King Brands have been keeping the kingdom safe since 1999. 

Delivering meaningful metalwork is what they do. 

We sat down with Shaun Nel (GM) and Gary Wittstock (Operations Director) to talk about what King Brands does and how they’ve managed to build such a successful brand over nearly three decades.  

The company was founded in 1999 under the King Trellis banner but soon grew to become one of the leading manufacturers of retractable security barriers in Southern Africa.  

Carefully curating and adding service offerings and products to their range has been key to the King Brands success story.  

“Later, we launched All Seasons Louvres in 2009, specializing in Sun Control Systems, and Dura Racking in 2015, focusing on Storage Solutions. These three companies now form the core of the King Brands Group.” 

Who is the King Brands team? 

Another important element of their success has been positioning themselves right geographically, and ensuring they have the right teams and agents in place nationally.  

“We would not be who we are today without our team of over 60 employees at our head office in Lanseria and our network of agents across Southern Africa. We feel strongly about supporting the local community and we believe in developing our team members internally to take on responsibility within the company. We grow and empower our team constantly.” 

Diversity plays an important role when it comes to doing business across Southern Africa.  

“Our sales team comes from diverse backgrounds, which brings a vibrant dynamic and a varied skill set. This has enabled our team to learn and develop their individual styles, making us highly competitive in the market. Everyone brings their own magic to the team.” 

The head office team as well as the rest of the internal management team are well established and bring a wealth of experience to the table. This has enabled the company to build a strong presence in Gauteng and form a good basis from which to run their operations throughout Southern Africa. 

“These teams work tirelessly to ensure we maintain the highest quality at the best price, making our Lanseria location a key advantage in serving Southern Africa through our network of agents.”  

What gets the team excited and keeps them motivated?  

It is always rewarding to work on the “big” projects, as these often require innovation and creativity ultimately leading to new product lines. They have collaborated with various sectors, including musicians, television- and sports personalities, government departments, and the private sector.  

“However, some of our favourite projects are our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, where we have helped the community. From building jungle gyms for orphanages to product sponsorships and supporting animal shelters throughout Gauteng – we love being involved in- and making a difference for our communities.” 

What has been your biggest challenge so far? 

Ensuring our quality standards remain a benchmark in the industry and staying up to date with modern trends and customer needs are always front of mind for King Brands.  

“This is why our management team dedicates significant time to exploring ways to continuously improve our products to meet customer demands.” 

What has been your biggest success thus far?  

Expanding their business, and growing their team has been a main focus for King Brands.  

“Over the past 26 years, we have built a business that started in a garage and now covers 4000 square meters. This is a testament to what can be achieved if you stay focused, all of which could not have been done without a great team.” 

What do you wish more clients understood about your industry? 

As industry leaders, and with their years of experience, King brands are well positioned to provide advice and guidance to their customers.  

“There is a cost to quality, but buying the most expensive product doesn’t always guarantee the best. It isn’t as simple as that. We work in the home industry, specifically security and access systems. Do we want the first and last thing your customer sees, when leaving and coming back home, to be a substandard product with our name on it?” 

Looking ahead 

The future of King brands is brighter than ever. Through continued innovation and development, they are going from strength to strength.  

“We have several new products in the R&D phase and a few collaborative projects in the pipeline that will strengthen our position as industry leaders.” 

King Brands have become a South African institution in the homemaking and home improvement realm and will continue to build on their success in the coming years.