Cacti-studded plains. Mist-shrouded cliffs. Lush forests. Elephants and ostriches. South Africa certainly is a never-to-be-forgotten place. But amid the land of the Zulu, awesome scenery and diverse cultures, it's also business as usual--or sometimes not so usual--for Arthur Ashburner.
As systems development manager at Lithotech Manufacturing Epping, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lithotech Limited in Cape Town, Ashburner is responsible for the internal flow of information at the large manufacturer of traditional forms, electronic media, and other business communications and services. His successful printing industry career belies his earlier work spent literally in the bush as a postmaster in a rural village in present-day Botswana.
Born in Zimbabwe, Ashburner was introduced to the forms industry in 1978. Arriving in South Africa by way of Botswana, he worked for several companies, including one that secured much-needed IBM equipment during the mid-1980s, when the international community imposed economic sanctions on South Africa in an effort to end apartheid. Later, while managing his own auxiliary computer products firm, a large forms manufacturer called MasterForm made him an offer he couldn't refuse, he says.
"There were few independents in South Africa at that time," Ashburner says. "Their numbers have grown, however, and now very few manufacturers have their own sales forces." In pursuit of his sales goals at MasterForm, Ashburner studied nights and weekends, and relied heavily on Print Solutions Magazine (then FORM Magazine). He read it, studied it, and later used it to help train others.
Although his responsibilities have changed during his 24 years in the industry, and his company has experienced mergers and name changes, Ashburner continues to subscribe to Print Solutions and is still an avid reader. Frustrating international postal delays don't deter him as he looks forward to reading the magazine, especially articles about computer systems solutions. "South Africa's computer technology is on a par with the rest of the world," Ashburner says. However, manufacturers often have difficulty obtaining the latest equipment due to the poor exchange rate of the rand to the dollar.
In addition to higher costs, postal delays and past sanctions, Ashburner and his company face other issues their American counterparts do not. Crime is much more prevalent in South Africa than in the United States. Homes are protected with barred doors and high walls. Like most private homes, Lithotech has an alarm system with an armed response. To enter company buildings, employees must swipe access cards through readers. Sales employees understand safety risks and remain vigilant.
Unlike others his age who may look forward to retirement, Ashburner says he isn't interested in retiring just yet. As one of his company's 66 employees, he still enjoys fine-tuning the flow of information up and down the chain of command. "If this movement of information is incorrect, then incorrect decisions are made and incorrect equipment is installed," he says.
All work and no play, however, isn't Ashburner's way of life or attitude. He has a dry wit and an ever-present smile. He lives in an extraordinary land, watching cricket and rugby instead of football and baseball. Instead of trips to the zoo, it's a holiday to a game reserve. And, instead of escaping to a mountain retreat, he and his family enjoy every day in Cape Town.
--Diane Saunders
