The Sunday News
Charleen Ndlovu, Business Reporter
ONE of Bulawayo’s fastest growing indigenous hardware and motor spares retail outlets, Max Hardware has set sights on fortifying its market share through spreading its footprint across Matabeleland region.
Max Hardware director Mr Bhekimpilo Sithole said the company would this year open two branches in Filabusi and Gwanda as part of its expansion strategy aimed at reaching out to its customer catchment areas.
“As part of our business growth strategy we are focusing on opening two branches outside Bulawayo with the first one in Filabusi scheduled to be opened during the first quarter of this year and another one in Gwanda towards the end of the year.
“The decision was motivated by the fact that we draw most of our clients from those areas and thus we thought it can only be wise to take our products there. We believe a healthy customer relationship with all our clients will help in sustaining the performance of our business,” said Mr Sithole.
He said the company had managed to grab a large chunk of the market niche in Matabeleland South largely due to a number of corporate social responsibility programmes it has carried out in the area.
“We have been involved in a number of social responsibility programmes in most parts of Matabeleland South as well as in Tsholotsho in Matabeleland North and even here in Bulawayo and I believe through this we have managed to endear ourselves to a number of individuals and institutions and as such most of our clients realise our humanity and tender to support us,” said Mr Sithole.
Max Hardware was one of the recipients of an award at the Matabeleland Retailers and Wholesalers Annual Awards, organised by the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers held late last year.
The company received a Small and Medium Enterprises-Special Recognition Award.
