Quality
First African Holdings was the first signage manufacturer in Africa to have its quality system certified to ISO 9001. To our knowledge only one of our competitors have achieved this since. The certification was originally obtained in April 2006, and in 2009 we were certified to the latest ISO 9001:2008 standards, valid for a further 3 years. This gives our customers the assurance that their projects will be executed to the highest quality standards.

Facilities
First African Holdings occupies a state-of-the-art facility in Somerset West, Cape Town. The 4000 sq m building on 7000 sq m of land was completed in 2005.

The investment illustrated our confidence in our staff, our city, our country, and our continent, and a couple of years down the line we are still going strong.

We believe Africa is eventually getting ready to grow strongly, and we are ready to supply the image elements it will need. First African Holdings opened a branch in the Johannesburg region in 2004. It is tasked with customer support, sales and installation.

Careers & Bursaries
First African Holdings employs highly skilled and highly motivated people, all keen to help us show the way! We offer career paths to anyone from professionals to unskilled workers. The current work force includes Graduate Engineers, Architects, MBA's, Financial staff, Technicians and Artisans. Once with us, you can choose a field of specialization. We have procurement specialists, sales staff, project managers, technical designers, graphic designers, store men, vinyl applicators, spray painters, welders, production managers and quality specialists among others.

Successful new ventures are split off into new group companies, giving entrepreneurial employees a chance to have a larger say in their own futures. If you would like us to consider you for our next vacancy, please send your CV to: info@firstafrican.com.

Bursary
First African Holdings started a bursary for engineering students at the University of Stellenbosch in 2004. Our first student has completed his studies in Mechanical Engineering, and is now plying his trade in our Technical Department. The next bursary runs from 2010 onwards.

An Empowered Team
While the rest of the country was still only talking about Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment, First African Holdings was doing it already. The previously disadvantaged staff of First African Holdings was financially assisted by Khula Enterprise Finance (a Department of Trade and Industry agency) to become the largest shareholder in the business. This transaction was completed in 2003 already, and the last money owing to Khula was paid back in 2008.

Factory staff owns 40% of First African Holdings's equity, with management owning another 40%, and investors making up the balance.

For a copy of the latest BEE rating report, please send a request to: info@firstafrican.com.