Meet Mark Broude – technology and people are his passion

Kemtek’s Divisional Commercial Director, Mark Broude, is no stranger to hard work – nor to Kemtek’s numerous Auto ID principals and resellers. In almost 20 years with the company, he has overseen remarkable growth by following a simple rule: he always puts people first and looks to see how technology can be used to create opportunities.

When your job is your passion

Mark is a man who loves his job, and loves Kemtek. That’s reflected in the long hours he puts in (a typical working day for him begins at 4am) and the evident satisfaction he derives from the achievements of his team. Mark’s main role is supporting his team as they in turn support Kemtek’s network of resellers through creating opportunities and introducing new products.

One long career highlight

Mark’s personal highpoints include the many turnover records he and his team have set. The fact that Kemtek has a reputation as the most honest distribution company in their sector, with many happy and loyal customers, is also something that Mark is proud of. Kemtek has held true to their strategy of only selling to resellers. This approach has meant that, via the reseller network, Kemtek has been able to assist many smaller companies to grow and thrive.

Managing a huge portfolio

Despite having overall responsibility for multiple brands and hundreds of products, Mark explains that his hugely experienced team take this in their stride. He also points to the fact that his division doesn’t operate in isolation, but is closely integrated with Kemtek’s marketing, logistics and administrative divisions – and that they all strive to deliver the best possible customer service.

By introducing new technologies to the market, Mark sees Kemtek’s role as investing, not just in the company’s own future, but also in that of their resellers. In his position, he has his finger on the pulse of technological innovation, and he’s excited by the extent to which sustainability has become a focal point in recent years. In the Auto ID space, linerless labels are a great example of how innovation can reduce waste and carbon emissions.

A brighter future

Looking ahead, Mark believes that many more products and services will be cloud-based, and that intuitive ease of use will become a key selling point. He is confident that Kemtek will be the key supplier in the AutoID sector with the relevant hardware to facilitate this. He believes that many of the challenges businesses will face going forward will be related to the scarcity of resources, and that technology has a role to play in enabling businesses to achieve more with less.

He also foresees consumers returning to bricks and mortar stores in greater numbers, which will be both a challenge and an opportunity for retailers. Here again, Auto ID solutions can assist retailers with pivoting towards hybrid online and offline business models, and to enhance their own sustainability credentials.

With faster, smarter technology, Auto ID solutions will increasingly become an essential part of our everyday lives.

Green growth is possible

Mark enjoys finding solutions to business challenges, and as a result, he’s excited about many of the innovations currently being developed. He is particularly enthusiastic about innovations that allow companies to grow whilst actively reducing their ecological impact. He believes this form of technology will become increasingly important as businesses adjust to operating in a resource-constrained environment.

He sees Auto ID becoming more important in all of our lives, as the ability to uniquely identify, track and trace assets increases in both business efficiency and personal convenience. ■

To connect with Broude

T +27 (0)82 887 2586

E markb@kemtek.co.za

W www.kemtek.co.za