Fifteen years young
Kenny Padayachee is a man who is proud of his business. And it shows when he talks about it. This is probably one of the reasons why he has built Brelko into a leading supplier of conveyor products – because he is passionate about what he does.
Padayachee long ago recognised the importance of customer orientated service. It is what drives him and his team in their philosophy that in business – as in life – you only get one chance, so things need to be done right the first time.
Started 15 years ago by Padayachee and three members, Peter Ellis, John Brink and Newton van der Mescht, Brelko has expanded its product line from a limited range of conveyor belt cleaners to one of the most comprehensive ranges available on the market today.
“I like to think that we are 15 years young.” he says. “I have a lot of good people around me and together we have built Brelko with a lot of hard work and dedication. We have come a long way, but I see a long successful road ahead of us too.”
When Brelko was initially started in the 80s, Padayachee saw a gap in the platinum market, which was largely ignored at the time.
“It was difficult to break into the general mining market as there were a number of companies already operating.” he says. “But the platinum mines were not very well serviced, so we began to turn our attention to this area and slowly built up our customer base. The metal is very important to us. At present around 40% of total turnover comes from the industry, while we hold about a 70% market share.
The main aim of the company is to offer quality products, ones which customers feel comfortable using, so a lot of time and effort is spent on research and development. A comprehensive package from design to installation and ongoing maintenance is offered to clients.
Among the products on offer is a range of primary and secondary conveyor belt scrapers, chute sealing systems, belt support systems (Feedboots) which are designed to be used at load points to support the conveyor belt and hi-impact idler systems. Brelko is lSO 9001 accredited, a member of CMA, the SAIMH and is expecting a NOSA rating soon.
“Business between companies is a partnership,” says Padayachee, “And we sell that belief to our customers. We work closely with them in all aspects and insist on their involvement, which also makes it easier for us to meet their specific needs”
With Expansion projects taking in the platinum industry, the future for Brelko is bright.
“There is a lot of competition and we need to stay abreast of trends and technology to remain a leader in the market. We need to prove ourselves and earn our worth.”
Recently a 24-hour maintenance office was opened in Rustenburg to provide a better service to the local mines. Brelko also have an office in the UK and more recently and office opened in the US. “As our international business grows we have to focus on taking care of customers all over the world – no matter where they are,” he says.
By Andrew Stone – 2002