This proud South African, family-run business consists of four separately run companies. The first, established in 1996 is Trolley World. It manufactures various forms of trolleys for an assortment of retail and working environments, such as supermarkets, nurseries and factories. The second business started out two years later in 1998. This proud South African, family-run business consists of four separately run companies. The first, established in 1996 is Trolley World. It manufactures various forms of trolleys for an assortment of retail and working environments, such as supermarkets, nurseries and factories. The second business started out two years later in 1998. AC Cable Support manufactures steel cable management systems for commercial, as well as industrial construction purposes. This includes anything from power skirting, channels and trunking, to wire mesh trays, cable ladders and cantilever arms.
Family-run We speak with Managing Director, Gina Gerber, about the close-knit family aspect of the group: It’s a family business that we have built up over many years. It was started by my father Roger Saby and then expanded by my brother Marc Saby, who has since passed away, and I have taken over from him and am now running the businesses along with my father. Being a small family business, it’s quicker to make decisions as we don’t have to report to any corporate structures. This also allows us to be very flexible in our approach. We run hands on, and have a close relationship with our staff. Because of this, I think we are very accommodating. If our customers ask for something special, we turn things upside down, work overtime, work weekends, we do whatever it takes to make sure our customers are happy, she says, stressing that customer service is a huge focus and priority for the group. Efficiencies Continuing, she outlines the advantages of running more than one company simultaneously: They are run separately, but as I do the buying for all of the companies this provides us with increased buying power in terms of our steel and our raw material purchases. Because I buy for more than one company, our purchases are substantial, so I’m able to negotiate competitive prices and also ensure we only purchase top quality steel.









We’ve got fantastic relationships with our suppliers, which we pride ourselves on. We pay promptly, which means they value our business and people respect us, hence we get very good service from our suppliers. Gerber tells us that the property is made up of six portions that are fully owned by the company, where she has self-employed security. We’re on one company-owned premise, which allows us to have high efficiencies across the group of companies. Although all companies are run individually we have many areas where we can cross function, such as staff, vehicles, knowledge and purchases The group also has its own powder coating plant, which falls under AC Cable Support, she explains. We do our own powder coating in-house, which is a value added service for our customers. We don’t have to transport out or delay delivery times. We can ensure top quality in a fast turnaround time. The powder coating business also takes on work from outside the firm from time to time. The fourth company is being built as we speak and is going to be called Galvaglow, which will also be on the same premises, she adds. This is a hot dip galvanizing plant and will be an investment of over R15million for the group, which will add significant value to AC Cable Support.
We manufacture cable ladder and wire mesh, and we currently outsource our hot dip galvanizing on these items. As of November 1, when we estimate to be up and running, we will do all our own galvanizing. This, again, will give us the advantage of quicker turnaround time on production, so we don’t have to wait for any other galvanizer, or transport our product there. We will be able to reduce our costs by having this facility on our premise and this will therefore allow us to be more price-competitive in the market in the future. We can also then determine top quality, she explains. Gerber outlines one very interesting aspect to the new galvanizing plant: About 18 months ago, South Africa revised the environmental laws with regards to galvanizing plants, which they have given existing galvanizing plants a few years to comply with. At the moment none of them are fully compliant. So when we open in November this year, we will officially be the only galvanizing plant that is 100 percent compliant to the new South African environmental laws. Currently there are two galvanizing plants in South Africa that are run by a gas furnace. Galvaglow will be the third. This will also be an advantage over current galvanizers with the electricity hikes expected in the near future in South Africa.



We have purchased our furnace from a company called Gemico in Italy and our kettle from a company in Switzerland called Pilling. So we believe we have bought top quality equipment for this new venture, she adds. Technology Being a factory covering a vast area of 14000sq.m, the group’s entire network system is wireless. We don’t have telephone lines due to this as well, so our telephone system is all VOIP. With regards to our machines, we are always looking at new technology and improving our quality and efficiency in our factories. We attend shows from time to time such as the Wire show in Germany and have purchased bending machines from the UK so we are always trying to stay on top of any new technology. In terms of Trolley World’s most recent machine investment, Gerber says they bought an automated wire bender from the UK in 2007 that bends approximately twenty times faster than in the previous methods. The most recent AC Cable Support investment was a wire mesh machine also purchased in the UK. Gerber tells us the group has recently bought a tool and die business called Hi-Fusion Tool & Die, which was an investment of about R500,000. Again, this is on the same premises.
The main reason for this acquisition was to reduce downtime on our current machines as well as our expenses on tools & dies that we previously out sourced. So when we have a tool that breaks, we can quickly whip it up and make it ourselves in-house, which will save significantly on down time in the factories, she explains. Future With regards to the future of the group, it looks as though the new additions will hold the firm in good stead. With Trolley World’s turnover in excess of R30 million per annum, and AC Cable Support at about R70 million, the Galva-Glow and Hi-Tech additions will take the group well over the R100 million a year mark. For this reason, I think we’ve done fairly well to get to that point as a family business and having grown on our own, she says, adding onto that going forward, the group will look at expanding sales into the fast developing African countries.