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SCHÜTZ Signs Licensing Agreement for the Production of IBCs and Drums in South Africa
Co-operation with leading reconditioner Paradigm an impor-tant move within the context of international expansion
Selters / Durban. SCHÜTZ GmbH & Co. KGaA from Selters, Germany, continues to pursue its course of expansion at international level. From now on, the IBC world market leader will be co-operating with the South African company Paradigm Container Management CC., the biggest reconditioning enterprise in the country for IBCs and plastic drums.
Under the terms of the licensing agreement, the Durban-based Paradigm will be offering a wider range of products and services and producing the full range of successful SCHÜTZ Ecobulk products. What’s more, an entire production line for the manufacture and reconditioning of IBCs and for the production of the F1 tight-head drum will be travelling all the way from Westerwald to the Cape. IBC production is scheduled to begin as early as May, that of drums in June 2007.
To SCHÜTZ, the new partnership on the Cape means the opening of its 23rd international packaging operation. “In entering into this new co-operation agreement, we are acting in line with our philosophy of following our markets and therefore also our customers so as to be able to offer them the same products and standards of service worldwide,” says Veit Enders. “Our new venture is another logical step within the context of today’s general process of globalisation,” as the sales and marketing manager of SCHÜTZ explains.
The new licensee operates at an ideal, logistically central location. Home to more than 3.3 million inhabitants, Durban is the second-largest city in South Africa after Johannesburg. A major industrial centre on the Indian Ocean, Durban is Africa’s largest port. Paradigm, the largest reconditioner in the country, is naturally also fully acquainted with the industrial packaging market there.
From its Durban base, the new SCHÜTZ licensee will in future supply the entire South African market with IBCs and plastic drums. While Paradigm will be producing and supplying the full range of 1,000-litre IBCs from the Ecobulk lines LX, MX and SX, the two partners will focus their attention on a single plastic drum, the 220-litre model of the innovative, multilayer F1 tight-head drum.
The F1 tight-head drum is an exceptional all-rounder. Its material profile makes this drum superior in every way to conventionally used products. All in all, it is a convincing option thanks to its great cold-temperature impact strength, considerably improved stacking-pressure resistance and its tremendous resistance to stress cracking. The drum’s optimised top-plate geometry additionally ensures greater protection for both outlet nozzles. Last but not least, the SCHÜTZ product makes it possible for the drums to be completely drained (<100ml), in accordance with VPA 4, via both outlet nozzles.
In moving into South Africa, SCHÜTZ is also extending its free ticket service – a global collection and reconditioning system that is probably the only one of its kind in the world and guarantees both the recycling and re-use of used IBCs. Replacement of the inner bottle at the end of each IBC trip means there is no need for complicated cleaning procedures. At the same time, the new inner bottles guarantee the absolute, uncontaminated purity of filling products. In this respect, the once again completely revised and improved SCHÜTZ Ticket Service is a model concept that meets both ecological and economic requirements. Paradigm has also taken on this service in its entirety – which is only logical considering the licensee’s second core business, reconditioning.
“We are pleased about this partnership, which is a real win-win situation for everyone concerned,” says Steven Pillay, general manager of Paradigm. “While it allows us to expand our portfolio and gives us some excellent new prospects, it gives SCHÜTZ the opportunity to participate in the South African market through a strong, local partner that believes in and acts according to the same customer-oriented service philosophy.”
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