Energy Engineered Products and associate companies, Multi Alloys and E-Metals Cape,
are proud to announce that they have attained a Level 4 Black Economic Empowerment (BEE)
contributor status.

From the first codes of good practice more than a decade ago to the new codes, Energy
Engineered Products, a specialist distributor of stainless steel, specialist alloys, and valve
products, has walked a long BEE road along with nickel alloys, duplex and high alloy stainless
steel and titanium supplier, Multi Alloys, and E-Metals Cape, purveyor of stainless steel and other
corrosion resisting alloys to the Western Cape market.

With Level 4 as the goal, the organisations embarked on addressing all the elements on the
score card. “In addition to focussing on our long-established programs - investment in people
and skills, training, socio-economic investments and procurement, we went a step further,
addressing the B-BBEE ownership element of the scorecard to achieve the best possible
rating,” explains Graham Whitty, Director Business Development at Energy Engineered
Products.

“Our significant and continued investments in our most important asset, our people,
and developing their skills bear testament to our commitment and has proved to be invaluable
as it has allowed us to steadily promote people to leadership positions.”

Ownership, the final pillar on the BEE scorecard, proved to be the most challenging according to Whitty.

“But sometimes it is time itself that helps one find a way and in our case two of our senior sales managers, Rowena Surneerchand and Anesh Prithilall, were recently welcomed as shareholders in the business in recognition of their ongoing dedication and commitment.

The development of talent and people skills from within is crucial to the organisation’s sustainable growth and helps to create the succession and sustainability that we need in our business to continue developing and moving forward.”

In May 2017 the three companies also signed a BEE ownership agreement with an external party. “Our long-standing relationship with the Edwin Bogopa of Metsana Engineering matured to the point where significant shared value would be created by inviting him to join our business as a shareholder and non-executive director,” explains Whitty.

With the fundamental belief that skills and education are the drivers of transformation in South Africa, the organisation has been focussing on social-economic investments, providing support for education to previously disadvantaged people.          
 

Whitty says that the transformation journey to once again achieve a level 4 status under the
new codes of good practices has not always been an easy one and while some mistakes were
made, the organisation emerged stronger. “We are by no means done and still have a long way
to go because we believe that further transformation of our business is essential.

To this end we remain committed to driving this agenda in order to make a meaningful difference to our employees as well as to our customers who now enjoy 100% recognition for their spend with the three respective companies which in turn will earn them procurement points for BEE.”

In closing Whitty says that while there are many challenges facing South Africans, opportunities
to make a meaningful difference abound. “By taking small but consistent steps within your own
sphere of influence it is possible to collectively make a difference.

In keeping a focus on the goal of achieving meaningful transformation, identifying the many opportunities for transformation and developing programs, no matter how small, the scorecard will take care of itself.”