Maverick turns manhole covers into export success

Some people are born entrepreneurs, others inherit it and some have it thrust upon them – as was the case with Cedric Simons, founder of Maverick Trading, a Cape Townbased manufacturer of Polymer concrete manhole covers and frames. Winner of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry Exporter of the Year award in 2014, Simons started Maverick Trading in January 2000 with not much more than the belief that he could make a go of it. He had been retrenched and with no prospect of employment he decided to buy the company. He used all of his available cash for the deal. With a family to feed he had no other option but to make a go of it despite not knowing much about business or manhole covers. Starting off with a staff of just two people (that included himself) in a space just over 100 sqm, his dedication and commitment to making a success of the business has taken it from strength to strength. Today Maverick Trading employs over 100 people operating from premises of just under 2000 sqm, with sales offices in Gauteng and Port Elizabeth. And for Simons this really is just the beginning. “There is no magic formula,” Simons told FTW on the sidelines of an event hosted by the Exporter’s Club Western Cape to celebrate the company’s win. “It really was all blood, sweat and tears. Hard work continues to pull us through.” His secret to success was starting off as he planned to go. “From the very first day there were some aspects that were never going to be compromised. The safety of the people who work for Maverick Trading, the environment in which they work and the quality of the product we manufactured was all going to be top notch. We have never veered from that and never will.” Despite pressures to automate his business he continues to employ manual labour – a remnant of those days when he himself was unemployed. His commitment is not just to his family but to all the people he employs. Simons’ other secret is delivering a product that is needed. “Manhole covers were being stolen across the country and municipalities had a real crisis on their hands. So we came up with a product – a manhole with no resale value,” he says. No longer was there any need to break open a sewer as the fittings and valves were not copper and the cover itself was worthless. Also the manhole cannot be opened from the outside once it’s locked and it is virtually indestructible. The polymer concrete manhole covers (drain covers) and frames for heavy, medium and light duty traffic are found across South Africa, used in roads, water and sewerage systems. Having extended the product range significantly from those early days they now also manufacture gully grids for roadside storm water drains, inlet kerbs, access covers for Telkom and electrical chambers, and replacement covers for stolen and/or damaged cast-iron manhole covers. “A lot of effort, time, research and development has gone into this product,” says Simons. “What we had achieved soon became apparent and we started to export very early on as other countries realised the value of the covers.” Maverick has exported more than 200 000 units across the borders into Africa and continues to grow its export volumes. “We aim to develop a concept that will benefit them. A module that can deal with the theft problem but that is also quick and easy to install with little maintenance,” he says. INSERT & CAPTION We never compromise on the safety of the people who work for Maverick Trading, the environment in which they work and the quality of the product we manufacture. – Cedric Simons