Beka-Schréder lighting up Africa13/12/2019

As part of its ongoing cooperation agreement with the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI), the Johannesburg office of the Wallonia Export-Investment Agency (AWEX) together with the Belgian Chamber of Commerce for Southern Africa (BCCSA) organised on 14 November 2019 a joint visit to one of the most successful Belgian investment in South Africa, Beka-Schréder, to introduce it to officials of the DTI, the Gauteng Growth development Agency (GGDA) and the Gauteng Province Economic Development.

Beka, originally a Namibian company that moved to Johannesburg in the 1980s, has made itself a name into the sector of exterior lighting thanks to its products adapted to some of the most corrosive environments on the planet. In 1989 BEKA-Schréder became South Africa’s first lighting company to be awarded ISO 9000 certification, proving the company’s commitment to quality.

In 2002 it then entered in partnership with the family-owned Belgian company Schréder located in Liège, today considered to be the leading independent outdoor lighting solution provider worldwide with 48 operational sites across five continents. In 2013, Beka-Schreder became a wholly owned Schréder company, allowing the South African entity to embrace the latest technologies, such as optimising light control technologies, for which Schréder are well renowned.

Beka-Schréder itself exports to almost all African countries, the Middle-East, Asia and as far as Australia.  In South Africa, the company employs 140 admin staff and 240 factory workers.

In the framework of the visit, Wimpie Ludwick, General Manager of Beka-Schréder, held a presentation over the new products developed by the company, the main past and current lighting projects in South Africa, and the values of sustainability and respect of the group. The presentation was followed by a visit of the factory, where the Belgian and South African delegates had the opportunity to witness some of the production lines at work and have a look at the newest products.

Beka-Schréder is notably developing new poles equipped with solar panels, Wi-Fi and antennas, which will be possible to install in the most rural areas to bring people light, better signal connections and, therefore, security on the streets.