Calvin Botha

Leading a team of junior designers to create new medical packaging designs that adhere to client specifications and industry conformances.

Designing and supervise the manufacture of custom designed medical peel pouches.

3D modelling design solutions with the latest Rhinoceros 3D.

Rendering design solutions with the latest V-Ray.

Creating specifications documents for the production team to use in manufacturing.

Leading design review meetings with clients and manufacturers.

Overseeing in-house production of new designs.

Offering consultant services for clients as an industrial designer to redesign their packaging solutions.

VF! is a below the line, retail branding agency that shapes what shoppers do. My pitch win rate was 75% against the industry norm of 30%. 3D modelling design solutions with the latest 3DS Max. Rendering design solutions with the latest V-Ray. Retouching renders with Photoshop to enhance them for client presentations. Creating specifications documents for the operations team to use in manufacturing. Coordinating with sales reps to deliver best in trade design solutions. Coordinating with insights on market research to deliver best in trade design solutions. Monthly departmental metrics reports: statistical analysis of internal team performance. Researching: new products, trends and concepts.

Buying and forecasting: SRAM, RockShox, Truvativ, Zipp, Quarq and Avid. Analysing stock and implementing sales strategies increasing stock flow. Designed an adaptable Excel JIT stock controlling system managing +3000 SKUs with no extra cost to company. Resulting in a concentrated stock holding with reduced SKUs and far lower out of stock percentages in key fast moving areas. Careful product selection reduced warranties. The sell through
percentage increased from 33% to 89% on new product lines.

Weekly trend reports: focused on market position, external competition, retailer and customer product perception, pricing and volume. Coordinated with sales reps on market research and surveys. Developed in-house quality assessment surveys.

Suspension Training Program: In-store and in-house formats were conducted building strong relationships with customers. It offered a glimpse into the customer’s technical view of the product, vital to understanding a brand and growing sales.

In-house workshop: Designed flexible workflow protocols simplifying the workshop and warranty processes. Resulting in a threefold decrease in turnaround time and task accuracy of 0.002%, 7 returned jobs in 2480 over 6 months. Facilitated a recall for Zipp wheels. On average 150 monthly warranty submissions via SRAM’s SAP system.

SRAM Tech Centre JHB: Ensuring warranty protocol, stock management and service levels were maintained in the Gauteng area where 65% of sales were generated. Closed this operation down in favour of training retail stores to undertake RockShox maintenance in-house. Results included sustained growth over 12 months, service spares sales up to 50%, increasing the retailer’s revenue. Service turnaround time and costs decreased for the
customer increasing customer confidence in the product and willingness to spend.

As a freelance designer I search endlessly for cool new technologies, product concepts, while reading mountains of literature on marketing and business thinking. I am constantly analysing new trends trying to predict future ones, to be the first to find the gap. I convert customers concept sketches into 3D models ready for rapid prototyping. Give design input and manufacturing advice.Freelancing leaves me the time to pursue my greatest love, bicycles... I fix them, ride them and make them as often and as much as I can.

In this position I will be worked with a great brand and company and made the Trek name in South Africa awesome.
My role includes:

- Trek Rider's Club Events Management
- Warranty Management
- Technical Training of Bicycle Shop Mechanics and Salesmen
- Workshop Management
- Demo Fleet Management
- Marketing and Database Collection

Working with Haldane Martin was always inspiring. Whether designing and refining the R160 000, laser synthesized, polyhedra table or R50 000, cnc bent, Babapapa chaise lounge, we always strove to push the boundaries of what is possible.

As the team manager of RDS, a 6 month start up company, I was tasked with coordinating the groups movements: meetings with supplier, manufacturers, test groups, design session and creating the schedule for work flow. Assisted in the design of the team's products and ran the accounts for the team, making sure that we made the prescribed profit in the allocated time frame.

This was my first ever real job, and I would with the two most awesome guys ever.
We all pitched in from maintenance to sales and everything in between.