Strong principles help supplier maintain foothold in region

Owing to its 100/0 principle, fastener specialist Bolt and Engineering Distributors (BED) Group’s Welkom branch, in the Free State, maintains a firm position as supplier of choice to the mining, agricultural, contracting, engineering and DIY sectors in the region.

BED sells its range of lifting equipment, fasteners, bearings, personal protective equipment (PPE), oils and lubricants, and paints as well as general tools and welding products to these sectors.

BED Welkom branch operations manager Andrè Esterhuizen explains the 100/0 principle encapsulates taking 100% responsibility and accountability for both individual and company success and making 0% excuses for compromising on service.

He adds the Welkom branch, which has been operational for almost as long as the group, was the third to be established, after the Wadeville head office, in Gauteng, and the Klerksdorp branch, in the North West province.

“Thirty-two years ago, the creation of this branch – which acts as a central hub in the heart of the Free State but extends far beyond provincial borders to Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, Cradock, Vrede and Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal, and the iron-ore hub of Kathu in the Northern Cape – was the next logical step,” he adds.

“Initially, the branch's focus was on gold mining, but as the sector declined, many of the local shafts began closing and the Welkom branch’s main target sector became agriculture, [specifically] maize and beef,” he explains.

However, he now says he is pleased to see key mining industry players buy and re-open many shafts in the Welkom area.

Esterhuizen, along with area sales manager Victor Hattingh, is currently on a mission to grow mining sales and on the back of that, ensure that the Welkom branch ultimately becomes one of BED’s largest branches.

“I believe that using Welkom as a hub to process quotes and orders and then dispatch goods and services is a better business model than establishing expensive satellite offices in smaller centres,” he stresses.

Esterhuizen adds that the six area sales managers employed at the Welkom branch who report directly to him have plenty of “fire in their bellies” and have an intricate knowledge of the industries and communities in which they work.

The latest arrow to be added to the Welkom branch’s quiver will be an experienced PPE specialist.

The BED Group has been a trusted distributor of PPE products for over 30 years with a substantial product range which includes everything from hard hats, safety boots, gloves and eyewear to respiratory equipment, high-visibility clothing, and ear protection.

“We have sold PPE previously but not as much as we do now,” he says.

This division has grown, and BED Welkom is looking to appoint a PPE specialist who knows exactly what the customer wants and will “win them over”, especially in the mining industry, where clients always need PPE, and need it immediately, he says.

On arrival in Welkom, Esterhuizen initiated a complete makeover of the PPE customer centre, moving the large counter to the front and then creating a customer-friendly shopping retail area, where customers could interact with and experience the wide range of products on display.

“Now, my plan is to make PPE even more accessible through open days at the branch and on customers’ premises,” he says.

He mentions a recent open day in Welkom and one at a client in Vrede, both of which proved very successful, prompting BED to explore the viability of participating in more of these events in future.

The industries on which he will continue to focus on are mining and agriculture, as well as DIY and engineering.