David Shapiro

DAVID Shapiro is the managing director of Lesco Manufacturing, the company he started 11 years ago. In 1974, he started at the bottom of the ladder in his family's business and "progressed through the ranks". Ethics and principles are his watchwords and the only way to do anything is the right way - with no short cuts or compromising of quality.
This makes him a noteworthy personality of the month.
Sparks: Where were you educated?
DS: King David High School, Damlin College and Wits Business School - all in Gauteng.

Sparks: How long have you been involved in the electrical industry?
DS: I have been involved in the electrical industry for 36 years. I must say that I've had a really great time in this industry and have dealt with some wonderful people along the way; and it has been most rewarding to work closely with the regulators to ensure South Africa has safe reliable products.
Sparks: When and where did you start your career?
DS: I joined my late father's business, Switch King Electrical Industries in Johannesburg, in 1974, progressing through the ranks to factory manager and designing products.

 Sparks: What are the greatest changes you have seen over the years?
DS: The improvement in the quality of electrical products and the improvements in safety standards have to be the most important changes; and South Africa's advancement in technology must also be recognised.
Sparks: What major projects have you worked on and what is your area?
DS: Since the inception of Lesco, I have spent a great deal of time with the re-designing of South African adapters for appliances and cell phones using hollow pin technology. I also introduced switches and sockets of a one-piece construction with integrated cover and cradle, and more recently, the new exciting pipelli range of switches and sockets.
Sparks: Have you won any awards?
DS: Yes, The Hamlet Foundation President's award. Lesco provides assistance to The Hamlet, a home for mentally challenged people, so this recognition was confirmation that our efforts at Lesco were well received and had achieved value for the home and, in particular, for the people staying there.

Sparks: Who has been your inspiration or have you had a mentor who has influenced your career?
DS: My late father, Natie Shapiro, was a pioneer in the industry and he was my inspiration in my early years at Switch King, where I ran the factory and designed new products. It was through his influence and enthusiasm for quality well-designed electrical products that I progressed to the area of designing and efficient production methods.
Sparks: What, to your mind, is one of the biggest challenges facing the industry at this time?

DS: With the opening up of the world markets after apartheid was dismantled, there has been a huge influx of sub-standard products from China. As can be appreciated, this can be a very dangerous scenario, especially with the emerging population who are being provided with electricity for the first time. Both parents and children need to be protected from the dangers of inferior and often non-compliant products.

Sparks: What do you enjoy most about your job?

DS: I enjoy designing new products with emphasis on functionality, reliability and, above all, safety for the South African consumer.
Sparks: How do you motivate your staff?
DS: At Lesco we are a family. Our products, the exciting growth we are experiencing, and our customers both directly and indirectly, all add to our enthusiasm and motivation. In addition to this, Lesco offers financial reward for improved performance in quality and product output as well as for educational achievement.
Sparks: If you could ‘do it all again', would you change anything? If so, what would that be?
DS: I would not change anything. I have continued producing electrical products as did my late father. I have been able to provide much needed employment, especially for the mentally challenged people we train and employ to assemble our products, and we have provided more and more South African people with safe and reliable products.
Sparks: Would you advise a person leaving school to enter the electrical industry? And why?
DS: Yes, the electrical industry is a growing industry in South Africa, from installations to product sold. One just has to look at the building of economic housing, literally thousands a month, to see the increasing need for electrical installations and thereafter the need for adaptors to power appliances. More well trained electricians would be of great benefit to South Africa on the whole. Then, in terms of adaptors and multi-plugs, more electrical design engineers would increase the prospects of local production, vastly reducing bad and often dangerous imports.

Sparks: What is your advice to electrical contractors and/or electrical engineers?
DS: Get to know what products are being developed and manufactured in South Africa, support SABS marked products, and choose quality over price when it comes to safety. This has become even more important with the Consumer Protection Act due to be introduced this year. Section 61 of the Act states that all manufacturers and suppliers in the chain of supply of goods, which have caused harm to consumers, are jointly and severally liable for that harm, as well as for any economic or property loss which a consumer may suffer indirectly as a result of that harm.
Lesco products are designed and manufactured in South Africa giving us full control to ensure compliance with all regulatory policies regarding safety and can be purchased and resold with the utmost confidence.
Sparks: What is your favourite quote?
DS: "Better late than never".
Sparks: Name three things on your ‘bucket list' (things you want to do before you ‘kick the bucket').
DS: Develop and deliver more local products to the market; Be remembered for designing great products and hope this inspires others to do the same; and see to it that Lesco remains a market leader in the supply of adaptors, switches and sockets etc. and able to continue long into the future. To me this would be a wonderful legacy to leave behind.