Varispeed is a proudly South African company and is part of the JSE listed Hudaco Trading group of companies. Varispeed was founded in 1984 and is a specialist partner in electronic motor control and automation solutions to many local manufacturers and end users in a diverse range of market segments.
Ralph Real.
Ralph Real, managing director at Varispeed South Africa, knows only too well the challenges facing business in the current economic climate. South Africans are generally resilient and always find the good, the humorous and the optimistic side of every situation. Although 2019 had some great nation building moments with the Rugby World Cup and Ms Universe wins, it was a trying year for many sectors in the economy.
“Superior value, tough competition and strong differentiation were critical factors for Varispeed South Africa,” says Real. “Customers require real value at competitive prices. The market is constantly changing and remaining dynamic, resilient and agile whilst exceeding our customers’ expectations are key factors to our ongoing success.”
Moving forward into 2020, Real believes that stability and reliability of state-owned service delivery will force businesses to adapt in order to remain viable and competitive: “2020 will be a challenging year as the market struggles to recover. In addition, we need to factor in our ongoing electricity crisis and the negative impact that this has on productivity, job creation and our competitiveness both locally and abroad.”
Increasing international focus on climate change and the overwhelming evidence of the urgent need for reforms in this area will spill into local business to provide energy efficient and sustainable solutions. Environmental groups will become more involved and these factors will become part of key performance indicators. Business will be held accountable for its part in climate change and it will be more and more pronounced in business agreements.
“We only need to look at the recent pressure placed on one of our competitors and the Adani Mining project by activists to realise that we can expect an increased level of scrutiny around climate change,” concludes Real. “Varispeed’s success in 2020 will be largely underpinned by our proven alternative energy and energy efficient solutions. We are also focusing more of our efforts on the mining and manufacturing sectors in the sub-Saharan region, as we have real value assist in these areas. Product reliability, performance and dependable expert service is what sets us apart. Varispeed remains close to the market and will continue to adapt and develop according to customer requirements to ensure that all objectives are met.”
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