Packaging

Nampak establishes the first BEE sheet plant in South Africa

Friday 15. February 2008 - The establishment of the first BEE sheet plant in South Africa has been made possible by Nampak, Africa's largest packaging company.

In 2005, Nampak Corrugated embarked on a restructuring process, which involved the consolidation of its national manufacturing footprint. Key to its union negotiations was the future of the division’s sheet plant in Rosslyn, north of Pretoria. At the time, a decision was taken by the various stakeholders to investigate a series of business structures that would secure the plant’s viability as an independent entity, separate from Nampak.

After extensive work on the part of Nampak Corrugated and the main union, CEPPWAWU, the Rosslyn sheet plant was sold on the 1st of October 2007 to Thebe Packaging, part of the Thebe Investment Corporation. An important feature of the transaction was that fifty Nampak employees kept their jobs and became shareholders of the new company. Thebe Packaging holds the majority stake.

In line with Nampak’s strategy and commitment to BEE, the company has set-up a range of interventions and initiatives, each designed to ensure that the sheet plant is given the best chance of success. Nampak Corrugated Managing Director, Willie Wiese, says that current support mechanisms include technical and management assistance, as well as preferential materials pricing, and a buy-back agreement in terms of finished products.

Willie is very proud of what’s been accomplished at the Rosslyn sheet plant. “Not only have we facilitated the creation of the first BEE sheet plant in our country, but we’ve provided continued employment for people that in normal circumstances may have lost their jobs.”