About us
Dymocks Caskets is run by a skilled, dedicated and highly motivated team. Our team is led by Miss Pillay, an attorney who is also the founder and director of the company. Mr Naidoo is the operations manager. Our factory is located in Cornubia, an industrial hub in close proximity to the Durban International Airport and the Port of Durban. We produce high-quality caskets at very competitive prices. In our new, state-of-the-art plant we produce caskets in a variety of finishes and sizes, and are able to operate 24 hours a day. We supply caskets to the local and international markets in alignment with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
About Dymocks Caskets
Virtual Factory Tour
Production and products
Materials
We keep an inventory of 3-4 months of raw material. This ensures that we can quickly increase production based on demand.
Skills
Durban has an abundance of skilled labour, and this is a big advantage from being based in the city. Our staff are also multi-skilled, so we can easily reallocate staff to overcome any bottlenecks in production.
Production and storage
Our efficient production line allows for quick and seamless changes to accommodate different casket sizes, and finishes. We also produce customised caskets upon request. To meet high demand and short turn-around times we can easily switch to 24-hour production with three shifts. The multi-level factory layout allows for easy and secure storage of the finished product.
Casket range
Dymocks produces caskets in various finishes including white, cherry, walnut, high gloss coco bolo, kiaat and redwood. The caskets are also produced in various configurations. Sizes range from infant to extra-large adult caskets.
Casket supply and demand in Africa
Casket production in Africa
Casket production across Africa is limited and a number of countries cannot meet their current demand. Casket prices are also very high, as manufacturers are not producing in large enough quantities to achieve the benefits from scale. Dymocks caskets is about to change this: Given South Africa’s attractive cost base, high skilled labour force, access to raw materials, and sophisticated logistics network; we are in a very favourable position to supply caskets to Africa.
Demand driven by population growth
Africa’s population is expected to grow by over 25% over the next 10 years
Over the last 10 years, the population of Africa has expanded by about 360 million to 1.4 billion (www.worldometer.info). It is forecast to grow by over 25 % over the next 10 years to exceed 1.75 billion. As can been seen in the graph above, Africa’s population growth rate is expected to vastly exceed all other high-growth geographical regions.
An attractive opportunity for entrepreneurs
This high population growth presents opportunities for a number of industries, and in particular the funeral industry: In Africa a dignified burial is of great importance. In most countries, however, the funeral industry consists of numerous small funeral parlours. These funeral parlours typically source products from smaller casket manufacturers with limited scale. Many countries in Africa are experience strong economic growth. This growth translates into higher income levels, and greater affordability. The current situation presents a very attractive opportunity for entrepreneurs to source products in sufficient quantity, warehouse and establish a distribution capability.
Logistics
Packaging
Caskets are packaged to international standards to ensure that the customer receives a high quality product. Each casket is individually bubble-wrapped. All handles and other exposed accessories are also covered. The caskets are then loaded into either 20- or 40-foot containers.
Transportation
Neighbouring countries: South Africa’s excellent trucking network allows for easy delivery to its neighbours. For countries that form part of the Namibian rail network, caskets are railed from Windhoek.
Other countries: For countries that fall outside the road and rail network, caskets are shipped from Durban port to the closest destination port.
Customs clearance
Our established policies and processes ensure that the caskets are cleared through the South African Customs in a very timely manner.
Contact us
Miss Y. Pillay (BProc Law)
Email: info@dymocks-caskets.co.za
Landline: +27 (0)31 561 1258
Mobile: +27 (0)83 766 5633
Address:
12 Vision Business Park
5 Tottum Road
Cornubia, Durban
South Africa
4001