Page 38 - WATER SECTOR MAGAZINE VOLUME 3

CRECK HARDWARE: A LOCAL SUPPLIER MAKING AN

IMPACT IN THE WATER SECTOR SUPPLIES

sector.

“I did this for closer to a decade, but later “The secret to our success is that first and
By STAFF WRITER foremost we put God as a beacon of our
in 2013 registered the company as Creck
Hardware and General Supplies with the operations, we thrive to supply quality
The local water sector supplies industry aim of cutting off the middle man by but affordable goods, develop a good after
is mostly dominated by international supplying the goods straight to the end sales relationship with our clients, have
companies or in the case of Malawian user, thereby maximizing the profits,” said a good marketing strategy and we are
companies’ involvement it is mostly those always tax compliance,” said Kawinga.
owned by Malawians of foreign descent. Kawinga.
Situated behind FDH Bank in Area 3 He said the vision of the company is
However, there is one local company, in Malawi’s Capital, Lilongwe, Creck to transform itself into a multinational
owned by a Malawian, which has of late Hardware now specializes in the supply Company, to get listed on the Malawi
positioned itself as a key player supplying Stock Exchange and to create up to 400
various water supply amenities such as of hardware items, electrical supplies, jobs for Malawians.
water and plumbing items, building
plumbing items, water meters, and pipes.
materials, tents, warehouse racks,
prefabricated structures and general Apart from the three water boards Creck
Registered in 2013, Creck Hardware and items. The company is also at the centre Hardware also services big organizations
General Supplies in Lilongwe has in a few such as National Aids Commission,
years of its operations managed to attract of the Lilongwe Water Board’s project of Central Medical Stores Trust, Jphiego,
installing pre-paid meters as the major
some of the country’s water boards to be supplier of the pre-paid meters and Terrastone Limited, Plem Construction,
among its regular clients. The company accompanying accessories including Aret, Land O Lakes, FAO, Kanengo
has Lilongwe Water Board, Northern installing the operating platform. Tobacco Processors, Seedco, Panaar
Region Water Board, Central Region Seed, Lilongwe University of Agriculture
Water and Blantyre Water Board on its list According to Kawinga, the name Creck is and Natural Resources (LUANAR),
of key clients. City Building Contractors, and Shayona
derived from a combination of different
names within his family. Cement.
Creck Hardware is solely owned by Mr
Clifford Kawinga. In an interview, Kawinga Despite the success of this locally owned
explained that the company started as an Visiting his hardware shop one will be company, Kawinga bemoans some of the
amazed with a stock of different hardware
intermediary supplying goods from South items that the shop has and despite his everyday challenges that Creck Hardware
Africa to various big hardware shops modest disposition, it is clear that Kawinga faces which include counterfeit goods
in Malawi which included LMD, HH oozes with ambition, foresightedness and from competitors which distort the
Wholesalers, Plus Ten, Metro Hardware, market price of most goods especially
Select and Save, Sana Hardware, Tutla vision that has seen his company beating when one thrives for quality, instability of
all the odds to be one of the leading
Hardware, Kalaria Hardware and Randera hardware supplier mainly for the water the Kwacha, high interest rates, and high
& Company, among others. import taxes.

CRECK hardware pavilion during 2017 World Water Day event
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