Our History
Because we are passionate about making sure your business grows as quickly as possible.
Where it all started:
Some clients have asked our staff what drives Perfect Laser Technologies.
Remaining relevant in today’s instant world is a challenge we accept every day. We like to think we work both smarter and harder.
Like most success stories – we are a sum of our collective experiences. We call them ‘building blocks’! For many of our staff, Perfect Laser is a career, full of opportunities and surprises, change and growth. At the centre of every staff member’s core is our staff pledge :
“Every Perfect Laser staff member follows one guiding principle. As an individual and a collective, we will try our hardest to make sure the business you bring to us is rewarded with a solution that makes you money, brings satisfaction to you and your clients, and simplifies your business.”
It’s the binding DNA structure that in the absence of policies, procedure and corporate-speak, guides our entire company.
My own building blocks have a history dating back to 1984. I left Readers Digest (one year out of UCT) and took the giant leap starting Computer Warehouse. Within 3 years we had 12 branches and 220 staff. Looking back, I wonder how the business was built using only a fax machine and some telephone lines.
And we thought we were pioneers with a 64k ISDN line costing R6000 per month.
The disruptive streak displayed by Computer Warehouse now plays itself out in Perfect Laser Technologies. (Remember the days when you would only buy IBM compatible PCs..)
On June 8, 1987 we listed on the JSE. It was sheer hard work, commitment to clients and belief in what we set out to do that drove us.
Computer Warehouse was subsequently sold to Bill Venter’s Altron Group. Perfect Laser in many ways is an extension to that. In those days the computer was the emerging technology – today it’s what connects us to the world.
One of our first Lasers
The PLT-3040 model was one of the first lasers that we sold – and 7 years later it is still going strong and selling well – albeit an entry-level laser.
Fast forward 25 years:
At Perfect Laser, we are all passionate about the new “disruptive technology” opportunities that CO2 Lasers, CNC routers, Waterjet Cutters, Fiber Cutters, UV and Eco Solvent printers and our other business machines provide.
We believe passionately that every South African and South African company must easily be able to take control of their prototyping and creative dreams, resume manufacturing in-house (rather than outsourcing) and take advantage of the oncoming consumer tsunami which can only be described as “customers who want new ideas that are customised and personalised – and they want it now”.
Customisation is not new. Before the industrial revolution, most items from clothes to boots and swords were made at home. Almost 400 years later, we are getting back to it – but via computers and machines. Customisation has gone digital and been miniaturised. Corporates are themselves under threat with what can now be made in a (car) garage.
Since 2015, Perfect Laser has delivered (all over SA – and Africa) over 1000 different machines. We have watched ideas come alive, seen amazing products created, witnessed the financial success of our clients and become close friends with many of them.
We understand that clients think that quality and reliability are sacrificed by having a more competitively priced machines. This I can assure you would never be acceptable to us – we would be failing in our mission to provide you with a reliable, profitable, in-house manufacturing solution and we would be driving around sorting out technical issues all day. In fact our machines are incredibly reliable. Lastly our JIC (Just In Case) parts inventory is definitely the largest in South Africa.
It is no secret that we drive to every corner of South Africa, export to the SADEC region, offer telephone support for over 65 hours per week including remote control analysis of your machine via the internet, have a collection of skills ranging to Autocad, CorelDraw, Fusion 360, Photoshop and more – surely unmatched.
We write our own Technical Instruction Guides – often up to 100 pages. (Some of our staff – myself included – have a proud history of technical journalism, editorships and publisher experience). We know how to write technically. Our systems are held together by our own (SAP equivalent) system developed in-house from the day we opened.
This system allows us to track and trace every experience you have had with us. We have your machine under our pulse.
Every machine we supply adds a moneymaking tool to your toolbox. 30% of our clients have more than one machine. The record is 22 machines (20 different ones). It’s no secret that once you have learned one type of machine, the migration to another machine – be it colour or CNC – is much quicker. Keeping it all under one supplier roof just makes sense.
Whether you have 1 or 22 machines, considering moving to the coast or another city, we have you covered. At any stage you are welcome to visit any of our branches.
Warwick Smith-Chandler – Founder and CEO
How We Can Help You:
Make Ideas Come Alive
- We take calls every weekday until 8pm.
- We work every Saturday until 2pm.
- We provide software integrity support to any machine with an internet connection – for 1 year.
- We install machines all over South Africa.
- We keep a full range of spares – And supply them mostly by the next day.
- We tell you exactly what you need to make the installation a success. (eg: internet connection, power requirements, space requirements, etc. etc.)
- We provide a “goody bag” (actually more like a pizza box) with at least 20 items in it so you can get to know your new machine’s performance (material / laser speed / laser power combination and effects) asap.
- We are an approved supplier of Westbank.
- We regularly add to our range of consumables – giving you great new products at prices below traditional materials suppliers (rubber stamp sheets, stainless steel tags, etching cream etc.)
This is how we implement our service and training:
The technology we use is highly reliable and durable – in all environments. Furthermore the cooling system, power supply and laser tubes are matched to work together reliably.
However from time to time there are problems – which we address as follows:
- We give you complete machine operation and maintenance training. Once we have installed your machine, within 2-3 days you will be able to comprehensively operate the laser, perform routine maintenance (which is specified in a document) and even change minor and major parts.
- You will be supplied a set of basic parts. (Sensors, limit switches, belts, emergency on/off switch, other switches etc.) as well as parts that could degrade through use.
- You have the option to buy a spare set of mirrors and lens as it is possible that these can be damaged in the event of irregular cleaning – and at a cost of around R2000 per set it will be worthwhile to have a spare set. We will always have a replacement tube and power supply in stock for you.
- We can guarantee you 2 day parts availability for any other part. You will however be responsible for returning the defective part to us.
- We use UltraViewer (free for you to download) to log onto your machine via the internet to check software settings and machine settings. We may ask you to send us a picture or video of any problem – as this greatly assists with correct diagnosis and maintenance adjustments. More often than not it’s a file integrity problem – which we will correct for you if necessary.
- We drive or fly to all corners of South Africa to train/update clients on a regular basis. The time taken to get to you will rarely exceed 3 working days. In the first year this will be at our cost.
- The guarantee on the machine is one year for the machine (except the tube which is 6 months).
PLEASE NOTE We can be many things but we can’t be responsible for your graphic design skills, graphic environment knowledge and specific graphic software skills. We do need you to have a reasonably good internet connection. We also use a centralised job control system – which tracks and traces all client queries and gives centralised status reports.
