ALLIGATOR MANUFACTURING: Building Brands With Added Bite
A leader in the design, manufacture, sourcing and supply of promotional and retail products to clients worldwide, Alligator’s foundations date back to 1954 and a humble bag manufacturing factory. Today, a complete in-house manufacturing capability gives clients superior flexibility, range of choices and turnaround times to bring brands bursting into life.
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Traditional marketing strategies may be fading, but promotional products still present an overwhelmingly compelling case for efficacy in recognition and value. In a single day a near-innumerable number of brands can be encountered through unique promotional items, with seemingly ordinary objects continuing to have a significant impact on business marketing.
Promotional products provide a unique solution to stand out in the crowd of brands vying for consumers’ attention, acting as mobile billboards and reinforcing recognition with every use and sight. Incredible results can be achieved in the hands of the experts, and with a head office in South Africa bolstered by strong representation in China and sourcing agents across the globe, from a starting staff count of seven, Cape Town’s Alligator has grown into a business harnessing the expertise of 250 employees; these are divided between the company’s state-of-the-art Epping headquarters and manufacturing facility in Cape Town, and sales and sourcing offices in Johannesburg and Hong Kong.
TRUSTED SOLUTIONS
“Alligator is a second-generation, family run company that was taken over by the Marks family in 1988,” the company outlines. “We have a long and rich history that started in 1954 with a bag manufacturing factory; since that time we’ve grown extensively, supplying major corporations with a comprehensive range of products and providing end-to-end merchandising solutions.
“We are leaders in design, manufacturing and sourcing, supplying uniforms and merchandise to clients throughout Africa. We provide a comprehensive range of services to both retail and corporate clients.”
A hard-won, trusted reputation has enabled Alligator to secure accounts with blue chip brands such as South African Breweries, Diageo, Discovery, Engen, Woolworths, Clicks, Sportsmans Warehouse, Cape Union Mart, South African World Cup Rugby, alongside many others. “We’re constantly innovating bespoke branded products,” the company clarifies, “successfully manufacturing and sourcing single products or entire ranges and providing warehousing, developing and hosting online shops and managing sales and distribution.”
Its Epping facility is undoubtedly the beating heart of the company, affording Alligator its very own manufacturing and branding capabilities whether for one-off orders or long-running programmes. “Our factory affords us great flexibility, a wide range of choices and quick turnaround times,” Alligator explains.
“Trade and industry grants have enabled us to upgrade our machinery and offer superior manufacturing services, and today, besides making high quality products, we offer a full suite of branding facilities from embroidery to screen printing and embossing.” Extensive core capabilities stretch from product design, branding and manufacturing and sourcing, through to warehousing, pick and pack, distribution and even importing.
SUPERIOR SERVICE
“We travel regularly, searching for innovative products and ensuring we are on top of the latest trends,” Alligator summates of an in-house design team boasting exceptional skills in graphic design, packaging, 3D industrial design, finished artwork and visualisation. “We also continue to build out our own in-house branding facility. This brings our clients added flexibility, time and cost savings, and even greater comfort that branding complies with their strictest Corporate Identity (CI) guidelines.
“Our on-site factory in Cape Town offers clients unique solutions in a proudly South African environment. We keep an extensive range of raw materials in stock for efficient turnaround,” Alligator continues of its manufacturing prowess, as it works to client requirements by either sourcing stock and making to order in the local market or at its overseas factories. A full warehousing, pick and pack, kit-packing and distribution service is then on offer from both Cape Town and Midrand facilities, representing some 9,000m2 under roof in total, while delivery trucks in Cape Town and Johannesburg cater for local deliveries and longstanding relationships with third party couriers covering national distribution requirements.
“For many of our clients we handle cross-border distribution into Africa,” Alligator rounds off, “and direct importing is a significant part of our business. We have built up an extensive supplier base all over the world including Madagascar, Mauritius, China, Pakistan, and India, with every one of our partner factories vetted for quality assurance and ethical compliance.”
Flexibility, innovation and best-in-class design have combined to allow Alligator to deliver to the fullest degree on its overarching mission: to help clients bring their brands to life through bespoke, on-budget and sustainable merchandise, clothing and packaging. “For this reason, design, innovation and range development are at the heart of our full-service model,” Alligator affirms. “We have an arsenal of ideas to share that will give your brand the edge.”