COMPANY PROFILE
2014
GRW
True industry leaders
company profile
True industry leaders Editorial: Roland Douglas Production: Chris Bolderstone
It seems as though there is no slowing the development of GRW, the country’s leading trailer and truck body manufacturer. The company is involved in all aspects of design, testing, manufacture, service and maintenance of some of the most advanced trailers and bodies in the automotive industry and despite tough times, the business continues to thrive. It is not often that you come across a company that can be genuinely described as the industry leader. It is such a difficult position to achieve and maintain; it requires innovation, persistence, determination, skill and of course, visionary forward thinking. Back in July 2013, we looked at one company who does fit this description; Worcester based GRW Engineering. The trailer and truck body manufacturer has been servicing South African and international markets for nearly two decades and over the past
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12 months, the company has continued to grow and expand, embracing some very exciting new developments. One of the most interesting changes was the investment in a new facility in Johannesburg. The new facility, a R90 million world class service centre in Ekurhuleni, replaced the Devland branch and offers customers ‘an exceptional experience in service and sales’. GRW CEO, Gerhard van der Merwe told Tanker Talk magazine last year: “We have invested in a
GRW
number of people, especially management positions, throughout the company, and specifically in Gauteng for the new operation, which will be headed up by General Manager, Francois de Villiers. “The infrastructure will transform our image in Gauteng and take the service side of the business to a new level, elevating efficiencies to an extent that has not been possible in the current premises. Our focus will be on improving customer communication in respect of service delivery and availability of spare parts,” he said.
GRW Holdings sub-Saharan Africa group commercial executive, Johan Richards told Engineering News that the development of the new site would contribute to company’s goal of scaling up production from 800 units a year to 3000 units a year within the next five years. Richards, the former CEO of UD Trucks Southern Africa, was appointed at GRW on July 1st 2013 and he said that another expansion plan, to install truck-body service points at existing truck dealerships, would allow the company to be more efficient when dealing with customers.
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company profile “When a customer sends a truck in for service at a dealership, the truck body has to be sent to another facility to be serviced, which is a timeconsuming process. We want to change this. We want to provide customers with a one-stop service at truck dealerships,” he told Engineering News. To ensure that the highest quality standards are met, the company is willing to work on trailers and bodies from different brands for its valued customers. “We are not concerned about the brand of truck linked to the trailer or body – it’s all about looking at the truck and truck body as a holistic entity,” Richards said. This is not a sales ploy to generate more business, this is simply a “requisite standard demanded by GRW’s customers in the transport industry”. Of course, this is not a problem for GRW who already have strong relationships in the industry, particularly with other major truck brands.
CONTINUED GROWTH As well as expanding the company’s presence when it comes to servicing trailers and bodies, there has also been physical growth, providing GRW with an increased footprint across the nation, allowing the company to provide more innovative services to clients. Away from the growth in Gauteng, there have been other developments as van der Merwe told Tanker Talk: “We have completed the new stainless steel production facility - it is fully operational and providing promising results.” The new facility is home to the ‘Special Projects Division’ which manufactures products specifically in either stainless steel or carbon steel. Albert Liebenberg, Special Projects Executive told Tanker Talk more about what happens in the new facility. “Our re-engineered LPG tanker, featuring a substantially lower centre of gravity, and providing increased capacity and payload, has been fully 3D-modelled, FEA- and design-approved. “We are going to be testing various American and European equipment brands to offer potential clients options. “I am also very excited that in our stainless steel line we are currently developing prototype semi tri-axle and rigid drawbar food grade tanker configurations that will be utilised on a large dairy contract. “The advantage of a dedicated plant to special
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products is that we can offer clients flexibility and a clear-cut delivery date,” he said.
THE FUTURE Back in July 2013, we found that the future was looking particularly rosy for GRW, with all of its planned expansion and today nothing has changed. The visionary forward thinking has remained and the pipeline of activity remains fully loaded with more contracts consistently arriving. Van der Merwe told Tanker Talk last year that the company was working on some major developments that could “revolutionise the fuel transport business in South Africa”. The prototype in the spotlight is “fitted with a differentiated fuel measuring system utilising new technology that has not yet been seen in this country”. The CEO also said that the company was readying a move into KwaZulu-Natal where
GRW
TANK TRUCK EQUIPMENT
GROUNDING & EARTHING DEVICES
LOADING ARMS
INSTRUMENTATION & FLOW CONTROL
FALL PREVENTION EQUIPMENT
INDUSTRIAL HOSES & DRY BREAK COUPLINGS
COUPLINGS (BREAKAWAY & EMERGENCY RELEASE)
“You can delay a new build but you cannot delay maintenance”
INTEGRATED SYSTEMS
VAPOUR RECOVERY & COMBUSTION
GAS COMPRESSION
Tel: +27 (0) 11 792 2196 Email: sales@soliflo.co.za
www.soliflo.co.za
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company profile Manufacturing, asseMbling and Welding
Address: 16 Triangle Street, Paarl Tel:021-862-1000 • Laser Cutting • Hi-Def Plasma Cutting • CNC Punching • Cutting & Bending • Forming (Sheet Metal) • Stainless Steel Polishing • Stainless Steel Brushing • Guillotine Cutting • Mig, Tig and Stick Welding done on: Stainless Steel, Mild Steel & Aluminium
Machining: Address: 18 Kaplan Street, Paarl Tel: 021-862-4440 • CNC Turning • CNC Milling • Broaching • Fitting • General Repair Work • Sub Assembly Projects
We service the private as well as the public sector with the manufacturing of everyday parts and components. Making use of our skilled staff and innovative designs, we strive for customer satisfaction. Passionate and dedicated, we are always willing to be of assistance. CONFERHEUR ENGINEERING “Your one stop engineering solution”
coating
Address: 8 Boland Street, Paarl Tel: 021-862-4932 • Expoxy Powder Coating • Twin Pack Spray Painting • Chemical Treatment • Shot Blasting • Glass Blasting
customers are demanding a dedicated outlet. “We are actively looking for an opportunity to expand our presence in KwaZulu-Natal. While we have a sales person based permanently in the area, customers have for some time been requesting a dedicated service centre. We hope to satisfy that need in the near future,” he told Tanker Talk. Also, over the last 12 months, the company has looked to jump start its exports and has hence employed people with the specific aim of generating international business. “We have also contracted the services of a business development manager to conduct a survey into the ever-growing opportunities in Africa,” van der Merwe told Tanker Talk. If exporting can add further business to the already extremely impressive portfolio, then it looks likely that GRW will be able to extend its position on the top of the pile and continue on the road to achieving its vision of ‘becoming a partner for your modern logistical needs and ensuring total
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GRW – The facts Established: 1996 Employees: 600+ CEO: Gerhard van der Merwe Headquarters: Worcester, Western Cape, South Africa Mission: To be the leading supplier of transport solutions worldwide, enhancing our customer productivity through superior customer service and support, innovation, quality and commitment.
GRW
Specialising in the manufacture of: • Tanker fittings • Sealed compartment delivery systems • Fuel and gas flow meters • Pumps • Aviation refueling systems • Hose Reels • Elaflex agents (Hoses and fittings) • Manntek agents (Dry disconnect couplings)
Contact
Cape Town –
021 982 5474
info@alfonshaarsa.co.za
www.alfons-haar.de
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www.grw.co.za Tel: +27 23 348 6300
(0)1603 618 000 info@industrysa.com East Coast Promotions Ltd, Ferndale Business Centre, 1 Exeter Street. Norwich, Norfolk NR2 4QB