'Sawubona' to Sandile
'Sawubona' to Sandile
'Sawubona' to Sandile
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A world of opportunities<br />
June 2012<br />
Mee<br />
‘Sawubona’<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>Sandile</strong><br />
<strong>Sandile</strong> Ngwabi is Astrapak’s<br />
new Group financial<br />
manager. Unpacked did a<br />
little digging and found a<br />
man who’s committed <strong>to</strong><br />
maximising his career…<br />
Astrapak’s new Group financial<br />
manager, <strong>Sandile</strong> Ngwabi, is<br />
no stranger <strong>to</strong> hard work. Since<br />
matriculating from Sivananda High<br />
School in KwaZulu-Natal 10 years ago<br />
– with distinctions in maths, business<br />
economics, economics and accounting<br />
– he’s been hard at the books and it’s<br />
paid off.<br />
The first phase was studying. <strong>Sandile</strong><br />
scooped his B.Com Accounting<br />
(honours) degree from the University<br />
of KZN in 2006, and quickly went on <strong>to</strong><br />
qualify for his professional designation –<br />
the internationally respected CA(SA) in<br />
2009. He’s currently working on his CFA<br />
(chartered financial analyst) and will be<br />
writing Part 2 in a few weeks’ time.<br />
Next came his career. <strong>Sandile</strong> had<br />
already kicked that off as an audit<br />
trainee for Deloitte & Touche in<br />
Durban, and went on <strong>to</strong> join Murray &<br />
Roberts in Johannesburg as a financial<br />
accountant in 2010. In February 2012 he<br />
was lured <strong>to</strong> Astrapak, and jumped in<strong>to</strong><br />
the deep end with a financial year-end<br />
in progress.<br />
‘It was quite a challenge arriving when<br />
I did,’ says <strong>Sandile</strong>, ‘but thanks <strong>to</strong> the<br />
financial systems and procedures<br />
that have been introduced over<br />
the last two years or so, it went<br />
remarkably smoothly. I’m excited<br />
at the opportunity <strong>to</strong> work in a busy<br />
environment and hope that I have a<br />
long-term future with the Group. Once<br />
I’ve done some time in the financial<br />
space, I’d like <strong>to</strong> get some operational<br />
experience and see if I have what<br />
it takes from that perspective of<br />
management.’<br />
<strong>Sandile</strong> is doubtless going <strong>to</strong> make his<br />
mark in business in the years ahead –<br />
let’s hope it’s at Astrapak!<br />
in this<br />
issue ...<br />
Consupaq WCM trainer<br />
wins award<br />
5<br />
Grabbing opportunity with<br />
both hands<br />
8 Meet our new people 11<br />
person<br />
ASTRAPAK NEWS 1
Marco moves in<strong>to</strong> a new role<br />
My term as CEO concluded<br />
at the end of May but I’m<br />
pleased <strong>to</strong> say that I’ll be<br />
continuing in a consultancy role in<strong>to</strong><br />
the future.<br />
The nuts and bolts of running the Group<br />
are now firmly under Manley’s control,<br />
and I wish him well in his new position.<br />
He’s an experienced man who knows<br />
the company well and I know that<br />
he’ll bring much<br />
value and new<br />
energy <strong>to</strong> the<br />
acting chief<br />
executive<br />
position.<br />
The four<br />
years since my<br />
appointment in<br />
June 2008 seem<br />
<strong>to</strong> have gone<br />
by in a flash<br />
and probably<br />
coincided<br />
with one of<br />
the <strong>to</strong>ughest<br />
economic<br />
downturns<br />
this<br />
country<br />
– and<br />
most<br />
of the<br />
developed world – has experienced in<br />
decades.<br />
While it’s been a <strong>to</strong>ugh run and some<br />
difficult decisions had <strong>to</strong> be made, I<br />
do believe that Astrapak is in a good<br />
position <strong>to</strong> take advantage of what<br />
appears <strong>to</strong> be a very slow return <strong>to</strong> a<br />
new kind of ‘normality’ – and I put that<br />
word in inverted commas because I<br />
think normal as we knew it no longer<br />
exists. Business has changed forever.<br />
I’d like <strong>to</strong> express my gratitude <strong>to</strong> the<br />
many people I’ve worked with since<br />
becoming part of Astrapak at its<br />
inception. There’ve been some low<br />
points but they’re far outnumbered by<br />
the highs. I’ve met many people who<br />
have become loyal friends, and there<br />
are loads of memories that will be with<br />
me forever.<br />
I wish everyone a brilliant future with<br />
Astrapak and hope that your career<br />
dreams come true. I think the years<br />
ahead, while challenging at times,<br />
will prove <strong>to</strong> be good for Africa’s best<br />
plastic packaging Group.<br />
Regards<br />
Marco Baglione<br />
June 2012<br />
Astrapak Board<br />
announces<br />
senior<br />
management<br />
changes<br />
Towards the end of<br />
May the Astrapak<br />
Board announced the<br />
movement of Marco<br />
Baglione from chief executive<br />
officer <strong>to</strong> a consultancy position<br />
within the Group. This resulted in<br />
the appointment of chief financial<br />
officer Manley Diedloff as acting<br />
chief executive officer while the<br />
search for a full-time replacement<br />
is completed.<br />
Marco will make his experience<br />
and industry knowledge available<br />
<strong>to</strong> us in his new position, while<br />
Manley’s vast experience at senior<br />
and Board level will benefit the<br />
Group in this interim phase.<br />
2<br />
ASTRAPAK NEWS
Message from the CEO’s office<br />
I’m looking forward <strong>to</strong> the opportunity of<br />
serving as acting CEO <strong>to</strong> the company<br />
and people who’ve become such an<br />
integrated part of my life.<br />
After 15 years with Astrapak, I find it difficult<br />
<strong>to</strong> separate work and ‘normal’ life, but I<br />
wouldn’t have it any other way. To me,<br />
Astrapak has always stayed true <strong>to</strong> its<br />
slogan, ‘A World of Opportunities’, and I<br />
hope that I can play a small part over the<br />
next few months in steering the business<br />
in a direction that will afford the same<br />
opportunities <strong>to</strong> its employees.<br />
I’ve been asked by many <strong>to</strong> advise what<br />
the role of an acting CEO entails. On<br />
a responsibility level, it’s no different <strong>to</strong><br />
that of a permanent CEO and requires<br />
the same degree of commitment. Until<br />
such time as the Board concludes its<br />
search process and makes a permanent<br />
appointment, I will proudly steer the<br />
business <strong>to</strong> the best of my abilities.<br />
potentially those of the company<br />
and its people. It will allow me<br />
<strong>to</strong> engage more broadly with<br />
employees and other stakeholders,<br />
and I hope <strong>to</strong> be successful in the<br />
promotion of the brand and reestablishing<br />
a sense of pride in the<br />
business I treasure so much.<br />
I really appreciate the support<br />
and good wishes I’ve received<br />
from the Board, executive<br />
team and many employees<br />
and ex-employees. Please<br />
rest assured that I will<br />
remain true <strong>to</strong> Astrapak’s<br />
principles and values, and<br />
will continue <strong>to</strong> drive the<br />
business with purpose<br />
and passion.<br />
Regards<br />
I’m looking forward <strong>to</strong> the challenges<br />
and opportunities that the role will bring,<br />
and <strong>to</strong> expanding my own horizons and<br />
Manley Diedloff<br />
June 2012<br />
All about Manley<br />
Manley Diedloff joined Astrapak in 1998 as Group<br />
accountant when there were only five companies<br />
in the Group. He’s held various positions within Astrapak,<br />
including Group financial manager, Group commercial<br />
manager and business development direc<strong>to</strong>r. He was<br />
appointed <strong>to</strong> the Board in 2005, and in December 2008<br />
became Chief Financial Officer.<br />
Manley grew up in Grahams<strong>to</strong>wn. He studied accounting<br />
at the University of Stellenbosch and, once he’d<br />
completed his articles, spent some time overseas<br />
where he worked for HSBC bank as an internal audi<strong>to</strong>r.<br />
On returning <strong>to</strong> South Africa, he joined Grinaker<br />
Construction as an accountant before moving <strong>to</strong><br />
Astrapak.<br />
Manley is married <strong>to</strong> Leigh-Ann, a SuperSport presenter,<br />
and they have three children, Gabriella, Jack and Sam.<br />
Both are avid sportspeople with several marathons and a<br />
Comrades or two under their belts.<br />
ASTRAPAK NEWS 3
The financial year in review<br />
The financial year ending<br />
February 2012 has been<br />
one of the <strong>to</strong>ughest in<br />
Astrapak’s existence,<br />
one that shareholders<br />
aren’t particularly happy<br />
about and one that we<br />
as a Group don’t want <strong>to</strong><br />
repeat.<br />
While turnover was up a<br />
marginal 3.4% <strong>to</strong> R2.518 billion<br />
over the previous year, this<br />
was mainly on the back of increased<br />
selling prices – in fact, volumes through<br />
our plants were down 1.1%.<br />
Increasing production costs – primarily<br />
because of higher raw material, energy<br />
and labour charges – were one of the<br />
main reasons behind an almost 50%<br />
drop in profits. However, I’m pleased<br />
<strong>to</strong> report that costs associated with<br />
selling, administration and distribution<br />
overheads rose a marginal 0.6%, thanks<br />
<strong>to</strong> everyone who did their bit <strong>to</strong> keep<br />
these costs in check.<br />
The main reasons contributing <strong>to</strong><br />
our less-than-satisfac<strong>to</strong>ry financial<br />
performance were:<br />
• A continuing generally soft<br />
economic climate, which kept<br />
consumers under pressure and with<br />
little extra disposable income.<br />
• Decreased volumes in the market,<br />
which kept competitive activity at<br />
fever pitch, with many sacrificing<br />
price just <strong>to</strong> keep their plants<br />
running.<br />
• The industry-wide strikes in July<br />
2011, which affected almost all of<br />
Astrapak’s operations, and those<br />
of many of our cus<strong>to</strong>mers once we<br />
were back at work!<br />
• The supply of raw materials<br />
was problematic, which led <strong>to</strong><br />
s<strong>to</strong>ck-outs and, in some cases,<br />
overs<strong>to</strong>cking at higher prices.<br />
• The decision in the second half of<br />
the year <strong>to</strong> reduce the number of<br />
Flexible operations, which incurred<br />
significant one-off charges through<br />
the early termination of leases,<br />
close-down trading losses and<br />
retrenchment costs. A <strong>to</strong>tal of five<br />
operations have been reduced<br />
in size, merged with others or<br />
discontinued.<br />
• A thorough assessment of all the<br />
Group’s assets was done. The writedown<br />
of some assets affected the<br />
bot<strong>to</strong>m line.<br />
Lower profits, costs associated with<br />
the strategy <strong>to</strong> reduce the Flexibles<br />
footprint, the decision <strong>to</strong> continue with<br />
the R265.9-million capital expenditure<br />
programme and increasing inven<strong>to</strong>ry<br />
levels <strong>to</strong> cope with erratic supply – these<br />
had a real impact on our gearing,<br />
with our net debt increasing <strong>to</strong> R500.3<br />
million from R340.2 million in the previous<br />
year. This situation was aggravated by<br />
cus<strong>to</strong>mers extending payment terms,<br />
and our net working capital increased<br />
by 6.3%, which represents a 50-day net<br />
working capital cycle compared <strong>to</strong><br />
our target of 45 days. We’ll continue<br />
<strong>to</strong> focus on cash generation, prudent<br />
capital allocation, and treasury and<br />
working capital management activities<br />
<strong>to</strong> normalise these aspects over the next<br />
few months.<br />
Looking forward, there appears <strong>to</strong> be<br />
no short-term fix for the bigger issues<br />
facing us: consumers, who’re the<br />
end-users of almost every product we<br />
manufacture, will continue <strong>to</strong> be under<br />
financial pressure over the next year.<br />
Fuel prices are at their highest levels<br />
ever recorded, electricity prices are<br />
about <strong>to</strong> go through their fourth yearon-year<br />
double-digit increase, and food<br />
costs are outstripping published inflation<br />
levels.<br />
Having said that, there are reasons <strong>to</strong><br />
be optimistic.<br />
• We’ve invested heavily in new<br />
technologically advanced<br />
equipment in many operations.<br />
• There are a number of new projects<br />
that should start during this year.<br />
• We’ve reduced our operational<br />
footprint cost base.<br />
• The new equipment should see<br />
increased volumes through fewer<br />
plants at higher efficiency and with<br />
improved quality and reduced<br />
waste.<br />
• Our roll-out of World Class<br />
Manufacturing continues and<br />
real positive results are being<br />
experienced around the Group.<br />
• Transformation, training and staff<br />
development are continuing<br />
priorities as we strive <strong>to</strong> ensure<br />
that our people are suitably<br />
trained and capable of dealing<br />
with an increasingly competitive<br />
marketplace.<br />
It’s been a <strong>to</strong>ugh year and there’ll<br />
be no free rides in the one <strong>to</strong> come.<br />
But the fundamentals are in place.<br />
We need <strong>to</strong> work as a team <strong>to</strong><br />
implement our financial 2013 and<br />
res<strong>to</strong>re Astrapak as the country’s<br />
leading plastic packaging<br />
manufacturer.<br />
4<br />
ASTRAPAK NEWS
Consupaq WCM<br />
trainer wins award<br />
Trust Ndlela, World Class<br />
Manufacturing facilita<strong>to</strong>r and<br />
trainer at Consupaq, was<br />
nominated for an award at this<br />
year’s round of conferences<br />
for his exceptional talent<br />
in communicating WCM<br />
principles <strong>to</strong> all levels of<br />
employees within the business,<br />
specifically <strong>to</strong> shopfloor staff.<br />
He tells Unpacked a bit more<br />
about the challenges.<br />
As part of any World Class<br />
Manufacturing (WCM) journey,<br />
a few people are chosen<br />
<strong>to</strong> become trainers, responsible for<br />
upskilling the shopfloor team. Most of<br />
these new trainers don’t have any prior<br />
training background, so not only do<br />
they need <strong>to</strong> learn all aspects of WCM,<br />
they also have <strong>to</strong> understand how <strong>to</strong><br />
train adults.<br />
Trust Ndlela, WCM trainer and facilita<strong>to</strong>r<br />
at Consupaq, says that there’s a lot<br />
of hard work that goes in<strong>to</strong> it after<br />
hours – preparation of material is a key<br />
element. But that’s just the beginning.<br />
Trust Ndlela receives his award from KZN regional chief executive Gareth Elcox.<br />
a team, self-discipline and drive,’ says<br />
Trust, whose own learning curve was<br />
hands-on, with exposure <strong>to</strong> operations<br />
and production management skills, and<br />
the opportunity <strong>to</strong> learn at first hand<br />
how a successful business operates.<br />
Looking back at the progress Consupaq<br />
has made since implementing WCM<br />
in 2009, Trust says, ‘There’s been a<br />
cultural shift. We challenge each other<br />
<strong>to</strong> think and behave in a way that<br />
reflects our goal of being a worldclass<br />
company. The common vision<br />
environment. The business has grown<br />
and is set <strong>to</strong> grow and become even<br />
more successful.’<br />
Trust’s biggest challenge as a trainer is<br />
‘interacting with people who have little<br />
previous exposure <strong>to</strong> formal training,<br />
and expect little or no benefit from the<br />
training’. The reward? ‘Seeing the same<br />
people having grown in confidence<br />
because they’ve done what they<br />
thought wasn’t possible, which is <strong>to</strong><br />
learn something new that will indeed<br />
benefit them.’<br />
‘A good facilita<strong>to</strong>r must be an inspiring<br />
visionary. He must be able <strong>to</strong> translate<br />
and simplify the vision <strong>to</strong> all in such a<br />
way that learners understand and buy<br />
in<strong>to</strong> it.’ – Trust Ndlela<br />
Good communication skills are vital,<br />
and aspects such as body language<br />
and vocal skills can make or break a<br />
session, he says.<br />
‘The skills required from a facilita<strong>to</strong>r<br />
are good communication skills, good<br />
listening skills, the ability <strong>to</strong> work within<br />
of World Class Manufacturing has<br />
pulled our efforts <strong>to</strong>gether as opposed<br />
<strong>to</strong> previous segmented efforts. That<br />
shared vision is the fundamental<br />
driver of all our endeavours, from the<br />
fac<strong>to</strong>ry <strong>to</strong> operations and through <strong>to</strong><br />
human resources. It’s a cleaner, safer,<br />
more efficient and pleasing work<br />
He believes that the most important<br />
ingredient in being a <strong>to</strong>p trainer is<br />
passion. ‘When a trainer is excited and<br />
passionate about the WCM process, this<br />
enthusiasm comes through in everything<br />
that’s said and done, and this is a surefire<br />
way <strong>to</strong> ignite the same passion in<br />
learners.’<br />
And Trust has clearly been successful.<br />
He earned his award for his exceptional<br />
talent in communicating WCM<br />
principles <strong>to</strong> all levels of employees<br />
within the business, and specifically <strong>to</strong><br />
shopfloor staff, by adapting textbook<br />
knowledge in<strong>to</strong> a format that makes<br />
sense <strong>to</strong> them. The success of his<br />
efforts is clearly evident in the overall<br />
performance by Consupaq in WCM<br />
practices.<br />
ASTRAPAK NEWS<br />
5
Marcom goes large<br />
Marcom Plastics has grown its turnover by<br />
more than 25% per year over the last three<br />
years. This is thanks partly <strong>to</strong> the acquisition<br />
and commissioning of several new projects,<br />
but is also a credit <strong>to</strong> its sales team.<br />
On the production floor, from left: Phillip Koloko<strong>to</strong>, Jaco du Plooy, Braam Cloete and John Shabangu.<br />
Located in Rosslyn, on the northeastern<br />
periphery of Pre<strong>to</strong>ria,<br />
Marcom was established in 1994<br />
<strong>to</strong> manufacture unprinted thinwalled<br />
yoghurt containers for the dairy<br />
industry. But it was the introduction of<br />
in-mould labelling (IML) in 2005, coupled<br />
with an uncompromising commitment<br />
<strong>to</strong> outstanding cus<strong>to</strong>mer service, that<br />
ignited sales, says newly appointed<br />
general manager Gerhard van Reenen.<br />
‘IML represented a huge step forward<br />
in decoration capabilities compared<br />
<strong>to</strong> conventional printing at the time,’<br />
he explains. ‘The ability <strong>to</strong> reproduce<br />
<strong>to</strong> the highest pho<strong>to</strong>graphic quality an<br />
image of fruit on a yoghurt container<br />
was proven <strong>to</strong> be a great stimula<strong>to</strong>r for<br />
consumer demand. In fact, our large<br />
national cus<strong>to</strong>mers experienced a jump<br />
of just less than 10% in sales when they<br />
introduced IML containers, and this<br />
increased <strong>to</strong> more than 50% for many<br />
of our smaller cus<strong>to</strong>mers where the<br />
upgrade was even more marked.’<br />
Marcom has just completed a<br />
multimillion-rand expansion <strong>to</strong> cater<br />
for a huge influx of new business for<br />
Unilever, one of the world’s leading fastmoving<br />
consumer-goods companies.<br />
The conversion of an existing warehouse<br />
in<strong>to</strong> a dedicated production facility and<br />
the installation of new equipment were<br />
completed ahead of schedule, and<br />
the company is now producing huge<br />
volumes of margarine tubs and lids<br />
per day in a variety of sizes – four<br />
months before the original anticipated<br />
start date.<br />
Taking on a client of Unilever’s stature<br />
isn’t for the fainthearted, however.<br />
‘Fortunately, we have an extremely<br />
committed workforce here at Marcom,’<br />
says Gerhard. ‘Everyone has embraced<br />
the challenge and the new production<br />
facility is running well.’<br />
A corners<strong>to</strong>ne of Marcom’s success<br />
has been the way the sales team<br />
has approached its cus<strong>to</strong>mers over<br />
the years. Gerhard explains that they’ve<br />
always attempted <strong>to</strong> understand<br />
their cus<strong>to</strong>mers, the business they<br />
operate in and the challenges they<br />
face on a daily basis. ‘It’s about<br />
listening, asking the right questions<br />
and identifying opportunities where<br />
you can help improve a situation. In a<br />
number of cases we’ve secured the<br />
order not on the basis of our product<br />
price but on how we’ve managed<br />
<strong>to</strong> identify and rectify a problem in<br />
the filling process, even taking out a<br />
cus<strong>to</strong>mer’s machine and modifying it<br />
<strong>to</strong> work faster and with fewer problems.<br />
This creates a sense of faith, where the<br />
relationship changes from a supplier/<br />
cus<strong>to</strong>mer one <strong>to</strong> a partnership where<br />
each party has a vested interest in the<br />
other’s success.’<br />
Marcom’s approach <strong>to</strong> Unilever came<br />
about <strong>to</strong> counter the seasonal nature<br />
of the demand for dairy products,<br />
especially yoghurt. ‘The fact that we<br />
were already doing work for a bluechip<br />
company like Parmalat helped<br />
tremendously when we approached<br />
Unilever,’ says Gerhard. ‘But it was our<br />
ability <strong>to</strong> introduce sophisticated new<br />
multi-cavity moulds that brought our unit<br />
manufacturing cost down considerably<br />
and, <strong>to</strong>gether with great quality, that<br />
eventually secured us the business.’<br />
While acknowledging that securing<br />
the Unilever business was a feather in<br />
Marcom’s cap, Gerhard emphasises<br />
that continuing <strong>to</strong> meet very high<br />
standards is a priority. ‘It takes years <strong>to</strong><br />
build a positive reputation and a few<br />
quick mistakes <strong>to</strong> destroy it,’ he points<br />
out. ‘We’ve earned massive respect in<br />
the marketplace because of the good<br />
work we’ve done, and our priority going<br />
forward is <strong>to</strong> build on that.’<br />
One of the ways Marcom is doing<br />
this is <strong>to</strong> continue involving the entire<br />
workforce. ‘With a team-based<br />
approach, you can achieve anything,’<br />
says Gerhard.<br />
6<br />
ASTRAPAK NEWS
Proud of our people<br />
Marcom’s success is due not least <strong>to</strong><br />
the commitment of its staff, and it’s<br />
notable that almost all the people who<br />
joined at start-up in 1994 are still with the<br />
company.<br />
John Shabangu was looking for casual<br />
work when he was offered a position<br />
as a sweeper in 1994. Two years later,<br />
he was promoted <strong>to</strong> team leader<br />
and he’s subsequently moved <strong>to</strong> the<br />
mould-changing department. ‘It can<br />
be heavy and <strong>to</strong>ugh work,’ he says.<br />
‘The moulds have <strong>to</strong> be treated with<br />
the utmost care and everything has<br />
<strong>to</strong> be in perfect alignment. If I do my<br />
job properly, it enables the machine<br />
opera<strong>to</strong>r <strong>to</strong> work at peak capacity,<br />
ensuring that we meet both quality and<br />
production targets.’<br />
was a small company on a growth<br />
curve and there was no place for<br />
fancy titles or individualism.’ Jaco<br />
recalls the introduction of IML as being<br />
a real challenge. ‘We were the first<br />
company in the country <strong>to</strong> attempt <strong>to</strong><br />
apply 12 labels at once, using a system<br />
that was made up of unmatched<br />
equipment from different suppliers. In<br />
retrospect, we were probably a little<br />
crazy <strong>to</strong> even think about it, but we<br />
managed in the end thanks <strong>to</strong> input<br />
from our international technology<br />
partners Shalom Packaging.’<br />
Technical manager and 12-year<br />
veteran Jaco du Plooy started out<br />
looking after general maintenance.<br />
He’s witnessed tremendous changes<br />
over the years. ‘In the beginning we<br />
all had <strong>to</strong> do everything, because it<br />
Examples of the new margarine tubs manufactured by Marcom Plastics.<br />
Looking <strong>to</strong> the East<br />
The recently acquired Unilever business<br />
entailed commissioning a specialist<br />
Chinese engineering fac<strong>to</strong>ry <strong>to</strong> make<br />
the sophisticated moulds <strong>to</strong> Marcom’s<br />
stringent requirements. Technical<br />
manager Jaco du Plooy visited China<br />
on several occasions in order <strong>to</strong> make<br />
this happen – and it proved <strong>to</strong> be quite<br />
a cultural experience for the ‘boytjie’<br />
from Pre<strong>to</strong>ria!<br />
‘Communicating was a challenge<br />
at first but thanks <strong>to</strong> the assistance<br />
of a transla<strong>to</strong>r we soon established a<br />
method of understanding each other<br />
– some of the more technical terms<br />
proved <strong>to</strong> be problematic, though. Also,<br />
being a ‘‘meat and pota<strong>to</strong>es’’ kind of<br />
guy, the food was an initial obstacle<br />
for me. I learned not <strong>to</strong> venture very<br />
far from the establishments that were<br />
western oriented, as it was often difficult<br />
<strong>to</strong> establish exactly what some of the<br />
items on the menu were!’<br />
Nonetheless, Jaco highly recommends<br />
China as a destination. ‘It’s a<br />
fascinating place with a strong service<br />
culture, work ethic and willingness <strong>to</strong><br />
go the extra mile – nothing was <strong>to</strong>o<br />
much trouble. They’re keen <strong>to</strong> learn,<br />
eager <strong>to</strong> please and not hamstrung by<br />
hierarchy – they just want <strong>to</strong> get the job<br />
done. Once you’ve experienced the<br />
work environment, you can understand<br />
why the Chinese economy is growing at<br />
such a fast rate compared <strong>to</strong> the rest of<br />
the world.’<br />
‘The relationship changes from<br />
a supplier/cus<strong>to</strong>mer one <strong>to</strong> a<br />
partnership where each party has<br />
a vested interest in the other’s<br />
success.’<br />
ASTRAPAK NEWS 7
Grabbing opportunity<br />
with both hands<br />
A short-term transfer proved <strong>to</strong> be the catalyst for Natasha<br />
Benson <strong>to</strong> take her career in a whole new direction.<br />
Natasha Benson was employed<br />
as a personal assistant <strong>to</strong> the<br />
GM when she was temporarily<br />
seconded <strong>to</strong> the internal sales<br />
department. Her boss, Gavin Coppin,<br />
national sales manager, recalls, ‘A<br />
few years ago Plastform was in a<br />
predicament as both of the then<br />
internal salesladies resigned at the same<br />
time. Natasha stepped in and, in spite<br />
of trying times, managed <strong>to</strong> assist our<br />
cus<strong>to</strong>mers by capturing their orders and<br />
arranging deliveries on time.’<br />
The move <strong>to</strong> a cus<strong>to</strong>mer-facing role<br />
suited her personality and it wasn’t long<br />
before she was asked <strong>to</strong> take over the<br />
marketing and public-relations functions<br />
and, more recently, new product<br />
development. ‘I really enjoy dealing<br />
with people, and I think I’m quite good<br />
at it,’ says the self-assured Natasha. ‘I<br />
think I’ve found my niche in this new<br />
role but it hasn’t been easy. I’ve had <strong>to</strong><br />
study along the way <strong>to</strong> prepare myself<br />
for the demands of these important<br />
functions: first I did a PR course, and last<br />
year I completed a one-year diploma<br />
in packaging through the Institute of<br />
Packaging of South Africa.’<br />
New product development is an<br />
important part of Astrapak’s vision<br />
of becoming the country’s leading<br />
supplier of plastic packaging. Existing<br />
or potential clients normally approach<br />
the company requesting some kind of<br />
specialised packaging, and this starts<br />
off an intensive and comprehensive<br />
research process.<br />
All the relevant details of the proposed<br />
container are established, including<br />
size, special properties and machinery.<br />
A search determines if there are any<br />
existing products in the range that might<br />
meet the client’s needs. If not, a study<br />
is conducted in<strong>to</strong> potential volumes<br />
and the cost of new <strong>to</strong>oling, and cost<br />
estimates are developed. If the client is<br />
satisfied with the estimates, pro<strong>to</strong>types<br />
of the new product are made. Once<br />
the cus<strong>to</strong>mer is 100% satisfied that the<br />
concept meets his needs, he signs off<br />
and the production runs commence.<br />
‘The process from concept <strong>to</strong><br />
production can take as little as 8 <strong>to</strong> 12<br />
weeks but it can be quite a lot longer in<br />
some instances,’ says Natasha.<br />
She says that the IPSA diploma has<br />
been an important aspect in preparing<br />
her for her new role. ‘Advising clients<br />
on types of plastic and production<br />
methods can be quite intimidating,<br />
but once you’ve been through the<br />
programme, you’re well equipped <strong>to</strong><br />
deal with almost any query.’<br />
Part of the diploma’s requirements is<br />
the completion of a packaging project,<br />
where the student must develop a new<br />
product from scratch, <strong>to</strong>gether with<br />
a complete report on the need and<br />
marketing rationale, through <strong>to</strong> how it<br />
will be made and from what materials.<br />
Natasha developed a five-portion tray<br />
for instant oats named Good 2 Go!<br />
Uniquely innovative was the inclusion<br />
of disposable spoons – one for each<br />
portion – in the tray. Natasha was<br />
nominated for the Student Gold Pack<br />
National Awards and<br />
won an award for<br />
her report submission.<br />
Natasha is clearly<br />
aiming for even<br />
higher honours:<br />
she’s now<br />
embarked on<br />
a three-year<br />
marketing<br />
diploma<br />
through the<br />
Institute of<br />
Marketing<br />
Management.<br />
‘I’d certainly<br />
encourage<br />
anyone<br />
working in Astrapak <strong>to</strong> take advantage<br />
of the courses on offer,’ she says. ‘The<br />
extra commitment does take some<br />
juggling and there are times when<br />
you’re not sure how you’re going <strong>to</strong><br />
cope with the assignments, but the new<br />
knowledge is something you will have<br />
forever and it enables you <strong>to</strong> become<br />
an even more valuable asset <strong>to</strong> the<br />
company and your clients.’<br />
Says Gavin, ‘Natasha has always<br />
gone the extra mile. She’s wanted <strong>to</strong><br />
understand the whole process, <strong>to</strong> grow<br />
and learn more about packaging.<br />
In spite of a heavy work schedule,<br />
she’s done extremely well in her<br />
courses. Astrapak encourages those<br />
with the aptitude and willingness <strong>to</strong><br />
grow and develop themselves, and<br />
assists by paying for their studies. The<br />
only proviso is that they have <strong>to</strong> work<br />
for the company for two years after<br />
completion of their studies.’<br />
It’s a challenge <strong>to</strong> go back <strong>to</strong> the books but worth<br />
every moment, says Plastform’s Natasha Benson.<br />
8<br />
ASTRAPAK NEWS
Still in play:<br />
Harry Phiri<br />
After three decades in the<br />
business, Harry Phiri has seen<br />
Plastform through several ups and<br />
downs. Now, he says, ‘This industry<br />
has a great future.’<br />
When Man United fan Harry Phiri joined the company in the early 1980s,<br />
his time-clock number was 8. ‘Focus on what you’re doing and the rewards<br />
will come; employees who are diligent get recognised,’ he says.<br />
Harry Phiri is a solid guy: he’s lived<br />
in the same house for 26 years,<br />
been married <strong>to</strong> the same<br />
woman for 28 years and worked at<br />
Plastform for 32 years.<br />
But it didn’t start out all roses. When<br />
Harry first joined Plastform in 1980, he<br />
only lasted a few months: he was fired<br />
for taking the day off <strong>to</strong> commemorate<br />
the 16 June Sowe<strong>to</strong> riots. Fortunately<br />
for everyone, the following year the<br />
managing direc<strong>to</strong>r offered him his job<br />
back and Harry, now forming manager,<br />
hasn’t looked back.<br />
‘I started out as an opera<strong>to</strong>r when the<br />
business was located in Observa<strong>to</strong>ry<br />
and moved through all the departments<br />
– extrusion, forming, printing and<br />
logistics – before settling in forming.<br />
It was a dynamic little business but<br />
the company hit hard times in the<br />
’80s: increasing competition, poor<br />
manufacturing standards and virtually<br />
no quality control nearly saw the<br />
doors close permanently. World Class<br />
Manufacturing wasn’t a phrase that<br />
had even been invented back then.’<br />
He recalls being <strong>to</strong>ld by his manager<br />
at the time: ‘If the container can stand<br />
upright, send it out!’<br />
The company had already outgrown<br />
its Observa<strong>to</strong>ry premises by then, and a<br />
devastating fire that destroyed the plant<br />
proved <strong>to</strong> be a blessing in disguise,<br />
necessitating a move <strong>to</strong> larger premises<br />
in Lansdowne, where it remains <strong>to</strong>day.<br />
Harry has seen technology change<br />
over the years, from four-cavity moulds<br />
performing 8 <strong>to</strong> 10 cycles per minute <strong>to</strong><br />
20 cavity moulds completing 30 cycles<br />
now. Materials have also changed:<br />
the introduction of polyprop in the ’80s<br />
brought a huge number of headaches:<br />
it was a material that they weren’t used<br />
<strong>to</strong> dealing with, there was a lot of waste<br />
and injuries were frequent.<br />
Not only that, but machine setters<br />
retained all the knowledge <strong>to</strong> make<br />
a piece of equipment work at peak<br />
performance in their brain, and without<br />
that person’s input, a machine would<br />
frequently be idle. ‘Previously, machine<br />
opera<strong>to</strong>rs had minimal education<br />
and few responsibilities,’ Harry recalls.<br />
‘Nowadays, all new equipment requires<br />
some sort of computer literacy, and<br />
responsibilities including the writing of<br />
reports and even presentations <strong>to</strong><br />
team members.’<br />
The company went through another<br />
period of instability when Astrapak<br />
first came in<strong>to</strong> the picture but the<br />
implementation of World Class<br />
Manufacturing was the catalyst for<br />
staff at all levels <strong>to</strong> come <strong>to</strong>gether<br />
as a team, with outstanding results.<br />
Investment in new extrusion and<br />
thermoforming equipment has also<br />
contributed <strong>to</strong> staff feeling that there’s<br />
a secure future in the company.<br />
A career highlight for this father of<br />
two was his first trip overseas on an<br />
equipment fact-finding trip that <strong>to</strong>ok the<br />
team on a 14-connecting-flight journey<br />
– quite daunting for someone who’d<br />
never set foot in an aircraft before.<br />
Outside of the office Harry is a soccer<br />
fanatic: a Manchester United fan<br />
since 1977, he’s the chairperson of<br />
the Cape Town branch of the official<br />
Manchester United Supporters Club.<br />
In addition <strong>to</strong> being a rallying point for<br />
fans <strong>to</strong> watch games, the club is also<br />
active in the community, undertaking<br />
fundraising and other upliftment<br />
projects. They recently worked with<br />
the Reach for a Dream Foundation<br />
<strong>to</strong> facilitate a meeting between<br />
a terminally ill child and a visiting<br />
Manchester United player.<br />
After three decades in the business,<br />
Harry has some advice for people<br />
entering the industry: ‘Do your job <strong>to</strong> the<br />
best of your ability, and don’t be scared<br />
<strong>to</strong> take responsibility. Take advantage<br />
of the training opportunities that are<br />
offered. Don’t be discouraged by<br />
obstacles but see them as opportunities<br />
<strong>to</strong> create a new path forward.’<br />
ASTRAPAK NEWS 9
Clearing<br />
the cobwebs<br />
When Marius Murray<br />
turned up for his first<br />
4km time trial, his fellow<br />
athletes stared at him<br />
in disbelief. Eighteen<br />
months later, he’s<br />
hooked on running.<br />
Marcom Plastics’ key account<br />
manager Marius Murray <strong>to</strong>ok<br />
almost half an hour <strong>to</strong> run<br />
his first 4km time trial – not surprisingly,<br />
as he weighed 154kg at the time. But,<br />
with the support of his fellow runners at<br />
Overkruin Athletics Club in Pre<strong>to</strong>ria, he’s<br />
now clocking up at least 70km a month,<br />
in both training and races, and enjoying<br />
the benefits. These include weight loss,<br />
an improved physique and a resting<br />
heart rate that dropped by 30 beats a<br />
minute within just three months. ‘That’s a<br />
mammoth 43 300 beats a day,’ Marius<br />
says. ‘Just imagine the saving on the life<br />
span of my heart!’<br />
And the advantages of being healthy<br />
are coming through in his work life <strong>to</strong>o<br />
– he exceeded his sales target for 12<br />
months in a row in the last financial year,<br />
as well as more than doubling his client<br />
base. ‘I think running really clears the<br />
cobwebs,’ he says.<br />
Although Marius, now 40, was a regular<br />
runner and a keen golfer when he was<br />
younger, he s<strong>to</strong>pped doing sport when<br />
‘life happened’. It was only when he<br />
became fed up with feeling sluggish all<br />
the time as a result of being overweight<br />
that he <strong>to</strong>ok the advice of his brother<br />
– a keen runner with eight Comrades<br />
under his belt – and joined Overkruin<br />
Athletics Club.<br />
Within months he had run his first 5km<br />
race; 10km followed, and by May last<br />
year he was running in 21km races.<br />
‘Doing the Two Oceans half-marathon<br />
was a dream come true,’ he says. ‘To<br />
It’s thumbs-up from Marius Murray at the conclusion of his first Two Oceans earlier<br />
this year.<br />
stand among 17 000 trained hopefuls at<br />
the start was amazing.’<br />
His fellow runners at Overkruin are his<br />
support structure. ‘Having been in sales<br />
all my life, I appreciate the company of<br />
all sorts of people around me – it’s the<br />
spice of life,’ he says. ‘We support each<br />
other, joke around, and most of all share<br />
a passion for sweating hard <strong>to</strong> enjoy<br />
that first cold one after the run.’<br />
Marius wants <strong>to</strong> do a 42.2km run, but<br />
first, he says, he needs <strong>to</strong> lose another<br />
20kg. ‘Then, who knows? Maybe the<br />
Comrades….’<br />
10<br />
ASTRAPAK NEWS
Meet our new people person<br />
Mefane Makhutla is Astrapak’s new Group Human Resources executive.<br />
Unpacked asked him a few questions and discovered a person who’s<br />
passionate about people.<br />
MMefane Makhutla is man with<br />
a calling. ‘From an early age,<br />
I’d play a psychologist role,’<br />
he recalls: ‘people my age and older<br />
would always approach me for some<br />
form of advice or assistance whenever<br />
they encountered personal challenges<br />
in life.’<br />
It’s no surprise, then, that once he’d<br />
matriculated, he pursued a career in<br />
human resources management.<br />
He holds a B.Com (Hons) in HR<br />
Management from the University of<br />
Johannesburg, and has completed<br />
a Management Advancement<br />
Programme and the Executive<br />
Development Programme through<br />
Wits Business School. His career dates<br />
back <strong>to</strong> 1998, when he started working<br />
as a trainee HR consultant at Alpha<br />
(Afrisam); he then joined the National<br />
Treasury as HRD manager, followed by<br />
group employee relations specialist for<br />
Anglo-Platinum and Group HR manager<br />
for Royal Bafokeng Holdings, before<br />
being snapped up by Astrapak.<br />
‘I think our<br />
ultimate<br />
success lies<br />
with our<br />
people.’<br />
Mefane feels strongly that HR<br />
development (HRD) is a corners<strong>to</strong>ne<br />
<strong>to</strong> every organisation. ‘Through HRD,<br />
the organisation is able <strong>to</strong> re-invent<br />
itself in order <strong>to</strong> deliver on its mandate.<br />
Employees are also afforded an<br />
opportunity <strong>to</strong> realise their full potential,<br />
thus meeting their career objectives in<br />
the long term.’<br />
As Astrapak’s HR executive, an<br />
immediate challenge for Mefane is <strong>to</strong><br />
develop a Group HR strategy. ‘I think<br />
Astrapak has got the required capacity<br />
in terms of machinery, systems and<br />
technology,’ he says. ‘We now need<br />
<strong>to</strong> support all these efforts through<br />
strengthening the current human<br />
capital capacity. I think our ultimate<br />
success lies with our people. Everybody<br />
here is willing <strong>to</strong> go the extra mile in<br />
making this company a success; people<br />
are ready <strong>to</strong> embrace the change<br />
required <strong>to</strong> take Astrapak <strong>to</strong> the next<br />
level of performance. They just want <strong>to</strong><br />
be given the right <strong>to</strong>ols in order <strong>to</strong> get<br />
there.’<br />
The challenge is perfect for this man,<br />
who believes that the hurdles in life are<br />
there <strong>to</strong> prepare us ‘<strong>to</strong> tackle every<br />
situation with courage and confidence’.<br />
This extremely busy man uses his<br />
spare time <strong>to</strong> ‘read newspapers and<br />
management journals, and meet friends<br />
and other professionals as a way of<br />
creating and maintaining networks’. He<br />
admits that he does also have some<br />
genuine downtime: ‘I relax by spending<br />
some time at the gym - believe it or not!<br />
- and I sometimes go <strong>to</strong> chisa nyama<br />
<strong>to</strong> have a bit of pap and vleis on a very<br />
quiet Sunday afternoon after enjoying<br />
my moment in church.’<br />
Mefane Makhutla in full cry at the regional conference in Durban.<br />
ASTRAPAK NEWS 11
Front, from left: Tarryn van der Westhuizen, Urissa Naidoo, Dave Tyler,<br />
Anesh Mohanlall, Nils Osberg and Tyrone Nadasen. Middle, from left: Desre<br />
Arthur, Michelle Diamond, Zamani Chonco, Calvin Annandham and Yogan<br />
Ponnusamy. Back, from left: Sifiso Mkize, Veon Chetty and Collin Perumal.<br />
Gareth Elcox hands over the Employee of the Year Award<br />
<strong>to</strong> Paul Nell.<br />
Jason Page receives his award from Gareth Elcox.<br />
Winners one and all<br />
At the Astrapak regional conference in March, five worthy<br />
employees walked off with well-deserved awards.<br />
business is only as strong as its weakest<br />
A employee, and if the accolades<br />
handed out at the regional conference<br />
held in March are anything <strong>to</strong> go by,<br />
Astrapak is very strong indeed.<br />
Paul Nell, Pak 2000’s system administra<strong>to</strong>r<br />
and a key member of the Pak 2000<br />
management team, was recognised<br />
as the Pak 2000 employee of the year.<br />
His understanding and administration<br />
of the Syspro system has been faultless,<br />
and Paul has dedicated many hours of<br />
his own time <strong>to</strong> ensure that it maintains<br />
a high degree of information accuracy.<br />
His efforts have given the Pak 2000 team<br />
the edge in managing itself as a business<br />
and its feedback on critical info <strong>to</strong> our<br />
market base.<br />
Jason Page from Consupaq, who was<br />
recently appointed regional IT manager<br />
for KwaZulu-Natal, received an award for<br />
his exceptional achievement in creating<br />
and designing online <strong>to</strong>ols for the KZN<br />
region, which are now being rolled out<br />
<strong>to</strong> the entire Group.<br />
Jerrald Pillay, who was recently<br />
promoted <strong>to</strong> fac<strong>to</strong>ry manager,<br />
was awarded for his operational<br />
excellence. Jerrald has shown<br />
enormous strides in operations, WCM,<br />
supply chain and overall continued<br />
improvement. He has a dedicated,<br />
hands-on approach <strong>to</strong> problem<br />
solving and getting the job done, and<br />
inspires a good work ethic throughout<br />
the fac<strong>to</strong>ry.<br />
Zamani Chonco and Anesh<br />
Mohanlall, both from Plas<strong>to</strong>p<br />
KZN, won recognition for high levels<br />
of people and operational<br />
management growth, exceptional<br />
cost control, project management<br />
for commissioning one of the country’s<br />
first high-speed shrink-sleeving<br />
production lines in record-breaking<br />
time, displaying the highest level<br />
of commitment <strong>to</strong> their work and<br />
promoting teamwork.<br />
Trust Ndlela, WCM trainer at Consupaq,<br />
earned his award for his exceptional<br />
talent in communicating WCM<br />
principles <strong>to</strong> all levels of employees<br />
within the business. Read more about<br />
Trust on page 5.<br />
12<br />
ASTRAPAK NEWS