Imperial’s resources

People

Imperial relies on its employees to sustain its growth, drive its strategic agenda and contribute to society through its various businesses. Over the years our workforce has grown from 1 720 people in 1987 when the company listed, to the 51 000 people we employ today in diverse industries across multiple locations.

Their combined effort, commitment and expertise are responsible for our past successes, and their collective knowledge has the greatest ability to positively impact our future performance. As a result, ongoing skills development is a business imperative in which we continue to invest.

Assets

The group owns most of its strategic operational properties and follows a philosophy of continually investing in these assets for further growth. Maintenance and replacement capital expenditure is closely monitored and timeously deployed. Expansion capital expenditure is driven by our strategy to grow our business but is balanced by the imperative of enhancing the returns on these investments. Our inventory holding in our vehicle businesses is carefully monitored and we conduct detailed research on trends and buying patterns before ordering and launching new models. Our major assets include:

Distribution and franchise rights

The group has a number of distribution and franchise rights, many of which compete with each other. They are independently managed under dedicated management teams. Our relationships and partnerships with principals and suppliers have been developed over a number of years and are key to our success. Distribution and franchise agreements which govern these relationships are therefore carefully managed.

Customers

We have a vast customer base that includes government, blue-chip companies, non-governmental organisations and the consumer. Satisfying our customers is a key success factor and we strive to achieve the highest standards of quality, service and reliability. By doing so we seek to gain the trust, respect and loyalty of our customers which will prove critical in securing our ongoing success.

Financial position

The group has a strong financial position with an equity base exceeding R17 billion. Net debt is R9 billion against total assets of R52 billion. Our treasury activities are directed by the assets and liabilities committee (Alco) with a primary focus on liquidity, interest rate and foreign exchange risk management.

The group’s liquidity position is strong with R5,9 billion in unutilised facilities. Only 47% of debt is due within one year and around 56% of this is secured at a fixed interest rate. In addition to its banking facilities, the group has good access to capital markets and has often raised bonds and commercial paper in the South African capital markets.

Total equity (R billion)		Total assets (R billion)