our COMPASS
OUR JOURNEY IN BUSINESS
Transitioning from mining, he joined the earthmoving OEM sector at Bell Equipment, and he advanced from diesel mechanic to a Bell Equipment trade-tested earthmoving equipment mechanic. Due to his outstanding performance, Bell Equipment sent him to the USA to work on specialised technical projects for the company. Upon his return from the US, he took on the role of Assembly and PDI artisan at HITACHI while receiving mentorship from Mr. Tony Tokida from HITACHI Japan. His exceptional work led to him being awarded a Certificate of Commendation by the President of HITACHI in 2007.
In pursuit of broader experience on and bigger earthmoving and diesel equipment, he left HITACHI to join KOMATSU Field Service. Later, he took on the role of technical director at Zenith Research and Development (Zenith Inc.), a newly established small private company that focused on specialised services for earthmoving and diesel equipment. He furthered his expertise in the field by obtaining his government Ticket in Blasting and enhancing his skills in leadership, project management, lean methodology, Six Sigma, finance, executive management, and other qualifications.
Fast forward to 2015, he co-founded another company, a company that was built and dedicated to earthmoving and diesel machinery, as well as the supply and delivery of related products and services, including plant hire. The company entered into a joint venture with one of the Big-Five contractors in the year 2017, however, the JV partner filed for voluntary liquidations in the year 2019.
The voluntary liquidations combined with COVID-19 which started around the year 2020 had negative repercussions for the business and the shareholders at time hesitated to reinvest into the company, thus leading our founder to resign.
Upon resigning, he took on the role of Site Manager at Barloworld Equipment and later Service Section Manager.
It is often said that business is a calling and it is for this reason that he ultimately went back into entrepreneurship and this became the inception of M5 Arrows.
The rest is history.
Total Company Shares = 100 shares
Female Ownership = 51%
Youth Ownership = 39%
Total Black Ownership = 100%
Total BEE Score = 135%
The essence of our exceptional customer service lies in putting ourselves in the shoes of our clients and understanding our clients' needs.
Some of the key challenges we have overcame are:
- Experience: our work experience has been harvested over many years.
- Compliance: we comply with laws, regulations, policies and SOPs.
- Trust: we know that trust is earned and we make it our objective to earn the trust of our clients.
- Warranty: deliver warranty products and services that can be relied upon.
- Consequence: we are adequately insured for any unforeseen event.
- Liability: as a contractor, we are responsible for our own liabilities.
- Quality: we are obsessed with providing quality products and services.
- Support: our clients enjoy a standard 24/7 customer support service M5 ARROWS is about converting customer expectation into satisfaction.
Local empowerment is an integral of our operational strategy and local community approach. We take pride in ensuring that our business practices actively in the involvement of local communities in our projects and facilitating skills transfer and fostering future growth.
Recognising that each community is unique, we emphasise the importance of understanding our operational context to guarantee smooth project execution and mutually beneficial outcomes for all stakeholders.
Before we initiate and implement our community initiatives, we seek our client's review and approval. Various committees within the community will be established and provided with selection criteria for shortlisting candidates. Moreover, this transparency enables their Supplier Development and Localisation (SDL) teams to identify precisely where and how they have progressed in terms of spending.
Shortlisted candidates would proceed to the next phase, which includes assessment, screening, and onboarding to confirm their suitability for the roles they applied for, ensuring no risk or harm is posed. The assessments may encompass a range of evaluations, including but not limited to: basic tests, medical screenings, driver assessments, machine safety checks, machine operation training, mine safety protocols, and mine regulations. Only candidates who successfully complete the onboarding screening process will be appointed.
The earthmoving industry is by default a high-demand and high pressure work environment and many clients operate around the clock. Therefore, it’s essential for us to align with their schedules to help them meet their production goals. Advanced technologies also enable our senior technicians and team supervisors to assist teams in the field to connect remotely and see exactly what the mechanic sees in real-time, providing guidance to solve problems.
This approach leads to quicker resolutions and troubleshooting while minimising the costs associated with sending a senior technician on-site. We utilise the latest, cutting-edge systems and software to guarantee that our customer support and account management remain world-class at all times.
Continuous improvement teaches us valuable lessons that our clients cannot afford to be unreachable due to issues like cable theft or rain damage to exchange boxes. To ensure uninterrupted communication, we enrolled the latest virtual technologies for our clients' benefit. The safety of our employees is a top priority for us, our clients, and, most importantly, their families. We have invested in various technologies and systems to support our employees remotely, no matter where they are.