Pietermaritzburg-born-and-bred Mike Eglington is the visionary founder of local steel merchant juggernaut, Steelco.
From the Maritzburg College Class of 1991, Eglington is a self-made businessman and endurance athlete.
Having cut his teeth in the steel industry working for a neighbour for five years shortly after completing school, Eglington then worked in the steel industry for a further 12 years before deciding to branch out and start his own business as a steel merchant.
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Steelco was founded 14 years ago and its principal business is to buy in bulk from the steel mills and distribute to customers, with a focus on customer service and efficient delivery.
I have always been an entrepreneur at heart and when the time was right, I decided I didn’t want to work for someone else, believing that I am the master of my own destiny.
“It’s the best decision I have ever made,” said Eglington.
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Crediting Maritzburg College with his grounding education and for the core values he embodies today, Eglington, admits that he prioritises the College network for his own business dealings and has a strong track record in employing local College Old Boys.
Coming from a long line of College boys, Eglington said he and his son, Matthew, were third and fourth generation College Old Boys.
As a sports fanatic, Eglington has completed 30 Dusi Canoe Marathons, 17 non-stop Dusi Marathons, four
Comrades Marathons and numerous multi-day mountain biking stage races.
Eglington has a firm belief in providing exceptional service, doing the basics correctly and being transparent and honest.
“We strive to be the best in the industry when it comes to service delivery and reliability.
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I believe that endurance sports have served me well in the day-to-day running of a business; being consistently consistent has built Steelco to where it stands today.
“I follow the ethos of redefining service excellence and being approachable by customers, suppliers, and staff alike,” said Eglington.
*The Witness is teaming up with Maritzburg College to focus on local business people who not only hail from Pietermaritzburg but are also Old Boys of the 160-year-old school. We invite other schools to send us profiles on business people in Pietermaritzburg who are old boys and girls. E-mail us: business@witness.co.za
Maritzburg College’s Sue Buchanan-Clarke, who heads College Connect, a school networking initiative, said the idea to profile local businessmen who are Old Boys came about in a bid to show, through stories, how the former pupils have translated the school’s principles of honesty, integrity, courage, self-discipline, commitment, and respect in their business lives, leaving an indelible mark on the local and global stage.