New megastores from Alert Steel and Build

Alert Steel bought hardware and building materials retailer and wholesaler Build Kwik Wholesalers for R58.1 million, earlier this month.

Each new store has a more comprehensive offering than has previously been available and stocks both day-to-day consumables and large-scale items. It specialises in steel, timber, plumbing, hardware, paint, security products, home décor and building materials.

The Pretoria store will have 109 showrooms that will be erected inside the building from January 2014. These showrooms will offer potential homeowners, architects and other customers a visual platform for purchasing their goods.

All the products on display in the showrooms will be available from the store and the model is designed so that customers can see an entire room that they like on the showroom floor and order it as is, or order components from the room that will best suit their needs.

Changes to business structure

Alert Steel and Build CEO, Peter Dodson says, "The establishment of new stores forms part of the rejuvenating plans announced earlier this year and is designed to give us access to a broader consumer market."

Dodson and his team are in the process of implementing a number of new strategies to turn the business around and initiatives such as the megastore development offer exciting growth opportunities, particularly in bridging the consumer and wholesale markets.

Graduate programme

As part of its business development plans, it has also established a graduate program to address the shortage of scarce and critical skills in the wholesale and retail sectors. The graduate programme has been developed with the Services Sector Education and Training Authority and is set to have its first group of 26 students enrolled by the end of August 2013.

The company will then apply for 60 school leavers in the 2013/2014 pivotal grants.

Employees in the programme will participate in a 12-24 month trainee management course and the company will be partnering with the Retail Relate group for all training and development requirements.

Dodson said he believes that the graduate programme will be beneficial, as it will help create a pool of skilled workers with formal tertiary qualifications in the industry. It would also promote retail as a career of choice, assist companies in meeting their strategic staffing needs and provide unemployed graduates with valuable work experience and skills to enhance their employability.