Thuthuka: Safety “gaining prominence” in Africa

On November 10, 2000, MSA Africa celebrated the Spirit of Thuthuka Day, a self-proclaimed day to mark the rededication of a recently blended group of people into the largest safety company in Africa.

“Thuthuka” is a Zulu word which means “growth, prosperity, nurturing, rebirth,” etc. MSA Africa employees celebrated with a recognition ceremony, motivational speeches, and refreshments. Everyone wore T-shirts with the Thuthuka logo on the front. (The photo on this page show employees during the celebration.)

In 1999, MSA bought a major industrial safety company named Campbell Gardwel. This acquisition combined Campbell Gardwel’s steady history of growth and customer service with MSA’s 60 years of experience in South Africa. Thuthuka was about the bringing together of two previously independent entities into one motivated and dedicated MSA organization.

Their unified talents, assets, products, and property have made MSA Africa into the largest safety company in all of Africa. In fact, this prominent MSA affiliate ranks third in size of individual MSA operations (after those in the USA and Germany, respectively).

Visitors to MSA Africa’s new manufacturing and office building in Johannesburg, South Africa, will find about 300 employees making a range of safety products which includes head protection, respirators, hearing protection, and cap lamps for mining.

African-made V-Gard® Helmets, accessories, and other hardhats are sold to both local and export markets. Welding helmets are also a big seller. Other products include disposable respirators and several models of air-purifying respirators, faceshields, goggles, spectacles, skin cream protection, gloves, and the MSA/Auer SCBA.

The manufacture and sale of cap lamps are important to workers in Africa’s prominent mining industries. In South Africa alone, over 350,000 underground miners unearth gold, diamonds, platinum, coal, and over 50 more metals and minerals.

MSA Africa, naturally, is focused on safety products to protect workers in these mines and in dozens of other industries all over this rich continent. The year 2000 marked MSA’s 60th year in Africa. With the growth and leadership embodied in the Spirit of Thuthuka, the best is yet to come!