Cutting tool specialist Iscar Ltd has appointed Gavin Adams as its Managing Director for the company’s South African operation. He succeeds outgoing managing director, Hans Rossouw, who has held this position since 1990. Rossouw has been redeployed within the IMC Group of companies, which is part of Warren Buffett’s conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, and in future will be the Managing Director of TaeguTec South Africa. The appointments were effective 1 February 2016.
Iscar South Africa’s new MD Gavin Adams
Adams, who has 33 years of service with Iscar in South Africa, joined the company as Quality Control Manager when Iscar still had a manufacturing plant in South Africa. Until his appointment as MD Adams had been Iscar South Africa’s Sales and Marketing Manager, a position he held for 24 years.
“When I first joined Iscar the Israel based company had an annual turnover of US 24 million dollars, and only four subsidiaries with South Africa being one of them. This has now grown to annual turnover of US 4 billion dollars, and 130 subsidiaries in 62 countries worldwide.”
“Besides being owned by Berkshire Hathaway, the IMC Group now has a number of well known tooling companies within the Group. These include Iscar, Ingersoll Cutting Tools, Outiltec, Wertec, Metaldur, Unitac, Tungaloy, TaeguTec and Tool-Flo. Iscar is the largest of the 15 companies comprising the IMC (International Metalworking Companies) Group.”
An overhead view of Iscar’s setup in Tefen Industrial Park situated in Israel’s Western Galilee
“I have been fortunate enough to visit Iscar’s headquarters and central manufacturing facilities in Tefen, Israel on more than 40 occasions during my time with Iscar.”
“I have seen Iscar grow from small beginnings to a multinational company. I still remember my first visit in the early 1980s when Israel was experiencing 400% inflation. At that rate you could not predict whether something would be more than double the price by the end of the week.”
Iscar now occupies 150 000m² in this Industrial Zone and has 30 manufacturing buildings within its complex. They manufacture 44 000 line items and, for example, 3 400 new products were launched in 2015
“The company was founded in 1952 in a wooden garage behind the home of Stef Wertheimer in Israel. After several years of steady expansion, the company headquarters moved to its current site in the Tefen Industrial Zone, situated in Israel’s Western Galilee, in 1982. This Industrial Zone not only plays host to Iscar and 20 other similar high-tech companies, but to museums of art and German-Jewish history as well as a sculpture garden that have been created to enhance the working environment of employees.”
“Iscar now occupies 150 000m² in this Industrial Zone and has 30 manufacturing buildings within its complex. They manufacture 44 000 line items and, for example, 3 400 new products were launched in 2015.”
“Here in South Africa we employ 52 staff with branch offices in all the main cities.”
Speaking about his appointment, Adams said: “There’s no denying this will be a challenging role – 2015 was a tough year for the engineering industry in South Africa with significant falls in metal prices, mining in the doldrums and major changes in the product supply chain across the globe, with China having a major influence. However, Iscar has continued to enjoy growth during this time and has continued to launch new products and services to aid our clients.”
For further details contact Iscar South Africa on TEL: 011 997 2700 or visit www.iscar.com