Gerrit Smit

Resourceful and results-driven professional with 25+ years of experience, including 7+ years as Head of National Workshop and 14+ years in Spare Parts Planning & Acquisition across Technical Support, Inventory Planning, and Workshop Management. Skilled in workshop operations, procurement, forecasting, budgeting, and cost control—consistently contributing to business performance and making a clear difference in operational outcomes. A clear and effective communicator, able to lead teams and manage day-to-day challenges across spares and workshop operations, achieving 20–25% improvements in output month-to-month and securing annual spare parts savings of ~R7 million.

Recipient of multiple awards for impact and process advancements, recognized for strong leadership, quality control, and customer engagement.

National Workshop & Spares Manager at Ricoh South Africa (2018-01 – Present)

• Manage national workshop and spares operations.
• Lead and develop a team of 11+ personnel, drive technician productivity, efficiency, and accountability.
• Increased workshop output by 20–25% through workflow optimisation and KPI enforcement.
• Reduced spare parts costs by ~R7 million annually via accurate forecasting and procurement control.
• Maintain adequate stock levels to prevent backorders and meet service timelines; conduct quarterly stock audits.
• Handle escalated customer queries and ensure service delivery quality.
• Oversee spares administration, including job cards, warranties, claims, quotations, invoicing, and related tasks.
• Manage vehicle maintenance and operational readiness.
• Strong technical knowledge of workshop and spares operations, diagrams, and fault analysis.
• Sound warehouse operation knowledge.
• Build strong client relationships through proactive customer engagement.

Parts Controller / Inventory Planner at Ricoh South Africa (2013-01 – 2018-12)

• Managed spare parts forecasting and replenishment planning across multiple product lines.
• Dealt directly with suppliers, improving procurement processes and streamlining orders.
• Reduced excess stock while improving availability of high-demand items.
• Provided technical and parts support to branches, dealers, and resellers.
• Contributed to pricing and cost models, improving margin control.

National Helpdesk Agent at Ricoh South Africa (2004-01 – 2013-12)

Service Technician / Engineer at Ricoh South Africa (2003-01 – 2004-12)

Junior Technician / Engineer at Ricoh South Africa (1999-01 – 2003-12)

• Matric (Grade 12) with University Exemption
• Diploma in Business Management – UNISA (2015) – Stock & Inventory
• Engineering Office Engineer Certification (N4 equivalent replacement)
• Six Sigma White Belt |

Six Sigma Yellow |

ITIL & ITIL4

Lean

• ISO 9000 & ISO 14001 | Workshop Safety | Employee Management
• Warehouse 5S Best Practices |

Supply Chain Management & Logistics

• Kaizen |

Six Sigma Quality Output |

Prince2 Project Essentials