COVER STORY
The company focuses on getting the most out of every tree .
Montigny Investments – 20 years of adding value
At the centre of Swaziland ' s forestry industry , Montigny Investments is celebrating 20 years of operation since 1997 .
All images courtesy of Montigny
In touring the 45 000 hectare Usutu plantation and bustling Bhunya mill , the epicentre of Montigny ’ s operations and headquarters , it is clear the company has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a one-man show to one of southern Africa ’ s largest diversified privately-held sustainable forestry , sawmilling and timber trading businesses .
Neal Rijkenberg , the CEO , founded the company with a vision to bring lasting economic upliftment to his home country through an industry he came to know from a young age . Entrepreneurship was nothing new to Rijkenberg , who started collecting and selling scrap metal at the ripe age of five . “ I have always had a keen sense for business . From childhood , already my mind was ticking about how to make money ,” he says . The company ’ s size , scale and influence have far exceeded what could have ever been conceived but the ethos remains rooted in the same family values that the company was founded upon .
Two decades later , one cannot spend a week in Swaziland without passing by Montigny ’ s 55 000 hectares of Forest Stewardship Council ( FSC ) certified plantations , meeting one of the company ’ s 6 700 employees or encountering one of the company ’ s 100 trucks on the road . Pick up a paper in Swaziland and chances are you will read of Montigny ’ s latest endeavour as the company ’ s growth continues to outperform expectations . In a country with a population of 1.3 million , it is clear to see Montigny ’ s impact on the nation . Since 2004 , Montigny ’ s sales have grown between 30 and 50 % every three years , with 2016 ’ s turnover exceeding R1-billion .
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12 APRIL / MAY 2017 //