Best Service For Exporters By Winning Eastern Cape Team

Toyota Industrial Equipment Eastern Cape, which is part of material handling and industrial equipment supplier, CFAO Equipment SA, has won Best Provider of Service to Exporters at the 2021 Exporter of the Year awards.

The awards, which are presented annually by Exporters Eastern Cape, recognise businesses operating in the export industry across 10 categories such as Exporter of the Year, Best Provider of Services to Exporters, Best Exporter – OEM, IDC Job Creation Award and Transnet Emerging Exporter Award, amongst others.

The organisation’s mission is to encourage more local firms to prepare themselves to take on the challenge of exporting and to assist existing exporters to become more globally competitive.

Entries were judged according to qualitative criteria such as strategic innovations, transformation initiatives, obstacles overcome, as well as new contracts, customers and markets. In addition, they were measured against quantitative criteria including turnover, profitability, job creative, capital investment and BBBEE achievements.

General manager for the CFAO Equipment SA’s Toyota Business Unit in the Eastern Cape, Vuyokazi Bangazi, says Toyota Industrial Equipment Eastern Cape’s win was largely due to new contracts in the agricultural and motor industries, which helped the business grow by R6.5 million in the 2020 financial year.

“In a time that was particularly tough for many businesses, our order intake grew by 31% year on year and our market share increased by 24% in the same period. In addition, our sales winning ratio increased by 14% and participation ratio by 23%. Strategically, we expanded our footprint into the Mthatha region, which contributed to market and revenue growth and saw us employ two new employees,” adds Bangazi.

In 2020, Toyota Industrial Equipment Eastern Cape also won an ASEC award, which involves an in-depth certification process designed to organise and optimise the service process at every level – from work spaces, service vehicles and parts storage, to facilities and communication – for maximum productivity and customer satisfaction.

The operation achieved generic Level 2 broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) accreditation in September 2020 and was involved in various initiatives aimed at addressing socio-economic inequality in its region.

Bangazi says her team is excited about the win. “Being nominated for the award is a significant achievement and it means we are providing the right kind of support to our export customers. There were more entrants in our category than in previous years, which makes this award all the more meaningful for us.

“The award also recognises our strategic growth efforts and acknowledges our position as a market leader. It is the result of an enormous effort by all 110 members of the Eastern Cape team – and their hard work has paid off.”