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King of THE
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Africa Outlook profiles Feltex Automotive a leading supplier of a wide range of quality automotive acoustic, comfort and trim components. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager Tom Lloyd
s this a good time to be involved in South Africa’s car industry? Well yes: South African car sales in Q1 increased 4.1 percent from 156,673 vehicles to 163,239 vehicles and according to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) the motor industry sailed a steady course during the first quarter of this year. Naamsa director Nico Vermeulen said production at South African plants was “well on track”, and that “if production continues at the levels seen in the first four months of the year,” production growth could come in “as high as 25 percent”.
However he said Naamsa was “remaining conservative,” and maintaining a prediction of 18 percent (or about 640,000 units) production growth for the year. It’s good news but according to Econometrix chief economist Dr Azar Jammine we should expect a “sharp slowdown in domestic sales growth” later this year. Whatever happens, increasing sales is good news for manufacturers like Feltex Automotive, a leading South African supplier of quality automotive acoustic, comfort and trim components. Feltex Automotive is a Division of KAP Manufacturing Proprietary Limited which is a 100 percent subsidiary of KAP International Holdings Limited.
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Spring Lights Gas
According to KAP, Feltex is one of South Africa’s largest automotive component manufacturers with manufacturing facilities situated in Durban, Rosslyn (Pretoria), Ga-Rankuwa (Pretoria), Port Elizabeth and East London” The Automotive Division comprises seven business units – Feltex Automotive Trim, Feltex Fehrer, Feltex Foam, Caravelle, Feltex Unifrax, Futuris Feltex and Autoneum Feltext - that supply products directly and indirectly to the South African Original Equipment Manufacturers, with its Head Office in Durban. According to KAP, it is one of South Africa’s largest automotive component manufacturers with manufacturing facilities situated in Durban, Rosslyn (Pretoria), GaRankuwa (Pretoria), Port Elizabeth and East London, in close proximity to the assembly plants to facilitate “just in time” and “just in sequence” supply.
“Feltex Automotive’s information technology systems interface into the OEM’s production planning systems,” the company says. If you use Feltex you can be assured that the company is market-driven and internationally cost competitive. Its factories are well located to serve the growing South African automotive industry and the firm’s strategic goal is be the market leader in all its
Spring Lights Gas advisory services conform to the requirements of Clause 12 of their trading licence conditions and the stipulations in Section 21(q) of the Gas Act (No. 48 of 2001). Services include: Taylor made technical and safety training to all the customers. Energy Conservation and management, includes regular energy audits, ensuring customers optimise their use of gas, having a great impact on the customers’ bottom line. Statutory Compliance: The newly passed regulation requires gas equipment to be compliant to certain standards (SANS 329 and SANS 347) Regular safety assessments are conducted on customers’ gas systems. Product Quality: technical experts to conduct reviews of the gas quality versus process or product quality
Mercedes Benz C-class
Tel +27(0)31 266 3865 Email info@slgas.co.za
www.slgas.co.za
Image: Getty
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Tel: +27(0)31 266 3865 I Fax: +27(0)31 266 3865 Email: info@slgas.co.za I www.slgas.co.za Gas Emergency Number: +27 800 21 2 260
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Ford Ranger (© M 93 Wikimedia Commons CC-BY-SA-3.0 (DE))
© Feltex Foam
© Feltex Unifrax
product categories. “The key success factors of the automotive business units are consistent quality, outstanding service and internationally competitive pricing,” the company says. “All the automotive business units have achieved an influential supply position in their product sectors and this has enabled the businesses to achieve competitive prices through economy of scale benefits. The company’s factories are well located to serve the growing South African automotive industry and our strategic goal is to be the customer’s first choice in all our product categories. “We are market driven, internationally competitive with strategic international alliances. We strive to comply with all recognised international standard organisations.” Recent projects undertaken by Feltex Automotive include BMW F30 and Ford T6 and the firm says market leadership is maintained through an
Easigas Easigas (Pty) Ltd is a 100% owned subsidiary of Rubis from France and has been a dedicated and leading supplier of Liquefied Petroleum Gas to the Southern African market for the last 30 years. Easigas’ Vision is to be the leading LPG Company in share of supply, customer preference and profitability in the countries where we choose to operate. Its mission is to consolidate the LPG market leader position whilst sustaining profitable growth aligned with shareholder expectations. Easigas’ strategy is to optimise the current business to drive value growth by improving continuity of LPG supply and competitive status. Tel (011) 389 7700 Fax (011) 864 9000
www.easigas.com
on-going investment programme. The company is performing well according to KAP’s results for the six months ended December 31st 2012. “The manufacturing division increased revenues by eight percent and increased operating profit by 15 percent on a comparable basis,” it says. “This increase was led by market share gains and industry growth in KAP’s two largest manufacturing divisions, Hosaf (PET) and Feltex (Automotive). In addition, the food
We are market driven, internationally competitive with strategic international alliances. We strive to comply with all recognised international standard organisations”
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PO Box 17297 Randhart 1457 Tel: 0800 001 504 Fax: (011) 864 9000 www.easigas.com
LPG, A Hugely Versatile Gas Liquefied Petroleum Gas, otherwise referred to as LPG, is a hugely versatile gas which is a mixture of Propane and Butane. Clean burning, LPG has a vast array of uses in the home, within industry, agriculture, on the roads – in fact everywhere! Discover for yourself how LPG is produced and stored – there’s even a chemical breakdown if you really want to know the subject.
Softworx - the thread that connects strategy with execution to put your business at the top of its game
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Tony’s cartage c.c. At Tony’s cartage we strive to provide affordable and reliable transport. Customer service is our highest priority. Feltex Non Woven (Durban) is one of our many valued clients. Tel 031 4591546 Cell 083 230 2071 Email tonyscartage@absamail.co.za
© BMW
and footwear manufacturing divisions increased profitability, while, despite strong revenue growth, the furniture and bedding division was unable to maintain margins.” Feltex manufactures 90 percent of the moulded seat foam used in car seats in South Africa and 95 percent of the trim. “Key business drivers are consistent quality, outstanding services, investment in modern technology, environmental responsibility and competitive pricing,” says KAP. “The company is continually investing in expanding existing factories and developing new facilities (e.g. waste recycling plant). All divisions have achieved a
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Key business drivers are consistent quality, outstanding services, investment in modern technology, environmental responsibility and competitive pricing”
dominant supply position in their product sectors and this has enabled the businesses to achieve competitive prices through economy of scale benefits.” It continues that “Through strategic partnerships with German company Fehrer AG and Swiss group Autoneum, the company is the dominant player in moulded seat pads and head rests, as well as automotive acoustics and thermal management. There is a strong culture of interdependence and synergy amongst the units, yet each is managed as an individual profit centre with its own management team.” KAP International Holdings Limited is an investment company with a portfolio of diverse manufacturing businesses. These include processed meat, maize milling, leather products, footwear, speciality fibres, bottle resin, towelling products and, of course, automotive products.
© Feltex Automotive Trim
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TONY’S CARTAGE c.c. Transport with a Vision
Tony’s Cartage have superlink tautliner trucks and deliver to the whole of South Africa
tonyscartage@absamail.co.za © Feltex Fehrer (Pty) Ltd
The company is listed on the JSE and “today consists of the companies it has acquired since 2004 and the industrial assets of Steinhoff Africa which was acquired in 2012”. KAP is now truly a “leading industrial business in southern Africa and has moved from a small cap to a mid cap listed company on the JSE” with R11 billion in revenue and R14 billion assets under management. “The group is focused on delivering on its strategy of being a market leader in the industries it serves in a growing African market,” the company says. To learn more visit www.kap.co.za or www.feltex.co.za.
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d i v i s i o n s at a glance FELTEX AUTOMOTIVE TRIM
This division is the leading supplier of a wide range of quality automotive acoustic and trim components including main floor carpets, dash insulators, engine and passenger compartment insulators, trunk packages, parcel shelves and sun visors, shower curtains, seat back trim, trunk mats, roof and bonnet liners, exterior textile wheelhouse liners and loose lay mats. Acoustic components are developed to reduce the noise in the passenger compartments of motor vehicles. It is a first-tier supplier to all the leading OEMs and is the dominant supplier in its product range. Long-term technology and licensing agreements have been established with global leaders in the manufacture of automotive and trim components. The raw materials for use by the converting units are manufactured in-house.
FELTEX UNIFRAX
Feltex Unifrax, in partnership with Unifrax Corporation of USA and using its state-of-theart technology, manufactures mats for catalytic converters to protect the filter in the exhaust of a motor vehicle. It is the world-leading producer of high temperature fibre products for a wide variety of industrial applications. This is a growth market with increasing environmental demands for lower motor vehicle exhaust emissions.
FELTEX FOAM
Situated in Durban, this business produces a wide range of polyester and polyether flexible, semi-rigid and rigid thermo-formable foams in peeled and shaped component format. Most of the output is delivered to the automotive market where a significant market share has been achieved. The foam laminates the fabric to the car seat. Foam products are also supplied to the apparel, filtration, footwear and leisure industries.
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FUTURIS FELTEX
With its recent joint venture deal with Australian group Futuris Automotive Interiors, Caravelle Carpets will manufacture tufted carpets in South Africa for the first time.
FELTEX FEHRER (74 percent)
Established when Feltex sold 26 percent of its foam mouldings division to the leading international foam mouldings manufacturer, Fehrer of Germany (securing the continuity of technical expertise), Feltex Fehrer manufactures moulded polyurethane products to international specifications and quality standards. The product range includes automotive seat pads, armrests, headrests, wire frames, listing wires and suspension aid buffers.
AUTONEUM FELTEX (49 percent)
A joint venture with the multinational Autoneum Automotive Systems group, Feltex has management responsibility for operations and has secured the continuity of technical expertise. The JV produces heatshields in Rosslyn and distributes noise and thermal protection systems, as well as floor systems and interior trim. Source: www.kap.co.za
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LTG Logistics Transport Globally (Pty) Ltd is a leading international freight management and supply chain company, offering its clients a personalised service with dedicated hubs for all their global logistics and freight requirements. The company has a passion for service delivery and its strength lies in its people, partnerships, state-of-the-art facilities and business location, as well as its vast experience in the freight management and supply chain industry. This combination has resulted in LTG becoming the partner of choice for both local and international OEMs, as well as large multinationals.
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A subsidiary of ALC Group (Pty) Ltd, LTG has been in operation since 2006. Its head office is based in Rosslyn, South Africa, with further facilities throughout the country.
DURBAN
• Mining, • Aviation, and • General logistics
Contact: Norman Nicholson Tel: +27 (0)12 564 3420 • www.ltgfreight.co.za
Growth is Inevitable, we will Grow Naturally.
Manufacturers of Air-Laid / Cross-Lapped / Thermo bonded Needled / Stitch bond and Laminated Non-Wovens 9 Walter Reid Road, Tongaat Tel: +27329445572 | Email: nsolomon@saplingnt.co.za Web: www.saplingnt.co.za
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E nquiries Tel (UK): +44 (0) 1603 559 151 Tel (SA): +27 (0) 21 527 0053 ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com
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Lindsay Road Papenkuils Industrial Township North End Port Elizabeth 6001 South Africa Tel: +27 (0) 31 460 4200
Tel (UK): +44 (0) 1603 559 144
Fax: +27 (0) 31 460 4290
ian.armitage@outlookpublishing.com
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