Page 97 - 2019\20 KZN Top Business Portfolio - EBOOK

Future investment is expected to include the construc-
tion of a large warehousing facility in Ladysmith. In
order to facilitate this construction, Defy recently signed
a lease with Transnet.
Continued refurbishment of the 60-year-old plant in
Jacobs is expected to follow. Significant upgrades of
the production lines that currently turn out cooking
appliances and tumble driers have been planned.
By 2020, Defy is looking to expand output to include
new cooking products such as 60 cm built-in ovens
and a new free-standing stove.
Albas said Defy planned to export at least half of its
production from the Durban plant. First orders have
already been received from India, Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka and Paraguay.
The new plant is producing 200 machines per shift
at present and this is expected to increase to 350
per shift.
Albas said the plant had been designed to more than
treble this capacity. Defy was confident that the
orders needed to operate at full capacity would be
received within a very short space of time.
The new plant has created 75 new jobs. Employment
would grow as new shifts were added to accommodate
growing orders.
Ozturk pointed out that South Africa was of strategic
importance to Arçelik and that South Africa was now
regarded as the headquarters for its operations in sub-
Saharan Africa.
The three local production centres would be supported
by extensive research and development and the global
manufacturing network of Arçelik.
Davies noted that Defy was well positioned to benefit
from the signing of the African free trade agreement
which was rapidly gaining momentum. Already, a
third of the country’s exports went to Africa.
He also welcomed Defy’s commitment to growing
local skills and boosting its South African supplier base
through the localisation programme that accompanies
this new investment.

Full Name of Company: Defy Appliances (Pty) Ltd Accountants: Ernst & Young
Nature of Business: Manufacturing and distribution of
white appliances KEY PERSONNEL
Date Established: 1905 Chief Executive Officer: Evren Albaş
Chief Financial Officer: M. Loxley
No. of Employees: 3000
Current Customer Base: Most SA furnishers and CONTACT DETAILS
Physical Address: 135 Teakwood Road, Jacobs, 4052
retailers Postal Address: P.O. Box 12004, Jacobs, 4026
Subsidiaries: Defy Namibia, Defy Botswana Holding Tel: +27 (0)31 460 9711
Company: Arçelik A.Ş. (Turkey) Fax: +27 (0)31 460 9800
Bank: Standard Bank Website: www.defy.co.za
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