Astore Keymak celebrates 40yrs in fine style
ASTORE KEYMAK, a supplier of a complete range of superior pipe fittings, valves and pipeline accessories to the water reticulation sector across Southern Africa, celebrates 40 years in business in 2025.
The four-decade journey took a further step forward during the year with another important milestone, the opening of the group’s 10th outlet, this time in Randfontein on the West Rand, where the Astore Keymak hose factory opened. Other highlights included the relocation of the branch in Waltloo, Pretoria, in mid-year and the launch of the new Astore Keymak Express store, offering a new shopping experience for customers. The additions give Astore Keymak representation across South Africa and further enhance its abilities to support customers anywhere in SA.
Established in 1985, Astore Africa started as a small operation but has evolved continuously over the past four decades to the point where it is now one of SA’s top suppliers of a complete range of products and systems for water supply to the agriculture, mining, industrial manufacturing and construction/infrastructure sectors.
From the outset, Astore Keymak understood the importance of the need for strong partnerships with suppliers, prompting exclusive distribution agreements with prominent local and international brands in the piping, valves and compression fittings sectors.
An important step for Astore Keymak was its purchase by Hudaco Industries group in 2008, a far larger JSE-listed entity which provided synergies in related sectors, not to mention a culture of successful business management. That beefed up the Astore Keymak team and elevated the company to the industrial scale level, where it began to deal with some of the bigger players in the market.
Highlights since then have included the purchase in 2023 of Plastiweld, which gave the group access to a range of topflight pipe & plastic fabrication welding equipment, and the commencement of garden hose production earlier in 2025 at the Randfontein operation, once again in seamless style.
A key appointment for the group was that of Shenton Botes as managing director in 2023. Botes has been involved in several material and equipment supply operations, including the supply of release agents, mould maintenance products, composite resins and welding equipment for pipes and tanks – all of which had the one goal of enabling goods manufacturers to operate more effectively and profitably. Botes has helped create enthusiasm among the Astore Keymak staff and generated confidence in their systems, which has spilt over to customers.
With its head office in Sunny Rock, Germiston, where it operates a centralised warehouse facility, Astore Keymak exports products into most Southern African countries, including Namibia, Eswatini, Botswana and Mozambique.
Suppliers it represents include:
• Agru of Austria, a manufacturer of pipe components and
liner systems;
• Unidelta of Italy, a manufacturer of pipe fittings and saddle
clamps;
• FIP of Italy, a manufacturer of uPVC pipe components and
a large range of valves;
• Raccord Plast of Italy, manufacturer of large-bore PVC fi ttings;
• T2 Welding of Italy, maker of butt welding machines;
• Ritmo of Italy, a manufacturer of electrofusion welding
equipment, and
• Leister of Austria, a manufacturer of process heat and
plastic welding extruders.
The process culminated in late-November with a celebratory event in Pretoria attended by key customers, suppliers from around the world and staff at which the mood continued in the same vein, namely upbeat and efficient supply of quality goods and services and offering guaranteed backup in each and every case.
