DIY Trade News October 2013
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Shane Weeden
– Managing Director: Cedar Paint
From humble beginnings
DIY: If one considers
as a Mica counter salesperson
that the paint industry
selling paint to contractors,
has seen a bit of a
Shane Weeden is now the
shake-up, how would
Managing Director of one of
you say Cedar Paint is
the country’s most prominent
positioned?
paint brands. After seven years
SW: Over the past three
with Mica he joined Plascon as
years our strategy has been
a sales representative before
to align ourselves with house
just launched a Value-Add-Kit where the customer
becoming the Key Account
brands and exclusive brands.
receives paint, a roller, a tray and an overall with a 5lt
Manager looking after Makro.
This helped us to achieve
product.
This was a great learning curve
some decorative volume,
and the education received
but not fully under the Cedar
DIY: Is a neutral governing body such as
from dealing with Makro is
brand. Going forward we
SAPMA important to the industry?
invaluable today. “Whether by
will be launching a new look
SW: Absolutely, they are a great neutral party and I
FACT BOX
Name: Shane Weeden
Designation: Managing Director
Years with company: Three and a half
Previous position: National Sales and
Marketing Manager
fate or miracle,” as Weeden says, he bumped into
and feel to Cedar with exciting new packaging and
honestly hope the paint industry supports the new
Fred Litschka at a store where he was assumed
F&B’s some unique to market. We have a premium
Centre of Excellence Training facility to its capacity.
to be a bucket supplier for Plascon. For almost
high quality product and we have many high profile
This is an opportunity for the paint industry to train
six months Litschka pursued Weeden before he
projects that will roll out with our premium products.
its own people.
DIY: What are the current challenges for
paint, a star rating system, to make it easier for
company with a big brand from yesteryear. It was at
paint manufacturers?
consumers to select the best product off the
this point that Litschka put Weeden and outgoing
SW: Margin remains a big challenge. Everyone
shelf that will meet their needs and pocket. The
Managing Director, Eben van Zyl, in the same room.
can make a product for a market segment, it is
consumer does not understand paint and relies
Weeden recalls that meeting as his interview; “This
being competitive while making margin that is the
heavily on price perception or the Sales person
Company wasn’t just about business, it was about
challenge.
in store. I think a rating system would assist with
decided that it was time to make a decision.
The problem? He wasn’t keen on joining a small
Next, I’d love to see another neutral party score
people. There was a passion about the company
consumer protection.
and paint in that meeting.” Weeden was inspired
DIY: How important is retail to Cedar?
to work with paint again and quickly identified
SW: Very important, it is one of the three sales pillars
DIY: Where is South Africa positioned when
many opportunities, even though some might have
and presents a massive opportunity to our business.
we look at low VOC or zero VOC paints?
considered the change risky. “During my first week
At this point in time our business formula is a winning
SW: Zero VOC does exist in terms of colourants and
at Cedar I thought, “Oh my gosh, what have I done!”
one and we have many avenues to exploit.
product availability in South Africa. I think in general,
he admits with a chuckle.
That was three and a half years ago and his
paint manufacturers aspire to give the consumer
DIY: In the last year Cedar has made a
the best product at the best price. Cedar Paint as
main goal was to take the brand back into the top
number of bold moves. Care to share some
a company strives to ensure that all of our products
ten paint brands in the country. And with that goal
of your favourites?
are future friendly. I think South African companies
achieved, Weeden is now a transparent MD with a
SW: We certainly have tried to do things differently.
are quite inventive regards new ideas to market and
smile on his face, bubbling with excitement while
We offered the market off-the-shelf solutions.
Green is becoming more evident, even though we
understanding the importance and magnitude of the
We also had the Mr Price concept which we
do lag a little behind European companies.
job at hand.
have not fully utilised as of yet. Then there is
Functional Colour, a new way of thinking and a
DIY: Where does Cedar Paint want to be in
DIY: How did you deal with becoming MD?
concept we own. These are just a couple of the
five years?
SW: The biggest challenge was telling the staff that
many opportunities on the decorative side. I am
SW: I’d like to see us in the top five paint brands.
Eben was leaving. People do not like change and
also very proud of the way that we have taken old
We have done many things right in the last three
Eben’s shoes were big. He brought stability and
technology and tweaked it to fit modern demands.
years of our five year plan. The easy work has been
sourced an amazing team, and it was vital for the
Just look at our water-based non-drip enamel or our
done. Now for the hard work as our eyes are set on
company to remain this way.
Roof & Waterproof, 2-in-1 solutions. We have also
breaking that top five.