PIENAAR BROS
PIENAAR BROS
30 Years of
Protecting SA PRODUCTION: David Napier
After 30 years, Pienaar Bros continues to ‘bring safety to the workplace’ and, with a number of expansion and growth plans underway, its reach looks set to be extended further into Africa. Co-founder and Managing Director, Brian Pienaar tells us more…
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INDUSTRY FOCUS: SAFETY
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With three decades of successful operations behind it, Gauteng-based Pienaar Bros continues to supply SA industry with first-class personal protective equipment while sharpening its focus on strategies for further growth locally and on the continent. Starting life in Johannesburg in 1987, Pienaar Bros core focus has always been the distribution of PPE to a range of different customers spanning the mining, pharmaceutical, food, construction, automotive and engineering industries amongst many others. Included in the company’s stable is protective gloves, eye ware and footwear; welding and disposable safety wear; respiratory protection products; cleaning products; safety signage, and much more. Pienaar Bros sources products from major global producers and also manufactures its own ranges at its factory in Johannesburg. The history of the business goes back even further than the
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establishment of the firm in Jo’burg in ’87. “My late father started Pienaar Brothers in Cape Town in 1948 and then I came an opened up in Johannesburg,” remembers Managing Director, Brian Pienaar. “We started with one branch and it grew to where we are now with 15 in South Africa – that’s just from Jo’burg and doesn’t include Cape Town – and others in neighbouring African nations, and we’ve got around 20 on-site supply stores at the large mines and industrial customers, with a total of 360 staff members.” But today, the company has grown to a point where new expansion ideas are needed to take the business to the next level. Undoubtedly a SA success story, the Pienaar Bros name is etched into the fabric of SA industry and Brian Pienaar is sure that success will continue in the future through three main strategies. EXPANSION Firstly, Pienaar Bros is busy creating an online market place, increasing the company’s digital presence. “We’re looking to drive demand and make it easy for our customers to access products. We want to give our customers the best service. We hope to build a platform where people can communicate with us without having to phone. We want them to be able to see the products they want in the catalogue or online, place an order, and have it delivered, hassle free,” explains Pienaar. Secondly, because of the ever-increasing cost of exporting in Africa, the company is looking at bolstering its presence in Africa; in regions where economic growth is faster than SA; and in countries with industries that suit the product portfolio of Pienaar Bros. “We have branches in Botswana, in Gaborone and Francis Town, with around 20
people; and we have branches in Mozambique, in Maputo and Tete, also with about 20 people. “We go in on the ground; we get premises and take the risk. The next three countries we are looking at are Zambia, Madagascar and Namibia. There’s some big mines in these regions that are not being serviced effectively and so we see an opportunity. It helps the customer to control costs and run a better business. Mines must be profitable; that’s a critical component of the business set-up,” says Pienaar. Finally, Pienaar states that the future could hold a monumental strategy decision for the business as he (as co-founder and MD) approaches the end of his working career. “We do have a succession plan, which might involve listing on a stock exchange, but we’re not there yet. I am heading towards the end of my career but we have a very strong management team and that is why we do well.” Of course, expansion further into Africa is a logical step for Pienaar Bros. In the retail sector, the likes of Shoprite, Woolworths, Mr Price and MTN have all been successful on the continent (albeit through a number of challenges), and through fantastic relationships with international suppliers, Pienaar Bros has become the most recognisable name in the PPE distribution sector. Mining, construction, infrastructure development, engineering etc remain common on the continent and in most countries miners must be provided with, and must wear, safety caps or hats (along with other pieces of PPE) which are approved in the jurisdiction in which the mine operates. “We hold probably R150 million of stock at any point,” Pienaar estimates. “We are the biggest distributors of 3M, DuPont, Uvex
PIENAAR BROS. IS AN AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTOR OF
THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF SAFETY FOOTWEAR IN AFRICA
For enquiries on ordering safety footwear, visit www.pienaarbros.co.za or email enquiries@pienaarbros.co.za
INDUSTRY FOCUS: SAFETY
and Honeywell safety products in SA, and we are also big distributors of local brands including Johnson Workwear, Bova and Wayne. We are the sole distributors of Ansell products in SA. We are a large importer of safety spectacles, mainly the MAX range, and we import a lot of leather gloves from China. We also manufacture a lot of welding hats, face shields, safety caps, glove clips, bump caps, eyewear, goggles and other products all at our factory in Johannesburg. “We have a fleet of around 50 vehicles so that we can ensure stock is
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in the right place at the right time and this is concern as the transport network in this country is not as sophisticated as elsewhere in the world,” he adds. Manufacturing in South Africa is an important element of the Pienaar Bros business and allows the company to stay constantly connected to the industries it services. Also, the country’s needs are unique and by constantly communicating with customers and suppliers, Pienaar Bros is able to produce goods of the finest quality. “In our field, in terms of distribution to the end-user, we are
certainly the market leader by a long way. “South Africa has a large PPE manufacturing industry which employs probably around 150,000 people from workwear to disposable respirators to gloves. There’s a reasonable duty on workwear so it makes sense to make it here. We service many different industries but mainly mining, pharmaceuticals and heavy industry,” says Pienaar. INDUSTRY LEADERS Pienaar Bros has not become a true industry leader by allowing
PIENAAR BROS
uncontrollable factors to influence its strategy and direction. The company has come through social, political and economic change and remains focussed on its core values of achieving the best service in the industry, with quality products that are cost effective and readily available. But the company doesn’t allow important business hurdles to pass it by; it keeps its fingers on the pulse and recognises that you must be able to adapt quickly to navigate difficult business environments and this is exactly what has been done over the years. Despite SA’s current economic slump, Pienaar is confident that the company, and country, has a bright future. “In the short-term we do have problems but for the long-term we are very bullish,” he says. “We think that SA is probably one of the best
places in the world to invest. We have a very strong private sector in SA and we combine that with inefficient government policies and that is where our short-term problems come from but we believe the country, and the continent, can do exceptionally well.” According to Fitch Group research arm BMI, the global mining industry’s value and production growth outlook for 2017 will gradually improve over the course of the year as metal prices are likely to trend higher, and despite recent hiccups, the SA economy is predicted to upturn in 2017. For Pienaar Bros, a business which is well-run and sitting on a robust platform, there is optimism. “We have a strong head office, a strong HR department and strong managers on site in our branches.
“We certainly believe that the right people are out there. There’s nothing wrong with the people on the ground; they might need some training initially but we do have a reasonable labour force. “We’re looking at growing on the continent, opening new branches, bringing in new products and a whole range of exciting growth activities,” Pienaar concludes.
PIENAAR BROS +27 11 824 2384 enquiries@pienaarbros.co.za www.pienaarbros.co.za
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