Complex transactions in the equipment industry require a special breed of dealmakers who are able to work all angles of a deal to see it over the line no matter the challenges.
Danie Gerber, director of ELB Equipment is one of the last of a disappearing breed who is able to use his vast experience and multi-faceted knowledge to find the right equipment and clear the hurdles to get customers what they want, where they want it, no matter what.
This is the reason why equipment operators in the construction, earthmoving and mining sectors turn to Danie to find solutions for their requirements. It was also his deciding factor to join ELB Equipment which has among the widest product offerings in all these sectors with top brands and full coverage of South Africa, as well as the entire southern African region.
Problem solving
Whether it be financing of equipment, exporting machines across borders or working with international manufacturers to find or develop equipment for specific applications, Danie is able to find solutions where others in the industry simply may not. This is supported by the agility of ELB Equipment that has a flat management structure and rapid decision-making processes especially to support its customers.
In addition, his vast experience means there are few scenarios that have not been faced before. This stems from a career that spans 23 years in the industry working his way up from the bottom. Time spent in almost every department, from sales to the warehouse, international relations, cross-border, finance and business management stands customers in good stead when purchasing equipment.
Most importantly, however, is the ELB Equipment director’s analytical thinking and problem-solving skills which combines with dogged determination to see every tough deal through. This has earned him a reputation as the “go-to” man for multi-faceted projects in the equipment industry.
Adapting fast
“I understand the needs of customers here and in southern Africa, which means I know what is required to get the deal over the line. How to finance and structure a deal, how to ensure support of equipment and maximising equipment uptime also requires work, as does working professionally with different stakeholders involved in each transaction.
“You need to think fast and have an agile team because every transaction is different, every region is different and equipment is different. Wherever there is an understanding and willingness to purchase our equipment and partner with us throughout the process, we will do everything possible to ensure the success of the transaction.
“This kind of momentum is important for our strategy going forward as we actively grow our national and regional footprints and expand our product range. We are growing our business to emerge stronger than before from the pandemic,” he asserts.
Growing people
According to Danie, he is not satisfied just being the “go-to” man in the industry, instead he and the other experienced heads in ELB Equipment, are actively striving to empower the company’s staff to provide the same kind of service. Succession is key to the company’s future plans and while the current management team have decades of experience between them, the next goal is to ensure continuity and that the company goes from strength-to-strength while always remaining easy to do business with.
“Our products speak for themselves and our product specialists are there to match customers requirements with the right equipment. This includes building lasting relationships based on the skill and experience of each and every one of our staff,” he concludes.
