Keeping it in the family
Boksburg, Gauteng, SA – During 2022/23 my wife fell ill with Covid and we decided to get our daughter, Tania Ellis, involved in the business to enable me to spend more time with Alice.
Alice eventually passed away 17th January 2024 after 55 years of married life and as we’re all getting older, I decided to keep Tania on, with the blessing from Atom Italy, Franks Tanning Supplies Germany and others, and hopefully Tania will one day take over the business.
Tania underwent training on our Atom computerised cutters at 2 of the gasket manufacturing factories in Gauteng and has reasonable knowledge of the product, not technical, and is well received by our clients.
We concentrate mainly on the gasket manufacturing factories and since installing our first computerised cutter some 22 years ago we‘ve shown growth, year on year, to where we are today.
Other than that, we are blessed with good health and a sound business.
Footwear Industry Articles
- Knock out the knockoffs: Protecting your brand against imitationsCounterfeiting is no longer confined to imitation designer goods sold in back-alley markets. It has become a widespread and organised trade that threatens fair competition and the rights of legitimate businesses. At its simplest, counterfeiting means the deliberate manufacture and sale of goods calculated to resemble genuine branded produ ...moreAsia tightens its grip on global footwear, but risks loomAmerican shoemaker New Balance has shipped its first export consignment from its manufacturing hub in Tamil Nadu, marking India’s growing role in global footwear supply chains. At the same time, Japanese giant ASICS is increasing local production in India from 30% to 40% to comply with the country’s new Bur ...moreObituary: Colin Pedlar – Reflex Footwear (Pty) Ltd (08/04/1946-18/07/2025) : Whatever he did, he did calmly, thoroughly, and wellI met Colin Pedlar for the first time when we had the opportunity to take over a production plant in Lesotho.It was quite a daunting prospect starting a new business in a foreign country.Colin was very involved right from the start and tackled every hurdle calmy, from negotiating with the Lesotho Government to moving machinery to Lesotho. ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- New Mossop sales manager: ‘I can’t see leather being replaced in our lifetime’Wellington, W. Cape, SA – Samantha O’Neill has been appointed sales manager of Mossop Western Leathers (Pty) Ltd, responsible for local and international customers.With a background mainly in textiles, she said she nonetheless had a longstanding personal interest in leather.“I find my transition from the fashion industry ...moreKey changes in TFL´s leadership teamLangenfeld, Germany – Kaija Korolainen was appointed Group Chief People Officer (CPO) on 01 July and Samer Al Jabi was appointed Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) on 01 September.Kaija has a strong track record of strategic HR leadership across multiple industries and geographies. At TFL, she is responsible for ...morePangea: ‘Maintaining status quo in quiet market’Nigel, Gauteng, SA – The global market for automotive leather remains subdued, Pangea SA finance & administration director Adrian Visser said this month, and in South Africa’s case, that is further affected by concerns about US tariffs “which affect us indirectly through our customers”.“It’s a flat ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Updated safety footwear standards: No clarity after marathon meetingPretoria, Gauteng, SA – South African safety footwear manufacturers and importers will have to wait until 08 October to get answers from the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) after a 3-hour, 30-minute Microsoft Teams ‘stakeholder meeting’ on 11September overran its timeslot – and that was afte ...moreFidelity acquires SSG Holdings to grow to nearly 70 000 staff over more than 250 locationsJohannesburg, Gauteng, SA (17 September 2025) – Fidelity Services Group has acquired a majority shareholding in SSG Holdings, following all requisite regulatory approvals. The acquisition will expand Fidelity’s footprint to more than 256 locations and grow its workforce to approximately 69 200 employees across Southern Africa. ...moreObituary: Ernie Wallis, Sheq Safety (14/07/1959 – 16/08/2025): In all things, hard, fair and respectedCape Town, W. Cape, SA – Ernie was raised in a strong, principled household. Ernie’s father – a naval man with sharp business acumen and a steady temperament – and his mother, who was uncompromising in her pursuit of fairness, instilled in him the values of discipline, justice, and integrity that would define his l ...more




