Manufacturing and converting more than 50 million square metres of corrugated board per annum, Houers, situated in Letsitele in Limpopo, is one of the major suppliers of corrugated cartons to the agricultural market in South Africa.
Although most of these cartons are for the citrus industry, the company is a major industry supplier of specialised cartons and packaging for agricultural products, including tropical and subtropical fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs and dairy products.
In 1982, a group of citrus farmers set up an independent, farmer-owned carton manufacturing facility in Letsitele with limited capital.
Today, the co-operative is still fully owned by farmers, and day-to-day management is in the hands of CEO, Wimpie Mostert. The business is going from strength to strength and supplies fruit cartons and other packaging to a broad agricultural sector.
Mostert feels strongly about supporting and forging relationships with local suppliers of paper. "We need to support our local suppliers such as Sappi and Mondi. If they should ever close their doors, we will be at the mercy of global suppliers and availability."
Houers provides employment to 120 fulltime staff and up to 250 seasonal workers contracted during peak manufacturing season. Upskilling workers and promising candidates from the local community is one of their priorities, says Mostert.
He says Houers prides itself on continuously adding value and delivering quality products at competitive prices on time. "Our aim is to exceed our clients' expectations by constantly exploring new opportunities and ideas."
TRAINING INITIATIVES
Denne historien er fra 10 May 2024-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra 10 May 2024-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
