“The Zest WEG Group is positioning itself to become a regional hub of WEG, with subsidiary company Shaw Controls set to become the number one panel builder and systems integrator in Africa,” says Louis Meiring, CEO of the Zest WEG Group. This forms part of the Group’s overall strategy to ramp up its automation and electrical systems business significantly, which has seen Valter Luiz Knihs from WEG appointed as group automation and systems director.
Louis Meiring, CEO of the Zest WEG Group (left) and Valter Luiz Knihs, newly appointed group automation and systems director.
“I am very happy to join the team in South Africa and to assist Shaw Controls in particular in delivering full package solutions,” says Knihs. “The strategic focus is for Africa and the Americas to have regional Centres of Excellence in terms of systems manufacture and integration that will service WEG globally. We are working hard on adding more products and having clear pricing and delivery strategies. It is important for the Zest WEG Group as a whole to become internationally competitive as we strive to achieve the global targets of WEG.”
Meiring explains further: “WEG’s manufacturing operations are not purpose-built to only service one area. It is our aim that all the Zest WEG Group’s manufacturing operations will become Centres of Excellence accredited by WEG to be able to manufacture any product designed by the group for application anywhere in the world.
“Therefore Shaw Controls will not only be building panels for the local market. For example, WEG could receive an order out of Australia and deem it best that the manufacturing be carried out in South Africa. What this means ultimately is full international accreditation for all of our manufacturing facilities, from Shaw Controls to WEG Transformers Africa.”
The Zest WEG Group is investing significantly in skills development and training as a result. “We have traditionally been more of a distributor than a manufacturer, but over the last five to 10 years we have entered into the manufacturing space. This has meant a steep learning curve for us in terms of developing a full skill set in house, from sales to engineering and manufacturing. The company has responded to this challenge in a very positive manner and has a fully fledged training centre and programmes in place,” says Meiring.
The Group is also able to draw on the considerable resources of WEG with Knihs having a team of 70 engineers in Brazil hard at work on the Shaw Controls optimisation and upgrade programme. “We are very excited about the opportunities this presents to raise the bar in terms of skills development in South Africa as a whole,” concludes Meiring. “For example, an engineering manager from WTA recently underwent a two-week training programme in Brazil.”
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