Perhaps none puts into words more effectively the ease of doing business with Hitech than Suhail Agjee, of Impress Web, who describes the experience thus: ‘Hitech’s value is in its understanding of the dynamics of the printing industry and of production deadlines. It offers not just products but solutions.’
Of course that was always going to be the case, given that founder Siva Govender had worked in the industry for 20 years before he realised that he could use a small workshop in Umgeni Road, Durban, to create his vision of a respected printing supplies company founded on the old-fashioned business principles of honesty and integrity.
In those days, Siva and his late wife Roginee laboured away in that confined area with the hits of the day, notably Macarena, reverberating off the walls.
Although the entire team was just Siva on sales and Roginee on the books, with the stock and delivery management expertise of Vinod Rampersad (now group operations manager), business was brisk. The new entrepreneur’s reputation as a reliable and knowledgeable supplier saw to that.
Initially, Hitech was sole distributor of Agfa products in the then-Natal. Other early lines included Sun Chemical Inks, formerly Coates, and Hostmann Steinberg inks.
The Govenders’ core offering grew to servicing litho/offset printers and supplying consumables ranging from cutting sticks for guillotines to plates and chemistry for print operations large and small.
After three months, claustrophobia set in and the operation, lock, stock and Los Del Rio-fatigued transistor, moved down the road, where it remains to this day. It is here that many milestones were imagined and implemented, including the treks west and north to establish presences in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Brands brought on board
Leading international agencies acquired over the years became the anchors of Hitech’s offering. Sava signed up in 1998, making available to the South African printing industry for the first time the well-established Slovenian printing blankets. Hitech managing director, Siva’s son Shaun, recalls that this first major agency was a step into the unknown, as Sava was unheard of locally.
‘Siva weighed up the quality compared to blankets being used at the time and assessed pricing competitiveness before importing samples,’ he recalls.
The marriage of Siva and Sava proved a turning point, as it kick-started the Hitech portfolio of prominent products, today an impressive rollcall of household-name brands, including Verapak, Micro Inks, ECS, Jetbest and LG Hausys, which are now synonymous with the company in the minds of customers.
Among the many satisfied customers is Allan Naicker of Magnum Packaging, who has enjoyed more than a decade’s worth of printing blankets, packing and cleaning consumables from Hitech. ‘The service has never dipped below great, and there is always stock on hand to guarantee quick and efficient delivery,’ he enthuses. ‘On-time delivery of competitively priced, high-quality products keeps our production on target and our minds at ease.’
In 2011, as an alternative to blankets arriving already barred, Hitech ventured into in-house barring, putting into practice a skill learnt many years before and heralding a new phase of flexibility for the company and its customers. Printers could now receive blankets of any required size without delay. The first barring press – Sava-stamped – was commissioned in Durban, followed in 2020 by a second unit installed in Johannesburg.
In the years between, Siva had introduced Cape Town to the Hitech way of business and appointed a dealer in the Eastern Cape. In 2008, while the world smarted from an economic meltdown the likes of which had not been seen since the great depression of the 1930s, Hitech was merrily celebrating the roof wetting of its Johannesburg facility in Midrand.
Today, the company is represented across Botswana, Swaziland, Malawi and Zimbabwe, even Mauritius, and has an army of 40 loyal Hitechers ensuring blanket local service coverage from Mapungubwe down to Cape Point.
People power
Among them is Sharona Inderjith, who has kept an eye on the litho side of the business for many of her 15 years with the company. ‘Hitech Graphics lives a customer-first culture, but staff development is also a priority,’ she states. ‘When I arrived, I knew very little about the printing industry, but I learnt through various roles and am now business development manager. The team provides a cooperative, supportive and understanding atmosphere conducive to staff advancement.’
One of the three Umgeni Road musketeers, Vinod, says that Hitech has never lost its family orientation and optimistic outlook, which makes for a ‘calm, productive workplace’. ‘The Govenders have always been very approachable, encouraging and supportive,’ he discloses. ‘The doors to discussion are always open whether for suggestions or concerns.’
Group sales support manager, Sunitha Singh, a 19-year Hitech veteran, is a firm believer that ‘the only way to do great work is to love what you do’. At Hitech it’s easier than at most companies, she reckons. ‘Top-quality products and exceptional customer service made the company what it is, but great teamwork has kept it there for 25 years.’
Markets may change, trends may peak and fade, but nothing is done at Hitech that isn’t aligned to the solid values established by Siva and Roginee.
‘They set the tone by never letting service standards slip and always searching for products that would add the best value,’ Shaun reveals. ‘In the Siva tradition, we continue to spend time with our customers to understand their requirements and production worries so that we can align our products and services accordingly. Our strongest attributes to this day, I believe, are those that should be part of the ethos of every business – honesty, reliability, efficiency, strong leadership and a positive culture.’
For digital business development manager, RS Chari, this certainly rings true: ‘The Hitech team is highly motivated, always willing to help and completely customer-centric, focused on making all stakeholders’ lives easier,’ he maintains.
To the list of attributes, Piet du Toit of Pail Pac would add communication. Pail Pac has depended on Hitech for its printing blankets for at least 15 years. ‘We are accustomed to prompt and consistently reliable supply, but any issue that arises is communicated to us immediately, which is essential in a fast-moving business world,’ Piet points out. ‘Hitech is just a phone call away if we have a concern and it’s evident that our business is valued as the team calls us regularly to keep in touch and ensure that we have everything we need.’
The team’s communication skills are exceptional, Allan concurs, with an extremely efficient sales and management team that leaves nothing to chance. ‘We strive to forge lasting relationships with our suppliers and with Hitech, it’s easy,’ he insists.
Stepping into the void
Business the world over is beset with challenges, but South Africa dishes up a set all of its own. Pondering on the 25-year milestone, Shaun ventures that perhaps the greatest test for Hitech was launching into a business void created by the country’s non-democratic past. ‘Starting an Indian-owned family business just as South Africa entered a new era was a leap of faith, especially as Siva also had to gain the trust and support of customers in a very technically demanding industry, source suitable products for a market that was familiar with first-world standards, and do all this in a volatile economy,’ Shaun discloses.
‘He achieved it admirably. From a small business in one province with very few resources and no sole agencies, he built the business up by doing the simple things well. Now, with three branches, a footprint across southern Africa, greater resources, prime agencies and an own brand range in the making, we are well positioned to make the next 25 years even more outstanding.
‘Just as Siva had to cope with what was effectively a new country, in 2021, we are proud to have emerged from a global pandemic with a business that is stronger and more relevant than ever.’
What is the road to the 50-year mark paved with? It’s strictly upward and onward, Shaun insists. ‘We’re already planning our move into other areas in South Africa and Africa with new partners, which is very exciting.
…we will never lose sight of the needs of the loyal customers who have contributed to our growth and whose fortunes we have helped to shape in a small way.”
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.‘Our online presence is growing and we are improving the efficiency of our e-retail service, which will mean even speedier and more convenient filling of orders.
‘In one respect we’re returning to our roots, investigating more innovative products for the litho packaging market, while diversifying our UV product range in the large-format digital industry.
‘Whatever the future brings, we will never lose sight of the needs of the many loyal customers who have contributed to our growth and prosperity and whose fortunes we have helped to shape in a small way.
‘We’ve travelled a tremendous path together.’
Leaving the last word to Suhail is fitting, as the Agjee and Govender history predates Hitech by many years, when Siva called on Suhail’s father Ziyad and became a trusted supplier of his consumables. Now, with both Impress and Hitech in the hands of the second generations, the camaraderie endures.
‘We know we can always count on Hitech,’ Suhail says adamantly. ‘After hours deliveries, emergency sales and technical support at a moment’s notice, frantic last-minute orders for blankets, packing, chemistry, inks or display mechanisms, even if it means sourcing stock not on hand, are all handled with grace and urgency.
‘It’s always been a pleasure dealing with the Govenders and their team and we can’t imagine business without them,’ Suhail concludes.
Click here to read this article in the E-mag.
