EMVAfrica’s Cape Town branch office goes next level
(Left) Mario Ward and Justin Orwin ready to take EMVAfrica's Cape Town branch office to the next level
EMVAfrica has carved a niche in the local industry as a single-source solutions provider that specialises in corrosion resisting alloys such as stainless steel and other specialist alloys. The company boasts a solid Western Cape presence which spans well over a decade through its subsidiary E-Metals Cape, which was incorporated into the EMVAfrica brand in 2018 as the EMVAfrica Cape Town branch office.
Justin Orwin and Mario Ward were recently appointed as Branch Manager and Branch Sales Manager respectively at the Cape Town office. The motivation behind these new appointments stems from EMVAfrica’s innate belief in recognising its employees’ valuable capabilities as well as adopting fresh ideas to take the business to the next level. Justin and Mario bring to the table extensive industry knowledge and an expert skill set which will assist them in their roles as well as in solidifying the branch office’s position as a force to be reckoned with in industry.
Justin has held numerous leadership positions both locally as well as in the UK within the FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) industry. In a consulting role with EMVAfrica over the past two years, Justin has developed a deep knowledge of the business. “Experience in distribution businesses and an understanding of what it takes to build and drive a customer-focused organisation are key to Justin’s new role. Having already made a substantial contribution, we believe that he will be invaluable in taking our business forward in terms of growth and professionalism,” notes Graham Whitty, Director of EMVAfrica.
From a management perspective, Justin’s role is centred on acting as an enabling force within the business. He will be responsible for ensuring that the sales, operational and administrative business functions are equipped to deliver against objectives and budgets. This will ultimately lead to the company delivering against its financial targets whilst continuing to move towards its long-term objectives. Whitty adds that happy customers and staff are at the core of the role. Justin is committed to expanding his knowledge of the company as he works alongside his team in ensuring that the branch office upholds its world-class standards. “I am proud to be part of such a wonderful team and look forward to building EMVAfrica’s presence in the Western Cape while continuing to offer all our customers unrivalled service and value.”
Holding the position as a senior sales leader in the stainless steel industry for several years, Mario has risen through the EMVAfrica ranks and has a solid understanding of the company and its portfolio. Whitty explains that for a period, Mario, who was then to senior internal sales manager, assisted the company through a transition by acting as branch manager. “Given Mario’s product knowledge, sales experience and proven leadership, assuming a full time role as branch sales manager was simply a natural progression. He has done an incredible job holding down two portfolios for some time and now he can return to his main area of passion – sales. In this tough business environment, his leadership and focus in a key area of our business could not have come at a better time,” shares Whitty.
Mario’s primary responsibility lies in building and leading the sales consultant team. EMVAfrica’s business is predominantly based on customer relationships, the ability to be responsive as well as being equipped with accurate commercial and technical knowledge to provide best-in-class service. Complementing this mandate, Mario’s goal is to enhance sales performance through further development of the sales team. In addition, his role also covers stock planning, sales budgeting, marketing as well as strengthening relationships with key customers. Ready to hit the ground running, Mario shares that he is eager to continue driving up EMVAfrica sales with the support of his dedicated team. “This new role enables me to focus all my energy on empowering and upskilling the EMVAfrica sales team to the ultimate benefit of our valued customers. I am passionate about building our customer base and exploring more industries and challenges.”
With the aim to strengthen its position as a leading distributor of industrial stainless steel and valves in the Western Cape, EMVAfrica is constantly looking at new ways in which to enhance its products and services suite. Its Cape Town branch office services a wide range of sectors such as water treatment, engineering and fabrication, petrochemical, food processing, marine, OEM (original equipment manufacture), mineral processing and power generation. The diverse product range which includes pipes, fittings, flanges and tubes cater to the eclectic needs of process industries, whilst its round bars, angles and flat bars are ideally suited to the manufacturing industry. Completing the robust product suite are industrial valves and actuators.
“Our company was born out of transformation and therefore we are excited about the positive changes that these new appointments promise to bring to our Cape Town branch and subsequently to our customers,” states Whitty. “Led by Justin and Mario, we have an excellent team of people that work tirelessly to implement our 3S approach – stock, service and solutions. We aim to meet our customers’ needs by making our products available through our stock holding, by working diligently to offer industry leading service and turnaround times and finally, to assist customers’ in meeting their requirements as an innovative solution provider.”
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