S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.10 No.03, January 15 2024

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Back-to-school

Good, after a tough 2023

Idris Pandor, Gem Schoolwear (Pty) Ltd
Durban, KZN, SA – On the wholesale side, 2023 was a tough trading year, numbers were down, suspecting dealers were overstocked and being cautious to order and on the other hand it made it very difficult to fill our production capacity on certain lines.
      However, trade has been brisk since we opened up on the 2nd of Jan with many stockists requiring stock for a quick fill-in on the basics. It is a mad rush jostling for stock.
      Hopefully our order books get filled up as soon as our dealers get a chance to review their stock and put in a replenishing order.
      On the retail side we are doing our fair share of the business, and we are grateful for that although there are many more players in the market nowadays as wholesalers are supplying the retail trade at a price point...
obtaining imitation fabric and giving out CMT at sweat shop rates and not carrying the cost of a structured business and also importing fabric and made-up goods on another route.
      On another note, school wear trade for many non-school wear stores is the next best thing to Christmas trade or even better than that and are cashing in on for the 4 to 5 weeks of school wear trade.
      From the above we can say that all-in-all, the market is now diluted for specialised school wear stockists.

Chiman Harjeven, Knight’s Shoes
Grahamstown, E. Cape, SA – We are having a reasonable back to school season. Compared to last year, deliveries have been spot on and our planning is paying off.

Jannie Vermeulen, Ekspa/Adno’s
Benoni/Brakpan, Gauteng, SA – It’s been a busy week, but generally well spread – except on Saturday, which was hectic – because there have been more working days. We expect more of the same this week.

Faizal Hajat, Economic Outfitters
Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA – The Back 2 School 2024 season has been a slow start...most clients probably waiting to purchase next week.

Anni Uys, Groenewald’s
Prieska, N. Cape, SA – My store doesn’t sell that much back-2-school stuff so the little bit that I do have is moving. We’re not quite in the back-2-school rush yet but it is picking up day by day.

Retirement

Durban, KZN, SA - Peter Handley, former owner of Coventry Shoes in Glenwood Village, sold the business and retired on 01 December.

Death Notice

Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA - Lodewyk ‘Lou’ Jonck, who represented Royal Adhesives in the E. Cape, died on 26 December, aged 72. An obituary will follow in the January issue of S&V Footwear & Leather Goods.

They Said It

"The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are." - American banker J.P. Morgan.

New subscribers last week

Kameel Sivenath, HR Manager, Bader SA, Rosslyn, Tshwane, South Africa

Directory entries updated last week

Agricultural Levy Services (Pty) Ltd, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
City Fashions Schoolwear [City Fashion Manufacturers cc], Lenasia, Gauteng, SA.
Fred Footwear cc, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
Richard Kane & Co. (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
Rolfes Leather (Pty) Ltd, Boksburg, Gauteng, SA.

Got anything you'd like to share?

Do you have any suggestions, comments or experiences about the industry that you'd like to share with the industry? - tony@svmag.co.za

Birthdays this week

15/01/????: Vimal Ambaram, JFK Trading, Durban, KZN, SA.
15/01/1974: Ahmed Jada, African Stores, Heidelberg, Gauteng, SA.
17/01/1949: Carol Mentor, retired, formerly NULAW, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
17/01/1961: Gita Chetty, Angelai’s, Durban, KZN, SA.
17/01/1963: Michael Lawrence, National Clothing Retail Federation of SA, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
18/01/1950: Roy Naidoo, Best Shoes, Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA.
18/01/1972: Ian Otto, African Leather & Skins, Paarl, W. Cape, SA.
18/01/1977: Guy Millar, Rags on Trend, Midrand, Gauteng, SA.
19/01/1943: Richard Šantrůček, retired, formerly Conshu (closed), Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
19/01/1960: Saleem Khamissa, His Place, Port Shepstone, KZN, SA.
21/01/1976: Mickey Walker, McCullough & Bothwell, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.

In memoriam this week

15/01/2021: Idris Kajee (b. 06/11/1950), Favourite Sports, Newcastle, KZN, SA.
16/01/2000: Brenda Fairhead, Fairhead’s [closed], Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
16/01/2004: Derek Funnell (b. 07/10/1938), Carl Freudenberg/DB Funnell Leathers, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
17/01/2012: Graham Pearson (b. 16/01/1929), Apeco, Pinetown, KZN, SA.
17/01/2022: Geert Schuiling (b. 26/11/1954), Procap Leather, Woodheads, Geert Schuiling Design, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
18/01/2002: Frank Mellon (b. 04/02/1930), Valmell Components, Durban, KZN, SA.
19/01/2005: Thomas Anthony (Tony) O’Sullivan (b.08/06/1928), Vogue Shoes and others [closed], Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
20/01/2010: Johan Bester (b. 08/11/1936), ProGlove, King William’s Town, E. Cape, SA.
21/01/2021: Mohamed Farouk Kader (b. 20/11/1952), Kaytex Belts, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.

Have you let us know about your birthday, or the birthdays of your colleagues? Our readers love this section, so please become part of it. This also applies to the In Memoriam section. Help us remember former colleagues.

3. Malawian Kwacha (MWK)

Source: https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/

4. Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)

Source: https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/

5. Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL$)

Source: https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/

Note: For previous rates, see HERE

ABSA Agri Trends: Hides & skins prices

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA (14 December 2023) - The average hide price decreased by 0.07% to R3.288/kg from R3.286/kg in the previous week. The current price is 0.23% higher than the average price a month ago and 21.3% lower than the average price a year ago. The range of prices reported was as follows: Minimum price: R3.25 Maximum price: R3.50. Please note: Our methodology weighs the prices we collect according to the number of hides they sell in a month. This is done to make it more representative of the prevailing market price. NB* Hide prices are determined by the average of the RMAA (Red Meat Abattoir Association) and independent companies. - Marlene Louw, senior agricultural economist, and Nkhensani Mashimbyi, agricultural economist, and Zama Sangweni, agricultural economist, Absa group.

Note: For previous prices, see HERE

Have a look at these links

We invite businesses to send us links to websites, Facebook pages and the like which they feel would be of interest to others. The links below are from our database:

Handbag & Luggage, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA. Travel goods retailer.
Handel Street (Pty) Ltd, Roodepoort, Gauteng, SA. Automotive aftermarket.

Contact us

News & Classifieds: Tony Dickson, +27 (0)31 209 7505, tony@svmag.co.za

Next newsletter: January 22, 2024.

SAFLIA enquiries: Tel 0800SAFLIA * Email info@saflia.co.za * Website http://www.saflia.co.za

Our website www.svmag.co.za