5 minute read
Hi-Force, a leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of hydraulic tools
Reliable and cost-effective only begin to describe the product range of HiForce – an industry name to be reckoned with. Lifting Africa sat down with Sean Sandham, Managing Director of Wanawake Industrial Supplies, the sole importer and distributor of Hi-Force in South Africa to find out more.
South Africa has always been an important market to Hi-Force, a leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of hydraulic tools in the United Kingdom (UK). Having established a regional office in the country some twenty years ago it was a business that was well supported with sales on the rise. “The business had been going from strength to strength, but we were struggling to make the local model fit the requirements of our UK head office. We simply could not operate locally the way other regional offices were doing elsewhere in the world,” explains Sandham. At the time, Hi-Force not only had a regional office in South Africa but also several distributors of its product range which was not the global model of having one or the other. Sandham says that this brought further challenges to local Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and localization procurement policies. Another approach was required. “In 2018 Wanawake Industrial Supplies was formed with the support of Hi-Force UK to comply with the local BEE legislation and to meet the needs of customers in the South African unique business environment.” With Wanawake as the official Enterprise Development Partner for Hi-Force SA, it could take over the business completely removing the additional level of costs associated with a regional branch. Things moved quickly and by 2020 Wanawake, meaning women in Swahili, was delivering the trusted customer service Hi-Force was known for in the local market. In 2020 Wanawake was one of the first companies in the sector to empower its staff by allowing them to form their own BEE level
1 companies in their respective remote territories.
“We have seen exponential growth since then,” says Sandham. “Not only has our staff contingency doubled since then, but we have also branched out and grown our footprint substantially and now have branches in Tanzania and Zimbabwe with plans in place to open an office in Mozambique and Namibia soon where we already have a sales representatives. They have also put their money where their mouth is and are in the running to be named the top distributor for Hi-Force globally in revenue and second for meeting targets. “We are very proud of what we have achieved since 2018 considering the challenges that the world has had to grapple with the past two to three years,” says Sandham. “We have proven that we are a force to be reckoned with in the market and that we have the outstanding qualities to perform no matter the challenges.”
Understanding the benefits
With a clear understanding of the African landscape and its need for robust, reliable equipment the Wanawake team are specialists in their field with an in-depth knowledge of the Hi-Force range. Hi-Force caters to a wide variety of industries, and the product range comprises over 2000 products including hydraulic cylinders, pumps, jacks, tough lift jacking systems, torque tools, bolt tensioners, hydrotest pumps, puller kits, crimpers and cutters, nut splitters, flange spreaders and other industry related products. Hi-Force also offers a complete range of services including short and long term tool rental, on-site bolting solutions, on-site lifting and jacking services, tool repair, maintenance and calibration and a comprehensive range of training services, including ECITB approved mechanical joint integrity certification. According to Sandham, the move to Wanawake has allowed Hi-Force UK to offer HiForce products to customers locally in South Africa at very competitive pricing with the same level of service that customers have come to expect and enjoy over the years. “We remain a specialist/niche importer and distributor with our primary focus around Hi-Force. In recent years we have extended our range to add value by introducing several other brands. This has been to compliment the Hi-Force offering and only on non-competing brands. It has added significantly to the value proposition that Wanawake gives.” According to Sandham, while service and ongoing backup support are incredibly important offerings, the price of products has become critical in the current economic environment. “A good combination of cost and service is important in our industry, but the bias is moving towards the price as the global market place is becoming smaller and easier to operate in for new entrants to the market. Historically there have only been a handful of companies that can offer the quality that the industry required, but that is changing, and more role-players are coming on board.” He says they have been fortunate in that Hi-Force is renowned for its price and cost-effective solutions. This is complemented by an experienced team that delivers a service of extremely high standards while a well-oiled supply chain ensures there are few delays for customers.
“Our approach has worked well and our outlook remains to be a specialist in our field delivering reliable quality products. We carry a wide variety of stock and parts to ensure we can service customers locally efficiently and quickly.” “We have weekly airfreight deliveries coming in from various destinations in the world always making sure we have the best logistical solutions at play so that lead times are kept to a minimum.” Furthermore, quality is taken very seriously. “Hi-Force is in the top three Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) globally with a very deep knowledge base of the bolting and lifting industries. We buy directly from the OEM giving our clients a premium product that is cost-effective, robust and highly reliable.” Concludes Sandham, “We have a good understanding of the lifting industry in South Africa and the ability to meet the sector’s needs every time, all the time.”
Wanawake Industrial Supplies,
+27 (0) 11 314 0555, info@wanawakeis.co.za, www.wanawake-is.co.za
