'Sawubona' to Sandile

Still in play:
Harry Phiri
After three decades in the
business, Harry Phiri has seen
Plastform through several ups and
downs. Now, he says, ‘This industry
has a great future.’
When Man United fan Harry Phiri joined the company in the early 1980s,
his time-clock number was 8. ‘Focus on what you’re doing and the rewards
will come; employees who are diligent get recognised,’ he says.
Harry Phiri is a solid guy: he’s lived
in the same house for 26 years,
been married to the same
woman for 28 years and worked at
Plastform for 32 years.
But it didn’t start out all roses. When
Harry first joined Plastform in 1980, he
only lasted a few months: he was fired
for taking the day off to commemorate
the 16 June Soweto riots. Fortunately
for everyone, the following year the
managing director offered him his job
back and Harry, now forming manager,
hasn’t looked back.
‘I started out as an operator when the
business was located in Observatory
and moved through all the departments
– extrusion, forming, printing and
logistics – before settling in forming.
It was a dynamic little business but
the company hit hard times in the
’80s: increasing competition, poor
manufacturing standards and virtually
no quality control nearly saw the
doors close permanently. World Class
Manufacturing wasn’t a phrase that
had even been invented back then.’
He recalls being told by his manager
at the time: ‘If the container can stand
upright, send it out!’
The company had already outgrown
its Observatory premises by then, and a
devastating fire that destroyed the plant
proved to be a blessing in disguise,
necessitating a move to larger premises
in Lansdowne, where it remains today.
Harry has seen technology change
over the years, from four-cavity moulds
performing 8 to 10 cycles per minute to
20 cavity moulds completing 30 cycles
now. Materials have also changed:
the introduction of polyprop in the ’80s
brought a huge number of headaches:
it was a material that they weren’t used
to dealing with, there was a lot of waste
and injuries were frequent.
Not only that, but machine setters
retained all the knowledge to make
a piece of equipment work at peak
performance in their brain, and without
that person’s input, a machine would
frequently be idle. ‘Previously, machine
operators had minimal education
and few responsibilities,’ Harry recalls.
‘Nowadays, all new equipment requires
some sort of computer literacy, and
responsibilities including the writing of
reports and even presentations to
team members.’
The company went through another
period of instability when Astrapak
first came into the picture but the
implementation of World Class
Manufacturing was the catalyst for
staff at all levels to come together
as a team, with outstanding results.
Investment in new extrusion and
thermoforming equipment has also
contributed to staff feeling that there’s
a secure future in the company.
A career highlight for this father of
two was his first trip overseas on an
equipment fact-finding trip that took the
team on a 14-connecting-flight journey
– quite daunting for someone who’d
never set foot in an aircraft before.
Outside of the office Harry is a soccer
fanatic: a Manchester United fan
since 1977, he’s the chairperson of
the Cape Town branch of the official
Manchester United Supporters Club.
In addition to being a rallying point for
fans to watch games, the club is also
active in the community, undertaking
fundraising and other upliftment
projects. They recently worked with
the Reach for a Dream Foundation
to facilitate a meeting between
a terminally ill child and a visiting
Manchester United player.
After three decades in the business,
Harry has some advice for people
entering the industry: ‘Do your job to the
best of your ability, and don’t be scared
to take responsibility. Take advantage
of the training opportunities that are
offered. Don’t be discouraged by
obstacles but see them as opportunities
to create a new path forward.’
ASTRAPAK NEWS 9