Workwear brand Jonsson opened its new R100-million distribution centre in Johannesburg, in August, which will increase the company’s distribution capacity from 7-million to 20-million garments a year and accelerate the delivery of products by up to 48 hours.

Jonsson brand communications manager Jessica Hargreaves says the 12 000 m2 facility, which is a five-minute drive from OR Tambo International Airport, was procured to keep up with customer demand. She adds that the company has had a 30% compound yearly growth in the last 14 years.

Jonsson head of marketing Julia Fryer believes that people who are looking for high-quality products that last and, therefore, value for money, are driving the demand for Jonsson workwear. Management realises the importance of dressing its workforce in a way that empowers and best represents their business.

The benefit of clothing employees in high-quality workwear is that it improves employee morale and output, as they feel valued by their employer, Fryer says.

“We are opening sales offices across the country and expanding our existing ones. We are also looking for interested licensees in Africa to expand our company and contribute to the development of the [licensee country] involved. We want to work with locals, as they are the people who know the cultures,” Hargreaves says.

Fryer explains that the company wants to work with licensees who are hard-working individuals with an entrepreneurial flair. “They must absolutely believe that they can make a difference. They need to be able to spot opportunities and be as obsessed with workwear as we are. There is just so much happening in Africa. We want to work with people who want to expand our brand into each and every industry as it gains momentum in each market,” she says.

Further, Jonsson is showing its gratitude to end-users through a campaign that photographs people in Southern Africa who use the Jonsson brand. Hargreaves says this campaign is a journey of hope, inspiration and positivity and showcases the everyday hero.

“We want to share our love of and highlight our confidence in Africa. We love our people and end-users and are passionate about them and, together with our passion for photo- graphy and landscapes, we want to celebrate the African spirit,” she says. Jonsson has recruited local adventurer and photographer Kyle Miljof to capture the everyday worker. Fryer says the company wants to show the public hard-working, courageous men and women. “We want others to see the same good that we see because there really is so much out there to be positive about,” she says.