FULL CIRCLE AS TEAM RETURNS TO NEW-LOOK CAPE TOWN FACILITY
Another month, another milestone for Craig Hulbert and his team at Sparcraft, who will have completed their move into their expanded new facility by the end of July.
Hulbert says company growth has surpassed expectations since amalgamating with Durban-based G-Wind spars. With the surprise exit of Southern Spars from the South African market, Sparcraft SA is now the sole mast supplier in southern Africa. “The growth has been more than double what we expected,” Hulbert told SABBEX. “
As a result of their success the team are moving house, back into their original Cape Town facility designed by none other than company stalwart Tich Mitchell, who will be back on familiar turf. The factory, built in 2000 as a custom manufacturing facility, was occupied by Southern Spars for the past eleven years until the end of last month. It will now expand in size to accommodate the increased production and new equipment including a 12mt anodising plant, a 30mt spray booth and a 3x2mt CNC Router.
Hulbert says the aim is to keep increasing productivity while producing a superior product – as cost effectively as possible.
And what of the company’s long term aims? Says Hulbert: “We aim to support our production boat builders in South Africa to gain a greater worldwide market share, and to increase export revenue for South Africa, thereby helping the unemployment problems in our country.
Mitchell says Sparcraft is well placed to serve the SA boat building community: “With equipment to handle rigs of all sizes, Sparcraft will be able to build, service and refurbish rigs and rigging with ease.”
“Sparcraft’s in-house rigging department will be able to supply and service all standing rigging requirements for new builds and refurbishments – including wire, rod and composite stays,” says Mitchell. “The splicing and soft rigging manufacturing area includes a test bed to load splices and a custom furler building and service station. Improvements to enhance the efficiency, capacity and service capability will include climate controlled spray booths, an anodizing facility and a dedicated Special Projects area for the development of new products.”