2022 has been another challenging year for South Africa. Starting in January with the news of a devastating fire that ultimately destroyed our iconic Parliament building in Cape Town.

Later that very month, heavy rainfall caused immense flooding in the Eastern Cape, and in April, the flooding hit KwaZulu-Natal  – which was still recovering from the deadly spree of violence and looting that engulfed the region in 2021.

2022 also marked the continuation of our energy crisis with the worst series of load-shedding schedules we have witnessed yet.

Beyond this, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine added fuel to the fire of an already unstable global supply chain. This consequently intensified bearing supply shortages as well as pressure on the cost of bearings. 

Such obstacles have made doing business a considerable challenge and many businesses and people have experienced setbacks never experienced before.

Perseverance stands firm

In true resilient South African spirit, we have, as always, persevered through the many spanners thrown our way and continue working together towards a brighter future.

From B2K’s perspective, our 2022 milestones included the acquisition of MCL Engineering which meant the welcoming addition of our Gqeberha (PE) distribution hub to strengthen our distribution capabilities in the Eastern Cape region. 

We also fortified our teams in all our hubs and sales offices and have invested considerably in new IT and logistics systems to streamline our operations. This ensures an even better purchasing experience as well as enhances our customer service levels.

The recent launch of our B2K Training Academy has seen us train a number of groups of customers on the correct use and maintenance of our products. This was supported by a series of free webinars which added immense value and experienced guidance to participants over the year.

We remained steadfast in our resolve to offer our clients added value through reliable supply and a simplified purchasing experience as well as various new and existing products and services as evidenced by our success stories in a local cement plant and bakery. 

What’s more, we proudly achieved our BEE level 1 status allowing customers 135% procurement recognition on their spending. 

Gratitude and the year ahead

This year, B2K celebrated our 30^th anniversary. We are so grateful to all our existing and new clients who have contributed to three decades of success. Here’s to another 30 years of growth, teamwork, and ensuring the buying experience of our B2K clients remains as seamless and frictionless as possible.

We would like to thank all our new and longstanding customers for once again standing by us this year – your support is always truly appreciated. 

We would also like to express our gratitude to our suppliers for working closely with us to ensure we kept our promise to help our customers achieve their individual business goals. 

Last and certainly not least, a monumental thank you to our dedicated staff who have once again worked tirelessly to deliver our exceptional levels of service and product supply. We could not do it without each and everyone on the team.

As the year draws to a close and we start preparing for the festive season, B2K extends our best wishes to you all. If you are traveling to that well-deserved getaway, please take special care and travel safely.

We look forward to meeting again and working with you all in 2023!

Sincerely,

Ross Trevelyan (B2K, MD)