Woolworths promotes South African entrepreneurs
Woolworths' South African suppliers that form part of the company's enterprise development (ED) programme are benefitting from the company's expansion into Africa. One such family-owned business is Stuart's Joinery, which has been appointed as the preferred shopfitting supplier for the group's African stores.
Stuart's Joinery has been a supplier to Woolworths since the late 1980s, when the founder, Stuart Hopley, started off with minor installations, including change rooms and till banks. But its inclusion in the company's ED programme has seen the company grow from a humble start in a garage on the Cape Flats, to a 2200m2 factory with 68 full time staff.
In the last year alone, this father-and-son team has been responsible for the shopfitting of 14 stores in seven African countries, which included Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, Mauritius, Tanzania and Mozambique. In South Africa, they've done shopfitting for 28 stores during the last financial year and have also been contracted to do the shopfitting for newly extended stores in countries such as Mauritius.
Jody Hopley says that working in various African cities involves extensive planning and presents them with an opportunity to learn and grow from new logistical challenges. He says fittings are first designed and manufactured at the factory in Ottery, before being shipped to the stores. The shopfitting installation, which is designed like a puzzle, then gets assembled at the new store site.
"Outside South Africa, our turnaround time on a store is between 10 to 20 days, whereas we have between two to six months available when we construct stores at home. To ensure that the job is done fast and efficiently, we send in a core specialist team. However, we are also committed to the development of local communities and therefore make use of local labour in African countries to create employment and to share our skills," he explains.
"Stuart's Joinery has played an integral part in our African expansion plans and we value our relationship with them," says Maurice De Villiers, Woolworths group head of real estate development. "Through the Enterprise Development Programme, we make use of our supply chain to empower emerging suppliers and entrepreneurs. It means that small businesses are given the tools required to succeed, as well as the ongoing support needed for sustainability and growth."
