The manufacturing sector in South Africa might be weak at the moment but the demand for welding services remains strong. Moreover, our country imports foreign welding skills and foreign professional welders from other African and even European countries. Start a welding business is a great opportunity to fill the gap in this market.
Getting Started
There are different types of services you can offer, but the most lucrative opportunity is to serve other businesses and work in a B2B segment. Your end goal can also be to apply for long term contracts.
As an addition, you can perform metal modifications and repairs.
While offering welding as a service is the most popular option, you can also use your welding skills to create products such as braai’s or screen-printing frames that can be resold.
Equipment & Materials Needed
You will need to buy:
- Welding machine;
- safety glasses;
- chipping hammers;
- welding gloves;
- wire brushes
and other equipment.
There is a high demand for welding specialists in our country. Needless to say that in big cities like Cape Town there will be more opportunities.
Watch this long and informative video on running an actual business of welding:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8ftvgqFNvA
Business Model
There are two options for running a welding company:
- performing many small one-time projects;
- performing a few long-time projects per year.
Both opportunities are fine, but for a beginning company that has no clients, it’s better to go with a first option.
On the other hand, it makes sense to become a part of a big company performing larger contracts and sign a long-term contract. In this case, you will save on marketing expenses.
Target Market
There are three industries that require welding services more than others:
- construction (especially in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg);
- automotive industry (there are over 12 million registered vehicles in our country);
- high production manufacturing.
- Marine Welding
Tips & Training
You can participate in an Eskom professional welders development programme, that is focused on helping welders to improve their skills.
