Bidvest Group

We subscribe to a philosophy of transparency, accountability, integrity, excellence and innovation in all our business dealings.

The Group has an entrenched functional governance structure with an unwavering ethical foundation, a strong balance sheet and a focused Environmental, Social and Governance Framework (ESG Framework) with specified targets. Bidvest encourages a performance-driven business model that continuously seeks scale and growth.

Mpumi Madisa

Mpumi Madisa

Chief Executive

This is us

Founded in 1988 and listed on the JSE Limited in Johannesburg SA, Bidvest is a leading industrial group with over 250 individual businesses and employs over 130 000 people in South Africa, the United Kingdom (UK), Republic of Ireland (Ireland), Spain, Australia and Singapore.

Our strategy over the years has remained true to our diversified offering. We have developed businesses that align to the concept of providing goods and services with a focused B2B philosophy. Our diversified portfolio operates in two segments – business services, and trading and distribution – through seven divisions. Bidvest’s diversity is its strength as it empowers businesses to act as catalysts for value creation.

Principles
  • Empowering Entrepreneurship
  • Committed to Customers
  • Driven by Excellence
  • Creating Social Value
  • Leading by Example
Structure
  • Functional governance structure
  • Seven divisions
  • ESG Framework
Strategy
Decentralised and diverse portfolio
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Performance driven culture
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Financial strength
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Scale and growth
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Responsible stewardship
Operating environment

Key drivers:

  • Economic growth
  • Government policy and regulation
  • Technology advances
  • Consumer spend
  • Growing demand for hygienic facilities
  • Infrastructural development and maintenance

Risks:

  • High inflation
  • Challenging economic outlook
  • Impaired SA infrastructure
  • Supply chain constraints
  • Cyber assaults
  • Climate change

This is what we stand for

Our vision

Turning ordinary companies into extraordinary performers, delivering strong and consistent shareholder returns in the process, while understanding that people create wealth, companies only report it

Our values

Accountability

Honesty

Integrity

Respect

Our purpose

People and products behind a brighter future

We achieve our Purpose by focusing on providing the often overlooked, essential components of everyday life that respond to the diverse needs of society. Getting this right, does not happen by chance.

Driven by excellence

We value and respect the skills, time and intentions of all our people. We strive to provide an environment where they can do, and become, their best.

Committed to customers

We make every decision and measure our performance on how well it serves our customers. When our customers succeed and grow, we succeed and grow.


Leading by example

We do the right thing, even when no one else is looking. What is right, is different to doing what is easy.

Empowering entrepreneurship

We think like customers but act like owners. Every employee has the power to make our business better.

 
Creating social value

We take the long view and strive to make a sustainable difference in society. We are building something worth building, that will endure the test of time.

Our strategy

The Bidvest Group strategy is enabled by a performance-driven, decentralised business model that continuously seeks scale and growth through its diverse portfolio.

The Group’s strategic ambition of scale and growth, and continually pursuing responsible stewardship, is being achieved by maintaining a strong balance sheet, exercising financial discipline through considered capital allocation, and pursuing organic and acquisitive growth opportunities in our identified areas of strategic focus.

We promote and support our entrepreneurial management teams that empower many enterprises across all our areas of operation to be catalysts for value creation. We further support our teams to create an ecosystem of businesses that actively supports and adds value to our customer base, focuses on cash generation and returns, but at the same time strengthens society and enables it to function efficiently and sustainably.

We foster innovation and an environment in which employees thrive, which in turn drives our advance across markets, geographies and society. We continually seek to maximise our portfolio by broadening our offering, expanding internationally in niche hygiene and facilities management services as well as plumbing-related wholesaling, and we allocate capital efficiently, including on bolt-on acquisitions and long-dated assets.

Enablers

Decentralised and diverse portfolio

Maximising a decentralised and diverse asset portfolio by innovation and continuously broadening the service and product basket

  • Seven focused divisions, operating in SA, UK, Spain, Ireland, Australia and Singapore
  • Each with own chief executive and leadership team
  • Diverse leadership empowered as catalysts for value creation
  • A range of everyday essential products and services
  • Clear succession plan in place

Performance-driven culture

Promoting and supporting entrepreneurial management teams, and providing the agility and an environment for decisive actions

  • Empowering entrepreneurship
  • Committed to customers
  • Driven by excellence
  • Leading by example
  • Providing a safe and healthy workplace with equal opportunities for all
  • Learning and personal development opportunities

Financial strength

Maintaining a strong financial position by focusing on asset management, generating cash and growth

  • Strong balance sheet
  • Financial discipline
  • Highly cash generative
  • Tight cost control an everyday principle
  • Entrenched Return on Funds Employed (ROFE) measurement:
    • Services-related ROFE >50%; and
    • Distribution-related businesses ~30%

Outcomes

Scale and growth

Capital invested in key areas, ensuring growth and internationalising niche services

  • Targeting a blend of defensive, cyclical and growth assets
  • Established market players of scale
  • Organic growth:
    • Extract value in fragmented markets
    • Expand service & product offerings
    • Agile pivot into growth sectors
  • Acquisitive growth:
    • Selected international niche sectors of hygiene services and facilities management
    • Bolt-on acquisitions
    • Capital investment in long-dated assets

Responsible stewardship

Social value and long-term sustainability created for all stakeholders

  • Opportunities to develop and offer environmentally friendly products and services to enhance value for customers
  • Deploy technology to drive efficiencies
  • Projects to lower our own footprint
  • Inclusive socio-economic initiatives
  • Maintain high standards of corporate governance

Bidvest History

2024 Acquired Rental Hygiene Services in Singapore

2023 Acquired in Australia.
Acquired Sahicasa in Spain.



Bidvest Leadership

Our Board and Directors