Founded in 1902, by Charles Rutherford, a founder member of the Master Builders' Association, Rutherfords Joinery, due to a phenomenal increase in business, are investing millions of Rands in new equipment and facilities in the Cape.

 

Managing Director of Rutherfords Joinery, a subsidiary of the Berco Group, John Rutherford, says, “The boom South Africa is currently experiencing in the property market is similar to the boom of 1967-1974. The lower interest rates have stimulated both the building of new houses as well as renovations of existing properties.

 

To keep up with the demand, we are on an aggressive expansion programme and have invested in new operational equipment. This month we will take delivery of state-of-the-art machines from UK, Germany and Taiwan. Included in the delivery are six head moulders and double ended tennoners. These will increase our output by 50%. We are also expanding our factory and warehousing by 3500m.

 

There has been a remarkable boost in homeowners choosing wood which I attribute to the fact that the latest sealants make wood far easier to maintain than previously. Unlike other companies, we only work in solid Meranti as it is 100% suited to our climatic and economic conditions. Our purpose-made Joinery Division has also had an increase in orders as architects, builders and homeowners choose wood for the aesthetic appeal in frames, architraves etc.

 

Although the Cape market has always been a loyal customer base for us, we are also seeing an increased amount of business coming from Natal and Gauteng.