Plumbing Africa November 2019 | Page 41

BUSINESS AND TRAINING 39 enrols their staff for training courses on offer – one of these facilities being industry body Plastics SA. “The effectiveness of our products is of course a larger component of our longevity in the market. Our range has been consistently expanded in alignment with what customers say they want from our products. We focus on what we’re good at. An example of this is the expansion of our piping range through the purchase of a new machine which allows us to extrude a variety of fire- and dragline hoses,” says Brand. Before launching new products, the company does full market research to see where the gaps are, explains Brand. The initial idea would most likely come from its sales force through one-on-one meetings with existing or potential customers. National Piping sales manager Ricky Gomes spends most of his day on the road making sales – a perfect way to also expand the company’s range of products by establishing exactly what customers want and need. An example of the company focusing on what it is good at, was the expansion of its piping range through the purchase of this new machine, which allows it to extrude a variety of fire- and dragline hoses. November 2019 Volume 25 I Number 9 www.plumbingafrica.co.za