Midas franchise
All fired up
Midas Witbank has, since 1985, provided the people of eMalahleni
with outstanding service and quality replacement parts. More
recently, it has added a range of vehicle accessories as well as
camping and leisure equipment to the bill.
➲ Midas Witbank is a mega branch with mega
selling power
It is great to have Eddie’s
entrepreneurial spirit within the
Midas family, and this is the reason why
Eddie and his team have achieved success
in their area. Well done!
- Gerhard Braun; Midas franchise director
➲ Just a handful of the 60 permanent staff members
C
urrent owner, Eddie Moss, took
over the reins in August 2000.
He certainly has his hands full,
powering three other, smaller Midas outlets
(Middelburg Midas, East Lynne Midas and
Bela Bela Midas) as well.
On the day we visited the store Eddie
was out and about so we discussed the
business with general manager, Herman
Coetzee instead. Herman has worked at
the Witbank Midas store since 1999, having
started out as a salesman.
He describes the current state of business
as “very good” and says management has
no reason to complain. Many of the stores’
customers fall into the DIY category and
this is supplemented by the minibus taxi
industry, he explains.
While hard and soft items for vehicles
have always been popular, the addition of
vehicle accessories, camping and leisure,
car sound and even house paint has
made the mega outlet a “one-stop shop”
for the people of Witbank and beyond.
“Variety helps,” he says. Still, we couldn’t
help but notice the presence of big name
competition in the immediate vicinity, but
Herman is not worried. “Midas is a wellknown brand that stocks quality parts.
sort out any problems that we may have
promptly. We have high quality, reliable
suppliers and have a very good working
relationship with NAPA and PIA. Matus tools
deserve a special mention too.”
➲ No fewer than 10 sales counters are
required to meet demand
The group does an excellent job of
advertising and marketing for us.
We also benefit through various specials
and promotions that the group helps
to secure,” he says. A dedicated and
hardworking bunch, the outlet is open
seven days a week. In fact it only closes
on two days every year - Christmas Day
and New Year’s Day.
Ironically, although Witbank – or since
March 2006, Emalahleni - means “place of
coal”, the area is regularly without electricity
and/or running water. This in spite of several
power stations, like Duvha operating nearby.
But, with a generator remaining on standby
outside, Eddie has this potential problem
completely under control.
Speaking of branded goods, its name
brands like Fram, NGK, ATE, Ferodo,
Monroe and Gabriel that always do well, he
says. “It’s important to stock quality brands
because of legislation like the Consumer
Protection Act and because the last thing
that we want is comebacks,” he adds.
As the central branch under Eddie’s control,
Witbank Midas boasts over 1 000 square
metres of floor space. It performs between
15 and 20 deliveries a day to central
Witbank and outlying areas and keeps
excess oil, firewood and paint in a dedicated
warehouse.
“The Midas Group is great because
they fight for keen prices and
secure us great deals. They have
put us in touch with excellent
suppliers that are able to further
assist us with giveaways,” Herman
Herman is very complimentary of the Midas
Group. “They pay us visits and best of all,
| words in action
57
september 2014
concludes.