BUSINESS AND TRAINING 15 this closure is in no way indicative of LIXIL Africa exiting the South African market . In fact , this move has enabled us to bring the latest global designs , advanced technology , and innovation to the market . LIXIL Africa has been and will continue to be the proud home of Cobra , GROHE , Vaal and Apex Valves .”
The closure of the LIXIL Africa factories in South Africa resulted in the loss of jobs locally , however , all is not lost as Cobra and Vaal have been restructured locally , creating , and building more job opportunities . To this end , two new LIXIL Africa distribution centres have been set up in Durban and Cape Town which have already created jobs that were not there before .
Leon van Vreden , Leader of Sales at LIXIL Africa added , “ We all know that change is inevitable and as a company we needed to make these changes to ensure that our brands are sustainable but most importantly that we keep abreast with the latest trends in our industry ”.
Exco , from left : Corrie Stride , Seneca Lutchmana , Leon van Vreden , Samantha Naidoo .
As part of the change , earlier this year , the LIXIL Africa marketing team launched its brand-new Cobra brand positioning ‘ Here for You ’. This was no ordinary marketing campaign . Instead , it was strategically developed with a carefully curated positioning that cuts to the heart of what the Cobra brand is all about . It ’ s smart , savvy and heart-warming – and it ’ s likely to make you aware of your bathroom and kitchen moments , making you love and appreciate them that much more .
Corrie Stride , leader of marketing at LIXIL Africa said , “ We will be in a better position to continue to serve and offer our customers , merchants and consumers increased value , better designs and more product innovation whilst at the same time staying true to the quality and reliability that South Africans have come to know .”
In the video , available on plumbingafrica . co . za , Corrie elaborated on the activities that have been taking place to re-establish the Cobra brand . With media activities such as TV ads , billboards , and radio promos , LIXIL Africa is showing commitment to the brand .
LIXIL Africa is not only strengthening its product offering through its global supply chain but also its local service offering , ensuring leading after-sales service , sales , logistics and administrative operations . The company continues to expand into Africa and already has wellestablished networks in the SADC region including a presence in Kenya , making sure that East Africa is also covered . LIXIL Africa has joined the rest of the LIXIL organisation and has done away with titles to flatten the hierarchical nature of business , encourage more agility and embrace true transformation within the organisation . Employees with senior responsibility now carry the title ‘ Leader ’ along with their area of responsibility .
In addition to Seneca , Leon and Corrie , the local Executive team includes Samantha Naidoo , Leader of Finance at LIXIL Africa with leaders in the areas of HR , legal , IT , supply chain , quality , and sourcing that complete the complement of the new Management team at LIXIL Africa .
Plumbing Africa is assured that all products that were previously produced in South Africa hold or will soon hold local certifications including the SABS mark or JASWIC certification . Cobra , as one of the oldest ‘ members ’ of the SABS , continues to work with the standards body and local testing centres to ensure that its global operations meet local standards particularly in respect of its new product offerings .
“ We would like to extend our gratitude to all our customers for their support during this period and we ’ re confident that we will emerge stronger . We look forward to growing with you ”, said Seneca . PA
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January 2022 Volume 27 I Number 11 www . plumbingafrica . co . za