JAYTRADE BUSINESS PROFILE

What John Thomas and his wife Agatha started in 1989 as a small family import business from a room in their family home has grown into a strong niche market business supplying industrial cleaning and agricultural equipment to clients through out South Africa and across its borders.

From its humble start in 1989, the company steadily expanded and by the end of 1998 moved into its own premises in Constantiaberg Business Park, Diep River, and Cape Town. The company shifted gear from being an indent agent to a fully established business in its own right with full warehouse facilities and back-up services.Due to increase in stock-holding, a second unit in the Business Park was purchased in early 2003.

Jaytrade has exclusive distribution rights for sub-Saharan Africa for a wide range of agriculture and industrial equipment brands manufactured in Italy and Spain.

Phenomenal growth over the past few years saw the company opening a new agricultural branch in the Strand in March 2004. New premises have been purchased at Cape Town's new Airport City and plans are underway to move both branches into the new premises during December 2005.

A 100% black-owned company from the start, Jaytrade has never been faced with the BEE challenges many other medium sized companies have to contend with. Their staff contingent includes people from a number of different cultural and racial groups.

Karen Bartnicke, John and Agatha's daughter worked with her father after graduating from the University of Cape Town with a degree in Social Sciences and Psychology. After which she moved over to insurance giant, Old Mutual, for three years before returning to the fold of the family business in 1995.

A number of governmental departments and municipalities are among our many clients. Our products and equipment are widely used in agriculture, factory and construction sites, to restaurants, hospitals, dock yards and boats. We are excited about the tremendous potential and expansion for us in South Africa and elsewhere on the African continent.

Jaytrade contact details

Tel: +27 21 385 1652
Email: jaytrade@lando.co.za