Leadership that keeps the workshop moving
Morne van der Merwe leads Tooling with a practical focus on production realities, not theory. As Managing Director, he keeps the business close to the needs of South African machine shops, from single-off jobs in Port Elizabeth CBD to steady production in Coega and Kariega. He understands the pressure of missed deadlines, load-shedding and the cost of downtime, so decisions are made with uptime in mind.
In the office and on the floor, Morne keeps the team aligned on service, stock and response times. He is the point of contact for bigger account discussions and makes sure the support offered stays useful to shops that need straight answers, not sales talk.
Sales and applications with workshop experience
Ayanda Mhlabeni works with customers who need the right tooling, holders or workholding for a specific job. As Sales Manager, she spends time understanding the material, machine setup and finish required before making a recommendation. That matters when tolerances are tight and there is no room for trial and error.
Johan Bester supports customers with applications advice, especially where setup, runout, clamping or cutter performance affects results. He helps shops in Struandale, Markman and Despatch sort out practical machining issues, and he is often the person asked to check whether a process can be tightened up without adding unnecessary cost.
- Tool holder and collet selection for common machining tasks
- Workholding guidance for repeatable part location
- Support with runout checks and presetting questions
3D scanning and printing support for modern workshops
Zanele Nkomo leads the 3D solutions side of the business, helping customers use scanning and printing where speed, repeatability and part verification matter. Her work supports workshops that need quick turnaround on samples, fit checks or auxiliary parts, especially when waiting for imported components would slow the line.
She is careful about setup and calibration, because a scan or print is only useful if the result is accurate enough for the job. Zanele works with customers who want practical solutions for tooling support, inspection aids or test pieces, and she keeps the process clear so the workshop knows what to expect from start to finish.
Service that protects accuracy on the shop floor
Ridwaan Jacobs coordinates the day-to-day service work that keeps tooling and equipment in working order. He handles tool regrinding, tool inspection, holder cleaning, chuck jaw machining, vise alignment and other jobs that directly affect accuracy on the machine. When a shop is fighting variation, Ridwaan helps get the basics back under control.
He also manages collection and delivery, which is a real help for busy teams in Gqeberha and the surrounding industrial areas. Instead of pulling someone off the machine to run parts across town, the service team keeps the movement simple and the paperwork clear.
- Presetting service for faster setup on the machine
- Scanner calibration for reliable measurements
- Printer maintenance to keep 3D systems consistent
Customer support that answers quickly and clearly
Nokulunga Dlamini is often the first voice customers hear when they phone or send a message through our contact form. As Customer Support Lead, she keeps enquiries moving, makes sure service requests are logged properly and helps customers get the right person on the line without delay. In a trade business, that kind of follow-through makes a difference.
She understands that many customers call while standing beside a machine, with a part waiting or a supervisor asking for an answer. Nokulunga keeps communication practical and direct, whether the need is a quick status update, a service booking or help with a delivery into Coega or out toward Kariega.
A team shaped by local production demands
The Tooling team works from Struandale with a clear view of what South African manufacturing needs day to day. That includes handling humidity near the coast, supporting plants that run on tight schedules and giving straightforward advice when municipal restrictions or power interruptions affect production planning. Everyone on the team brings a different skill set, but the shared standard is simple: do the job properly and keep the customer informed.
For machine shops, that means one team for advice, service and delivery, whether the work is in Port Elizabeth CBD, Markman, Despatch, Coega or beyond. The people behind Tooling are not there to overcomplicate things, they are there to keep precision equipment useful and productive.
- Based in Struandale, Gqeberha
- Serving machine shops nationwide
- Support for CNC, 3D printing and scanning needs