Weidmüller will be trading under a new name of RAD Interface, following a successful management buyout headed by its current MD Derrick Mulligan. Weidmüller will still be represented by the new company, as the exclusive distributor for all Weidmüller product sales in southern Africa. Weidmüller has been operating as a subsidiary in South Africa for over 28 years and the buyout signifies a strategic initiative on the part of the local management and the parent holding company to allow the local management to hold a stake in the success and future of the company.
Weidmüller started out as Klippon Electricals under the UK-based company in 1971 and was officially changed to Weidmüller in 1991 under the German holding company. The company has had a successful growth record and is a key player in the electrical interface and connector market in southern Africa.
The senior management team comprised of Derrick Mulligan (current MD), Alex Lockyer (current Sales Manager) and Rodney Beresford (current Financial Manager) have purchased all shares held by Weidmüller.
"It is the birth of a new era for the company," said Mulligan. "This change allows us to grow even stronger in terms of our support to our key accounts and distributors alike. We are thankful to Weidmüller for this opportunity and know we can take the company to new heights in the next 28 years."
The new company will continue its focus on supplying industry in southern Africa with quality interface products in the areas of process and industrial automation as well as transportation. The company is presently the exclusive distributor for other key suppliers in Europe and this has grown and will be enhanced in the future. "We will be aggressively pursuing new interface product opportunities in the future," said Mulligan. "Our customers are the ones that lead us in this endeavour.
"In essence nothing will change for the customers who support Weidmüller products. We will focus on our core business only, being the sales and marketing of interface and associated products with the intention of investing profits into expansion and development of our employees and product base."
The new Weidmüller assists with black empowerment
RAD Interface has also announced that the current Rail and Box Assembly Division has been established as a separate black empowered company under the ownership of a former employee of Weidmüller, Ernest Radebe.
Mulligan stated: "This had been planned and discussed for some time and although this is a small portion of our old business it has the makings of becoming a profitable success. We feel that the fruits of this success should go directly to the employees who make it happen.
"Ernest has been doing this for over four years and has increased business significantly." The new company Radebe Techsystems CC will provide rail and terminal assemblies, terminal junction boxes and other junction box assemblies for the industrial and process industry. This 100% owned black empowered business will be established with the guidance and support from RAD Interface management to ensure that the new owner and employees have the required skills and financial support to expand and grow," said Mulligan.
"I see this new company as starting off as a small entrepreneur to becoming one of our key accounts in a couple of years time," said Lockyer. The new company will initially operate out of the RAD Interface premises in Sebenza Edenvale and although owned by Radebe it will keep close ties with RAD Interface and will be using Weidmüller products for production of the assemblies.
"I am proud of this initiative and feel in the new South Africa business must take initiatives like this to enhance the business spirit and success of previously disadvantaged individuals," commented Mulligan.
For further information contact RAD Interface, (011) 452 1930.
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