Louis and I met at Transnet when we were doing our tool and die apprenticeships and have remained friends ever since.
Our relationship goes even deeper than that. We worked together at Transnet for a number of years before going our separate ways.
We then teamed up again at a metal processing company in the Pretoria area where we spent 28 years as colleagues. By coincidence our respective sons are following the same path as us. They both work at a design and drafting company involved in hydro mechanical design, manufacturing and consulting services.
The company that they work for is experiencing strong growth and the demand for sheet metal processed components and products is also growing.
They were experiencing frustrations with their suppliers and needed to seek a solution without taking on the responsibility of starting and running a new business or division and this is how we came into the discussions.
Although Louis and I did not have any direct involvement in operating sheet metal processing machines these kind of machines were very much part of the mix where we spent the majority of our working lives.
Our experience involved tool making, estimating and sales and manufacturing backup throughout the company so we gained enough know-how and experience to be confident that we could run with it if an opportunity was presented to us.
To complete the team we approached Ernst and he jumped at the opportunity. At the time he was a colleague of ours working in the laser and press brake department and needed a new challenge in his life.
