Calulo Investments is a proudly African investment house with meaningful and complementary interests in a range of sound business entities, focused primarily in the energy, petroleum, and related service sectors.
We strive to participate positively and actively in the management strategic trajectory of our investee entities, with the intention of leveraging growth and generating strong and consistent returns. We build businesses allied to our investments through the development of sound working relationships with partners of distinction.
Hybrid Investment Model
Calulo Investments has adopted a hybrid investment model which involves not only the investment in companies where we add benefit though our Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Profile, but also operates actively within the sectors we invest in. We do this through the implementation of services and companies which become complimentary to our investments. This not only enhances our investments, but gives us a working real-time knowledge of the business environment, allowing us to participate in the decision-making required to be responsible and value-adding partners.
Primarily we have enhanced our portfolio through the inclusion of brokerage services, trading entities, logistics, purchasing and service infrastructure, renewable energy initiatives as well as unique petrochemical technologies.
We look for “Join the Dots” opportunities in all our relationships where each operation is able to add value to the next. We promote entrepreneurial thinking in all aspects throughout our investments as well as promoting social responsibility to all involved.
Evolution of BEE
Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment was introduced to correct historical inequalities in the South African economical and social arena. Compliance to the Liquid Fuels Charter in South Africa is paramount to operating effectively within the sector and when applied correctly, benefits the entire petrochemical value chain.
Our partners benefit greatly from our experience in effective BBBEE implementation, as well as the strategic relationships we have as a group. We feel that an active role is more beneficial to all parties in the development of a functional and sustainable BBBEE system.
Calulo Investments has become one of the leading BBBEE partners in the Petrochemical Industry due not only to its interests in furthering enterprise development throughout South Africa and the sector, but in large due to its active involvement in the operational aspects within the sector. Our ability to add tangible experience and expertise in many facets of the industry, from fuel logistics to technologies, ensures that everyone benefits in a symbiotic environment.
We have focused on the core aspects required in the industries we operate in, creating businesses that fill legitimate and critical functions in the arena. Calulo Services, which comprises a host of logistical services and subsidiaries, has expanded into many aspects of the petrochemical sector, building not only a sustainable South African Footprint, but also a strong African Continental Platform and Global Pipeline.
Strategic Relationships
Our core values, discernment and integrity have attracted many strategic local and international relationships. These relationships have developed into strong partnerships in new ventures, adding services into our already extensive operations, while developing new skills and services in the African Petrochemical Arena. These relationships have allowed us to develop a “Best of Breed” solution to our investee companies’ customers, and have introduced a vast knowledge base of experience from other continents where technologies and methodologies have far outstripped our own.
South Africa is a solid platform in any strategy to penetrate the African continent. Termed the “Gateway” into Africa, it boasts the best financial, technical and infrastructural base to gain a strong foothold. Doing business in the South African fuel sector requires partnerships, guidance in compliances,, as well as business intelligence to lower risks and accelerate the business potential.
“Calulo”, an African word meaning “to discern” or “separate the chaff”, has laid the foundation of our business methodology. We endeavor to apply good judgment and a high set of values to every aspect of our business dealings and decisions. Our aim is to develop a cultural and economic evolution on a continent that requires responsible and developmental business practices. The “Calulo Way” is a principle that we apply to our business relationships as well as our internal practices, finding the balance between economic growth and social upliftment.
Calulo comes from the Xhosa traditional beer-making process and is the process of “filtration” or seperating the good from the chaff. This is the Calulo process, to always make sure that discernment is used in all of our strategic decisions.