Enterprise Africa August 2022

AFRICA

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR AFRICA’S INDUSTRY LEADERS

August 2022

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Strong CADCON Builds on Quality Reputation Exclusive interview with CADCON Managing Director, Paul Rebelo RAWSON PROPERTIES CONSTANTIA

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EDITOR’S LETTER

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EDITOR Joe Forshaw  joe@enterprise-africa.net SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER Sam Hendricks  sam@enterprise-africa.net SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER James Davey  jamesd@enterprise-africa.net PROJECT MANAGER Ekwa Bikaka  ekwa@enterprise-africa.net PROJECT MANAGER Christina Allcock  christina@enterprise-africa.net PROJECT MANAGER Eleanor Sarbutt-King  eleanor@enterprise-africa.net PROJECT MANAGER Jamie Waters  jamie@enterprise-africa.net LEAD DESIGNER Aaron Protheroe  aaron@enterprise-africa.net FINANCE MANAGER Samantha Lynn  samantha@enterprise-africa.net

CONTRIBUTOR CONTRIBUTOR CONTRIBUTOR CONTRIBUTOR

Manelesi Dumasi Timothy Reeder Benjamin Southwold William Denstone

Amazing things are being built in South Africa. The vision of the country’s entrepreneurs is surely world leading?

From manufacturing, through to construction, and everything between, the country’s businesses imagine, make, create, and build truly world class products that are perfectly suited to their environment.

This month, we talk to CADCON, an industry leading steel and engineering organisation. By utilising deep knowledge developed over decades in the industry, the company is participating in major projects that are breaking world records in terms of steel construction. Managing Director, Paul Rebelo explains more about major projects underway right now.

At LESCO Manufacturing, electrical hardware is now manufactured by a workforce that was previously excluded thanks to true innovation around the production process. Director, Jonathan Shapiro tells us that the company’s products are fighting off import competition from the East thanks to a brilliant focus on quality.

MAN Energy Solutions has rebranded and refocussed to become a leader in the energy efficiency space, creating products that assist in greenhouse gas emission abatement. Managing Director Chris Meyer tells us that investment into the company’s Vanderbijlpark site has helped the company boom as it creates important infrastructure for the future of Africa.

And Intaprop, leading property development and investment business, is creating on a major scale – driving the Oxford Parks development which will see green-star rated buildings and public space connect Rosebank to Illovo, creating a better Gauteng for future generations.

So much creation is happening, and so much imagination continues to flow from innovators.

Get in touch and tell us how your company is making a difference through imaginative projects. We’re always online at LinkedIn.

Published by Chris Bolderstone – General Manager E. chris@cmb-multimedia.co.uk Fuel Studios, Kiln House, Pottergate, Norwich NR2 1DX

Joe Forshaw

EDITOR

+44 (0) 1603 855 161 www.cmb-media.co.uk CMB Media Group does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The points of view expressed in articles by attributing writers and/ or in advertisements included in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from use of information published. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrievable system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher. © CMB Media Group Ltd 2022

GET IN TOUCH  +44 (0) 1603 855 161  joe@enterprise-africa.net www.enterprise-africa.net

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CADCON STEEL CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING Strong CADCON Builds on Quality Reputation MAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS Engineering Energy Transition Across Southern Africa CRUSADER LOGISTICS Crusader Hits Top Gear on the Journey to Leadership Status PROBE IMT Technology, People and Processes Transform Mining Landscape LESCO MANUFACTURING Third-Generation LESCO Powered by Switch to Local, Inclusive Manufacturing

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CONTENTS

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INTAPROP Oxford Parks Perfectly Located to Connect Rosebank and Illovo DAYBREAK FARMS Leading Contributors to the Feather in SA’s Agricultural Cap SUPERBALIST SA’s Foremost Online Style Destination RAWSON PROPERTY GROUP A Unique Franchise Opportunity www.enterprise-africa.net / 5

CADCON STEEL CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING

Strong CADCON

Builds on Quality Reputation PRODUCTION: Eleanor Sarbutt-King

Leading South African steel contractor, CADCON, is celebrating 35 years of steelwork innovation. The company boasts a glittering list of clients and is busy with several exciting projects, each a unique offering requiring true industry expertise. Managing Director, Paul Rebelo tells Enterprise Africa more about growing this respected organisation. www.enterprise-africa.net / 7

INDUSTRY FOCUS: CONSTRUCTION

Vantage Data Centre Project

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For 35 years, CADCON Steel Construction and Engineering has been building, creating, innovating and engineering unique and imaginative steelwork solutions for qualityconscious clients in South Africa.

As a brand, CADCON has developed significantly and is now recognised as an industry leader, capable of completing major projects for clients across all industries. From steel warehouses to distribution centres to shopping centres to aircraft hangars or mining storage facilities – CADCON has unrivalled experience comprising hundreds of completed projects.

Starting out as a garage project in 1987, when founder Gerhard Meiring established CADCOR, the company has always been about quality steel projects.

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In 1989, Barry Barnard joined Meiring to assist with growing the business.

Through the early 90s, the company grew quickly and eventually took on its first major project at the BMW plant in Rosslyn. By the end of the 90s, Meiring had left the company and Richard Butler had taken control, increasing revenue and bringing onboard new customers including Mercedes-Benz in East London. In 2000, the company changed its status from a closed corporation to become a Pty Ltd and changed name to CADCON. The next decade saw aggressive expansion across multiple disciplines with more employees, more facilities, and more output. In 2007, Abri Barnard, Barry’s son, joined the business and today, heads up the Fabrication facilities, Quality and Safety. In 2011, CADCON was awarded ISO 9001-

2008 certification and ISO 3834 Part 3 Welding accreditation, while entering a BBBEE deal. Today, the company is headed by an experienced team of four owner-directors with Managing Director Paul Rebelo driving growth with commercial clients. In 2018, when the ISO Quality Standard changed, CADCON was re-certified to ISO 9001-2015.

220 employees work across four workshops and a paint shop, and the company now fabricates around 600 tons of structural steel each month, delivered through a fleet of own and outsourced trucks. An order book boom has seen CADCON realise a record year for turnover in 2021, and this year is looking promising with many opportunities on the horizon.

“We are a big engine and sometimes it needs time to kickstart

CADCON STEEL CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING

but when it gets going, you have to stand back and admire it,” smiles Rebelo.

“We have great facilities here with automated machinery that prepares all the steel, and boilermakers that put it altogether before it goes through welding, cleaning, and painting.

“When we say we will deliver, we deliver,” he adds.

RECORD BREAKERS CADCON operates a design and construct model, challenging clients in the planning phase to ensure optimal rollout further down the line.

Responsible for some of the country’s most ambitious and heralded structures, this is an organisation steeped in quality. A major automotive parts factory for Thai Summit Group, an intricate data centre for Vantage, a

largescale warehouse for Pepkor, a field hospital in East London, a retail centre in Waterfall City, a stadium roof in Free State, a complicated pedestrian bridge across the M1/M2 highway in Mauritius, and a range of other projects are all part of the strong portfolio which sees CADCON detached from others in terms of capability.

“If its structural steel and we know we can build it, we get involved wherever we can,” says Rebelo.

“Whatever we install on site, we will have fabricated ourselves. If there is architectural work, we are happy to get involved – if there is a feature roof in a shopping mall or a showroom, we enjoy that kind of work.”

Currently, CADCON is busy demonstrating not only its quality capability but also its

scalability, working at the Eastport Logistics Park in Gauteng.

“We are busy with a warehouse for Pick n Pay - 3620 tons of steel and an aggressive timeline,” says Rebelo. “We handled all of the steel work for that structure. That is some achievement as the weight of the sheet, combined with the elements on the roof, make it a very challenging job – it was a feather in the cap of the South African construction industry in terms of what we can achieve.”

Guinness World Records came to the site to inspect the roof which was measured as the longest roof span covered by a single metal sheet at more than 280m, making CADCON part of an energetic, record-breaking team, smashing the previous standard by more than 80m.

Pick n Pay Warehouse

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: CONSTRUCTION

The company has taken this energy into other industries, applying its ethos of quality delivery combined with innovation to produce another flagship project.

“We are involved with a number of structures on solar farms,” details Rebelo. “Right now, we are fabricating structures for a CSP plant with a 254m tall tower, and all the mirrors reflect to the focal point. We are involved with the balance of plant and that is two massive tanks that hold the molten product. We are spanning the tanks with two 50m long structure which are supported on concrete plinths and holds all the pumps, mixers, and other equipment.

It’s around 1000 tons of steel for us and it’s very good to get involved in these types of projects as they don’t come around often. The last time there was a project like this in South Africa, we were also involved so I think we are seen as the go-to steel fabricators when

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it comes to something which is out of the ordinary and a bit of a challenge.”

Work like this is not an out-of-thebox solution and requires ongoing communication through an iterative process to come to an agreement with a client. Highlighting its experience and knowledge in the industry, CADCON is happy to challenge clients to adapt and advance plans for peak performance. “This is great,” says Rebelo “as when the project gets the go ahead, we are already involved.”

AFRICAN EXPANSION With success ongoing in South Africa, and a construction industry expecting to realise a 9.1% boom in real terms

in 2022, CADCON is confident in its pipeline in SA. With three big projects already secured, totalling 2500 tons, the company’s workshops will remain busy. Work in the commercial space will continue to dominate CADCON’s order book, with Rebelo suggesting ambition to work on an upcoming concert arena project. But outside of South Africa, development in the mining industry is important.

North of the borders, there remains major opportunity as a developing African continent searches for proven understanding of operating on the continent. Having worked successfully in Mauritius, Mozambique, Cameroon, and more,

// STEEL IS STEEL AND WE DON’T COMPROMISE STANDARDS KNOWING THAT SOMETHING WILL GO TO A SMALLER CLIENT //

CADCON STEEL CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING

// I THINK WE ARE SEEN AS THE GO-TO STEEL FABRICATORS WHEN IT COMES TO SOMETHING WHICH IS OUT OF THE ORDINARY AND A BIT OF A CHALLENGE // CADCON boasts an African portfolio and is actively looking to participate in projects where it can add value.

“If it is a South African contractor that we know, we feel a lot more comfortable going into Africa with a blue-chip client like a WBHO or Raubex. As long as that relationship is there, we have certainty,” Rebelo

says, hinting at a different set of challenges faced across the various geographies on the continent.

“We are exploring central and sub-Saharan regions where there is a lot of mining activity. We are looking at opportunities on the commercial side with mining facilities. It comes down to relationships and we know those who are involved. There are engineers that we know here who are involved there, they know what we can do, and they ask us to venture in with them. It is sustainable type work and whether you fabricate for commercial or mining it is ultimately the same thing, maybe with some more stringent quality control.

Steel is steel and we don’t compromise standards knowing that something will go to a smaller client. We put as much effort into our steel whether it is going into a petrochemical plant

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or a commercial shopping centre.”

This reputational advantage is something that is built beyond marketing budgets. It is about personal relationships and recognition of quality derived from informal discussions and teamwork. Without this, it would take CADCON much longer to underline its credentials in Africa. According to Forbes, personal relationships in business are more important than ever and help to build trust in brands. For Rebelo, the company is already a leader in structural steel and this is and will be, in part, down to positive relationships.

“We are keen to explore mining,” he reiterates. “We know that there is work outside of South Africa in the mining industry and there will be spin offs from those opportunities.

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: CONSTRUCTION

- are very familiar with what we do. If we can further build a reputation with the mining houses, then we will be in a good space. At the beginning of the year, we worked in the petrochemical industry for the first time, with a supply only contract. We saw an opportunity and there have been numerous enquiries coming in since then.”

NO SLOWDOWN For many in construction, the start of 2020 was problematic as the pandemic created previously unimaginable challenges. Uncertainty was the only certainty and, with sites shut, many were forced to sweat it out, or close.

Stats SA suggested that the industry could contract by almost 15% during the initial period of lockdown.

But CADCON was able to call on more than three decades of experience,

riding waves in South Africa’s traditionally turbulent economy. The company was quick to act and nimble in its approach. There was not a major slowdown and the only real challenges came through the supply of material.

“ArcelorMittal shut down and when they brought the furnace back online, there was an internal problem – that impacted our ability to perform,” says Rebelo, highlighting a large expansion project with a major automaker in South Africa.

“When we started drawings, we went to market and asked for availability, then there were closures and non-committal sentiment, and it was painful. We were trying to move forward with an aggressive timeline but taking two steps forward and one step back. Choosing different products adds time as you have to go back to

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design to see if it will work and then you have to change the designs. It was frustrating but material availability is much better now. However, we are still having to import material into this country as there is no real demand for the sizes we are looking at.”

During the first five weeks of lockdown, the company’s offices and workshops were closed and the team worked remotely. At that time, CADCON remained active in its pursuit of work.

“We continued to bid and we landed three contracts,” smiles Rebelo.

The result of this dedication and focus was a robust project base which others could not fulfil. CADCON ended its financial year 21 at the end of October breaking records yet again, this time in turnover.

“We were fortunate to have two big projects at the time and they were fast tracked, accelerator projects, but we did have record turnover even with restrictions,” details Rebelo.

2022 will likely follow on the same successful route but slightly lower in terms of turnover as new projects come on stream.

HANDS ON In the future, CADCON is setting itself for market-leading, industry domination, where others are not viewed in the same tier based on quality, delivery, and size. To do this, the company employs a top-down approach to work, where all are intrinsically involved in the success of the business.

“What sets us apart from our competitors is that we are four directors that own the business.

We are all hands on - we don’t sit away from the business and let it run itself. Without this approach, the business will fail,” confirms Rebelo.

“There is certainty in delivery with CADCON and that is what a lot of our clients appreciate. We ensure we have a buffer of material in the workshops. Clients appreciate this about us and enjoy the conversations we bring around design.”

CADCON STEEL CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING

// WE HAVE DONE A NUMBER OF DATA CENTRES AND WAREHOUSES OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, BUT CERTAINLY IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, THE DEMAND HAS BEEN HUGE // He explains that, as part of the solar project the company was involved with recently, some big steel sections were not available in South Africa, and would take time to import. Instead of further delaying the project, CADCON manufactured these parts locally from plate. With modern machinery, and quality draughtsmen, this was a unique solution that could not have been achieved by others.

Right now, there are no plans in the place for physical expansion with more facilities. The company’s capacity is providing room for growth without the need for additional capex.

Rebelo and team are consolidating on what is currently a buoyant business, being highly selective over which projects are bid on, choosing only the best clients with exciting jobs.

Before CADCON, Rebelo was with Kentz, which became part of SNC Lavalin. Working on the Medupi Power Plant project, he was aware of CADCON’s quality reputation and this was enhanced as new standards were driven throughout the mammoth development.

“It became a game changer in South Africa in terms of quality of workmanship,” he remembers. “It brought European norms and there was a lot of quality and welding techniques that were accredited to EN specs. Today, when the guys clean the steel, that culture is still seen today. We have to tell the guys to not overclean as they have

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such a high standard around what they want to see. It’s a good culture to have.”

This culture continues to bring enquiries for the business and, as well as African ambitions, CADCON is excited about its opportunities in the tech sector, with high-spec data centres.

“A lot of it has come around because of Covid,” Rebelo explains.

“Covid has changed the dynamic around how people do business. A lot of people are now virtual and that consumes data. In the past three or four years, we have seen a lot of data centres going up. On the other side, there is a lot of online purchasing and that requires big storage facilities that you must be able to manage in order to get goods from supplier to the customer as soon as possible. We have done a number of data centres and warehouses over the last ten years, but certainly in the

past four years, the demand has been huge and we expect that to continue.”

Usually funded by major international technology and communications organisations, construction of data centres is only trusted to the very best. With intense specifications around thermal dynamics, structural integrity, security, and climatic protection, a data centre is far from a ‘regular job’.

Thankfully, CADCON’s ability is clear for all to see, and the management team is clear in its value: “With CADCON, certainty of delivery is a definite,” Rebelo concludes.

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MAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS

Engineering Energy Transition

Across Southern Africa PRODUCTION: Eleanor Sarbutt-King

MAN Energy Solutions SA is the local arm of the global engineering entity responsible for converting energy into sustainable progress and prosperity. Manufacturing and servicing energy equipment, and providing industry-leading technical support, this is a company paving the way for a greener future across all heavy industry. Managing Director, Chris Meyer tells Enterprise Africa more about the company’s journey through an exciting few years. www.enterprise-africa.net / 15

INDUSTRY FOCUS: ENGINEERING

Chris Meyer - Managing Director

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In one of South Africa’s industrial heartlands, Vanderbijlpark, a significant global player has expanded its provision for the sub-Saharan African market. MAN Energy Solutions SA – the local arm of the global powerhouse owned by VW – is a world leading supplier of innovative technology in greenhouse gas emission reduction, power generation turbines, technical expertise and more. In southern Africa, the company

// IT IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT MATTERS AND WE REALLY FEEL THAT WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE // 16 / www.enterprise-africa.net

is a key contributor to mining, energy, marine, process industries, petrochemicals, sugar refineries, ash plants, paper and pulp, and more.

From Vanderbijlpark, named after electrical engineer and industrialist Hendrik van der Bijl, MAN Energy Solutions is showing what is possible when global expertise is combined with local knowhow.

Previously recognised as an engine specialist in the market for trucks and buses running on diesel, MAN has been reorganised and rebranded to ensure its core offering is first and foremost in the minds of clients.

EFFICIENCY FOCUSSED “Our entire business, MAN Energy Solutions Global - with 14,000 people - is focussed on climate change abatement through technological innovation in the energy and efficiency

sphere,” says Chris Meyer, Managing Director, MAN Energy Solutions sub-Saharan Africa. “MAN Energy Solutions is focused on greenhouse gas abatement technologies, sequestration, carbon capture, power storage, hydrogen production etc. It is a completely different field from Truck and Bus and, from a responsibility point of view, it is really something that matters and we really feel that we are making a difference.

“When you start sharing some of the capabilities and technologies, and our ability to reengineer, you see people’s eye light up.”

MAN, as a global entity, dates back more than two and a half centuries, originally established in Germany as a heavy industry specialist. Today, MAN Energy Solutions has more than 120 sites around the world and is targeting ongoing leadership status in decarbonisation and carbon neutrality.

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, MAN Energy Solutions has been busy building a project pipeline in South Africa that will keep it busy with major clients into the future.

For Meyer, who joined the company in February 2020 just as the Covid storm was brewing, progress has been impressive.

“It was an interesting time to start,” he smiles. “The key thing that MAN did well before was to focus on ‘repairing the roof while the sun was shining’. A lot of the bottom-line optimisation initiatives were already ticked off, launched, or at least existent. From there, it was very easy to transition that to an executable strategy.”

Part of the strategic reorganisation was to restructure, reallocate and transition employees to new roles and thereby reducing the overall impact on employees. This also enabled a minimal impact to job security through more effective vehicles such as grandfathering certain positions and leveraging natural attrition.

The company was able to continue working despite the challenges in

MAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS

the economy. Thanks to integral involvement with clients at foundational level, the company continued to receive repeat orders before seeing a quick turnaround through 2021.

“We certainly adopted a responsibility for our people,” says Meyer, who only took the reins as Managing Director in July 2020.

“From an incoming work perspective, we had a lot of repeat customers and that gave us a solid foundation.

Growth in our industry during that period was really tough.

“2020 was hard. In 2021, we saw a clear transition in the business and we did exceptionally well, even against pre-Covid standards. There were a lot of things that went into the mix from a strategic point of view. We had a clear strategy for sub-Saharan Africa and we executed on that strategy,” he adds.

// WHEN YOU START SHARING SOME OF THE CAPABILITIES AND TECHNOLOGIES, AND OUR ABILITY TO REENGINEER, YOU SEE PEOPLE’S EYE LIGHT UP // LOCAL PRODUCTIVITY In South Africa, MAN Energy Solutions has a footprint covering the entire nation with offices and workshops in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban.

The company’s key offerings are split between three divisions: Industry, Power, and Marine with each offering a unique and comprehensive service backed by unrivalled technical quality.

Previously, the company’s Power and Industry divisions were managed from dual sites in Johannesburg and Vanderbijlpark, with costly logistics connecting the two and a lack of

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synergistic cooperation. In 2020, planning started to consolidate the two sites, moving all activity to Vanderbijlpark while investing heavily in capability to bring the site up to a new standard of excellence. MAN invested around R90 million citing savings made at the Johannesburg site and connecting the two as key in the financial decision.

“This process offered us significant enhancements in the business,” says Meyer, reminding that Marine Propulsion continued to be spearheaded out of Cape

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: ENGINEERING

Town and Namibia, and workshops in Durban remained unaffected.

“We don’t just supply but we service and manufacture from a local content point of view. A lot of focus went into asking ourselves what technologies we should have that could give us enhanced capability that is marketable immediately. We also looked at what constraints are in the business from a capacity point of view, and what technologies could free up capacity in the workforce,” Meyer adds.

With a renewed focus and streamlined strategy fuelled by enhancements in Vanderbijlpark, MAN Energy Solutions has started work on a number of major multi-million Rand projects for blue chip clients.

A recently completed project for Mondi in Richards Bay saw the company overhaul an aging turbine bringing new life and capacity to operations,

for which MAN Energy Solutions received great praise from the client.

“It was a significant project, lasting around six months with a lot of interesting challenges. There were a lot of curve balls during the outage. It was a nice project which started small and predictable, but as we opened up the scope grew immensely. There was fantastic customer engagement – they were facing significant costings importing electricity from the grid opposed to generating it themselves.

Every step of the way, we took them with us. We committed to getting them back to original performance as this machine had lost around 15% of its original capability. In testing, we could see that our work had achieved this target and more,” highlights Meyer.

Other exciting projects include overhauling barrel compressors at BP in Angola, despatching a new gas turbine

for the TotalEnergies refinery in Congo, and work on the main air compressor rotors and oxygen rotors – where one rotor has 40 MW propulsion - at the Air Liquide liquefication plant in Secunda.

Also in Secunda, for Sasol, MAN Energy Solutions is busy manufacturing new diffuser sets for a third-party machine where there are 16 trains involved. This again showcases the unrivalled capability at complex reengineering where customer get the benefit of the latest technological engineering coupled with reduced cost over OEM components. For this to be successful we ensure integrity remains at the forefront of our work and we stand by our solutions. A third party solutions provider with OEM capability and backing.

Expanding beyond southern Continues on page 20

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• Cement and mineral milling drive trains including; • Combiflex type dual drive self-aligning gearboxes; • vertical spindle mill gearboxes; • girth gear design and manufacturing; • high purity filtration design and manufacturing

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: ENGINEERING

Continued from page 18 Africa, the company recently picked up a contract for work in Mauritius, where the power system is very different, tapping into the private sector for additional capacity.

“We recently went to Mauritius to meet with representatives for sugar mills. In Mauritius, they have numerous refineries or gas engines across the country that tie into the central grid. This means the sugar mills are incentivised for generating electricity and we are looking at how we can assist there. We have secured our first job there for September and we are also hoping to expand our footprint at Sasol during the shutdown period in September,” details Meyer.

“For another major OEM, we are manufacturing many blades to be used in Eskom projects with the major delivery taking place during the second and third quarter of this year.

Internally, we procured additional

20 / www.enterprise-africa.net

large blade manufacturing machinery which enables us to increase our large blade – up to 1.4 meters – by 25%. We are automating and transitioning to configuration management technology.

A lot of our lathes and boring mills are being included to give us better quality, wider application, and more effective use for our staff,” he adds.

FUTURE PROOFING After a period of upheaval - including restructure, rebrand, investment, and a global pandemic – MAN Energy Solutions and Chris Meyer are planning for a sustainable future, with the company improving its local credentials while partnering with those with shared values.

Just two years ago, the company was faced with a challenge around improvement of its BBBEE status.

Quickly and efficiently, work has been done to address the situation.

“In August 2020, we were still a Level 5 contributor but by March 21,

we moved up to a Level 2 which is substantial. We are busy with more plans to solidify this and eventually get to a Level 1 by no later than 2024.

From a supply chain and business partner point of view, that is key for us,” says Meyer. “We must collaborate with responsible contributors to the South African economy. It must also be backed up by technical capability as quality is first and foremost for us.”

In the past two and a half years, MAN Energy Solutions has improved industry leading quality achievement by an additional 300%, a zero-harm focus has led to an improved safety performance of 700%. “This, coupled with an increase in utilisation, is an excellent achievement and I am extremely proud of what the team has achieved. We are shifting the standards and expectations in what we expect and this flows over to our contractors as well. We want them to share our values from a Code of Conduct point of view,” says Meyer.

MAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS

// MAN AS A COMPANY IS FOCUSSED ON GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION AND ABATEMENT TECHNOLOGIES // To further enhance its service for clients, the company has also launched Omnicare, an entity focused on servicing and maintenance of third-party machinery. Not typical in the market, this service will allow potential clients with marine propulsion and power generation engines, turbines, compressors, or generators not manufactured by MAN to receive industry-leading inspections, upgrades, or upkeep. “Many other OEMs have withdrawn from aftersales service on some of the older turbine technologies in coal fired power stations and we see this as an opportunity to service existing and new customers,” suggests Meyer.

Intricately involved in the energy

systems in both the private and public sector, MAN Energy Systems is not just another global corporate in South Africa. This is an innovator, and an essential link in turning ideas into power. It serves the communities in which it operates, and it develops the wider economy in the country through the sizeable projects that bring so much opportunity. MAN Energy Solutions is now a name associated with pioneering forward thinking.

“MAN as a company is focussed on greenhouse gas reduction and abatement technologies,” confirms Meyer. “There is a lot of site companies and technologies that we are investing with to consider things like carbon sequestration, power storage solutions beyond conventional self-storage.

We have liquid air energy storage which, from an efficiency point of view, is ground-breaking in the energy storage sector. We are also looking at hydrogen production with the latest PEM technologies with the acquisition of H-Tec systems. We are also optimising our current offerings

to be more efficient, greener, and run on different fuels such as LNG and ammonia in the shipping industry.

“In South Africa, there is a focus on localisation. In Africa this is more and more common where there is a desire to increase the money spent in-country. With our focus, we have the technological capabilities to manufacture highly complex components which are globally accredited locally,” he adds.

Today, from MAN Energy Solutions in Vanderbijlpark, the message is clear: all problems are solvable, and the company can provide the best technical expertise available to clients across all industry sectors. By employing the best people, encouraging them to thrive, and calling on an internationallydeveloped knowledge base, the company is growing. The future is in the making, and MAN is driving the modern energy transition.

WWW.MAN-ES.COM

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CRUSADER LOGISTICS

Crusader Hits Top Gear

on the Journey to Leadership Status PRODUCTION: Eleanor Sarbutt-King

Moving precious cargo around South Africa, Crusader Logistics is a trusted partner of high-profile international corporations operating in the country’s challenging environment. After 22 years, this is a company that is reaching the top of the industry through a dedication to quality service. Commercial Director Brett Harris tells Enterprise Africa more about the company’s success to date. www.enterprise-africa.net / 23

INDUSTRY FOCUS: LOGISTICS

Brett Harris - Commercial Director

//

Vast South Africa has 60 million people spread across 1.2 million km2, with growing population density around major metro hubs: Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban. While the trade arteries of the country are often described as woefully inadequate, the country has developed a modern, high-tech, sophisticated logistics industry which continues to serve businesses and the public with innovative solutions.

But it’s not easy. Fuel pricing and environmental issues are a major concern. Away from the National Highway system, the road network is uncertain. Congestion around the cities and ports is a real problem. Skilled drivers are hard to find, and expensive.

And the amount of red tape is growing.

Competition is also a problem. The industry is home to around 15,000 fleets with five or more trucks, and 3100 other companies also active in transport.

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Stuart Roos - Managing Director

And when you factor in floods, riots, a pandemic, and a global energy transition - the industry is facing challenges like never before.

Demand remains high and the country’s transport and logistics sector must continue to provide high quality service. Thankfully, there are expert operators that are overcoming each new challenge with innovative solutions. To keep business moving, it pays to partner with the best.

INDUSTRY LEADER Crusader Logistics has been delivering excellence in SA for 22 years. Established

by Stuart Roos and Brett Harris, the company has grown significantly to become an industry-leader, home to a fantastic fleet, highly-trained drivers, world-class warehousing and storage facilities, and a mindset fixed on client satisfaction.

According to Harris, the company

is on a growth journey, despite industry challenges – and is investigating new facilities, new market sectors, and new opportunities in new regions. Inland from its Durban headquarters, the company sees significant opportunities as port activity spills over and new, future-proofed ventures are required.

// THE AREA AROUND CATO RIDGE AND HAMMARSDALE HAS BEEN TOUTED AS THE NEW INLAND DRY PORT FOR DURBAN BECAUSE OF THE HARBOUR AND PORT ITSELF IS SO CONGESTED //

CRUSADER LOGISTICS

“The area around Cato Ridge and Hammarsdale has been touted as the new inland dry port for Durban because the harbour and port itself is so congested,” Harris tells Enterprise Africa. “It has reached a bottleneck stage where there is no room for expansion. They want an inland port where they can turn containers around and speed that process up. The logistics requirement in that area is going to skyrocket. In fact, it has already started.”

Crusader has a warehouse and a linehaul depot in the area and is unpacking away from the port, using smaller vehicles to distribute locally, and offering savings to clients.

“There is a lot of infrastructure going into those areas, with the main arterial roads – the N3 – receiving big developments. You need that infrastructure in place to be able to handle the increased traffic, bigger vehicles, warehouses and logistic hubs that we see that area accommodating.

It will be great for the local area as it will create jobs, with many companies opening, and everybody benefitting,” highlights Harris.

Crusader has joined the Hammarsdale Cato Ridge Development Association, formed in 2020 by 16 member firms (now 48) to drive socioeconomic development in the region, promoting investment and opportunity across eThekwini Municipality.

“The group looks at security, conservation, social upliftment, business development and many other factors, trying to bring community and business together,” details Harris, adding that partnerships and transparency are key to building long-term prosperity, and is part of the ethos at the heart of Crusader.

GLOBALLY CERTIFIED The company’s facility at Cato Ridge is one of the country’s finest, boasting several international

quality certifications that allow for the specialist handling of a range of different products.

“The facility is British Retail Consortium (BRC) accredited and has received strong audit passes from YUM! (American food safety auditing program), BRCGS (Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards), and PPECB (Perishable Product Export Control Board) certification assessments. We believe it is currently the only facility in the country with all these accreditations, and that allows us to offer food grade clients with professional storage, quality control, and everything that comes with that,” says Harris.

The company is relatively new in the food handling space but is very excited about future prospects.

For this reason, high-quality foodgrade warehousing and distribution is now available from Pomona, Johannesburg; Logra Park, Cato

Sydney Road Warehouse Front

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: LOGISTICS

Ridge; and Sydney Rd, Durban.

“We only got into that two years ago and we are still growing.

We are confident that we could take this to other centres around the country including Cape Town and Johannesburg,” explains Harris.

He adds that the Crusader site in Johannesburg will soon be upgraded, with the company moving from 13,500m2 split across two warehouses, to a brand-new, custom built 18,500m2 under roof space. “We will be a partner as a shareholder alongside the developer. The site will have three floors of offices, a specialised multi compartment HAZ-store facility, truck wash bay – with rainwater harvesting – and state-of-the-art solar system with

Inside of Sydney Road Warehouse

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backup power to reduce dependence on the flailing State electricity provider.

With the price coming down and the quality improving, it really does makes sense to invest in these systems.

Initiatives like this – with displays of commitment to South Africa and local industry development – demonstrate the Crusader Logistics philosophy of ‘delivering excellence’ and help set the company apart when it comes to problem solving.

BUMPS IN THE ROAD Key in Crusader’s ability to meet modern challenges head on is its capacity for quick decision making.

The company has retained a flat structure and can take important

choices in hours rather than weeks.

This nimble culture, driven by Roos and Harris, has seen Crusader Logistics thrive while others have crashed.

“The transport sector has become increasingly competitive,” admits Harris. “Risks have increased and it’s no secret that crime and maintenance of infrastructure is an issue in this country.

We have challenges on the roads, and it is very competitive with corporates being traditionally price givers and not price takers. It’s an industry where you battle to dictate the price at which it is viable for you to perform on services. If you want to be compliant and professional, it is becoming more difficult to do so at the price that the market expects. This industry, like

CRUSADER LOGISTICS

most, has become a lot more tied down in paperwork. There is a lot more accreditation and compliancy that is required. There are so many things that you now must have in order.

“We have recently restructured our entire line-haul department and we have put more resources into local distribution because the margins are higher and there is less risk involved.

The rates are more viable with local distribution because it is more of a value-add to your warehousing services than a separate service on its own.”

The company has 16,000m2 under roof at its facility in Durban.

From there, the focus is mainly on packaging, beverage and retail goods.

But diversification and expansion

continues with new industry sectors being successfully targeted.

“We have recently moved heavily into the automotive industry where we are now storing vehicle components and parts, ultimately destined for Ford, Toyota, VW and other high-end vehicle manufacturers,” says Harris of the exciting new developments.

Traditionally, plastic packaging has been the nature of the business, with line haul and warehousing focussed on this sector, with items like milk cartons, yoghurt containers, margarine tubs, and other food grade plastic packaging materials making up volumes. But Crusader’s strategic location at the port makes it an ideal partner for importers and exporters.

“We are in Zone 1 at the Port of Durban which is an incredibly handy location and in huge demand in terms of warehousing space. We handle a lot of port work and we do a lot of container unpacks because of our location,” details Harris, adding that the company’s fleet is also attractive for potential clients.

“We are proud to have industry leaders in terms of the trucks we use – Mercedes and Scania. They have excellent fuel consumption, and complement our strong driver management and training to ensure our drivers better themselves in their chosen profession.”

Congestion in the big cities has contributed to an increase in emissions

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: LOGISTICS

// TO BE TRULY NATIONAL, YOU MUST BE IN JOHANNESBURG, CAPE TOWN AND DURBAN // from the country’s truck fleets with many unable to reach optimum speeds and reducing fuel consumption efficiency. Crusader ensures its operation is as effective as possible for both environmental and cost reasons.

From the potential of solar, to the most modern fleet, to a total recycling solution, the company is heavily active on the sustainability front.

“In transport and logistics, we are a prime target for green advocates because we run trucks that consume diesel and produce emissions and we have large warehouses with lights and generators. The industry also

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traditionally generates a lot of waste.

We have contracts with recycling companies whereby they collect our waste and we earn rebates.”

This mindset around quality and constant improvement will see the company grow over the coming years, building on a strong footprint that already sees it venturing into Botswana. Expanding further in South Africa, covering the final part of the map, Crusader hopes to take on the Western Cape, partnering with strong clients to provide wholistic coverage.

“In 2024, we want to open in Cape Town where we don’t have a

footprint. To be truly national, you must be in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) is another option with more freight going through the port with congestion at Durban – that is an area where we could potentially develop a footprint. Certainly, on a national level, we are looking to build a footprint,” confirms Harris.

“There are even opportunities further afield in Mozambique and Kenya.”

UPPING INTENSITY Two years ago, the company invested in a makeover which has helped it gain traction in the market, professionalising the company’s brand and helping it move quickly on its journey from medium to large business. At the

CRUSADER LOGISTICS

// WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE UPWARD DEVELOPMENT IN STAFF AND WE VALUE THEIR ABILITY TO LIVE THE BRAND // same time, Crusader has avoided becoming heavy and corporate, and has maintained its agility.

“We have seen very good growth over the past five years,” says Harris.

“There is a lot that we have done to ratify our position in the marketplace and gain visibility. A lot of our competitors have large boards or overseas holdings companies, and decisions take weeks and months.

We sit around a table with a client and make a decision as they ask a question. That gives us a competitive edge when it comes to custom making solutions for our clients.”

Much-loved by clients, many

of which are high-profile corporate and international organisations, the Crusader strategy is also felt internally and there is a family culture which sees promotions sought from within.

“We do not have high staff turnover and we like to try and grow people internally. We like to see progression; we have seen people start in reception and now head up admin teams, our finance manager has worked with Stuart for over 20 years, our HR manager was trained in house 15 years ago. One of our current drivers in the linehaul team started out as a truck washer. We always encourage upward development in staff and we value their

ability to live the brand,” states Harris.

Clearly, Crusader Logistics has become an industry leader. With Roos always pushing for more, and with teams in the warehouses and on the roads working to the highest standards, clients can trust that Crusader has what it takes to stay one step ahead of the rest.

But this is not a business that is looking to be the biggest. The single desire of Crusader is to provide service of the highest quality. Right now, this is being achieved and the company has its foot on the accelerator as it heads for pole position in South Africa’s competitive logistics sector, overcoming each hurdle without collision.

CRUSADERLOGISTICS.CO.ZA

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PROBE IMT Technology, People and Processes

Transform Mining Landscape PRODUCTION: James Davey & Probe IMT

A leading provider in the mining, construction, agriculture, marine and industrial sectors in Southern Africa and Africa, Probe IMT has built a reputation on a comprehensive range of premium OEM products and integrated solutions to enhance productivity and safety. Investing in technologies to make traditional processes smarter, Probe IMT has entailed a clear focus on digitisation, as the business swells into new geographic regions and crucial renewable areas.

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: MINING

//

Part of the wider Probe Group Holdings, the Probe Mining Group was established in 1963 through a process of consolidating Probe’s mining-orientated businesses.

Since 1969 Probe Integrated Mining Technologies (PIMT) has been the arm tasked with supplying a comprehensive range of premium products of all key OEM auto-electrical manufacturers for the heavy-duty automotive, mining and construction industries.

The Probe Group comprises four divisions of automotive, energy, industrial and mining, and each has a range of products pertaining to the mining industry which Probe IMT is positioned to deliver to clients.

Currently around 30% of these are Probe products, with the remainder focused solutions for safety and productivity, including real-time monitoring, Collision Avoidance Systems (CAS) and fleet management.

“We are part of the larger Probe Group, but we run independently,” clarifies CEO Gert J. Roselt, with Probe IMT’s more than 350 employees now operational from 20 locations across Southern Africa and revenues

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topping R900 million. “From coal to copper to platinum, we serve a wide range of Tier 1 to Tier 3 mines, with clients right from small contractor start-ups in the Northern Cape to major multinational mining operations, across the continent and abroad.”

DIGITAL EXPLORATIONS “We serve the agricultural industry and industrial sector with a range of solutions,” Roselt details of Probe IMT’s wide-reaching value-added and cost-saving services. “We sell a full solution, not just a product, and this requires constant maintenance and support which our expert teams are on hand to provide.”

At present, most widely deployed across customer operations from the vast Probe IMT range is its asset management systems, which are

built to include the suite of real-time monitoring products and solutions, from a combination of leading local and global brands in M3SH and Wabtec. While more traditional offerings are still pivotal within the mining industry, Roselt agrees, there is one segment that is receiving particular attention and investment from this technological leader.

“Digital solutions incorporating real-time monitoring is the major growth area,” Roselt reveals. “Essentially, we are making traditional equipment smarter with technology; these days it is possible to have sensors on every type of asset in a mine - including people. We’re using live data to improve mining, and we share this with the University of Stellenbosch and the CSIR. “Our investment in new Continues on page 34

// WE HAVE EARNED A REPUTATION IN THE INDUSTRY THAT WE WILL BE THERE THROUGH THICK AND THIN, DOING OUR UTMOST TO SET CUSTOMERS UP FOR SUCCESS //

PROBE IMT

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: MINING

Continued from page 32 technologies delivers secure and out-ofthe-box solutions, including uptime and remote monitoring, for a more efficient and accurate exploration of operations,” Roselt continues - “We capitalise on the potential of technologies, including the Internet of Things (IOT), big data and cloud computing to transform operations, better positioning mines to be able to address resource challenges and environmental pressures moving forward.

“Our intelligent systems combine technology, people, and processes to enable feedback loops, defining an organisation’s competitiveness and ability to change the industry landscape. These technologies are not something that one can chop and change easily, so we find ourselves building truly long-term relationships - contracts exceeding 25 years, in some instances.”

An evolved mining organisation,

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focused on social, environmental, and economic sustainability guidance, Probe IMT also partners with the Mandela Mining Precinct on The Real-Time Information Management Systems (RTIMS) research programme, to improve data sourcing, transmission, storage, dissemination, and procedures for mines.

“We are clear about where we fit in the value chain, which is in the real-time monitoring space,” Roselt is keen to stress. “We provide and maintain the sensors, installation, cabling, and server integration to produce the right data for IT systems and Artificial Intelligence, ensuring system availability is 98% and above, so that the real-time information is accurate to facilitate decision-making.”

GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES “We are working to improve traditional processes and equipment to make them smarter and have them running on cleaner energies,” says Roselt. “The right information translates into huge cost

savings in a mine environment - a M3SH sensor on a machine picks up air quality, for instance, and decisions can be made to increase or reduce fan speed, saving power and securing carbon tax rebates while sensors monitor where people are and ensures that the lights are on only when needed.”

These efficiencies are paramount at a time when ESG pressure on mines has surely never been greater, and Roselt details what this means for Probe IMT’s diverse growth aspirations.

“We are focused on making worldclass renewable energy solutions accessible in Southern Africa, helping mining and industrial users to revolutionise their energy sources,” he states.

“There is a huge need in the market for high quality yet affordable energy solutions, and with the strength and innovation of Probenergy behind us, we see growth opportunities in providing smart renewable energy solutions for mining and

PROBE IMT

other industrial sectors.”

As it multiplies the offering at its existing branches throughout Southern Africa, Roselt also clearly envisages significant expansion into new geographic regions for Probe IMT. “In Africa, we have offices in Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia, and as we expand on the continent, we are determined to establish local offices and work with local partners.”

An ITP agreement with Wabtec has opened avenues for Probe IMT to go into Europe right up to Finland while M3SH has provided a springboard for international expansion into Canada.

“Our business is all about solving challenges for mining operations, driving productivity and safety, and we are excited about future growth prospects. The Covid-19 pandemic has only escalated the uptake of electric vehicles and need for advanced batteries and energy storage, and the demand for

minerals and commodities used in manufacturing is surging globally. Big global companies from Australia are setting up in Botswana, and in Kleinsee, eight new mining licences have just been granted for copper and gold.

“There is extensive investment underway which provides a growth opportunity fully aligned with our global growth strategy.”

Having been in the space for so many years, Probe IMT has exactly the experience and expertise to truly futureproof operations, growing market share in Southern Africa and continuing to expand through Africa while securing a strong foothold across Europe and Canada. “You must have the right quality as well as the latest technology, and the service and maintenance resources and expertise to back it up,” Roselt summarises.

“We’re focused on solving challenges the mining industry faces, through ensuring we access the best technologies and develop innovative

// OUR BUSINESS IS ALL ABOUT SOLVING CHALLENGES FOR MINING OPERATIONS, DRIVING PRODUCTIVITY AND SAFETY // solutions for Africa’s problems like energy security. We have earned a reputation in the industry that we will be there through thick and thin, doing our utmost to set customers up for success. We provide the best quality solutions and make sure that we grow with our customers, locally and internationally.”

Content sponsored by Probe IMT

WWW.IMTMINING.CO.ZA

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LESCO MANUFACTURING

Third-Generation LESCO

Powered by Switch to Local, Inclusive Manufacturing PRODUCTION: Eleanor Sarbutt-King

Light Electrical Switch Company (LESCO) Manufacturing is a South African producer of electrical products, founded specifically to bring employment to those who have traditionally been side-lined or, worse, deemed unemployable. LESCO has enjoyed three generations of growth over more than 60 years due largely to it fierce commitments to inclusivity and remaining local; and both are only set to increase, sets out CEO Jonathan Shapiro. www.enterprise-africa.net / 37

INDUSTRY FOCUS: ELECTRICAL

“The word local is hugely important in the overall LESCO story, and we have adhered unwaveringly to it throughout all three generations to date,” Shapiro stresses. Liquidated in 1994, due largely to the labour issues and strikes that prevailed around large businesses of the epoch, David Shapiro then set out on an entirely different tack. “He is an incredible designer, and all self-taught from the factory floor, and he had the idea to design an assembly plant that could provide work for people living with disabilities, as well as the unskilled and disadvantaged,” Shapiro details of the company’s incredible inception.

Jonathan Shapiro - CEO

//

Founded in 1999 by David Shapiro, LESCO possesses the capacity to produce over half a million innovative electrical products and accessories per month, which it delivers to the entire South African domestic market including all major retailers and electrical wholesalers.

Included in this range are adapters, switches and sockets, multiplugs and USB products, all designed and assembled in an ingenious way designed specifically to use minimal equipment and little to no electricity, resulting in a safe, efficient and highly cost-efficient process where mechanical equipment is preferred.

The Shapiro family has been involved in the electrical industry for three generations, a heritage stemming from Natie Shapiro, in the first instance, almost 65 years ago, and is currently headed by Jonathan Shapiro, CEO. “Our family values have definitely gone from our hearts into our business,” Shapiro opens. “My grandfather

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started a business called Switch King, in 1959, which was primarily a local manufacturer of distribution boards.

They were known as a pioneering business within the industry at the time, with my grandfather and father designing truly innovative products, that were all, crucially, made locally.

UNIQUE APPROACH “If he succeeded in this, with that demographic, he reasoned, then a symbiotic relationship between employer and employee would surely result, whereby each would be equally dependent on the other.”

This would represent the complete antithesis of what David Shapiro had just experienced himself, and serve to markedly redefine the almost universal atmosphere of the time of strikes, threats and unrest.

“The result was that he designed one of the very first two-pin adapters,” Shapiro proudly demonstrates.

“My father innovated the process in such a way that the only assembly

LESCO MANUFACTURING

required was to place a single piece of brass inside the casing. No tool or equipment is required to modify the part to make this happen, and he could thus provide safe work for the staff he intended to employ.”

What resulted was an assembly plant with just a single line, and a hand toggle press, Shapiro details. “He then visited a local home for people living

// THE WORD LOCAL IS HUGELY IMPORTANT TO LESCO AND WE HAVE ADHERED TO IT THROUGHOUT ALL THREE GENERATIONS TO DATE //

with disabilities and offered to install this equipment, and pay the residents to make the product. Of course, they said yes, and in 23 years we have grown from this original product to a catalogue now comprising 48 pages, 95% of whose wares are crafted in our factory using exactly the same process, more than two decades on.”

Since its inception, LESCO has set out to increase job creation for demographics typically side-lined in the past, Shapiro continues. “For us, including people with disabilities is in the DNA of our business. This means that the assembly process was designed for people with disabilities and people who have little or no skill set. As a result, all classes of labour are empowered to assemble a product with great ease. We have successfully taken down all barriers of entry to meaningful employment; we believe that an

enabled society is a sustainable society.”

Last year the Gauteng factory surpassed the 250 million figure in units produced, now closer to 300 million, according to Shapiro, with growth of around 20% over the last two years.

LESCO is a SABS-accredited factory, the award of which Shapiro gives as a key milestone for LESCO and which allows the majority of what it crafts to carry this marking.

LESCO is also ISO 9001-certified as well as having Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (SEDEX) accreditation, increasingly important in allowing suppliers to maintain data on ethical and responsible practices and share this information with their customers.

LOCAL LEADERS “In the market we have had a few local competitors over the years,” Shapiro relates, “but most, if not all have moved

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: ELECTRICAL

their operations outside of south Africa, This means that currently within South Africa, we believe we are the last remaining manufacturer of switches and sockets, adapters and multiplugs, versus 80-90 competitors importing from oversees, resulting in a highly competitive industry,” Shapiro reveals.

“Another big pivot for us was in 2013 when we became one of the first

in the industry to decide to go directly to retail. We saw that suddenly that some of our customers became our competitors, while our distributors started going to China, copying our products and bringing them in by the container load and only were buying from us when there was an issue with their stock on the way.

We realised that it was no longer a

sustainable, safe business model for us.

“It was a major shift as until then something like 60% of our business had been through distributors, but the retailers we approached with our story were incredibly excited to deal with a socially conscious company. Since 2014 we have been listed directly with every single retailer in South Africa.”

More recently, Shapiro goes

VOLTEX - YOUR ELECTRICAL CONNECTION As South Africa’s pre-eminent electrical and lighting distributor, Voltex supplies the widest range of electrical and related products through its vast distribution network strategically located within South Africa. Through this diverse network, Voltex services the agricultural, mining, manufacturing, construction, wholesale, electrical and communication sectors with a variety of products and services. These include, inter alia, energy efficient products and solutions, cable and wire, power generation and optimisation, transmission and distribution, motor control solutions, commercial, industrial and residential lighting applications and a host of other highly specialised products and services. “Lesco has been a long-standing channel partner of Voltex with their supply of locally made circuit breakers, light switches and plug sockets.. Numerous housing projects have been completed using their various ranges of products. Voltex values the relationship we have with the management and sales staff of Lesco.” said Ahmed Baig, Managing Director of Voltex Wholesale Division and Atlas Cables.

For more information, visit us at https://www.voltex.co.za/ Find you nearest Voltex branch by using the following link: https://www.voltex.co.za/branch_locator

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LESCO MANUFACTURING

on, LESCO has commenced joint ventures to contract manufacture under other brands. We have a special projects division, in a relatively new factory, and just a few weeks ago we were awarded another significant contract, to start in December.

“In the next six months, we are embarking on something truly transformative,” Shapiro divulges. “We are in the process of finalising the design of a semi-automated production plant where people with disabilities work hand-in-hand with semi-robotics and automation, to triple our capacity in what is still a very safe environment.”

These will be central to sustaining the growth that LESCO has achieved at a time when it has been so difficult to come by for so many, while retaining every ounce of its founding ethos.

“Globally, Covid was actually very

beneficial for hardware sales, which saw a 32% total rise,” Shapiro adds of LESCO’s success during such challenging time.

“Where we may have benefitted even more than others is by being local and having stock in-country, which has led to our having had two very strong years of trading, unexpectedly.”

Ultimately, it all comes back to the power of local for LESCO, which combined with its rare insistence on inclusivity and family focus has helped it achieve the rare feat of surviving and thriving through three full generations.

“It is becoming increasingly apparent that manufacturing in-country is a far safer bet,” Shapiro opines. “Local manufacturing also represents one significant answer to unemployment.

It is the heartbeat of any country, and the conversation now needs to happen seriously regarding this

very real job creation component.

“There is currently around 70% local content in our products, which is far more than anyone else, and we are now looking to complete our vertical integration strategy within the next year,” Shapiro rounds off. “This means that every single part that we use would be manufactured locally, which will additionally alleviate the supply chain constraints that have drastically worsened this year. This will enable us to remain a preferred and trusted supplier, a brand of safe and high-quality electrical products, a lucrative employment opportunity and a driver of sustainable change for many generations to come.”

WWW.LESCOSK.COM

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Andre Gouws - Managing Director

INTAPROP

Oxford Parks Perfectly Located

to Connect Rosebank and Illovo PRODUCTION: Eleanor Sarbutt-King

A leading property developer and investment business, Intaprop is transforming and modernising Rosebank, north of Johannesburg as it drives their Oxford Parks development. According to Managing Director, Andre Gouws, it is the vision of the Intaprop team, combined with persistency and industry knowledge, that allows this forward-thinking company to thrive.

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: PROPERTY

//

Holistic property development is so much more than constructing a building, cutting a ribbon, and moving on to the next project. A mix of skills and expertise is required, and the physical construction is just one ingredient in a larger and much more complex recipe. To create something truly special, lasting, and sustainable, real industry knowledge is essential – there are no shortcuts.

At Intaprop, Managing Director, Andre Gouws and his team knows this only too well. Joining the company in 2003, coming from an accountancy background, he was quickly immersed in the industry and began a learning journey which continues to this day.

When one of the original founders exited the business in 2008, Gouws was promoted and took the reins at the top of this development and investment

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business. Set on filling the big shoes that had been left behind, he knew he would have to surround himself with levels of expertise across different disciplines to compete in an industry with many veteran players. Quickly, he built a team made up of financial, legal, and town planning proficiency, and solidified partnerships with longstanding professional consultants, financiers, real estate and construction firms. The result was an acceleration for this 32-year-old business, taking a strong position in the market, but most importantly delivering value for clients through intense focus on integrity and professionalism.

Today, Intaprop remains privately owned, and continues to focus on precinct development. The company boasts an impressive track record including Oxford Parks, Meadowview Business Estate, Sloane Precinct in

Johannesburg, Riverside in Nelspruit, and various developments for blue chip clients including the likes of Anglo American BP, Life Healthcare, Zurich Insurance, Boston Consulting Group, Sony, Arup, DSV, Premier Foods, Triton Express, Microsoft, Tiger Brands, Standard Bank, and many more.

OFFERING A LIFESTYLE What sets Intaprop apart is its universal approach to projects. Every aspect of a development is carefully considered and designed during planning stages to ensure longevity. “To compete in this market, we have to give clients a reason to choose us. There are other developers and bigger, listed property funds that are much more powerful, with lots of capital. We don’t have that; we only work with our own money and whatever we can borrow,” says Gouws.

“We’ve always believed that we

INTAPROP

have to offer our tenants a lifestyle and not only a space. The lettable space is their premises, but they have to step out of that premises to go home – what does that feel like? What does it look like? That has always been our philosophy – you have to create the precinct and it has to be well-located.”

More than just buildings, Intaprop creates public spaces, roads, pathways, natural spheres, connecting premises and people. The creation of connections and the complete project concept leads to what most can only hope for: environments in which South Africans can truly live, work, and play.

But that vision has shifted in the past two years, with work and play altogether different post-Covid.

Accommodating this new environment while continuing to deliver its signature precinct style, Intaprop – ever the innovator – continues to rethink ideas

and come up with solutions thanks to its deep industry knowhow.

“Public transport comes into the equation, safety and security comes into the equation. Amenities that you offer in the precinct comes into the equation.

Proximity to schools and bigger retail become important. Before we start a land assembly, we look at those things and try to understand why this will be a successful node,” explains Gouws.

Currently demonstrated at the company’s remarkable project in Johannesburg – Oxford Parks – located on Oxford Road between Rosebank and Sandton, Intaprop is focussed on developing an allinclusive system with emphasis on green-star building standards.

OXFORD PARKS The site will eventually connect Rosebank with Illovo and will be

home to 300,000m2 of space – 100,000m2 residential and 200,000m2 commercial including office space, restaurants, retail, cafes, and the amazing new Radisson RED Hotel.

Importantly, Intaprop is developing novel concepts around walking, cycling, greening, and removing the bunker feeling often present in SA, where employees can leave the office and walk onto the street instead of crossing a boom gate.

Currently, Johannesburg is home to more than five million cars, many of which emit noxious gasses into the air. By investing in walkability, Intaprop is displaying its long-term sustainability focus. The company has also been steadfast in its desire to keep as many of the areas trees as possible, and replanting where possible.

“Some of our core skills are around town planning and financial modelling

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: PROPERTY

// THROUGH THE LIFECYCLE OF A PROPERTY, WE HANDLE EVERYTHING FROM IDENTIFYING THE LAND TO REZONING TO DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT // which is what is required to undertake long-term land assemblies,” says Gouws.

“Through the lifecycle of a property, we handle everything from identifying the land to rezoning to development and management of the properties after completion. You must also have a good understanding of the vision of the city and make sure your vision aligns with their macro vision. Therefore, it is very important to us to have a good relationship with council to understand their mindset and policy around what they want to achieve in the city. All that homework has to be done before you embarking on a precinct development.

You must understand your terrain – is there capacity in the electrical grid, is there capacity in the sewer system,

46 / www.enterprise-africa.net

what roads will we have to build. Years ago, those things were handled by the local authorities but typically that is being done by private developers now. You have to factor all of these things into your studies to understand whether your idea is feasible.”

In 2021, Johannesburg’s Mayor committed to its Climate Action Plan (CAP) with various targets set for 2025, 2030, 2040, and 2050, as well as reaffirming commitments to the Paris Climate Agreements set out in 2015. Again, this supports Intaprop’s strategy of holistic development, and encourages collaboration.

“We like to do precinct developments that allow us to manage the public space between buildings,

rather than developing buildings in isolation,” reiterates Gouws. “In South Africa, our local authorities are under pressure and do not perform as well as they should. Therefore, as private developers, you need to create the correct structures such as City Improvement Districts that enable the private sector to manage the public space, whether it’s streetlights, curbs or walkways. Typically, we are talking about cleaning, greening and securing but ultimately it is a lot more than that.”

Right now at Oxford Parks, Intaprop is busy but there remains much scope for the future.

“The last project that we completed in February was an office development for Anglo American.

We have started with another 7,500m2 office development in May, which will be anchored by Boston Consulting Group. Notwithstanding the tough office development Continues on page 48

31565

66 M

55 M

44 M

33 M

22 M

11 M

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

Building long-term partnerships for sustainable business growth.

As part of our commitment to fund sustainable and market-leading property developments, Nedbank CIB is proud to have funded the Oxford Parks precinct development from land at inception, to a landmark with innovative green-rated buildings. Through our long-term partnerships, we continue to support transformational green development projects and in turn, sustainable business growth in the property sector.

CIB@nedbank.co.za

Nedbank Ltd Reg No 1951/000009/06. Licensed financial services and registered credit provider (NCRCP16).

2028

INDUSTRY FOCUS: PROPERTY

// AT THE TIME, THAT PUT US UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE. THERE WAS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY AND WE WERE FACED WITH SUNKEN COSTS AND RUNNING COSTS DESPITE NO WORK ON SITE // Continued from page 46 market, letting has gone well with only 2,500m2 remaining available.

“We are also planning a medical facility which will hopefully start early next year. It is not a hospital, but it is a sub-acute facility and care centre with all the expected amenities. We have not taken this to the market yet, but we expect healthy interest which will allow

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a total development of approximately 10-15,000m2 which will be phased over two or three stages,” Gouws relays.

Property at Oxford Parks will remain under ownership of Intaprop for the time being. To date, only the Radisson RED hotel development has been sold.

“The reason for selling the hotel is that a hotel is a specialised business and we looked for an investor before we started the development. We recognised the indirect benefits that a hotel would bring to the precinct, but it was not something that we were prepared to own. We finalised agreements prior to constructing the hotel and transferred on completion to a hotel investor. If you include the hotel development and developable land, the Oxford Parks investment to date is in excess of R2 billion. So far, we have developed approximately a third of the land under our control,” details Gouws.

FAMILY FEEL As a privately-owned business with limited access to capital markets,

Intaprop is a developer that sells assets from time to time to continue funding future growth. Over the last 30 years, the company has developed approximately R15 billion of property. It sold its industrial and logistics portfolio to a JSE listed property fund in 2015 for R2.3 billion.

“We did well from that transaction which allowed us to recapitalise our business and start the Oxford Parks precinct development,” says Gouws.

Even the Covid-19 pandemic could not halt progress for Intaprop. The company observed all government guidelines and managed to keep progress moving on site without major hiccup.

“It started off very scary,” admits Gouws. “Construction was completely shut down for two months. You need time to close down, and then to reopen, so that lost us weeks before and after the shutdown.

Unfortunately, we had four buildings under construction – three office buildings and the hotel,” he adds.

INTAPROP

“At the time, that put us under a lot of pressure. There was a lot of uncertainty and we were faced with sunken costs and running costs despite no work on site. It had a huge financial impact on our business but luckily, it wasn’t significant enough for us to lose any tenants or significant time. On some of our projects we were able to make up lost time and still completed the projects on time. All of the completed buildings in Oxford Parks are fully let and it has taken only one year after coming back to our office to achieve these results. In a very uncertain market with record low investor confidence, we have done well to get new tenants into new office space when the perception was that everyone will be working from home indefinitely.”

To ensure a robust future plan, Intaprop continues to invest in relationships that have stood the test of time. At Oxford Parks, and across the company’s other major developments, a strong team of professional consultants and a highly motivated contractor have been appointed – often highly familiar

with each other to ensure speedy turnaround. This was proven recently at the development of the Anglo American building which was completed in record time to meet the client’s program.

“Because of the track record we have with our partners, we were able to commit to doing the Anglo development in less than 12 months, including their entire internal fit-out” smiles Gouws. “We are often asked how we got it right and the simple reason is that the team appointed to deliver the project knew each other very well and trusted each other. And, we had to interrogate every program item and challenge it with new ideas and methodologies to save time where possible.”

Asked how Intaprop chooses its partners, Gouws is clear that its is less about cost and more about quality and delivery. Precinct development is not a single skill, and different inputs are critical.

“Track record is important,” he says. “We have great relationships with professional consultants and

these go back more than 30 years. It is important for us to ensure that our relationships work for both parties, we don’t want to squeeze contractors for every last penny. Longevity is important to us as we will need strong contractors in the future. We like to think that the consultants we employ are an extension of our office. We like to get consultants working with each other – it’s a learning curve. The more you do the same thing with the same people, the easier it becomes.”

It is this teamwork, and the deep knowledge within Intaprop that helps the company to push boundaries and achieve industry-leading status. As Oxford Parks progresses, and assets begin to mature, the investment that has flooded into this modernisation in Rosebank will position Intaprop very strongly for the future.

WWW.INTAPROP.CO.ZA

www.enterprise-africa.net / 49

DAYBREAK FARMS

Leading Contributors to the Feather in SA’s Agricultural Cap PRODUCTION: James Davey

One of South Africa’s largest independent, integrated poultry producers, Daybreak Farms is a global, consumer-centric company boasting a stuffed portfolio of top-quality operations. Alongside continued and sustained growth, a central focus on its unshakeable responsibility to drive positive change, solve problems and make a profound contribution to improving society each and every day has seen it rule the roost in the country’s crucial agriculture sector.

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: AGRICULTURE

African economy and is among its most important employment providers, especially in rural areas, while acting as a sustainable source of foreign exchange and inward investment. It comes as no surprise that it is estimated that more than 40% of South Africa’s total population is dependent on the industry in a meaningful way.

//

Approximately 3,500 employees staff the array of Daybreak Farms operations, which span Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natal and enable it to produce a full gamut of poultry products. Daybreak Farms began life in 2001 as AFGRI Poultry, founded by the leading agricultural services company with core competencies to enhance, support and guide agricultural enterprise growth and the overarching strategic vision to drive food security across Africa.

Following well over a decade of notching up exactly this type of growth

and progress, the company’s renaming came in June 2015 with its sale to AFPO, a BEE consortium led by Matome Maponya Investments and with the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) funding the acquisition. The resultant ownership equated to a 54% share held

by AFPO Consortium, 36% by the PIC on behalf of its clients and the remaining 10% by employees and management.

Totalling in excess of R1 billion, the acquisition was lauded as a landmark transaction, creating the first significant black-owned enterprise in the agricultural sector. Agriculture remains a crucial element of the South

INDUSTRY HATCHES MASTERPLAN “This transaction is agreed in the spirit of ensuring job stability for employees and as such no retrenchments or job losses are expected to take place,” assured Chris Venter, thenCEO of AFGRI. “This is an important undertaking for both parties. We are pleased with the transaction as AFPO will be a significant poultry producer in South Africa,” he added, as it paved the way to enable previously excluded groups to participate in the poultry industry, while contributing to food security and creating jobs.

“Today’s Daybreak Farms think differently and act boldly,” the company outlines. “We are so much more. At today’s Daybreak Farms, we’re not only ready for tomorrow, we’re leading the way today.” This mature, wellestablished and integrated poultry business processes more than a million birds per week, and has critical mass Continues on page 54

CHEMUNIQUÉ - TRANSFORMING POULTRY EFFICIENCY At Chemuniqué, we are proud to serve feed and food producers to improve their sustainability and efficiency in contributing to food security for the people of our region. Throughout our history with Daybreak Farms – one of the largest integrated poultry producers in South Africa – we have always known that they, too, are committed to innovation, sustainability, and working to contribute to growing the South African economy. The poultry sector is continuously evolving, and we have no doubt that Daybreak Farms will play an integral part in this evolution. We would also like to join Daybreak Farms in welcoming Matshela Seshibe as the new chief executive officer and look forward to working with him and the team in the future. At Chemuniqué, we are passionate about people, personal relationships, about the animals we work with, great science, and our product portfolio of research-proven animal feed additives delivers measurable economic benefits without compromising on sustainability, to produce feed for food for the future. www.chemunique.co.za | +27 (0) 11 789 2414 | askuswhy@chemunique.co.za

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: AGRICULTURE

Continued from page 52 and a fully capitalised infrastructure which compares very favourably, in a competitive market, to South Africa’s other commercial suppliers of chicken. Indeed, the poultry and egg industry is the largest sub-sector of the South African agricultural sector, and represented 16.6% or R47.9 billion of the total gross value of 2018 agricultural production, and the largest animal production segment.

The numerous casualties during the avian flu outbreaks tested the industry almost to breaking point, while rioting in South Africa also had severe effects on the country’s poultry industry, causing supply chain disruptions, theft and struggles to get feed to the birds in live production.

Compounded by increased competition from imports and the challenges of chicken dumping and lockdowns, the industry stood strong with over R1 billion already having been invested into it on the back of the South African Poultry Association’s 2020 masterplan. An additional R400 million is to be invested

54 / www.enterprise-africa.net

throughout 2022, creating nearly 10% increased slaughter capacity and providing R343 million in finance to cover cashflow for black farmers.

“Although it was an arduous process, the material investments in expanding processing capacity and the construction and proliferation of poultry houses are yielding the desired results,” assessed Aziz Sulliman, South African Poultry Association chairperson.

“We ended the year on a high note with the unexpected provisional dumping duties announced against Brazil, Ireland, Spain and Denmark. This is a watershed moment for the broiler industry as bone-in import volumes are expected to drop, and the industry may take up the market share in line with what was envisaged in the masterplan.”

NURTURING GROWTH Daybreak Farms’s key activities today comprise the growing and processing of broilers into fresh as well as frozen whole birds, individually frozen birds and portions alongside abattoir and processing operations and sales and distribution. 33 independent contact growing sites and eight in-house

growers make up the company’s broiler division, across both Mpumalanga and Gauteng, to engender in every 34-day production cycle a capacity of over nine million broiler birds.

“Our story begins with the farm,” Daybreak Farms states., “It is an integral part of who we are and is where we are inspired, dream and embrace adventure - it brings us to life.” Combined, its Merinovlakte and Diepputten Breeder Farms cover more than 1,200 hectares in Bela Bela (Limpopo) and produce almost 10 million eggs per month. The Worthing Hatchery, among the country’s largest single hatcheries under one roof, houses 95 setters and 57 hatchers which benefit from the innovation of state-of-the-art Petersime incubators, and has a production capacity of nearly two million day old chicks per week.

// WE ARE INNOVATORS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO RESHAPE WHAT IT MEANS TO FEED OUR COMMUNITIES //

DAYBREAK FARMS

From farm to fork.

Southern Africa’s Leader in Food Safety

Testing We provide a broad range of Chemistry, Microbiological, Diagnostic and Molecular Testing in our custom-built, state of the art laboratories country wide.

“Today, we not only have the fastest growing protein-centric chicken brand, but we also offer greater transparency into everything we do,” Daybreak Farms summates. “Built on providing growing families with great-tasting and wholesome chicken products, Daybreak Farms prides itself on being part of the daily diets of many South Africans. We built our name on providing our communities with wholesome, great-tasting chicken.

As values and behaviours around food have changed, so have we.

“We are innovators uniquely positioned to reshape what it means to feed our communities.” Forever forward-thinking, Daybreak Farms is now positioned to consolidate and stabilise, readying itself for the next phase of its dominance in South African poultry. The naming of its new CEO

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in May was key aspect of this process, as former Albany Bakeries Managing Director Matshela Seshibe was brought on board for a five-year term.

Seshibe is an experienced international business executive with direct experience in food and beverage industries, consumer goods manufacturing, sales and distribution, retail operations and beverage franchising and has held previous posts at Unilever, Tiger Brands and Shanduka, taking over from Jack Nkogatse who had been serving as acting CEO. “We believe his strong leadership experience will help focus Daybreak Farms during its turnaround process and continue the Board’s work of returning the entity to operational stability,” enthused Lerato Nage, Chairman of the Board. To further stabilise operations, the poultry producer has

additionally promoted Vangile Masisi to CFO, previously serving as the company’s Chartered Accountant.

“Daybreak’s leadership strives to not only build a successful company but enshrine values that grow our community too,” the company wraps up, with focus now set firmly on a prosperous future in an already burgeoning industry anticipating rising prices and declining imports.

“We sustain our business and our communities for future generations.

We nurture our business for growth and returns through commercial, operational and financial excellence, delivering superior value products to consumers and communities.”

DAYBREAKFARMS.CO.ZA

www.enterprise-africa.net / 55

SUPERBALIST

SA’s Foremost

Online Style Destination PRODUCTION: James Davey

Superbalist is South Africa’s leading online fashion destination, famed for exceptional product variety, a peerless browsing experience and flawless checkout and payment process. Acquired in 2014 by Takealot, South Africa’s leading online retailer, Superbalist continues to innovate in its redesigning of the online retail space and is capturing more and more of market as South Africa’s shopping habits are permanently remodelled. www.enterprise-africa.net / 57

INDUSTRY FOCUS: RETAIL

//

Following the two-plus years of severe restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, South African consumers have, like so many others, been forced to navigate uncharted territory in coming to terms with the pandemic and the subsequent financial fallout. This has wreaked unparalleled havoc on income, financial situations and spending intentions, and resultantly, a mammoth 78% of South African consumers report changes to their purchase behaviour and describe themselves as unlikely to revert to pre-pandemic protocols.

The NielsenIQ study ‘Unlocking Consumption in 2021’ indicated that the consumer goods industry in the country is more open to digital shopping than ever before, equally

58 / www.enterprise-africa.net

finding that an average of 30% of South African consumers’ overall spend moved to online in the 12 months in question. This boom in online shopping is strongly predicted to continue as markets resettle and consumers recalibrate their home, work and travel routines, as while a natural return to some old shopping behaviours will accompany the return to prior routines for some, there will be huge populations for whom this is now routine.

In line with global online shopping preferences, clothing, electronics, footwear, household appliances and health products are reported to be the most popular categories among South African online shoppers, with many of the traditional barriers consumers have had in accessing online shopping

challenged and removed. Now that South Africans are acquainted with shopping online and experienced its convenience, digital commerce looks set to accelerate and revenues are expected to grow by a CAGR of more than 9%.

E-COMMERCE EXPERTISE Operator of a curated, design and apparel-centred online retail platform focused on the millennial generation, Superbalist is a foremost South African online vendor of men’s and women’s fashions, accessories, home decor, art and electronics. “As South Africa’s mostloved online wardrobe and lifestyle destination, we’re all about accessible style that inspires self-expression and confidence,” Superbalist defines.

“Style is personal, which is why

SUPERBALIST

we prioritise the importance of choice.

We cater to every shape, size and budget with our wide fashion offering.”

Headquartered in Foreshore, Cape Town, three colossal warehouses in Cape Town, KwaZulu-Natal and Johannesburg afford countrywide delivery.

The move by Takealot in late 2019 to expand its Johannesburg-based warehouse and distribution centre (DC) was impeccably timely, enabling it upon completion to store almost four million items and scale to roughly 10,000 boxes leaving the warehouse every hour. The many synergies between the SA e-commerce giant and Superbalist were among the key factors motivating the buyout, according to Superbalist founder Luke Jedeiken, who spoke of the excitement that came with aligning

with a partner so wholeheartedly recognisant and supportive of its unique culture, vision and enthusiasm.

“The millennial generation is deemed to be the most powerful and relevant market on the planet and we have managed to acquire a business run by millennials, focused on millennials,” adds Takealot CEO Kim Reid, as a mutual broadening of appeal among this crucial market also proved central to bringing the two entities together, with Superbalist continuing to function as an independent business.

While the surge in online purchases presents a wealth of opportunities for digital commerce players, it is universally accepted that it will become increasingly important to design offerings that

solve specific consumer concerns and use consumer insights to strengthen differentiation and competitiveness.

The foundations of an appealing e-commerce offering are of course the likes of supreme service, choice of delivery and smooth checkout, and, as Deloitte puts it in its February 2021 Digital Commerce Acceleration publication, “offering a hassle-free, smooth and affordable shopping experience along the entire customer journey, backed by responsive customer service,” in order to foster trust and loyalty.

FIT FINDER FIRST “We deliver style in the simplest way possible. The Superbalist experience prioritises convenience, safety, speed

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: RETAIL

and a variety of choice,” the company condenses. The next requirement is to combine an offering that addresses customer needs, data, operations and tech platforms and synthesises it all into compelling user experiences.

Deloitte underlines the importance

60 / www.enterprise-africa.net

of, “a well-designed and intuitive user interface built on a solid foundation of technology supported by human-led and responsive customer service,” and Superbalist has responded superbly in becoming the first South African brand to launch Fit Finder, billed as the world’s

most precise apparel size advisor.

The advanced sizing technology powered by Fit Analytics GmbH is designed to make the process of online shopping more streamlined and accurate. “Fit Finder powers over one billion unbeatably accurate size recommendations for leading stores worldwide every month,” Fit Analytics asserts, “delighting shoppers, giving an instant e-commerce uplift and unlocking incredibly valuable consumer intelligence for your business.”

While online shopping has revolutionised the retail space, when unable to physically try a garment before purchase many online shoppers have experienced challenge in finding the correct size, compounded by potential confusion and variance between UK, US, and European sizings.

Powered by advanced machine-learning

SUPERBALIST

// WE WANT OUR CUSTOMERS TO TRUST THAT WHAT THEY BUY FROM SUPERBALIST IS GOING TO FIT PERFECTLY, WHICH IS WHY WE LAUNCHED FIT FINDER // algorithms, Fit Finder aims to alleviate these many pitfalls by using productionsize chart data along with retail sale and return records to make fully informed and trustworthy fit predictions.

“In traditional retail businesses, trust is often built along the lines of quality, trend or price,” says Grant Roy, Superbalist’s Head Of Product. “With e-commerce - and with Superbalist. com in particular - we’ve added another layer; ‘good fit’. We want our customers to trust that what they buy from Superbalist is going to fit perfectly, which is why we launched Fit Finder.”

With Amazon’s launch in South Africa apparently imminent Superbalist, and Takealot, will need to remain ahead in every aspect in order to maintain current trajectories, margins and market shares in the coming years. In another important landmark, M&C Saatchi Abel has just announced its partnership with Superbalist for its Street Store initiative, a rent-free, pop-up clothing store for the homeless that is returning post-pandemic to allow donated clothing to be obtained free of charge.

Superbalist is a long-time partner of M&C Saatchi Abel, lending its support

by providing a large donation of clothes for the upcoming two stores and calling on consumers and South Africans to donate to effectuate the rollout of even more in the coming months.

“For those of us who have never had to worry about clothing, shelter and other necessities we take for granted, we can take a step back and acknowledge our circumstances and those that others may find themselves in,” says Tumi Sebopa, Superbalist Head of Brand. “We are passionate about this cause and have also set up donation boxes at our Richmond Park Click-n-Collect point that will provide additional clothing for forthcoming Street Stores.”

WWW.SUPERBALIST.COM

www.enterprise-africa.net / 61

A UNIQUE

FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY Franchising is a hugely popular business model in South Africa. It’s so successful, in fact, that it generates a whopping 14% of the total GDP. For entrepreneurs, franchises provide an invaluable short-cut to building lucrative operations.

However, not all franchises have the same benefits, and exorbitant purchase costs, huge capital investment requirements and high franchise fees take franchise business ownership off the table for many. As one of South Africa’s most successful real estate franchisors, we believe that this should not be the case. And with a 40 year trading history and over 200 franchises nationally, we’re passionate about making real estate business ownership more accessible to more people.

2017 - 2022

2018 - 2022

2019 - 2022

WHY A REAL ESTATE BUSINESS? · Few industries can beat real estate in terms of ease of access and earning potential · Resilience to economic climate and interest rate changes · Business setup is simple and cost effective · Stock is readily available and most employees earn commission only

If you would like to find out more about the Rawson Property Group’s franchise offering and the franchise opportunities available across the country please get in touch with Business Growth Manager Craig Mott on craig.mott@rawsonproperties.com or 083 235 1278

OWN YOUR OWN RAWSON SUCCESS STORY

When making decisions about investing in a business, it’s important to ask the right questions, and speak to the right people. The Rawson Property Group offers comprehensive real estate services to clients across South Africa. With a 40 year trading record and over 220 franchises, our ultimate passion is to help individuals and businesses to grow, and to continue helping our clients to make the best possible property decisions. We’re always looking to grow and have exciting franchise opportunities available in the residential and commercial real estate services industry.

WHAT DOES IT COST TO BUY A RAWSON FRANCHISE? · Extremely competitive purchase cost, made up of an upfront deposit and the option for the business to pay for itself - and backed by a unique business buy-back guarantee.

WHAT DO I GET FOR MY FRANCHISE FEES? · An award-winning, established brand with a 40 year trading history · A tried-and-tested success recipe with one-on-one business development guidance and support · Free, lifelong access to the full Rawson training offering for you and your team · An award-winning tech ecosystem that gives agents everything they need to succeed · Your entire 5% monthly marketing fee is reinvested straight back into marketing the brand and generating leads for you · A franchisee-franchisor relationship built on collaboration, teamwork and trust

WHAT ARE RAWSON FRANCHISEES SAYING? · “Best Real Estate Franchisor 2021”, as awarded to the Rawson Franchisor team by Rawson Franchisees, out of their own accord. · Funeka Fiki, Rawson agent since 2014 and new franchise owner since 2020 : “The ongoing training and business development support available to us has enabled me to grow my team and I am so excited for what the future holds!” · Haroon Gaffoor, new franchise owner since early 2021 : “I engaged with three brands and Rawson’s approach set them apart totally. The guidance I received from the Rawson team was invaluable, and the availability of mentorship from management - all the way up to the MD - is key in building my business. · Dirk Joubert, franchisee of one of the brand’s fastest growing new franchises: “Buying this franchise has been the best decision of my life, by far. I feel so blessed and can’t thank the Rawson franchisor team for their support.”

RAWSON PROPERTIES CONSTANTIA

STEENBERG GREEN

FROM R16,000,000 TO R26,000,000 - VAT EXCLUSIVE

Steenberg Green is poised to become the ultimate residential address for those who want to live a lifestyle that offers endless opportunities. Located a mere 30 minutes away from the cosmopolitan lifestyle of Cape Town, Steenberg Green offers the very best in extraordinary country living right on the edge of the Mother City. Nestled beneath the majestic Steenberg Mountains, your idyllic enclave will look onto emerald green vineyards and the majestic expanse of raw, mountainous slopes.

ard, you will feel completely at peace whether you are indoors or out.

The estate will house 10 000m2 of beautifully landscaped, open garden space filled with indigenous fynbos | Covered and uncovered outdoor dining and entertaining terraces | Free flowing interiors with an open feel | A ring of perimeter video analytics day/night CCTV cameras | An outer perimeter electric fence with palisade fencing | Motorised vehicle control gates with code-hopping secure wireless remotes for owners | Uniquely programmed tags for staff pedestrian access | Handheld scanning device

Indigenous flora has been expertly landscaped to create a welcoming natural sanctuary. Residents will be able to move freely through the grounds while enjoying a variety of gorgeous garden spaces. With pure serenity and state of the art security as stand-

Jo Fourie 071 286 5383 jo.fourie@rawson.co.za www.rawson.co.za

for visitors and contactor processing | Video intercom for communicating with the security officer on duty

RAWSON PROPERTIES MAURITIUS

HARMONIE GOLF ESTATE Harmonie Golf & Beach Estate is a stunning new project in Mauritius offering 220 luxury villas set on 73 hectares.

Villas are sustainably designed, environmentally-conscious, and offers sweeping views over the 18-hole golf course and the iridescent lagoon.

The villas sit on approximately 2000m2 of land, with an actual built area of 400m2. You can choose between 3 villa types with different interior design options, plus the option of tailoring your villa to your needs.

Villa owners have privileged access to Beachcomber hotels, and while the best beaches in Mauritius are just a drive (or boat trip!) away, you’re also close to some of the island’s best schools, healthcare facilities, shopping and food & leisure destinations.

The first 81 homes and residential plots are available now. Prices start at Rs70m.

Isabelle Hardy (+230) 52591000 isabelle.hardy@rawson.mu

THE NEST The Nest is a complex of 15 properties in 3 blocks, consisting of 12 apartments and 3 penthouses on a land of 6730m2. Located in Pereybere at walking distance to one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. As a promising investment, the complex is perfectly surrounded by a lush green garden, consisting of an orchard with a variety of fruit trees and an organic vegetable garden, perfect for a health enthusiast.

Experience quality time with your loved ones by relishing amazing food at the BBQ spot in a kiosk and have some more fun at the petanque court. An electric car charge is also an option provided to all the residents.

Apartments (15) | From Rs22,275,000 | Size from 127m² to 209m²

Isabelle Hardy (+230) 52591000 isabelle.hardy@rawson.mu www.rawson.co.za

RAWSON PROPERTIES DURBANVILLE

SUMMERVIEW APARTMENTS

FROM R1,299,999 TO R1,430,000

Summerview offers a collection of 127 contemporary, refined apartments carefully designed over 3 floors. Each one- or two-bedroomed apartment is finished with contemporary, yet timeless materials, designed to last. The interiors are characterised by contemporary finishes that lean towards subtle sophistication, clean lines, and simplicity. These beautiful spaces are easy to personalise with your own furnishings and finishes, but are gorgeous on their own, too!

Satellite DSTV Connectivity | Internet Fibre Connectivity | Heat Pump system for efficient water heating | Communal courtyard and garden area | 24 hour manned security (on & off site) CCTV System with off-site surveillance | Safe & Secure Car Parking

Louis Schoeman 082 575 6644 louis.schoeman@rawson.co.za www.rawson.co.za

RAWSON PROPERTIES PAARL

WILDE PAARDE COUNTRY ESTATE

With breathtakingly beautiful mountains, in the heart of the Cape Winelands, Wilde Paarde Country Estate offers convenient living.This secure estate has an all encompassing view of Paarl Mountain, the Du Toitskloof Mountains and the famous Simonsberg to the south. The architecturally designed homes are fitted with modern finishes and offer practically laid out spaces opening up to decent sized, enclosed stands. 3 and 4 Bedroom homes, with all the bells and whistles one would expect from a top notch property development.

Conveniently situated on the R301 (Paarl to Franschhoek Road), with its entrance right across from the famous Boschenmeer Golf Estate, this is the latest and one of the most exciting new developments in Paarl.

Turnkey opportunities available starting from R3,500,000 | Plot & Plan opportunities (stand prices starting from R1,300,000) | Unit sizes vary between 180m2 - 490m2 and stands between 600m2 - 1,100m2 | Transfer fees included / Direct from the developer

Ryno Cilliers 079 338 4614 Lizette Joubert 083 469 8946 www.rawson.co.za

RAWSON PROPERTIES BLAAUWBERG

NIVICA ESTATE

FROM R1,850,000 TO R2,695,000

NIVICA offers a selection of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom luxury apartments situated on a hill with magnificent views of the Lagoon. With its elevated rim-flow swimming pool and landscaped gardens, the development will take on a resort lifestyle, hence the slogan “Living La Dolce Nivica”.

We are excited to announce that actual construction has already begun with the completion date estimated to be around 1 September next year (2022).

When purchasing in a development, it is customarily that a 10% deposit is required to secure a unit, however with Nivica, we only require a R50 000 deposit with an initial securing deposit of R20 000 and a facility to pay off the balance of R30 000 over 6 months in installments of R5 000 a month.

Your deposit will be held in an Attorney’s Trust Account and you will be the beneficiary of all interest thereon up until such time as the property is transferred into your name.

Another unique feature in respect of the financing of your purchase is that it is possible to obtain a 100% bond (for qualifying purchasers).

Mike Abrahamse 082 555 5390 mike.bw@rawson.co.za www.rawson.co.za

RAWSON PROPERTIES FAEIRE GLEN & RAWSON PROPERTIES MARGATE

SIX FOUNTAINS RESIDENTIAL ESTATE Six Fountains Residential Estate is all about peaceful estate living. Whether you are seeking secure living to shake off the bustle of city life or enjoy sanctuaries of nature and wildlife, this Residential Estate has something for everyone!

The estate offers easy access to major roads, highways,amenties and schools. There are 46 modern and efficiently designed units. The estate boasts a state-of-the-art solar PV system that ensures power independence carrying the load of lighting and critical appliances for up to ± 4 hrs during load shedding.

All costs included in price excluding: Refundable administration deposit of R 30 000 | bond initiation and valuations fee charged by banks if applicable Good rental returns for investors: Rent ± R13 000 p/m.

Linda Bruwer 083 655 8138 linda.bruwer@rawson.co.za

a) R1 985 000: 3 Bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 garages & store room. Ground floor, 3 units available at the moment. b) R1 975 000: 3 Bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 garages & store room. 1 st Floor, 5 units available at the moment. c) R1 965 000: 3 Bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 garages & store room. 2nd Floor, 6 units available at the moment.

INJABULO ESTATE INJABULO is a secure lifestyle estate in the heart of the KZN Southcoast offering 254 free standing, full title homes with private gardens, glorious ocean views, dreamy sunrises, and the world’s best climate.

INJABULO allows residents to enjoy modern homes with quality finishes providing 24-hour security and strict access control.Each INJABULO home is fiber ready and offers pre-paid electricity.

This is a place where your dreams can take flight, where families can prosper and create legacies for years to come.

Winnie Kyriakides / Donovan Barnard 010 023 6477 www.rawson.co.za

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Our expertise and experience have enabled our clients to survive and thrive in some of the toughest markets in the world.

This unrivaled expertise, partnership, spirit and commitment ensure that we make the impossible, possible.

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Handmade in Cape Town

info@sealandgear.com

www.sealandgear.co.za