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WHILE competitors are still grappling with the idea of enterprise and supplier development in the automotive sector, the Tavcor Motor Group is celebrating ten years of existence of its oldest entity.
Siyoyisa, meaning “we can conquer all”, is an established multipurpose business which was initiated by the Tavcor Motor Group as a supplier development entity in 2010.
“It started off as a team that was responsible for our wash bays and cleaning services. The business has expanded to offer a variety of different services including parts delivery, distribution and autocare products,” said Tavcor Motor Group Human Resources Director, Megan Stow.
Siyoyisa employs 38 people across the various sites of the Tavcor business in Nelson Mandela Bay and George. Shareholders in Siyoyisa are employees of the Tavcor Motor Group, with the very first shareholder being a former shuttle driver, Martin Moos, who eventually became the majority shareholder before retiring in 2018.
“Siyoyisa is a wonderful example of employee engagement. The staff has had to work really hard to maintain our high Covid-19 health and safety standards which were put in place this year – offering sanitisation of the vehicles in addition to the normal cleaning services,” said Stow.
Siyoyisa General Manager and Shareholder Carmen Jordan said the entity is run by employees who are passionate about making the business a success and to deliver excellent customer service.
“It is an honour to be affiliated with Tavcor Motor Group and having them as my key customer. Tavcor management is not only focused on their own staff, but also on building a culture where employees are truly empowered to grow and develop. By doing this they also identify employees within Siyoyisa when there are opportunities to promote potential staff,” said Jordan.
Another enterprise development entity which was started three years ago by the Group is Tavcor Repair Zone (TRZ), with a 51% equity share owned by Tavcor employees. The four shareholders are all active employees within Tavcor. The entity, which is hosted at the Tavcor Technical Centre in North End, is a scratch and dent repair company specialising in minor bumps, internal reconditioning work and polishing. TRZ General Manager, Martino Barrath, said previously this work was sent to outside suppliers.
“Now we are able to keep the business in-house and save on repair costs. We are more cost-effective, and our turnaround time is better than the outside suppliers,” said Barrath.
Last year TRZ bought a printer, which is fondly named ‘Roland’, and this has allowed the business to expand its services to branding and decal/wrap vinyl work for vehicles – which are all done on site. Barrath, who is also a shareholder and director of TRZ, said it has been an eye-opener to see what it takes to run a business.
“Having the opportunity to work with a team of mentors within the Tavcor Motor Group, has given us the opportunity to learn first-hand about setting up the business, from the ground up, to where it is today. The Tavcor Motor Group is extremely encouraging. I am very excited about the prospects of the business. The possibilities are endless,” said Barrath.
The ability to empower staff to be part of the actual running of a business, are reflected in the Tavcor Motor Group’s company values.
“We have heart and soul invested in these businesses. When you do things for the right reasons, the benefits like the BBBEE scorecard just come as a consequence. It is really great to see businesses thriving and people learning how to run successful and sustainable enterprises,” said Stow.
