Knowledge, availability, reliability: The pillars of Swartland success

Swartland Doors and Windows understands the importance of its customers’ homes and businesses and the importance of its products within. Doors welcome every guest and windows let in warmth and keep out cold. For over 50 years, Swartland has been serving the residential and commercial market with windows and doors, are their quality and reputation is well established. With an ingrained appreciation for the legacy it has built, the company is focused on increasing its global presence in preparation for another 50 successful years.

Established in 1951 as a family business and first as an electrical contracting company, Swartland saw the rapid growth in the joinery and cabinet industry in 1970s South Africa as an opportunity. Having accrued a significant amount of experience in woodworking manufacturing and distribution, the company curtailed its specialty towards providing the popular wooden doors in many South African homes. In the early 1980s, Swartland was manufacturing the lightest wooden windows amongst its competition from its impressive Atlantis factory. The company had found an economy of scale and a distribution plan that led to exponential growth, particularly within the South African market.  Customers responded in droves to the company’s Winster range of doors made out of South Africa pine.

The late 1980s saw further growth in export markets. With locations in the Swartland area, Maryborough and Mossburgh, the company has emerged a top class producer of pine doors and other hardwood products (windows and doors) today. Today, the Swartland product line is so diverse that customers are offered beautifully crafted products at every price point. In each range there are specialised windows and doors, normal, casement, entrance doors, patio doors, interior doors and more.

Knowing the market

Swartland’s export strategy has been tailored to emerging market trends. Never content to only produce its established product lines, Swartland has let the firm’s investment and product strategy be guided by customer demand. Take Swartland’s decision to invest in its own timber drying facilities, for instance.

According to the company, “After a careful study of its customer requirements, which involved extensive research in the United States, Europe and the UK, the Group realised that timber from South African sawmills was not adequately meeting the needs of its customer base.” According to the Group’s managing director, Charl Jacobz, “The moisture content level demanded by the international market in wood products such as doors is at least four per cent lower than what the average South African sawmill produces. This is attributed to the fact that, traditionally, South African sawmillers cut and dry timber according to the requirements of their main customer group, the structural timber market. Consequently the South African sawmilling industry is believed to have under-invested in drying technology,” he says.  From there, the lumber is put in a kiln and dried to 8 per cent moisture.

“This is what we believe is the optimum moisture content to be so it doesn’t warp and crack.”

It is vital to the Swartland team that it participates in stringent environmental practises, and the company goes to great lengths to purchase timber from responsible concessions in logging. “We subscribe to ISO 9000 in terms of quality and health and safety, prescribed legislation, run like any world class manufacturer,” says Jacobz. “The Group has Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for all the pine operations and strictly applies ISO 9002 principles and practices in the workplace. Jacobz believes that “quality products and high service standards are the driving force behind the Group and its successful export strategy. The firm’s strategy of focusing on high quality products is paying off handsomely as demand for its products has consistently increased over the years.”

Plans for expansion

Already ubiquitous among finer retailers, the company has recently begun to actively seek more distributors in Africa, mainly Sub-Saharan Africa. Swartland has successfully exported directly to the following countries on a project basis: “Algeria, Tanzania, Angola, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe,” beams Tyrone Hicklin, Export Manager.

“We envisage growth from our entrance into this market. We continuously strive to improve, and we see improvement as the elimination of waste. We yield the best efficiency from our raw materials and the most efficient production,” he continues.  “With the recently renewed focus on cost saving, waste control and production efficiencies, we aim to be the most efficient joinery manufacturers in the world. We see our place in the global arena as setting the benchmark, this applies across the board to every facet of our business. Quality and customer service remain focus issues.”

Swartland continues to identify opportunities for growth through identifying and pursuing new markets and through acquisitions. With a solid management team dedicated to keeping the brand’s global profile, Swartland will continue to shine in the South African business community.

www.swartland.co.za

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