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A World Leader in South Africa

Refreshing and inspirational. These two words best sum up a panelbeating operation in Pinetown called Super Hermans. Refreshing because the ethics are all of the right type; inspirational because the standards are such that they serve as an example for the rest of the world to follow. And that's not an exaggeration writes Patrick O'Leary who attended the official opening of the new workshop.

It a pity but it's true. The perception held in the minds of most people - including mine - are that panelbeating shops, by the nature of the work, must be pretty dirty operations. Not so! Walk into Super Hermans in Pinetown and you could be forgiven for thinking this was previously an intensive care ward of a private hospital.

I'm not kidding. The floors sparkle and the place has an air of cleanliness about it that surprises. "They don't always look like this do they?" I ask Steven Herman pointing to the floor. "I bet you polished them up to impress your guests at tonight's function."

Steven is one of the sons of founder of the business, Johan Herman. The other son - also in the business - is Andre. Both are panelbeaters by trade and both, like their dad, love the business.

"No, not at all. We are fanatical about housekeeping and we employ two full-time cleaners to keep the workshops clean."

Dr Larry Lipschitz, chairman of the Super Group who bought a 70% stake in the business last August - thus the name Super Hermans - also made mention of the floors in his speech later that evening. On arrival, he too was taken aback by the cleanliness of the place, had asked the same question and had got the same answer.

Perhaps the floors symbolically reflect the realisation of a vision Johan had some six years ago when he got together with his two sons and said to them: "This industry has a lousy name. Let's change it. Let's get together and build something really special"

Questionable ethics

On the admittance of the Hermans, the image of panelbeaters at the time was that all panelbeating shops operated in back-streets and seldom delivered on any promises of superior service. The ethics were questionable and the methods even more so. And Johan knew this. After all, he had been in the business for 30 years starting in Durban and eventually moving to premises in Pinetown.

The Herman family set their sights on changing the image of the profession and change it they have. Perhaps one of the additional driving forces behind their determination to do so was the fact that all three had toured both Europe and the USA looking for facilities they could emulate in South Africa. There weren't any. It was then they set their sights on building a business which would lead rather than follow the world.

Now, after a R10,5-million investment into equipment and buildings, they can boast being just that - a world leader. And that's not their boast. It comes from no less a company than Daimler/Chrysler whose representative from Germany visited the premises and proclaimed it the best he had ever seen.

Ron Smith, director of Africa operations for Paccar International, endorsed this view when he used this occasion to present the company with a framed certificate of appreciation for hosting the 1998 Paccar International Bodyshop Training Course. On handing it to Johan Herman, Smith told the assembled guests that never in his time with Paccar - and in over 100 countries - had he come across a panelbeater with such integrity and high customer intent than was evidenced at Super Hermans.

Aside from these verbal accolades, the company also has official stamp of approval from Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Scania, Iveco, MAN, Peterbilt and Freightliner. This approval is not just a mere rubber stamp. It is more than that. What it means is that if your vehicle has a crash and is repaired by Super Hermans, your warranty on that vehicle stands.

To achieve such standards requires not only investment in equipment - such as cab jigs for every make of truck and state-of-the-art paint facilities - but also in people. In this area, the company excels for not only does it hire top quality people but it also ensures on-going training - both locally and overseas - for its people. There is also an apprentice programme in place designed to attract skills to the industry.

Hey, this is starting to sound like a real puffery jive for the company. It's almost reading like a paid advertisement. Well, it not paid for and it's all true. The company deserves the accolades and FleetWatch is happy to ring its praises for not only does it do this industry proud - it also does the country proud.

Talking of pride, I asked the question of Steven Herman whether they ever cut corners by perhaps fitting inferior quality parts to get the job off the line and the truck back on the road.

Won’t bend on ethics

"No. We can’t afford to because if we get caught only once, our name will be in the dirt. Our name is our reputation and I'll never jeopardise our good name. The 'old man' has worked too hard for us to throw it all away. We won't bend on our ethics," was his straight reply.

One thing is for sure, when your truck is in the hands of Super Hermans you know it's in the right hands. As 'old man' Johan says: "While it is here, that truck is my truck" - and you better believe he will treat it as his own.

The good news for the industry is that with the Super Group coming on board last year, there is now a plan in place to expand and build similar facilities in other centres around the country. The first one is planned for opening in Midrand, Gauteng, in the last quarter of this year. It will be a direct crib of the Pinetown facility so operators will get the same standard of service. Plans are also on the board to open facilities in Cape Town and Mpumalanga.

"We believe this is the right way to go if we are to achieve the standards and ethics this industry deserves," says Dr Lipschitz.

FleetWatch congratulates this company on the bold stand it has taken on setting high standards and operating to high ethics. We have always stated that there are players in the South Africa trucking industry which need not stand back for anyone out there in the world. The actions of this business give credence to our belief. As I said at the beginning - it's refreshing and inspirational.

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