About Bosal
Established in 1923 in Alkmaar, currently the BOSAL Group remains a family-owned Dutch registered company, with its head office in Lummen, Belgium. In 2020, a turnover is estimated at €350 million, which was generated by over 2,500 employees working in 16 manufacturing plants, 12 distribution centers and 7 R&D centers
Bosal Afrika, as the local manufacturer and supplier of Bosal products to the South African market, offers an extensive national footprint that ensures a reliable supply of both automotive and industrial products to customers. These include all major car manufacturers as well as a variety of leading industrial conglomerates.
The strong heritage and expertise acquired over nearly a century, are what inspires the Bosal Group to keep growing, keep innovating, and keep offering customers the very best in automotive and industrial products.
Managing Director
Ockert van der Merwe
Managing Director
Qualifications: CA (SA)
Joined Bosal in 2010 as Financial Director.
Previous Executive Financial positions held in Manufacturing and Mining Industries since 1996.
Prior to that Auditor in private practice with PKF (Fisher Hoffman and Sithole).
Research & Development
Innovation is a key driver throughout the various R&D organisations within the Bosal Group. The drive for innovation pushes the boundaries in materials, packaging, weight-saving and emission reductions, while cost efficiency remains a major driver for the customer.
The research and development center for Bosal Afrika is located in Koedoespoort, Pretoria. The facility is equipped with state of the art resources to verify that products comply with government legislation, OEM specifications and SABS standards.
A scientific approach is followed in the design and development of exhaust systems, towbars and styling items, using the latest advanced simulation software, test equipment and highly-qualified personnel. The exhaust development facility is equipped with an anechoic chamber and dynamometer which is unique in that it is the only one in South Africa. This enables Bosal to design exhaust systems for local OEM’s using noise and vibration measurement equipment and simulation software.
A proactive approach is used to design towbars applying solid modelling techniques and finite element analysis; and all towbars are tested to comply to government regulations. Bosal’s involvement in the OEM market and assistance from our international research and development center in Lummen, Belgium, has a significant spin-off for products development in South Africa.
Through the global spread of R&D facilities, Bosal is able to localise global programmes more efficiently and deliver customers needs for a larger range of products and technologies. These facilities are equipped with state of the art resources to verify that products comply with government legislation, OEM specifications and SABS standards.
Product-specific Research and Development centres are located in the following locations:
Aftermarket Exhaust
- Celakovice, Czechia
- Zaparozhye, Ukraine
Energy Conversion
- Vianen, Netherlands
- Ypsilanti, USA
OE Exhaust
- Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
- Lummen, Belgium (Research and Development)
- Ypsilanti, Michigan USA (Satellite Facility)
- Pretoria, South Africa (Satellite Facility)
- Gebze, Turkey (Satellite Facility)
- Brandys, Czech Republic
- Pretoria, South Africa (Satellite Facility)
- Queretaro, Mexico
Toolkits and Jacks
- São Paulo, Brazil (Product Development)
Towbar Systems
- Pretoria, South Africa (Satellite Facility)
- Gebze, Turkey