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Published: 31st May 2021
Q&A with Nick Bryant, national sales manager, ProFit Safety Footwear
ProFit national sales manager Nick Bryant...Variety is a beautiful thing.
This is the crystal ball part of the game. The “Magic 8 Ball” gets a shake as we ask the question…will the vessel berth on time or head to some weird and wonderful destination before returning a few weeks later? I’m being facetious. Shipping was most certainly a challenge. More recently, the Ever Given incident in the Suez Canal didn’t help matters. There is a massive shortage of shipping containers worldwide. That said, we have been very lucky in the big scheme of things. Getting it right requires a far closer relationship and daily contact between suppliers, shipping lines, clearing agents and our logistics company in South Africa. You can’t simply order, ship and hope.
Have your factories been affected?
During initial lockdown, yes. Particularly in China. But that was early on, between March - July last year. And Chinese New Year this year 2021, where the Chinese government was very concerned about numbers heading home and then returning after the holiday. But everything has become more stable again. All our suppliers are operational, and some have been working throughout the last 15 months non-stop, albeit with reduced work forces implemented by that country's government regulations regarding Covid % allowed to work.
Has the fall in import pairage come only from smaller importers?
Our imports have remained very steady, but we place very large orders well in advance and have excellent relationships with our long standing suppliers who hold surplus uppers for us overseas. This allows for quick injection once we place orders, reducing lead times and allowing faster movement to the shipping lines. I cannot speak for other importers.
Have any smaller importers closed?
I’m not directly aware of any importing companies having closed doors. But I have definitely noticed a decline in lesser known (one-off) imported brands on shelves during my trips around South Africa which started again this year. I’m seeing the regular well-known brands more.
How have your customers been affected?
Like I mentioned during our last chat for the S&V Mag, we reduced our risk in the marketplace, assisted our certified partners as much as we possibly could with payment delays, etc - and helped get everyone though the tougher trading conditions. Our small group of certified partners have remained fiercely loyal to us, because of this close relationship and “two-way street” support. I’m very glad that we haven’t lost any distribution channel due to challenging Covid trading conditions. Everyone made it through and continues to flourish.
I’m obviously also very glad that our fellow PPE brands, whether opposition to us or not, pulled through. “A flower does not think of competing to the flower next to it. It just blooms. That’s what makes the garden beautiful. Variety.”
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