Housing in Southern Africa October-November 2016

News Bathrooms, Kitchens & Plumbing

Plumbing industry App

T his is the first local plumbing App linked to both the Plumb- ing Industry Registration Board and Certificate of Compliance sys- tem, as well as providing access to all the tools and products required. The App includes installation guides from leading manufacturers such as DPI Plastics was recently launched at Plumbdrain Africa 2016, co-located at Interbuild Africa, at Expo Centre Nasrec in Johannesburg. DPI Plastics Marketing Manager Martine Goodchild revealed that the manufacturer will be launching its own iOS/Android technical Appwithin the next twomonths. This reflects the growing importance of digital plat- forms such as smartphones versus the traditional way of conducting business. “Africa, for example, has a 90% smartphone penetration rate, to- gether with a significant youth bulge, with 70% of the population under 25. When our website became mobi- responsive in November 2015, the number of new visitors quadrupled, testament to how business is being conductedmore andmore via smart- phone,” says Goodchild. Other developments at DPI Plas- tics include various capital-intensive projects to boost the quality and productivity at its Johannesburg and Bellville manufacturing facili- ties. These include an ongoingmould replacement programme in Johan-

Leading producer of PVC and HPDE water reticulation, drainage and pipe fitting systems, DPI Plastics, have incorporated installation guides on the new APP Plumber.

nesburg. The programme has seen the production of a brand-newmould for 50mmbendpipe fittings. DPI Plas- tics has also taken delivery of its new P-trap mould from Portugal, in addi- tion to adding a second large-bore extrusion line at its Johannesburg manufacturing facility. This follows on fromthe installation of the original Krauss Maffei 630 mmbore extrusion line in 2013. “Plumbdrain Africa 2016 is an important platform for us to connect with our customers to showcase our approach coupled with her wealth of experience that made her stand out among several incumbents in their bid to win the position of marketing manager at Xylem Water Solutions South Africa. Pierre Fourie, Managing Director of Xylem Water Solutions South Af- rica said, “We needed someone who could pick up the reigns and run in this fast-paced and demanding role. We are fortunate to have found some- one as versatile and experienced as Lorraine.” Smart brings extensive experience of two of Xylem’s globally renowned brands Flygt and Lowara to the role along with strong business acumen and a no-nonsense approach to

comprehensive product range, in addition to some new innovations such as our latest apps,” concludes Goodchild. DPI Plastics is a member of IOPSA which, in turn, is affiliated to the World Plumbing Council (WPC). The company is a leading manu- facturer of PVC and HDPE water reticulation and drainage pipe and fitting systems, with two ISO 9001 certified South African factories, one in Johannesburg and the other in Cape Town. ■ excellent results. A new era of stream- linedmarketing efficiency lies ahead for XylemWater Solutions lies ahead with Lorraine Smart at the helm. Xylem is a leading global water technology provider, enabling cus- tomers to transport, treat, test and efficiently use water in public utility, residential and commercial building services, industrial and agricultural settings. The company does business in more than 150 countries through a number of market-leading product brands, and its people bring broad applications expertise with a strong focus on finding local solutions to the world’s most challenging water and wastewater problems. ■

Xylem’s new Marketing Manager

X ylem Water Solutions South Africa, recently announced the ap- pointment of its new mar- keting manager; Lorraine Smart. Smart has decades

of experience in the sector and is set to bring her unique

skillset and in- dustr y know- h ow t o t h e role to further expand Xylem Wa t e r So l u -

Lorraine Smart

tions’ reputation as a global thought- leader. Lorraine Smart is not the kind of woman who does not leave an impression. It was her candid

October/November 2016