Leading South African cement supplier, PPC was awarded Supplier of the Year in the Hardware & Building Materials category at the recent Kaap Agri Awards held in Cape Town.

The awards are held annually to distinguish top performing suppliers. “In line with our company culture, we reward our top achievers and show our gratitude for their contribution to making us meaningful to our customers,” says Hennie Smith, General Manager: Supply Chain at the Kaap Agri Group.

Kaap Agri is a retail services group which supplies a variety of products and services to the agricultural sector, as well as the general public. They have 167 outlets in over 88 locations throughout South Africa.

A unique rating system is used, whereby each branch independently rates their suppliers, per category, on a scorecard.

This scorecard comprises 15 performance elements, with Ethics, Relationships, Business Impact, Marketing and Competitiveness being key elements.

The scores are consolidated with staff in the branches, who deal with customers on a daily basis, making the final decisions. The top 33 suppliers are then invited to the awards ceremony, with three finalists per category.

“PPC is a fantastic supplier,” says Smit. “They set the standard for walking the extra mile with us, and what makes them so special is the PPC team. They are relationship-builders and understand the art of nurturing great relationships – both with our valued customers, as well as our team. PPC’s quality focus is superb and proves that the South African market loves quality embedded in integrity.”

Michael Erasmus, Area Manager: Retail and Country Districts for PPC commented: “Our relationship with Kaap Agri is a journey. When we travel together, the road becomes easier. With Kaap Agri as a “partner” in our business, we know that customers should be better off as a result of our existence.”

“It is a pleasure to do business with customers who share similar values as PPC,” Erasmus concluded.