PHOTO: Think big, Inkulu – Gabriel Reddy, who has started the new pipe manufacturing business Inkulu Plastic Pipes in Hammarsdale, and his right-hand man, Ceasar Goge, the company’s machine setter
GABRIEL ‘no-one-can-teach-me-about-plastic-pipes’ Reddy is back doing what he does best: extruding plastic pipes.
And selling it, mind you. The first pipes produced at his new company, Inkulu Plastic Pipes in Hammarsdale, KZN, went directly from machine to the back of the delivery truck!
After 33 years in the industry (straight from school), Gabriel was faced with the prospect of going on his own after he was dismissed from Sangio Pipes in July 2014. Gabriel had worked with his friend Gary Warren, the founder of Sangio, at the Cato Ridge company for 17 and a half years and was given a 10% share. On the 11th of March 2013 Gary sadly passed away. At the time of Gary’s death the Dawn group owned 49% of the company.
Gabriel was appointed managing director of the company and did a fantastic job of keeping the company at the forefront of the pipe industry.
“However, this situation was not appreciated by the Dawn Group and I was dismissed on the 18th of July 2013, a month after the Dawn Group purchased the balance of the 51% share in June 2013,” explained Gabriel.
Gabriel had six weeks ‘break,’ most of which was spent answering calls from people in the industry explaining what had happened. By September he had decided “enough is enough” and started his own company called Inkulu Plastic Pipes. He and a friend, Allan Scott, were sitting in a restaurant one day trying to think of a name and they ‘fell upon’ Inkulu, which means ‘big’ in Zulu.
So BEEEG plans had to be hatched: Inkulu Plastic Pipes leased a 3440m2 factory in Hammarsdale from 1 January this year. The first two machines arrived on 9 January and on the 12th of February the first pipes were produced and went straight from the machine onto the back of a truck for delivery – without even touching the factory floor!
Inkulu Plastic Pipes has not looked back since, and the machines are now running 24/7. The company has also acquired SABS certification. Gabriel’s third machine will arrive at the end of August.
Hammarsdale, says Gabriel, is an up-and-coming industrial area in KZN.
With the supply situation in the local pipe market being quite tight at present, we asked Gabriel how Inkulu Plastic Pipes would progress. It appears that Gabriel is very popular in the pipe market! Everyone has been willing to help out as he has always helped others in the past. Gabriel is a sales person by nature, and now he’s back doing what he loves best.
Inkulu Plastic Pipes at present has 15 employees. Machine operator Ceasar Goge, with 11 years’ experience in the manufacture of pipes, left his previous company and joined Gabriel at Inkulu Plastic Pipes. All the other staff are brand new and have been personally trained by Gabriel.
Gabriel believes in always making a plan and satisfying his clients and keeping them happy. His success is due to the support and the good wishes of his very loyal customers and suppliers.
A big thank you goes out to all his friends, customers, suppliers and family that supported him.