ABOUT US

At GEM Manufacturers, we pride ourselves on delivering exceptional engineering quality, reliability, and customer-focused service from our Pretoria-based plant. We produce high-quality pressed metal and injection-molded plastic components, with a specialized toolmaking and design workshop known for precision excellence. Our surface treatment facility expertly plates millions of components.

Originally founded as Siemens Tools, Metals, and Plastics in the 1990s, GEM, under Phillip Timmerman’s leadership, has been serving the electrical, telecoms, food packaging, construction, and automotive industries for over 21 years. Since 2000, we’ve expanded internationally, supplying clients across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Our modern 3500m² facility houses top-of-the-line equipment, supported by a skilled and dedicated team of 80 employees committed to exceeding customer expectations. At GEM, we embrace the latest in manufacturing technology and trends, ensuring continuous improvement while maintaining the precision and quality we’re known for.

GERMAN EXCELLENCE

in Precision Engineering

GEM Manufacturers emerged from a Siemens Limited Management Buyout in the late 1990s, preserving core German values of precision engineering. Our foundation lies in high-precision tool and machining production, making these principles the backbone of our offerings.

Specializing in high-precision engineering, we focus on:

Design and Manufacturing of medium-sized conventional tools and advanced plastic injection molding tools.
Precision High-Speed Progressive Tools, crafted from tungsten carbide or high-speed steel, ensuring superior performance.
Plastic Injection Molding, with 10 machines ranging from 50 to 250 tons. Our molds are designed to optimize performance, enhance product longevity, and reduce costs. Our expert tool room staff ensures each job is tailored to customer needs with meticulous attention to detail.
High-Speed Tooling, capable of running up to 1,200 strokes per minute, equipped with features like pitch-feed, vacuum control, and stroke counters for optimal performance and safety.
Eccentric Presses, producing medium-sized metal parts up to 160 tons.
Metal Surface Treatment, using state-of-the-art PLC-controlled plants to ensure consistent quality in high-volume parts plated with zinc, tin, and silver.

Since our founding in 1999, GEM has built a reputation for delivering high-volume products to industries including telecommunications, electronics, packaging, and automotive. Our multidisciplinary engineering team specializes in precision tool manufacturing, with expertise in tungsten carbide tooling, engineering plastics, and high-volume metal production.

Our commitment to honest, respectful service has established GEM as a leader in plastic molding and metal pressing. We offer turnkey manufacturing solutions, including tools, metals, plastics, and surface treatment, adhering to the highest industry standards.

TEAM

Phillip Timmerman

Managing Director

Phillip Timmerman, one of the founders of GEM Manufacturers, has played a key role in the company’s growth into a world-class manufacturing plant, serving markets across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. His passion for business and strong people skills have been central to GEM’s success.

Phillip began his career at Siemens Telecommunications in 1995 as a cost accountant in their pre-fabrication plant, later becoming an auditor within the Siemens Group. In 1999, he co-founded GEM Manufacturers through a management buyout from Siemens.

He holds a BTech degree in Cost and Management Accounting and an MBA from the University of Pretoria.

Difue Gerald Mampya

Operations Director

Gerald is the Operations Director at GEM Manufacturers and studied Mechanical Engineering at Thuto Mathlale Technical College. He started his career as a tool, jig and diemaker apprentice at Siemens Telecommunications and worked for the company from 1989 to 2000 when he joined GEM.

Gerald is an eternal student of his craft and other related fields. He boasts a large number of successfully completed courses and further qualifications including two diplomas from Damelin (Production and Supervision as well as Production Management), Business English from Pretoria University of Technology, Elimination of Waste by Seifsa, Effective Leadership by Round-Table Japan and ISO 9001 Quality Management.

Louis Gindra

Non-executive Director

Co-founder and shareholder Louis Gindra started his career at Siemens Telecommunication in 1978 as an apprentice tool and die-maker, whereafter he was appointed as Toolroom Manager in Siemen’s world-class toolroom in 1981 until the GEM/Siemens MBO.

Louis’ extensive knowledge of metal forming and stamping as well as tool design and manufacture is unrivalled and his specialisation in progressive tool and die manufacturing was crucial to GEM’s rise to international acclaim.

He enjoys working with people, solving complex manufacturing problems and he currently serves as a non-executive director of GEM Manufacturers Board of Directors.

Cornie van der Bijl

Non-executive Director

Cornie van der Bijl is a qualified material specialist in the field of raw material plastic and a long-standing (31 years) member of the Plastic Institute of Southern Africa. His started his career as a tool and die maker at Siemens Telecommunication in 1980 up to and until the GEM/Siemens MBO in 1999.

Cornie qualified as a professional engineer in 1989 and his continuous and extensive study of the subject resulted in his considerable, in-depth knowledge of plastic forming.

Currently, Cornie serves as a non-executive director on the GEM Manufacturers Board of Directors. His contagious passion for business and the engineering side of creating plastic parts is pivotal for high-level skills transfer in GEM.