It is said, “Time flies when you are having fun!” and so it seems to be for The Comtest Group of Companies (established in 2005), which is celebrating 20 years of successful trading in the southern African test and measurement, communications, equipment, solutions, and specialised systems markets.
In 2005, COMTEST was appointed Fluke’s master distributor for southern Africa. Over the intervening years, numerous corporate awards followed, and many other manufacturers have allied with Comtest. It has also forged alliances with leading international companies. COMTEST represents the following international test and measurement companies: BEHA-AMPROBE, BK PRECISION, FLUKE, FLUKE CALIBRATION, IET LABS, FRANKLIN, MERIAM, MICROSEMI, MIDTRONICS, PICO TECHNOLOGIES, and RADIAN RESEARCH.
Comtest acquired INSTROTECH (EST. 1981) in November 2010. Instrotech is a supplier of high-quality process control instrumentation and industrial electronics and a leading producer of weighing electronics, signal conditioners, process calibrators, and digital display units with worldwide sales. Instrotech also imports instrumentation with distribution rights for reputable international partners and leading brand products, including ELIS, KELLER, KOBOLD, LR-Cal LTR, MICHELL Instruments, MONITRAN, OPTRIS, SIKO, SCANCON, SELET, SEMNIX, SENSOR TECH, and VISHAY VPG Transducers.
Barend Niemand, COMTEST GROUP CEO, says, “It has been a wonderfully exciting ride from the start! I can hardly believe we are in our 20th year – 20 years of innovation, hard work and achievement. The Comtest team’s dedication and perseverance has resulted in growth and success. Above all, our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction has brought us to this impressive milestone. I want to thank our suppliers, industry and customers for their ongoing support, making this possible.”
“On a personal note,” he adds, “I am truly privileged to have worked alongside my executive team, comprising Jannie Dirks, Sales Director; Eduard Arnold, Financial Director; Pieter Deysel, Technical Director; and Hugh du Plessis, R&D Director. My management style is “open door” and participative, where staff are included in decision-making, and their input and ideas are encouraged. Comtest people are encouraged to self-manage and foster teamwork.”
“And so, in conclusion, I want to thank each and every member of staff for their contribution to Comtest’s success. These innovative people have continuously reinvented themselves to develop new strategies to meet the challenges of ever-changing markets. The future holds exciting promise as we continue to trade actively throughout Southern Africa, with an eye on generating more export sales to Europe and beyond.”
Comtest’s vision includes adding new products to its manufactured range and acquiring new companies aligning with its core business focus.
