Owing to its continuous innovation in protective gear, personal protective equipment (PPE) service provider Select PPE received a 2015 Southern Africa Frost & Sullivan Award for Visionary Innovation Leadership last year presented by consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.

Select PPE has maintained its motto,‘Pro-tecting people everyday’, through product innovation and delivery of complete turnkey solutions. The company has demonstrated preparedness in identifying the shift from paper-based to online integrations, and responded with alacrity by developing a new software solution to supplement its hardware offering.

“Select PPE’s online functionalities have enabled it to capture a market that traditionally had high entry barriers,” says Frost & Sullivan research analyst Kobus Eksteen.

Previously, it had been considered “unfeasible” to supply PPE to smaller operations with 150 to 300 employees, but Select PPE’s software and online store presented these customers with access to solutions that were previously unavailable to them.

Select PPE’s service platform has given both large and small industry participants access to real-time monitoring to ensure reliable assessment of the type and quantity of PPE needed and automatic replenishment of stock, as well as alerts that are communicated to the head of safety when an employee is at risk.

The integrated software allows the user to adapt solutions to changing customers’ requirements on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. It generates daily management reports on each employee’s usage data and equipment abuse history and safety records, and compares them with the industry average.

This level of detail gives safety directors insight, assisting them with improving process and cost efficiency. Additionally, it aids pre-emptive corrections and serves as a record of PPE use for safety authorities.

“Select PPE’s product development endeavours have resulted in the PPE Solution, which addresses the specific requirements of an indivi- dual client’s operation. “It then determines an Issuing Protocol that recommends the optimal PPE solution for each client, while allowing customisations. “This ensures process transparency,” states Eksteen.

Another contribution of Select PPE to the industry is its focus on women’s PPE.

“Innovations in PPE have largely been aimed at enhancing the comfort of male wearers and, hence, the PPE did not adequately fit the female form. “This resulted in low PPE usage among women, which compromised their safety,” says Eksteen.

Notably, Select PPE maintained an annual growth rate of at least 15% during the recent mining and industrial shutdown. The company plans on expanding its footprint by outsourcing its software to distributors in other African countries.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated the necessary understanding to leverage global megatrends and integrate the vision into processes to achieve strategic excellence. The award recognises the efficacy of the recipient’s innovative process and the impact it has on business and society at large.