Twinsaver Group Unveils R500m Tissue Facility in South Africa

The Twinsaver Group (TSG), South African manufacturer of branded tissue, hygiene and disposable household products, unveiled its R500 million tissue production machine at Kliprivier in Gauteng in late May.  Launched at an event attended by key stakeholders and dignitaries - including the Deputy Minister of Small Business Development, Cassel Mathale, the new tissue machine is expected to provide an annual output in excess of 25,000 tons. 

"It is heartening to see our 18-month journey culminate in this momentous occasion, which also marks a new expansion phase for our business.  I am exceptionally proud of my team who collaborated successfully and worked tirelessly over the past few years to conceptualise and source some of the best technologies available globally.  I wish to congratulate them for successfully undertaking what was a mammoth installation project," says Garth Towell, CEO at the Twinsaver Group.

Commenting on the achievements across the group, Ethos Private Equity partner and TSG Chairman, Richard Fienberg, said: "The Twinsaver Group is an excellent example of a future-fit business.  It has been on an accelerated development journey over the past three years and we, at Ethos Private Equity, are very impressed by the progress made.  Operating in a tough economic climate, the investment in people, resources, products and customers is already delivering dividends.  We believe this will further support the achievement of The Twinsaver Group’s ambitious business advancement strategy."

With income from exports, which currently sits at more than R1 trillion1, identified as a key economic growth driver for South Africa, the increased capacity will enable TSG to continue to access new markets and better service the needs of neighboring SADC countries. The increased capacity also establishes TSG as the largest manufacturer of tissue in sub-Saharan Africa.

Custom manufactured by Toscotec, the tissue machine features first-to-market technology for South Africa’s paper and pulp manufacturing sector.  Toscotec utilizes engineering expertise to merge the best safety standards with optimized levels of output and superior product quality.  This combination makes the new tissue machine a game changer in capacity, efficiencies and quality innovation, enhancing TSG’s competitiveness and the manufacturing sector’s advancement potential.

While the economic value is evident, the use of such technology is creating notable opportunities for employee empowerment.  Over the past few months, TSG operators – all recent local engineering graduates - have undertaken robust skills enhancement programmes and technology training from international experts.  This has equipped them to effectively lead operations at the new facility.

The new tissue manufacturing machine is among a string of investments aimed at entrenching TSG’s commitment to growing its business and market share.  Other investments in recent years include an R80 million investment at its Bellville site in Cape Town and a further R100 million in acquiring Sylko (leading suppliers of disposable and recyclable household products) and Validus Medical (suppliers of incontinence and wipes solutions).