Simsa Gas celebrates Silver Jubilee
Twenty-five years ago, Mathew Simon, Simsa Group Managing Director, introduced the concept of free delivery of LPG gas to homes with just 20 BP Botswana gas cylinders but now Simsa Gas has a command of over 150,000 Simsa branded cylinders and three fillin
The name Simsa is de- rived from a combination of Simon and his wife Sabitha’s names. “She is one of the most important people who can be credited for the growth of the company. Simon canÌ w` ÜÀ`Ã Ì convey his appreciation to his wife who quit her lucrative job to offer the much needed support. Simon, who has earned nicknames such as Gas Simon and Simsa Simon among his customers, credits sincerity and good customer relations, among others, for the growth of his company and a large market share which it enjoys. He says: “Customers welcomed the free delivery concept and used to wait for our delivery.
Many other players came into the game but didn’t stand the test of time.”
Simsa Gas initially started off as a distributor for BP gas but in 2006 the two companies went into a joint venture to open a wholesale w} «>Ì * >>lane to service Gaborone and
the surrounding areas. Four years later in 2010, the company opened two more plants in Palapye and Maun.
In 2016 the company launched its green Simsa branded gas cylinders for Maun and Palapye plants and this year we launched branded gas cylinders in Phakalane. We have distribution points in SelebiPhikwe, Palapye, Malahapye, Mochudi, Gaborone, Tlokweng, Molepolole, Moshupa and Kanye. We have more than 70 distributors counrywide. Simon says Simsa Gas has become a household name in Botswana.
Some unscrupulous traders also used to smuggle Simsa Gas cylinders across the country’s borders in countries with no protection laws for branded cylinders vÀ «ÀwÌ° “The situation was very serious and adversely affecting the company’s image but the Botswana Energy Regulating Authority (BERA) recently prohibited the export of branded cylinders,” says Simon.
The cost of gas also increased together with petrol making it rather unaffordable for ordinary households but recently it has started coming down. Government’s scrapping of the Value Added Tax for gas has also brought down the price.
There are four competitors for the Botswana gas market share but Simon is not fazed. “To stay ahead, we work hard, do a lot of marketing to convince distributors and clients as well as keep up with the customers’ expectaÌÃ]» Ã>ÞÃ Ì i Vw`iÌ LÕÃness man.
Simon is determined to make Simsa Gas accessible and affordable across the country. He says in the coming 25 years, Simsa will set footprints in Jwaneng, Gantsi, Kang and other parts. For this to happen, Simon knows what is required and for anyone thinking of venturing into this kind of business, he advises hard work. “There is no shortcut to success,” he states.
Employees who have been contributing to the company throughout the years have a special place in Simon’s heart and Simsa is one of the few companies that provide free breakfast for employees for the
Gaborone and Palapye staff.