGRAMMES

South Africa's fast changing political and social environment poses special challenges. Armscor made considerable progress in becoming more representative of the South African society in terms of the composition of its staff. A Talent Development Programme for exposing young and inexperienced employees to the total Armscor environment is also maintained. A limited bursary scheme supports Armscor's employment equity programme where attention is focused on education in mathematics, science, technical and management excellence.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Armscor is respected for its scientific approach to environmental management and conservation, and a corporate culture of responsibility towards the environment, encompassing all the subsidiaries within the Armscor group, is now a well established business philosophy.