TRELLIDOR: Unbreakable Trellidor Stays Solid When Pressure Builds

2020 – the year of unrest and uncertainty. One like never before. The challenges came, and then came again; the onslaught was severe. And then, in 2021, people prayed for an end to the distress, fear and angst resulting from the pandemic, but a spate of disturbances begin around the world, perhaps most poignantly in South Africa where riots destroyed lives and businesses.

While Covid-19 was, and is, certainly a catalyst in the feelings of insecurity, other factors have merged, creating a world where, unfortunately, security and protection are foremost in people’s planning.

In South Africa, Police Minister General Bheki Cele briefed colleagues on the crime stats for the first quarter, citing increases across almost all metrics. The worrying stats were further confirmation for those in two minds: security is a worthwhile and necessary investment.

But where to start in such a popular but convoluted industry? According to the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA), there are more than 9000 registered companies in South Africa, servicing a whole range of requirements from technology to manned guarding to cash-in-transit protection to home perimeter fencing and gates. It’s a minefield.

Fortunately, like in any industry, word of mouth is the best marketing tool and the best quickly rise to the top. In the manufacturing and provision of physical home and business security products that go into apertures, Trellidor is the industry leader, commanding impressive market share, and calling on a 45-year history of innovation and excellence.

The company has grown beyond the borders of its home province and country, and is now active internationally, and listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). Matching modern day uncertainty with a promise of absolute surety, Trellidor is a company that is dedicated to protecting homes and businesses.

STRONGEST PARTNER

Sales and Marketing Director, Peter Rawson tells Enterprise Africa that now, more than ever, it pays to partner with the best.

“If we get our work wrong, people could get hurt or killed,” he starts. “It’s an exciting industry and we appreciate the responsibility we have as the market leader to set the scene and make sure there is adherence. People are very appreciative when we do get involved and when we help them protect themselves. It’s a very fulfilling business to be a part of. We are proud of the products we produce as they are top quality, and the service we follow up with is the best available. Our network in South Africa is incredible and no one is close to it. It gives us a huge advantage in after sales service, maintenance and emergencies.

“We have seen examples from all over the world where you see mobs going down the street and physically ripping steel shutters off shopfronts by hand. During the unrest, the same happened here, steel roller shutters were ripped from windows and doors in shopping centres with ease and everyone got a big fright about how limited this type of security actually is,” he adds, referring to the dreadful scenes realised across Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in July 21.

Many shops, malls and places of work were smashed, looted and set ablaze by rioters in a seemingly carefree rampage that quickly spiralled out of control, leaving the South African Police Service (SAPS) ineffective and resulting in South African National Defence Force (SANDF deployed in some areas.

But shopfronts equipped with the Trellidor RH55 aluminium shutter escaped unscathed, demonstrating the experience, power and strength of the company and its products.

“We have completed a number of massive doors for Massmart in South Africa, and we put the units into most of their stores. I am happy to say that during the recent unrest those units stood up against the looting and none were broken through,” says Rawson.

True to its promise and constantly innovating, Trellidor was already developing an alternative solution for shopfronts which don’t require the size of the RH55. Labelled the Lockdown Shutter, or RH65, this new roller guard is being installed by many businesses who were damaged during the riots.

“It comes out of our innovation with Sainsbury’s in the UK. We have developed the Lockdown Shutter and it is right at the top of the security provision. It works like a seatbelt in a car – if you drag it from the top with a motor it works perfectly. As soon as you try and force the sheet up in anyway, there are activators on each slat which tilt and jam. We have taken forklift trucks off the ground trying to force these products up. The RH65 is what we use in Sainsbury’s on their kiosks where they sell cigarettes and other valuable products. We have had people with angle grinders and other sophisticated tooling trying to break these and being unsuccessful. In Africa, banks, jewellery stores, gun stores and hotels are our target market and there is huge excitement about it.”

Currently, aluminium products manufactured by Trellidor are some of the strongest available and provide real protection. The RH65 is manufactured in the UK, but will soon be integrated into the SA factory. The RH55 and the RH40 are built in SA and are popular in the market. When manufacture of the RH65 moves to SA, Rawson is confident the model will sell quickly, and updates to facilities will provide the ability to make shutters that are larger and stronger, and able to be deployed in almost any environment.

“We have a number of main retail companies lining up to look. We are also looking at bigger shafts and larger motors which will allow us to cover much bigger sizes, taking away any limitations we have experienced.”

PANDEMIC PRESSURE

As the pandemic began to sweep through the nation, Trellidor focussed on its core products, reorganising the range into dedicated categories, making it simple for customers to navigate, and straightforward for the company’s sales team.

“It is being driven by the fact that people’s requirement for security is evolving and we are driving hard to get further into commercial corporate environments as we’ve always been so dominant in residential,” says Rawson.

The first category is home-based products that offer high-grade protection from various threats but also bring aesthetic qualities meaning they are perfect for use inside and outside the home. It comes from a demand inside gated communities or secure estates where the perimeter is well-patrolled and the gates are secure, but threats remain inside the walls.

“It’s a lower-level estate product range including retractables, shutters, roller shutters, polybar, cottage guards etc. That range is aimed at a functional level where people are looking for protection from perpetrators but also from animals including monkeys, spiders, snakes, and insects. It is really more of an access control but has functionality that addresses the environmental issues such as light, wind and rain. It also has that all important aesthetic function,” details Rawson.

Far from your traditional security access products – rigid, rough and daunting – this range adds to the decoration of a home while driving the all-important Trellidor protection. The expansion of the group in recent years has helped to grow in this category. Taylor Blinds and Shutters and NMC Decorations were added into the group to access new market sectors and the Trellidor sales team is thankful.

“It is a big opportunity for us in South Africa which is a very competitive market. It gives us that opportunity during a security consultation to talk about light and wind and other things,” details Rawson. “NMC is a Belgian offering and we import. It is a polycarbonate, very strong skirting and cornice range for housing. Again, it’s about bringing a wider offering when we are onsite. We work with builders and contractors and it’s the sort of product that allows us to get into big projects. That diversification is in its infancy but it is starting to work and is something we are pleased with.”

The mid-level, or Premium, range is where Trellidor has made its name and where it dominates the market. “This is our core business and is a security product,” declares Rawson. “It’s less about the aesthetic and more about stopping access. Even with various implements, this range will withstand an attack. We are trying to improve the aesthetics with the shutters but these are serious security products.”

A patented Trellidor locking system alongside an uncluttered design – hiding all mechanisms – and built-in strengthening features make the Premium Shutters and others in this range perfect for all.

The top-level range, labelled the Certified Range, is where Trellidor goes from residential provider to corporate partner, offering state-of-the-art security products that are rigorously tested through external sources and utilised by those requiring pinnacle protective barriers such as military and government clients, and well as large international conglomerates.

“We are now talking about serious, functional security that has been tested through the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB), part of BRE Global, which is an independent third-party testing body based in London. The products go through stringent attack testing and receive a rating that demonstrates how strong they are,” says Rawson. “That takes us into corporate, commercial; areas where there are large crowds such as stadiums, railway stations, passenger terminals, and we see the certified range as a huge opportunity going forward. We are starting to see this range being used, especially in Africa, in banks, embassies, and in crowded public areas where security is the aim. When these products are closed and locked, access is not going to happen – this is the real McCoy.”

Demand for this range kicked off for Trellidor in the UK. Working with long-standing client Sainsbury’s, as well as the London Underground, this no-nonsense range achieves complete protection in secure environments. UK standards agencies have awarded the Trojan 3 EMESC T3000 gate the highest possible certification and Rawson sees potential locally and internationally.

“Without that certification, you are not a player. Armed forces in the UK will not consider your range without it being certified. British, American, Belgian, Austrian, and many more – we are securing embassies around Africa and the certified range is the go-to for them.

“There are huge security challenges and the international side of this business brings massive opportunities,” he says.

DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT

In order to meet demand in a lockdown situation, where salespeople were not allowed to physically attend homes or business premises, Trellidor had to innovate. Fortunately, the company has innovation in its DNA and moving quickly to adapt is a trait that has kept the company at the top of the industry, even in the toughest market conditions.

“We’ve always had a very positive attitude about these times and we quickly get into innovation – doing things better, looking for new markets, and researching new products,” saws Rawson, highlighting the 2008 recession, 2013 financial crash, and now the Covid-19 pandemic and global economic meltdown. “We changed the methodology of our consultation in the field and we were on the front foot with Covid protocols.

“It’s an exciting new world,” he adds. “Digital has arrived and taken us all by storm. It’s brought massive opportunities and we have embraced it. We are very excited about how the future looks.

“Through our website, we offered people the opportunity to have a virtual experience with us. It was simple and all online. Our sales team could get online and walk around a home with a customer, giving advice and talking about products, and we did a fair amount of business that way. We also produced an Augmented Reality (AR) experience where customers could walk into a virtual showroom and experience the products in different colours and sizes, and that has also been a hit.”

Previously, Trellidor used trade shows and home improvement expos as a direct route to market, but with the collapse of in-person meetings, alternative solutions became essential. “The AR facility on our site became a requirement and we find it amazing how people have adapted. Covid has certainly driven innovation.”

Where many companies have been hard-hit by the impact of lockdowns, this innovative approach to business, and the company’s ability to provide a proven solution have resulted in a strong financial period. Trellidor announced improved revenue and Rawson puts this down to a nimble nature.

“On the financial side, we’ve had a tremendous year during what is one of the worst years ever. It was obvious upfront that we were in for a protracted test. We immediately reviewed any areas of the business where we could batten down the hatches from an overhead cost perspective without damaging progress, awareness and normal marketing. That worked exceptionally well as it was mainly factory focussed in terms of looking at shifts and efficiencies. From a marketing perspective, it was tough in terms of aggressive opposition as the market shrunk and everyone was fighting for what was left.”

He says that as people moved to work from home, they quickly identified how vulnerable their homes were – even in protected areas. This was similar across South Africa, and on the continent, and the realisation drove demand.

“It effected our leads and the number of people wanting to see us. But at the same time, many people demanded that we came in to install security products.”

Going forward, Trellidor will invest further in its digital capability, and into its technology in the product range. “It’s all about keeping up with consumer demand,” says Rawson.

The company will remain a manufacturing security company, dedicated to physical security but with various offerings that provide further protective products. “We have a concept around automated home living and automated business living, where people are aware of attacks on their property. There is a trend around monitoring the home or office through a phone and app. We are determined to embrace that and be a part of it, and that will bring a whole new element to our offering.”

GLOBAL GROWTH

Although 2020 and 2021 remain years for most to forget, there is a growing acceptance that this is not the last time events and disruption of this nature will occur. Trellidor continues to search for new opportunities to diversify, and revamp its internal processes so that customer service is of the highest possible standard. By investing in digital, the company has already taken a step ahead of its competitors, and by continuing to devote resources to development of its range, exciting clients are enquiring from around the world. This is where Rawson sees the future of the group.

“RSA remains our focal point, but if we look at our two biggest opportunities, we look at Africa where we believe there is huge opportunity – especially in the Indian Ocean Islands – and then Europe where we now own our UK branch,” he says.

“Our African network is evolving brilliantly and we are looking at opening up four or five countries in Africa over the next 12 months with franchises that come fully-fledged with trim shops and the ability to supply and service.

“We have recently opened in Ethiopia with a fantastic operator. We are looking at South Sudan, Uganda, Angola, Ivory Coast, and New Caledonia. We are seeing security as a requirement and becoming more and more of an issue in all counties we deal with.”

In its home market, Trellidor is undertaking a programme through which it will buy back franchises in the main centres of South Africa as franchisees retire or emigrate. The result is Trellidor-owned branches in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town and this brings further opportunities for expansion.

It is clear that this is a booming industry where trust is the most important factor. For 45 years, Trellidor has built its reputation and customer feedback is clear: this is a business that achieves its goal of being the ultimate crime barrier with strength, quality and variety.

“Our philosophy is to be there to help, and help people to secure themselves,” Rawson concludes.