South African guided weapons, unmanned air vehicles and space company Denel Dynamics plans to increase its revenue to more than R2-billion within five years. This was reported by company CEO Tsepo Monaheng at its annual "Show and Tell" briefing in Centurion, just south of Pretoria, on Friday.

In the financial year 2014/2015, Denel Dynamics achieved revenues of R1.49-billion. For 2015/2016, it hopes to receive almost R1.46-billion (the apparent fall is because the Integrated Systems Solutions unit has been moved out of Denel Dynamics, to form the new Denel Integrated Systems and Maritime division). In 2016/2017 revenues should rise to about R1.65-billion, in 2017/2018 to around R1.86-billion, in 2018/2019 to some R2.24-billion and in 2019/2020 to almost R2.44-billion. "We should be able to achieve this growth in revenues," he assured.

This revenue increase is part of the company's Five-Year Plan. This also includes investing in technologies, in technical skills, in products and in local industry. There will also be a focus on developing the individual employees of the company and their individual performance. This is a particularly important aspect of the plan. "If we don't [focus on individuals], we won't reach that Five-Year Plan," he affirmed.

He noted that there were always obstacles and impediments to growth and that the company had to ensure that it overcame these. "The journey is not a smooth journey, it's not a small journey. Most of the time [however] we'll win the battles." The battles that must be won include maintaining (if not expanding) market share and winning orders.

"We have to continue supporting our customers to the best of our ability. We have to be able to be aligned with government, we have [also] to be aligned with government foreign policy."

He pointed out that growing the company's revenues would benefit the wider South African industry, through Denel Dyanamics' supply chain. "We want a broader supply chain," stated Monaheng. "We won't succeed if we don't have a stronger supply chain."

"We have to ensure that the local industry is strong enough to back us up, otherwise we will fail," he said. "We have to make sure our broader supply chain is strengthened. We have to be able to grow and develop new suppliers."

Denel Dynamics is part of the State-owned Denel defence industrial group.