In 2004, Dias and Sons was formally founded. The business started in our garage at home, with only a few manual machines to get us going. Joe, who did his trade test in Zimbabwe as a Tool & Die maker, had moved to SA in 1981 and worked for 23 years for a company which specialized in manufacturing shoe soles and gumboots.
As boys we loved going to work with our father on weekends to see all the sophisticated equipment and to witness the process of a shoe model (sample) transforming into the final product of the soles being injection molded.
It was in 2004 when Joe decided to go on his own by supplying molds to the shoe industry. Paul joined Joe after completing a year of post-matric at Westville Boys’ High. Shaun finished school in 2005 and joined the team in 2006 in the garage at home.
We approached Walker Machine Tools to inquire about the possibility of bringing in a 90-ton injection molding machine. The deal was successfully negotiated, and by the middle of 2006, we had our first machine commissioned in a small section we rented from a major customer.
Word quickly spread among friends and customers that we were now offering molding services, and work started to filter in. Within a year, the next 120-ton machine was ordered.
By 2009, we had outgrown the garage and the small, rented section, so we decided to sign a 3-year lease for a 236m2 unit in Manchester Park. Over the next 3 years, we acquired a specialized shoe injection molding machine, as well as 160-ton and 200-ton injection molding machines.
The company was going from strength to strength. The three-year lease came to an end and we signed a new lease in the same complex with bigger premises. Upon moving into the new premises, we purchased our first 3 Axis Manford CNC milling machine. We began taking on complex tools and within two years purchased another 3-axis Hartford 1000 CNC milling machine to cope with the demand for new injection molds as well as repairs to tools in-house and for other molding shops.
Due to the increased size of tools, we were compelled to purchase a 260-ton injection molding machine to keep up with the growing demand for bigger tools. In 2015, we were approached by one of our customers to machine a tool that would form the inside of a toilet. The tool ended up weighing 4.5 tons and was machined entirely on the Hartford 1000.
This was another huge stepping stone for us as a company, and we continued our upward and onward journey. The end of 2015 saw us investing in more equipment as we acquired our 3rd Hartford 1370 CNC milling machine, as well as a state-of-the-art Charmilles Spark Eroder.
In 2016, we received an order to machine a new mold that would injection mold a toilet in one cycle. After four months of pinpoint machining, the tool was complete, weighing in at 6 tons. The tool was commissioned, and the first off-tool samples were approved by our clients.
The company had been operating for 12 years when disaster struck on 6th October 2016, when a fire broke out in the early hours of the morning in the molding department. Within the space of 2 hours, the entire plant had burnt to a point where none of the equipment was salvageable, and 3 months’ worth of stock was lost in the blaze, leaving us empty-handed on all counts.
The fire was contained before it could leap across to the tool room, which allowed the tool room to continue with their work once a mains cable was replaced.
A plan was formulated, and tools were sent to other injection molding shops to continue running while new equipment was being sourced. While the factory was being rebuilt, we signed a new lease for bigger premises at Caterpillar Park.
The molding department relocated to Caterpillar Park while Shaluza Plastics (also owned by Dias and Sons shareholders) moved into the rebuilt factory.
By the end of February 2017, we had started moving new equipment into our new state-of-the-art facility, complete with epoxy floors, an overhead gantry, and a separate warehouse for holding customer stock.
After 10 months of hard work, the tears of devastation had turned to tears of joy as we were back at full strength with more and newer energy-saving equipment to offer our customers the best possible pricing. Through constant communication regarding orders, we were able to keep all our clients during the months of downtime.
In 2017, we had our best year yet, achieving record turnover thanks to a project we undertook for an advertising company and beer product. We successfully convinced our clients to choose us over a competitor in China by agreeing to meet the same deadlines. Within 3 months, we machined 4 complex tools and had the off-tool samples approved by the clients. The team worked around the clock for 3 months to complete 45,000 units, using 50 tons of polycarbonate to produce the 5 components.
Between 2018 and 2019, the growth the company experienced allowed us to invest in a state-of-the-art 450 TON molding machine with an IN-MOLD-LABELLING system. This new machinery allowed us to produce 4l and 5l buckets with impressive cycle times, as we were able to produce the molds in-house.
In 2020, despite the challenges faced by everyone during the pandemic, we continued to persevere by recognizing a market gap for blow-molded bottles, which allowed us to expand our range according to our customer’s needs. Through resilience and hard work, we were able to navigate through the global challenges of the 2020 and 2021 pandemic.
In 2022, a new 5lt blow molding machine was added to our diversified fleet of machines, which allowed us to fulfil orders more efficiently. Additionally, our toolroom was relocated to a premises that was closer to the molding plant, further enhancing our efficiency.
2023 started off positively for us with the addition of a Full Electric 160T injection molding machine, further strengthening the fleet of machines and overall capabilities.
We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to our customers for their support over the years, especially during the challenging time following the fire. We look forward to continuing to work with all of our clients for many years to come.