Stewarts & Lloyds Pipes and Fittings expands into the Export market

Specialising in worldwide procurement, import and manufacture, Stewarts & Lloyds provide various services to clients and supplies into the Infrastructure, Water & Sewer, Building, Civil, Construction, Agricultural, Industrial, Petrochemical, Gas and Mining sectors. Backed by a wealth of experience and 118 years of trade history and qualified personnel, Stewarts & Lloyds proven approach to business sets it apart from others.

Stewarts & Lloyds are well placed to provide service due to its uncompromised dedication to Technical Proficiency and Expertise as well as our offering of the Highest Quality and Price Competitiveness Materials. We recognise the importance of a personalised approach in satisfying client needs and have the dedication and proficiency to meet client requirements.

In-line with Stewarts & Lloyds strategic business plan Derek Franks and Carol Lloyd determined that it was time to increase Stewarts & Lloyds Pipes and Fittings footprint into Africa.

The first step was to employ Andre Swart as Export Manager who has been in the pipe and fittings industry for more than 30 years with the last 11 years focussed on export. Having worked as a trader as well as for some of the biggest manufacturing mills in South Africa. Andre brings with him a wealth experience and knowledge of exporting from South Africa.

Part of the appointment was for Andre to formulate an export plan as well as the implementation and management of the plan. The ability to establish long-term partnerships with clients and suppliers is a key strength of Andre’s as well as part of Stewards & Lloyds business culture.

One of the biggest stumbling blocks in Africa currently is the funding of projects from various countries and institutions. With the advent of the “COVID” era a fair amount of the funding had dried up as the international financiers shifted focus to their own countries with getting COVID Vaccines and PPE to protect their own people.

Additionally, as most countries in Africa are looking to support local business to foster their own economic growth a minimum shareholding of 51% is required in most circumstances.

Andre determined that these two main factors indicated that a new creative strategy had to be found. Focussing on overall growth whilst maintaining a keen understanding of the continued changes.

With the world learning to live with and around COVID the funds are slowly becoming more available again to support and uplift the African Continent. After further research on various countries, it does seem that there will be some movement in the later stages of 2022/23(not so COVID focused) with various power and water projects planned across Sub-Sahara Africa.

It must be noted that there are some projects currently funded by China and these are mostly implemented by Chinese State-owned businesses with the opportunity lying with the work outsourced that does not form the core of the project.

Strategically it was determined that the best option was to identify trading partners in the various countries. This would provide the most economically viable strategy to growing Stewarts & Lloyds footprint throughout Africa and in turn supporting local owned companies to partner within various countries. These companies will hold a base stock to service the daily needs of consumers in those countries. Currently a good proportion of material usage is for work being done in maintenance and emergency breakdowns only. Considering that lead times have become critical, and logistics have worsened across the board.

The addition of the Pipes and Fittings Export division will assist the Stewarts & Lloyds South African branches to increase their reach and product supply on a more complete basis with a bigger range of products on projects where possible.

Part of the strategy is utilizing the support of the international trading partners that are closest to the border branches, Stewards & Lloyds will be assisting by offering technical and commercial expertise as well as referring certain enquiries/projects to our various local trading partners to build their business and to assist with moving their stock on hand as well as to grow their turnover and reputation and in so doing growing Stewarts & Lloyds brand and reach. This will also assist the branches in the future to stock more efficiently on items that they can turn more frequently and in greater numbers for the export market and not to hold unnecessary or dead stock material. The trading partners will assist with information gathering that is not always easy for the branches with border crossings and COVID restrictions. The appointed trading partners will assist in attending tender meetings and openings as well as doing follow-ups and give feedback were possible with info on projects pertaining to successful companies and assist getting relevant company information and contact details so Stewarts & Lloyds and our trading partners can follow-up on projects and work being done in the various countries.

After doing an onsite audit by Andre, and with Carol’s approval, trading partners have already been appointed in Mozambique, Lesotho, Botswana and Eswatini.

We are in the process of vetting potential partners in Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe with further planned expansion into Tanzania, DRC etc. in the year.

The strategy of partnering with agents within their own countries has already proven to be successful as orders have been received within the first month of implementation. The export department has already had success in supplying to various countries and includes projects as far afield as Sierra Leone thanks to the excellent team of dedicated sales and estimating people behind the scenes making it all possible.

Stewarts & Lloyds have worked tirelessly over the years to build a reliable and trustworthy company with a reputation for excellence. Stewarts and Lloyds have evolved correspondingly in specialised resources and expertise that continue to meet client’s cost, quality, and deadline constraints.

Stewarts and Lloyds range of products includes but is not limited to the following:

Conveyance:

PIPE: Steel – Seamless and Welded, PVC, HDPE, Ductile IronFITTINGS (Steel fabricated, Buttweld, Malleable Cast Iron, Wrought Steel, PVC, HDPE – Compression and electrofusion)VALVES – Full ranges https://www.stewartsandlloyds.co.za/pumps/

Special Fabricated Fittings https://www.stewartsandlloyds.co.za/pipes-and-fittings/flanges-2/https://www.stewartsandlloyds.co.za/water-meters/ Jointing materials/

Structural Material:

SECTIONS (Channels, Angles, flat Bar, Joists, IPE Sections, Universal Columns, and beams)SHEETS & PLATES (Hot & Cold Rolled), Galvanised Roof Sheeting (IBR & Corrugated), Plates)OPEN SECTIONS (Open Channel, Lipped Channel, Lipped Angle (Purlin)EXPANDED METALHOT ROLLED TUBINGROUND BARSQUARE BARPALISADE FENCING.

As well as a range of HARDWARE MATERIALS.

Stewarts & Lloyds Pipes and Fittings export is ready and waiting to assist.

Contact Stewarts and Lloyds is a leading Steel Supplier in South Africa

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