Making growth happen !
BUSINESS AND TRAINING 23
Edited by
Rory Macnamara
Plumbing Africa dropped in on Charles Jerome and Gavin Atkinson of Sunridge Importers and Wholesalers on one of their frequent visits to Johannesburg .
Plumbing Africa is always interested in growth , especially in times when the going is tough as it is in SA .
In Sunridge particularly , not only because of its sparkling growth in its established product lines , but also because of the new and exciting product offerings which Sunridge is bringing to the market .
Charles was quick to confirm our assessment . “ We have been very fortunate thank you Rory . The business has grown exponentially since our last discussion , with volumes and turnovers up by 100 %. Organic growth of existing products has accounted for 50 % while new products accounted for another 50 % growth .
Our product ranges have now increased to 1 400 lines . We have maintained our standards and continue to source only the best quality from reliable suppliers with whom we have long-term contracts . We have added several new brand names to SA , notably “ Lavé ” which is a range of bathroom products designed in France , which promises to add a new dimension to bathroom design and provide additional scope to architects and interior designers . We are very excited about the potential for this category , and we have already extended the range . We will also be providing made-up bathroom cabinets with fitted ceramic / resin tops and bowls under the Lavé brand , which being made-up will improve the speed of finishes in projects .
The Riffo in-wall cistern range boasts several designs and colours for its actuator plates , which too have added to interior design options and are proving very popular .
Akatherm has been very well received by the market as its quality is well respected . We are looking to considerable growth in sales of this range and we are including additional products such as Akasison which is a symphonic drainage solution by Akatherm and used on high rise buildings and larger factories . The Akatherm range has extended our reach by exposing us and our products to a whole new client base of Merchants , Architects , Engineers , and developers .
This exposure has led to our identifying additional product ranges in which we have not been involved previously . The most significant of these has been stainless steel products . To cater for these demands we recently launched a Specialised Stainless-Steel division which concentrates on products for the catering , hospital , sanitary and heavyduty prison products ,” states Charles .
Gavin picks up , “ While the new products and ranges have outperformed our expectations , there have been spin-offs from doubling our specification team and from employing an additional engineer to enhance drawings on the Akatherm , Akasison and Rifeng piping systems , thus ensuring more value-added services to our products . Over and above these additions to our resources and competencies , our new executives particularly our new national sales manager Jason Metcalfe , who joined us in September and Leo Steffano our New Products development manager , have hit the ground running and are receiving a positive response from the sales teams and the markets . Both will be in our Johannesburg office , but their responsibilities will see them having to travel regularly .”
Plumbing Africa : “ It sounds like Johannesburg is playing a greater role in your expansion plans and business outlets ?”
“ It certainly is Rory ,” replies Gavin , “ we are opening the branch in Modderfontein in Johannesburg and have extended this to a distribution centre to improve service levels to our Inland customers and to expand our access to other African countries . We are also establishing the Rifeng Piping Plant adjacent to these facilities .
All photos by Plumbing Africa | Benjamin Brits
1 and 2 : Indicating the size of the premises .
January 2023 Volume 28 I Number 11 www . plumbingafrica . co . za