GLODINA: Experience and Resilience Power a Textile Comeback
Glodina is busy emerging from the depths once again as it targets a regain of market share in the South African towel and textile market. COO Andrew Broughton tells Enterprise Africa that significant investment is helping to solidify a long-term strategy that will position this manufacturing expert in its rightful place.
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In a retail world where imported products dominate shelves and margins are squeezed tighter than ever, local manufacturers must find a way to differentiate. For Glodina, South Africa’s iconic towel manufacturer, the answer lies in experience, innovation, and a serious commitment to local employment.
After a tumultuous few years that included closure in 2017 and a hard-fought recovery, Glodina is now on an upward trajectory, focused on winning back market share and reaffirming its place as a leader in South Africa’s textile sector.
IMPORT PRESSURES
The South African textile industry has been under siege for years, battling a flood of cheap imports from global giants like Pakistan, India, China, and Turkey. These economies of scale allow for mass production at prices South African firms struggle to match, and Glodina has not been immune. “When things settled post-Covid, we saw that imports came back to the market and that made things very difficult,” says COO Andrew Broughton.
Having worked closely with both Glodina and Colibri during his tenure as an advisor for the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), and officially joining Glodina in January 2025, Broughton has seen first-hand the effort it takes to bring a business back from the brink.
“When I arrived in 2023, the business was in distress. There were two good years post-Covid with the spike in general for homewares. There was also focus on buying local because of the supply chain issues, but that level of sales did not sustain,” he explains.
“There was a bit of a support local theme coming through, but what we’ve seen again is that the price and availability becomes more of a determining factor. That’s just a reality, so we’ve had to respond accordingly,” says Broughton.
STRATEGIC CONSOLIDATION
After assessing the brand’s recognition and equity in the market, Glodina’s leadership put forward a bold recovery plan, backed by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). “We completed a thorough analysis to find out where the brands stand and what is their position – do they still have equity, and do they genuinely have the potential to regain market share? The good news is that there is lot of evidence that shows the brands do have recognition,” says Broughton.
In 2023, the IDC board approved a major consolidation move: shutting down the Colibri plant in Cape Town and integrating its technology and operations into Glodina’s Hammarsdale site. “Clearly, that was not what we wanted, but we had to look at the longer-term ability to rebuild the business,” says Broughton. “We took the new technology that had been invested in Colibri and we moved it into the Glodina site. Now, we have one site with all capability and all of the benefits of the new technology.”
The result? A more efficient and sustainable manufacturing operation. While 97 jobs were lost in Cape Town, 50 new roles were created in Hammarsdale almost immediately. And this is just the start.
NEW DIRECTION
With consolidation complete, Glodina is now moving decisively on marketing, innovation, and new business development. “We are now looking at our marketing and sales strategy into the future and we expect growth,” says Broughton. “We believe that we can regain up to 6% of market share in two years. That would create another 30 jobs in the organisation and give us a platform to move forward.”
Part of this effort involves an expanded product range and a return to creativity. “For the first time in a number of years, we are offering new products. We had become a bit stale in terms of the product offering,” admits Broughton. New ranges and colours will appeal to customers in both the retail and hospitality sectors.
Relationships with major customers are also strengthening. “Massmart remains a big customer and we are doing a lot with Makro and Game. We are doing a lot with Pick n Pay and that is growing nicely,” says Broughton. “We are doing some work with Woolworths and we hope for more opportunities there. We are doing work for @Home, and we are talking to TFG.”
The company is also focusing on hospitality and public sector opportunities. “There has been good growth from several hospitality groups across several of the ranges in our portfolio, in particular our snag-free knitted products,” Broughton says. “We are pursuing every avenue that is available to us, and we have invested into our sales team.”
INVESTING IN TECH
The equipment and infrastructure inherited from Colibri have turbocharged Glodina’s production. “We now have a modern dyehouse with modern fabric dying and yarn dying for our more decorative jacquards. We have 18 very flexible jacquard weaving machines, 15 of which came from Calibri,” Broughton confirms. “This was, in monetary value, similar to a R130-150 million in new technology inside Glodina.”
Investment has not stopped at machinery. Glodina is tackling infrastructure and sustainability challenges head-on. Located in a water-scarce region, the company has made significant upgrades. “This year again, we have invested in storage so we can store municipal water and keep the facilities running for the majority of the time,” Broughton explains.
Further investment is coming in the form of an advanced effluent treatment system. “We are putting in an effluent recycling plant and we hope to recycle 80-90% of all the effluent that we discharge to sewer. That brings us water security, water savings, sustainability impacts, and makes more potable water available in the local area,” he says.
Energy security has also been addressed. Glodina has done its homework on solar, though challenges remain. “We looked at a PPA in terms of energy wheeling which would offer savings and more aligned from sustainability point of view,” Broughton says. Backup generators are in place, and a curtailment agreement with Eskom helps the company avoid major production disruption during loadshedding.
Glodina is not content with simply manufacturing; the company is investing in visibility and branding. “More ranges, updating our digital presence, content creation – it’s expensive to do these things,” Broughton acknowledges. “Making the public and other businesses aware of us and how they contact us is where changes are taking place. There is impetus on regaining market share, for sure.”
The company is actively rebuilding its reputation and reminding South African consumers and businesses that Glodina is back. “We have been through a period when we have proven we are here and we are reliable. The time is now right to go to the market and say ‘we are here, we are stable, and we want to rebuild,’” says Broughton.
FUTURE FOCUS
Glodina’s resurgence is more than a comeback story; it’s a blueprint for how South African manufacturers can re-establish themselves through agility, technology, and customer trust. With a modernised facility, renewed customer relationships, and an expanding product line, the business is positioned to grow sustainably.
“We have put a lot of thought into what needed to be done over the past few years, and you can now see the benefits of investment,” Broughton concludes. “It’s not growth based on price increases – it’s kg production coming from the plant year-on-year. That is a positive indicator around what we’re doing here.”
For Glodina, the future is as bright as its fresh new product lines. With experience, resolve, and continued backing from the IDC, this South African manufacturer is reclaiming its place as an industry leader – and proudly doing so with a local workforce, a modern plant, and renewed confidence.