OFFICE chair manufacturer Dauphin has plans to export chair components to Europe and Africa.

Dauphin CEO Isla Galloway said the group's export plans could see sales rising between 14% and 18%.

Galloway said Dauphin had plans to export components to Nigeria, where the chairs would be assembled.

The group had already started to export more sophisticated components to Europe out of its factory in Johannesburg.

Dauphin has about 40% of the upper end of the R320m offices chair market. Galloway said the chair manufacturer wanted to grow in a controlled way.

If the export orders start coming through, its factory, which employs 60 people and produces up to 150 chairs a day, will be kept busy.

Last year the company did well, as the number of new head offices built in the country led to several large orders for chairs.

Revenue was up 45% while operating profit jumped 99% for last year. However, this year business had so far been quiet, Galloway said.

Dauphin is a subsidiary of Bidvest, which has a 71% holding. Dauphin of Germany owns 24%. Galloway holds the remaining shares.

Feb 10 2004 07:23:37:000AM Larry Claasen Business Day 1st Edition