After spending 34 years with at first the founding company Metallurg SA, the company that would subsequently change its name to Insimbi Alloy Supplies before being listed on the JSE, and then with the holding company Insimbi Group, Ed Liechti, the CEO of Insimbi Alloy Supplies, has decided to retire.

“My introduction to metallurgy was to make a talk on the subject while attending The Knights Of Da Gama public speaking course when I was still at school. The main theme of the topic was to investigate and report back how I would to find work as a metallurgist.”

“The subject really piqued my imagination and after completing my national service I managed to get a job at Haggie Rand, Germiston, Gauteng as a trainee metallurgist. The sequence of training was six months at Wits Technikon doing theory and then the balance of the year getting experience and training within the Haggie Group.”

“I finally left Haggie in June 1989 to join Metallurg SA in July 1989 as a technical representative.”

Ed Liechti

“My progress within the group was rewarding as initially I had limited experience in the vast spread of businesses within the Metallurg group. I was given a spread of customers ranging from cast iron, aluminium, steel foundries, welding and optical companies and steel plants. The experience was challenging, exciting and I enjoyed the metallurgical knowledge I was learning looking after these range of industries.”

“Management encouraged us to look for new business opportunities worldwide, which I believe I did very successfully. As a result, I have travelled all over Europe, India, China and Argentina establishing new business partners to export product internationally to and to import various products to be sold from the group’s various warehouses in South Africa.”

“In 2002 I was appointed as a director of Metallurg SA and in 2003 I was part of the management team that concluded a MBO whereby we purchased 100% of Metallurg SA from Metallurg Inc, an American owned company.”

“In 2005 management rebranded itself from Metallurg SA to Insimbi Alloy Supplies. The next phase of the company was to see it attain its Altx listing on the JSE in 2008 and in 2012 progressing to the main board of the JSE, where it is still listed.”

“In 2017 I was promoted to the position of CEO of Insimbi Alloy Supplies, a position that I have been very proud of because of the team that I have and how they have supported me. My decision to retire was not taken lightly. My last day will be at the end of June 2023 when I handover to Shaun Green.”

“My career path was aided by many that gave me an opportunity and believed in me and therefore had significant influence on my career. These include, but are not limited to, Colin Keel and John Askeland of Haggie Rand, Joe Nietz, Russel Symons, Langham Carter of Metallurg SA and Pieter Schutte and Fred Botha of Insimbi Alloy Supplies.”

“I did National Service from 1980-81, initially with the Engineers in Bethlehem and thereafter with the dog unit in Pretoria and Bourke’s Luck (Blyde River Canyon). Working with the dogs has given me great respect and love for them. The dogs have now become my passion. With my imminent retirement I will definitely have more time to spend with them and my family, which I have been wanting to do for a long time but have been too busy building a career. I have many other pursuits and hobbies which will also keep me very busy.”