Driveshafts Centre first opened its doors in August 1984 in an old warehouse in Hugenot Street, Parow.
The company was formed to provide a service to, at that time, a very specialised niche market in the automotive industry. Growth was rapid and from humble beginnings, Driveshafts Centre became the leading supplier and service provider of driveshafts and constant velocity joints in Southern Africa.
In the 1980’s front wheel drive cars were a new concept but this period then witnessed a concentrated move away from rear wheel drive to front wheel drive and this in turn, saw a massive increase in the use of constant velocity joints.
It was in this scenario that Driveshafts Centre opened its doors and through careful planning and growth, the company set itself apart as the leading supplier in a burgeoning market.
The company was formed by Gary Leach, who never had any intention or inclination to go into the motor trade but did this as an interim measure to raise funds to purchase a restaurant. The restaurant purchase never materialised and thirty one years later Gary is still in the business of driveshafts!
Gary started off as a salesman for the company and it is a great source of pride to him that many of the customers he sold to in 1984 are still loyal customers.
The Company opened branches throughout the country and became a well-known brand in the motor industry. Thereafter Driveshafts Centre, while remaining in the retail and trade industry through the branches, opened wholesale warehouses in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria. This proved to be a great success and massive volumes were moved (in fact the company received an award from GKN/LOEBRO as their biggest aftermarket customer.
It was estimated that over eighty per cent of all cv joints sold in South Africa came from the warehouses of Driveshafts Centre in that period.
GKN /LOEBRO are the largest manufacturer of driveshafts and ancillary products in the world and are the original equipment suppliers to all the motor manufacturers. The product is of the highest possible quality and is sold with absolute confidence.
In keeping with the overriding theme of quality, Driveshafts Centre imports top quality brands from Febi (Germany), Borg and Beck(UK) and Gomet (Italy).
Driveshafts Centre continued to expand and even opened up 15 franchises and a manufacturing facility in Gauteng but following on from a prolonged period of severe illness these were closed and sold off as Gary could no longer travel and the need was to concentrate on the Western Cape. Perhaps though further growth is planned! Watch this space.