CONTENTS

Building on a century of achievement iii

A Remarkable Track Record / Salutations iv
Close Collaboration is the Key / Growing the Industry v
The Changing Motor Industry Landscape / “What Interesting Times These Were” vi
An Exclusive Club of Forward Thinkers vii
The Beginning x
The Need for the RMI xi

Who is the RMI? 1

The Dynamic RMI Executive Team 2
The RMI Associations 3
RMI Centenary Dinners 6
Robert Bosch - An Entrepreneur with a sense of responsibility 9
The Dealer Bank 19
There is More to Midas 24
Go Green ….. Go Willard 29
Nissan – a Global Player with true South African Roots 33
Giving Birth to Tonii 36
AutoZone - Creating Synergy 39
Barloworld - 50 years of Change 41
Bridgestone – nearly 75 years of service in the tyre industry 43
Supplying and Nurturing the South African Automotive Aftermarket 45
Federal-Mogul Aftermarket – Champions of the Industry 47
The Grandmasters in Quality Automotive Parts Supply 49

page i
 CONTENTS

Launch Tech Co Ltd 51

Lazarus Motor Company – The humble acorn grows into a mighty oak 53
Taking Care of our own 55
Striving for Excellence 57
“We Do Things Differently” 59
Toyota Continues to Lead the Way 61
Progress over half a century 63
Automotive Aftermarket Manufacturers Association 65
Promoting World Class Competencies 66
Achieving Maximum Productivity 67
Thermal Management Comes of Age 68
The Power of Three 69
Life Begins at 40 70
Tri-Nation Alliance 71
Castor Oil Started the Castrol Success Story 72
Clear Vision Ahead 73
From F Hoppert to Diesel-Electric 103 Years Service to South Africa 74
Leaders in Ignition Engineering 75
Formidable Combination of Drive, Innovation and Skills 76
Econometrix - Road Maps for Future Business 77
Equipment that keeps us Moving Forward 78
Ferobrake: More than a Century of Service 79
Getting Exided About Batteries 80
Focused on Commitment, Dedicated to Excellence 81
A Head Above the Rest 82
As Much a Part of SA Culture as Braaivleis and Sunny Skies 83
Support and Service for Durban’s Harley Owners 84
Henkel – a Brand like a Friend 85
The Royal Seal 86
To the World with Perfection 87
McCarthy – a Major Player with a Proud History 88
MISA : The Trade Union of Choice 89
Permatex – 100 Years of Innovation and Leadership in Chemical Tools 90
A History of Exceptional Service to the South African Auto Industry 91
The Prufe of the Pudding 92
Tenneco on Top of the World 93
Timken Celebrates 77 Years in South Africa 94
The Fusion of Passion and Excellence 95
Making Traxx 96
In Safe Hands 97
RAM Belts & Hoses - Standing the Test of Time 98
Z is for Zoom! 99

Index 100

RMI Code of Conduct and RMI Objectives 101

page ii
 MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

Building on a century of
achievement
The RMI has achieved much in its one hundred and one years’ existence. It is not easy to unify a diverse
conglomeration of automotive industries and personalities, particularly in an industry that has had more
than its fair share of larger than life characters and a wide range of ambitions and egos. However, the
RMI has managed to achieve the practically impossible with very little exception over its rich and storied
history, delivering on its vision of service, quality and professionalism. This is indeed an indication of
the quality of its founders and the successive torch bearers. Our mission today and in the future is to
extend and elevate these aspirations to the highest levels amongst our members, and to broaden this
dynamic reach to all corners of South Africa and to all segments of our society, from the multinational
manufacturers, importers, distributors and dealers, government and big business, right down to the
customers and consumers who have sustained our industry for a century, and will continue to sustain
these valuable service providers for many years to come.

A
s I write this, I reflect on
how the industry has re-
cently gone through a
traumatic period, facing
economic challenges in ex-
tent not experienced before. The last year
has seen significant consolidation and ra-
tionalisation among dealerships and net-
works, as the industry has girded its loins
and looked for ways to weather the crisis,
with a commitment to come out of the
crisis stronger and in a better position to
weather future shocks. The good news is
that the economy is starting to recover,
and the RMI has played a role in ame-
liorating the situation by researching all
aspects pertaining to turbulent economic
and market conditions, and by providing
practical advice for workable solutions to
its members. We also realise that we as
an industry are not alone in these en-
deavours. And South Africa is also not
unique in having to face the vagaries of
economic cycles. The realities we face are
the realities the world faces, and these re-
alities are not only impacting on the au-
tomotive industry, but on every facet of
commerce and society, throughout the
globe. Our country has also recently
gone through a period of political insta-
bility, which added to the tangible hard-
ships impacting the economy, and this
combination of uncertainty and adver-
sity negatively affected general business
and consumer sentiment. This is not
unique, and it has happened many times
in the past, and we have always pulled
through. This knowledge sustains and re-
assures us. As I said in my executive ad-
dress last year, “as always, these things
shall pass. In these dark times, we need
to accept a universal truth, that of
change. We cannot stop it and we cannot
cling to old ways.” The only difference
to past challenging times is that the rate
of change we face is now at an unprece-
dented pace. Advances in technology
and its application are incalculable and
nigh impossible to predict. The RMI is
striving to up its game and to advance to
a level of proactive engagement where
solid research and effort leads to practical
solutions that create optimal solutions
for all its members. Our track record in
implementing solutions speaks for itself,
but we realise that we cannot afford to
drop our guard, or to take our eye off the
ball. It is imperative that we increase our
local skills base and that we retain quali-
fied technicians by making all the aspects
of our trade highly regarded and profes-
sionally relevant. We must recognise the
changing global dynamic and address the
emerging east as a priority consideration
in our business models. We also have a
responsibility to transform the industry
into a more representative demographic
without throwing the baby out with the
bath water. Let us roll up our sleeves and
prepare our industry for the next 101
years, side by side!
Jeff Osborne
CEO of the RMI

page iii
 PRESIDENTIAL REFLECTIONS
A Remarkable Track Record
I
n 1908, Sir Albert Atkey formed the
South African Society of Motor
Traders, the first forerunner of the
RMI. There were 17 Johannesburg
motor traders who made up the mem-
bership. Today, 101 years later, the RMI
boasts a constituency of nearly 7800
members across South Africa in
13 different constituent associations.
As an organisation, we are of the same
era as many remarkable feats of history.
At the beginning of the 20th Century,
Henry Ford was determined to build a simple, reliable and
affordable car. On 1st October 1908, the first model T Ford rolled
off the production line in Detroit in the USA. The purchase price
was $825, with 10 000 being sold in the first year. The second
innovation at the same time was the assembly line, and while not
conceiving the concept, Henry Ford perfected it. It is hard to imag-
ine how this was achieved 100 years ago without the technology
we have at our disposal today. Many other interesting events
happened at the beginning of the 20th century. The RMI was
already 10 years old when Nelson Mandela was born.
Salutations
T
here is no doubt that the
motor industry with all its
challenges, remains an excit-
ing industry to be involved in. It is
dynamic and multifaceted, with
many stakeholders. The role it plays
in both the economies of countries as
well as the lives of people, is signifi-
cant. No wonder then that it is such
a high profile industry, also here in
South Africa. The customer facing re-
tail sector in particular, tends to enjoy a lot of attention. It is
in this regard that the RMI, and its predecessor the MIF, have
played a valuable role over the past 101 years. I am proud of
the manner in which our organisation has consistently pro-
jected the image of our sector, and how they have represented
us on many national forums over the years. I salute the many
office bearers and volunteers who distinguished themselves in
the quality of their service to the RMI, for the benefit of all
its members. The ability of our sector to speak with one voice
has definitely stood us in good stead when it comes to matters
of common interest. So many examples can be given where
the RMI successfully negotiated changes to legislation, regu-
lations and policies. From my perspective I can state with con-
fidence that the RMI has succeeded in making our businesses
page iv
Throughout the very rich history of the organisation, members’
needs as well as the macro-environment have driven its strategic
direction. We have a remarkable track record, and we have not
only made significant progress in recent years, but have continued
to attain outstanding achievements in many facets of our business.
The organisation has never been stronger or more stable. Assur-
ance and commitment to the interests of the motoring public in
terms of a code of conduct honoured by all our members, is what
strengthens the RMI’s brand and reputation. The motor industry
has always been a barometer for the growth or decline of the econ-
omy. There are huge challenges currently facing our membership
in terms of the prevailing economic climate. The future requires
more focused business efficiency, innovation and resilience, and
the same kind of endurance that has carried the RMI through for
100 years. As President, I am immensely honoured to be associ-
ated with the RMI at the time of its centenary. As a member, I am
even prouder to carry through its values and commitment to the
consumer.
Ferose Oaten (Mrs)
President of the RMI
better. It is certainly deserving of our continued support.
I found my tenure as President of the RMI a very stimulating,
learning experience. At McCarthy’s we have always taken our
broader industry responsibilities seriously and I was therefore
privileged to have followed in the footsteps of legends like
Errol Richardson and Theo Swart. Our commercial director
Lazola Madikizela, who is serving on the RMI board at pres-
ent, is continuing this McCarthy tradition. It was also a spe-
cial privilege working with a most professional board that gave
me wise counsel, and a committed executive team under the
leadership of Jeff Osborne.
What about the future?
I am hopeful that we will see an improvement in trading con-
ditions, soon. The next phase of growth is likely to start early
next year. Due to the nature and complexity of our industry
we will continue to face many challenges in the future. For
this reason the need for an organisation like the RMI will only
increase. “Unity is strength” has never been more appropriate.
The RMI under the capable leadership of Ferose Oaten can
certainly count on my support as well as good wishes for the
next 101 years!
Brand Pretorius
Immediate Past President of the RMI
 A NOD FROM NAAMSA
Close Collaboration is the Key
N
AAMSA congratulates the Re-
tail Motor Industry Organisa-
tion (RMI) on its positive
contribution to the interests of con-
sumers and the broader automotive in-
dustry in over 100 years’ existence in
South Africa. The specialist role and in-
terface of the RMI between vehicle man-
ufacturers, importers and distributors of
motor vehicles and the industry’s con-
sumers has added tremendous value over
the past century and remains critically
important for the future growth and development of the entire
South African automotive industry. Close collaboration between
all role-players in the domestic automotive industry is key to the
future sustainability of the industry in South Africa. The South
African motor industry incorporates the manufacture, distribution,
servicing and maintenance of motor vehicles and plays a vital role
in South Africa’s economy, contributing during 2008 about 7,3%
of the country’s R2 283 billion Gross Domestic Product (2007:
R1 995 billion). Since the implementation of the MIDP in Sep-
tember 1995, the South African automotive sector has grown in
stature to become the leading manufacturing sector in the country’s
economy. A compounded annual growth rate of 27% in rand value
terms for completely built-up vehicles (CBUs) and automotive
components exports has been achieved from 1995 through 2008.
Total automotive industry exports (CBUs and components) in rand
value terms increased more than twenty-two fold from the
Growing the Industry
T
he National Association of
Automobile Manufacturers of
South Africa (NAAMSA)
salutes the Retail Motor Industry
Organisation (RMI) on over 100 years
of outstanding service to the automo-
tive industry and its customers in the
areas of new and used vehicle sales as
well as vehicle servicing, maintenance
and repair. Over the past century, the
South African motor industry has
developed considerably evolving progressively from initially an
importing sector into an increasingly self-sufficient industry
comprising vehicle manufacture, distribution, servicing and
maintenance. As is the case globally, there is a large degree of
interdependence amongst all the role-players in the South
African automotive industry. In case of South Africa, however,
it is significant to emphasise the constructive way in which
industry, labour and government co-operate to maximize the
contribution of this key sector to the South African economy.
R4,2 billion in 1995 to R94,2 billion in 2008. Close on 1,5 million
South African manufactured vehicles have been exported since
1995 to date. The export growth has been accommodated by major
investments in best practice assets and state-of-the-art equipment,
skills upgrading, productivity gains and upgrading of the whole
automotive value chain. Currently first world economies are in the
middle of severe recession as a result of the global financial and
economic crisis. This is having a negative knock on effect on
emerging market economies, including South Africa. Going
forward, the South African automotive industry will have to
continue focusing on significant improvements in its international
competitiveness in respect of production costs, without compro-
mising high quality levels.
The future and fate of the South African automotive industry, its
contribution to the country’s economy as well as the country’s con-
tribution to the continent will largely be determined by the effec-
tiveness of responses to global pressures. The positive developments
and achievements in the South African automotive industry, since
1995, have been driven by a supportive automotive policy regime.
The Automotive Production and Development Programme
(APDP) to replace the MIDP from 2013 onwards should enable
vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers to plan strategically for
the future and to finalise investment decisions with confidence and
certainty. It should also enable various manufacturers to tender for
the production of new models in South Africa.
David Powels
President, NAAMSA
Both the RMI and NAAMSA are trade organisations commit-
ted to the principles of free enterprise and the promotion of the
interests of the broader South African motor industry. Both
organisations have built up a constructive working relationship
in matters of mutual interest and this in turn has provided a
strong platform to support the further growth of the industry
in future years.
NAAMSA looks forward to continuing to work with the RMI
to grow and develop the industry and to enhance the welfare
of our customers.
Nico Vermeulen
Executive Director, NAAMSA
page v
 NAACAM NOTES
The changing motor industry landscape
T
he RMI's start to the organisa-
tion's second century has found
itself in a very difficult economic
environment. Local production of
motor vehicles in 2009 will in all prob-
ability be less than 350 000 vehicles, a
far cry from the heady heights of 700
000 we have been experiencing in the
immediate past. The industry is going
through a severe correction, and unfor-
tunately due to a lack of stimulus from
the government we will just have to ride
out the cycle. This the industry will do, we have done it on a few
occasions over the last 30 years, and I have no doubt we will do it
again, but it will bring about a changed motor industry landscape.
In terms of the immediate future, component companies and RMI
members, will need an even closer relationship between NAACAM
and the RMI. Component manufacturers need to supply the af-
termarket more aggressively to offset the falling demand to OEMs
and the challenge to component exports caused by the strong local
currency. The good news is that the number of cars on our roads
has swelled significantly over the last five years to over eight million
vehicles, all these vehicles need to be serviced, and a very important
thrust for the component industry is to encourage South Africans
to buy local components. The country urgently needs to support
our local industry, not only does it help to create and maintain em-
ployment, the country’s primary need, but South African compo-
‘What interesting times these were’
N
AACAM was established in
Port Elizabeth in July1980 by
representatives of twenty
major automotive component manufac-
turers who felt the necessity for a strong
organisation to represent their interests
effectively to Government, vehicle man-
ufacturers and other authorities. Most
of these companies had been members
of the Motor Industries Federation, the
RMI’s predecessor, but this divorce was
amicable, and happened with the MIF’s
understanding of the necessity. What interesting times these were.
The car market was growing from strength to strength and about
to reach a peak that would not be surpassed for 23 years! Manda-
tory local content had just been extended to include light commer-
cial vehicles in addition to cars, and there were talks of
political sanctions against South Africa which would have required
even more local content. No wonder the component manufacturers
decided to flex their muscles! By 1985 there were over 100 member
companies, mostly locally-owned, and the Association decided to
move to Gauteng, which had taken over from Port Elizabeth as the
major automotive producing region. To be honest, up until that
time the component manufacturers had it fairly easy, because since
1960 there had been mandatory local content, and so a number
of companies had virtual monopolies and ran their businesses
page vi
nents are a guarantee of quality and ensure safe motoring. Imported
components from some countries are a safety concern, with at
times the public and members of the auto service industry sacri-
ficing quality for price and therefore putting lives at risk on the
roads. It is vitally important during these tough times for the South
African industry, NAAMSA, NAACAM and the RMI to work
even closer together to ensure that our industry pulls through this
mighty recession, and emerges strong and more unified. The
brighter news is that spring always follows winter. We remain con-
fident that our industry will emerge strongly from this economic
correction. The important aspect is that we all ensure that our busi-
nesses learn the lessons from the excesses we have enjoyed in the
'boom times' and that most importantly we tackle the 'hard issues'.
The new road infrastructure and the FIFA world cup next year,
will I am sure provide the impetus to get our industry back on
track. The most important strategy going forward is to ensure that
the motor industry becomes more united, and that the three major
industry organizations work even closer together and support each
other. The motor industry is the most energized sector in the SA
economy, and we need to build on this strength to improve our
great industry which is the cornerstone on which our entire econ-
omy rests. Congratulations to the RMI on going into your second
century, only truly great organisations can endure and thrive that
long. NAACAM looks forward to working with you even more
closely as we move into a new era in our industry.
Stewart Jennings
President, NAACAM
accordingly. The first dark clouds came in the mid-eighties with
the developing nations crisis which dramatically weakened the
Rand and pushed vehicle prices up. The resultant rethink of eco-
nomic policy caused government in the late eighties to change the
local content measurement from weight to value and allowed
exports to count towards the targets, the so-called Phase VI of the
Local Content Programme. Suddenly, suppliers had to think about
efficiency and costs a lot more seriously, as an element of compe-
tition began to creep in! To make matters worse, the Phase VI
period coincided with the toughest years in memory for the vehicle
market, with sales back to levels last seen twenty years previously,
and 38% below the 1981 peak. As a result of these factors,
employment by component companies fell to their lowest recorded
levels – less than 50 000 compared to over 80 000 in the early ‘80s.
Fortunately the replacement market remained strong, and the
establishment of fitment centre franchises around the country gave
a much-needed boost to the parts market and strengthened ties
between NAACAM and the RMI. Since then the MIDP and the
globalisation of the South African industry have changed the face
of the market, and with both NAACAM and the RMI having
grown and remaining strong, and working together to ensure future
growth for another 101 years!
Roger Pitot
Executive Director, NAACAM
 NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

With over 35 years in the automotive industry, in various management roles, from financial
to marketing to chief executive, Graham Erasmus is an industry all-rounder. Now in auto-
motive aftermarket publishing, Graham subscribes to Motilal Nehru’s maxim that there are
two types of people; those that get the work done, and those that take the credit for it, and
that it is better to be amongst the former as there is too much competition amongst the latter.
Also does not disagree with the adage that there are three types of individuals; those who
make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who say “what the hell hap-
pened?” Loves all of humanity, but does struggle intensely and passionately in suffering fools
gladly. He has a B.Comm (Accountancy) from the University of Port Elizabeth. Professional
memberships include MTCCA, MIMM, AFEC, and the SAGMJ.

An Exclusive Club of Forward Thinkers

When Trilogy Publishing was commissioned at the end of March 2009 to produce a prestigious edition celebrating 101
years of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation, it was with a sense of humility that we approached the project. Not only
did we have to do justice to a century of achievement, we also had to include the history of the companies that contributed
to the development of the South African automotive industry, in all its forms, over the past 101 years, and to provide a
rich tapestry of our pioneering past, and an acknowledgement of those who came before us, those who are today adding to
this history, and those who are still to add to the chronicles in the future. A daunting task, which we tackled with relish,
as it is a fantastic sense of achievement just to participate in such a wonderful venture.

T
he major obstacle in our endeavours was the question
of space. In today’s frenetic times, space in all its man-
ifestations is at a premium, and we recognised the fact
that we could not indulge ourselves in covering one hundred
and one years through the luxury of chapter and verse. We are,
after all, in the Twitter age, and attention spans are not what
they used to be. Thus, we initially decided to limit this glori-
ous commemoration and remembrance to 50 companies and
organisations, later revised ambitiously to 101 entities and
eventually revised to what we eventually ended up with, an
exclusive club of 54 forward looking establishments. And we
added the extra burden of brevity on our writers’ shoulders by
insisting on economy of words. We assembled a fabulous team
of motoring journalists to write this history, with a tight but
flexible brief: to distil the essence of each company’s contri-
bution to the South African automotive industry into a short
and vivid account of the past, the present and the future, and
to recognise the global influences, but to seek out the local
highlights and the nuggets of idealism which lie buried in each
and every story. Sounds quite tight, but we gave the writers
free rein to do this with their individual flair. And we trust
that you agree with us that they have delivered, in spades, in
bringing to you unique eureka moments.
In the early stages of this project, we realised that with South
Africa being a melting pot of cultures, class and heritage, and
with historical documents mainly in black and white, and in
various states of condition, that colour would impinge on the
classical nature of this book, so we settled for a sepia finish,
which we believe has added to the superb feel and finish, and
contributes to an inspiring manuscript and record to be treas-
ured forever. Our only concession to colour is the RMI logo
at the foot of each page, and our montage of the vibrant gala
dinners that the RMI held in 2008 to commemorate their cen-
tenary. These gala dinners were made possible through the
generous sponsorship of WesBank and Bosch. This publica-
tion is a remembrance of what we are, an acknowledgement
of where we’ve come from, and a pointer of where we are
going. Our endeavours to get an all encompassing participa-
tion came to nought, because many in the industry com-
mented that this was a difficult time to bring out this tome,
and therein lies the reason why we had to bring it out. Even
in the darkest times, there is a silver lining, and remembering
the good times helps us through the bad times, and allows for
us to seek the future.
We started to approach sponsors in May 2009, during the
midst of one of the deepest recessions since 1929, and whilst
the reception to RMI 101 was initially encouraging, by early
August 2009, as the recession deepened, we realised that the
appetite for celebration was not very high. So we adjusted our
sights, and decided to let market and emotional forces dictate
the size of the publication, based on a triad of marketing pil-
lars; we were to promote our venture through three specific
routes: e-mail communication, advertising, and personal ap-
peals. This would effectively be a distillation process that
would separate the wheat from the chaff, with the resulting
book, no matter how thin or how thick, representing the

page vii
 NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
cream of the crop, the crème de la crème of the automotive
industry. In this publication, you will then find companies
with advanced perception, comprehensive understanding,
total vision, reverence for what they represent, and content-
ment and a feeling of fulfilment about who they are and what
they are about, all gelling into a celebration of their past, their
present, and their future. A real life demonstration of Maslow’s
Hierarchy of Needs; not from a personal perspective, but in
reality an organisation actually reaching self actualisation.
Thus, this compilation is a gem, a collector’s item, and a pub-
lication of historical import; something to be savoured, cher-
ished, and treasured as a historical milestone identifying and
honouring those who refuse to be bowed by historical circum-
stance, and those who realise that life goes on, and these are
the people, companies and institutions that one can rely on
to pull the cart through the drift, no matter how strong the
back pull. On this premise, you are holding in your hands
not a blockbuster in the conventional sense of the word, but
an exclusive collection of very special companies and very spe-
cial people, a physical manifestation of entities and personal-
ities that will be around for many years to come, and who will
definitely be in the RMI 150 and RMI 200 year editions.
A big thank you to the visionaries who made this project pos-
sible, a project that from the outset was never a money making
exercise, but an imperative based on the fact that the oppor-
tunity had been lost the previous year, and this was a creation
of a vehicle to correct this oversight. Many companies, partic-
ularly those who provide ancillary services to the automotive
industry in various forms, such as research, financial, auditing
and consulting services, and who basically feed off this won-
derful and giving industry, were approached but deemed it fit
not to participate, which is a great pity, but which serves as
an indication of the mindset that causes companies to fail in
the bad times; but a plea nevertheless to those missing from
the RMI 101 honours list to add a codicil to your wills, in-
structing your grandchildren and great grandchildren to def-
initely participate in the 150 and 200 year editions – if your
companies are still around, that is! Another notable omission
is a foreword from the Minister of Trade and Industries, not
for lack of trying on our part. The 50 year and 75 year RMI
editions did have forewords from the Ministers of Economic
Affairs in 1958 and 1973, but this was not possible for this
issue, as our publishing deadline could not be met by the pres-
ent incumbent. Maybe better luck next time.
Please treasure this book of celebration. It deserves great
care, and so do you.
8th October 2009

Howard Mellet – Managing Editor

Howard Mellet is a veteran of more than 25 years in the publishing industry in South Africa. He was instrumental
in launching SA LAN Times magazine in 1989. He has had associations, in consulting editor roles, with other
publications, including the South African edition of Information Week. He has been published in Business Day,
Millionaire Magazine, Finance Week, Anytime Magazine, Drive, TopBike, Automobil and others. He is a past
projects editor of Truck & Bus magazine and editor of AutoInsight magazine. He is a member of the SA Guild of
Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ).

Jackie Kraft – Concept, Design and Development

Fifteen years in the graphic design and marketing field. After reading for a Bachelor in Visual Arts at the University
of Pretoria, majoring in Information Design, she moved to a leading advertising agency in Johannesburg before
founding J.Kraft Information Design (KID). KID specialises in the complete spectrum of visual communication
from print design to electronic media and marketing campaigns. For relaxation, Jackie can be found at her local
golf course, when not burning the midnight oil.

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

-
Adrian Burford Adrian Burford has been writing about cars and motoring for 21 years, joining
the now-defunct Drive magazine as a cadet reporter in 1988. A freelancer for the last decade, one of his main
clients is the AA Traveller magazine. As the motoring editor his prime objective is to look at motoring from the
perspective of Joe and Jane Average, and prevent them from making poor decisions. A keen cyclist, his pet hates
are taxis, potholes and mindless SUV drivers, not necessarily in that order. When the test car well occasionally
runs dry, he is found behind the wheel of his classic BMW 2002, which, as he puts it, acts as a great reality check.

page viii
 CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

-
Peter Burroughes Peter Burroughes is a freelance motoring journalist and PR/marketing con-
sultant who is in his fifth decade of observing, promoting and reporting motoring and motor sport. He has worked
in both print and electronic media, in advertising and public relations and has travelled the world in the course of
his assignments. He currently covers national championship circuit racing, off road racing and rallying for various
clients and is media consultant to Team South Africa competing in the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport and also
to Gauteng Motorsport Company. He is a member and past chairman of the SA Guild of Motoring Journalists
(SAGMJ) and a recipient of Motorsport South Africa’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Paul Collings -
Paul Collings is a freelance journalist and Special Report Correspondent for Fleet-
Watch Magazine. He has specialised in writing about and photographing commercial vehicles since 2004. He is
also a published author and winner of the 2003 Anglo Platinum Short Story Award. He lives in Johannesburg and
is father to a son, Alex.

Gavin Foster - Gavin Foster began his freelance career as a fulltime photojournalist in 1993. Able to
write on just about any topic, his work was in constant demand. He is a jury member for the SA Guild of Motoring
Journalists (SAGMJ) Car of the Year competition. A keen motorcyclist, he won a Magazine Publishers Association
of South Africa (MPASA) PICA award for Profile Writer of the Year in 2008.

Teddy Knoetze - Teddy Knoetze began his career at Die Burger in Cape Town after graduating from
the University of Stellenbosch. In a career spanning more than 40 years he has worked for various newspapers, and
book and magazine publishers, both on a permanent and freelance basis. Together with his wife, Dina, he wrote a
series of language and science text books for use in schools. He started his own publishing company, Motorcomm,
in 1992, which concentrates mainly on publishing magazines and translations relating to the motor industry. He is
a member of the SA Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ).

Leo Kok - Leo Kok started his career in 2002 as a journalist at Sake-Beeld. He progressed to senior financial re-
porter where he covered trade and industry and automotive sectors. He subsequently moved to MotorBeeld as editor
until early 2009, when he pursued other interests in the corporate sector. Leo majored separately in languages, and in-
dustrial psychology and communication sciences at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). He also holds an honours de-
gree in Journalism from UJ and an MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). Leo has continued his
passion for writing as a part-time freelance writer and he is the current treasurer of the SA Guild of Motoring Journalists.

Richard Macaskill -Richard Macaskill is one of the young bloods in the motoring industry. Ed-
ucated at Hilton College, Richard matriculated in 2003, after which he studied a Bachelor of Arts degree at the
University of Johannesburg with majors in Journalism, Communications and Economics. Richard also has an in-
troductory mechanics’ course to his name, completed in May 2008. An avid writer and passionate about motoring,
Richard wasted no time in getting into the industry and seized the opportunity when he was awarded the South
African Guild of Motoring Journalists’ Commercial Vehicle Bursary in mid 2008. The following year Richard was
offered the guild’s Car Bursary, which is the position he currently holds.

Alwyn Viljoen - Alwyn Viljoen sold his first essays while at school, (charging two sandwiches a page).
He has long since realised that hacking out facts puts more bread on the table than scribbling fiction. His media career
evolved from corporate writer to political reporter to humour columnist to magazine journalist and culminated as
publisher. After selling his shares in the publishing company, he took to the road as freelance transport and travel
writer. Along the way he picked up a motley but useful collection of qualifications, ranging from speed reading to
police science 101 to sheep management. He is a listed couch-surfer and closet librarian.

page ix
 The Beginning
It was on Monday, 4th June 1897, at 4pm, that the future of mobility in South Africa
changed forever. Not that those present knew it at the time.

T
he event was the un-
veiling of South
Africa’s first motor
car, or horseless car-
riage, and the first
public demonstration
of the Benz Velo, imported into the
country by Hess & Co. This event was
also in reality South Africa’s first motor
show, because the owner of the Velo, J
P Hess, charged a two shilling and six-
pence (25c) entrance fee. The demon-
stration took place at Berea Park,
Pretoria, and it was indeed a momen-
tous occasion, with the attendance of
President Paul Kruger (who declined to
take a ride) and Dr. W J Leyds, the State
Secretary, who became the first official
motor car passenger when he accepted
the offer to ride pillion in this revolu-
tionary contraption. The driver was A
E Reno, the owner of the Pretoria
News, so it can also be safely assumed
that Mr. Reno was the first South
African motoring journalist. Unfortu-
nately, there is no record of his assess-
ment of the vehicle, as no story appears
to have been filed, but we do have it on
good authority that he partook heartily
of the complimentary food and drink,
and thus he constructed another first,
and began the journalistic tradition of
freeloading. The Velo was undeniably a
trailblazer, as its short history also fore-
told of the love affair that South
Africans, who are not alone in this,
would have with the motor car. The
Velo was sold to a local coffee and tea
merchant A H Jacobs to be used in
promotions. Customers, according to
the size of their coffee and tea
purchases, could either have a look at
the vehicle, or even take a short drive.
Under supervision, of course. Unfortu-
nately, the Velo met a fiery death when
the business burnt down, but by this
time the South African public had
woken up and smelt the coffee, and
their love affair with motor cars had
begun in earnest. No longer did love
and marriage go together like a horse
and carriage. It was far more serious
than that, and man’s passionate embrace
of motor cars and internal combustion
engines provided great grist to Sigmund
Freud’s mill, and many other psycho an-
alysts after him. Today, cars are not sim-
ply means of transport; they are works
of art, they are objects of desire, they are
statements of manhood, they are phallic
symbols, and in their latest manifesta-
tion they are willing participants in the
emancipation of women.

“For six straight days

God worked, and on the
seventh day He tinkered
with His V8”
- anonymous

The man who started it all, John Percy Hess,

leans on the rear fender of the Velo, with
Dr J P Leyds, the first passenger, sitting next to
A E Reno, the first motoring journalist. Paul
Kruger is not in this picture, most probably be-
cause he was making sure that he was well
away from this new fangled mechanism,
Photo credits: SA Veteran and Vintage Association and UCDD which “could take fright if a dog barks”.

page x
The Need for the RMI
“Some horsepower, some horsepower, my kingdom for some horsepower”
T
he early days of motoring in
South Africa were trying, to say
the least. The first cars had no
protection against the weather, and mo-
torists had to carry a considerable load of
spares (not in the modern sense): cans of
petrol, lubricating oil, water; and tools,
spare tyres and a spade for digging them-
selves out of trouble. No cars had spare
wheels so the many punctures required
tyre changes with the wheel still bolted
to the axle. Lubrication was rudimentary,
so mechanical breakdowns were the
norm rather than the exception. The
motorist had to do the servicing himself
because garages and mechanics were vir-
tually non-existent. Petrol stations were
also rare animals, so petrol had to be car-
ried on the vehicle for long trips. And
long trips were pioneering affairs. Frank
Connock and Robert Jefferson were the
first to do the Durban to Cape Town trip
(via Johannesburg) in May 1907, which
they achieved in the relatively short pe-
riod of 16 days. This was done on very
bed roads, and sometimes close to im-
passable rivers, forging some intrepid
crossings on railway bridges. These early
tribulations did not deter the motoring
pioneers, and as early as 1901 the need
- With apologies to Shakespeare: Richard III
Malcolm Irving, President of the MTA
(1923 – 1924) and the first man to
establish a workshop in
South Africa, in 1901
for technical assistance was recognised,
with the establishment of the Rudge
Whitworth Company in Cape Town, the
first motor works in South Africa. That
same year, Malcolm Irving (later to be-
come the President of the MTA from
1923 to1924), at the request of the
Royal Automotive Club, established the
first workshop to exclusively undertake
the repair and servicing of motor vehi-
cles. The Anglo Boer War slowed things
up north, so it was a year later in 1902
that the first motor firm, the Johannes-
burg Motor Company Limited, set up in
Robert Jefferson and Frank
Connock with their Rover
which took them from
Durban to Cape Town in
1907
Photo credit: Leyland
South Africa
the then Transvaal, to be followed in a
couple of months by the Continental
Garage. The other provinces played
catch up, and by 1908 there were well
over 50 motor dealers in South Africa
and a proportionate number of service
dealers. The car parc had reached 500
and was growing apace, and the need for
collective representation was sensed. Sir
Albert Atkey, who had taken over the
Johannesburg Motor Company and set
up the Johannesburg Motor Mart in
1903, was instrumental in the formation
of the South African Society of Motor
Traders, based on the British Motor
Trade Association. This was the birth
date of the MTA, later to become the
Motor Industries Federation (MIF) and
now the appropriately named and inclu-
sive Retail Motor Industries Organisa-
tion (RMI). The first President of the
Society was Arthur Gaydon, at that time
the Johannesburg manager of the
Dunlop Rubber Company Limited.
The RMI and its forerunners have
played a sterling role in the history of the
automotive industry in South Africa
since those groundbreaking days, and
there were many highlights and low
points in this history. The purpose of the
RMI 101 publication is to celebrate the
past 101 years of industry activism and
to acknowledge the role that the RMI
plays today, and to look forward to the
next 101 years, which are sure to bring a
surfeit of surprises and twists and turns
that the most prescient of us will not
even come close to predicting, but one
thing will remain constant, and that is
the need to look after the motorist of the
future, with professionalism, integrity
and enthusiasm, and a commitment to
staying abreast of whatever turns the in-
dustry takes and to react to government
initiatives and strictures.
page xi
 Who is The RMI?
With a membership of 7 209, the RMI provides a very effective collective voice that gives
members considerable clout in negotiating better trading conditions.
A
s the lead voice in the motor industry, the RMI
is a member-driven organisation that constantly
seeks solutions to concerns raised by members
in the day-to-day running of their businesses.
Members’ needs are serviced through six regional
offices, manned by 83 professional staff. In addition, the RMI
is the major employer representative of the Motor Industry Bar-
gaining Council, playing a significant role in labour negotiations
as well as the industry’s social benefit schemes, dispute resolu-
tion processes and exemption procedures.
Objectives of the RMI
• To promote, protect and encourage the interests of members
and the motoring public by setting and maintaining proper
standards of service and ethical trading conditions in the in-
dustry.
• Facilitates the settlement of disputes between members and
their employees, members and the motoring public by con-
ciliation/mediation/arbitration.
• Regulates relations between members and their employees
and/or trade unions and protects and furthers the interests
of members in that regard.
• Promotes, supports or opposes when necessary, any pro-
posal, legislative or other measures affecting the interests of
members.
• Affiliated with, and participates in the affairs of other bodies
sharing common interest with RMI members i.e.
NAAMSA, NAACAM, SABS, DoT, BUSA, Nedlac,
SAPIA, DTI, etc.
• To maintain high standards of business ethics and service
delivery to the motoring public by members of the RMI,
and where necessary provide upliftment programmes to im-
prove the knowledge and professionalism of members.
Services offered by the RMI
Business Focus
• Representation of member's interests with various govern-
ment and other industry bodies, i.e. AA, SABS, DTI, DoT,
NAAMSA, NAACAM, AIDC, MIDC, AMID, oil compa-
page 1
nies, motor manufacturers, various banking and insurance
institutions.
• Disseminates valuable industry information to members and
consumers.
• Encourages consumers to do business with members
through the accreditation and grading of member busi-
nesses.
• Access to other business partners in industry offering indus-
try specific products, ie Capricorn.
• Quality & Standards enforcement through the elimination
of counterfeit parts and illegal importation and notification
to members, thereby protecting both members and mo-
torists from the consequences of mechanical failure due to
the use of sub-standard components.
• The RMI is an endorsee of national motoring exhibitions
such as the Johannesburg International Motor Show, Auto-
mechanika South Africa, South African Automotive Week
and the Workshop and Technology Show.
• The RMI has vibrant national Consumer Affairs Depart-
ments dealing with matters raised by consumers and mem-
bers alike where the RMI acts as intermediary in resolving
disputes amicably.
• Brand awareness campaigns through media reports, radio
and television interviews, national radio advetising and gov-
ernment liaison to promote RMI members, with particular
focus on consumer awareness in doing business with RMI
members and promoting the Code of Conduct.
• Business Directors managing specific Associational needs
and activities.
• Regional and National Executive Committees representing
members and encouraging member interaction and partic-
ipation in the successful role of specific Associations.
Training Focus
• Sourcing of training interventions through the RMI Train-
ing Department.
• Seven qualified Skills Development Facilitators based at all
 RMI regional offices assisting members to implement skills • Representation at DRC, CCMA and Labour Court forums;
development plans. and

• Representation of members, and addressing their training
needs, by serving on various forums of the Merseta, ie Au-
thority-, Executive and Merseta Motor Chamber Commit-
tees, including bodies such as BUSA and DoL.
Labour Focus
• Highly qualified IR consultants nationally at six regional
offices;
• Negotiation at MIBCO level with unions on wage and
substantive issues;
• Free telephone assistance and advice on employment issues
within member establishments;
• Highly competitive low-priced on-site assistance by our
skilled IR staff;
• Presentation of seminars on various labour related issues.
Social Benefits
• Healthcare - Moto-Health Fund available for members and
their employees offering very competitive contributions with
excellent benefits.
• Pension & Provident Funds - excellent funds available for
members and their employees.
The above are just some of the more tangible reasons for
belonging, but in time to come, the consumer will more
and more insist on exclusively doing business with RMI
members and remember, the greater our numbers, the
stronger our voice!

THE DYNAMIC RMI EXECUTIVE TEAM

Jeff Osborne Jakkie Olivier Gary McCraw Aruna Ranchod Claire Patterson
CEO Executive Director Organisational and IR/HR Director Communications
Board Secretary; Director
NADA/MDA
Director

Twala Boco Paul Britz Vishall Premlall Moeketsi Wa Mitane Aleeshen Kisten
MPEA/MIMA/Quality ERA/MIWA/ TDAFA Director NAAASP Director SAMBRA Director
& Standards Director SADFIA/ACRA
Director

page 2
 Peter Noke Nunben Dixon Len Whiteley Sibongile Mtapoane Angela Calogero
SAPRA Director Financial Manager Training Manager General Manager Regional Manager
Highveld Northern Region

Louis van Huyssteen Annette Stewart Joy Oldale Jan Schoeman Erwin Stroebel
Regional Manager General Manager Director SAVABA General Manager Regional Manager
Free State & KwaZulu Natal & NVTA Western Cape Region Eastern Cape
Northern Cape Region

THE RMI BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS

Automotive Component Remanufacturers' Association
The Automotive Component Remanufacturer's Association (ACRA) represents component remanufacturers
involved in both the remanufacture of safety critical components and radiators. ACRA's objectives include
the promotion and protection of the interests of the motoring public and members. The RMI/ACRA ac-
creditation programme ensures that all members meet the standards and criteria set by ACRA and members
pledge to both the RMI Code of Conduct and ACRA's Code of Business Practice. The remanufacture of safety critical components is a
growing industry and ACRA has identified the need for the development of specialised training courses for technicians and operators in the
component remanufacturing industry. ACRA has a close working relationship with the South African Bureau of Standards dealing with all
issues pertinent to members.

Engine Remanufacturers' Association

ERA represents the cream of the automotive engineering industry in South Africa. ERA members use state
of the art equipment and highly skilled staff to perform the full range of automotive engineering operations
required to repair and overhaul all components of the modern petrol and diesel engines on our roads. Sec-
ond-hand engines are available in the market; however, it is recommended that such engines are only pur-
chased from reputable bona-fide accredited ERA members, as engines purchased from other sources often
leads to premature engine failure. These engines may also not always be compatible to local conditions. ERA members supply only the
finest components and highest quality of workmanship. ERA members take pride in providing warranties against workmanship appropriate
to the type of engineering work undertaken. ERA prides itself on being the "Hallmark of Precision Engineering".

page 3
 Motorcycle Dealers' Association
The retail motor industry looks to the Motorcycle Dealers' Association as its mouthpiece to protect and
further the interests of the motorcycle sales and service industry. The MDA has on a number of occasions
successfully negotiated with government on issues relating to import taxation and traffic legislation which
was seen to be prejudicial to the interests of the industry and consumers. MDA also periodically liaises with
insurance companies and financial institutions with the view to negotiate better dispensations for its members. An additional important
function of the Association is to liaise extensively with the Association of Motorcycle Importers and Distributors, where MDA represents
the interests of dealers during discussions with South Africa`s major motorcycle importers. Accredited membership of MDA allows propri-
etors to display the RMI Code of Conduct through which it is undertaken to provide products and services at a fair and reasonable price,
and to honour both the letter and spirit of any guarantees accompanying the sale of those products and/or services. Close liaison also exists
with the National Automobile Dealers' Association and various international organisations.

Motor Industry Workshop Association

The motoring public has become increasingly educated and discerning when it comes to servicing and repairing
their vehicles. The demand for quality services and parts has become a prerequisite by the consumer at any ve-
hicle repair establishment. MIWA represents workshops conducting general repairs, auto electricians, driveline
and transmission specialists and vehicle accessory centres. A major focus of MIWA is to further educate the motoring public on how best to
protect themselves against sub standard work. With more than 2200 members countrywide, we undertake to provide you the motoring consumer
with guaranteed service and nationwide support.

Motor Parts & Equipment Association

The Motor Parts & Equipment association represents wholesalers, retailers and independent parts traders
in the replacement motor parts industry.

"A Genuine Reason for Helping the Consumer"

Genuine or Branded parts are quality parts manufactured by reputable companies and in the majority of cases, are also supplied to origi-
nal equipment (OE) manufacturers. These genuine replacement parts are available to the CONSUMER at accredited MPEA spares out-
lets at affordable prices and are distributed throughout South Africa by reputable companies and backed by the manufacturers’ warranty.

Motor Industry Manufacturers’ Association

MIMA is the association that oversees the interests of employers who manufacture motor vehicle parts,
components and accessories. MIMA currently operates under the auspices of the MPEA.

National Automobile Dealers' Association

The National Automobile Dealers' Association is a professional body representing the interests of businessmen
who own/operate new vehicle franchise motor dealerships and qualifying used car only outlets in South Africa.
It is dynamically committed toward the enhancement of the image of the retail motor business; facilitating the
interface between dealers and the motor manufacturers who supply them; building rewarding relationships be-
tween dealers and their customers; and bringing relevant issues facing its members to the attention of government
at all levels. In all forums, NADA is the fully representative and respected voice of the retail motor industry in
South Africa.

National Vehicle Testing Association

National Vehicle Testing Association (NVTA). The NVTA represents vehicle testing stations involved in
the testing and issuing of roadworthy certificates in terms of the National Road Traffic Act and SABS 047.
This is a legal entity. The RMI / NVTA accreditation programme ensures that all members meet the stan-
dards and criteria set by NVTA in accordance with SABS 0216. NVTA members pledge to the RMI Code
of Conduct.

page 4
 National African Association for Automobile Services
Provider
NAAASP is the lead voice representing over 1400 informal / semi-formal; automotive traders from previously
disadvantaged Communities (rural and township) nationally. The traders range from Panelbeaters (MBR’s),
motor and mechanical workshops, auto electricians, fitment centres such as tyres, exhaust, audio service
providers to name but a few. NAAASP was founded in late 2004 in Gauteng to deal with the challenges
faced by these traders in the market place. It seeks to provide a platform to traders in dealing with the challenges on procurement related
matters. NAAASP was then adopted by the RMI in early 2006 as a development association. National African Association of Automobile
Service Providers (NAAASP), the development arm of the RMI and the Training Department have merged as a single unit, creating an en-
terprise development strategy. The strategy aims to create a mechanism to migrate informal traders to the formal economy. A daunting
task if one looks at the current economic scenario of fuel hikes and interest rates. The process is a steady rebuilding of an existing informal
business into a high quality productive formal business, able to compete on its own in the formal economy.

South African Diesel Fuel Injection Association

SADFIA represents the highly specialised diesel fuel injection sector of the motor industry, more specifically
the repair and reconditioning of diesel fuel injection pumps for both passenger and commercial vehicles. A
number of SADFIA members are also involved in the supply, installation and maintenance of turbo-chargers.
SADFIA members use high technology and expensive equipment coupled with highly skilled staff to attend to all your fuel injection needs.
SADFIA members take pride in providing warranties against workmanship appropriate to the type of work undertaken. For peace of mind
always use an RMI/SADFIA accredited member! Approved SADFIA members will have displayed on their premises the RMI Code of Con-
duct, RMI and SADFIA branding. Consumers are encouraged to only do business with Accredited SADFIA members.

South African Motor & Body Repairers' Association

SAMBRA, as a proud constituent association of the RMI, represents the interests of the Collision Repair
Industry in South Africa. SAMBRA represents the vast majority of the repairer market in South Africa that
are able to achieve the standards of SAMBRA's grading system. The grading system is devised to allow all
levels of repairer to become a SAMBRA member; however restrictions are placed on our members in terms of
the level of work they are permitted to carry out. All the activities of SAMBRA are aimed at developing a
sound sustainable Industry for all role players that interact with the Industry on various levels. SAMBRA ne-
gotiates industry standard rates of labour and trading margins in order to secure financial viability for its mem-
bers and fair trading conditions for its strategic business partners.

About SAPRA
The South African Petroleum Retailers Association (SAPRA) represents and promotes the interests of
Petroleum Retailers in South Africa. SAPRA is a constituent association of the Retail Motor Industry
Organisation (RMI) consisting of members actively involved in the Petroleum Retail Industry in terms of
the Constitutions of the RMI and the Motor Industry Bargaining

South African Vehicle And Body Builders' Association

SAVABA members are the professional vehicle body builders in South Africa who manufacture commercial
vehicle body applications - tanker, coal-, refrigerated- trucks and trailers; Bus bodies -commuter and tourist
type; Specialised vehicle body applications - ambulance, armoured vehicles, and off-road vehicles. All vehicle
bodies are manufactured using the latest equipment and highly trained staff, to ensure strict compliance
with SABS.

Tyre Dealers' And Fitment Centre Association

TDAFA represents the importers and distributors of major tyre brands both locally manufactured and im-
ported, in compliance with SABS standards and motor manufacturer specifications. TDAFA also represents
the leading tyre retreaders in South Africa. Strict compliance with the TDAFA's accreditation criteria and
applicable legislation ensures the production of quality and safe retreaded tyres. TDAFA members in addi-
tion to selling new and quality retreaded tyres, offer professional wheel alignment, balancing, puncture
repair and other tyre related services such as mag wheel sales, shock absorber- and tow-bar fitment. Your tyres are your vehicles only contact
with the road - don't risk it! You cannot afford to do anything else but settle for the best!

page 5
 RMI Centenary Dinners, held across the country
in 2008, were vibrant affairs, made possible by the
generous sponsorship of WesBank and Bosch

page 6
page 7
page 8
 Robert Bosch:
an entrepreneur
with a sense of
responsibility
September 23 1861
– March 12 1942

Bosch at a glance: Supplier of technology and services

with a strong global presence
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In the areas of automotive and industrial technology,
consumer goods, and building technology, some 280,000 associates generated sales of 45.1 billion euros in fiscal 2008. The
company originated as "Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering" founded in 1886 by Robert Bosch
(1861-1942). Just a few years after the foundation of the company, the first sales offices were opened in London and Paris.
Today, the Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its more than 300 subsidiaries and regional companies in over
60 countries. Of its 291 manufacturing sites, 225 are located outside Germany. To preserve its technologically leading position,
Bosch spends considerable sums for research and development every year. In 2008, its research and development expenditure
came to 3.9 billion euros, or 8.6 percent of sales. Its most research-intensive business sector is Automotive Technology, whose
research and development expenditure comes to 3.2 billion euros, or roughly twelve percent of sales. Throughout the world,
more than 32 500 associates are involved in research and development for the Bosch Group, 18 300 of them in Germany. The
company's technological competence is also manifested in its large number of patents: with more than 3 850 inventions, Bosch
was the most prolific patent applicant in Germany in 2008. In the field of automotive technology patents, Bosch ranks first
in Germany, first in Europe, and third in the US. Worldwide, Bosch remains the global technology leader, taking first place
for patents granted at WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation).

Entrepreneurial responsibility and charitable involvement were cornerstones in the life of Robert
Bosch. He was convinced of their importance and their necessity, and passed this conviction on
to his successors who totally honour his legacy by continuing and building on his work.

H
is sense of responsibility led him to provide
benefits for his associates. Bosch improved
working conditions by providing modern
workplaces, with good ventilation and light-
ing. He created an apprentice training
scheme that offered a solid professional education. He also
provided company pensions to care for retirees and their sur-
vivors. Independence, family values, and early preoccupation
with the pressing social issues of his time formed the roots of
the charitable activities of Robert Bosch – from continuing
education to international understanding. These activities cul-
minated in the opening of the Robert Bosch Hospital in
Stuttgart in 1940, two years before his death. He also made
sure that these activities continued. In accordance with his
will, Robert Bosch Foundation GmbH, was founded in 1964,
and is actively involved in the sciences, health, international
understanding, society and culture.

page 9
But Robert Bosch knew that only a profitable company would
be able to realise his vision of corporate responsibility and
charitable activity. For that reason, he and his – to date – five
successors have invested all their experience and knowledge in
helping the company to grow robustly – through innovative
products, new business areas, modern manufacturing tech-
Chairmen of the Board of Management of Robert Bosch GmbH
Hans Walz Hans L. Merkle Marcus Bierich
1953 – 1963 1963 – 1984 1984 – 1993
The Bosch Business System
S
ince 1886, the Bosch Group has been successful with
pioneering and beneficial innovations that have led to
enormous growth. Today, the Bosch Group has a global
network of customers and suppliers, and the never-ending task
is to maintain and further expand this position. Franz Fehren-
bach, the current Chairman of the Board of Management of
Robert Bosch GmbH, describes the Bosch blueprint for suc-
cess; in the past, the present, and vitally, in the future;
“For our growth, we need a common vision, yet the
more international we become, the less we can as-
sume that associates will automatically live the val-
ues and principles that have been handed down to
us. Besides our commitment to other significant
initiatives, it is our distinct corporate culture, based
on common foundations, that is an especially im-
portant precondition for business success and our
ability to continue to evolve in the international
market environment.”
Franz Fehrenbach explained what the distinct corporate cul-
ture is that has sustained the Bosch Group for over 120 years.
What Bosch stands for, what is Bosch’s common vision, what
guides their work, and how they deal with change, and what
are their values and core competencies:
“The Future Needs a Past”
Robert Bosch gave the company its name and created values
that still apply today. For him success did not just mean eco-
nologies, and an international focus. The personality of the
company founder, with his principles and guidelines, contin-
ues to be a defining influence for the corporate culture. His
legacy forms the basis for the special bond associates feel
worldwide: they are proud to be part of Bosch.
Hermann Scholl Franz Fehrenbach
1993 – 2003 2003 -
nomic growth; it also encompassed improvement in living
conditions. Today we incorporate this standard in our claim
“Invented for Life.” And the principles and guidelines formu-
lated by Robert Bosch still apply today, just as they will in the
future. The future needs a past. Our company stands for tra-
dition and modernity, and these two pillars are the source of
our strength for the coarse ahead. However, motivation and
sharing of common goals depend on an informed workforce
that is prepared to assume personal responsibility. To create a
shared view of what a strong and meaningful development of
the Bosch group means, we created a brochure, “House of Ori-
entation”, to help all our associates to understand and live our
corporate culture – a culture that offers orientation, reinforces
cohesiveness, and creates identification.
Understanding and Living
the Corporate Culture
Our common goal must be to make the most of our great
performance potential across all business sectors and in every
region of the world, and in this way to vigorously promote the
long-term competitiveness of Bosch. The “House of Orienta-
tion” sets out how we see our future development, the princi-
ples of our approach, and the capabilities that we have and
want to exploit for our continued success in the future. It also
contains information on the standards and values that moti-
vate us in our daily striving for success and improvement.
page 10
 Vision: Our vision is our shared image of the future. It states where we want
to go, and what drives our actions. It points the way forward for a strong and
meaningful development of the Bosch group.
Mission: BeQIK stands for greater speed in everything that we do, and it
stands for quality, innovation, and customer orientation. Our objective is to
continuously improve our internal processes.
Values: The Bosch values are the foundation upon which the successes of
the past were built, and upon which we will build our future. They guide our
actions and tell us what is important to us and what we are committed to.
Core Competencies: For well over a century our company has built upon
a unique mix of interrelated core competencies – a mix from which we derive
our competitive advantage, and which also forms the basis for the future de-
velopment of our company.
Bosch Business System (BBS): To be able to implement our Bosch Vision, we need to continuously develop and to
manage change. This requires a systematic methodology that shows us in concrete terms where we need to reinvent ourselves,
and how well we are mastering these shifts and structural changes in practice. With our BBS management system, symbolised
by the multi-coloured triangle, we have created just such a methodology.

The Bosch Pedigree

It all began on an early autumn’s day in Albeck, a village to the northeast of Ulm in southern
Germany, when the Bosch family welcomed their eleventh child, Robert, a bouncy and in-
quisitive boy, who went on to found what is today the world’s largest supplier of automotive
parts, among other things. This auspicious day was September 23 1861.
Robert Bosch was born in In 1936, on the occasion of
1861 in the "Gasthaus zur his 75th birthday and the
Krone" - an inn in Albeck 50th anniversary of his com-
near Ulm. He was the pany's establishment, Robert
youngest son of the Bosch fulfilled a long-time
innkeeper, farmer, and dream: he founded a hospi-
brewer Servatius Bosch tal. The facility with 360
and his wife, Maria Mar- beds was officially opened in
gareta. He lived here for April 1940. In 1973, it was
eight years until his family replaced by a medical centre
moved to Ulm. built at another location.

R obert Bosch’s father was a well educated farmer who placed

special importance on a good education for his children,
and from 1869 to 1876, Robert Bosch attended the Realschule
in Ulm, before taking an apprenticeship as a precision mechanic.
After his apprenticeship, which ended in 1879, the young Bosch
then developed his taste for innovation and invention during
seven years of travel in Germany, the United States and the UK,
working for, among others, Siemens and Thomas Edison. It is
the Edison link that provides a tantalising clue as to where
Robert Bosch got his tinkering, inventive and pioneering talents,
but the most important traits that Robert Bosch had was his en-
trepreneurial and philanthropic flair. This was the driving force
behind him opening a Workshop for Precision Mechanics and
Electrical Engineering in Stuttgart, Germany on November 15
1886, an ambitious and daring leap for a 25 year old. The rest,
clichéd as it may sound, is history. And what a history! Today,
some 123 years later, Robert Bosch GmbH struts the global
stage as an industrial colossus, employing over 270 000 people,
and with revenues of in excess of 46 billion euros, and at the
cutting edge of automotive, automation, packaging, security,
consumer goods and power tools technologies. From day one,
the focus has been on research and development and the concern
for people’s welfare, which has translated into over a century of
innovation. Space precludes an exhaustive list of all the wonder-
ful innovations that the Bosch Group has gifted to the world,
so we note some historical and world changing milestones:

page 11
1887 – First low-voltage magneto for
stationary engines
1902 – First commercially viable high-voltage spark plug
1906 – Introduction of the 8 hour work day
1928 – The Forfex hair trimmer – the first Bosch power tool
1929 – First TV set from Fernsch AG
Division
1932 – First power drill from Bosch
1932 – Acquisition of Junkers’ natural gas-fired appliances
business
1932 – First Blaupunkt car radio
The magneto ignition
device had begun its
triumphant progress across
the world. By 1906, the
100,000th Type D6
magneto ignition device
had been produced. The
growth of his business
prompted Robert Bosch
to introduce the eight-
hour workday for the
company's 526 associates.
T
oday, Robert Bosch GmbH stands on three sturdy legs
– Automotive Technology; Consumer Goods and
Building Technology; and Industrial Technology.
The Bosch brand is synonymous with power tools, home
appliances, telecoms, and other products, but it is in the
automotive field and among the fraternity of car lovers and
automotive cognoscenti that the Bosch brand really resonates.
It can also be said with little fear of contradiction that Bosch
will be the answer every time the question is asked as to which
company has had the biggest impact on innovation in the
development of safety, environmental protection and electron-
ics in the motor vehicle. The automotive division is the largest
sector within the Bosch organisation, contributing in excess
of 60% of its revenues, and the strength and growth in this
sector is reflected in the fact that Bosch has become the world’s
largest supplier to the automotive industry. The bulk of the
automotive revenues come from Bosch’s OEM activities,
which is logical when one considers the enormous research
and development effort, and the innovations that have flowed
from this effort. Robert Bosch also understood the importance
of after sales service, and this imperative compelled him to
launch the “Bosch Dienst” (Bosch Service) concept in
Germany in 1921. Bosch product innovation started in 1897
with the low-voltage magneto ignition for vehicles, and has
continued uninterrupted to this day, with Bosch applying for
more than 14 patents for developments each working day.
1933 – The first Bosch refrigerator
1964 – The first Bosch dishwasher
1964 – Robert Bosch Foundation founded
1976 – Development of the world’s first swivel-arm indus-
trial robot starts
2004 – Bosch opens new Technology
centre in Abstatt
2005 – Night vision system for cars
2008 – Tata Nano, powered by Bosch-
designed engine, is unveiled
In 2008, Bosch filed patents for over 3 281 innovations, more
than any other company in Germany. Many of these patents
are esoteric but important in the development process, and
will not make the headlines. We look at the headline grabbing
automotive innovations since the birth of Bosch in 1886:
1897 – First successful application of Bosch low-voltage
magneto ignition in a motor vehicle
1900 – Robert Bosch recognises the importance of trademarks
and has his name registered, decorated with vignettes
1902 – Delivery of the first high-voltage magneto and the first
Bosch spark plug
1913 – First complete Bosch vehicle electrical system, consist-
ing of magneto ignition with spark plugs, starter,
generator, headlights and voltage regulator
1927 – Series production of diesel fuel injection pumps
begins
1936 – First Bosch diesel fuel injection in a production car,
the Mercedes-Benz 260D
1951 – Development of fuel injection for petrol engines
1962 – Production of distributor-type injection pumps for
diesel engines
In 1897, Bosch
tested his mag-
neto ignition
device for the
first time in a
motor vehicle.
He replaced
the breakdown-
prone buzz igni-
tion in a de Dion
Bouton three-wheeler with a
low-voltage magneto ignition
device. After demonstrating the
three-wheeler to Messrs. Daimler and Maybach, a proud Robert
Bosch wrote to a customer: "Whether at 100 ignitions a minute or
600 a minute, the ignition still works without skipping a beat”
page 12
 1967 – First volume production of electronically controlled
fuel injection (VW 1600 TL) The evolution of the Bosch brand and logos
1976 – Production of Lambda oxygen sensors, a momentous
new emission control device
1978 – Bosch Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) introduced for
passenger cars
1979 – Production of Motronic digital electronic engine
management (integrated control of fuel injection and 1907 - 1914 1907 - 1914 1919
ignition)
1986 – Production of electronic traction control (TCS) for
motor vehicles
1991 – Production of Litronic automotive headlight system,
with High Intensity Discharge (Xenon) lamps 1931 1981 2001
1995 – Electronic Stability Programme (ESP®) for enhanced
vehicle stability
1997 – Common Rail Production of VP44 high-pressure
diesel injection pump and high-pressure fuel-injection
2004
system Common Rail
2003 – 3rd generation of Common Rail, with Piezo-inline
injectors
2005 – Night vision system for cars
2008 – Tata Nano, the $2 500 People’s Car powered by a
Bosch-designed engine, is unveiled at Auto Expo in
New Delhi 2008

Bosch Products

T
he origins of Bosch as a supplier of automotive equip- Safe, clean, economical
ment go back to 1887. This was a time when the 25-
year-old electrician and precision mechanic Robert A mission in just three words
Bosch was not yet manufacturing any automotive technology. It was in 1974, the year after the first oil crisis, that Bosch
The car itself was still very much in its infancy. But this was introduced the “3S” programme (sicher, sauber, sparsam - safe,
the year in which Bosch, on behalf of a customer, built a prod- clean, economical) to the public. This simple formula encap-
uct that was later to play an important role in the automobile sulated the corporate philosophy pursued at Bosch for decades,
– a magneto ignition device for a stationary engine. In 1897, a philosophy which still applies today: to protect vehicle
Bosch installed one of these devices in a three-wheeler. The aim passengers and other road users, to make vehicles economical,
of this experiment was to find an ignition system for motor ve- and to lower exhaust emissions.
hicles that was suitable for everyday use. This unwieldy appa-
ratus was a key product of the company. It turned Bosch into Safe
an automotive supplier and a multinational corporation. With
“Safe” relates to active and passive safety in vehicles. Prime
its magneto ignition systems for cars, Bosch helped to pave the
examples of this are the ABS antilock braking system (1978)
way for motorization in Europe. Then, from 1925, production
and triggering units for airbags (1980). Bosch set new standards
was gradually shifted to battery ignition systems, which the
in safety in 1995 with its electronic stability program ESP®.
market was demanding as an inexpensive alternative. Even
Research results showing the significant drop in serious acci-
today, ignition is a Bosch core competence. Ignition systems
dents involving vehicles with ESP® have justified Bosch’s huge
have been further developed, and are now a part of complex
research and development spend on safety systems. Systems
engine management systems. But one thing has remained the
such as ABS or ESP® are now standard equipment in almost all
same: even today, an electric spark ignites the air-fuel mix and
new cars in Europe or will be so before the current decade ends.
keeps gasoline engines running.

page 13
Clean
The “clean” part of the 3S programme relates to the company’s
commitment to reduce exhaust emissions. Here too, Bosch’s
efforts in this field go a long way back: as early as 1950, where
Bosch recommended the careful adjustment of injection
pumps. In 1967 the company’s commitment to a ‘clean’ car was
upgraded. This was the beginning of the successful application
of electronic management systems for diesel and gasoline en-
gines, which easily complied with all statutory regulations.
Above all, Bosch responded to the aim of lowering exhaust
emissions with the lambda sensor, which was produced from
1976 onwards. The lambda sensor made it possible to use a
three-way catalytic converter, which cuts emissions from a car
gasoline engine by up to 90 percent.
the old...
Staff in front of the entrance of the first Bosch Service Centre in
Johannesburg
The Road to Business
Success
R
obert Bosch understood the importance of after sales
service, and he launched the Bosch Service workshop
concept in Germany in 1921. This concept was later
expanded globally, and it eventually found its way to the
African continent, with the first Bosch Service opening in
South Africa in 1937. 88 years after “Bosch Dienst” first saw
the light of day, the Bosch Service network is recognised
worldwide as a brand that offers a bumper-to-bumper service
model, with 14 500 outlets across the globe, making it the
Economical
The third pillar of the 3S programme has been and continues
to be a reduction in fuel consumption. Even 20 years before
the programme was inaugurated, Bosch was setting standards
with gasoline injection systems in small cars that reduced con-
sumption by up to 20 percent. However, at that time the sys-
tems were still expensive and gasoline was cheap, making it
difficult to establish the systems in the market. Their main suc-
cess was in racing cars, due to the enhanced performance they
provided. From the 1960’s onwards, however, against the back-
drop of increasing oil prices and fuel consumption regulations,
the concepts developed by Bosch began to bear fruit. Bosch’s
success was primarily attributable to the exact dosage of fuel
provided by injection systems and to ignition systems that
functioned in a precise manner, and which have been working
even better since electronic management systems were intro-
duced in 1967.
Bosch Service
the new
largest workshop organisation in
the world. Southern Africa is well
served, with over 160 quality-dri-
ven Bosch Service workshops serv-
ing the region.
Ewald Faulstich, Robert Bosch
South Africa Director Automotive
Aftermarket Division, says that
Bosch Service is the road to
business success.
page 14
 He spells out the advantages clearly and unambiguously,
“Fewer industries are developing as rapidly as the Automotive
Aftermarket, creating substantial pressure for the independent
aftermarket workshops to keep up with technological devel-
opments. With the growing share of complex vehicle electron-
ics, vehicle systems and parts are becoming increasingly
sophisticated, where workshop employees have to consistently
keep their qualifications up to date and in line with the tech-
nological developments. For example, even the replacement
of parts increasingly requires the use of diagnostics test equip-
ment. Furthermore, today’s consumer places greater impor-
tance on customer service in addition to quality workmanship
and reasonable rates.
and the powerful Bosch and Bosch Service brands, gives
you the competitive edge that sets you far ahead of the
competition.
Without effective marketing, a workshop concept cannot
succeed, and marketing is a decisive element of our success.
Our distinctive Bosch Service corporate design is the calling
card to the motorist. Capitalise on corporate design internally
and externally which radiates warmth and professionalism.
At Bosch, we support our Bosch Service partners with parts,
technology, know-how and a workshop concept; all the essen-
tials under one roof. This is what distinguishes Bosch Service
from all other workshop concepts and gives the competitive
advantage.”

Facing these challenges calls for an effective and comprehen-

sive support package. The Bosch Service concept is designed
to drive the workshop business forward in facing the chal-
lenges. As the world automotive industry’s leading supplier of
original equipment, Bosch has the definitive edge in know-
how from research and development and especially in the ap-
plication of new automotive technologies.

The Bosch and Bosch Service brands are powerful brands and
are recognised for innovative automotive technology, and these
brands are synonymous with efficiency and long service life.
You and your customer can rely on this recognition.
With the workshop concept, diagnostics, service, parts supply

Workshop Challenges • Quality automotive parts at competitive prices

The automotive workshop business today is experiencing
significant changes
• Manufacturers extended service intervals
• Growing complexity of automotive systems and parts
• Replacement of parts often only possible by using
diagnostic tools with corresponding software
• Higher qualification of workshop staff necessary
• Considerable investment in diagnostic tools and contin-
uous technical training necessary
• High customer expectations and demands
• Increasing pressure to ensure that servicing quality
standards are achieved
• Aggressive price competition and demands for full and
effective service
To cope with these considerable challenges, future-orien-
tated workshops need the support of a strong partner.
Bosch Car Service Partner-
ship for the future
Bosch is the original partner in securing the future of your
workshop, offering a complete system for the workshop
based on:
• Software and hardware for diagnostics and trouble-
shooting
• Expertise and know-how based on technical support
and training
• Technical information from the technical hotline
• Highly trained field support personnel
• Comprehensive warranty programme exclusive to the
Bosch Service Network
• Internationally recognised Bosch Service Brand
• Effective marketing and national advertising
• Customer orientation programmes and customer care
line
• Dedicated website promoting the Bosch Service
Network
• Secure dealer network online information platform
• Awards programme to reward to performing Bosch
Service’s
• Strategic national deal partnership
• Bosch Service Marketing Forum
• Service Quality tests ensuring highest level of customer
service

page 15
Bosch Car Service: Code of
Practice
Aim
We at Bosch appreciate that it is not always straight-
forward for a consumer to make an informed choice as
to the suitability of the services and standards being of-
fered by a workshop. Quite understandably, many cus-
tomers do not possess a thorough knowledge of how
their vehicle operates and equally, many workshops are
unable to completely secure the confidence of cus-
tomers when they carry out a service or repair. Also,
the workshop sector often receives criticism from con-
sumer organizations and the media.
The purpose of this Code is to provide consumers with
a clear guide as to the standards and practices that a
Bosch Car Service will adhere to and upon this basis,
we trust, make an informed and favourable decision to
use a Bosch Car Service. Bosch Car Services’ are re-
quired to comply with the provisions of this Code.
These provisions specify how a variety of customer han-
dling measures and trade practices are to be conducted
to the benefit of the customer. Furthermore, each
Bosch Car Service is required to fulfill all relevant statu-
tory and legal requirements, in particular those relating
to Trading Standards, Health and Safety, Environmen-
tal Protection and Employment. The procedures out-
lined in this Code are additional to the legal rights
assured to the consumer and the content of this Code
is not intended to detract from such laws and their
remedies.
Bosch Diagnostics: The Workshop’s
Future
The Diagnostic Concept
Leading edge vehicle technology continues to grow at a rapid pace. In
order to remain competitive, South African workshops are finding it
increasingly necessary to partner with Bosch Automotive, whose tech-
nological advantage gives it the capability of offering a full workshop
modular support package, known as the Diagnostic Concept, consist-
ing of Test Equipment, Technical Information, Technical Training and
a Technical Hotline.
Test Equipment
Bosch Automotive’s objective is to offer the best workshop diagnostic
concept to southern Africa’s automotive workshops. The company
offers an extensive range of diagnostic and test equipment products
enabling workshops to provide superior service for passenger, light and
heavy commercial vehicles, whether petrol or diesel. There is a vital
and close inter-relationship between the four elements of the Bosch
Diagnostics package offered to workshops. Ewald Faulstich, Director
Automotive Division at Robert Bosch (Pty) Ltd, describes it succinctly;
“It is absolutely essential that the operator
participates in all the elements. You can-
not have the test equipment in isolation
without the ESI[tronic] software mod-
ules. There is a certain amount of
choice and selection here and the
operator will ‘buy-in’ at the various
available levels A,B,C,D and so on.

Handling Customer Complaints

The Bosch Car Service and Bosch have a firm commit-
ment to customer satisfaction and therefore endeavor
to work with the customer to resolve any complaint
fairly and speedily. Should the complaint remain unre-
solved despite reasonable efforts to resolve it, the cus-
tomer has the option to have the matter conciliated by
an independent third party. This section of the Code
details the complaint handling procedure.

Customer Participation
Customers of the Bosch Car Service Network have a
real opportunity to help make the Bosch Car Service
Code of Practice work to best possible effect and help
Bosch monitor and improve the performance of indi-
vidual Bosch Car Services’. This section details how
customers may assist.

page 16
 ESI[tronic] Software
ESI[tronic] software is designed with considerable flexibility in
that it can be used as “read-only” technical instructions on a
desktop PC, or combined with the Bosch KTS Diagnostic
Analysers, as the ECU Fault Detection and Erasing software.
Training
Then a key issue: if you have the test equipment and software,
but your technicians haven’t been trained properly, it becomes
a pointless exercise. Training on the equipment and the pro-
grammes is absolutely essential and will provide you with a par-
adigm shift of performance in your workshop as your
South Africa leads the international charge for Bosch
I
n 1906, Bosch had around 600 associates working in
Stuttgart, where the company originated. The
company had been expanding in Europe since 1898,
but now took its first step onto another continent,
opening its first sales office in South Africa; a move
that practically coincided with the opening of its first office
in the US Friedrich Hoppert & Co of Hamburg, which had
an office in Johannesburg, was contracted to sell products
from Stuttgart. It continued to work for Bosch for the next
40 years. The two world wars had a severe impact on business
in South Africa, with the Second World War proving particu-
larly damaging because of the destruction of the company‘s
production facilities in Germany. By 1950, Bosch sales and
the size of its workforce had exceeded pre-war levels, but
activities outside Germany accounted for just 10 % of total
sales. Bosch responded to this situation by re-establishing its
international activities. In South Africa, Technical Supplies
Company (Pty) Ltd in Johannesburg was granted exclusive
marketing rights in 1950.
Diesel-Electric and Auto
Electrical Engineering
Another milestone was reached in 1951 with the foundation
of Diesel-Electric, a Cape Town-based subsidiary of the above-
mentioned Technical Supplies, which was given the job of mar-
keting Bosch diesel and electrical products. The year 1956 also
proved, with hindsight, to be an important year for Bosch in
page 17
technicians and customers find you getting more and more out
of the systems.
Technical Hotline
Another key element is the back-up Hotline facility for our
trained customers using the Bosch equipment and software. If
at any stage they encounter problems or have queries about
what is on the screen, or an intricate diagnostic problem, they
merely pick up the phone and dial our hotline for instant sup-
port. Our experts will be able to talk them through from screen-
to-screen so to speak and our trouble shooting success rate runs
at almost 100%.”
South Africa, seeing the foundation of Auto Electrical and in
1971 became a Bosch subsidiary and production site in 1976.
Robert Bosch South Africa
On August 6, 1965, Bosch founded Robert Bosch South Africa
(Pty) Ltd in Johannesburg in order to take charge of sales and
to establish local production capacities. In 1973, Robert Bosch
GmbH acquired a 30% holding in Diesel-Electric Holdings
(Pty) Ltd (DEH), which was also based in Johannesburg and
had until then been selling Bosch diesel and electrical products.
In 1977, DEH was merged with sister company Robosa
Distributors (Pty) Ltd, which handled the marketing and
advertising of Bosch products, to form Diesel-Electric South
Africa (Pty.) Ltd. – “DESA” for short. In 1983, this company
became a wholly-owned Bosch subsidiary.
Takeover and reorganisation
The year 1985 also saw a great deal of reorganisation, this time
with the merger of Diesel-Electric South Africa and Auto
Electrical & Engineering Co (Pty) Ltd to form Robert Bosch
(South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Robert
Bosch GmbH. This company coordinated all activities from
production through to sales. In 1998, the new sales
centre was opened in Midrand, 70 kilometres from its
production facility in Brits, bringing sales into line with the
needs of the market in South Africa. Today, some 1 000
associates are employed here and at the Brits plant.
100 Years of Automotive Service to South Africa
From the automotive industry to the home DIY, Bosch is a brand that is trusted by South Africans.
Bosch merchandising ensures that clients actually buy peace of mind and a product that is “in-
vented for life”. Thus Bosch is positioned as the best in class provider of automotive products, power
tools and security systems in South Africa. The company’s main aim is to improve quality and life
through leading technology and innovation advancements for all target groups. These groups are
supported by the respective divisions and their business concepts. The Automotive Division en-
compasses automotive parts, diagnostics and workshop concepts.

C
urrent major accounts for the Automo-
tive Division include all vehicle manu-
facturers (OEMs) and P&As in South
Africa, Diesel-Electric, the Midas Group
and AutoZone. The division is respon-
sible for taking its own message to the market with re-
gard to new products or technological developments.
To enhance the brand, sales and marketing initiatives
are all adopted from centralised corporate guidelines
from Bosch’s parent company in Germany. The Bosch
brand is also visible at exhibitions and other public
events such as the Johannesburg International Motor
Show and Automechanika South Africa. A major high-
light was the centenary event in 2006, “100 Years of
Bosch in South Africa”, which underlined the success
of the company over the last century. The brand is
further enhanced via its e-commerce website, where
Bosch conducts business online for efficient and effec-
tive customer service. Bosch believes that innovation
today ensures business tomorrow. The Bosch values
steer all company actions, a continual guide to priorities
and commitments.

Ewald Faulstich, Director Automotive Aftermarket

Division at Robert Bosch (Pty) Ltd since 2000, says that
the South African operation is committed to upholding
the traditions of the organisation, and he is proud to
represent a company which is so all embracing. “Orig-
inal equipment supplier, replacement parts, workshop
equipment, diagnostics in all its facets, technical train-
ing, technical and warranty support, a customer
hotline, and the commitment that goes with these serv-
ices, I strongly believe that there is hardly any other
company within the automotive environment that fits
the “one for all” title better than Bosch. Consequently,
we from Bosch, as the world’s largest automotive sup-
plier, want to leverage our systems competence for the
benefit of the independent aftermarket. This is our
future; this is our destiny, for the next 101 years.”

page 18
 WesBank - the Dealer Bank
The WesBank brand has become almost iconic in South African society. Long known as
the ‘Wheels Bank’ it has grown to become the country’s foremost vehicle and asset finance
company. The organisation also provides fleet finance and fleet management services,
finance for expensive capital equipment for business, import finance and a full range of
insurance and value added products.

T
he bank’s success is due in no
small part to the partnerships it
has established with dealerships.
Dealers are provided with
finance for showroom stock,
training in finance and insurance, as well as
optimal dealer operations. It is through these
partnerships that WesBank is able to integrate
the finance solution with the purchase,
providing customers with optimum conven-
ience and the quality customer services. The
partnership business model has served the
bank well – so well that 90% of business is
currently conducted through partnerships.

A Long History
WesBank’s origins can be traced back to the
late 1800s when Robinson South African
Banking Company was established in Lon-
don. By the early 1900s the company was
known as the Colonial Banking and Trust
Company Limited. In 1968 Colonial Bank
& Trust Company merged with Western
Credit Africa Limited, a company which
focused on finance for the motor dealer, and
seven years later the company was acquired
by Barclays Bank and became known as
WesBank, ‘The Wheels Bank’, thus estab-
lishing the brand that is known today.

page 19
Service the Key
The bank’s service orientation has been well entrenched since the first
‘Wheels’ campaign was launched in 1979 and which promised finance
in 15 minutes, to the Leon Schuster ads of the mid-90s. To this day
service excellence forms the cornerstone of the bank’s offering
with the organisation’s chief executive insisting
that employees do not allow
the sun to set on a
customer complaint.

I
n 2001 WesBank underwent a
brand invigoration exercise.
The result was the birth of a
compelling brand personality
supported with a new communi-
cations campaign which reinforced
the bank’s strong service ethic. The campaign
utilised the payoff line, ‘Our customers thank
us for our great service in the strangest ways.
WesBank – Put us to the test.’ One of the
pillars of the brand offering has been the assur-
ance that the bank is able to deliver on its service
promise.

Based on its philosophy of service, WesBank has re-

ceived more than its fair share of awards: it was
awarded top brands status in both 2006 and 2007
by the Sunday Times and has been rated the number
one vehicle finance company for seven consecutive WesBank’s employees are not allowed to let
years by PricewaterhouseCoopers. In 2007 and 2008
the sun set on a complaint – and this
it was also rated the best large company to work for by
Deloittes. stellar theme was carried through to
In fact, since 2003 the brand has experienced significant WesBank Christmas cards, and the
growth in its business-to-business division. This has been a subliminal promise to take their
strategically fortunate move as the corporate market has
proven itself to be more resilient to the peaks and troughs ex- customers to the stars.
perienced by the consumer market. It is anticipated that the
business-to-business division will overtake the bank’s motor
vehicle finance business in the next few years.

page 20
 A String of Firsts
W
esBank has achieved a number of firsts in
its long history: it was the first vehicle fi-
nance company to have a presence on
dealer floors and the first to write R100
million worth of new business as early as
1982. Its growth prospects have continued to exceed expecta-
tions with the result that today one in three cars is financed by
WesBank. The company has a strong presence in the corporate
asset market and dominates in the personal loans middle mar-
ket. Purchasing vehicle finance was typically a disjointed and
disconnected process until WesBank pioneered the concept of
bringing the product to consumers and acting as an agent for
both the bank and the dealer. WesBank was also the first com-
pany to provide customers in remote rural areas with the op-
portunity to interact via video with finance and insurance
specialists, the first to provide dealers with a business intelli-
gence portal, the first to market with an Islamic Shariah ap-
proved vehicle finance offering, the first to introduce a patented
digital pen which removes the need for paper and allows deals
to be captured directly to the bank’s scoring system thereby pro-
viding real-time loading of applications, and the first to intro-
duce partner marketing and job creation finance.

Soweto Street Race

Wesbank was the first company to bring the thrills

and spills of motorsport to a Township in July
2009 with the Wesbank Street Race in Soweto.
More than 20 000 Sowetans came to see what
motor racing is all about.

page 21
 Turning decades of experience into expertise
T
he bank’s most recent television campaign was
launched in May 2008, the first fully fledged
brand repositioning to come from the organ-
isation in more than six years. Prior to the
launch of this campaign the bank was, to all
intents and purposes, ticking over from an ad-
vertising perspective as it turned its focus onto the aggressive
development of its partner based business model. WesBank has
long relied on its business model for differentiation from its
competitors. There is no doubt that this strategy served the or-
ganisation well as its revenue in the corporate and retail markets
grew substantially with the addition of value added services. In
addition to significant growth in the asset finance business, it
also grew its business in terms of financing aviation, yellow
metal and heavy machinery. However, the ‘Wheels Bank’
premise was no longer providing the brand with any advantage.
A comprehensive internal and external brand research process
ensued which resulted in the formulation of a new positioning
for the brand. No competitor is able to adopt this unique
positioning as WesBank is the only organisation to occupy the
specialist asset finance space at this stage. In formulating the
new campaign and commercial, the challenge was to identify
credible ways of demonstrating the bank’s expertise and know-
how and communicate this to the various target audiences.
The new campaign also needed to stretch WesBank’s stronghold
from only vehicle finance into the broader category of asset
finance while at the same time creating the same differentiation
on a brand level. In a significant break away from previous
advertising, the new television commercial sent a powerful mes-
sage about its people’s expertise and know-how in a sophisti-
cated and contemporary manner. The campaign builds on its
previous brand positioning as service champions, with an
enhanced promise of expertise and know-how. Based on a recent
international study which set out to discover where true talent
comes from, the new commercial is called ‘the source of talent’.
The study found that practice does ultimately make perfect,
supporting the view that WesBank’s 40 years of experience and
expertise stands it in excellent stead going forward. Based on
this finding, the commercial, developed by Johannesburg-based
advertising agency Ogilvy, depicts a montage of individuals
from different disciplines all set on perfecting their craft through
practice. The precision and perfection of the different art forms
portrayed in the commercial are intensified through ultra slow
motion filming. This was achieved by shooting the footage at
2 000 frames per second. Essentially the commercial commu-
nicates the fact that being an expert in your field does matter.
To support this view, the payoff line, ‘WesBank – We know
how’ was developed. This line is also used in internal commu-
nication although it is always contextualised. The campaign was
launched at the end of May 2008 with a fairly aggressive televi-
sion burst. The campaign was supported by a print campaign
which included functional messages depicting what the organ-
isation actually does, and the campaign continues in various
forms in 2009.
The bank has become even more conscious of each experience
the customer has with the brand as a result of the launch of this
campaign. To this end it has identified customer touch points
such as the dealer floor, contact centres and the Internet as
examples, where it measures the outcome of the customer ex-
perience. WesBank’s latest campaign signals the coming of age
of a highly successful brand with a long history behind it. It’s a
bold promise which the bank is not unaware of, but that it
believes it has the ability to meet and deliver. And the dream
and reality continue.
page 22
page 23
There is More to Midas
Sitting in the traffic on the way to the Midas Group’s head office in the heart of industrial Johannesburg makes
one realise how pervasive this group is to the national motor industry. With the national vehicle park’s average
age estimated at a decade or older, few can claim not to know the Midas touch, whether it is for replacement
wiper blades at a Midas before a Highveld thunderstorm or to fix the trailer’s wiring at a Motolek-branch before
the trek to the Kruger National Park. Still others can speak off the work done by ADCO, CBS, and Auto Care
and Diagnostics, when the noise under the bonnet signalled more professional help.

I
t is true that a lot has changed in the forty plus years
since a couple of entrepreneurs started Midas in the
late sixties. Looking at the Midas storefront and the
company’s long established base in Meadowdale on Jo-
hannesburg’s East Rand, attached to a massive ware-
house and amongst part manufacturers, mechanics and vehicle
dealerships, shows that much has stayed the same. From this
goal came the internal motto that guides all Midas operations,
“Delivering the promise”. The Midas-motto has remained true
throughout the years, but the company grew and changed in
tune with the South African economy. From humble begin-
nings in the era where Ford and Chevrolet reigned supreme,
Midas now serve the local market via hundreds of stores selling
more than 600 tonnes of automotive related products and
equipment each month. Mirroring the changing demograph-
ics of the country that gave it life, Midas-stores are owned by
hundreds of entrepreneurs in their own right, from every race,
creed and background. These entrepreneur-driven stores now
serve drivers of over 50 brands of vehicles in a country where
less than 150 model choices in the swinging sixties blossomed
to a peak of more than 2 000 options by the time the country
celebrated 10 years of peaceful democracy.
The early years
Midas, in concept, first opened their doors to the South
African public in 1968. Even in these early years the company
saw a need for a trusted supplier of vehicle parts. The company
explains that the goal then, as it remains now, was to offer
value for money products that would save motorists money,
but to stay well clear of so-called white box parts that offer a
fire sale price but that burn your fingers in the end. Rolf
Gudegast, chairman of NAPA and a member of Midas since
1976, explains the Midas mindset and development: “A great
deal has been achieved in a relatively short history. The next
quantum leap in our business was achieved with the decision
to support primarily the local component manufacturing in-
dustry and its leading brands and the introduction of bulk
buying, together with the revolutionary dropshipment con-
cept. Those decisions added new dimensions and created the
foundation for the NAPA buying group and the Retail and
Workshop franchises”.
Time moved on and Midas found that their recipe for success,
being a mixture of the ingredients quality, range, availability,

page 24
 price and advice, stood the test of time. The company entered
the era of neon clothing, of Billy Idol and of horrific car
colours, with a commanding market share and a now well
known presence throughout South Africa. It was in the boom-
ing Eighties that the Midas success story found its way across
the boardroom table of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange,
then still in the heart of downtown Johannesburg. After thor-
ough investigations and negotiations the management of
Midas rang the opening bell of the JSE in early May 1986, as
is the privilege of any newly listed company. Shares started
trading immediately and continued to do so for the next 16
years.
Building the business
Since listing Midas Ltd. found itself in the spotlight of in-
vestors as much as it has been in that of the motoring public.
With a sound business model and solid foothold in the coun-
try where a car was far more than a means of crossing South
page 25
Africa’s wide open spaces, Midas was able to gain access to in-
vestor funds to oil the wheels of its expansion plans. The
model was simple. As Midas has done for the aftermarket re-
placement parts market, so it could do with a myriad of similar
related sectors. The company expanded upstream to part
sourcing and supply and downstream to other sectors of the
automotive market. Midas became a corporate force to be
reckoned with and yet, as the structure of its businesses will
show, it never chose to flex its muscles and in the process lose
its character as a trusted source of automotive help. It was
perhaps this company motto that lead the Midas management
to a structured buy-out and de-listing of the company in early
2002. Business has grown, yes, and investors could find little
fault, but in the arena of public investing a drive for profit
often times pays little heed to long term goals for stable and
responsible growth.
Midas, the company, phased its move away from the bourse
in two steps. In 2002 it de-listed and started trading as the
private company it was before 1986 and soon afterwards, in
2003, it completed the process by welcoming a selected group
of partners into the business. Money talks, they say, so an
analysis of the shareholders’ structure after de-listing speaks a
lot of the true Midas nature. In forming the private company
Midas stayed in character and it invited its franchises and a
broad based black empowerment group under the leadership
of the well-known Jomo Sono to head into the future with
them. Shares between these groups and the Midas manage-
ment were divided almost equally and this gave the company
broad and balanced representation. Midas also proved, by pre-
empting any pressure from government and lobby groups, that
it was willing to transform the business and that including
partners from previously disadvantaged backgrounds was a
sound strategic business decision.
Further proof to Midas’ nature of being pro-active is clear in
the structure of its franchise operations. The company invited
franchisees from all corners of the country, and its immediate
neighbours, and from all walks of life to buy into the Midas
success. By doing this the company gained strong
demographic representation even before it became a political
prerequisite.
The franchising model is simple and mirrors the
shareholding approach. Midas invites existing automotive re-
tailers, service centres, clutch and brake specialists or auto-
electricians to join its network, if their store and their level of
service comply with the strict Midas requirements. Once you
get accepted, however, your title changes to “Associate” and
you become a true partner.
Midas today
Midas-franchises may be immediately recognisable by its or-
ange and black colour scheme, but the size of the Midas
Group may surprise most. With 430 franchises and 9 major
distribution hubs, Midas is by no means a small player. The
company remains adamant that it relies on the success of its
franchises for its own success. That is why the company
aligned its corporate division to serve franchises, notably
through marketing and advertising, bulk buying, aligning
logistics and distribution services and offering in-house sup-
port, such as through its free marketing and advertising sup-
port division. Out of the hundreds of franchises, Midas itself
owns only 14, which it uses as a direct line of communication
from shop front to managing director and as a marketing sur-
veying tool to help gauge its product and service offerings. The
company further supports more than 7 000 independent
stores and service centres through its purchasing and supply
co-operations.
The big boys
Napa, PIA and Autocycle Centre might not ring a bell to some-
one looking for a quality replacement clutch kit at a Midas store
in Bloemfontein, but to Midas franchises and the thousands of
other dealers, service centres and even suppliers these names
means better prices through combined purchasing clout.
The National Automobile Parts Association (Napa) was one of
the first divisions to spawn from the original Midas. Formed in
1973, Napa set its aim on serving the retail sector and its mem-
bers through co-operating on marketing and buying operations.
The network now reaches from Namibia to Botswana and
everything in between and it has become a de facto market for
many products in this sector. The slogan “Delivering the prom-
ise” does of course take a whole new meaning, with Napa serv-
ing its members and not the general public. Parts Incorporated
Africa (PIA) shares many of the goals of Napa and has as its core
focus the vehicle parc between 4 and 12 years old. The company
offers products to its thousands of retail members through a
modern trading platform that allows retailers and franchisees to
make informed purchasing decisions based on market trends
and the flow of order data. The system relies on a state of the
art software system that allows for trading between members
and PIA itself and it is powerful enough to transact thousands
of invoices per day, with the current count measuring more than
11 000 every day. Midas’ third business to business division is
its Autocycle Centres. This division serves the somewhat smaller
motorcycle and quad market with products and services that
are similar in approach to that of PIA, but far more focussed on
anything that requires a helmet to ride. Here the company
serves a multitude of small and large aftermarket service and
repair shops and its range of products extend to virtually any
part of the motorcycle community, including niches such as
Moto-X with dedicated brands such as AMA and Izumi.
Defining Midas
– the franchise network
The Midas franchise shares more than just a name with its
mother company and it is clearly the company’s proudest
achievement. Through its network of 265 Midas stores in
South Africa and all of its neighbours Midas (the group) has
page 26
 a way of delivering the promise directly to vehicle owners in
southern Africa. It is indeed this direct line to Joe Public be-
hind the wheel of his trusty old bakkie allows Midas to align
its products and pricing to serve the customer and in doing
so offer far more than other wholesale-only operations. To
prove this point Midas points to the fact that there are stores
in virtually any part of the country, including four stores in
Soweto, a fast growing market for its products.
The Midas team has much to say about the Midas-franchise
benefits. Products and services are all guaranteed for 12
months, nationally, and Midas counts more than 1 000 qual-
ified sales and service advisors amongst the team that supports
the Midas franchise network. The Midas franchise has also in-
creased its range of self-branded value products, which offer
high quality, but at a lower cost. Starting with basic necessities
such as Midas-branded motor oil, the range now reaches prod-
ucts such as professional tools with a lifetime guarantee and
Moto Part quality guaranteed vehicle replacement parts.
Motolek is the second largest franchise in the Midas group’s
network. Having been incorporated into Midas early in its ex-
istence and boasting more than 25 years in operation, Motolek
seeks to serve the “Do It For Me” (DIFM) market with auto-
electrical services that range from wiring, fault finding and
general engine diagnostics to alarm systems, tracking devices
and even cellphone hands-free car preparation. The Motolek
concept has also expanded to include Battery Hub operations,
which offers a range of well known and self-branded vehicle
page 27
batteries and all services associated with it, including battery
testing and advice. Midas has grown this division to 60 stores
nationwide, with more than 40 stores offering Battery Hub
services. As with the Midas franchise, each product and service
carries a national guarantee, even though each Motolek store
is still the proud operation of an entrepreneur.
ADCO joined the Midas fray in preparation for, and
ultimately as an answer to, the growing sales of modern diesel
vehicles. Using the same model of approving and in pre-exist-
ing specialist stores under the ADCO-brand and Midas
promise, this division quickly grew to more than 40 stores.
ADCO, as Motolek and other divisions such as CBS, offers
the added benefit that it is qualified to service vehicles from
your trusty old farm tractor to the major interlink heavy duty
trucks that serve the nation. It also has, through Midas’ whole-
sale divisions, access to the best and most modern equipment
and parts from heavyweights such as Denso, Delphi, Stana-
dyne, Hartridge, IHI and Yanmar which the Midas Group ex-
clusively supply. Bosch and Zexel are also among the leading
brands supplied by Midas Group. All these brands are well
known amongst original equipment manufacturers, which
chose these parts when designing their vehicles. The ADCO
network also offers a nationwide guarantee on parts and serv-
ice on everything it does, from repairs or replacement of high-
pressure diesel injectors to turbochargers and diesel pumps.
OK, so replacement parts, auto-electrical concerns and diesel-
related problems and service is covered. What remains? A lot,
says Midas, who also boasts a network of clutch and brake spe-
cialists through the CBS franchise network. CBS applies the
same success recipe to this market by stocking well known and
respected products from names such as LUK and Fras-Le, of-
fering qualified service and assistance on everything from
brake cylinders and shoes to clutches and pressure plates, back-
ing the service through a national guarantee and again spread-
ing its service from passenger to commercial vehicles. The
younger CBS network has already grown to more than 18
stores.
Auto Care and Diagnostics (ACD), the vehicle service and
maintenance specialists, is the newest kid on the Midas-block
and it is proof of Midas’ ability to gauge the market and pro-
actively reacting to modern trends. In this brave new world
where a computer chip controls everything from your window
mechanism to your fuel injection mixture, Midas recognised
the need for assistance to owners of these vehicles. ACD is
being developed with modern vehicles in mind, recognising
that the world is changing, but that vehicle owners will always
look for a helping hand and will no doubt turn to the name
they have trusted since the sixties.
Work/Life balance
Need further evidence that Midas has its ears to the ground
of the South African motorist? Here is your proof. Through
years of studying the market, Midas recognised that it could
apply its promise to some, seemingly unrelated market seg-
ments. Given this feedback from its franchises and markets,
Midas quickly moved to incorporate lifestyle products into its
philosophy and its product strategy. This has lead to Midas
now importing and supporting products ranging from Patriot
cycles to fishing gear from big names such as Okuma, Loomis
and Franklin, Bandit and SureCatch and even outdoor gear
from names such as CampGear.
The future
Looking at Midas, it is clear that much has changed since the
early days of ’68. It is also very clear that Midas, under the di-
rection of managing director Gordon Odgers and his team,
has stayed true to the goals it set when it first opened its doors.
This approach has given Midas the self confidence to tackle a
brave new world where money is tighter than ever, but where
the Midas offering of value and advice has become even more
attractive.
But the world is changing and Midas is listening attentively.
Vehicles are becoming more and more complex and many peo-
ple are turning to Midas not only for assistance in doing it
themselves, but also for help in getting it done. In this world
Midas is already well positioned with franchises such as Mo-
tolek, CBS, ACD and ADCO, but more is to come. Through
this, Midas concedes, it is heeding the call from the growing
population of female vehicle buyers and the growing black
middle class, but even more it is staying true to its internal
motto and to the motto that everyone knows it by, “There is
more to Midas”.
page 28
 Go Green…..Go Willard
O
f course, massive distribution and nation-
wide availability of the brand, has resulted in
many thousands of Willard Batteries signs
acting as a regular subconscious reminder
and endorsement of the market leader.
Batteries are somewhat different to most other automotive and
industrial products in that they are perishable. This has pro-
vided the opportunity of building strong relationships in the
trade through regular contact. To service the variety of user
markets properly and efficiently, a formidable supply chain
structure has been put in place, giving a massive range of cus-
tomers exactly what they need when they need it.
As a trusted power solution provider, Willard Batteries is able
to address the needs of a vast array of challenges, industrial
and automotive. In fact, together with a network of overseas
affiliates, there is no application that cannot be met, from
Auxiliary power and Battery Bays to Utilities and Wireless
Network backup and everything in between.
Willard Batteries has also built a reputation as a good and con-
cerned corporate citizen. Working closely with many cus-
tomers, there has been a commitment to focus on the positive
aspects of the battery and stored energy industry, to give some-
thing back and play a role in nation building.
With environmental issues having emerged at the forefront of
the global political agenda in recent years, it is appropriate to
page 29
Willard Batteries is a brand name
that has become woven into the fab-
ric of South African life. This is the
result of long ongoing relationships
with people in a variety of sectors
and in many walks of life and not
just motorists. From the informal
townships in which electricity
wasn’t always available - to people
in their professional capacity - like
telecommunications, mining, farm-
ing or warehousing.
recount one of the most exceptional environmental success
stories associated with the South African automotive sector;
the recycling of lead-acid batteries.
For some time Willard Batteries has been making a significant
contribution to the ‘greening’ of South Africa. Its ‘Go Green,
Go Willard’ campaign, in which motorists are encouraged to
bring old batteries to Willard outlets for recycling, has been a
resounding success and has helped to make our country
cleaner and its citizens healthier.
A portion of the proceeds of the recycling operation is donated
to Food & Trees for Africa, a local award winning non-profit
organisation tasked with the planting of trees in areas that
need them most. This commitment is indicative of the posi-
tioning of the Willard Batteries brand, targeting the more tra-
ditional and conservative automotive and industrial consumer
and encouraging a partnership responsibility for the environ-
ment.
Willard Batteries started trading in 1954, under licence to the
American company ESB. It focused initially on the manufac-
ture of automotive batteries, but introduced industrial batter-
ies in 1966, followed by the manufacture of motive power and
stationary batteries in 1967.
Willard Batteries was acquired by Powertech in 1981, becom-
ing a 100% South African-owned company in the process.
It also attained a unique position in the domestic battery man-
ufacturing arena by becoming the first South African manufac-
turer to be awarded the Quality Management System 0157 Part
II listing for its automotive production facility. It was later
awarded the same listing for its industrial operation.

In June 1988 this was changed to the SABS ISO 9002 quality
accreditation, to be followed by all the important quality ratings
- including the ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 approvals, the
Ford Q101 rating, the VDA6 rating, and the ISO/TS 16949:001
rating.

One of the most significant of the standards is the ISO

14001:1966. This is an international voluntary environmental
management standard aimed at minimising the harmful effects
on the environment caused by an organisation’s processes and
activities.

Importantly, it provides a framework of control for an Environ-

mental Management System against which a third party can cer-
tify an organisation.

This standard is applicable to any organisation that wishes to:

• implement, maintain and improve an environmental man-
agement system
• assure itself of its conformance with its own stated environ-
mental policy
• demonstrate conformance
• ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations

A portion of the proceeds of Willard Batteries’ recycling operation is

donated to Food & Trees for Africa, a local non-profit organisation
tasked with the planting of trees in areas that need them most.

page 30
 With increasing environmental consciousness have come
increasing demands of businesses, as well as their customers
and suppliers, to demonstrate higher levels of commitment to
the preservation of the environment and the conservation of
natural resources.
Willard Batteries’ PE site embarked on the road to certification
on the ISO 14001:1996 Standard in 2001. Initially, the proj-
ect seemed insurmountable as the number of environmental
hazards present at the site at the time meant that certification
would be a challenging exercise. Nevertheless, Willard Batter-
ies was committed to the achievement of the ISO 14001 cer-
tification. A generic environmental management system was
sourced and adapted to battery manufacturing processes and
activities.
ISO 14001:1966 certification was finally achieved in June
2004 and Willard Batteries became the first lead acid battery
company in South Africa to achieve this certification. As a
member of the Powertech Group, the Port Elizabeth company
became the first in the group to achieve this status.
The road to certification for Willard Batteries on this
Management System was less challenging than its ISO 14001
certification, with fewer hurdles to overcome. The manage-
ment of Willard Batteries’ PE site committed to achieve
OHSAS in 2007. Implementation of the System took almost
exactly a year. The certification audit was conducted in early
December 2008 at the end of which Willard Batteries PE site
was recommended for certification on OHSAS 18001:2007.
The recommendation was accepted by the certification body
in Germany. The Port Elizabeth lead acid battery manufac-
turer is, once again, the first lead acid battery manufacturing
company in South Africa to achieve this accreditation.
Willard Batteries considers its employees its most valuable
assets and undertakes to safeguard them, as far as reasonably
practicable, from injury or damage to health arising from any
of the operations or activities associated with its business.
OHSAS 18001:2007 regulates this commitment and
the certification will bind the organisation to this
commitment.

Subsequent surveillance audits maintained the certification.

The Standard had, meantime, been upgraded from the 1996
version to the 2004 version.

The company achieved certification on the new Standard in

June 2007 and has since been successful in a subsequent sur-
veillance audit in June 2008. A second audit was conducted
in December 2008. This audit, too, was successful.

Willard Batteries remains

committed to the preservation of the
environment and the conservation of
natural resources.
Passing another milestone, Willard Batteries also achieved
OHSAS 18001 certification at it PE site. OHSAS 18001 is
a certification specification for Occupational Health and
Safety Management Systems. OHSAS 18001 is an audit/
certification specification, not a legislative requirement.
Organisations registered to OHSAS 18001 can be more
confident about meeting the requirements of OHS legislation
and creating a workplace that is safe and without risk to the
health of its employees.

page 31
New Technology in the Latest Gen-
eration Batteries
Previously, the aftermarket batteries manufactured
at Powertech Batteries’ Port Elizabeth plant were
defined as hybrid batteries – consisting of one plate
calcium coated and the other plate coated with the
previous generation antimony based alloy. The lat-
est generation calcium-calcium silver plus batteries
have both plates coated with calcium, which
equates to a high performance battery with a
higher charging rate. These batteries require very
little maintenance and under normal conditions
will never need topping up with water. With the
electrodes now being manufactured in a continu-
ous process, to much closer tolerances – together
with tamper free caps – modern Willard Batteries
have the benefit of not requiring maintenance by
the motorist.
Other Willard Battery features
include:
• Expanded metal technology plates on both pos-
itive and negative electrodes
• The new patented positive calcium-silver grid
alloy results in improved corrosion resistance
• Improved technology and equipment for cur-
ing provides much stronger electrodes
• Products are assembled on new automated as-
sembly lines for improved consistency and
product quality
• Water consumption is reduced even further
with the use of calcium alloys
• Improved self discharge characteristics. The use
of calcium alloys allows for a longer shelf life
compared to hybrid batteries
• A high performance battery putting out high
Cold Cranking Amps
• Low self-discharge provided there is no electri-
cal drain on the battery
Powertech Batteries continues to develop its man-
ufacturing activities in its plant in Neave Town-
ship, Port Elizabeth. Production takes place at the
same location where it all started for Willard in
1954. The production line has been constantly up-
graded and today has a capacity of around two mil-
lion batteries per annum. It is a cutting-edge, high
technology manufacturing facility that will not be
out of place in any country of the world.
Behind the Recycling Process
T
he recycling of lead-acid batteries is a multi part process. Ini-
tially the battery is broken apart in a hammer mill. The broken
pieces go into a vat or flotation pond where the lead and heavy
materials sink to the bottom while the plastic remains afloat.
At this stage of the process the polypropylene pieces are scooped away and
the liquids are drawn off leaving the lead and heavy metals behind.
The polypropylene, or plastic pieces are washed, air dried and then
melted together into an almost liquid state. The molten plastic is then
put through an extruder that produces small uniform plastic pellets.
These pellets are then used to manufacture new battery cases.
The lead grids, lead oxide and other lead parts are cleaned and melted
together in a smelting furnace along with additives used to help in the
removal of impurities. The molten lead is poured into ingot moulds.
After a couple of minutes, the impurities, or dross, float to the top of
the still molten lead in the moulds and is scraped away. The ingots are
then left to cool. Once they have cooled they are removed and are then
ready to be re-smelted to produce new lead plates and other parts for
new batteries.
An additional aspect of Willard Batteries’ commitment to the environ-
ment is its association with Arbor Week. This has involved the planting
of trees at selected schools around the country. For Arbor Month 2009,
the focus shifted to organic food gardening at schools.
A number of schools were selected according a set of criteria and were
given a Permaculture Starter Pack that fitted their specific needs.
Permaculture is much more than organic food gardening. It is a response
to the environmental crisis we face on our planet and is about designing
a system to provide food harvested from plants that are integrated into
the local ecology. Thus humans become ‘part of ’ rather than ‘separate
from’ nature, natural systems and cycles.
Willard Batteries’ support of these projects – which had a competition
element linked to them so that scholars were more easily motivated to
participate – is expected to aid the development of communities by en-
hancing diet and nutrition, and expanding their members knowledge
and skills base.
To attain good health and nutritional status, people need sufficient
knowledge and skills to grow their own fruit and vegetables.
Linking nutritional education through Permaculture at school level
breeds good practices at household and community levels. Sustainable
food gardening in a school setting will inevitably influence home gar-
dening and in other areas, communal gardening, which are important
in improving food security – and the health of all South Africans.
page 32
 Nissan – a Global Player with true
South African Roots
Nissan South Africa can trace its beginnings back half a century, to 1959, when the company called Datsun Motor
Vehicle Distributors was formed. The first vehicles imported from Japan were 38 one-ton pickups, which arrived
in 1960, and local manufacture, from completely knocked down units, started in Durban in 1961 with the
launch of the Bluebird passenger car.
T
he importation and local assembly operation
was followed by the establishment of manufac-
turing facilities at Rosslyn, near Pretoria, and
Nissan and its forerunner Datsun have provided
transport solutions for South Africans ever
since, while making a significant contribution to the develop-
ment of the local motor industry. Today, with the transforma-
tion of the country and along with it the unrestricted, and
highly competitive, motor vehicle market, Nissan is well
placed to continue its role in the South African automotive
market. Nissan currently enjoys around 10% of the total
South African vehicle market with a comprehensive range of
passenger cars and light, medium and heavy commercial ve-
hicles as well as recreational and specialised vehicles. To meet
its objective of significantly growing its market share, Nissan
South Africa is currently engaged in a dynamic programme of
new model introductions. A total of over 2 500 people are em-
ployed by Nissan in South Africa and, as part of its social re-
sponsibility efforts, the company is committed to training,
educating and advancing its workforce to the maximum po-
tential of each individual. Other elements of Nissan’s invest-
ment in upgrading the social fabric of society focus on adult
and child education, child welfare and job creation. Nissan
page 33
can trace its roots back to 1911 when the Kwaishinsha Auto-
motive Company was formed to produce the first Datsun cars
in Japan. This company was taken over in the early 1930s and
the Nissan Motor Company was first registered.
As Nissan became more and more established as a global motor
manufacturer, US production facilities commenced in 1980 and
the UK plant opened in 1984. By the 1990s, Nissan was ac-
knowledged as a world leader in technology with many of its
international manufacturing facilities being the envy of its com-
petitors. Motor industry expansion continued and it became
obvious that global production overcapacity was becoming a re-
ality and motor companies began to suffer, including Nissan.
To ensure their survival into the new millennium many motor
companies - including some old established names - were taken
over and others formed international alliances.
In 1999, Nissan Motor Company formed a strategic alliance
with France’s Renault group. The alliance between Nissan and
Renault was a natural fit as the two companies were of similar
size, the products fitted extremely well and their respective
strengths were generally in different markets. The alliance cre-
ated the fourth largest automobile company in the world.
In 2000, Nissan Motor Company Limited increased its invest-
ment in South Africa by purchasing the 37% stake which the
Sanlam Group held in Automakers. The investment gave Nis-
san Motor Company control, which was subsequently in-
creased to 98,7%. In 2001 the South African company’s name
changed from Automakers to Nissan South Africa. Nissan
South Africa’s vehicle assembly and manufacturing operation
in Rosslyn is a leader in South Africa with regards to sound en-
vironmental practice in its manufacturing process and has won
numerous awards and recognition both locally and internation-
ally for its environmental efforts. These include the exclusion
of chlorofluorocarbons and other harmful chemicals from all
phases of its manufacture, chemical and other waste manage-
ment; water and power savings efforts; a man made wetland
which is a catchment area for storm water; recycling; and work-
ing closely with its numerous suppliers and dealers to ensure
sound environmental practice. All Nissan vehicles benefit from
Nissan’s international lifecycle approach of environmentally
sound vehicle design, use and recycling.
Racing improves the breed
N
issan and motor sport are synonymous in South
Africa. The Rosslyn-based company, which has its
own state-of-the-art motor sport department in
Midrand, where it designs and builds off-road racing Navara
pickups for both domestic and international competition, has
long recognised the benefits of motor sport as a valuable mar-
keting tool and brand image builder. Success over the years in
all forms of motor sport, from circuit racing to rallying and
off-road racing, has built a reputation for performance, relia-
bility and durability as well as a large, vociferous and knowl-
edgeable fan base throughout the country and in neighbouring
Essential to the ongoing success and growth of Nissan Manu-
facturing is access to Nissan’s worldwide technology, research
and development input has already been incorporated into Nis-
san vehicles in other parts of the world where similar climate
and road conditions to South Africa are found. The investment
by Nissan Motor Company of Japan into Nissan SA further fa-
cilitated this close technological cooperation.
Among the company’s
achievements are:
• The first South African motor company to achieve the
internationally recognised ISO 9001 and subsequent 14001
quality certification from the SABS in all its plants.
• An autospray facility to give Nissan vehicles a quality paint
finish in line with the best in the world.
• All production lines are highly automated to ensure consis-
tent quality.
• All Nissan vehicles undergo the company’s unique e-coat
anti-corrosion process prior to painting and consequently
have a three-year rust and corrosion warranty.
• All phases of the assembly process make extensive use of
computerisation for tracking, quality standards and vehicle
testing.
• Awarded the highest safety rating, Noscar, by the National
Occupational Safety Association for 20 consecutive years.
Nissan is currently the only South African motor manufac-
turer to hold this award.
• Two National Productivity gold awards for productivity
advancement.
states. It was soon after the first Datsun passenger car arrived
in Durban in knocked down form in 1961 that the reigning
South African champion rally driver, Ewold van Bergen,
bought a 1200 cc Datsun 310. A mechanical engineer, he can
justly be regarded as the father of Nissan’s motor sport career
in South Africa. He developed the little Datsun into a potent
rally machine and attracted the attention of Datsun in Japan.
He became a technical adviser and thus began a successful col-
laboration that was to last for some 15 years, while he estab-
lished himself as one of the all-time greats of South African
rallying, winning a further three drivers’ championships and
assisting Datsun to win the manufacturers’ title five times.
page 34
 Old-timers will fondly remember the Datsun SSS, which made
its first appearance in rallies in 1969. Van Bergen, who joined
Datsun full-time in 1966 as a development engineer, was inti-
mately involved in the development of the SSS, both as a desir-
able road car which set new standards of driving pleasure and
as an all-conquering rally car. This was the car that a young Sarel
van der Merwe started his rally career in, finishing a remarkable
fourth overall in a standard 1600 SSS in his first Total Interna-
tional Rally in 1973. Another all-time rally great, Jan Hettema,
drove for the official Datsun works team in 1978, a notable year
for the company as it was the number one selling brand in
South Africa. In 1980 Hannes Grobler began a career as a Nis-
san works driver that was to last right up to 2009 and result in
10 national rally and off road championships. In 1986 he won
both the national off road and rally championships – the only
driver to achieve this feat in the same year.
Datsun was also a name to be reckoned with on the motor rac-
ing circuits in the 1970s, with drivers like Sarel van der Merwe,
Jan Hettema, Hennie van der Linde and George Santana. Dat-
sun changed its name to Datsun-Nissan and then Nissan in the
early 1980s, but the success rate of the Japanese cars in motor
sport remained unchanged. Van der Linde enjoyed a remark-
able string of saloon car championship successes in the 1980s,
winning the title in 1984, 1985 and 1986 in Nissan Skylines.
Under the leadership of current motor sport manager Glyn
Hall, Nissan Sentra touring car drivers like Grobler, Nic de
Waal, Duncan Vos and Giniel de Villiers helped develop the
basis for the Nissan Primera that won four successive touring
car championships from 1997 to 2000 with De Villiers at the
wheel. With the demise of the formula at the end of 2000, Hall
and his team quickly transferred their skills and enthusiasm to
the national off-road racing championship. Nissan Motorsport
won the production vehicle championship at its first attempt
in 2001 in stiff competition with Toyota, Ford and Mitsubishi
page 35
and has gone on to remain unbeaten for nine consecutive years,
first with the Hardbody and then the Navara. Nissan’s success
in the domestic off-road championship with the Hardbody de-
veloped by Glyn Hall and his team saw them being commis-
sioned to build two pickups for French Nissan dealer team
Dessoude to enter in the 2002 Dakar Rally. Five stage wins un-
derlined the competitiveness of the South-African built Hard-
body and resulted in Nissan Japan entering the 2003 event with
three pickups for former Dakar winners, Kenjiro Shinozuka of
Japan and Finland’s Ari Vatanen, plus De Villiers.The Proudly
South African Hardbody pickups proved their mettle with De
Villiers finishing fifth and Vatanen seventh. Hall and his team
were then entrusted with the development of an evolution truck
for the 2004 Dakar. Four were built in Midrand and lined up
at the start in the hands of Vatanen, De Villiers, Frenchman
Yves Loubet and Colin McRae of Scotland.It was a much
tougher Dakar than 2003. Loubet and Vatanen retired, McRae
finished 20th and De Villiers was again the top Nissan finisher
in seventh place.
Nissan enjoyed its greatest Dakar success as a factory team in
2005, when De ViIliers finished fourth in the Proudly South
African Hardbody. There was no works involvement in 2006
or 2007 and the event was cancelled in 2008 because of security
concerns in some African countries. In 2009 the Dakar moved
to South America and four privately entered South African-built
Nissan Navaras took part. Norwegian Ivar Tollefsen and Briton
Quin Evans performed a memorable giant-killing act of finish-
ing a remarkable fourth overall, one place ahead of Pole
Krzysztof Holowczyc and Belgian Jean-Marc Fortin.
Nissan Motorsport returned to circuit racing in 2005 with a
Nissan 350Z. Leeroy Poulter won the championship in 2006,
finished third in 2007 and was a close runner-up in 2008 in
what was to be Nissan’s last year in circuit racing.
Giving birth to Tonii
It is eight o’clock on a Friday morning and the Sparepro staff members are standing in a circle in the warehouse,
holding hands, and praying. They’re praying for the ongoing health of the company, their families, their fellow
workers, and also for mentally-handicapped children at Little Eden in Edenvale, to which they made a financial
donation recently. This is not a one-off event, and every Friday morning is marked by prayer. The practise of
assistance to the needy (handicapped children, underprivileged women and destitute elderly people) by staff
members and the company; is ongoing, as is moral, emotional and financial support of employees who find
themselves struggling to cope.

Management team (left to

right): Price Govender,
Ahmed Kolabhai,
Vani Chetty and
Patrick Latouche are
the quartet which have
steered Sparepro into a
powerful position in the car
parts market

S
parepro is better known as Tonii, a broad range
of aftermarket automotive parts which has carved
for itself an impressive position in the market-
place thanks to a combination of price and quality
which the end user is equating with solid value.
Not only are they growing their market share but
in February the company hit a record turnover and seems to
be bucking the general economic downturn. Not only is
turnover growing nicely, cash flow is positive (debtors and stock
being well managed) while net profit is strong thanks to careful
cost control. The end result is that the shareholders are getting
an impressive return on their investment.
The man behind Sparepro (and behind the Tonii name, but
more of that later) is Price Govender, who in the mid-1990s
spotted an opportunity to import car parts from the Far East.
He travelled widely and found that the doors were starting to
open: there were many manufacturers willing and able to work
with foreigners. A number of relationships were formed –
often with tiny entities – but since then these associations have
flourished and the businesses in question have grown together.
Price’s understanding of the needs of local spares retailers and
the ability for his suppliers to react quickly gave him an edge
in the marketplace and soon Sparepro was distributing parts
nationwide.

page 36
 While his wife Vani handled the marketing aspects and a third
partner Ahmed managed the financial/general management
side of the business, Price handled all interaction with suppliers
and also vetted the quality and suitability of a growing list of
components. As the business grew, the management team
realised the need for a more professional footing to secure its
position in a highly-competitive market by adding solid back-
end functionality to the ability to continue to put sound
products into the marketplace at highly-competitive prices.
Part of that process was the introduction of the Tonii brand
name. The brand name comes from the name “Tony” which
was given to Price Govender by his suppliers in order to avoid
Warehouse managers: Dean Gounden (left) and
Charles Simmadari keep things running smoothly in the
warehouse, which after all, is the heart of the operation
the element of confusion between his
first name and the word ‘price’ which is
invariably an important part of any pricing negotiation
anyway! The name “Tony” evolved to “Tonii”, a new brand
name was born... and the rest is history!
Today, virtually everything in the Sparepro arsenal is branded
Tonii, and the company sells about 6 000 fast moving different
products in nine broad categories. The name Tonii first
appeared on parts boxes in 2005, following a spectacular
launch of the brand and since then it has become a household
name. That looks set to continue but by the end of 2009 the
plan is for the branding to evolve somewhat to reflect different
coloured packaging dependent on what sort of product is
actually in the box.
The other significant development was the appointment of
Patrick Latouche as CEO in March 2008. This livewire
Mauritian with a project management/processes background
page 37
did not have motoring or spares industry experience, but he
knew how to extract value from a company, and how to fine-
tune systems (human and otherwise) for high efficiency.
“When I joined the company there were over 100 employees
but they needed direction and a clearer sense of purpose,” says
Latouche. “I set about creating mechanisms to measure and
assess performance so that targets could be set and incentives
put in place for achieving those targets.”
Doing this rapidly helped to improve internal efficiency and
reduce shrinkage – almost inevitable with this kind of opera-
tion. Relationships with the customers have been improved
and the sales team has been revitalised, each salesperson being
given a clearer idea of who he or she is looking after.
Low overheads and careful control of stock levels has contributed
to Sparepro’s strong profitability recently. 40 percent of the products
account for 80% of sales
Latouche is a great believer in employees being part of the
organisation and he believes in a simple principal: people must
do the work, not the hours.
“People are a major part of the puzzle and about 70% of the
workforce is in the warehouse and they move thousands of in-
dividual items each day,” he says. “We conducted time and
motion studies when I started and the result is a more
efficient way of doing things.”
One of the other issues surrounding aftermarket parts remains
the Q-word: Quality.
“I think it is fair to say that quality is no longer an issue with
imported parts,” says Latouche. Ten years ago it probably was
but much has changed in the last decade and especially in the
last five years. We warranty most of our parts for between one
month and 3 years from the time of sale to the end user.
Through our returns policy we can see very quickly whether
there is a real issue.
“Our total claims ratio is less than 0,1% of parts sold –
and only a portion of those can be traced to genuine product
failure anyway,” says Latouche.
“It has become a key part of the operation to control the
warranty and return policy efficiently and it isn’t unheard of
to get parts ‘returned’ which aren’t even ours. So we need to
be very alert but when there is a valid claim we investigate
thoroughly to ensure that it is sorted out promptly.”
This is backed up by a technical department which is con-
stantly analysing what is going on in the marketplace. Feed-
back from a sales department of 14 individuals who regularly
interact with their clients, helps to provide market intelligence
– both in terms of products which are popular/unpopular and
also in terms of any reliability problems – and keeps a finger
firmly on the pulse.
It’s all about popular cars and popular parts, and Tonii is in
the agreeable position where approximately 40% of products
represent 80% of sales. But the plan is to improve on those
ratios still further, so fewer rather than more product lines will
pave the road ahead. Sparepro is very clearly in the volume
market and dead wood is ruthlessly trimmed out of the inven-
tory. Currently, the only area where the company is not
represented is in body parts.
Market analysis and the age and type of the vehicle population
is also clearly critical: for example, as soon as a vehicle
nameplate reaches the end of its normal warranty period,
Sparepro will be ready to offer the aftermarket alternatives.
And today it can take as little as six months from Sparepro
identifying a need to a supplier meeting it: that includes
Sparepro sells about 6 000 different parts, most of which are
sourced from China. “Quality is no longer an issue,”
says CEO Patrick Latouche
sourcing a product, to actually getting it into a Tonii box and
onto the shelf of the customers.
Latouche believes they have reached an ideal quality/value
ratio but concedes that the exchange rate has been kind to
them in recent months. Nevertheless, he is fanatical about
containing costs. Sparepro distributes to the whole of South
Africa as well as to Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia and
Lesotho, and to a smaller extent, to Zambia, Malawi, Mozam-
bique and Zimbabwe where the mix of price and performance
is raising eyebrows. An alliance with a dynamic, up-and-
coming logistics service provider (Brago Logistics) is saving
the best part of R200 000 per month. Brago deliver both in
Gauteng and the Greater Durban area and, for example,
if a retailer places an order by 3.30 in the afternoon, they’ll
have the parts some time the following day in normal business
conditions.
All in all, the future looks pretty bright for Sparepro, driven
in part by the current economic climate where there’s a
growing need to keep cars alive for longer, though, as Latouche
is quick to point out, they didn’t wait for a recession to hand
them a business opportunity. And he adds that there is no
reason why they should not look at introducing new products
in the near future, which are unrelated to the automotive
industry. Through the network of contacts which has been
established, they could source virtually anything provided it
makes business sense. At the end of the day, as Latouche
concludes, “It is a combination of focused energy, serving the
customer as a business philosophy and making the Sparepro
culture become more than just business. Success has to be
measured through results and so far, we are on the right track.”
page 38
 Creating Synergy
AutoZone is a well known market leader in the automotive aftermarket parts industry which grew from the syn-
ergy of many. When Super Group purchased the Elpar, Femo, Spares Link and AutoZone brands, they decided
that one united brand would work better than many smaller brands. Thus, in 1996, AutoZone was born.
T
oday, AutoZone is the automotive parts business
that distributes a wide range of automotive parts
throughout South Africa and even across our
borders into Namibia, Botswana and Swaziland.
AutoZone has grown over the years, and now
consists of over 160 stores, of which over 70 are member
(voluntary trading) stores, and AutoZone is still growing. In
2005, a new and improved store concept was introduced in
order to make the customer’s shopping experience more
personal. The new shopping environment included a Front of
Store section which allows customers better access to the
merchandise. Customers can now see, touch and feel the
products they are buying. Products stocked by AutoZone are
broken into two sections. These are the "Front of Store" section
and the "Back of Store" section. The "Front of Store" section
where customers can select the items themselves includes many
ranges such as additives, adhesives, batteries, car care accessories,
custom items, garage equipment, oils and chemicals, wiper
blades and much more.
Product categories that fall into the "Back of Store" section are
usually products that require more technical knowledge and ad-
vice, and include brake pads, engine parts, spark plugs, filters
and hard parts. The AutoZone experience is continuously im-
proving in order to further enhance our world-class shopping
environment. Customers are always guaranteed great service and
the best value. AutoZone has also continued to expand its foot-
print across southern Africa with the introduction of the Auto-
Zone Hyper formats. These stores are designed to offer the best
wholesale and retail experience available, while still catering to
your every need. AutoZone as a brand offers so much more than
just the run-of-the-mill automotive parts. We also feature a
24 hour call centre, a Technical Team, specialist categories, a
VIP Cash Card, fantastic house brands and much more.
The newly launched 24 hour call centre ensures that your
queries are answered at any time of day or night by a team of
trained professionals. Closely linked to this is our Technical
page 39
Team, also known as the Pit Crew. This team of dedicated ex-
perts are available to you to answer any technical questions re-
lating to your vehicle. The best part is that they are available 7
days a week, from 7am to 7pm on 0800 200 993. The Pit Crew
even have their own series of DIY leaflets giving you Hints and
Tips for almost any routine vehicle work. This range of 22
leaflets will give you guidelines on how to do various auto-re-
lated tasks, ranging from changing a fan belt to replacing gas-
kets. Our specialist categories include the new Turbocharger
range. AutoZone is proud to announce that we now stock a
comprehensive range of Turbochargers. We are the preferred
stockist and distributor for the Garrett® and Holset brands. Au-
toZone also offers you amazing after-sales support and thus the
AutoZone Advantage means that you get:
• World Class Technical Expertise
• Pre- and Post Sales Support
• Failure Prevention Solutions
• Failure Analysis and Reporting
• Personalised Consulting
• A 12 Month Hassle Free Warranty
AutoZone believes in looking after all of their customers, not
only the trade or account customers. To cater to the cash cus-
tomers in the market, AutoZone offers even more value for
money! If you are a cash customer at any AutoZone store, then
you are eligible for the AutoZone VIP Card. This card gives cash
customers the ability to earn points and redeem them for excit-
ing products. The best part is that this card is absolutely free of
charge!
Despite the fact that AutoZone has over 100 000 product lines
available, we still strive to ensure that you get the part you are
looking for. To guarantee this, we have carefully developed a
range of house brands. These brands enhance the AutoZone of-
fering by giving you access to a wide range of top-quality prod-
ucts, at an affordable price. These brands are constantly being
widened, and are fully supported by the AutoZone Technical
Team. The five AutoZone Exclusive Brands are:
 AmPro tools are a comprehensive
range of top quality tools, designed
to last a lifetime. In fact, we have so
much faith in AmPro Tools, that we
back them with a Lifetime Warranty! This incredible range of
tools is individually selected to ensure that AutoZone has every
tool required for both the professional and the D.I.Y handy-
man. The core categories for this range of tools includes socket
sets and accessories, wrenches, screwdrivers, electric screw-
drivers, pliers, specialty tools, and tool chests. Why don’t you
visit your AutoZone store today and stock up on this top class
range of tools?

The Ecotech range from AutoZone

covers all automotive electrical
products, and caters for all types of
vehicles from passenger vehicles to light and heavy duty com-
mercial vehicles. This range of exclusive products is the largest
and fastest growing range of top quality electrical products
available. The Ecotech range includes products such as starters,
alternators with their respective components, trailer plugs and
sockets, electrical terminals, and on/off road lighting. Looking towards the future, AutoZone is committed to growing
AutoZone ensures that all Ecotech products are quality tested our footprint across Southern Africa. This will be done through
and vetted, ensuring that you get the most up to date technol- a dedicated strategy of opening stores in every urban centre in
ogy, without paying inflated prices. AutoZone backs this South Africa, as well as through a forward-thinking buying strat-
up with their 12 month “hassle-free” warranty, offering you egy aimed at expanding our product range to ensure that when
peace of mind. you visit an AutoZone store, you are guaranteed to find the part
you are looking for. AutoZone is also focusing on improving its
AutoZone has developed an exclusive offering to their customers, both trade and cash customers. The
range of accessories, all under the first step in achieving this goal was to implement the 24 Hour
AutoKraft range. These range from Call Centre, which is now up and running. We will also be fo-
core categories such as camping and cussing on improving general customer service to ensure that
outdoor equipment, to workshop equipment. This world-class you feel like part of the AutoZone Family each time you shop
range even includes custom car accessories such as car seat at an AutoZone Store. We will continue to strive to deliver “The
covers and wheel covers, all backed by our Hassle-Free returns Right Part, at the Right Price, Everytime!”
policy.
For queries or comments, please feel welcome to contact
Femo is a top quality range of inter- us on 0860 11 22 111, or go to www.autozone.co.za.
nal and external engine components,
designed for a wide range of vehicle
makes and models. This broad range
includes piston rings, valves, bearings, sleeves, water pumps,
fuel pumps and much more. The entire Femo range is also
covered by AutoZone’s 12 month No-Hassle Returns Policy.

Spirex is AutoZone’s range of top

quality automotive hard parts and
chemicals. This range of reliable, top
quality products is affordable, and
includes a wide range of products from brake pads, brake
drums, pistons, batteries, C.V. Joints, to oils and other
chemical additives.

page 40
 BARLOWORLD AUTOMOTIVE
50 Years of change
Within a company that has been a Caterpillar dealer for 80 years and gone on to become a
leader in the field of earthmoving equipment, is a leading automotive company that has a
50 year association with the South African motor industry.
F
ounded in 1902, and with operations in 42 coun-
tries around the world, Barloworld is a distributor
of leading international brands providing rental,
fleet management, product support and logistics so-
lutions. The core divisions of the group comprise
Equipment (earthmoving and power systems), Automotive (car
rental, fleet services and motor retailing), Handling (materials
handling and agriculture), and Logistics (logistics management
and supply chain optimisation). The history of Barloworld’s as-
sociation with motor vehicles starts with a Natal agency for
Cleveland and Chandler in 1907 and the establishment of the
Barlow Motor Company in 1919 with agencies for Thornycroft
trucks, Humber cars, TJ tractors and Pratt & Whitney engines.
In 1936 these were sold off so that the company could concen-
trate on the Caterpillar franchise.
Motor Retail
In 1959 Barlows acquired Nagington Motors, Ford dealers on
the East Rand. These were the company’s first motor vehicle
dealerships. Thus began an acquisition trail over several decades
that included well known businesses such as Armstrong Motors,
Auto Atlantic, Barons, Club Motors, Currie Motors, Eriksen
Ford Group, Garden City Motors, John Williams Motors, Natal
Motor Industries (NMI), Roderick Nissan, Stuart Bromfield
page 41
BMW, Supra Toyota and several others. In addition to the above
retail investments Barloworld invested in the Subaru distribu-
torship and still holds a 50% interest, after selling shares to Toy-
ota Tsusho Corporation in 2008.
A significant and ground breaking transaction took place in
2003 with the Akoob family and their Durban South Motors
Mercedes-Benz dealership. Following the decision by Daimler-
Benz to change their dealer distribution model, Barloworld
merged their Daimler businesses in KwaZulu-Natal with the
Akoob family business. Today, the business encompasses a net-
work of dealerships in Durban, Pinetown and Pietermaritzburg,
with a flagship dealership at the Gateway development in Umh-
langa Rocks.
International Growth
In 1997 Barloworld acquired an Australian paint company with
Mercedes-Benz and Mitsubishi dealerships. It was decided to
expand the automotive business. Two Holden dealerships were
added, followed by two Volkswagen dealerships in Sydney and
another in Melbourne. The Australian business has grown into
a successful operation, with eight dealerships in Sydney and Mel-
bourne representing Mercedes-Benz, Holden, Volkswagen and
Suzuki.
 Avis joins
the group
Avis in South Africa
started out as Zeda Car
Rental and Tours,
founded in 1967 by
Noel de Villiers and
Glen van Heerden of
Lambons Ford in Bloem-
fontein. Starting with
two Anglias and a Prefect, the company soon expanded to Jo-
hannesburg. “We were just two young guys at Lambons Ford,”
recalls Glen van Heerden. “We were always lending cars to Ford
customers from around the country when they visited Bloem-
fontein. We realised there was a market for car rental and so
Zeda was born. Soon we expanded to Johannesburg and then,
in 1969, Avis Inc of America approached us and, together with
our shareholders at the time, Federale Volksbeleggings, we en-
tered into a 50/50 joint venture and changed the name of the
company to Avis. At the time we had about 50 cars in Bloem-
fontein and Johannesburg.”
The company, with a strong focus on customers, quickly grew
operations to cover Cape Town and Durban to meet the growing
demand for rental vehicles. This strong customer focus required
innovation. In the interest of safety, Avis was the first car rental
company to have wing mirrors fitted to all its cars, introduce ra-
dial ply tyres and seatbelts as standard on the fleet, and offer cus-
tomers automatic transmission and air conditioning. All of this
was done in the interests of the customers who included both
domestic and international inbound travellers. Later on, loca-
tions at airports were added to meet travellers’ on-airport needs;
this too represented a first for the company. The success of short-
term rentals led to the establishment of the first full maintenance
leasing business in the country. Avis Fleet Services, established
in the late seventies met the growing demand for longer term
rentals.
A focus on the quality and training of its people has been inte-
gral to the success of Avis in southern Africa, and today it is the
leader in its field. Avis has won the Sunday Times Top Brands
Survey in the business to business car rental category for the past
six years. The business continues to live by its famous brand
promise, “We try harder”.
Barloworld Automotive
Recognising that the future of traditional motor retailing would
change, Barloworld took an initial stake in Avis Southern Africa
in 2000, and acquired the remaining shares in March 2004. In
addition to this, a conscious decision was taken to realign the
dealership network focusing on “Fewer, Bigger, Better” dealer-
ships, representing the top automotive brands in major metro-
politan areas.
The group’s focus changed to providing customers with a range
of integrated motor vehicle usage solutions to fulfil their specific
requirements. This has been achieved through a well balanced
portfolio of complementary businesses that cater for customers’
varying needs. These solutions include the products and services
of the individual business units, namely car rental, fleet services
and motor retail as well as the unique combination of these
products and services for customers for who require aspects from
the various business units, in a seamless combination, effectively
and efficiently provided by a single supplier.
page 42
 BRIDGESTONE SOUTH AFRICA
Nearly 75 years of service in the tyre industry
On September 14, 1936 the first Firestone tyre to be built in South Africa rolled off the assembly line in the
company’s new factory in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. Today, 73 years after Harvey Firestone Jnr, together
with first managing director John Cohill, officially opened the PE factory, the company has grown into a major
supplier of passenger and commercial vehicle tyres to the South African motor, mining and agricultural industries
with factories in PE in the Eastern Cape and Brits in North West Province.

Lifelong friends Henry Ford, Thomas Edison Harvey S Firestone Jr John W Thomas joined Firestone in 1908 as
and Harvey S Firestone. – chairman of the Firestone the company’s first research chemist. Here he
Tire and Rubber Company. watches a synthetic rubber experiment.

“When we began making tyres in Port Elizabeth during Sep-
tember 1936, the country was in the throes of a major depres-
sion, the economy was in a poor condition and future prospects
looked very bleak,” wrote then executive vice-chairman and
managing director of Firestone SA (Pty) Limited, Peter
Morum, in a 50th anniversary commemorative booklet entitled
“The Firestone Story 1936-1986”.
“In retrospect, the courage of the management of the Firestone
Tire and Rubber Company in America and their confidence
in the future has been more than justified,” he continued.
“Today, Firestone in South Africa is synonymous with quality,
the product has excellent acceptance and the company has be-
come a household name.”
Twenty three years on, Firestone South Africa has become
Bridgestone South Africa and the company’s growth has re-
flected the growth of the country. “Our continued success has
been made possible by the wholehearted support of dedicated
employees and a countrywide dealer network committed to
total customer service and satisfaction,” said Chairman and
CEO, Yujiro Kanahara.
“It is our aim to continue to grow and
improve the quality of our products
and our service to our customers.”
Bridgestone South Africa is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Cor-
poration, headquartered in Tokyo and the world’s largest man-
ufacturer of tyres and other rubber products. Tyres account
for 80% of Bridgestone Group sales worldwide. The company
also manufactures industrial rubber and chemical products,
sporting goods and other diversified products. It sells its tyres
in more than 150 nations. The history of Firestone and Bridge-
stone in South Africa is marked with many notable milestones,
from the day in 1935 when Harvey Firestone Jnr purchased
the first 7,06 morgen site on the corner of Kempston and Har-
rower Roads on the outskirts of Port Elizabeth in 1935 (for
£750!). The original production capacity in 1936 was 350
tyres a day with 150 people involved in production.
Today, Bridgestone South Africa’s PE plant has a total of
43 000 square metres of factory space and a capacity of more
than 5 500 tyres per day. The company employs over 800 peo-
ple and produces tyres from the small steel belted passenger ve-
hicle range, weighing 6.8 kg, up to the small earthmover range
weighing over 490 kg. To date the PE plant has produced over
42 million tyres for the domestic and international markets.
In 1971 the first tyre was produced at the Firestone Brits plant.
It was a tyre made by South Africans, using local materials and
the most modern equipment available at the time. Thirteen
years later, in 1984, with Firestone’s total commitment to
South Africa, vast extensions were completed at a cost of
R37,5 million, making it the most modern tyre manufacturing
plant in the southern hemisphere.

page 43
 The Japanese traditional Kagami Wari ceremony,
performed as a celebration – this time on the oc-
casion of the launch of Bridgestone’s Run Flat
Tyre in 2008. On the extreme right is Bridge-
stone South Africa’s current chairman and CEO,
Yujiro Kanahara.
This was a massive investment in the future of Ruben’s Barrichello won the European Grand
steel passenger and truck tyres in this country. Prix in Valencia, Spain, the venue last year of
Today, the Brits plant is producing steel belt ra- Bridgestone’s 200th Formula One Grand Prix.
dials that meet the quality, design and perform- In South Africa, Firestone and Bridgestone’s in-
ance standards equal to those achieved anywhere volvement and support dates back many years
else in the world. It is one of only a few Bridge- and has contributed significantly to the growth
stone plants outside of Japan with the state of the of the sport. Bridgestone supports karting, the
art technology gearing to manufacture Bridge- nursery of motor sport, and the development of
stone RFT (Run Flat Tyre), a technology that young drivers and is also the sponsor of the
Bridgestone Corporation pioneered. Since the Bridgestone Production Car Championship.
first tyre left its mould, the Brits plant has pro- Bridgestone South Africa is a company with a
duced some 29 million tyres. In today’s highly strong sense of corporate social responsibility
Early Firestone advertise-
competitive market, Firestone and Bridgestone ment – dating back to 1919 and subscribes to best employment practice.
steel belt passenger and steel cord truck tyres have – realised the vast possibili- “Through the involvement and generosity of
proved their efficiency and productivity over and ties of truck transport im- our employees, we are engaged in a wide variety
over again with their outstanding performance, mediately post WWI of community initiatives designed to raise living
fuel economy, durability and reliability. At both and health standards in our communities,” says
the PE and Brits plants constant testing and research is con- Romano Daniels, general manager of Group Marketing and
ducted to ensure the quality of the tyres produced. Each plant Communications. “An example is the vegetable-growing hy-
has its own fleet of test vehicles to evaluate the tyres produced, droponics project in the disadvantaged PE community of Bloe-
as well as tyre uniformity grading machines (TUG) and tyre mendal, which falls under the banner of the global One Team,
test rooms with machines capable of testing tyres in excess of One Plant programme.” The company is fully committed to
280 km/h under controlled conditions. Bridgestone Corpora- other global Bridgestone Corporation initiatives like the road
tion of Japan took over control of Firestone South Africa in safety-based Think Before You Drive and the Make Cars Green
1997 in the biggest investment by a Japanese company in programmes.
South Africa and the company’s name changed to Bridgestone
Firestone South Africa. In August 2004 a R700 million invest- “We pride ourselves in our commitment to raising safety stan-
ment was announced in the upgrading and expanding of the dards in both the production of tyres and on South Africa’s
Brits plant and building the state of the art RFT production roads, with such campaigns as our national initiative to encour-
line, bringing the total investment by Bridgestone Japan in age motorists to regularly check the condition and pressure of
South Africa to R1.5 billion. The name of the company be- their tyres. We are also the sponsors of the Guild of Motoring
came Bridgestone South Africa. Bridgestone and Firestone are Journalists’ road safety initiative, the Committee for Active
names indelibly etched in the history of motor sport around Road Safety (CARS).”
the world. In August 2009 Bridgestone, the sole tyre supplier
to the Formula One World Drivers Championship, celebrated Bridgestone South Africa is a member of the South African
150 grand prix wins on Bridgestone tyres when Brazilian Tyre Manufacturers Conference and the South African Tyre
Recycling Process Company.

page 44
 Supplying and Nurturing the South
African Automotive Aftermarket
A supplier to the South African automotive aftermarket, Control Instruments Automotive (CI Auto) is
buoyant about the market’s potential, and is looking forward to playing an increasingly important role
in keeping the South African motorist in control and on the road. After a period of intense and frenetic
acquisition, followed by a well considered and controlled restructuring and consolidation, CI Auto is on
a mission, both simple and complex. The simplicity is in the goals, the complexity in the execution.
The fulcrum for all these activities resides at the marketing and sales levels.

F
ounded in 1948, Control Instruments Automotive, a
subsidiary of Control Instruments Group Limited,
manufactures and distributes an extensive range of
quality, branded automotive components, including
instrumentation and off-road products to OEMs and
the automotive aftermarket throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The
company owns a number of brands, each of which holds a unique
position in the aftermarket. Well-known manufactured brands in-
clude Gabriel, Echlin, AutoExcel, MAG-Brakes, Autosave and Au-
tocom. The company is also the exclusive African distributor of a
number of internationally distinguished brands, including Warn,
VDO, Britax, GE, Shurlock, Ring, Eurocable and Unipoint.

Based in City Deep in Johannesburg, the company employs over

200 people who are dedicated to its marketing, warehousing and
distribution operations, as well as a further 250 people at the com-
pany’s manufacturing facilities in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
CI Auto constantly invests in its employees. According to Grant
Fraser, Director Market & Product Development, “Training is cer-
tainly a priority in our business. The company runs a number of
internal training programmes to benefit its employees”. To meet
the demands of the growing export market serviced from South
Africa, CI Auto recently set up an export division for the African Grant Fraser, Director Market & Product Development.
market. “In the last decade or so, exports and automotive products

page 45
in South Africa showed strong growth, so it is important that
we provide the right portfolio of products,” says Fraser. The
company also has a team of product managers based in Johan-
nesburg who work directly under the marketing team, whose
responsibility it is to source new products for the emerging mar-
kets and to release these products into the new channel. “With
changing demands in the market, it is imperative that we are
able to meet the demands of our customers. We have to be able
to deliver a quality product, particularly in the aftermarket,
which also meets global emission standards,” says Fraser.
Customer relationships are one of the keys to CI Auto’s
success. “The relationships we have with our customers are
vital,” explains Fraser. “Wherever possible, we pass on any
benefits from our manufacturing processes to our major dis-
tributors, and we are working hard to supply the network.”
Adaptability is not the only thing that has made CI Auto a
leading player in the sub-Saharan automotive aftermarket.
Fraser elucidates, “There are a number of things that create
success. First of all, our people; we have our own IP (Intellectual
Property) and a lot of the technology that we have is continually
being developed by our own team. Secondly, from a distribu-
tion point of view, we carry premium brands which ensure qual-
ity and availability of product. Most importantly, we offer
customer-focused service. We work closely with our clients to
make sure we know what their goals are, where they are finan-
cially and where they want to be in the future. The service we
provide is personal, tailored to fit each customer. Our marketing
initiatives are based on the requirements of our customers, and
we drive various national campaigns to support the growth in
sales.” Despite the recent economic downturn, Fraser is positive
for the years ahead, “The local market shall continue to be
buoyant, due to a combination of larger and younger vehicle
populations. The aftermarket is worth about R3,6 billion an-
nually, based on the products that we supply. The primary con-
sideration is to access the impending market growth, ensuring
that the operation and brands are positioned to capitalise on
this. There is a lot of potential in this market.”

Photo on previous page: Three Pitts Specials, representing the Gabriel Wings Aerobatic Team, provide a great metaphor
for what CI Auto stands for. To attain the perfection of synchronised flight, and to perform daring aerobatic feats,
requires the right mix. Firstly, tried and tested aeroplanes; secondly, meticulous planning and preparation; thirdly a
talented team totally in sync with each other; and finally a support structure that inspires total confidence. It is a mar-
riage of skill, science and art, which is an alchemic blend of knowing what needs to be done, with a dash of gut feel
and flair, making it all very exciting. The end result is a choreographed masterpiece. Mimicking this set-up is CI Auto,
emulating the Gabriel Wings Aerobatic Team in a real life scenario which is firmly rooted to the ground in reality.
The consolidation of various manufacturing units, distribution hubs, administrative and technical offices, and various
other bits and pieces into one centralised location and one cohesive whole in City Deep, Johannesburg, has
similarly required meticulous planning and preparation, to establish a support structure that inspires confidence, and
to allow a talented team to feed off each other as they begin to push the limits.

A stunning addition to the Gabriel Wings team

page 46
 Federal-Mogul Aftermarket -
Champions of the Industry
Federal-Mogul is an innovative and diversified $7 billion global supplier of quality products, trusted premium
brands and creative solutions to the world’s automotive industry. It employs some 40 000 people in 36 countries
and regions including southern Africa.
F
rom a modest beginning in rural Michigan as a mill
and engineers’ supply business (originally called the
Muzzy-Lyon Company after founders J Howard
Muzzy and Edward F Lyon) to the emerging North
American automotive industry in Detroit in 1899, Federal-
Mogul’s growth into a market leading supplier of quality prod-
ucts, trusted brands and creative solutions to the global
automotive industry has paralleled the rise of the importance
of the automobile in our society and has made, and continues
to make its own important contribution. The company’s lead-
ing technologies have helped to drive the development and
growth of the global automotive industry and it has diversified
and adapted to meet the challenges the industry has faced over
the last century and more.
The acquisition in recent years of the British T & N (Turner
& Newall) and American Cooper Industries companies con-
solidated a unique basket of premium branded products and
market-leading technologies and resulted in the creation of
Federal-Mogul Aftermarket Southern Africa in 1998.
The history of the Southern African company, headquartered
in Johannesburg, is interesting. It can trace its roots back to
the early 1950s and the founding of the Associated Engineer-
ing Company (Asseng), later to become AE, the amalgamation
page 47
of T & N and Ferodo in the early 1960s, of T & N and Asseng
in 1988 and of Trichamp (Trico and Champion) with Cooper
Industries to form Cooper Automotive.
As John Koen, the retired logistics director of Federal-Mogul
Aftermarket Southern Africa recalls, “The big challenge was
to harness the technologies and systems of leading brands AE
(engine parts), Champion (spark plugs and windscreen wipers)
Ferodo (brake pads) and Payen (gaskets) and meld them into
one effective aftermarket company. Frik Nel, managing
director of Cooper Automotive, was the first chief executive
of the new company and it is great credit to him that he and
the team he put together did such an effective job of utilising
the best of the four companies and creating a single cohesive
business.”
Nel moved to the United States in 2004, handing over to mar-
ket research expert Malcolm Perrie who had worked with AE
for many years as a marketing consultant though his company
The Marketing Shop.
Koen played no small part himself in the company’s success,
having started with Associated Engineering as an 18-year-old
in the 1960s and rising to CEO of AE engine parts at the time
of the Federal-Mogul takeover in 1998.
Federal-Mogul are manufacturers of AE, Nural, Glyco and
Goetze engine products (including pistons, liners, bearings,
valves, valve guides, valve inserts and ring sets), Ferodo disc
brake pads and linings, Champion spark plugs and ignition
leads, wiper blades and assemblies, National automotive lamps
and Wagner sealed beams, and Payen and Goetze automotive
gaskets and oil seals.
There are manufacturing plants in KwaZulu Natal (bearings
and valves in Pinetown; brake pads in Durban), in Gauteng
(spark plugs and windscreen wipers in Isando) and in the East-
ern Cape (gaskets in Port Elizabeth).
Today each brand has its own unique history and important
place in the southern African market. Ferodo was founded in
England in 1887 and led the development of friction materials
in their modern form. Today, Ferodo products are designed to
meet or exceed motor manufacturer original equipment spec-
ifications and provide creative automotive aftermarket solu-
tions. Ferodo is also a leader in providing superior brake
products to motor racing - in rallying, off-road racing and cir-
cuit racing.
Ferodo has been in the forefront of motor sport for more than
80 years. In 1998, Federal-Mogul established a special team
at the Federal-Mogul Friction facility in Mondovi, Italy, ded-
icated solely to the development, sales and marketing of new
racing and other high-performance car, kart and motorcycle
brake pads. Specialists in racing formulation, working in a
prototype plant, they develop new materials. Production takes
place within the plant in a specialised racing cell. All of this
allows Ferodo to remain at the forefront of innovation and ex-
pertise in motor racing.
Champion has been a world leader in the manufacture of
spark plugs for every kind of combustion engine and has a
motor racing heritage that spans most of its 100 years. It con-
tinues today with some of the most successful teams in North
America’s NASCAR and NHRA and in the Formula One
World Championship (an association that goes back to the
very early years of the F1 world championship in the 1950s),
as well as in national championships around the world.
Champion spark plugs have been used by four of the last five
NASCAR Cup champions, the last six NHRA Top Fuel cham-
pions and by cars that won nearly 400 F1 races – more than
all other spark plug manufacturers combined.
Champion, working with vehicle and system manufacturers,
produced a revolutionary micro-sized spark plug that is now
used by more than half of the F1 teams. Champion’s involve-
ment in F1 has always been, and continues to be, about pull-
through from track to road. The technology learnt in F1 and
other forms of racing finds its way into standard production
Champion spark plugs.
Champion and Ferodo involvement in South African motor
sport goes back many years and current involvement includes
sponsorship of the Champion Young Drivers programme, a
global initiative that helps up-and-coming youngsters to de-
velop in the sport. “This has been a very successful pro-
gramme,” says Ronnie Erasmus, motor sport manager of
Federal-Mogul Aftermarket Southern Africa.
“Both our current young drivers, who are still in their teens,
are past ‘rookie of the year’ winners in the one-make Volkswa-
gen Cup national championship and are both race winners
and contenders for this year’s title.”
Devin Robertson (17) and Gennaro Bonafede (18) are joint-
second on the points log with two rounds of the championship
remaining. They compete in identical Champion spark plugs-
sponsored VW Polos. The series is restricted to drivers below
the age of 28 and is an important stepping stone to the more
senior circuit racing categories.
page 48
 GRANDMARK INTERNATIONAL

The Grandmasters in Quality Auto-

motive Parts Supply
In a marketplace of more and more part brands, one thing will always remain constant in the mind of the
consumer - quality automotive parts at the best possible value. This customer need is exactly what Grandmark International
focused on 15 years ago when they opened their doors. And because of that focus on value for
customers, Grandmark International is now one of the leading distributors of replacement automotive parts and glass
products in southern Africa.

S
tarted in 1994 in Pretoria, Grandmark first began its path
to success with the wholesaling of automotive body parts
to the aftermarket industry. Since then, Grandmark has
slowly expanded its product offering in order to meet the mar-
ket needs for high quality/high value products. Grandmark
now boasts an extensive parts range that covers six major auto-
motive categories – automotive body, glass, cooling products,
steering and suspension parts, engine and mechanical parts, and
automotive lamps. Due to this success, they now stock over
20 000 different part items. While, in the beginning, Grand-
mark’s primary import focus was in Asia, they realised the need
to expand their geographic sourcing presence to ensure they
were getting the best products globally. Consequently, Grand-
mark now sources from Asia, America, Europe and South
America.
Furthermore, the company opened up international purchasing
offices to ensure close cooperation with these overseas manu-
facturers. From five continents and over a hundred suppliers,
Grandmark International brings the best the world has to offer.

Body Glass Steering & Engine Lamps Cooling

Suspension & Mechanical
Bonnets Windscreens Control Arms Wheel Bearings Head Lamps Radiators
Bumpers Door Glass Ball Joints Gaskets Corner Lamps Condensors-(Aircon)
Cradles Vent Glass Tie Rod Ends CV Joints Fog Lamps Radiator Fans
Grills Rear Windscreens Rack Ends Tensioners Tail Lamps Water Pumps
Fenders Quarter Glass And more… And more… And more… And more…
Mirrors And more…
And more…

page 49
 Many of Grandmark’s products and manufacturers have the above certifications/qualifications.

Branch Network Growth

With Grandmark’s early success, their branch network also
expanded. Early on, to move closer to the majority of their
customers, Grandmark moved its headquarters from Pretoria
to Johannesburg. Then, to properly service those early Preto-
ria customers, Grandmark expanded the wholesaling opera-
tion back to Pretoria and then a few years later they expanded
further to Cape Town. The reason? To provide customers
with better service and closer personal contact.

The Quality Choice

Early in its existence, Grandmark saw an opportunity in the
marketplace - many importers focused on generic parts at
the lowest cost possible. However, this often tainted the
replacement parts industry as having low quality standards.
Grandmark wanted to change this perception (hence the com-
pany name “Grand Mark”) by bringing in high quality prod-
ucts from the most advanced factories around the world –
many of which supply original equipment manufacturers
(OEMs) in their respective regions.

To ensure customer satisfaction with all Grandmark products,

all products come with a 12-month warranty against fault in
workmanship or defect in material. Furthermore, all of
Grandmark’s suppliers are not only visited by the Purchasing
Department but, personally by the Directors as well. Last,
Grandmark takes pride in offering products that have
obtained globally recognised certifications and qualifications.
Grandmark’s formula for success?
Culture is the foundation
In a world where products, services and management tech-
Only and always quality. This ethic
niques can easily be copied, Grandmark’s advantage rests in
its unique company culture. It’s a culture that emphasises cements the Grandmark value system
teamwork over the individual, fun in the workplace, respect,
trustworthiness, motivation and innovation. and applies to its products, services
The culture stems from its early entrepreneurial days where and company ethos.
everyone pitched in, had fun and worked as a team – they had
to in order to survive. Since then, however, Grandmark has
not lost focus on the importance of that early culture but in-
stead has worked to magnify it. In everything they do, they
seek to always do more for its employees, its suppliers and its
customers. It’s what they call the “Grandmark Spirit”.

page 50
 Launch Tech Co Ltd
Shenzhen in Guangdong Province, China, is the fastest growing city in the world, and it was here in 1987 that
a small company named Launch began manufacturing personal computers, developing both the hardware and
software for these electronic devices, which in those days were still in its infancy, and thus Launch had to
innovate and invent most of the applications. Five years later, in 1992, with the Chinese automotive industry
starting to stir, Launch relied on their pioneering skills and electronic innovation to become the first Chinese
company to get involved in electronic engine management engineering and automotive diagnostics.

Launch Tech Co Ltd employs over 300 qualified research and development engineers at its Headquarters in Shenzhen, in an industrial
park consisting of seven identical nine floor buildings, with a total floor area of 189 000 m². Depicted here is one of these seven buildings.

L
aunch Tech Co Ltd was founded in the same year
and has since grown into the leading Chinese
company in automotive diagnostics and a global
supplier to the automotive aftermarket, repre-
sented by 15 companies supporting more than
400 distributors in 60 countries. Launch also looked to the
future and foresaw the enormous potential of the Chinese au-
tomotive industry, and began its annual auto electronic and
diagnostic colloquium in Shenzhen, inviting the Chinese
OEM industry to discuss the future of engine management
systems and diagnostic support, and to look at ways of com-
bining talent and technology to develop improved systems.
This vision has paid off, with Launch now being the specified
diagnostic equipment for over 90% of Chinese OEMs.
Launch also began to look outside China in 1997, as it realised
that for it to be an international player it had to support all
the OEM brands in both China and overseas. Thus the Car-
link 5000 was introduced to the world in 1997, to be followed
by the ADC 2000 in 1999, which was both a code reader and
oscilloscope. With the strong international acceptance of both
the Carlink 5000 and the ADC 2000, it was realised that for
further growth the company would have to become a public
company, and so in 2002 Launch Tech Co Ltd was listed on
the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and its future was secured,
and further development was accelerated by the establishment
of an industrial park in Shenzhen and an R&D facility in Bei-
jing, to concentrate on vehicle management systems.
Launch was also diversifying, and adding workshop equip-
ment and tools to its product portfolio, as it strove to become
a one stop shop for automotive workshops, offering a com-
prehensive range of quality aftermarket service equipment to
the automotive and allied industries. These products include
scan tools, Creaders, wheel balancers, lifts, engine analysers,
wheel aligners, tyre changers, injection cleaners, a/c service
stations, ATF chargers, test lines, inflators, sensor
simulators/testers, paint dryers, spray booths, collision repair
systems, hand tools, and more, the bulk of which are manu-
factured at a production facility in Shanghai.

page 51
Launch Technologies SA (Pty) Ltd
Launch Technologies SA (Pty) Ltd. was registered in South Africa in 2000. Launch’s
head office is in Jet Park, Johannesburg, Gauteng, and it has a branch in Durban,
KwaZulu Natal, and distributors in Cape Town, Western Cape, and Port Elizabeth,
Eastern Cape. These distributors, together with a network of sales agents throughout
South Africa, has allowed Launch to become a major supplier of automotive after-
market service equipment to the automotive and allied industries in southern Africa.
The quality range of Launch equipment and products are fully backed-up and serviced
by in-house after-sales service teams.

L
aunch Technologies is committed to keeping its customers for life, and this philosophy
extends to offering trade-ins and upgrades at very good discounts, software upgrades,
and hands-on training that focuses on how to use the equipment. Launch also recog-
nises the need to take this training one step further, and one of the many projects it has in the pipeline is the establishment of fran-
chised quick repair shops, to facilitate further training on how to take diagnosis and trouble-shooting further, on actual repair
techniques. Launch is acutely aware of the need for workshops to have access to finance and credit for both capital requirements
and operational costs and working capital, so it is a preferred supplier to Capricorn Society Limited, a forward looking cooperative
that offers a range of innovative business assistance packages. Launch Technologies SA is also in the relatively unique position from
a global perspective in that Jackie Li, the CEO, has direct contact, and is in daily contact with Launch
Tech Co Ltd’s head office in Shenzhen. Jackie Li spends a lot of time at Launch’s head office,
and has his own office at headquarters, and his close relationship with the President allows
him to stay abreast of all the latest developments and projects, and gives him favoured
status as an international ambassador for Launch. In actual fact, he is merely a phone
call away from the President, and this special relationship translates into extra special
service for Launch’s South African customers. Therefore it is no wonder that of the
workshops in South Africa using Launch equipment, that 70% of their
requirements are met by Launch Technologies.

page 52
 LAZARUS MOTOR COMPANY

The humble acorn grows into a mighty oak

“True success isn’t measured in currency, but in the trust of families and customers. It’s built on a solid foun-
dation of ethical standards and an unwavering commitment to service. It’s being the best we can be. It’s keeping
our word so that people can trust what we say and have confidence in our honesty and integrity. It’s serving
our customers in the best way possible because we sincerely care about their safety and their complete satisfaction
with their Lazarus experience.” - Colin Lazarus, managing director, Lazarus Motor Company.

T
his philosophy has stood Colin Lazarus in good Over the years Lazarus acquired a Ford dealership in Verwo-
stead in the 29 years since he took over his erdburg (later to be renamed Centurion) in 1991 and then a
father Gerry’s company, R Lazarus & Son in year later the company was awarded the Mazda franchise in
1980. The principles on which he has built the Centurion as a result of its good performance with Ford. By
business started by his grandfather in 1957 has 1996 the company had built a fine reputation for customer
seen the founder’s grandson emerge as one of South Africa’s service with its Ford and Mazda owners and was awarded the
top private motor vehicle retailers. The Lazarus Motor Com- prestigious Jaguar franchise, opening in the Pretoria suburb of
pany’s imposing modern headquarters overlooks the N1 in Hatfield.
Centurion. It is a far cry from the original Lazarus dealership
in Bronkhorstspruit, where Colin was born and raised and In 1999 Lazarus identified a piece of ground in Centurion
where you could buy a Mercedes-Benz or a DKW. next to the N1 and gathered the entire multi-franchise oper-
ation under one roof. At the same time, he was astute enough
Today’s operation is one of the biggest privately owned to realise that in order to succeed long term in the changing
dealerships in the country and, at 30 000 sq m under a single socio-economic and political environment he needed a black
roof, it is one of the biggest in the world. empowerment partner. He found just the man, successful
businessman Peter Malungani, and they have been partners
Country born and bred and educated at an Afrikaans school, for the past 10 years. Malungani bought shares in the com-
Lazarus is a no-nonsense kind of guy and is direct and some- pany, which was renamed Lazarus Motor Company. “We are
times uncomfortably honest. But above all he is a good ‘people a great fit and I have learnt so much having a black partner,”
person’. “It’s not about me, though. Our success has been built says Lazarus.
with our most important asset, the right people. I am fortu-
nate to have the ability to surround myself with good people.
Most of my 255 staff have been hand-picked by me, right
down to the drivers. They make me look good,” he asserts.
Before officially joining the business after completing his ed-
ucation, his father sent him to work at Ford Motor Company
in Port Elizabeth early in 1980, “to learn the business”. “This
was part of a two and a half-year plan to prepare myself for
joining the family business, but just as I was about to go to
the United States to work within the Ford dealer network
there, my father died suddenly and I had to return to
Bronkhorstspruit and take over the company. I was 22 years
old and found myself in the deep end.

“I learnt a lot in those early days. Every Wednesday I would

put on my overalls and spend a day in the workshop. We sold
mostly tractors in those days and also cars.”

page 53
Today, Lazarus Motor Company represents six well-respected
international brands: Ford, Mazda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo
and, the most recent, Kia. Success did not come overnight,
but the continued achievements are built on the principles
that have guided Lazarus throughout his career.
These achievements include being honoured as Centurion
Businessman of the Year in 2007, where he surprised the
audience with an acceptance speech in Afrikaans. He is
immensely proud of the fact that Lazarus Motor Company
has won the Ford and Mazda dealership of the year accolade
for the past five years (from 2004 to 2008).
“We were the first big volume dealer to achieve this distinc-
tion, which is the result of the sustained excellent perform-
ances of all of my key people and the staff who work with
them.”
Lazarus is a great believer in well conceived marketing and ad-
vertising promotions and enters into these with enthusiastic
involvement, from his office right through the organisation.
He has a successful association with circuit motor racing and
has been a long time supporter of the annual national Total
Economy Run, where, invariably, his is the biggest entry.
In 2009 he supplied almost half of the field of 28.
“It’s all about promoting the brand and also our dealership
and we have had more than our share of success in this
regard. We find that the fuel efficiency achievements
of the cars we enter in the economy run are
of interest to our customers and we
advertise the results.”
A long association and close friendship with multiple power-
boating and motor racing champion Peter Lindenberg has led
to a number of motor racing initiatives that have brought
success and valuable exposure for Lazarus Motor Company.
“We like to sponsor winners and Peter has won more than his
fair share of championships, in water skiing as well as power-
boating and motor racing. We also like to support the sporting
teams in our province and have a great relationship with the
Blue Bulls, the Titans and SuperSport United. All three are
champions. Our involvement with rugby, cricket and soccer
is also motivated by a desire to help with the development of
these sports. We provide motor cars which are used by the
teams’ talent scouts and trainers.”
No visit to the imposing Centurion headquarters of Lazarus
Motor Company is complete without seeing the company’s
own motor museum. It currently boasts among its exhibits the
only Ford GT in South Africa (one of only 2 000 built to mark
the company’s centenary), a pristine 1969 Ford Mustang and
the Formula Atlantic Chevron in which Ian Scheckter won
one of his six SA drivers’ championships in the 1970s.
page 54
 Taking Care of our own
In the Goon Show, a radio comedy series aired in the United Kingdom in the 1950s and
key to the later fame of Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers, a pair of villains convinces the
ever-gullible Neddie Seagoon to insure the English Channel – against fire.
T
hat might be taking things to an unlikely
extreme but like it or not, most people protect
themselves against the risk of the un-
known...whether it be a fire, theft, a car accident
or the vagaries of nature. We also insure our
health: it’s called medical aid and who
can afford to be without it? Health-
care in the automotive industry is
important and – certainly in the
blue-collar area – there’s a fair
amount of danger present, so
you don’t want to leave yourself
exposed.
One of the big names in med-
ical cover is Moto Health Care, an
organisation which runs closed
schemes in the motor industry
and currently has in excess
of 43 000 princi-
pal members.
page 55
Restricted to the motor industry and born out of the conver-
gence of the Automed and Mimed schemes at the very
beginning of 2007, it can offer a compelling portfolio
of healthcare products to those working in all strata of the
industry – from manufacturing to retail.
At the helm of Moto Health Care since its inception is Fund
Manager Murida Khan, a savvy industry veteran who has
spent pretty much her entire working life in medical aids,
rising through the ranks after starting as a script assessor at
Affiliated Medical Aid in the early 1980s. It would be easy to
grow hardened to some of the pain and suffering that often
goes with this business but Murida seems to have tremendous
empathy for her members.
“Fully half of our membership comes from low income groups
– petrol pump attendants, cleaning staff at dealerships,
apprentice mechanics – and they rely on us to provide them
with healthcare which is both affordable and effective,”
explains Khan from her modest Randburg office. “Just because
they’re from the low income bracket doesn’t mean we should
underestimate their wants and needs...their money is precious
and they don’t want cheap!”
About a quarter of Moto Health Care’s members are on the
entry-level Essential package, with a total contribution of just
R185 per month. It is structured so that even individuals with
a low level of literacy are able to understand exactly what is
and isn’t covered. Another 25% of members use the
Custom scheme, which is a rung up the ladder. These packages
are exempt from providing the Prescribed Minimum Benefits
as laid out by the Medical Schemes Act.
The company has been able to put together these and other
high-value offering by using the membership’s collective
bargaining power, dealing directly rather than using brokers,
and also linking up with Carecross Health as a network
provider: they negotiate directly with doctors and other service
providers, thereby ensuring the best possible rates.
At the helm of Moto Health Care since its inception is Fund
Manager Murida Khan
 This approach has also helped to reduce wastage and dishon-
est practices and because of the tight controls that are in place,
there is nothing in the market which offers what Essential does
for such a modest sum, says Khan. Members are guaranteed
of continued healthcare cover unlike many members out there,
who by the middle of the year are no longer able to
access benefits.
At the other end of the spectrum is a product called
Optimum, which is able to offer real-world benefits that are
comparable with some of the more glamorous brand-name
medical aids. Because of its diverse packages Moto Health
Care works well across all levels of an organisation, and
dealerships within the big retail holdings such as McCarthy,
Imperial and Barloworld are customers. In the past, Moto
Health Care has steered clear of some of the popular “added-
value” benefits which have become popular over the years
(gym memberships, cinema discounts and the like) but from
this year has implemented an optional Multiple Lifestyle
Programme that offers a number of potential savings in these
areas.
But this is a traditional medical aid and remains focused on
providing real value and packages that are easy to understand:
there aren’t any thresholds or self-pay gaps – once the benefits
are exhausted, that’s it, and the member will know when the
funds are about to run out.
While Moto Health Care has seen its membership base
targeted by the large, unrestricted schemes (when the company
rose from Automed and Mimed nearly three years ago it had
56 000 members – though that number has also been eroded
somewhat by retrenchments) it believes it is able to offer the
industry a better deal on all levels. It also has tremendous
bargaining power and places those who work in the automo-
tive field first: Moto Health Care’s board of trustees includes
representatives from organisations such as the Retail Motor
Industry, Fuel Retailers Association and NUMSA – the
National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa.
The administrator of the medical aid is handled by Momentum
Medical Scheme Administrators and there are eight walk-in
centres around the country where members can seek assistance
and advice. In addition, Moto Health Care has 20 service
consultants out in the field on any given day, talking to people
in their own language at their place of work. One of their prime
objectives is to get young people to appreciate the community-
based aspect of healthcare and get them to understand that by
contributing now – even when they seem to be in perfectly
good health – their needs will be guaranteed later in life when
they do get sick.
“There is a great deal of empathy from the board and because
they’re close to our members they know what people are going
through in the current climate,” explains Khan. “The trustees
include employers and we look at individual cases on a regular
basis and in many instances provide care over and beyond
what we are obliged to give. It is one of our objectives to be
as humane as possible and dialogue with our members is an
essential part of achieving that.
“There is still scope within this industry for healthcare to be
made more cost-effective and one way of achieving this is
to maximise our collective strength. There are still many
motoring entities operating in isolation with their own
medical aids , but if we all operate under one umbrella it
increases the bargaining power, and will benefit all in the
motor industry,” says Khan.
The motto of Moto Health Care is ‘Taking
Care of Our Own’ and they look well-placed
to live up to that promise.
page 56
 REX DIFF AND GEARBOX
Striving for Excellence
With a mission to set new standards for service and customer care, Rex Diff and Gearbox (RDG)
was established in 1992. It was the brainchild of Gayle and Rick Rex who had decided to pool their
technical and managerial skills and enter the unknown waters that represented the specialist gearbox
and differential repair segment of the auto industry.

T
oday, with Gayle at the helm in the role of
managing director and Rick in charge of the
day-to-day smooth running of the business, as
operations director, this goal has been achieved
by this hard-working, ambitious, husband-and-
wife team. From humble beginnings – working out of a small
residential garage – the two-person business expanded to the
point where, 17 years later, it employs more than 120 highly
trained staff members. RDG’s linear growth is attributed to
the high levels of service it regularly provides its customers,
says Dennis McLachlan, responsible for ArvinMeritor and
RDG’s Consumer affairs.

“RDG employs skilled technicians and staff

who are knowledgeable and experienced, with
in-depth expertise that adds value to the organi- automatic transmission repair bay and purchased a new Sun
sation,” he says. “We pride ourselves on offering diagnostic scanner which is compatible with all vehicles on
the road – even those sourced from other countries.
services performed by seasoned professionals and The company also sets the standard for a working
highly trained technicians. environment that is beneficial to staff, customers,
vehicles and equipment.
“Customer care is of utmost importance and RDG is fully
committed to the concept. It has been the platform from
which our success has been orchestrated.” The emphasis on
service is underlined by Gayle Rex. "We place our customers
on pedestals and strive for excellence in whatever we do",
she says.

Range of services
RDG offers a towing, a 24/7 emergency breakdown and other
services, as well as collections and deliveries anywhere in the
country. The company also guarantees all parts and workman-
ship and offers 30-day account facilities.

One of the secrets of the RDG service is a reduction in costs

to customers by having the ability to replace individual parts
instead of an entire gearbox or differential unit. If necessary,
some parts are imported to ensure the highest quality stan-
dards are maintained. RDG's workshop is equipped with latest
tools and machinery that boasts cutting-edge technology.
RDG recently built a state-of-the-art, controlled environment,

page 57
The emphasis is on cleanliness and order. RDG is an approved
service provider for a number of leading motor vehicle man-
ufacturers, including Isuzu, DAF, Hyundai and
Iveco Trucks. The company is also a member of the Retail
Motor Industry (RMI) Organisation and has been appointed
as an Approved Specialist Repairer by the Automobile Associ-
ation of South Africa. Being a member of the RMI ensures
that any work performed in the RDG workshop adheres to
the RMl's strict quality standards.
Quality not quantity
McLachlan says RDG's philosophy is based upon quality, not
quantity. “We strive to provide an excellent product, at the
same time maintaining a high standard of service and
customer care. We work together as a team of specialists and
experts, taking pride in our workmanship and working within
world class facilities.”RDG recently took occupation of a mod-
ern facility in Jet Park which houses its dedicated commercial
vehicle operation. This complements the long-standing Boks-
burg facility which has been given over in its entirety to the
passenger vehicle division. “We completely outgrew our Boks-
burg premises,” says McLachlan. “There simply wasn’t enough
space to service both passenger and commercial
vehicles, so we decided on the move which established yet
another milestone in the history of RDG.”
In 2007, RDG was appointed an authorised agent for Arvin-
Meritor Australia, one of the largest suppliers of automotive
parts in the world with 150 facilities in 27 countries. The part-
nership has resulted in RDG being able to offer a broad range
of integrated systems, modules and components for the light
vehicle, commercial truck and trailer and speciality OEMs and
related after markets. Other highlights in its history include
the opening of operations in Port Elizabeth and Durban in
2007. Looking to the future, McLachlan sees training as one
of the most important challenges facing the auto industry.
With this in mind, RDG has opened the doors to its new
training facility adjacent to its Jet Park Truck Division de-
signed to broaden the scope of the training it offers.
“While it is important to run an organised and well-equipped
workshop, a high-tech facility such as ours is useless unless it
is staffed with appropriately trained specialists.
Training is an important focus for RDG and as such we are
continuously up-skilling our workers to meet the requirements
of the new generation of vehicles on the roads,” he says.
“Modern vehicles - including commercial vehicles – are more
complex than their predecessors. The computer technology
incorporated in today’s vehicles means they are very different
from those that were in use 10 or 20 years ago.
“Of course these improvements can be seen from two perspec-
tives. Yes, they have resulted in more powerful and reliable
vehicles than those of previous generations, but their complex-
ity means they are significantly more difficult to repair should
problems arise. “For example, it is no longer possible for a
technician with basic skills to address most mechanical prob-
lems on a vehicle. The complexity of systems has forced them
to specialise in specific aspects of a vehicle's operation and un-
derstand the role of diagnostic equipment,” adds McLachlan.
“Gearboxes and differentials are no different to engines from
this standpoint. Their systems have become increasingly
intricate and can no longer be serviced or repaired with a few
basic tools and a rudimentary knowledge of their operation.”
Hand in hand with an increasing emphasis on modern
technology, RDG has not forgotten what has brought it
success in the first place.
“Keeping customers satisfied remains the company's chief
priority as we head towards our eighteenth anniversary,”
stresses Gayle Rex. "We continue to take pride in what we do
and will always go out of our way to satisfy our customers.”
Boksburg: 011 823 4393 • Durban: 031 569 6869
Port Elizabeth: 041 586 3613 • Jet Park: 011 826 2722
www.rdg.co.za
page 58
 ‘We Do Things Differently’
SA Warranties are specialists in the development and administration of Mechanical
Breakdown Insurance and Service and Maintenance products for the South African
motor industry.
A
s a financial services provider, SA Warranties
conforms to the provisions of the Financial Ad-
visory and Intermediary Services Act of 2002.
All mechanical breakdown insurance warranties
comply with all statutory requirements in terms
of the appropriate legislation of the Republic of South Africa.
Although SA Warranties was founded only 7 years ago,
(in 2002) the roots of SA Warranties go back to 1978, when
Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (MBI) was founded. MBI
became the first South African company to offer an insurance-
based warranty, underwritten by SA Eagle. Today SA
Warranties is underwritten by Regent Insurance Company.
Prior to this all mechanical breakdown warranties were based
on STP, Molyslip and Wynn’s additives, which provided a
measure of mechanical protection.
After negotiations with the late Bill Lynch, past CEO of Im-
perial Holdings, SA Warranties commenced administration of
the Imperial Group’s used car warranty programme, including
various independent vehicle dealers across the country, many
of whom moved from MBI to the new company. SA War-
ranties’ client base and product offering was aggressively
expanded, and today has an impressive list of clients including
leading financial institutions, motor dealer groups and vehicle
manufacturers. Amongst SA Warranties client base are: Absa,
MFC, WesBank, IEMAS, Combined Motor Holdings, Super-
group, Imperial Holdings, Associated Motor Holdings, East-
vaal Motors, Nissan SA, Volkswagen SA, Kawasaki SA.
Whith demand for its services was increasing by leaps and
bounds, additional space was needed. In October 2005 SA
Warranties moved offices to its present location in Bruma,
page 59
Johannesburg. A state of the art call centre was also estab-
lished, with all calls handled by qualified technicians. Satellite
branches were established in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Dur-
ban and Bloemfontein, thus ensuring national representation.
The management team at SA Warranties realised at a very early
stage that a key ingredient in today’s service industry is the
ability to offer consistent and professional service to every
caller, from individual policy holders through to motor repair-
ing and selling dealers, as well as group enquiries. With a team
of highly motivated, well qualified and trained agents, SA
Warranties are able to offer world class service via its Call Cen-
tre (Call: 0860WARRANTY).
Besides consistently achieving its objective in terms of service
delivery, the company has an ongoing training and mentoring
programme across all its divisions.
Since entering the market with used vehicle warranty pro-
grammes, SA Warranties expanded its extensive product range
to include “customised” New and Used vehicle Warranties,
and Full Maintenance and Service plans (SA DrivePlan Main-
tenance Plan and SA DrivePlan Service Plan) for the industry
and private clients. Warranty cover is also available for the
leisure industry (quads, boats and caravans) and the commer-
cial vehicle industry (trucks and yellow goods).
Full maintenance and service plans are handled by SA Vehicle
Maintenance, a subsidiary of SA Warranties, specialising in
the development and administration of automotive service and
maintenance plans for vehicle manufacturers, financial insti-
tutions, insurance brokers, independent dealerships and large
dealer groups. SA Vehicle Maintenance, covers a wide range
of vehicles and offers customised products to suit the needs of
the motorist. The company’s leading range of service and
maintenance products are designed to give the customer com-
plete peace of mind and the best protection available.
Another popular product is the SA Warranties Drive Care
Roadside Assistance membership plan, which ensures that
motorists are not stranded in the event of a breakdown or
accident. Members’ vehicles are towed to the closest repairing
dealer should the vehicle break down or if they are involved
in an accident. This programme offers many benefits
including, the supply of fuel if a member is left stranded.
The SA Warranties team has been responsible for an
impressive list of “firsts” in the warranty industry. These
include the first: -
• Insurance-based warranty in the country
• Warranty with parts and labour cover from day one
• Warranty to cover parts not running in oil, e.g. brakes and
electrical components
• Drive train warranty
SA Warranties also offer unlimited cover on new vehicles, an
“upgrade” option on a warranty, day-one cover, and a three-
year/100 000km warranty on pre-owned vehicles.
One of the most successful innovations was launched in
September 2006 when SA Warranties’ announced its “Bumper
to Bumper cover” warranty, which offers 100% cover on wear
and tear items. This innovation not only changed the face of
the warranty industry in South Africa, but has since become
the most popular and sought-after warranty in the country.
The founders of SA Warranties’ founders, Bender Davis and
Miron Milner, grew the company from as small base in 2002
to one of the leading suppliers of warranties in South Africa
today. John Tager, the new Managing Director took over this
proud heritage from the founding members early in 2009.
Andries Labuschagne, General Manager of Marketing and
Product Development at SA Warranties, says, “Our products
have been specially developed and offer our clients reliable
support and peace of mind. Our industry-leading experience,
solid track record, state-of-the-art systems and use of technol-
ogy, has allowed us to offer our clients the very best Mechan-
ical Breakdown Insurance, including Service and Maintenance
plans for their assets.”
page 60
 Toyota continues to lead the way
Toyota South Africa is as much about contributing to the world we
live in as it is about making and selling cars.

T
here are three words that underline Toyota’s success With it’s bold attention grabbing presence at one of the South-
in South Africa for more than 40 years: quality, ern Hemisphere’s premier automotive shows, Auto Africa 2004,
durability and reliability. Maintaining leadership in Toyota asserted its leadership position unequivocally – and
a market as volatile as that of selling motor vehicles drove the point home with the unveiling of the new slogan,
is a major challenge for any company as sales success tends to ‘Lead the Way’. It also unveiled new hybrid technology with the
be cyclical. It is therefore unusual for one company to maintain Toyota Prius at the time of launching the new slogan.
a leadership position for a period as long as 29 years, which Toy-
ota South Africa has achieved to date. Japanese manufactured Manufacturing
automotive products were not always perceived as vehicles of
Toyota manufacturing operations in South Africa date back to
choice, but this gradually changed when the great post-war
1966 when the first Corona sedan rolled off the assembly line
Japanese turnaround started. In the late 1950s, Toyota began
in a shared facility based in Natal. Manufacturing operations
adopting new sales methods. In the spirit of innovation, Japan's
moved to the current location in Prospecton in 1972 with the
Toyota Motor Sales Company began to emphasise "scientific
establishment of the Motor Assemblies production facility. In
marketing" over older methods, and set up a research office in
1979, Toyota SA became the sole owner of Motor Assemblies.
1956, shifting focus to demand-forecasting techniques and
Toyota SA has been the subject of a multi-billion rand invest-
preparing marketing plans accordingly. In South Africa, tradi-
ment programme over the past five years. The first phase of the
tional lines of supply were restricted in the 1950s and early
investment programme was gearing up to produce the Hilux as
1960s as Europe and the US recovered from the devastation of
the first true high volume export model for Toyota South Africa.
World War II. In 1960 Toyota Motor Corporation was still a
This phase saw R2,4-billion invested in new facilities. The in-
modest undertaking with a total production of 200 000 vehi-
troduction of the new Corolla required that the Prospecton fa-
cles; whilst General Motors was making 3.5-million units a year.
cility be expanded to enable a volume capacity of 220 000 units
It was at this point that Dr Albert Wessels looked towards the
per annum working on a two shift basis.
East as a possible source of more affordable vehicles for the local
market.

The attributes of quality, reliability and durability (QDR) were

mostly restricted to more luxurious and expensive cars and did
not apply to affordable marques. The slogan, ‘Everything Keeps
Going Right, Toyota’ which was introduced by Toyota South
Africa in 1973, together with its distinctive jingle became an
institution in South Africa. When people think of Toyota prod-
ucts, they usually think of a product that lasts forever. That is
exactly what Toyota set out to do. Toyota’s reputation and quest
for continuous improvement in everything they , so accurately
encapsulated in ‘Everything Keeps Going Right’, changed all
the perceptions and built customer trust and loyalty. It focused
the company’s employees and dealers, it guided the company’s
decisions and actions, and was an important ‘driver’ in taking
Toyota South Africa to market leadership in 1980 – a position
it continues to hold to this day. It was the perfect slogan for the
company, and for the time. However, new innovation, added
excitement, superior technological advancement and a reputa-
tion for good corporate citizenship called for change. Dr Johan van Zyl: CEO and President of Toyota South Africa

page 61
 Toyota SA has been the subject of a multi-billion rand investment programme over the past five years

Looking ahead Today Toyota SA’s focus is on developing a company that is

With 29 years of consecutive market leadership, Toyota SA’s fu-
ture plans hold exciting developments and growth within the
realms of vehicle production and sales on both the domestic and
export markets. When Toyota Motor Corporation doubled
ownership in Toyota SA in 2002, a multi-billion rand invest-
ment programme started. The motivation behind this large scale
investment has been the transformation of Toyota SA into a
fully fledged regional production base that is fully assimilated
into the Toyota Motor Corporation global supply network and
equipped to produce vehicles to the highest global quality stan-
dards. Toyota SA proudly ranks among the top ten international
distributors.
globally competitive on all fronts, through a vision based on
three pillars. These pillars include continued domestic market
leadership; being a reliable supplier of quality products to the
Toyota global supply network; and being a profitable operation
that is able to fund future growth.
Toyota continuously seeks out ways to improve systems and
state-of-the-art technology to deliver the highest possible level
of quality vehicles to their customers. But, perhaps even more
importantly, vehicles that are built and designed to have an
emotional connection and a long-term relationship with their
customers, and vehicles that continue to deliver on the promise
of quality.

Toyota’s Guiding Principles

• Honour the language and spirit of the law of every nation and undertake open and fair corporate activities to be a good
corporate citizen of the world.
• Respect the culture and customs of every nation and contribute to economic and social development through corporate
activities in the communities.
• Dedicate ourselves to providing clean and safe products and to enhancing the quality of life everywhere through all our
activities.
• Create and develop advanced technologies and provide outstanding products and services that fulfil the needs of customers
worldwide.
• Foster a corporate culture that enhances individual creativity and teamwork value, while honouring mutual trust and respect
between labour and management.
• Pursue growth in harmony with the global community through innovative management.

Toyota’s new Hilux, the top selling

vehicle in SA in 2008, was first
introduced in October 1969,
making it 40 years 'young'
this year.

page 62
 Progress over half a century
Volkswagen of South Africa has grown from strength to strength since establishing its roots in the industrial town
of Uitenhage, just outside Port Elizabeth, in 1951. The Company remains a key player in the motor industry
not only in the region, but the rest of South Africa and even worldwide. Since its inception, Volkswagen of South
Africa has amassed several accolades locally and internationally, thus ensuring its business confidence in the town
of Uitenhage and the Eastern Cape region. This commitment is exemplified by continued investment in its
operations by the VW Group - to the benefit of communities living in Uitenhage and surrounding areas.

Then....

1958 – South African Motor Assemblers and Distributors Limited (Assemblers of Studebaker and Volkswagen)

Overview of Volkswagen of The highly sophisticated vehicles assembled in Uitenhage

South Africa
Production of Volkswagens in South Africa began in 1951 when
the first Beetle rolled off the assembly line in Uitenhage. In
1956, the Volkswagen Group bought a controlling interest in
the South African company, making it part of its global supply
network. Volkswagen of South Africa has come a long way since
that first Beetle saw the light of day on August 31, 1951. Flexing
its not inconsiderable capacity and manufacturing skills, it is
one of the biggest exporters of vehicles from the African conti-
nent. Allied to this is the fact that it was also the top selling car
manufacturer in South Africa for much of the 1990s and into
the new millennium – evidence that Volkswagen of South Africa
has grasped the challenges of the global marketplace. This has
been achieved through an aggressive and focused drive to ensure
integration into the international Volkswagen Group supply
network and an uncompromising approach to quality.
contain components sourced from around the world, but in-
creasingly, from local suppliers. Volkswagen of South Africa has
a commitment to developing the South African component
manufacturing industry and is actively helping local suppliers
develop relationships with its German counterparts and others
worldwide - thus ensuring necessary skills and technical
transfers. Volkswagen of South Africa’s dealer network has put
its weight behind the Company by continually investing
millions of rands in upgrades to showrooms, service workshop
technology and the development of people skills. In return, the
Company continues to provide them with comprehensive
passenger and commercial vehicle ranges to meet the mobility
needs of South African consumers.
The Company’s commitment to the self-development of its em-
ployees has also earned it several awards, among them the in-
ternational standard, Investors in People.

page 63
Volkswagen of South Africa
today
Volkswagen of South Africa is investing over R3-billion in new
plant, new technologies, new products, and the training and de-
velopment of its people. The investment is expected to further
increase Volkswagen of South Africa’s competitiveness in the do-
mestic and global manufacturing arena, enabling the Company
to capture more growth opportunities on both fronts.
The most significant change which has taken place is the re-
vamping of the Company’s Uitenhage based manufacturing
providing knowledge and skills to its employees across four key
areas: theoretical classroom based training, standardised
work/line simulation, e-learning modules and practical on the
job training.
Volkswagen of South Africa’s investment into new plant, new
technology, new products and the training and development
of its people is reaping rewards. It has ensured the Company’s
competitiveness in both the domestic and global manufacturing
fields, enabling it to capture more growth opportunities in both
markets and thereby securing the future of Volkswagen of South

and Now

2008 – VWSA today. Who knows how this picture will have changed another 50 years down the line?

plant, in preparation for the introduction of future models. This Africa, its Dealer Network, Suppliers and all employees involved
revamp includes the introduction of new production technology in this vast manufacturing and marketing chain.
in the body shop and vehicle assembly operations, as well as a
new engine manufacturing line to supply both domestic and
export markets.

New power and air supplies are other significant improvements,

as is a new automated wheel assembly facility which allows for
wheels to be fitted every 17 seconds. Volkswagen of South Africa
is also in the process of refurbishing its engine plant to a world-
class standard. With an investment value of R500-million, the
equipment is comparable to any installation of its kind in
Europe and within the Volkswagen Group.

The training and development of its people is also key to the

Company. Three new Training Academies strategically located
within or near production have dedicated training teams

page 64
 Automotive Aftermarket Manufacturers Association
AAMA can be traced back to 1986, when the Partinform Component Manufacturers Association was conceived,
and in the words of Paul Williams, who served as Chairman from 1994 to 1998, it “was a creation of good
comradeship and the mutual sharing of costs for trade evenings”. Malcolm Perrie, the first Chairman of AAMA,
was more forthright when he announced the formation of AAMA in November 2008, stating that they had
“formalised the old boy’s tea club known as Partinform into a properly constituted and registered association.”

A
AMA came about because the specific needs of the au- inward and outward logistics; customs management, and
tomotive aftermarket were not been met by bodies such the need to lobby strongly on commodity prices.
as NAACAM and the RMI, and the Partinform plat-
At its formative stage, AAMA consisted of thirteen founding
form was there to be built upon, and AAMA brought South
members, all who had been accepted on their credentials as
Africa more into line with international trends and practices.
being existing Partinform members. For future members, the
Malcolm Perrie, Managing Director of Federal-Mogul After-
process is more structured, with an application form to be com-
market, the first Chairman of AAMA, said after the formation
pleted by aspiring members. The entry requirements stipulate
of AAMA in November 2008 that the formalisation of Partin-
that members must be local manufacturers whose route to mar-
form into a far more powerful institution was a necessity,
ket is through the traditional channels, and not via vertically
“NAACAM is primarily an OEM focused body, whereas the
integrated distribution. AAMA now stands at sixteen members,
RMI is a retailed focused organisation. Both do a good job in
with three new members having joined early in 2009.
their respective areas of expertise and focus, and the AAMA
members intend to continue to leverage off the strengths of
these important bodies, but in many cases the specific interests
of aftermarket manufacturers are not being catered for.” To this
end, he added, AAMA did not intend to duplicate what NAA-
CAM and the RMI do, but rather to focus on what they do
not do, or do not do well. Thus AAMA intended to comple-
ment the offerings of these bodies, and to service the unique
interests of the aftermarket manufacturers in four specific areas:
1. Strategic Input: A focus on government lobbying and the
presenting of a united front, for the good of the local after-
market industry.
2. Training Support: The establishment of a training academy
to serve the interests of the local aftermarket industry, The inaugural AAMA Executive: Malcolm Perrie, chairman;
spreading the training net as wide as possible, whilst pooling Murray Long; Norman Bull; Colin Murphy, Partinform chair-
man. AAMA held its first meeting on 21st January 2009.
resources to create training teams that deliver cost effec-
tively.
3. Partinform: The venerable Partinform format continues,
promoting local brands and passing on the vital message of
quality and safety to all corners of the country via the tried
and tested mini-trade show formula – getting face to face
with the end users and retail shop employees in the rural
areas and emerging markets. A focus on educating the in-
dustry on the different quality levels of life and limb parts,
and the how, why and what behind parts availability and
technical support, will play an increasingly important part
of Partinform. The Partinform format is a mixture of glitz, glamour, info-
4. Supply Chain Sustainability: A huge opportunity exists in tainment, one on one interaction and networking. A formula
the area of supply chain management and improvement, via that works well. In 2009 Partinform introduced the chance to
a combined approach to areas of common interest. There win a Forza Racing Ferrari Track Experience, and this created
is tremendous wastage in supply chain costs in many areas: a new dynamic for the attendees.

page 65
Promoting World Class Competencies
During September 1997 key stakeholders in the South African automotive industry got together to map out the future.
With the impending demise of the Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP) in 2002 (subsequently revisited,
revised and extended to 2012, and reincarnated as the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP) in
2008), it was decided that South Africa should enter into the big league of automotive exports, which would require fun-
damental changes in manufacturing methodologies and mindsets. A detailed study by the CSIR and the Fraunhofer Society
in Germany pointed to the requirement of an Engineering Centre of Excellence. Industry, labour and government concurred,
and this led to the establishment of the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) in October 2000, with the
vision “to contribute to the establishment of a viable South Africa automotive industry that is competitive both domestically
and globally, and which is capable of achieving continuous growth and sustainable job creation.”

T
he AIDC works in partnership
with business, government, and
other involved organisations to
invigorate competitiveness improve-
ment within the automotive industry,
and its services include supplier devel-
opment, logistical services, design, en-
gineering, testing services, human
resource development, and government
support programmes. The founding
shareholders were the CSIR and Blue
IQ Investment Holdings. Barlow Mani-
lal, managing director of the AIDC
since 2008, says that the initiatives im-
plemented by the AIDC over the past
nine years have borne fruit in many
ways, but the biggest achievement is
mostly unseen and difficult to quantify,
but without a doubt the AIDC has al-
lowed the South African automotive in-
dustry to weather the very difficult
times over the 2008/2009 period, and
to soften the blow.
While no new assembly plants have
been set up in the last ten years, the
growing and sustained interest from a
number of foreign vehicle assemblers
interested in setting up new operations
in South Africa continues. Confidence
in South Africa has also received a
major boost with the relatively recent
announcements of export programmes.
The introduction of new brands, pre-
dominantly from India and China, has
had South African consumers benefit-
ing from a model spread of over 1 000
derivatives. South Africa has also estab-
lished itself as a centre of growth in
Africa and is on target to become an in-
creasingly important part of the global
automotive industry. South Africa’s track
record as a manufacturer and supplier of local automotive industry. The AIDC’s
vehicles and automotive components has role as an industry support centre has
been firmly established over recent years. progressed well over the past nine years
The economic crisis will ease in 2010 with the brand realising greater market
and improve beyond that, and when awareness and positive sentiment,
normal business resumes, importance of despite operating from a relatively well
synergy and collaboration will be more established profile. Thus, future activi-
important than ever.” ties fall within the following key areas:

Strategic Focus • Supply Chain Development - Moving

of the AIDC
Since a strategic review in 2004 the
AIDC has focused its activities on
three key areas, namely Supply Chain
Development, Supplier Development
and Skills Development and Training.
The AIDC’s strategic focus has been
aligned on those issues most critically
affecting the competitiveness of the
the INDUSTRY towards global com-
petitiveness
• Supplier Development - Moving the
ENTERPRISE towards global com-
petitiveness
• Skills Development and Training -
Moving PEOPLE towards global
competitiveness.

page 66
 Achieving Maximum Productivity
Swedish multinational, Atlas Copco, has a long history in the southern African region and is today a leading
player in numerous industries, including the automotive aftermarket.
A
ccording to Philip Herselman, Business
Manager of the Industrial Air Division of
Atlas Copco, the company’s products and
services are designed to assist its customers to
achieve maximum productivity. “This has
been an Atlas Copco philosophy since its
establishment,” he says, explaining that the company has its
roots in the 1947 association between Delfos Limited and
Atlas Diesel which evolved into Delfos & Atlas Copco (Pty)
Ltd in 1956. The name 'Copco' is derived from Compagnie
Pneumatique Commerciale, being the name of a Belgian sub-
sidiary. When Atlas Copco purchased the remaining shares in
Delfos, the company's name changed to Atlas Copco SA.
Today Atlas Copco enjoys international recognition as a mar-
ket leader and specialist in the design, manufacture and supply
of clean, tailor-made compressed air systems for various ap-
plications. “Our objective is remain ‘first in mind – first in
choice’ with all our customers and we believe that our combi-
nation of product excellence and dedicated staff assist us in
achieving this goal,” says Herselman. The company’s relation-
ship with Porsche Centre South Africa clearly illustrates the
success of its philosophy. Atlas Copco was selected as the sole
supplier of 100% clean, compressed air and nitrogen equip-
ment at Porsche Centre’s new home which incorporates sales,
service, body repairs, rebuilds and PD under one roof. It also
boasts 40 service bays, two wheel fitment bays, two spray
booths, a PDI centre as well as a training centre. The new
Porsche premises is one of only a few facilities utilising 100%
oil-free compressed air technology, unlike the body repair in-
page 67
dustry in South Africa which operates predominantly with
‘technical’ oil-free compressed air in which filters are used to
remove oil in the air lines originating from oil injected screw
compressors. Once the differences between these standard ISO
8573-1 Class 1 filters and Atlas Copco’s Class Zero technology
were explained, it was an easy decision for Porsche Centre
South Africa to install the system - especially when taking into
account the risk of oil contamination, particularly in the del-
icate spray paint processes.
At Porsche Centre an Atlas Copco ZT 50 ID VSD Oil Free
compressor with a piping ring main consisting of Atlas
Copco's AirNet throughout supplies oil-free compressed air
to the entire facility. An Atlas Copco GN 7.2 dual output
nitrogen compressor supplies nitrogen for tyre installation in
the wheel fitment bay. This is the first local AirNet piping in-
stallation and a breakthrough for Atlas Copco South Africa.
Being appointed sole supplier of clean compressed air for this
prestigious project once again affirms Atlas Copco's values of
interaction with customers, product innovation and commit-
ment to service excellence which the company has adhered to
over the years.
“In meeting all our customer's requirements, we supplied a
unique, tailor-made solution to realise the high expectations
and standards demanded by Porsche in Germany. We’ve also
given Porsche Centre South Africa a firm undertaking to
maintain and develop this partnership by meeting and even
exceeding every expectation for after-sales and service
support,” adds Herselman.
Thermal Management Comes of Age
If a modern internal combustion engine has one arch-enemy, it is heat and in a country as hot and dusty as ours,
thermal management systems have not only ‘kept the wheels rolling’ but have become a standard fitment to new
vehicles. South Africa has a proud history of thermal management system development stretching back over six
decades, a legacy that has given birth to a truly exceptional partnership between local radiator specialists, Silverton
Radiators, and the global leaders in automotive climate control, Behr Hella.

Through the decades of their worldwide network. These respectively produce

Both Behr and Hella are world-renowned companies and both
have over 100 years of experience as system partners of the in-
ternational automotive industry. Providing a wide range of
thermal management systems, air conditioning components
and electronic products for many of the major vehicle manu-
facturers and the automotive aftermarket, both companies
have been key players in the South African automotive indus-
try for several decades. Silverton Radiators shares much in com-
mon with its German partners and although it is now a
franchise consisting of 124 automotive cooling system specialist
repair and supply outlets throughout Southern Africa, the
company originated as the aftermarket division of Silverton
Engineering, a manufacturer of copper / brass radiators,
established in 1949 in Silverton, Pretoria. During the mid
1960’s the Company opened a number of radiator workshops
to service the repair trade. These grew to 46 branches coun-
trywide. By 1970 the aftermarket operation had grown into a
substantial business and a separate company with its own
management was established under the name Silverton
Services. In 1980 the company commenced converting its
branches into individually owned franchises under the
Silverton Radiator banner.
Across the millennia
In 1999 BEHR GmbH (Stuttgart, Germany) bought Silverton
Engineering and Silverton Services along with two other
companies (formerly FHE Technologies & Connoisseur Air
Conditioning), changing all of these into Behr facilities as part
copper and aluminium radiators, air conditioning components
and exhaust gas reticulators (EGR) primarily for the Original
Equipment and Export markets. Behr Service South Africa
was established to service the independent aftermarket and act
as franchisor to the franchised network of Silverton Radiators.
As part of a world-wide joint venture with HELLA KGaA
Hueck & Co. (Lippstad, Germany), the company became
Behr Hella Service South Africa in 2007. Behr Engine Cool-
ing’s Pretoria factory includes a special aftermarket facility,
set up to produce short-run, non-current products on a rapid
response basis to meet the aftermarket need for nation-wide
replacement parts. Distribution takes place through 6 ware-
houses located in the major centres which service a network
of 124 Silverton Radiators franchised repair shops throughout
South Africa and its neighbours.
Into the future
Behr Hella Service now also has 41 service partners and
distributes a range of aftermarket automotive air conditioning
components including refrigerants and lubricants. The com-
bination of home-grown engineering talent and German
technological innovation puts Behr Hella Services and Silver-
ton Radiators in a unique position to service the local
aftermarket with the widest range of radiators, cores,
condensers and air conditioning components which fully
comply with international Original Equipment standards set
by vehicle manufacturers. Consumers can now travel with
confidence knowing they have the world’s best automotive
cooling system specialists just around the corner.

page 68
 The Power of Three
BRAKE HOSE & COMPONENT SUPPLIES
The Company started from humble beginnings in 1990 with the purchase of a small
company assembling brake hoses for the automotive aftermarket in Pretoria.

I n 1992 CEF in Italy granted the company sole distribution rights for its products in southern
Africa. The development of a unique crimping system conforming to international standards
and the appointment of small, specialised and well trained distributors throughout SA led to an
enormous growth for the company. Having developed a focus on niche brake products Quick
Brake in Denmark was approached in 1994 to appoint the company as it’s distributor for spe-
cialised small brake products including brake springs, fitment kits, bleed screws, copper nickel
brake tube and brake wear sensors. In order to better understand the market it operated in and
ensure that it complied with local legislation BHCS joined the RMI in the mid 1990’s and has been an active member ever since,
making full use of the benefits this organisation has on offer.The company now has over 420 stockists throughout southern Africa,
supplying Automotive aftermarket retail and wholesale outlets, brake repair centres and original equipment manufacturers.
MANIFATTURA GOMMA FINNORD SPA
MANUFACTURER OF CEF BRAKE HOSES
The origins of the company date back to the early years of the post world war II period, when
rubber moulded parts and rubber hoses were produced in a tiny factory in Milan. In 1955,
hose production focused on brake hoses and grease hoses sold in bulk form to hose assemblers.
In 1964 the company moved into production of complete brake hose assemblies and now pro-
duces flexible hydraulic hoses in reinforced rubber and PTFE Stainless Steel, suitable for brakes,
clutches and gear boxes. From the 80s onward the company has maintained a steady growth
pace through some important achievements, supplying products to countries around the globe,
in 1987 it landed its first OEM contract. MGF now entertains long lasting business relation-
ships with vehicle manufacturers and system/module suppliers such as Ford, Iveco, Yamaha,
Piaggio, Valeo, Bosch, TI Automotive, Brembo, LUK and Magneti Marelli. The company has
projecting capabilities, an R&D Team, internal laboratories, is TUV and AMECA accredited
and is ISO 16949 certified. MGF is reorganising its entire organisational structure with the
aim to go global and will be opening operations in a number of countries in the near future.

OJD QUICK BRAKE APS

H aving a background in trading with semi-finished products in steel and non-ferrous metals, Mr Otto Johs Detlefs (OJD)
founded the company OJD Trading on the 30th October 1971. The idea was to become a sub-supplier to the Danish
industry of semi-manufactured products (part components in steel and non-ferrous metals ready for assembly). Parallel with
building the company as a sub-supplier to the industry, brake and clutch companies in Denmark were approached with the
intent of selling copper tubes in boxes. This is why the brand name is Quick. These were coiled in the cellar of his parents, Curt
and Minna Detlefs house near Copenhagen. This was the beginning of the Quick Brake Department. Through out the years
OJD Quick Brake became a leading supplier to the global automotive braking aftermarket and OES with brake parts for passenger
cars and light commercial vehicles and trades with niche brake component products for the automotive aftermarket. OJD Quick
Brake has a complete range of automotive brake parts and accessory kits, brake tubes and brake pad wear sensors.

page 69
Life Begins at 40
From humble beginnings originating in Rhodesia in 1969, Caelex turned 40 years
young in 2009, and what a journey it’s been!
I
n the same year that Neil Armstrong planted a USA
flag on the moon, Chris & Susan Gregoriou estab-
lished Chris Auto Electrical with only 100 Rhodesian
Pounds. In 1972 Johann de Bruyne joined Chris Auto
Electrical as an apprentice. In 1976 the Gregorious
established Chris Auto Electrical in Pretoria, South Africa, and
in 1984 Johann moved to Pretoria as Partner and Managing
Director. 1985 saw Chris Auto Electrical become the first
company in South Africa to recondition starter motor bendix
drives. The company grew apace and in 1991 Chris Auto
moved to its present location in which is housed; a Starter/
Alternator rebuild workshop, Bendix rebuilding section, a
large rewind department which encompasses machine and
welding sections, Diagnostic Workshops, a comprehensively
stocked Auto Electrical Store, Counter Sales Area and Work-
shop Reception. In 1993 Chris Auto Electrical was rated as
the largest Auto Electrical Company in South Africa and the
only Auto Electrical Company to do all aspects of Auto
Electrical related work under one roof.
1995 saw further growth, with the establishment of a branch
in Witbank, and the relocation of the Marjon Rewind factory
from Bronkhorstspruit to Pretoria West. 1995 also saw the
renaming of Chris Auto Electrical to CAELEX. The company
continued to apply the highest standards and to implement
stringent Quality Controls and to initiate improvements, such
as adopting the Electrolog numbering system to simplify
communication between sellers and buyers of CAELEX Auto
Electrical products. Innovations continued apace, such as the
release in 2005 of the ground breaking RT5551 new genera-
tion Voltage Regulator tester, the PSSD2005 Pole Shoe Screw-
driver Kits, the PCM / computer friendly litebuddy circuit
tester. Caelex was continually looking for ways to improve
customer relations and at the end of 2005 they became a
Capricorn Preferred Supplier. In 2006, CAELEX hosted the
very first Auto Electrical Technology evening, which has
grown to become the WATS Show that is hosted in two major
centres of South Africa every year. CAELEX established the
Kigima Auto Electrical Training Centre in 2007 and in 2008
started carrying out Pre-Trade & Advanced Auto Electrical
Courses that includes Diagnostic Scanning & Gas Analysis.
To celebrate forty years of quality products and committed
service to the auto electrical industry in southern Africa,
Caelex released in 2009 the very first comprehensive online
Auto Electrical Catalogue & Quotation and Ordering System.
page 70
 Tri-Nation
Alliance
Capricorn Society Limited is one of the
largest automotive buying groups in the
Southern Hemisphere, established as a
co-operative in Australia in 1975 by
12 service station proprietors. The com-
pany has now grown to over 12 000
member businesses in three countries:
Australia, New Zealand and since 2000
the Republic of South Africa.
T
he 12 000 member businesses, estimated to
employ over 38 000 people, serviced and
repaired over 14 million vehicles using almost
R6 billion of products from around 1 300 top
name suppliers. Capricorn has a Board of
Directors comprising of six member elected member Directors
from six different geographic zones and two non-member
directors. In 2006 Capricorn converted from a co-operative
business under various legislation, to an Australian corpora-
tion to allow it to expand its products and services to include
some which would not have been possible under the previous
structure. Although it changed its corporate structure the new
Constitution has enshrined the seven principles of cooperation
as per the ICA (International Co-operatives Alliance) within
the statutes of the corporation that is now Capricorn Society
Limited. In 2003 Capricorn established Capricorn Mutual
Limited to provide its members with protection for their busi-
ness assets (the Mutual provides protection as an alternative
to traditional insurance products).
For the first five years the management of this business was
undertaken by a third party specialist provider. In May 2008
Capricorn brought the management of Capricorn Mutual in
house with the establishment of a new entity called Capricorn
Mutual Management Pty Ltd. At the same time it also estab-
lished Capricorn Society Financial Services Pty Ltd which has
a joint-venture with UK based Regis Mutual Management
Ltd. This joint venture entity, Regis & Partners Pty Ltd, was
developed to manage Mutual entities on behalf of other
industry groups. Capricorn Society Financial Services Pty Ltd,
which is expected to grow substantially over the coming years,
page 71
provides members access to finance products and is a licensed
finance broker in its own right.
The ‘member helping member’ concept of all co-operatives
has meant that the Capricorn model has had to face some
tough times over the years, as it counts on its members paying
their bills on time. Members who fall behind on payments
drains the reserves and burden the members doing the right
thing, so all member accounts are closely monitored. Capri-
corn has built up a strong balance sheet with cash, property
and share portfolio assets now over AU$130 million (R900
million) to secure its future. It has 140 staff in three countries
with 35% of those in the field, meeting members and suppli-
ers daily to ensure best practice and personal service.
The preferred suppliers list to Capricorn reads like a ‘who’s
who’ of the automotive parts industry as leading companies
recognise the value of being able to underpin their business
with a large cross-section of their accounts with a guaranteed
payment direct to their bank account from Capricorn. Names
like Valvoline, AutoZone, Castrol, First National Battery, and
Trentyre plus the local dealerships for all new vehicle fran-
chises and hundreds of smaller specialist suppliers make up an
enthusiastic group of parts suppliers who work with Capricorn
to offers its members great value and great service . . . the key
reason Capricorn overall sales numbers have continued to
grow at 10%+ every year for the past number of years.
Member purchases in 2008-2009 were AU$851.5M
(R5,961M) and it distributed AU$11.1M (R78M) of profits
to members through either reward points or a dividend.
Castor Oil Started the Castrol
Success Story
The Castrol name is derived from its original base component – castor oil – with production
of this new lubricant having started in 1909.
C
harles Wakefield, the
founder of Castrol, laun-
ched the company from
three small rooms on the
third floor of 27 Cannon Street, in the
heart of London and it was there, on
Thursday, March 9, 1899 that the firm
of CC Wakefield & Co opened its
doors. The Castrol product name was
introduced in 1909, together with the
distinctive red, green and white colour
scheme that continues to this day.
Charles Wakefield worked with pioneer-
ing motorists and aviators in his bid to
produce the world’s highest quality lu-
bricating oils – and then to improve
them. It was natural that Castrol was the
oil of choice for breaking world speed
and endurance records. The Land Speed
Record alone has been broken an amaz-
ing 21 times by cars using Castrol lubri-
cants. Wakefield was a pioneer in
marketing and his strategy of advertising
his products’ record-breaking and race-
winning feats put the Castrol name on
the map around the world.
The company continues to use motor
sport and record-breaking to promote
the Castrol brand. Many lubricants
started out as special developments for
motor sport before being made available
to everyday motorists. The most famous
of these products is GTX, although the
unique smell of castor oil based Castrol
“R” was synonymous with motor racing
for many years and is still made in small
quantities for enthusiasts.
Castrol was established in South Africa
in June 1929 and has now served the
Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town
and spread to Rhodesia (now Zim-
babwe) in 1939.
During the period of the Second World
War, from 1939 to 1945, the first local
1917 blending plant was established. In 1945
a branch was opened in Port Elizabeth.
In 1951 Wakefield Deusol engine oils
for diesel engines were introduced in
South Africa. A new blending plant was
established at Island View Works in
Durban in 1958. Castrol products are
still blended in Durban, but it is now
carried out by a service provider,
Blendcor.
1929
In 1960 the company changed its name
to Castrol South Africa. Castrol was ac-
quired by the British petroleum com-
pany, Burmah in 1966 and the company
was renamed Burmah-Castrol.
1972 also saw the first running of the
1948 1958
Castrol Rally, destined to become the
most famous rally in South Africa. In
1974 the company’s head office moved
from Isando to Parktown in Johannes-
burg. That same year Castrol acquired
Durol Oil, a used oil refining company.
1968 1992
This company was taken over by BP
Amoco (now renamed BP) in 2000 and
Castrol branded lubricants continue to
be sold around the world and in many
countries it is the market leader. The
business is concentrated on automotive
lubricants, particularly in the consumer
local automotive and industrial markets sector, but there is also a strong presence
for 80 years. Originally known as the in business markets such as commercial
Wakefield Company, the South African vehicle fleets, marine, aviation and
operation opened with branches in specialised industrial segments.
page 72
 Clear vision ahead
Windscreens are crucial safety elements in modern vehicles and auto glass installation, replacement and repair
are all critical to the maintenance of acceptable driver and passenger protection standards.
F
or example, in the case of an accident involving a
roll-over or a frontal impact collision, the wind-
screen represents the first line of defence. An in-
correct installation, or repair – with subsequent
failure - could result in injury or death.
“This is why our emphasis is on expert workmanship by fac-
tory trained technicians and the fitment of quality replace-
ment glass meeting SABS standards,” says Gilo Da Silva,
managing director of Commercial Auto Glass, a member of
the Commercial Group of companies.
“If a vehicle should roll, the windscreen is a major structural
component designed to reinforce the vehicle’s roof and prevent
it from collapsing on the driver and passengers. The wind-
screen also acts as a platform to support the airbags. If the
windscreen is not installed correctly, the airbag deployment
could force it off the vehicle,” he explains.
With branches throughout the country, Commercial Auto
Glass outlets are the only SABS approved windscreen fitment
centres in South Africa. All glass supplied is shatter-proof, lam-
inated and highly penetration resistant, as specified by the
SABS. The glass also meets the highest international standards
including ISO 9001, ISO 9002, ISO 9003 and QSV9000,
carrying the ‘E’ or ‘DOT’ marks specified by European and
American standards authorities.
The company has offered a hassle-free solution for trucks, cars,
minibus taxis and light delivery vehicles since Commercial
page 73
Auto Glass opened its doors in 1999. From a single outlet, the
company has subsequently added a further 10 branches na-
tionwide. Over the past decade the company has grown to be-
come recognised as a preferred supplier of auto glass to the
transport industry, supplying solutions to meet the require-
ments of company fleet managers for tight turn-around times
and demanding contractual requirements.
Commercial Auto Glass also provides a service to the insur-
ance market which allows for versatility in maintaining conti-
nuity within the glass industry. The product range includes
glass designed to meet strict OEM standards and other criteria
determined by the motor manufacturers in consultation with
the insurance companies.
Commercial Auto Glass supplies glass – including door and
vent glass as well as rear windscreens, together with rubber
seals and mouldings - for most local vehicles and many im-
ported models. Its fitment centres are safe and secure, with
comfortable waiting rooms for the convenience of owners and
drivers. The company also provides a mobile repair service.
“All our fitments carry a warranty and customers are provided
with a ‘fitment care’ brochure once the requested work has
been completed and the installation has been inspected and
tested. Using the brochure, which outlines our ‘safety first’
policy, Commercial Auto Glass staff will discuss the need for
an appropriate curing time for the windscreen adhesive with
the vehicle’s driver or owner,” adds Da Silva.
From F Hoppert to Diesel-Electric,
103 years of service to South Africa
The official birthday of Diesel-Electric South Africa is 1951, when Otto Nagel, then in charge of Technical Sup-
plies Company (Pty) Ltd., invited a Mr. L. Schwabe to form the first Diesel-Electric in Cape Town, the name
chosen because it typified its product range and activities. Growth into the other provinces and neighbouring
territories soon followed, and in 1957 the company achieved a national footprint when Diesel-Electric (Transvaal)
(Pty) Ltd took over the distribution and service functions from Technical Supplies in the then Transvaal area.

H
owever, this is only half the story, because the roots
of Diesel-Electric can be traced back to 1906, when
Friedrich Hoppert & Co was contracted to sell Bosch
products from Stuttgart, and its branch in Johannesburg sold
the first Bosch products in South Africa. Otto Nagel and a Mr
HC Boes, who had ties to both Friedrich Hoppert & Co and
Robert Bosch Germany, started Technical Supplies in 1946 with
a Mr W Weinrich, and they were granted exclusive marketing
rights for Bosch products in 1950, thus completing the circle.
In 1977, Diesel-Electric Holdings (Pty) Ltd, (DEH) was
merged with sister company Robosa Distributors (Pty) Ltd to
form Diesel-Electric South Africa (Pty) Ltd (DESA), and in
1983 this company became a wholly owned Bosch subsidiary.
Today, this network of independently-owned, Bosch contract
partners and franchise holders supplies the needs of Bosch Serv-
ice Dealers, fleet operators, workshops, Independent Specialist
Repairers, garages, franchise dealers, parts shops and chain stores
in the southern African market. Diesel-Electric specialises in the
automotive fields of electrical, gasoline and diesel fuel injection
and general safety and service lines. To this end Diesel-Electric
supports, distributes and represents not only Bosch Automotive
Products but also a wide range of prestige automotive compo-
nent brands such as ATE, Beru, Ferodo, Gabriel, GUD, Hella,
NGK, Osram, Ram, Sachs, Valvoline, VDO, Zexel and others.
The Diesel-Electrics are also involved in Workshop Equipment,
representing not only the complete range of Bosch test equip-
Chris Swale Motors in Pinetown, Kwazulu Natal, was the first
e-CAR workshop in South Africa, putting up the first e-CAR
sign in May 2004
Otto Nagel, who is credited This establishment can with
as being the founder of justification be defined as the
Diesel-Electric first Diesel-Electric outlet in
South Africa
ment, but also other brand leaders in the field such as Gedore,
Hawkins, Wera, and many others. Bosch regional distribution
centres in South Africa order their Bosch requirements directly
from the Bosch worldwide distribution headquarters at Karl-
sruhe in Germany, or in the case of locally manufactured
products via the Bosch factory in Brits.
In 2004, in response to the ever growing car parc and the ever
growing need to service cars out of motor plan, Diesel-Electric
created e-CAR, throwing a lifeline to independent workshops
which had the entrepreneurial spirit, but not the where-
withal to provide 21st century service to the modern
motorist. The e-CAR concept was based on a well
established European model, and thus the im-
plementation in South Africa was seam-
less, and today e-CAR is the fastest
growing workshop network in
South Africa, with 60 mem-
bers and counting, each
with a technical hot-
line to Bosch.

page 74
 DISTRIBUTOR REMANUFACTURERS SA – AUTO ECU
Leaders in Ignition Engineering
With an extensive history in motorsport, including a national Formula Vee championship to his credit, together
with a mechanical engineering degree, Stan Levin was ideally placed to establish himself in the motor industry.
A
fter a stint at Nissan he realised that an in-depth
understanding of auto ignition systems – partic-
ularly high performance systems finding their way
onto racing cars of the mid-1970s - was lacking.
“Of course, the ignition systems of those days
weren’t the computerised systems of today,” says Levin. “They
relied on points and condensers, but I built technically
advanced systems that produced more horsepower, which was
confirmed on the dynamometer.”
Success on the race track prompted Levin to turn what was ba-
sically a hobby into a full-time profession and so Distributor
Remanufacturers SA was born. In the late ‘70s the Chrysler
Valiant came out with the first electronic ignition system,
dubbed SureFire. Levin realised that this represented the future
– although many industry watchers of the time said it was a
‘passing phase’. He immediately refocused on the technology
and his company’s leadership in ‘ignition engineering’ was es-
tablished. Today the company is the largest importer of ignition
system components in SA. It also manufacturers many compo-
nents using modern computer numerical controlled (CNC) ma-
chines. Expertise in electronic ignition systems led Levin into
the world of computerised ignition systems and, using his en-
gineering skills, he began experimenting with engine mapping
and related technologies. He built test machinery and estab-
lished a subsidiary – Auto ECU – specialising in the service
exchange of electronic control units for most vehicles.
page 75
Ten years ago son Steven joined the business, followed by other
son Simon on completion of his university studies. With their
input, the two businesses have grown significantly over time.
So much so that the Levins began looking for a new challenge.
They formed a new company – Auto Diagnostics – which is
able to diagnose electronic faults on most cars in the South
African car parc. It also does a significant amount of program-
ming of computer boxes mainly for the auto industry. Among
his many contributions to the SA motor industry, Levin lists
the inventions of a ‘module tester’ designed to test ignition
modules and an ‘ECU tester’ – both patented. “I also hold the
patent for a device called ‘Block Mark’ which is able to mark an
engine block with an indelible, completely permanent number.
Market surveys among companies concerned with stolen vehicle
recovery were incredibly positive, but my efforts to sell the con-
cept to the motor industry failed because of its reliance on the
replacement of stolen cars to boost sales figures.”
Looking to the future, Levin says the emphasis on computer
systems in new motor vehicles will increase. “Therefore we con-
tinue to build our expertise in this area, because we realise the
hybrid cars, electric cars and even hydrogen cars of tomorrow
will be heavily reliant on computer technology.”
Notwithstanding these developments, more than 50% of the
company’s turnover is centred on distributor repairs and replace-
ment. “It’s a clear indication of the aging of the local car parq
and the fact that cash-strapped owners are still relying on older-
generation cars to keep mobile,” he adds.
 DYNAMAX AUTO COMPONENTS
Formidable Combination of Drive,
Innovation and Skills
From humble beginnings 15 years ago, Dynamax Auto Components has blossomed into a flourishing business whose auto electrical
products are today used in hundreds of thousands of passenger and commercial vehicles across the country and overseas.
D
ynamax Auto Compo-
nents, with its premises in
Spartan, Kempton Park on
the East Rand, is owned by
two enterprising entrepreneurs, Antonio
Sanchez and Joy Jenkins. Its roots go
back to 1964, when Antonio’s grandfa-
ther, John Lefkaros, established an auto
electrical business under the name of
Dynamax Auto Electrical. Antonio and
Joy met 15 years ago. At the time, Anto-
nio was learning the auto electrical trade
under the tutelage of his grandfather,
while Joy was instrumental in supplying
products to South African armaments
giant Denel through her company, Au-
tomatic Repetition. The two subse-
quently bought out Dynamax Auto
Electrical from Antonio’s grandfather
and initially rented the premises for their
business from him. The right combina-
tion of drive, innovation and entrepre-
neurial skills allowed the partners to
investigate the gaps in the auto electrical
market and come up with solutions and
products to assist their customers. At the
time, the copper contacts in Toyota’s Hi-
Ace minibus taxis and panel vans were
imported, and this gave the fledgling
company the opportunity of manufac-
turing these locally. The partners ap-
proached a reputable engineering firm to
fabricate the tooling required to press the
contacts, and they sold these to well-
known auto electrical distributor Ger-
miston Car Electric/ELPAR.This was
their first product. In the first year, they
supplied more than 5 000 units to
GCE/ELPAR. Since then, Dynamax
Auto Components has produced more
than one million units. The manufactur-
ing side of the business was expanded
and along with field coils for starter mo-
tors, new products related to starter mo-
tors were introduced, covering most
electrical systems sold in South Africa. At
the same time, the company’s client base
of reputable auto electrical distributors
was expanded on a sole basis, a principle
to which they have adhered to this day.
By 1998 Dynamax Auto Components
was supplying Prestolite Electric (previ-
ously Lucas) locally and overseas with
field coils and starter repair kits. De-
mand continued to increase, which ne-
cessitated extra space, and in April 2001
Dynamax moved to their present, bigger
premises on the East Rand. Through
continued investment in the manufac-
ture of their products, the company ex-
panded into armatures, solenoids and
Bendix drives. In 2003 the Local Presto-
lite Elecric operation closed down and
the partners saw the opportunity of mov-
ing into alternators, having bought out
the regulator and rectifier plant from
Pretolite and investing substantially in
the tooling required. They branched into
the supply of the AS123 rectifier and reg-
ulator, maintaining the stringent quality
and supply chain as used by the OE
manufacturer. At the same time the
manufacture of the complete range of
Prestolite units for both starter motors
and alternators for passenger and heavy
commercial vehicles, including tractors,
commenced.
Today Dynamax Auto Components
manufactures complete aftermarket
starter motors and alternators (Lucas sys-
tem), while expanding their range of
products to include other electrical sys-
tems, such as Bosch, Delco and Japanese
brands. Dynamax Auto Components
does not supply their products directly
to the public, but to the major distribu-
tors of auto electric products in South
Africa, while they also export to Europe
and the USA. Dynamax Auto Compo-
nents celebrated their 15th anniversary
in 2009.
“The company is ready to meet the chal-
lenges of the future and we are ready to
respond to our customers’ needs,” says
Antonio Sanchez.
“We are a proudly South African
company and are proud of the
quality of our products. The suc-
cess of Dynamax Auto Compo-
nents is built not only on the
loyalty of our customers but, im-
portantly, also on the loyalty,
skill and dedication of our em-
ployees, many of whom have
been with us since the start.”
page 76
 Econometrix – road maps for
future business
Times of sharply weakening economic growth rates following record levels of new vehicle sales after the
gold boom of 1980/81 blew itself out, hardly seemed auspicious for launching an economic consultancy.
September 1982 saw the establishment of Econometrix Pty Ltd, under the free thinking leadership of its
founding Chief Economist, Dr Frank Shostak. The Consulting and support team quickly began to grow,
and a year after start-up was joined by one of the company’s earliest industrial clients, Tony Twine who
had previously been the Market Research Manager at Datsun/Nissan SA.

T
his immediately added a
strong set of automotive
sector orientated skills to
the macro economic
forecasting reputation of
Econometrix, which was rapidly gain-
ing attention on the back of
exchange rate forecasts that foresaw the
decimation of the external value of the
Rand well before it happened in the
middle years of the 1980s. Twine’s no-
toriety rose just before the January 1985
one-off 54% rise in the petrol price
which few had believed could happen,
right up to the moment the axe blade
fell. At that stage, the Econometrix
team was joined by another ex-Nissan
man, Ron Dowse, who added both sales
skills and consulting inputs before later
moving on to become a dealer principal
in the retail motor trade.
A major breakthrough in product devel-
opment terms occurred in 1989, when
WesBank worked with the Econometrix
team to build a residual value risk
management system, with Econometrix
providing the statistical modeling and
software environment skills, Mead and
McGrouther the data to calculate used
vehicle dealer margins, and WesBank
providing the financed price data for
used cars and distributing the output of
the system to its dealmakers on the
dealership floors.
By 1986, Dr Azar Jammine had taken
over the Chief Economists position,
which he occupies to this day. He and
Tony Twine have for a quarter of a
century become familiar figures in the
manufacturing, vehicle assembly and
retail arms of the sector, presenting their
views of the economic environment in
which the sector is, and will find itself
operating in the future. For some years,
Lourens Erasmus, who was previously a
planner at Spoornet, acted as an
Account Executive and transport con-
sultant within Econometrix. Soon after
Lourens moved on to join the planning
team at Mercedes Benz, Frank Beeton,
who had become a consultant after
10 years at Nissan Diesel SA and
another earlier decade at General Mo-
tors joined forces with the automotive
team at Econometrix. His encyclopedic
knowledge of the local and global auto-
motive supply industry is a valuable
asset for both the team and its clients.
Tony Twine
Since the inception, Econometrix has
provided a periscope for the industry to
scan at the ocean of information within
which it is. Raw material, component
and vehicle suppliers, retail dealer net-
works, finance houses and insurers have
all used the unit’s briefing publications,
presentation skills and one-on-one con-
sultation services.
Twine and Beeton are sought-after edi-
torial contributors to both industry and
general economic publications. They
Frank Beeton clearly have petrol and diesel in their
veins.

page 77
 Equipment that keeps (us)
moving forward
Euroquip is one of the relatively new companies on the automotive block. The company distributes high-quality
parts to the motoring industry, one of the hardest hit industries in recent times. However, its strength has been
highlighted by the fact that despite the closing of a number of established companies during the economic recession,
Euroquip is still around, even though the company only opened its doors in 2005.
“The recession actually helped us to a certain extent, notes “We provide a personal service, the kind of service people don’t
Prakash Bhagwan, director of Euroquip. This is due to the fact get anymore,” Bhagwan comments. The philosophy of Euro-
that, rather than replacing their motor vehicles during the quip, one of great service and unrivalled quality, means that
financial storm, many people chose to weather it and kept their problems are few and far between, and as such the company
current vehicles for a longer period of time, and instead placed has managed to grow despite tough times, and will undoubt-
more emphasis on taking care of their car’s parts. “They turned edly continue to do so.
to us for quality products, so we actually grew during the
recession,” adds Bhagwan. Thanks to Euroquip’s relatively fresh success, it has become
clear that the company has a rich future ahead of itself, and
This is truly a testament to Euroquip’s strength as a company,
one that will help maintain the mobility that South Africa and
particularly as a new one. It is not often that when a multitude
South Africans rely on so very much. Now that the economy
of businesses are closing down, one that has been open for less
is slowly but surely recovering, Euroquip is destined for great
than five years actually grows. “Our dedication to high quality
things, and with the right people at the helm, the company’s
products has led to our success,” notes the director. High qual-
superlative quality, service and growth will keep South African
ity products indeed, as Euroquip only distributes parts
motorists happy for many more years to come.
renowned for their superiority in the motoring industry.
Brands in the company’s stable at present include Valeo, Hella,
Ocap and Philips. There will always be challenges with a new
business though, but in dealing with these, Euroquip has ex-
perienced a number of successes as well. “We have definitely
gotten where we want to be in the past four years,” Bhagwan
states. “We are a very quality conscious company, and further-
more, we wish to expand in the short and medium-term fu-
ture.” In fact, over the next five years, Bhagwan says that
Euroquip is aiming to become a national organisation with
countrywide distribution and coverage. “We really want to go
national. Expansion involves a lot of things, and we want to
expand our database, we want to develop our client base and
we really want to grow our product range in the coming years.

page 78
 Ferobrake: More than
a Century of Service
In 1897 Herbert Frood began his experiments into braking
materials in a hut in the garden of his house in Coombs near
Chapel-en-le-Frith, England, UK. His patent for the im-
provement of brake blocks was filed in October 1900 and
production began at Green Street, Gorton the following
year. An increase in trade, largely resulting from a change
in sales tactics - approaching the consumer rather than
the manufacturer - led to Frood renting Sovereign and
Howden Mills in Chapel-en-le-Frith in 1902.

E
xperiments in the use of asbestos began in the first
decade of the twentieth century and by the outbreak
of war in 1914 production of clutch linings and stair
treads had started. The use of asbestos in Ferodo Ltd
(as the Herbert Frood Company became in 1920) friction
products led to the company joining the Turner and Newall
Organisation in 1926. Some 41 years later, in 1965 Ferodo
South Africa established the brake bonding business known
as Ferobrake. In those days it wasn’t limited to the Auto-
motive Industry; in fact a large part of the business was via
ships chandlers, providing braking material in the form of
Ferodo Woven material to the Marine Industry. Ferobrake
also provided services to the Aircraft industry, supplying
many of the Ferodo products illustrated in the attached
war time advertisement.

Ferobrake spread its roots from the shores of Natal

(today KwaZulu-Natal), strategically positioned near
the Ferodo factory, which was initially in Jacobs and
then later Prospecton. During the next 20 years
Ferobrake was owned and sold by Turner and Newall no
less than twice, and finally, in the mid-eighties was
entrusted to an independent group of businessman, many of
whom had been running the businesses for many years. Ferobrake
was then purchased by another large automotive group, and after a series
of acquisitions was renamed CBS, previously a sister company also marketing
the Ferodo brand. This latest acquisition, however, took them out of the fold of Fer-
odo and reluctantly they marketed competitor products. This changed in 1999 when once
again the individual branches were sold off, many electing to rename their businesses Ferobrake.

Today there are 43 Ferobrake outlets across the length and breadth of South Africa, providing a national
footprint unequalled by any competitors. Ferobrake again proudly markets Ferodo Automotive products, and
concentrates on providing specialised brake, clutch and prop-shaft services to the heavy duty industry.
Ferobrake can be contacted on www.ferobrake.co.za.

page 79
 Getting Exided About
Batteries
For history buffs, the electric battery provides a rich source of interest, and grist
to the mill of intrigue, false starts, contrasting claims and, naturally, amazing
technical progress, bringing hope that one day vehicles that are propelled electri-
cally will be as ubiquitous as those powered by the internal combustion engine.
The Internet is a rich source of fact and confusion around this subject.

I
n 1748, Benjamin Franklin first coined the term “bat-
tery” when describing an array of charged glass plates.
Luigi Galvani demonstrated the electrical basis of nerve
impulses in the 1780s, and this led to Alessandro Volta
inventing the first “wet cell battery” in 1800. Whilst
this produced a reliable, steady current, it was John F Daniel
that improved on its safety with the Daniel cell in 1836. Gustav
Plate is credited with the development of the first practical stor-
age lead-acid battery in 1859, but what is really astounding is
that 20 years before that, in 1839, William Robert Grove
developed the first fuel cell, producing electricity by combining
hydrogen and oxygen. 170 years later, our scientists are now
frantically attempting to make the fuel cell commercially viable!
We could go on and on, but for the purpose of this story and
which has huge significance, just one more fact, and that is the
establishment of the Electric Storage Battery Co in 1888.
Africa. A significant percentage of all the new motor
vehicles sold in this country are fitted with batteries manufac-
tured by FNB and the company is an original equipment
supplier to Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi,
Volkswagen and MAN. Another interesting fact is that the
majority of locally assembled vehicles exported from South
Africa are provided with batteries made by FNB, while the
company’s brands also dominate the replacement automotive
battery market. In the replacement market, FNB markets its
batteries under various brand names, whilst also providing bat-
teries for a variety of distributors’ house brands, with annual
production of some 2,2 million units.
The Exide brand, which has played a significant role in the
history of FNB, has a huge heritage, having been created by
the aforementioned Electric Storage Battery Co in 1900, and

Oldham & Son Africa had been producing batteries since 1949 in
The original premises of First National Battery at 6 Buxton Street, a factory in Benoni. This is now the current premises of First Na-
East London, in 1931. It survives today as a parts retailer. tional Battery. The sign on the factory has been carefully preserved.

In South Africa, our fledgling automotive industry relied
mainly on imports of automotive parts for the first 30 years of
the twentieth century, but in 1931 a Mr J F Jackson founded
The First National Battery Company in East London, South
Africa’s first battery manufacturer, and delivered its first ship-
ment of a dozen batteries to motor traders in East London,
Stutterheim and King William’s Town. From these humble be-
ginnings, First National Battery (FNB) has grown to become
the leading manufacturer and distributor of lead acid batteries
for use in automotive and industrial applications in South
finding its way to South Africa, eventually under the custodi-
anship of FNB, who inherited the brand with the merger of
Federale Volksbeleggings, Johannesburg Consolidated Invest-
ments, Wesco (the investment holding company of the Wessels
family) and the Nestadt family from Benoni. Interwoven in all
this was Raylite, Chloride, Oldham & Son Africa and Beacon
Batteries, which would require a Warren Buffet to fully under-
stand, but suffice to say the Exide brand has had many a day
in the sun in the past, and it is about to do a reprise, with FNB
restoring this iconic brand to its rightful place in this country.

page 80
 Ford Motor Company
Focused on commitment.
Dedicated to excellence
The Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) has been an active participant
in the South African economy since 1923. It reinvested in SA in November 1994 after
disinvesting in 1986 due to it's stance against apartheid. At this point it acquired 45%
equity in Samcor from Anglo American Corporation and the employees trust.
I
n February 2000 an announcement was made to the
effect that Ford Motor Company would be increasing
its investment in South Africa by taking a majority
shareholding in Samcor and by increasing its share-
holding in Ford Credit South Africa to 50%. Today
the Ford Motor Company, which is a now a 100% owner of
FMCSA, can look back on a long and exciting history of the
Ford brand in SA. It began in 1904 with the arrival of the first
Ford imported to SA. This was followed by the opening of the
first Ford agent, Arkell & Douglass, in Port Elizabeth a year
later as interest in the revolutionary ‘horseless’ carriage grew.
The port city was the site chosen for Ford’s first local factory
which was built at a cost of over one million rand in 1930. A
second was added in 1948 – the Neave plant – opened by
General Jan Smuts. A number of iconic cars have carried the
‘Ford oval’ branding over the years including the Ford Anglia
105E, launched in 1960 – and the Cortina which arrived two
years later. The popularity of the Cortina, spurred by its many
competition successes around the globe and in SA, persuaded
Ford to open a R9 million plant for the production of this
model in 1973. Production ceased only 10 years later after
more than 300 000 Cortinas were sold in SA. In 1964 Henry
Ford II opened the Struandale Engine Plant in South Africa
and four years later local production of the Ford Escort began,
taking full advantage of the new engine plant – as did the
Capri which landed in dealers’ showrooms in ‘69.
page 81
Since the turn of the century, FMCSA has launched
a number of models with particular relevance to SA, including
the new Ford Bantam, a South African designed half-ton
pickup and the Ford Focus – both built in South Africa.
Ford recently invested more than R 1.5 billion to expand op-
erations for the production of its next-generation compact
pickup truck and the Puma diesel engine in South Africa.
Ford’s commitment to the local market is underlined by its
focus on the upliftment and development of its workforce
through education and training activities. Also in place is an
Employee Assistance Programme and an HIV/AIDS Volun-
tary Counselling and Testing programme for all employees.
Today this programme is being used as a benchmark in other
countries. In January 2002, Ford was awarded the United
States Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence in
the multinational category. This award was established to
recognise the important role US businesses play abroad to ad-
vance ethical practices and democratic values and by display-
ing exemplary conduct in overseas operations. The company
also provides financial and physical support to a number of
worthy organisations which are involved in supporting hand-
icapped people, orphaned children, school feeding schemes
and people affected by HIV/AIDS. It continues to promote
active participation by all its employees in corporate citizen-
ship projects by providing 16 hours paid leave annually per
employee for this purpose.
One of FMCSA’s proudest achievements is win-
ning the top award for the best business so-
cial investment programme in the
American Chamber of Commerce's
Stars of Africa Awards pro-
gramme. This was for the
Mazda Wildlife Fund
which the company
established.
A head above the rest
BMW is a brand that can be likened to a staple food in the South African automotive industry. The brand is an
institution the world over, and South Africa is no different. Incidentally though, BMW’s car history in South
Africa does not run as deep as some of the German marque’s other local achievements. Given the high-soaring
level of the brand’s appeal though, it is appropriate that the first BMW in South Africa (or more accurately,
BMW-powered means of transport), was in fact an aeroplane.

T
his was in 1927, and
BMW has been on the up
locally ever since. 1929
saw the first BMW mo-
torcycle come to South
Africa, and in 1975 BMW South Africa
was established after the full acquisition
of Praetor Motors in Rosslyn. The South
African plant was the first BMW assem-
bly plant to be established outside of
Germany. The Forsdicks dealer network,
established by John Forsdick, immedi-
ately recognised the potential for BMW’s
success in South Africa and became in-
volved in the brand. The McCarthy
Group, one of the oldest and most
renowned names in South African mo-
toring, were already 100% shareholders
in the Forsdicks name at this point, and
had been ever since the full acquisition
in 1957. Today, BMW Forsdicks has a
successful dealer network made up of
three branches, namely Sandton, Pine-
town and Tygervalley, some of the most
highly-rated dealerships in the BMW
South Africa stable. In the motoring in-
dustry, size does count, and according to
Neil Turner, dealer principal of BMW
Forsdicks Sandton, “The Pinetown deal-
ership covers an area of 4 000sq metres
under roof. Furthermore, the dealership
in Tygervalley was the first BMW deal-
ership in South Africa to complete the
Quality Management Programme.” The
Quality Management Programme, or
QMA, is a BMW initiative in which a
dealership is audited to ensure that it
Trevor Turner
Neil Turner
matches up to ISO 14001 levels, thereby
ensuring that the dealership’s efficiency,
facilities and customer service is of the
highest standard. “It is an analysis of the
dealership’s processes to make the busi-
ness more customer friendly,” notes
Turner. All three dealerships are state-of-
the-art, fully equipped ones that cover
new and used sales and service under one
roof. The Sandton and Tygervalley deal-
erships even have off-site BMW panel
shops. Neil Turner says, “These are un-
like non dealer-owned BMW-approved
panel beaters in that our ones are specif-
ically for BMW customers, under the
control and management of the BMW
dealerships. We want to make our dealers
‘one-stop shops’ and give customers
peace of mind.” He adds that the Pine-
town dealership is close to getting its
own panel shop too, so that all three
dealers will be self-contained units for
BMW customers. “The Sandton dealer-
ship is coming close to moving to new,
bigger premises as well,” Turner adds. It
is clear that despite the brands success,
BMW Forsdicks is not content with rest-
ing on its laurels and wishes to not only
maintain its outstanding service and fa-
cilities, but to further improve them. “In
the coming years, BMW has two main
goals,” says Turner. “We want to enhance
the customer’s peace of mind through
these ‘one-stop BMW shops’ and we
want to focus on employment equity.”
Employment equity is a massively im-
portant area of South African business,
and it is encouraging to see a company
the likes of BMW Forsdicks placing a lot
of emphasis on it. In conclusion, Turner
closes with a quote from the father of the
high-volume motoring industry, and one
that sums up the essence of Forsdicks’
business philosophy:
“Nobody can make you serve cus-
tomers well – that’s because great
service is a choice.” - Henry Ford

page 82
 As much a part of SA culture as
Braaivleis and Sunny Skies
Somewhere in the dusty annals of the South African government lies a strange but colourful inscription. In 1926 someone
registered an automotive company in an abandoned wool and hide warehouse in downtown Port Elizabeth, very close to
the present day site.
T
he act was strange indeed. No one before this day
knew what was happening behind the boarded-
up windows of the old warehouse, yet within
days of registering the General Motors Corpora-
tion boasted with a 300 strong workforce, previ-
ously unknown automation equipment and the capacity for
45 brand new cars daily. And this was only the start. GM’s
introduction to South Africa was unique, because when the GM
pioneer Nathaniel Tuxbury set foot on local soil the “streets” of
Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and even Transvaal was crawling
with Buick, Cadillac, Oldsmobile and Chevrolet models. Even
bigwigs such as General Jan Smuts could be seen behind the
wheel of his favoured Cadillac, the vehicle of choice for heads
of state. The reason? GM’s reputation preceded it to such an ex-
tent that independent dealers from up north to far south started
importing and trading in “cars and trucks from the United
States that never say die”.
The reputation led to a growing market and by the time
Tuxbury and his team set up an official channel for GM vehi-
cles, dealers was already very vocal in their complaints. With
Chevrolet leading the charge, dealers were complaining that
their stock levels could not keep up with sales demand and that
GM would not be able to satisfy their hunger with a mere 45
cars per day. The deep pool of demand for GM-products re-
mained for much of the next five decades, mirroring the situa-
tion at home for GM, then already the world’s largest and most
influential vehicle manufacturer. In this era, and up until GM
decided to leave the country in the height of apartheid in the
eighties, GM and its dealers commanded more than a third of
the local market. General Motor’s absence in the decade to the
General Motors’ classic of yesteryear. The V16-engined Cadillac
Sports Phaeton from the 1930s.
page 83
new democracy did little to dampen the taste for its cars, which
at this stage was as much a part of South African culture as
braaivleis and sunny skies. Dealers grouped under the newly
formed Delta Motor Corporation and GM products such as
Opel and Isuzu continued to form the basis for the company’s
ever expanding dealer footprint. In 1997, soon after the dawn
of a new democracy, GM returned with a 49% stake to find, in
much the same way as Tuxbury did in the twenties, that GM
products was alive and well in South Africa. In this year, the
company’s dealers celebrated by announcing that the Isuzu KB-
range is the biggest selling bakkie in the country and by the next
year, with the introduction of the Opel Corsa Utility, GM also
dominated the half-ton segment in the bakkie-loving SA. Busi-
ness was booming and in 2003 GM completed a transaction
that gave it full ownership of the local operations. To mark the
occasion Chevrolet, one of the biggest automotive brands in the
world and one of the most well known brands in South Africa,
made its return. Soon afterwards, in tune with the new look
dealer-network and growing demand for the full offering of
GM-products, the company announced South Africa would
become the manufacturing base for the imposing Hummer H3,
which it would build on the same ground as it started in the
twenties, yet this time it would be exported across the world.
Cadillac soon followed suit and within a decade of returning,
dealers were able to offer, as they did even prior to GM’s official
presence in 1926, a full range of GM worldwide products.
A lot has changed since the days when GM converted a wool
warehouse to satisfy local demand, but, now that The General
is again one of the biggest vehicle suppliers in South Africa,
much have thankfully remained the same.
The Cruze is the first of a new family of Chevrolet ‘global’ cars.
It was launched in South Africa in 2009.
 HARLEY-DAVIDSON DURBAN

Support and Service for

Durban’s Harley Owners
Rob Saunders has spent almost half of his 30-year motorcycling career on
Harley-Davidson machinery, so it made sense for the Durban businessman to take
over the local dealership when given the opportunity to do so earlier this year.
“This shop, then called Harley-Davidson 1000 Hills, opened as a sister outlet to Brian Wegerle’s Harley showroom at
Gateway about three and a half years ago, and I was involved as a minority shareholder. When Brian died in ‘07
I left the business – I wanted to buy his share but it wasn’t for sale at the time. Then, earlier this year, I spoke to Harley’s
representatives again. They offered me an exclusive dealership opportunity in KwaZulu-Natal – the
Gateway shop had closed down – and we ended up buying this shop outright.”

H
arley-Davidson head office is very particular
about who sells their brand, and dictates exactly
how the dealerships should be configured, what
shopfitting is required, and what products will be
sold. “Everything’s been approved already and we’re now a fully-
fledged Harley-Davidson and Buell dealership and service cen-
tre, known as Harley-Davidson Durban.” Durban is home to
the oldest Harley club in the country – the Harley-Davidson
Club of South Africa was founded in 1967 and is still going
strong. For most of the club’s 42-year history, however, there
was no official dealer in the province. A num-
ber of people imported the motorcycles un-
officially, but it was only in the mid 1990s
that the American manufacturer took
proper control of the marketing and sale of
their products here. Despite this, the
iconic American motorcycles have always
been extremely popular in KwaZulu-Natal,
and Rob estimates that there are around
2000 modern Harleys in and around
Durban and Pietermaritzburg, with
numerous vintage machines adding
to the total. Harley-Davidson sells
lifestyles as well as motorcycles, and
Rob is working at merging the two
local Harley Owners Group
(HOG) chapters for Gateway and
1000 Hills into one, known as
HOG Durban Chapter. He’s al-
ready taken steps to attract cus-
tomers to his revitalised outlet by
expanding his premises to include
a pre-owned Harley section – there
were previously no trade-ins
Rob Saunders and staff
accepted or second-hand bikes sold. “We’ve also opened a tyre
fitment centre and I now have a technician at work on Saturdays
to help the guys with minor maintenance issues – check nuts
and bolts, tighten loose mirrors and so on. It’s a free service to
the customer so it costs us money, but it’s a benefit that’s exclu-
sive to Harley riders.” Rob says that one thing he hasn’t done
is subscribe to the economic recession. “That’s a no-go, and
we’re doing well, with sales picking up every month.”
One of the shrewdest steps taken by the Harley-Davidson fac-
tory over the last few years was to make accessibility to their
products much more affordable. “There’s a good spread of
prices,” says Rob, “and the entry level machines are a lot more
attainable than they were. For somebody looking for a 900cc
machine we can supply a Sportster 883 brand new for around
R85 000, which is very competitive. Our top-end products go
beyond the opposition though, with a top-of-the-range 1800cc
machine coming in at R449 000.”
So what does the
future hold for
Harley-Davidson
Durban? ”Well, we
employ 14 people
already, but plan to
increase this in the
near future. We’re
also looking at mov-
ing down Fields Hill
to be more central.”
Ann Saunders and a
happy customer

page 84
 Henkel – a Brand like a Friend
Henkel is a trusted name around the world. The company produces a variety of products that
generations of consumers have come to rely on. Every day millions of customers in 125 countries
place their trust in Henkel brands and solutions. There are innovative products for home care,
DIY enthusiasts and craftsmen, body care and cosmetics and superior technologies for industries
such as transportation, electronics, packaging, durable and consumer goods.

F
ounded by Fritz Henkel in Germany in 1867,
Henkel, with headquarters in Dusseldorf, prides it-
self on products that make people’s lives easier, bet-
ter and more beautiful. The company’s advertising
slogan is “A brand like a friend” and when you con-
sider the diversity of brands, this message rings true. From po-
tato crisp packaging to aerospace technology, its wide variety of
adhesive solutions for both consumers and industry – with
which the brand is most commonly associated in South Africa
– makes Henkel as ubiquitous as the hadeda or the minibus
taxi. Henkel’s products, with famous brand names like Loctite,
Teroson, Pritt, Persil, Dial and Schwarzkopf, are part of the
company’s three operating business divisions: laundry and home
care, cosmetics and toiletries, and adhesive technologies.
The company’s success started with a universal detergent in the
laundry and home care business sector. Today, the organisation
remains under the control of the Henkel family and continues
to introduce innovative new products and solutions. One of
these, Teroson, already well-established in Europe, will be in-
troduced in South Africa in 2010. Teroson is an internationally
recognised specialist in bonding, sealing and corrosion protec-
tion of metals and other materials, particularly in the automo-
tive industry. A large part of the company’s business in South
Africa is in the automotive sector, where the biggest adhesives
business in the world offers a variety of sealing solutions to both
the original equipment manufacturers and the aftermarket. The
product range includes Loctite, a leading specialist in engineer-
ing adhesives worldwide and internationally successful with DIY
adhesives, superglues, epoxy adhesives and automotive products.
Henkel is a preferred partner to all the major OEMs in the
South African automotive sector, both in the manufacturing of
vehicles (eg seam sealing, panel bonding, glass fitment, sound
deadening and noise reduction, underbody sealing, phosphating
and e-coating) and in the aftermarket. The company’s current
focus is on the aftermarket business and the body repair and
panelbeating sector. Vehicle owners are becoming increasingly
aware of the benefits of using the same technologies in the repair
of their vehicles that went into their original production by the
manufacturer. A manufacturing plant in Alberton in Gauteng
supplies OEM customers and a there are plans to bring in a new
product range manufactured in Heidelberg in Germany in con-
sumable-pack sizes (as opposed to bulk for OEMs).
Henkel is a former technical partner of the world champi-
onship-winning McLaren Formula One team and currently en-
joys a technical partnership with Porsche. Loctite and Teroson
technologies are used in the production of Porsche cars. These
products are used in both the body and mechanical areas and
replace traditional methods of, for example, gasketing and
thread lockers. A technical partnership also exists with the or-
ganisers of the Dakar Rally and the company is the official sup-
plier of Loctite and Pattex branded products.
Henkel South Africa has a strong social investment programme
and involves itself in the well-being and upliftment of
the community in which it operates. The com-
pany has built and funds a home for AIDS
orphans, called Tamaho, in the Natal-
spruit/ Khatlehong area.

page 85
The Royal Seal
Imperial – majestic, grand, royal; all synonymous with each other, and also the name behind the biggest motor
dealership network in South Africa.
W
hat is today known as Imperial Holdings, a mono-
lithic, multinational organisation, was born of
humble beginnings. The company’s doors opened
for business in 1946 under the banner of Barney’s Super Service
station, a partnership between Percy Abelkop and Barney Lurie.
In 1951 Abelkop bought Lurie’s shares, and four years later the
company was offered sub dealerships to sell Pontiac and
Vauxhall vehicles, followed by Chrysler in 1962. The Imperial
name was adopted in 1964, and March 1971 saw Abelkop hire
Bill Lynch, Imperial’s future CEO. May of the same year was
when Imperial made the switch from Chrysler to Toyota, after
which the company really started to take off. In 1975 Imperial
Truck Hire was added to the group’s portfolio, joined four years
later by Imperial Car Rental, which is today one of the leading
car rental enterprises in the country and operates under the
Europcar name. Following this rich history, today Imperial
Holdings is a brand so recognised that surveys have indicated
such confidence in the name that it is no longer viewed as a
brand, but as a seal of quality. Testament to this is the massive
rebranding exercise Imperial has launched, one in which the
new Imperial brand truly will act as a seal of quality. Imperial
has always been a company with an entrepreneurial flair, and
its initial forays into car dealerships were so successful that the
business now spans numerous industries, from tourism to
logistics, car rental to financial services, and auto retail and
distribution to dealerships.
With this growth, and numerous acquisitions, came the chal-
lenges of multiple, fragmented and diverse brands and busi-
nesses, compounded with a large staff complement that didn’t
fully comprehend the scope of products and services offered by
the group. Imperial is the sum of many businesses, and a
binding brand was needed to unite the group with one focused
objective – building one brand. “The brand had grown to a
great extent,” notes Philip Michaux, CEO of Imperial Holding’s
Motor Division. “In total we have close to three hundred
dealerships worldwide.” The Imperial name has always stood
for quality, so rallying around one brand name offered oppor-
tunities to unite businesses and create linkages to build on the
positive associations of the Imperial brand. “We definitely view
it as a seal of quality,” states Clive Masinga, Executive: Imperial
Holdings. The new brand mark took eight months to create, a
process that involved intensive research, brand strategy
positioning, brand architecture and design. “It’s not an
overnight exercise,” comments Masinga. The new mark, called
the Imperial Flair, represents Imperial’s entrepreneurial
dynamism. The symbol is seen to be in constant motion,
symbolising the bridging of Imperial’s past with its future.
“It’s a sign of confidence,” adds Michaux. “You’ve got to have
confidence in what you offer your customers.” Fast moving,
forward thinking; that is Imperial Holding’s slogan, and one
that is appropriate to a company that prides itself on its entre-
preneurial spirit. “We’re not weighed down by too much
bureaucracy,” Michaux says. Imperial is able to deal with the
fluidity so characteristic of business today, and it is encouraging
that a company with as rich a history as Imperial Holdings is
embracing the future and continuing to move with the times.
“It’s important,” concludes Michaux, “we’re a long term-player
in the motoring industry, and we’re here for the long haul.”
page 86
 To the World with Perfection
Egyptian-based Kapci Coatings is the largest company producing automotive refinishing products in the Middle
East. Currently employing around 1350 people and generating revenues of more than $100 million, Kapci boasts
a market that includes Europe, South America, Asia and Africa.
K
apci was established in
1985 as a private com-
pany devoted to the pro-
duction of car refinishes.
In 1999 the company ex-
panded its horizons and began produc-
ing other paint products for parallel
markets. Initially, Kapci’s focus was on
the production of Nitrocellulose car re-
finishing products. However, in 1996 it
introduced the extremely successful two-
component Acrylic Polyurethane colour
mixing system for this application.
Today Kapci produces a wide range of
Acrylics, basecoats, clear coats, harden-
ers, fillers, thinners, putties and primers
to suit all spraying conditions. In addi-
tion to the unique Kapci Car Refinish
system, Kapci also produces a large range
of decorative paints and wood finishes.
Kapci Coatings operates a paint produc-
tion plant in Port Said. Its main opera-
tion is blending and mixing of raw
materials into several types of paints,
coatings and wood finish products. The
main raw materials are solvents (butyl ac-
etate, ethyl acetate, toluene), pigments,
binders and additives. Quality control is
an essential and very important function
and at the Kapci plant it is performed for
every batch in production, and strict
specifications are met at each and every
stage of the process. The recent award of
the international ISO9001 and
ISO14001 certification is a testament to
the high standards set by the Kapci pro-
duction facilities. In addition, Kapci
Coatings in Egypt have been accredited
by TUV to carry out testing to
ISO17025 standards.
A considerable portion of Kapci’s pro-
duction is exported to South Africa and
its local joint venture partner, Kapci
page 87
Nizam Ally, Chairman of the board
of Kapci Coatings,
Coatings South Africa. This company
operates as the sole distributor for Kapci
refinish products in the southern African
region and has branches in Gauteng, the
Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. It has also es-
tablished a network of 96 sub-distribu-
tors covering the southern African region
including Malawi, Namibia, Botswana,
Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia and
Swaziland. Since its establishment here
in 2003, significant interest has been
shown in the brand for the following rea-
sons:
• The extremely high quality of the
product in terms of coverage and
finish
• The very competitive pricing struc-
ture for a product of this quality
• The diversity of refinish products
available within the range, to suit
every requirement in this market.
Local body shops already converted to
the Kapci brand report that not only has
their paint bill been considerably re-
duced, but the excellent coverage and
drying of the paint has speeded up the
daily throughput in their workshops - a
key benefit in itself. Added to this, the
excellent colour support software and
marketing aids produced by Kapci have
minimised colour searches and helped
eliminate colour problems.
The company places a significant em-
phasis on training and is in the process
of commissioning a fully-fledged train-
ing centre. Here the Kapci team of tech-
nical consultants will continue to ensure
that not only are the distributor staff
competent in terms of the application
processes and properties of the paint, but
that this knowledge is passed on to body
shop personnel, ensuring that the prod-
uct lives up to it’s potential.
Backing its claims, Kapci offers car own-
ers a lifetime warranty on a repair carried
out with its products. The warranty gives
the assurance that the paint repair will
not crack, peel, fade or otherwise degen-
erate - important considerations when
one considers the high cost of motor ve-
hicles today.
McCarthy – a major player with
a proud history
McCarthy Limited has grown over ten decades to become one of the leading motor retail organisations
in South Africa. Its journey passes through two World Wars and several economic highs and lows.

Early Days McCarthy underwent extensive capital restructuring, disposing

The roots date back to two small businesses – the Coventry and
Birmingham Motor and Cycle Company in Durban and Atkin-
son’s Motor Garage in Bloemfontein. Both were established in
1910 and entered the burgeoning motor car industry during
the Great War. But it was Justin McCarthy who joined the
Coventry and Birmingham Motor and Cycle Company as a
young accounts clerk that saw the company seal franchises and
list on the London and Johannesburg Stock Exchanges in 1936.
Changing Times
South Africa revelled in an economic upswing after WWII and,
anticipating the changing motor scene, Justin McCarthy
approached Atkinson-Oates in Bloemfontein and his Durban
rival, Forsdicks, to launch Motor Assemblies, which started
assembling Chrysler vehicles in 1948.
A New Era
Justin retired in 1957, remaining as chairman, while his younger
brother Pat assumed responsibilities as CEO. Justin’s son, Brian,
entered the business after completing his studies in the US and
in 1963, when Pat retired, the 39-year-old Brian was appointed
to the top position. By this time Toyota South Africa was the
largest single customer for Motor Assemblies, and in 1964 Brian
sold this entity to Dr Albert Wessels, cementing the relationship
between McCarthy and Toyota that still prevails today.
of its non-motor interests and returning to a single-minded
focus on the core motor and allied financial services business.
Under Pretorius’s initiative, McCarthy became a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Bidvest Group in 2004. Record trading
figures, sterling financial results, and rapid growth followed.
Today and Tomorrow
Today McCarthy has a dealer network of 120 outlets, represents
close on 40 different passenger car, commercial vehicle and
heavy equipment marques, and sold 75 115 units in the most
recent fiscal, despite extremely tough trading conditions. As
McCarthy approaches its centenary year in 2010, its history is
a reflection of the dedication and commitment of men and
women whose efforts have created a legend in the South African
motor industry.
“None of these achievements would have been possible
without the support of our valued customers, our
principals whose brands we represent, and the efficient,
driven and principled McCarthy team members,
who continue to embody the McCarthy value system of
honesty, integrity, ethical behaviour, and total
dedication to customer service,” says Pretorius.
Four of the close to forty marques represented by McCarthy

Unprecedented Growth
The company – now called McCarthy Group Limited – began
a journey of unprecedented growth in 1975. Sales soared from
R44-m in 1972 to R661-m a decade later, with total assets of
R30-m and a staff complement of 5 800. During the 1980s and
early 90s, McCarthy diversified and concluded a merger with
Prefcor Holdings Limited in 1992 to form McCarthy Retail
Limited. This entity became a major player in the mass market,
while McCarthy’s motor division, representing all the major
marques, continued to deliver sterling results. During 2000 and
2001, under the capable leadership of CEO Brand Pretorius,

page 88
 MISA: The Trade Union
of Choice
In 1929 the Witwatersrand and Pretoria Motor Industry Employees’
Union was started by a group of employees from humble beginnings.
Soon, trade unions in other regions were formed and in 1940 they amal-
gamated into the Motor Industry Employees' Union (MIEU) of SA.
Dana De Villiers,
CEO of MISA,
B
y 1942, some of MIEU’s greatest achievements
were three weeks annual leave for its members,
together with tool and overall allowances and a
mortality scheme which provided for a £50 grant
to the next of kin (later raised to £250).
MIEU also assisted with the formation of the Motor Industry
Staff Association (MISA) in 1948 in Bloemfontein. In 2003
the two trade unions merged to strengthen their bargaining
power and to ensure better service, benefits, wages and
working conditions for all staff.
Today MISA represents 29 000 members and plays a vital role
in the Bargaining Council structure not only on behalf of its
own members but also on behalf of non-union employees.
Its members include qualified artisans, learners/apprentices,
sales and administrative staff, and range from dealer principals
to junior clerks.
For Dana De Villiers, CEO of MISA, the focus - in terms of
benefits and service delivery - is always on the members.
He says: “The MISA Benefit Fund and Funeral Fund is a
benefit that automatically covers all members, with the im-
portant difference that payments are made directly to the next
of kin upon the death of a member. The MISA benefits do
not become assets in the deceased person's estate and thus go
a long way to help families when they need it most. More than
R60 million has been paid to members and /or dependants
since 1985.
“We also have labour law practitioners who provide free legal
advice and, if necessary, legal defence. We have an enviable
success rate, thanks to MISA’s approach that contributes to
speedy resolution of disputes.”
page 89
However, De Villiers warns that many of the benefits that have
been negotiated since 1929 could be lost unless the motor re-
tail sector addresses the issues that threaten the survival of
motor retailers. “There is a big gap between the brand-build-
ing expectations of manufacturers and the realities of selling
and servicing new and old vehicles in South Africa,” he
stresses. “Based on a-million-car-a-year predictions, the dealers
have been lumbered with Taj Mahal-type dealerships that are
not financially viable, our franchised service centres are priced
and geared to fix new cars despite the fact that most cars on
our roads are five years or older, we lose many customers to
DIY-repairs and 'informal repair centres' because it is becom-
ing too expensive for the man-in-the-street to service vehicles
at dealerships.
"The decision-makers in the industry must remember it is nei-
ther the building nor the logo outside that sells and services
the vehicles, keeps customer satisfaction at an acceptable level
and builds loyalty. It is the MISA members and other employ-
ees who create the relationships with the customers and con-
tribute to the generation of economic value."
De Villiers says the 2009 recession caught the motoring retail
industry at its most fragmented. “Unless we unite behind
pragmatic standards in terms of branding, training and serv-
icing, the industry stands to lose most of the benefits we
fought for since 1929.
“If we do not address these issues, the next decade could very
well see a local motoring retail industry selling and servicing
fewer cars, better public transport in the cities and a stronger
than ever used-car market,” predicts De Villiers.
He adds; “MISA has a proud track record of protecting and
advancing the interest of our mem-
bers, service of the highest order and
benefits offering value for money.
We will continue to pool the talent
and skills in our association to ensure
that MISA remains the trade union
of choice for all employees and their
employers."
 TOPCLASS TOPICS

Permatex - 100 Years of Innovation and

Leadership in Chemical Tools
TopClass MD, Richard Pinnard
2009 marks Permatex’s 100th year in business. Since 1909,
Permatex has been the preferred choice in the USA for chemical
tools for motorsports teams, professional automotive technicians,
performance buffs, and general automotive do-it-yourselfers.
The world is also catching on to the wonderful world of Perma-
tex, and the company now operates in the United States,
Canada, Mexico, the UK, and exports products to more than 85
countries around the world. South Africa is one of those
fortunate 85 countries, with Permatex products being marketed
by Timken SA and distributed by TopClass Automotive.

P
ermatex offers a wide range of adhesives, sealants,
gasket makers, hand cleaners, lubricants, appear-
ance products, specialty repair kits, and additives,
with now over 350 products making over 1 000
SKUs, providing market-specific formulations and
application methods for a variety of industries, including au-
tomotive, marine, motorcycle, heavy duty, and off highway.
The company is constantly working with automakers, parts
suppliers, service parts groups, and other aftermarket compa-
nies to develop the next generation of service technology. With
a pedigree like this, it would not be an overstatement to call
Permatex the “Rolls-Royce” of car care products.
effectively service customers. TopClass Automotive is part of
this global effort and is looking forward to putting Permatex
in its rightful place on the South African automotive land-
scape. If you are a professional automotive technician, or part
of a motorsport team, a performance buff, or simply a do-it-
yourself fanatic, contact TopClass Automotive for more infor-
mation on the comprehensive range of superb Permatex
products. You won’t be sorry.

It all began in 1909 when Constant A Benoit Sr, the founder

of the company, designed a shellac to bond bicycle tyres to
their rims. In 1915, fate provided an impetus to growth when
Mr Benoit attended a 24 hour endurance race at the
Sheepshead Bay track near his Brooklyn, New York laboratory.
Being of a scientific bent, he observed that many of the cars
were forced to make frequent pit stops to replace blown cylin-
der head gaskets. The mechanic for Ralph DePalma’s car was
at his wits end when the car blew its head gasket for the fourth
time, and Mr Benoit applied some of his experimental gasket
cement and the DePalma car drove the rest of the race without
any further gasket problems. On that day, Permatex entered
the automotive maintenance chemicals business, and the rest
is history. From its Hartford headquarters, Permatex directs a
growing global automotive aftermarket enterprise serving Richard Pinnard - Mr. P - we kid you not is the official mas-
North America, the Pacific Rim, South America, Europe, and cot for Permatex product. Here he is seen at the Auto-
mechanika South Africa show held in March 2009, flanked
Africa. Permatex manufacturing plants, distribution centres
by admiring Timken ladies.
and offices are strategically located to achieve growth goals and

page 90
 Schaeffler Group
A history of exceptional service to the South African auto industry
Schaeffler South Africa is the local operation of the giant Schaeffler Group of Germany, which has a world-wide rep-
resentation in the automotive, industrial and aerospace sectors with its three strong brands, LuK, INA and FAG.
The Schaeffler Group produces products as diverse as CVT (continuously variable transmissions), DSG gearboxes,
bearings for jet engines and even minute bearings for dentists’ drills.

S
chaeffler Group Automotive supplies its components
to almost every vehicle manufacturer across the
world. The company makes significant investments
in research and development to address future chal-
lenges. The group-wide advanced quality manage-
ment system ensures that the highest quality standards are met.
The South African company produces and distributes passenger
car clutches to international standards from its modern facilities
in Port Elizabeth for both local and foreign motor car manu-
facturers. As an OE supplier, Schaeffler South Africa is also a
major player in the supply of product to the Automotive After-
market through an approved distribution network. In addition,
the local operation assembles FAG wheel bearing kits and pro-
vides LuK commercial vehicle clutches. The local range is sup-
plemented by product imported from numerous Schaeffler
plants worldwide and includes single bearings for automotive
applications and LuK tractor clutches. The marketing of pas- duty clutch plant in Wadeville was acquired. Now LuK South
senger car, commercial vehicle and tractor products across the Africa, the company started manufacturing clutch facings in
LuK, INA and FAG brands is handled by the Automotive 1998, and it also acquired it first OE export contract – clutch
Aftermarket Head Office in Johannesburg, with customer serv- facings for the German car manufacturer Audi. The ever-in-
ice being supported by Area Managers in Natal, the Free State, creasing demand for LuK South Africa’s products necessitated
Gauteng, and the Western Cape. In addition, a toll-free hotline expansion and as a result an 8 000 square metre building was
(0800 412 106) is maintained during office hours, where any purchased in Port Elizabeth in 2000. Diaphragm manufacture
technical issues can be quickly resolved by highly-qualified staff. started in 2004. In 2007 the INA/FAG warehouse was also
moved to the LuK site in Port Elizabeth. Following the integra-
The history of Schaeffler South Africa goes back to 1963, tion of most of the worldwide operations of the Schaeffler
when a clutch manufacturing company Group into one legal unit per country in 2007, LuK South
was founded in which Repco Africa became Schaeffler South Africa (Pty) Limited in 2008.
of Australia and the In-
dustrial Development The LuK warehouse in Edenvale, Gauteng, was sold and the
Corporation each had Automotive Aftermarket Division was relocated to its present
an interest of 50%. premises in End Street in Johannesburg. The automotive after-
In 1987 LuK of Ger- market requires a constantly evolving product range due to the
many purchased a ever increasing number of models in the South African market.
51% interest in the In addition the increasing complexity of modern vehicles re-
South African com- quires ongoing revision of how customers, from approved dis-
pany, with the IDC tributors through to the end user are adequately serviced.
retaining 49% of the
shares. Five years The Automotive Aftermarket Division of Schaeffler South
later, in 1992, LuK Africa has increased its capacity in terms of providing technical,
bought out the IDC product management and administrative assistance to cater for
interest and in that the growing demand for better information, access to a broader
same year the heavy- range of products and faster turnaround time.

page 91
The Prufe of the Pudding
What makes a great company? Taking this a little further, what makes a great product? These questions have been
asked many times, and there are many answers, some truer than others. What is unquestionable is that time and
history play major roles, and what is even more unquestionable is that achievement above the norm defines a com-
pany and its products. Ronnie and Bertie Lubner, in their foreword to the PG Group’s coffee table edition titled
“PGSI 1897 to 1997 – One Hundred Years”, celebrating a centenary of endeavour; refer to the history of PG as
“100 years of entrepreneurial spirit, fortitude and resolve”. The proof of the pudding is in this fabled history and
together with the PG Group’s accomplishments from 1897 to 2009 they provide a glimpse of this greatness.

S
hatterprufe is part of the PG Group, South Africa’s
leading integrated glass business. Shatterprufe was
established in Port Elizabeth in 1935 to supply the
motor trade and in the same year Pilkington
launched Armourplate Glass, also in Port Elizabeth,
and these two iconic companies eventually found their way into
the PG fold. The PG Group divisions consist of: PFG – Man-
ufacturer of float and patterned glass; Shatterprufe – Manufac-
turer of automotive glass; Glass South Africa – Distribution of
building and automotive glass; PG Glass – retailer of building
and automotive glass with a network of installers; Primador –
Door and window manufacturer; Llumar – laminate film dis-
tributor. Shatterprufe acquired Widney, a manufacturer of slid-
ing windows for vehicles in 1996. Shatterprufe has facilities in
Garankuwa, Neave Township (Port Elizabeth), Struandale (Port
Elizabeth), and a Durban Assembly Facility. In addition, the
Widney facility focuses on transport products for bus and rail,
as well as supplying “slider” products for OEM vehicles. Shat-
terprufe manufactures Laminated and Tempered Automotive
glass for passenger vehicles, light, medium and heavy commer-
cials as well as buses and trains, relying on an advanced logistics
and distribution network that carries out shipments of in excess
Shatterprufe maintains the highest global automotive quality
of 12000pcs of glass per day - globally. Shatterprufe supplies all
standards through a unique combination of automation and
seven South African OEMs (BMW, Ford, GM, Mercedes, Nis- personal attention
san/Renault, Toyota & VW) as well as all the local bus manu-
facturers including MAN and Marcopolo, and exports bus
products to companies in the United Kingdom and supplies ve-
hicle glass repair and replacement companies in Europe. Shat-
terprufe also exports to the USA, South America, the Far East,
Australia, rest of Africa and the Middle East. As a supplier to
OEMs, Shatterprufe is required to either have a global footprint
or a significant technical partnership with a global player. Shat-
terprufe currently has global technical agreements in place,
which will be further enhanced in the years to come. Shatter-
prufe has an exceptional track record in the automotive indus-
try, being one of a few companies that have supplied OEMs
from inception in South Africa. Shatterprufe’s strengths include
the ability to produce low volume niche products, a large range
of auto glass, quality standards equal to the best in the world,
and self-reliance on glass supply.

page 92
 Tenneco on Top of the World
Global Profile
Tenneco is one of the world’s largest
designers, manufacturers and distributors
of automotive ride control and emission
control products for vehicle manufactur-
ers and the aftermarket under its
Monroe®, Walker®, Gillet® and Clevite®
Elastomer brand names. The company
supplies the passenger car, commercial
vehicle and industrial vehicle markets
and is also active in the two-wheeler
market. Tenneco's top ten customers
include GM, Ford, VW, Daimler-
Chrysler, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Toyota
Motor Company, Nissan Motor Com-
pany and BMW. The company benefits
from a balanced customer portfolio and
a diverse geographical footprint that
enables it to provide its customers with
consistent quality, design, engineering,
program management, manufacturing
and assembly services wherever they are
in the world.
Emission control products include
complete exhaust systems, fabricated
manifolds, manifold-converter modules,
catalytic converters, mufflers and
resonators, diesel particulate filter
systems, NOx abatement systems,
exhaust heat exchangers, exhaust isolators
and hanging systems.
Ride control and Elastomer products
include shocks and struts, computerised
electronic suspension, anti-roll systems,
suspension modules, suspension bush-
ings, coil, air and leaf springs, torque
rods, engine and body mounts, arms/
bars/links, cabin dampers and seat
page 93
dampers. Tenneco provides coverage
of the majority of its emission and ride
control products for aftermarket appli-
cations.
South African
Profile
South Africa was introduced to the world
of Tenneco when they acquired Gillet
Exhausts in 1994, and a controlling in-
terest in Armstrong Hydraulics in 1997
creating a marriage between the world's
and SA's leading manufacturers of ride
and emission control products. Gillet
Exhausts South Africa are mainly export
driven. Domestically Tenneco deals with
all of the major motor manufacturers and
supplies shock absorbers for the majority
of the vehicles that are manufactured
locally, due in no small measure to
Tenneco’s advanced technology designs
and wide acceptance, together with ex-
tensive quality accreditations. The Ten-
neco Emission Control facility provides
catalitic converters , diesel particulate fil-
ters (DPF) for the major OEMs outside
South Africa.
Tenneco has leveraged off its OEM base
and international sourcing capabilities by
proffering the most extensive and widest
range available in South Africa, and
offering an extensive three year unlimited
mileage warranty for most Monroe
ranges and an exclusive five year or 100
000 km warranty on its Reflex range.
With Monroe being the world leader in
ride control technology and the biggest
selling brand worldwide, Monroe RSA
has seen huge market share growth
during the recent difficult economic
period, on the back of high quality
shocks which boast the lowest return rate
in South Africa.
The future is bright for Tenneco
South Africa, as with the benefit of
ISO/TS16949:2002, ISO 14001:2004,
OHSAS18001:2007, and Ford Q1
accreditations received from highly
acclaimed international institutions, and
the move from the MIDP and APDP
emphasising value added, Tenneco is well
placed to take advantage of the new
dynamics in automotive component
supply.
Timken Celebrates 77 Years in South Africa
From its humble beginnings in 1932, Timken South Africa has grown and changed along with both South Africa and
with The Timken Company. The result is a business culture based on a shared sense of purpose built around pride of
product, led today by Chairman Tim Timken and President and CEO Jim Griffith. There is an identity embodied in the
Timken name that has stood firm for more than 100 years and which has come to stand for many worthy things: ethical
business practices, quality products, innovation and independence of thought.

T
he story of The Timken Company started in 1898 when
Henry Timken, a 19th century innovator in carriage
manufacturing, patented the tapered roller bearing. The
following year, he formed a company to produce his innovation.
His sons, HH Timken and WR Timken, moved the company
to Canton in Ohio in 1901, where it remains today. In 1932,
Michael Bruce Urquhart Dewar, the then managing director of
the British Timken company pushed the business into South
Africa with the creation of British Timken SA in Johannesburg.
The company was successful in developing a market, especially
for railroad bearings. South African Railways specified Timken
bearings when it made a large order for new locomotives and
passenger cars. To help fulfil such orders, British Timken estab-
lished a plant in Benoni in 1951. In 1958 British Timken hired
Kendall Brooke, a young South African engineer who graduated
to MD and under his guidance the local facility was renamed
Timken South Africa (Pty) Ltd following the consolidation of
British Timken and The Timken Company in the US. In 1968
the company committed to building a new factory in Benoni to
produce AP Bearings and in the 1970s, with the new plant on
line, Brooke succeeded in extending his into Zimbabwe, Zambia
and Mozambique. Timken’s application engineers began work-
ing closely with the designers at Sigma Motor Corporation, and
in 1981, Timken bearings were specified for the new Mazda
323s. In 1982, Timken South Africa celebrated the manufacture
of its 500 000th AP bearing. 1986 saw the start of a successful
partnership between Timken South Africa and the South African
Motor Corporation (SAMCOR) with the introduction of the
Ford Laser for which Timken bearings were specified. Although
local manufacture of automotive sized bearings ceased in 1998
the Benoni site continued to play an important role with the
opening of a Railroad Bearing Remanufacturing facility. In the
wake of Danie Coetser’s appointment as MD of Timken SA in
2001 came an innovation by the local management team that
resulted in small mobile remanufacturing factories being devel-
oped. The rail operation in southern Africa was revolutionised
with the ability to repair bearings on the customer’s doorstep.
In 2005, Timken South Africa announced its groundbreaking
Black Economic Empowerment deal - the first of its kind in the
industry. Timken Bearing Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd was
formed as a subsidiary of Timken South Africa. TBSSA incor-
porates the Southern African rail division of Timken South
Africa. Bokomoso Investments led by Zandile Jakavula, owns a
26% stake in the company.
This year marked the 77th anniversary of Timken in South
Africa. This great achievement can be attributed to the joint
efforts of the great visionaries that have led the company and
the employees that live this vision daily. The company has wit-
nessed many changes in the socio-political environment of
South Africa and has worked through the challenging eco-
nomic environment. This has resulted in very specific focus.
Although the economic environment might not improve for
another year or so – Timken is in a strong position to take part
in any economic improvement.
One thing that hasn’t changed however is that Timken has and
will continue to manufacture and supply bearings of the high-
est quality to both the local and export markets and provide
outstanding customer service and technical support.
Celebrating Timken’s seventy fifth anniversary in South Africa
are: Mr MW Happach, Mr WT Timken and Mr S D Coetser.

page 94
 TOPCLASS AUTOMOTIVE BEARING SYSTEMS
The Fusion of Passion and Excellence
From early beginnings in unpretentious basement accommodation in Edenvale, east of Johannesburg, TopClass Automotive
Bearing Systems has elevated itself to five-star status in the automotive aftermarket arena in the short space of 12 years.
T
he company, led by
founder and managing
director Richard Pinard,
is now a force to be reck-
oned with, distributing
bearings and other related products to
South Africa’s growing corps of work-
shops, service centres and parts outlets.
Pinard put his 17 years of service with
multinational bearing manufacturer SKF
to good use, having gained an in-depth
knowledge of the market before leaving
to start his own business. “After only
eight months since we opened our
doors TopClass was appointed by the
FAG bearing company to assemble and
distribute its wheel bearing kits in
South Africa,” says Pinard. “Soon after
that FAG invited us to join its franchise
system, which, at the time, presented an
excellent opportunity for TopClass to
be relived of the burden of stock hold-
ings and cash flow concerns.” The move
opened up new outlets, including the
growing Midas organisation as well as
AutoParts and AutoZone. “We intro-
duced the brand to Daimler Chrysler,
Ford, BMW and other OESs and estab-
lished excellent relationships which en-
dure to this day,” he says. In 2002 FAG
was the subject of a corporate takeover
and in its wake Pinard decided to steer
TopClass towards independence rather
than be shackled to any one supplier.
Nevertheless TopClass was soon ap-
proached by the BearingMan company
and because of the Japanese emphasis in
its product portfolio – an attraction for
Pinard - a distribution deal was struck.
Once again, however, Pinard sacrificed
closer ties, in the form of a partial own-
ership deal crafted by BearingMan, for
his hard-won and much-valued inde-
pendence and in 2007 the organisations
parted company.
page 95
TopClass founder and MD
Richard Pinard
“Today the majority of the bearings we
distribute are from Timken, a reputable
American company. We enjoy an excel-
lent relationship – extending to the race
tracks and sponsorship of a racing team
for which I drive. I am very fortunate
to be involved in a business which gives
me the opportunity to indulge my pas-
sion. Motorsport is an integral part of
my life and I believe my enthusiasm for
it filters through into my business world
which benefits too.” Further broadening
its range, TopClass has taken on the dis-
tribution of the Permatex brand which
has given the company a push into the
retail sector. Permatex – also US–based
- celebrated its centenary in 2009.
Motor racing is an integral part of Richard Pinard’s life. He is pictured (left) with
Timken team mates Bryan Morgan and Hennie Groenewald.
“Bearings are often seen as a ‘grudge
purchase’ but Permatex consumables –
cleaners, thread lockers, silicone sealants
and the like – are perceived differently
and we will enjoy the challenge of ad-
dressing a new market.” Looking to the
future, Pinard says TopClass will build
on its strong base and he looks forward
to 2010 when he predicts a surge in the
aftermarket as many of the new vehicles
bought in the boom years of 2005/6
will come out of warranty/ motorplan
and find their way into the independent
workshops for servicing. On the bearing
front there has been a slew of new de-
velopments, and the introduction of
new technologies. “Our emphasis will
be to grow the aftermarket and enhance
our profile further. We believe con-
sumers are becoming more discerning
in terms of the parts fitted to their ve-
hicles and we’re confident that our qual-
ity brands will outperform ‘whitebox’
and other less-than-optimal solutions.”
Pinard says TopClass can be expected to
expand its product range to address
parts associated with disk brakes and
suspensions. “There are also opportuni-
ties in differential and gearbox repairs
and refurbishment - which is another
avenue worth exploring,” he adds.
 Making Traxx
Traxx South Africa Friction Products was established in 1999,
and has grown into one of the leading suppliers of brake friction
material to the South African automotive market, as well as
that of neighbouring countries. Traxx SA is the sole importer
and distributor of EMAK brake friction products in South
Africa. Traxx’ EMAK range is comprised of brake pads, brake
linings and roll linings for both the light and heavy duty sectors
of the automotive industry. Traxx SA also supplies brake drums,
brake discs and clutches for both sectors of the industry.

T
he brake pads and brake linings Traxx SA has goals to expand further in
are sourced from a state-of-the- the coming years and it is in the process
art production facility just out- of expanding in both its business seg-
side of Cairo in Egypt. “The EMAK ments. Regarding both segments, Van
technical team are rated amongst the Rooyen remarks, “We’ve been expanding
world’s best, ensuring that our formula- at a phenomenal rate.” Without revealing
tions and products are amongst the most too much, Van Rooyen adds that new
advanced in the global market,” states product introductions are key to Traxx’
Paul van Rooyen, managing director of business. He concludes that “In terms of
Traxx SA. All products supplied by Traxx expansion, we definitely have plans in
SA comply with all environmental stan- place.” So as the RMI celebrates its 101st
dards set for the industry. year, Traxx SA SA celebrates its very own
milestone, that of its ten year anniversary;
“Traxx SA Friction Products is commit- an appropriate congruence that high-
ted to providing its customers with prod- Paul van Rooyen - MD lights the success of the motoring indus-
ucts and service that will exceed their try in South Africa as well as the success
be the number one supplier of friction
expectations and requirements in order of Traxx SA’s effective business philoso-
products to the South African market.”
to achieve a mutually beneficial partner- phy. “We have exceeded the goals we have
ship. This will be accomplished by fol- set ourselves to achieve” states Van
Despite this though, Traxx SA has still
lowing our stringent quality objectives as Rooyen.
managed to cause some major coups in
a company culture based on Total Qual-
the industry in recent years. “We have
ity Management.” notes Van Rooyen. However, he knows that there is always
obtained the business of three of the
When competing with some much older, more to be done in the auto industry, and
country’s leading OEMs for light duty
more established and therefore more concludes with what could be the com-
brake pads in the past five years, and we
recognised brands, there are bound to be pany’s mantra: “Product and service qual-
are currently in talks with one more,” Van
tough times for relatively new companies. ity is of the utmost importance to us. We
Rooyen reveals. “Our current customer
“The recent economic environment has aim to provide the right product, at the
base also includes two of the major
been a test for us,” Van Rooyen says. “It’s right quality and cost, in the right place,
OEM’s in the heavy duty sector as well as
always a challenge, but our mission is to at the right time.”
several major transport companies.”

page 96
 VALLY’S AUTO WHOLESALERS
“Our main customers today
are retail spares and acces-
sories outlets and other
wholesalers, fleet owners and
many workshops,”
says Ficky. “The Company
has a staff complement of 30
and carries an enormous
range of products, though I
don’t think you would find a
’69 Valiant suspension re-
build kit registered on the
state-of-the-art computer
stock control system.”

In Safe Hands
Forced to relocate from Johannesburg because of the restrictions placed on Indian traders,
Abdullah Vally started a small retail spares shop in Fountain Lane, Durban in 1968. The
shop was strictly retail at first and the product range was small. As most of its customers
were taxi owners, spare parts for the fastest selling products were ball joints and tie rod ends. Abdullah Vally

B
rothers Yousuf and Rafik ’Ficky’ joined the business Vally’s Auto Wholesalers’ reputation as a trustworthy dealer
in 1970. The business relocated to bigger premises grew along with their business and the company is today an
in Beatrice Street later that same year. Renting enormously respected player in the automotive spares industry
premises meant the company was at the mercy of in KwaZulu-Natal. Ironically, Ficky was elected chairman of
landlords. To this end, a property in Lorne Street was the MIF/RMI in the late ‘80s and held the position for almost
purchased and the cottage standing on the property was a decade. Apart from spares and accessories, the Vally family
demolished and a most modern 12-storey building was has branched out in another direction.
erected. Vally’s Auto Wholesalers occupied the first three floors
until 2005 when the business moved to the present bigger “We now manufacture lubricants as well,” he says.
premises on the corner of Lorne and Albert Streets. “Starting
“We have a plant that processes base oil that we buy
up a business for a South African Indian was difficult 40 years
ago, more especially in the motor spares trade. We were not from the refinery. We do the blending, mixing and
allowed to join the Motor Industries Federation - now the packaging in-house and all our Viking lubricants
RMI,” recalls Ficky.
conform to SABS specifications.”
“We had no way of controlling standards, and all Indian
Nearly half a century after it started in a tiny shop in Durban’s
traders were lumped together in the minds of the suppliers
Grey Street area, Vally’s Auto Wholesalers is in the safe hands
and the public. We could neither buy directly from factories of the next generation of the family.
nor would the wholesalers grant us credit. The fact that we
had relocated from Johannesburg meant that we had no
track record or family history in Durban which
didn’t help much either.”

page 97
RAM Belts & Hoses - Standing
Test of Time
Rubber & Associated Manufacturers (RAM)
is the automotive division of Veyance Technologies
Africa, a specialist company that manufactures
and sources quality Goodyear
Engineered Products.
I
t wasn’t long after the formation of RAM in 1981 that
the company was appointed the sole distributor for
Goodyear-branded products in South Africa. As such,
RAM was ideally placed to bring to market Goodyear’s
Fan & Poly-V Belts, Automotive Timing Belts, Rubber
Coolant Hose, Rubber Fuel Line Hose, Heater Hose, Air
Brake Hose, Air Conditioning Hose, Air & Multi-purpose
Hose, as well as Hose Clamps, Heavy Duty Belts and Air
Springs. So successful was RAM that Goodyear decided to
purchase the company outright in 1991 and the bold red and
black ‘RAM’ logo became synonymous with Goodyear’s wide
range of quality offerings. On 1 August 2007, Global private
equity firm, The Carlyle Group, closed its purchase of the
Engineered Products Division of The Goodyear Tyre &
Rubber Company. The transaction was valued at US$1.475
billion. Through a long-term license agreement, Goodyear
Engineered Products have continued to carry the Goodyear
brand, while the legal name of the company changed to
Veyance Technologies, Inc.
Colin Preddy, General Manager for RAM (now under the
umbrella of Veyance Technologies Africa), says the company’s
conduit to the market is - and always has been - primarily
through the major national automotive spares outlets and the
larger independent spares outlets. RAM also supplies product
to export houses for shipment to other parts of the globe.
RAM is a major supplier to the local automotive original
equipment market (OEM) and many of its products are found
on locally manufactured or imported vehicles which form part
of manufacturers’ local model line-ups. “As the Automotive
Division of Veyance Technologies Africa, RAM understands
how important it is for vehicles destined for the South African
market to be fitted with dependable, quality Goodyear-
branded parts that have been tried and tested under harsh
conditions,” he says. “To this end the RAM team remains
committed to providing the levels of quality and service that
have always set us apart from our competitors. We believe it
is our duty to provide a solution rather than simply to supply
a product.”
the
Preddy highlights the amount of research and testing under-
taken at Veyance Technologies and says the efforts by highly
trained and experienced staff are directly linked to the reasons
why Goodyear-branded automotive replacement products
deliver the ultimate in performance and value. “The brand
offers peace of mind for both the supplier or fitment centre
and the motorist and so it’s well worth taking a look at the
Goodyear catalogue before making a purchasing decision.
“For example, you'll often find the belt or hose you need in
our extensive automotive and light truck product line-up,
including Gatorback Poly-V belts which have been proven in
the tough environment of V8 Supercar racing both here in
South Africa and the US.”
An engine running Goodyear RAM quality timing belts fan
belts and power transmission belts
Preddy adds that RAM’s Timing Belts as well as certain of its
Poly-V Belts are sourced from Goodyear Engineered Products
plants worldwide. All Fan Belts plus the majority of Poly-V
belts are manufactured locally at Goodyear’s factory in Uiten-
hage - making the company the only local manufacturer of
Fan and Poly-V belts.
“These belts, which pass the toughest of tests on the race
tracks every weekend, are ideally suited to everyday use on the
road. This proven, ‘track-to- street technology’ is just one more
way we provide products that help our reseller partners to
boost their businesses.”
Tel: +27 011 248 9443
Fax: +27 086 636 8163
Web: www.goodyearep.co.za
page 98
 Z is for Zoom!
Zwartkops Raceway, or ‘The Big Z’ as it is colloquially known, is an historic racetrack situated in Pretoria,
Gauteng. Zwartkops held its inaugural race on 18 November 1961, and the track has been a landmark ever
since. That is not to say there have not been changes though; there have. The days of high-speed, minimal-
cornering and somewhat simplistic racing are over, and racetracks have had to move with the times.

A
s technology progressed, so did race cars, and thus
acceleration, top speed, traction and downforce
all improved too. This meant that tracks had to
become more technical, which led to many tracks
being redesigned. For the sake of modern racing
as well as safety requirements, some tracks were slightly altered
while some were dramatically revamped, but racetracks of the
modern era necessitate more corners, more overtaking oppor-
tunities and a more technical approach to racing. All of these
changes led to close and exciting races, something Zwartkops
Raceway is known for. The old Zwartkops track, two km in
length with only three braking points, had to give way in 2001
to the current 2.4 km track that has five braking points and, in
the modern day, racing at Zwartkops is better for it.
The Big Z is home to a great number of automotive events,
whether it be racing series, advanced driving courses or motor-
cycle events. One of the many feathers in Zwartkops’ cap is the
fact that it hosts International Sports Prototypes (ISP) races.
These ISP races include a vast range vehicles from the glory days
of race cars, including Porsche 911s, 917s, Lola T70s, Chevrons,
Ford GT40s and yet more American V8 muscle in the form of
Mustangs, Camaros and Chevrolet Can-Ams. Zwartkops also
plays host to some more modern racing series such as Thunder-
bikes, SuperHatch and SilverCup. Aside from racing series, The
Big Z houses the BMW Motorrad Rider Academy, Mercedes-
Benz Dynamic Driving, Sasol Advanced Driver Programme,
Zwartkops Driving Academy Centre and Zwartkops Off-Road
Academy. Not a bad resume by any means...
It is clear that Zwartkops Raceway places a lot of emphasis on
advancing the driving talent in South Africa, and this goal is ac-
tually stated in the track’s charter. “Zwartkops is for the devel-
opment of domestic talent,” the charter states, “and to help put
South Africa at the forefront of automotive technology.”
Not only is Zwartkops forward thinking in terms of developing
talent in South Africa, but in a business sense too. 25% of
Zwartkops is owned by a trust for empowerment initiative,
while the remainder is owned in part by the Zwartkops Owners
Club and private investors.
Those at the helm of the track’s management assert some no-
table achievements, some of which are key in terms of the track’s
charter. One of these is saying that Zwartkops is “One of the
most advanced and biggest driver training and education centres
in Africa.” And all of this lies just off the R55 in Pretoria, at
Zwartkops International World of Motoring; The Big Z.

page 99
 INDEX

AAMA 65 KAPCI Coatings 87

AIDC 66 Launch Tech Co 51
Atlas-Copco 67 Lazarus Motor Company 53
AutoZone 39 McCarthy 88
Barloworld 41 Midas 24
Behr-Hella 68 MISA 89
Brake Hose & Component Supplies 69 Moto Health Care 55
Bridgestone 43 Nissan 33
Caelex 70 Permatex 90
Capricorn Society 71 RAM 98
Castrol 72 Rex Diff and Gearbox 57
CI Auto 45 RMI 1
Commercial Auto Glass 73 RMI Code of Conduct 101
Diesel-Electric 74 Robert Bosch 9
Distributor Remanufacturers 75 SA Warranties 59
Dynamax Auto Components 76 Schaeffler Group 91
Econometrix 77 Shatterprufe 92
Euroquip 78 Tenneco 93
Federal-Mogul Aftermarket 47 Timken 94
Ferobrake 79 Tonii 36
First National Battery 80 TopClass Automotive 95
Ford Motor Company 81 Toyota 61
Forsdicks BMW 82 Traxx 96
General Motors 83 Vally's Auto 97
Grandmark International 49 Volkwagen SA 63
Harley-Davidson Durban 84 WesBank 19
Henkel 85 Willard 29
Imperial 86 Zwartkops Raceway 99

Copyright 2009 • Trilogy Publishing • P O Box 102 Wendywood 2144 Republic of South Africa
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and
retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in review. Trilogy and the
RMI 101 design are protected by common law in South Africa and in the countries in which they are distributed.

Printed in the Republic of South Africa by CTP Book Printers.

page 100
 RMI Code of Conduct
Accredited members are party to the RMI Consumer Code of Conduct in terms of which the consumer is assured that
an accredited member undertakes to:

• Sell his/her quality products and services at a fair and reasonable price;

• Honour both in letter and in spirit any guarantees applicable to products and services sold by them;

• Acknowledges that, should there be a dispute between a consumer/customer and our member which could not be
amicably settled at Management level, the consumer/customer has the right to refer such dispute to the RMI for
investigation;

• RMI's Consumer Services divisions are deployed countrywide;

• Professional intervention ensures a proud record of high success rate in dispute resolution.

Should you be a registered RMI member but not have your Code of Conduct, please contact Killy Scott 011 886 6300 or
Killy.Scott@rmi.org.za

RMI Objectives
• To promote, protect and encourage the interests of members and the motoring public by setting and maintaining
proper standards of service and ethical trading conditions in the industry;

• Facilitates the settlement of disputes between members and their employees, members and the motoring public by
conciliation/mediation/arbitration;

• Regulates relations between members and their employees and/or trade unions and protects and furthers the interests
of members in that regard;

• Promotes, supports or opposes when necessary, any proposal, legislative or other measures affecting the interests of
members;

• Affiliated with and participates in the affairs of other bodies sharing common interest with RMI members (i.e.
NAAMSA, NAACAM, SABS, DTI, etc.);

• To maintain high standards of business ethics and service delivery to the motoring public by members of the RMI,
and where necessary provide upliftment programmes to improve the knowledge and professionalism of members.

page 101