Acoustex hosts high level stakeholder factory tour
The Acoustex Group hosted a high level delegation at their plant on Thursday, 11 March 2021, following strict Covid-19 protocols.
Acoustex has been a supplier of quality sound deadening, acoustic insulation, carpets, parcel trays, injection-moulded and extruded products to the Automotive Assembly Industry for more than 40 years.
The company currently employs 140 team members, drawn from the surrounding residential areas, and supplies product directly to local markets in South Africa and indirectly to international markets in countries such as England, Spain, Japan, Germany, China, Australia, America and North and Central Africa.
“Stakeholders are key to our business and we decided to host this factory tour in order to give these key individuals an opportunity to understand our business, our culture and our product. This is an opportunity to see, touch and feel a product which is largely not visible”, says Andre Swartbooi, Commercial Director of Acoustex Group. External stakeholders invited to the factory tour included representatives from the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, Provincial Government, DTI, ECDC and the media.
The focus of the presentation given was on the evolution of Acoustex as a proudly black Tier 1 supplier to the automotive industry. The business has paid it’s school fees through the years, ultimately implementing a turnaround strategy and executing it with precision.
With a global recession in 2007, Acoustex faced potential closure, having lost 50% of volume, revenue and staff. However, a new leadership team rescued the business in 2009, bringing investment into the business for improved infrastructure, growing new employment by 30% and winning new contracts. The years following this were not without challenges. However, after securing a R27m investment through the VW BEE Trust Investment, Acoustex was able to maximise and leverage on this funding for further business growth.
Acoustex has constantly evolved, and through successful implementation of a turnaround strategy in 2011, the business currently supplies all OEM’s in South Africa and has established itself as is the only supplier of sound deadening components in SA, securing all follow up related sound deadening business.
In addition, the business has built production capability and credibility, built technical and non-technical internal capacity, obtained Note 1 Export Quality Accreditation, is recognized as an A-Rating Quality supplier, improved production output by 50%, added 20% new jobs, moved to 3 shifts and achieved 95% local content.
The key pillars of their strategy for success revolve around shareholdership, leadership, infrastructure development and investments. Acoustex Group is gearing up to double their turnover in the next 2 years, and this could not be achieved without the support of government funding and incentives.
“Today we would like to acknowledge the following for their support in the growth of our business: the DTI for AIS on new machinery, ECDC for the Job Stimulus Fund, the Department of Labour for TERS funding during the Covid-19 pandemic and Standard Bank for Covid-19 relief funding as well as asset funding”.
The Acoustex Group is geared for growth, with a strong team at the helm with more than 200 years management experience in the automotive industry, a culture of innovation, customer centric and a strong will to succeed.
