https://www.engineeringnews.co.za
Atlas Copco|Automotive|Business|Compressor|Compressors|Fire|Industrial|Innovation|Motors|Pneumatic|Power|PROJECT|Repairs|Resources|Service|Sustainable|Training|Equipment|Solutions
Atlas Copco|Automotive|Business|Compressor|Compressors|Fire|Industrial|Innovation|Motors|Pneumatic|Power|PROJECT|Repairs|Resources|Service|Sustainable|Training|Equipment|Solutions
atlas-copco|automotive|business|compressor|compressors|fire|industrial|innovation|motors|pneumatic|power|project|repairs|resources|service|sustainable|training|equipment|solutions

Atlas Copco and Filpro keep the wheels turning for township mechanics

29th April 2019

     

Font size: - +

This article has been supplied as a media statement and is not written by Creamer Media. It may be available only for a limited time on this website.

Atlas Copco  (0.11 MB)

On 21 February 2019 township automotive service centre owners and motor mechanics from around the country celebrated their success during the annual Filpro enterprise development programme awards function in Durban, Kwazulu-Natal.

Atlas Copco is a socially conscious company that is passionate about community upliftment and development. Through a long-standing partnership with Filpro, Atlas Copco’s B-BBBEE company, Tirisano Trust, has continued to support this highly successful township mechanics initiative.

Born out of a vision that was backed by an innovative project coordination team, automotive component manufacturers, G.U.D. Holdings and NGK Spark Plugs, launched Filpro in 2011. The objective is to equip motor mechanics from townships with the necessary skills to further enhance their capabilities. The programme has steadily grown to encompass over 1000 registered beneficiaries across five Provinces - Gauteng, Free State, KwaZulu Natal, Western and Northern Cape.

This ingenious initiative which Atlas Copco has been actively supporting over the last five years has to date already empowered approximately 150 mechanics. “Atlas Copco’s involvement in the development of informal automotive service centers in previously disadvantaged areas stems from one of our core competencies - innovation and solution,” states Wendy Buffa-Pace, Corporate Human Resources Manager at Atlas Copco Holdings.

Atlas Copco’s industrial power tools and assembly solutions specialist, Industrial Technique, joined the Filpro team to pay a visit to some of the township service centres to gain a better understanding of how they operate, the challenges they face as well as to determine their requirements. Informal businesses range from generalist mechanics to tyre repairs and panel beaters.

“Therefore the selection of tools and workshop equipment is conducted in close co-operation with Filpro to elevate product suitability,” explains General Manager of Industrial Technique, Brandon Oelofse.

Since joining the initiative, Industrial Technique has donated a wide range of tools including sockets, torque and impact wrenches, drills, sanders jacks, engine lifts and their recent involvement once again saw the generous sponsorship of a selection of pneumatic tools.

“Priding ourselves with our innovative ideas, this project presents the perfect platform to showcase the Atlas Copco brand in a light that was never seen before.”

Oelofse confirms that Industrial Technique is planning follow-up visits together with Filpro to ensure the correct use of the tools as well as to provide additional advice and training. “Assisting with the tools training part of the project was not only an occasion for us to give back, but it also enables us to create sustainable networks and as well as to learn from the recipients.”

Atlas Copco’s Compressor Technique business area has also been a strong supporter of this initiative having donated over 45 Automan compressors over the past few years. The 2018 programme was certainly no exception having gained an AC 31 E200M Automan piston compressor.

Gauteng participants are also given a wide range of soft skills trainings including, Basic Business Management, Finance and Bookkeeping, Sales and Marketing, Business Planning and Profiling and Business Excellence. These courses arm the small business owners with fundamental knowledge to formally operate their businesses.

“Filpro is extremely grateful to Atlas Copco and Tirisano Trust for their solid on-ongoing support which greatly assists us in our mission to gear motor mechanics with the skills they need to further develop their competencies,” says Mboneni Magada, General Manager at Filpro (Pty) Ltd. “We are proud to assist these entrepreneurs in taking their businesses’ to greater heights.”

The Filpro initiative has prospered and grown into the powerful programme that it is today thanks to the contributions of other partner organisations such as the Automobile Association, the Department of Labour, SARS, banking institutions and local municipalities.

Through the Filpro enterprise programme many small service centre businesses have emerged and expanded and are making valuable contributions to the betterment of their communities as well as to the country’s economy. Two success stories are 100% black-owned businesses, SAAB Motors in Soweto, Johannesburg and 2020TT Auto Refinishers in Randfontein on Johannesburg’s West Rand.

SAAB Motors was established in 2005 by co-owners Bethuel Nematondoni and Baldwin Malange. Since joining the Filpro programme in 2012, the business has flourished from its humble beginnings operating in the Bara taxi rank to formal premises employing six people.

In addition to pneumatic and non-pneumatic tools, the company has also received training in SHEQ, Consumer Protection Act (CPA), customer care and first aid through EMS at Jabulani Fire Station.

Directors Nematondoni and Malange elaborate on the benefits that the business management training his company received. “I would like to thank Filpro for opening our eyes in terms of business as previously we were operating without knowing the business principles. Now we understand the importance of filing, recording every amount that is coming to the business and the importance of housekeeping.”

Since participating in the Filpro programme for the past six years, 2020TT Auto Refinishers, founded in 1993 by Nathan (Themba) Chacha, has received various soft skills and other training as well as pneumatic and non-pneumatic tools from Filpro.

Chacha is a self-taught motor mechanic whose passion, hard work, dedication, and perseverance, combined with the interventions he received from Filpro, is reflected through the success of his workshop boasting a five-strong staff complement.

“Atlas Copco endeavours to promote sustainable productivity through the Filpro enterprise development programme and we are proud to be part of an initiative that gives recognition to and support the potential of small businesses to assist them in expanding their horizons,” concludes Buffa-Pace. 

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

Showroom

Stewarts & Lloyds
Stewarts & Lloyds

Stewarts & Lloyds today supplies steel and tube, pipe and fittings, valves, pumps, irrigation, fencing, profiling and roofing products. The cash...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
SBS Tanks
SBS Tanks

SBS® Tanks is a leading provider of innovative water security solutions with offices in Southern Africa, East and West Africa, the USA and an...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.115 0.174s - 162pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now