LOCAL MANUFACTURING
all companies in South Africa to abide by the
legislation and to look after the environment as
this is not the responsibility of only a handful
of companies.
MANUFACTURING LOCALLY ONLY
HAS BENEFITS
Vorster’s opinion is that manufacturing locally
is something that people tend to be scared of
because manufacturing, in the general sense, is
typically dominated by a few bigger players, so
penetrating the market, or hoping to, under these
circumstances as a new business, is not easy.
With the exception of a few challenges, such
as the fluctuation of stainless-steel prices
that are dictated by the international market,
manufacturing locally has no disadvantages.
“We are creating employment, give skills to our
employees who previously weren’t skilled, have a
positive impact on the environment [in this field],
and we support local business (as everything we
purchase is locally supplied like the steel, clips
handles, pipes, welding rods, equipment, etc.), so
we are proud of the local is lekker concept,”
says Vorster.
Markets will always change, and manufacturers
need to adapt to their clients’ needs. “While
you have the relationships, work together on the
future, understand where things are heading –
like automation – and include your clients in the
journey of technology advancements. You may
lose out on the one side, but the relationships
are so much more important because an ongoing
Hermann Vorster, founder and national sales
director of Grease Traps.
relationship is much more beneficial in the long
term,” he adds.
LOOKING FORWARD
Grease Traps will be opening up a second
manufacturing plant in the Western Cape in
Montague Gardens this year, making it the first
company in South Africa to have two functional
specialised grease trap manufacturing facilities.
Furthermore, the company is eyeing Botswana,
Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia
before plans to launch manufacturing hubs
globally in any developing country that has similar
conditions to South Africa.
“New companies will come into the market and
cater to the current industry, and this may last
for decades, resulting in older companies losing
market share. The same applies for any business,
really. We need more thinking around the future
and what legacy we are going to leave behind,”
Vorster concludes. PA
Grease Traps produces a variety of
trap sizes and designs.
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