By Staff Reporter
WINDHOEK, March 30 — On March 13th, 2023, Kraatz Engineering (Kraatz), a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group, donated a custom-designed scrum machine worth N$25 000 to the Western Suburbs Rugby Club. The machine, named “Kraatzie”, was built to enhance the safety of the sport and to help the club’s team to improve their skills.
Rugby is one of the fastest-growing sports in Africa, and Namibia is currently the African champion with the most Africa Gold Cup wins (nine in total). Many Namibian players hail from local clubs such as Western Suburbs, situated in the heart of the Khomasdal community of Windhoek.
The custom-designed machine was created by the Kraatz team to broaden the base plates and to make other modifications to ensure safety during training. The machine, weighing approximately 230kg, has an overall length of 3.07m and a width of 1.515m. The Kraatz team supported the project, making it not only a fun challenge but also a feel-good initiative as it is a project that gives back to the community.
Jacques de Langen, Project Manager of Kraatz, said: “Rugby is part of our community, and it is a sports activity even our employees engage in their free time. Being able to deliver this quality scrum machine is not just a feather in our cap, but a testimony to the quality fabrication Kraatz commits to in our promise to our clients. It speaks to our Group’s Purpose of “Creating a future, enhancing life” and how the little we did here can go a long way for the club and the players.”
Keith Allies, President of the Western Suburbs Rugby Club, expressed his gratitude to Kraatz and O&L for their sponsorship of the project, saying: “This scrum machine is not just a scrum machine, it is a work of art. The previous machine carried us for almost 20 years, but techniques have changed, and so must we. This new machine will help us with that. This sponsorship means a lot to the club, and we are grateful and happy to receive ‘Kraatzie’ as our new strumming partner.”
The donation of the scrum machine to the Western Suburbs Rugby Club highlights the commitment of Kraatz and the O&L Group to the local community and their dedication to enhancing the safety and development of sports. It is an excellent example of how businesses can support community projects and make a positive impact on society. – Namibia Daily News
