From township dreams to industrial success

Remkor Manufacturing, a woman-owned enterprise in the heart of Johannesburg, is rewriting the narrative of success in the male-dominated world of manufacturing. With a commitment to quality fabrication and a focus on skills development, Remkor isn’t just crafting metal products – it's shaping futures in South Africa’s manufacturing sector.

The story of Remkor begins with its founder Gwendolyn Mahuma, whose entrepreneurial spirit was ignited during her childhood in Ga-Rankuwa outside of Pretoria. Growing up in a family immersed in various township enterprises, she developed a keen business acumen from a young age. After gaining experience in the printing industry and later acquiring equity in a mining support structures company, her vision for something bigger was born.

In 2005, Mahuma launched her specialist investment company Mahuma Investment Holdings (MIH), which focuses on acquiring and building businesses that service the infrastructure sector. One of these enterprises, Remkor Manufacturing, crafts bespoke ferrous and nonferrous metal sheet products tailored for the rail, energy, transport and communications sectors.

Reflecting on the challenges she faced early on in her entrepreneurial journey, she notes: "It was tough in the beginning. Firstly, when I started out on my own, the industry was very pale and very male – and transformation was only starting to take shape."

Using her strengths – hard work, attention to detail and professionalism – she earned respect and trust within the industry. Since then, Remkor’s growth has been propelled by strategic partnerships and crucial government support, particularly from the government-owned Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

“IDC provided Remkor Manufacturing with a loan to invest in much-needed equipment as well as working capital. This gave us an opportunity to increase our capacity in terms of offerings, as well as to reduce our dependence on other service providers,” explains Mahuma.

The expansion has also allowed for an impressive surge in employment, with Remkor’s workforce increasing from 25 to 104 employees. Beyond its commitment to quality fabrication, the company places a premium on skills development, offering a range of internships and learnerships.

Mahuma is keen to point out that the IDC funding provided much more than a financial boost. “Without the IDC loan, we would not have been in our current position,” she notes. “But I want to emphasise, it is not just about us, the owners, having grown our investment. Rather, it is about the wider ecosystem where jobs have been created, local skills have been expanded and the industry remains relevant in South Africa. It is about pushing back against the tide of cheap imports. We need to protect our local industry and manufacturing capabilities.”

---