COMPANY PROFILE
2014
Firetech Projects
Continuing success for Firetech Projects
company profile
Continuing success for Firetech Projects Editorial: Harriet Pattison Production: Chris Bolderstone In May 2013, IndustrySA featured Firetech Projects and spoke to Sales Manager, Johann Blignaut about the success of the company and what their plans were for expanding. This month we revisit Firetech and find out about their development over the past 12 months.
Industry leaders in customised fire and security installations, Firetech was established in 1993 by Stephen Alberts and Hendrik van Wyk. Almost one year on from our first discussion, IndustrySA again speaks to Sales Manager, Johann Blignaut and asks how the last twelve months have been. “Really positive,” he says “we have seen a 3% growth since we last spoke. Generally, this increase in sales happens in our industry towards the end of the year, but we have definitely seen a positive increase during the twelve month period.” Firetech provide and install access control systems, fire detection and fire suppression systems, CCTV cameras and network/building management systems. In 2013, Blignaut told us that the company was just embarking on a new venture into sprinkler systems and other fire prevention developments. Although at the time security installations represented the bigger part of the business, we asked if there has now been a shift due to this new
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prevention development. “With the new development of the fire prevention sprinkler system, the fire department has improved dramatically in the last six months. Although security is still leading, the new sprinkler system has definitely helped us to increase our fire market and now it almost equals that of the security side,” he says.
MEETING EXPECTATIONS Much of Firetech’s business comes from advertised tenders and consultants and they work closely with the building industry. Many clients are direct customers and because requirements are so variable, the company works with construction firms and expert consultants to ensure that correct products are installed and that specifications are met. Previously, Blignaut told us that due to the complicated nature of the products used, they place a large emphasis on training and have both a technical division and their
Firetech Projects
own installation team. So with the new installation and development of the water extinguishing system, we asked if a new team had to be recruited or if existing staff were trained. “It was a development of a whole new department so we had to bring in new and experienced people to start the whole division from scratch and get it running. “The difference between fire detection and fire protection is fairly vast. Fire detection is mainly electronic whereas the protection aspect and sprinkler system is much more mechanical and requires the installation of piping and pumps,” Blignaut explains. With the inevitable growth of this new development sector, will there be room for more training in the future? “The plan is to continually train new people. With the start of this new division there will certainly be more opportunities to train.” He says. Historically, a big part of Firetech’s business was maintenance but with the new installation development, has this changed? “Maintenance still represents a large
proportion of our business,” Blignaut says “but it has room for growth and we have the capacity for this.” The company makes a conscious effort to use local suppliers and where possible, local products. Having previously worked with international brands such as Bosch and Samsung for maintenance and installation, Firetech use local sales agents and distribution outlets. Are they still able to work with these local agents despite their growth? “We really don’t need to deal with international suppliers, we make sure we talk to the suppliers locally and only deal with them.” Blignaut explains. “The amount of local products we use has not changed but we continue to use a lot of local knowledge. This information, especially in software production, has serious development for our industry.” Responsible for installations at a number of government facilities, educational facilities, banking institutions and shopping malls and with recent projects that include the installation of security systems at the
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Civitas Building in Pretoria and the Central Government Offices in Pretoria, we ask Blignaut whether there are further opportunities for growth in the company with recruitment of more employees and more projects and whether they are looking to grow geographically within the industry. “Despite the competition, there are still huge opportunities for further growth. Building projects are continually happening across South Africa, so for us, there are possibilities for growth within these new projects” he says. “Currently there are not as many opportunities to continue to grow internationally but we would like to increase our work opportunities into Africa.”
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EXPANSION Despite the economic slowdown in South Africa in 2008, Firetech remain undeterred and with little impact seen to business, they are still looking to expand, “We continue to operate internationally and in the last three months, we have landed a contract to install a fire detection system in a new shopping mall in Ghana.” With further expansion and exciting new projects such as these, if Firetech were to secure more business, would they open any more offices or remain working from South Africa? “Although we have been asked to join in joint ventures on many occasions, we try to avoid opening any
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new offices. With our type of work we don’t really get involved with builders who would normally be there for a number of years on a project because we are never there for that long. Most of our workers stay on South African ground and operate from there” Blignaut explains. Are there further opportunities at Firetech to expand into other industries? “Mining is definitely an industry we are not involved in but we have considered. We have no immediate plans to venture into any new industries but as a company, we are constantly reviewing mining as there are certainly many potential developments” Blignaut says. Would this present further opportunities within the fire and security departments? “As far as we can see, mining security is certainly an industry opportunity for us due to the strikes and discontentment, so it is something we are looking at as a company.” Firetech has seen some evident growth over the past twelve months, especially with their new sprinkler system and fire protection department. With talks of expansion into
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Africa and further growth within the installation industry expected in the coming months, it’s no wonder Firetech remain one of the top five installation companies in the country.
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“With the new development and department of the fire prevention sprinkler system, the fire department has improved dramatically in the last six months”
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