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New General Manager for Shopper's Friend
Monday, 16 January 2012Werner Lindeque has been appointed as the new General Manager of Shopper’s Friend. He began his career in 1996 as a junior graphic designer, and quickly progressed as a result of his exceptional leadership qualities, effective management style, high standards of work quality and ethics, fanatical attention to detail, as well as his willingness to learn. These remains evident throughout his career to date, and are an integral part of who he is today. His track record clearly displays that he has acquired all the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to be an exceptional asset to any company for which he works.
Werner has worked as Publisher for Wilbury and Claymore, a publishing company which was acquired by Media24 Magazines during the course of the previous year.
In this role, he was responsible for the publishing and managing of various B2B market leading publications, such as Medical Chronicle, PedMed & Adolescent Medicine, Healthcare Review, Laboratory Marketing Spectrum, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, What’s New Doc. He also secured Custom Publishing contracts such as Netcare Magazine and Medi-Clinic Diaries. Prior to joining Wilbury and Claymore in 2006, he was the Group Brand and Visual Communications Manager of Netcare.
We wish Werner best of luck in his new position.
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In news category: Paarl Media News -
Paarl Media and Primedia astounded at Competition Commission ruling
Thursday, 08 December 2011Paarl Media and Primedia are astounded by the decision by the Competition Commission yesterday (6 December 2011) to reverse the unconditional approval it gave in January 2011 regarding the acquisition by Paarl Media of Primedia@Home.
“Our legal teams are studying the decision, but the likelihood is that we will refer the matter to the Competition Tribunal to reconsider the Commission's decision,” said Stephen van der Walt, CEO of Paarl Media and Geraint Crwys-Williams, Group Commercial & Legal Executive at Primedia.
In a joint statement the representatives of the respective companies said: “When the Competition Commission completely reverses its own decision on the same set of facts, the resulting commercial anarchy bodes ill for economic growth and jobs in future. Any attempt to undo the merger will mean the loss of over a thousand jobs. With this inexplicable reversal the reputation of the Competition Commission suffers a grievous blow.”
The companies said the Competition Commission has now prohibited a merger which has already been fully implemented, with the knowledge and approval of the Competition Tribunal. As the Tribunal recognised in its ruling in July 2011, Paarl Media was legally entitled to integrate Primedia@Home into its Shoppers Friend operation after voluntarily notifying the transaction to the Commission and receiving unconditional approval from the Commission in January this year.
Paarl Media and Primedia do not believe it is practically possible to reverse a merger process which has been completed, and even if a reversal were possible, Primedia has no intention of resuscitating the Primedia@Home operation.
“We have already implemented the merger, and the considerable investments we have made have been a success. How does the Commission expect us to undo this, and who will compensate the affected employees for the loss of their jobs and us for the expense we have incurred legally, and with the endorsement of the Competition Tribunal, after the Commission gave us unconditional approval? ” asked Van der Walt.
“In our view the Commission’s decision is incapable of being implemented – you cannot unscramble an omelette.
“This illogical and incomprehensible ruling is going to make business question the validity of every decision the Competition Commission has made in the past as well as the permanence of decisions made in the future. In the space of 10 months the Commission has delivered completely opposite decisions on the same facts.
“The Commission's decision will cost more than 1 000 jobs if it is implemented. It is a waste of resources, it is bad for business and it does great damage to the public good.
“This transaction was below the financial thresholds where notification was required. We did so voluntarily because it was good corporate governance. The way the matter has been handledis likely to make other companies do everything they can to avoid South Africa's competition procedures.
“It will be up to the Competition Tribunal to restore confidence in our competition authorities.”
Van der Walt assures staff and clients that it would be “business as usual” at Shoppers Friend while the legal process continued.
Crwys-Williams confirmed potential job losses if the merger was reversed.
“We will close Primedia@Home if it is handed back to us. This means the loss of between 1 200 and 1 400 jobs.
“The only other potential buyer for the operation is Caxton, who objected to this merger. If Caxton bought Primedia@Home, significant competition issues would come up. It’s a non-starter,” he said.
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In news category: Paarl Media News
Paarl Media News
Growth in Gauteng: The legacy of excellence continues Wednesday, 08 February 2012
When Paarl Web Gauteng (Pty) Ltd opened its doors on 22 September 2005 as a venture between the Paarl Media Group and its empowerment partner, loveLife’s Kurisani Investments, all was set for a successful start-up printing business. Now, in 2008, expectations have been exceeded as the fourth new Manroland press has been installed.
Jandré de Milander, Managing Director of Paarl Web Gauteng puts it as follows: “Since its launch in 2005, Paarl Web Gauteng continued the expansion of its capabilities in response to the region’s growing commercial print requirements. We enjoy the best technology and our team is strongly committed to meet every client’s needs through reliable delivery of quality products.”
Building capacity
In 2005, armed with an educated guess, disguised as a business plan and substantial finance, Paarl Media launched Paarl Web Gauteng.
Some of the initial equipment made for interesting reading; the first wide web, double circumference offset press in South Africa in the form of a Manroland 48page Lithoman, the first Lüscher Dual Xpose! platesetter with a Plate Handling System in South Africa and a steroid induced, new generation Manroland Rotoman press running at an incredible 65 000 copies per hour.
The incredible support from Paarl Web Gauteng clients saw the second phase of development at Paarl Web Gauteng which included a third gangstitcher – another new Müller Martini – and a new Steinemann Colibri UV coater being added. By September 2007, another 65 000 speed 16-page Manroland Rotoman press – this time with five printing units – was installed. This press boasts an integrated Regenerative Thermal Oxidiser (RTO) from Megtec, while emission from the rest of the plant is processed by a centralised RTO.
Other developments during the second phase included the addition of Kodak Prinergy software in the Pre-press, with InSite remote proofing capacity, as well as a second new Lüscher 160i Xpose! Unit, which could be plugged into the fully automated Lüscher VLF plate setter. The second phase expansion brought the entire investment to over R300 million.
Although third phase expansions rarely take place in the third year of a web offset printing plant’s existence, this is exactly the case at Paarl Web Gauteng. Jandré explains: “Our clients’ overwhelming response to our offering in Gauteng has now resulted in the third phase of capital expenditure for this Gauteng plant.”
The installation of the new 620mm, 65 000 Manroland Rotoman and - the new Paarl Media facility in Linbro Park in August 2008 marked the beginning of the third phase. The Paarl Media facility houses a new square back binding capacity in the form of a 15 000 speed Kolbus Publica perfect binder and a polywrapping facility in the form of a new Buhrs 3000 line which is exclusively for the use of Paarl Web Gauteng.
Expanding capabilities
The pre-press is fully automated with stringent colour checks to meet ISO certification standards. Client’s files are carefully checked, with online approval facilitated through the Prinergy Kodak InSite system, before plates are generated. The Lüscher Dual Xpose! Platesetter includes a plate handling system and utilises unique violet laser technology to provide fast production of plates.
All presses are equipped with full inline finishing capabilities such as glueing, stitching and trimming and the technology we apply specifically allows Paarl Web Gauteng to focus on a gap in the market for short run magazines to be printed on a web offset platform. The new press together with the three existing presses, a new 15 000 speed Kolbus Publica Perfect binder and Buhrs 3000 Polywrapping machine now provides one stop service for a full spectrum of commercial and magazine requirements.
The flexibility of Paarl Web Gauteng presses offers a dynamic range of formats, allowing for innovative designs of commercial material on almost any stock of paper from 40gsm to 200gsm. The presses include innovative technology from QuadTech to ensure perfect registration and ink control systems with consistent, accurate colour throughout production runs. The three 16-page Manroland Rotoman presses and the 48-page Manroland Lithoman press are all fitted with comprehensive trimming lines and stacking devices from Gammerler. Two of the Rotomans are 5-colour presses with sheeters and are ideally suited for magazine work.
Looking after the environment
The ongoing investment in leading technology to ensure clients enjoy top quality printing with quick turnaround has also extended to a commitment to lessen the environmental impact. All web presses at Paarl Web Gauteng and throughout the Paarl Media Group are therefore fitted with the Megtec Dual-Dry® TNV Regenerative Thermal Oxidisers or connected to centralised RTO’s to eliminate emissions in line with stringent international standards. This technology ensures that the air released is free of odour, visual smoke and potentially polluting substances. Energy is further recovered from the oxidisation process to be re-utilised in the drying section, thereby vastly reducing gas energy consumption.
Paarl Media often finds itself at the forefront of the implementation of new international technology, in South Africa. Much of the environmentally friendly technology implemented by Paarl Media is the first of a kind in South Africa. - The Paarl Media Group takes its environmental responsibilities seriously and continues to strive towards the sustainability of natural resources. Clients benefit from the reassurance that their work will be delivered through the best printing practices with the least impact on the environment. The total investment in RTO technology so far exceeds R30 million.
Sensible paper procurement
Apart from the drive to implement environmental friendly technology, Paarl Media recently obtained the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody certification. This serves as an independent international verification that the products printed can be traced back from their point of origin to responsible well managed forestry or controlled and recycled sources. The certification of the production supply chain ensures that clients can apply the FSC mark of certification to products printed on FSC paper. Paarl Media offers a wide range of environmentally sustainable paper stock options form UPM, Norske Skog and Stora Enso in Scandinavia and Germany as well as from Sappi and Mondi in South Africa.
BEE strengths
Paarl Media is committed to contributing to the growth and sustainability of the country through investments in the social fabric of its employees, their families and the communities in which it operates. With accreditation as a level Four BEE contributor, Paarl Media is well positioned for growth. Being accredited as a Level Four contributor means that clients may apply 100% of their print procurement spend on their own BEE scorecard.
Paarl Web Gauteng’s empowerment partner, Kurisani Investments, also a strategic partner to the Paarl Media Group, has been structured to participate in BEE transactions to provide long-term funding to sustain loveLife projects.
Welkom Yizani is the biggest public black economic empowerment share offer in South Africa's print media industry. Through Welkom Yizani thousands of black South African’s, individuals and groups, were afforded the opportunity to own an indirect stake in Media24, the nation's largest print media company.
The market value of the total empowerment shareholding in the Paarl Media Group is in excess of R1, 3 billion.
Expanding geographic presence
The recent acquisition of the Print24 and Paarl Post (Pty) Ltd newspaper printing facilities from Media24 will see the Paarl Media Group offering an even more comprehensive selection of print services. The new entity, named Paarl Coldset, will be able to extract maximum potential and develop and commercialise its core print competencies. Paarl Media’s clients will benefit from the extensive national service network, which also offers unlimited distribution possibilities to the group. As part of a large consolidated group the Paarl Coldset plants, situated in City Deep, Paarden Island, Bloemfontein, Paarl, Potchefstroom and Port Elizabeth will benefit from synergies and integrated systems and processes applied throughout the group.
The way forward
“Paarl Web Gauteng prides itself on employing a highly skilled workforce that complements the technology and capabilities of the plant.
“The business philosophy in Johannesburg requires that we deliver the best quality product in the shortest possible time and we certainly are in a position to offer this service to our clients.
“We have had three excellent years gearing up to our current capabilities and plan to sustain this going forward through building strong partnerships with our key stakeholders – our clients, suppliers and employees.” says Jandré de Milander
• For more information on Paarl Web Gauteng call Jandr? de Milander on
• For more information on the Rotoman and other web presses from MAN call Glyn Gilbert at MAN Ferrostaal Equipment Solutions on
