Durban — Three young men have struck gold from mounds of old vehicle tyres littered around which was causing an environmental crisis, and have established a company that manufactures shoe polish and tyre shine products out of tyre char.
The brains behind the establishment of a business venture called Cubic 38 are Hluhluwe-born Mzokhona Maxase, 27, his two partners, Tshepo Sithole, 28, and Fortune Radebe, 27, who came up with the innovation while they were students at the Tshwane University of Technology in 2017.
Sithole said it all started in 2017 when the three friends were at their student residence withnothing to do and were bored because there was a student protest.
“We then decided to visit a local tyre recycling business in town, looked at all the stockpiles of tyres on their premises, and saw the char residue that remains after the tyres are shredded and ground.
“When we got back to the residence, we sat down and brainstormed on a business idea we could come up with from all that char we just saw.
“Our aim was to use the char to create high quality and affordable products for daily use but had no clue of its properties and what it was.
“I had one idea in mind: that back at my rural Hluhluwe home, we usually turn candle wax into polish by melting it and adding paraffin,” said Maxase.
The trio then embarked on a market research, assisted by a university chemistry professor.
“He guided us while we were working at a small garage at the university,” added Radebe.
“At first, we thought of making coal out of it, but that idea was unsuccessful. Why not car tyre and shoe polish, we asked ourselves.
“We found that the tyre char was going to give out a by-product that will protect shoes against water and other elements, shine them and make them strong, so they become durable,” a happy Maxase added.
The trio further said that they are currently in the process to get their business registered with the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS).
“We are waiting for the SABS approval of our product, after which we plan on having Cubic 38 available in shopping outlets within the country.
Sithole said their products could be found by Googling ‘Cubic 38’ online and on the company’s Facebook page.
They said they plan to penetrate the local market and also internationally.
They further said that their long-term plans also involve making paint, ink and nail polish as well.
“We work with external stakeholders who help us with product analysis and development and source the manufacturing part of the business.
“We now jokingly call it a ‘product from the tyre for the tyre’,” Maxase laughed.
Maxase said his parents are very happy that he has found his niche in his young life, while his community back home in Hluhluwe is very proud of him, and wishes his business to grow and become a success.
Daily News