BRAITEX TENSILON

AFRICA BRAITEX TENSILON

The story of a South African manufacturing custodian

B R A I T E X

T E N S I LO N

Textiles

Reignited

Braitex Tensilon continues to serve South Africa’s textile needs having adapted to changing and challenging industry backdrops ever since it began life in 1948 Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Vivek Valmiki

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ery few industries have been left untouched by globalisation over the past few decades.

Ease of transport, improving connectivity and the allure of outsourcing to save money has resulted in many local trades being overtaken by manufacturing powerhouses, especially those with immense labour forces in Asia.

The textiles trade is a case in point,

Dr Rudolf Erich Heinrich Rosochacki, Owner and Chairperson who comes into work every day at the age of 90, standing with Jacobus Venter

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but with challenge comes opportunity and the chance to innovate.

“Working in this industry for the last 36 years has been extremely testing,” comments Jacobus Venter, CEO of narrow fabric manufacturer Braitex Tensilon.

“Our customer base, especially in the clothing sector, has shrunk tremendously, meaning we’ve had to diversify our operations into industrial products and today we find ourselves with a new operation in Springs catering for this sector.

“This, plus the return of clothing manufacturing to South Africa, have reignited the excitement in the industry.”

Braitex is a South African textile stalwart. Founded in 1948 by the late George Rosochacki, the company grew from small beginnings into one of the most prolific manufacturers of narrow fabrics on the continent.

Today Braitex operates production facilities in Cape Town and Gauteng, converting hundreds of tonnes of raw material into high quality products every year for both local and international customers.

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THE BRAITEX PORTFOLIO

Braitex Tensilon specialises in the manufacture of high quality woven, knitted and braided narrow fabrics, famed for its production of elastics, webbings, cords, strapping, lashing, curtain, mattress and other tapes.

The firm has operational centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, serving customers in South Africa and abroad from industries such as clothing, mining and packaging.

Such products require top quality raw materials, with Braitex only using suppliers which can consistently deliver. The company is also adept at forward buying, vital in safeguarding against volatile currency exchange rates which helps to protect customers and employees.

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AFRICA

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B R A I T E X

T E N S I L O N

The power to adapt

Asked what stands Braitex apart from others in the textile trade, Venter points to the company’s immense experience contained within its ranks, experience which has allowed it to develop both capable people and quality products.

“We have the ability to access capable and motivated people at all levels of our organisation,” he adds.

“Africa is growing younger, more educated and skilled and is willing to participate in an industrial future. We build on this.

“In spite of significant market and opportunity fluctuations in the last 15

years we are producing and innovating products in response to the need of the market. But let me reassure you, these are all words. Come and have a look at our products. Beautiful, strong and durable products made by hands and minds and machines on African soil.

“On the clothing front, we have upgraded our jacquard and other weaving, knitting, printing and finishing equipment to make us a world class operation. This allows us to cater for the entire spectrum of requirements in narrow fabric applications.”

Venter highlights the importance of innovation, and this is no better

demonstrated than by Braitex’s move into the industrial sector as a means of futureproofing the organisation.

This includes introducing products like harness, tye down and PVC coated webbings, mattress and other tapes, strapping, lashing and lifting products.

The latter products are particularly sought after in the mining and forestry sectors, aiding companies in the movement of import and export goods, with such elastication and strengthening fabrics also useful for the likes of car, shoe, medical and transport industries, to name but a few.

“Why should we do this?” Venter asks.

VENTER AND BRAITEX Venter decided to join Braitex as a financial manager in 1983 at a crossroads in his career, choosing to stay in South Africa over moving to Saudi Arabia with previous employer Fluor.

“The diversity of my future role in Braitex became evident almost immediately when I was asked to head IR in parallel to the financial function, which included computerising the company’s technology, which was unheard of at the time,” he recalls.

“In 1986 I was appointed to the board as financial director. In 1987 the decision was taken to consolidate our manufacturing facilities and we relocated the Springs and Elsies River plants to Atlantis.”

“With only a hand full of staff members joining the journey to Cape Town I soon found myself fully embroiled in the intricacy of manufacturing. During the mid-1990s interaction with our customers became necessary which is a role I still cherish today.

In 1995 I was appointed joint MD and in 2005 became CEO.”

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Spicoly Plastics CC is a South African manufacturer of plastic products, conveniently located in Kraaifontein Industria, near Cape Town.

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“These are vibrant and growing industries. As mentioned, our population is young and growing and connected in the sense of aspiration and use of cell phones and the internet. This holds true for Africa north of us.

“We expect that commodities like timber for housing and goods to build infrastructure in towns will need our products to transport, to lift and hold together.”

Driving development

This pride in development can also be applied to the company’s most important asset, its people.

Braitex has a long and proud history of providing secure employment opportunities, offering its workers the chance to build skills and work their way up the ladder.

“All industries, especially textiles, have had to contend with lower margins in current times,” Venter

explains. “This, however, does not detract from the decades of consistent work and ability to develop and improve our employees.

“We comply with and embrace transformational processes that are shaping our society. We have an active learnership programme developing people to move from school to becoming directors in a complex industry.

“We do what’s best for the health of our company, attracting a keen and bright workforce who can look forward to a long career as long as we remain profitable. We live and work by the slogan ‘Proudly South African’.”

And it is this proudly South African mantra that will guide Braitex moving forward. Venter, passionate about the betterment of both the company and the country in which he lives, concludes by stating his priorities for the year ahead.

“The purpose of business is to

remain profitable. In addition, we hope to build efficiencies to allow our competitiveness to continue to grow.

“As a result of that, we foresee our whole working team, from cleaner to CEO, being healthy and productive and having a satisfactory career. In this we see a direct stabilising influence we hope to bring to our communities.

We plan to remain and thrive and continuously evolve with our vibrant, exciting nation.”

Braitex Tensilon Clothing – Tel: +27 21 591 2217 estrauss@braitex.co.za Industrial – Tel: +27 11 815 6943 christog@braitex.co.za www.braitex.com

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HEAD OFFICE 26 Socony Road Elsies River Cape Town 7481 South Africa Clothing Tel: +27 21 591 2217 estrauss@braitex.co.za Industrial Tel: +27 11 815 6943 christog@braitex.co.za  www.braitex.com

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