The Journey of Foilworx
For many years, I repeatedly found myself silently inspired by Andre’s deep sense of resilience. Over decades I witnessed him selflessly sacrificing much, yet gaining very little in return. He has an unassuming silent side to him. He has been judged by many and there will always be whisperings in the wind, but I have had the advantage of journeying right beside him through all his disappointments and achievements. On my journey, I have acknowledged that Andre is not perfect, but he is a man that is undoubtedly grounded in faith, logical in character and always appreciative of those simple blessings that life affords him. He has a beautiful humility about him that continues to motivate me to be better, to do better and I am indeed blessed to have been a part of his journey.
I need to emphasise that I am profoundly grateful and feel rather honoured for an opportunity to share his story.
Andre would often ask me: Do I dare to dream? My answer would always be the same:
How it all began
They usually say wealth tends to create more wealth and that to succeed quicker in business, one has to come
from a well-off family or strong financial background.
However, Andre John Du Plooy had an entrepreneur’s vision.
He is a magnificent reminder that through determination, hard work and a strong essence of perseverance to
succeed, anyone can overcome their personal circumstances to achieve great things in life.
Andre comes from a horrible and broken past partnership, which ended in a bitter legal battle, forcing him to
retract from an industry he so dearly loved. Not wanting to rehash the past, he now concentrates on the future.
He plunged back into the metal industry in May 2019 to rebuild his reputation. He had nothing but his intellectual
property together with shreds of hope that his former clientele would remember his integrity and work ethic.
Being apprehensive about going into business with yet another partner, let alone choosing a family member,
Andre took a leap of faith and threw caution to the wind.
Despite time passing by and still dealing with the aftermath of his former business partner, Andre was
determined to make his dream a reality.
With his qualifications as an engineering technician, 20 years of experience in owning a former business, plus
years of accumulated knowledge in the metal industry, Andre took the plunge and decided to approach his
brother, to register a business.
Andre’s focus area is programming and manufacturing, but it definitely does not stop there. His comprehensive
use of technology, business incubation, understanding the competitiveness of opponents and the extensive
information of clientele with all its strengths and weaknesses, is undoubtedly what makes Andre pulse and
thrive.
Starting a new business in a ruthless industry did not come without challenges. Like with most stories, cash flow
was limited. It was tough and difficult as initially the two brothers had to carry the workload of a full staff
complement, but Andre continuously pushed to succeed.
Finally, the toolroom was ready to manufacture and it was time for Andre to look at the roadmap and carefully
navigate the next route of his journey. Placing his pride in his pocket, Andre embarked on a painstaking itinerary
to introduce his brother as the new Administrative Director of Foilworx to his former clientele in person.
Reflecting on it now, he calls this his bittersweet moment.
Not knowing what to expect, let alone if the clients out there would even want to forge new working business
relationships with him under a new business name, was a hard task for Andre to face.
Thankfully, he was not met with animosity, but welcomed back into the industry. Taking the courage to do that,
soon led to business trickling in. With much gratitude, Andre pledged quality, honesty, diligence and sound
business practice to all clients. He truthfully believed that building up good working relationships with both clients
and suppliers was the key to the success of this young company.
Ample negotiating with credit applications through suppliers took place. A huge amount of energy was exerted
but it was needed to make sure that the cash flow of the company remained positive. To this end and within
seven months, Foilworx slowly became self-sustaining.
However, there was much teething between the brothers as they came from separate industries and their
management styles often differed.
The Du Plooy brothers were in business for just over a year when the world pandemic Covid19 surfaced and
made its horrifying presence clear. Then came the announcement of the national lockdown and like many
businesses, Foilworx was forced into a complete shutdown. An ominous atmosphere loomed. Nonetheless, the
lockdown period did, however, afford Andre the much-needed time to re-evaluate his entrepreneurial dream.
He efficiently and effectively utilized the time to systematically set up a complete overview of Foilworx. He spent
many hours doing research and reviewed the business from all perspectives. He knew that he would have to
implement better organizational protocols and procedures. Furthermore, a new financial system would be
instrumental for this company to maintain accountability for expenditure and revenue.
With precarious conditions prevailing, Foilworx underwent an independent valuation. In addition, following a
report of a projected five-year forecast, much deliberation took place with the Du Plooy brothers.
Once again, Andre found himself in unchartered waters. But this time he was better equipped. This had always
been his journey and his dream to begin with. Hence, while fully acknowledging that his journey had been deeply
filled with sensitivity for his brother, Andre knew that he would have to take the plunge and forge forward. He
presented his brother with a business proposal, with only one hope: to amicably terminate their business
partnership and go it alone.
Today, not just a dream anymore, but a clear vision, a fully-fledged functioning business, driven by passion,
promising precision and delivering quality.
Andre has proven that having an affluent background is not the only way to climb a mountain. Hence, from
modest origins, he possessed a vision that led to a thriving business, which has not only changed his life but
brought hope to the people who have found employment at a growing company.
Author
DC Du Plooy Soulmate