Local steel trading company consolidates its African footprint and grows its product offering and manufacturing.
Tradecore Steel (Pty) Ltd, a privately-owned steel trading and distribution company based in Wadeville, Johannesburg with offices in Durban and Cape Town, enters its fourth year of operation in November 2018.
Fundamental to the company’s success has been a two-pronged approach: consolidating the gains made over three successful years in business, as well as continually seeking to diversify its offering beyond trading and logistics and into manufacturing and processing.
Much like the strength this company’s products lend to construction projects, TradeCore Steel is built around the expertise of founding partners and directors Jean Paul Briner and Anthony Hoare, with a combined 30 years of steel industry experience. “Our approach to bulk steel trading is in some respects untraditional,” says Briner. “By using an agile approach to decision making, we’ve been able to respond to market shifts and customer needs extremely quickly and found what we believe to be a highly competitive edge.
This continues to bear fruit as we reflect on three years of operation, and we’re extremely proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish.”
Though Tradecore started out as a small company, the last three years have seen it enjoy considerable growth – in manufacturing capabilities, in distribution footprint, and through the acquisition of a fleet of trucks.
“Growth of this nature can only be sustained by good people. Our staff has increased substantially over the last year, and we’re exceptionally proud to have welcomed onboard a new Financial Director in CJ Blackburn (CA),” says Hoare.
“We’re grateful to have such an energetic team that is passionate about delivering solutions that truly work for our customers. Our team’s dynamism means that we still enjoy the agility and quick decision making of a small company but are supported by the processes and operational strength of a larger organisation.”
The company’s core offering started with bulk trading, local and cross-border logistics and distribution of steel sourced from third party producers, but in 2017 Tradecore started producing some of its own products, namely manufacturing flat bar. “We have some exciting new products and services to offer the market in the upcoming ear and look forward to growing with our customers” Says Briner.
“We’re proud to have been able to develop such a comprehensive product offering so quickly, and diversifying through the business by expanding through the supply chain is already proving itself,” says Briner. “Just as we’ve seen our disruptive approach to trading and logistics bear fruit, we’re excited to see how we can innovate in the processing and manufacturing space by looking at every aspect of the industry with fresh eyes.”
TradeCore Steel continues to strengthen its reach in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, and the company’s full product line can be produced, financed and transported throughout South Africa and into Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Congo, Botswana, Namibia and Malawi.
“Although our local economy has had its ups and downs this last year, we believe there is always a market for quality services and products,” says Hoare. “Ultimately, our commitment is to ensure that we produce and deliver the highest quality product to customers when they needed – wherever they are in Africa. That’s been our recipe for success over three good years and we look forward to building a legacy of excellence in the years to come.”
For more information, please visit www.tradecoresteel.co.za.