PHOTO: Margot and Joe Viana of Vee Plastics of Roodepoort, in the company’s new plant which is far larger and offers better flow than Vee’s previous premises

JOHANNESBURG injection moulder Vee Plastics has moved into far larger premises, a 3500m² factory, in what must be the biggest step yet for Vee proprietor Joe Viana and his team … but also one of the most satisfying as it has greatly eased space pressure.

The move over the summer holidays was a short one: from one building to another at the same site owned jointly with partner business Calibre Plastics at Stormill, Roodepoort. It was a relatively simple process, as the company’s injection moulding and CNC machines were literally moved over one by one and switched on sequentially. The big advantage for Joe was that with the help of Heinrich Sullwald and Bernd Meyer of Calibre Plastics, he was able to design the new plant from scratch and put his two decades-plus experience to what is one of the ultimate tests for any convertor, that of designing a plant that best suits the company’s needs.

Joe is a tool and die maker by trade and completed an informal apprenticeship at Calibre. He started Vee Plastics in 1999, operating from premises owned by Calibre on the opposite side of Ratchet Avenue. Vee Plastics has grown steadily since. A custom moulder, the company operates its own toolroom and also handles its own transport with its neatly branded Vee Plastics vehicles. It also operates its own design department and is hence able to manage the complete process from design to delivery.

Margot Viana, Joe’s wife, is the company’s financial manager, meaning that the checks and balances are in place and the office is running smoothly.

Joe’s style has been to spend most of the day in the factory, involved in what is really a never-ending process of plant and process optimization – which is probably one of the hallmarks of successful plastics converting all over the world. The design of the new Vee plant follows an extended axis with the toolroom at one end and the injection department adjacent to the offices at the other, with materials and stores in between. There is room for expansion too.

Vee has modernized its plant on an on-going basis and replaced its entire bank of injection machines over the past few years with a complete range of energy-saving machines. It now operates a series of machines from 60 to 800 ton clamp force, allowing it to manufacture both complex and large products.

“It also goes without saying that if it was not for all our dedicated staff that put in extra hours - and through the grace of God - that we would not be where we are today. We would also like to thank all our loyal customers for believing and sticking with us through all these years,” said Joe.