6 / 52
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
FEBRUARY
2017
4
MARKETPLACE
“It is encouraging to see young black women such as Mayleen
Kyster, MD of RCS Avelo, doing such great work in the industry,
especially given the challenges in the manufacturing, engineering
and metals industry.
“It is refreshing to see new players with a more transformative
agenda entering the industry,” said Kaizer Nyatsumba, CEO of Steel
and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa, (SEIFSA),
speaking at the official launch event held at Avelo’s manufacturing
facility in Roodeport.
“Kyster together with partners Dorothy Mokgadi and Nkholo
Komape’s entrepreneurial spirit has seen them leaving comfortable
jobs in the sector to take on the risk of raising capital to venture
into the brave world of business ownership, doing so in an industry
that is not known for transformation and less renowned for its
friendliness or ability to accommodate women, and for this we are
pleased,” said Nyatsumba.
He highlighted that, within a relatively short space of time,
Kyster has made her presence felt in the industry by winning the
Most Transformed Company Award in the 2015 SEIFSA Awards for
Excellence and by being invited to be one of the speakers at the
inaugural Southern African Metals and Engineering Indaba in 2015.
Avelo currently employs 25 full-time employees, and contracts
up to 50 employees on site through four SMMEs which form part
of their Enterprise Development initiatives. Avelo is set to introduce
night shifts sometime in the new year in line with anticipated
demand, said Komape RSC Avelo Operations Director.
Thirty-three-year-old Mayleen Kyster, MD of Avelo, said, “It has
been a tough journey, and it is pleasing to see the progress made
by the company. In just a year, we have moved swiftly from an EME
to a QSE.
“RSC is a multinational with 15 businesses across the African
continent as well as business in Mauritius. They are shareholders
in Avelo with a minority stake in the organisation. The rest of the
shares are held by black men, women and youth, with an impressive
58% shareholding held by women. RSC involvement is to provide
working capital to the extent that it is needed and this contributes
positively to the group’s Enterprise Development initiatives.
“RSC Avelo was nominated as one of four Black Industrialist
at the 4
th
annual SA Premier Business Awards 2016, an awards
function which is a collaboration between Proudly SA, Brand South
Africa and the department of trade and industry. We appreciate the
nomination and acknowledgement as contributors to transforming
the manufacturing landscape. We look forward to creating new
relationships and further building current relationships to sustain
production and create much needed employment, especially given
the current depressing economic landscape,” Kyster said.
SIZEABLE STEP
towards industry transformation
The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation
of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) has welcomed the
launch of RSC Avelo (Avelo) as a big step towards
industry transformation. Avelo is a black-woman-
youth-owned and managed reinforcing steel (rebar)
manufacturer. The company is a QSE and is set to
produce at least 12 000 tons of steel per year.
Mayleen Kyster, MD of RCS Avelo.
About RCS Avelo
RCS Avelo is a steel
manufacturer which specialises
in the supply of reinforcing steel
(rebar), mesh including mining
mesh, fencing, brick force, cover
blocks as well as structural steel.
Avelo also distributes mining
roof bolts and other fabricated
and manufactured steel.