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Cape Town - The JSE has entered into a partnership with the Cape Craft and Design Institute (CCDI) in a project that has resulted in a creative small business designing and supplying bespoke trophies, which the JSE will give to its clients as corporate gifts.
It has so far ordered 50 trophies. The deal is ongoing and exclusive to the JSE. Small business owner 26-year-old Burghen Siebert will continue to design the trophies throughout the duration of the project.
Although Siebert conceptualised the design of the trophy, he has outsourced the manufacturing to small businesses to make the different elements.
SMME development
"This partnership is exciting in that it speaks to the JSE’s developmental interest in enabling aspirations and supporting South Africa’s SMMEs (small, medium and micro enterprises), and we at the CCDI provide a variety of support services to over 5 500 enterprises in the craft and design sector," said CCDI executive director Erika Elk in a statement.
Over the years the CCDI has become widely recognised as a role model for the development of SMMEs in the craft and design sector.
"We were therefore well positioned to act as a facilitator in connecting the JSE with some of our very talented and creative members for this wonderful business opportunity," she said.
Background
The project involved the development of a bespoke trophy for the JSE, using the sculpture outside their headquarters in Johannesburg as inspiration. Young designers were invited to submit their interpretation of the sculpture and develop a trophy using any material of their choice.
The JSE selected Siebert as the winner from the shortlist of three designers submitted by the CCDI.
"They loved his interpretation. The trophy looked very much like the sculpture but it’s actually a mirror image – it’s done on a glass base and it’s just beautifully designed and manufactured," said Elk.
To expand on the CCDI’s established business match-making service and procure locally-made, beautifully designed functional and decorative products from emerging creative businesses, the CCDI recently launched CCDI Connect, a level 1-B-BBEE business which forms part of the CCDI group.
"We promote responsible sourcing by connecting our corporate and public sector clients with small manufacturers who are highly creative and talented while having a high social impact in job creation and sustainability.
"In the end you receive beautiful products while at the same time supporting and building South Africa’s SMMEs from the ground up," Elk concluded.
Siebert said of his involvement in the project: "I like to bridge between mainstream design and small, local manufacturing businesses.
"I am really grateful to the CCDI for their work in providing opportunities for small businesses like myself. It's great exposure and experience for me to be working with such a large corporation like the JSE,“ he said.
About the designer
Siebert is an industrial design graduate from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology which specialises in 3D concept development - a process which involves using 3D programmes to develop prototypes of models before the actual manufacturing of the product.
