Industrial supplies specialist Winhold was reported on the BDLive web portal news site to be “determined to make strategic acquisitions this year.”

This is according to Winhold CEO Wietsche Fourie, in the forms annual report focusing on key growth areas withing the company. Winhold comprises two divisions, the first being plastic sheeting manufacturer Gundle – who’s products are popularly used in the lining of landfills, dams and slimes dams – and the second being Inmins – a supplier specialised equipment to the mining and industrial sector.

Commodities and linings squeezed

Fourie was quoted as saying, “the plastic sheet market was very competitive — characterised by overcapacity and competitors chasing volume.” Commodities too have been a hard sell in recent times, although there is some hope for Inmins since the local industrial sector did show some growth over the latter half of last year.

There appears to be little hope that the local mining sector will make a recovery any time soon.

Commenting on Gundle, Fourie said that that a turnaround strategy has been in place at the Germiston plant for the last two years and, as a result, financial improvement are expected this year.

Gundle plan

Although Gundle’s has been tendering on various projects both locally and further up into sub-Saharan Africa, Fourie is quoted as saying, “the drop in demand for resources had caused a number of projects to be postponed.”

“However, new projects in the waste-disposal environment are envisaged and some have already been tendered on,” he added.

If successful, these enterprises could have a significant impacting in mitigating lower mining-sector demand.

Source: BDlive