Professional Profile : Pierre Rootman

With three decades of experience under his belt, Pierre Rootman has become a driving force in South Africa’s stainless steel industry. From his early days in the lab to leading market expansion across North America, his career reflects both deep technical expertise and sharp commercial acumen. Now, as Area Manager for Africa Stainless at Columbus Stainless, Rootman is turning his focus homeward, bringing global insight to local challenges. In this profile interview, he shares the lessons that shaped him, the innovations reshaping the industry, and his bold vision for empowering a new generation of talent across the African continent

Please provide some background on where you come from, your school and tertiary education and where you first started working?

I grew up in the small town of Potchefstroom in the North West province and matriculated from Potchefstroom Gymnasium in 1991. I studied Metallurgical Engineering and obtained my National Higher Diploma in Metallurgy from the Vaal University of Technology in 1995. In March 1996, I started working for Columbus Stainless as Junior Lab Metallurgist.

What are some of the key work experiences or projects, that you have worked on that have challenged you but also helped to shape your skills, experience and career advancement?

During my first years in the Columbus Laboratory, I had the opportunity to learn about the metallurgy of the different stainless steel types and learned to operate highly specialised laboratory equipment such as the Electron Microscope. Through numerous failure investigations conducted for the various operational areas, I grew my understanding and detailed knowledge of the entire steelmaking process from melting to final line processing.

After six years in the Laboratory, I was appointed as Metallurgist in the Technical Customer Services Department. Over the next nine years, I travelled extensively through South Africa to assist our customer base with complaints or technical assistance. I gained experience in the automotive, fabrication, and stockist sectors. These interactions laid the foundations for the skillset I would need when I moved to the Commercial Department in 2010.

I started as Sales Manager for the North American market and held this position for 14 years. During this period, I helped grow the market from a couple of hundred tons per month to an average of 4 500 to 5 000 tons per month by 2024.

What is your current position and how would you describe a typical day on the job?

In January 2025, my role changed to Area Manager for Africa Stainless. A typical day starts with checking daily and weekly reports on sales performance, identifying trends, and tracking key performance indicators. A significant portion of my day is spent coaching and guiding our team of Key Account Managers on sales strategies and targets.

I also maintain contact with key customers to build and strengthen relationships. I believe in always striving to meet the needs of our customers. As Area Manager, I work closely with other departments to ensure a smooth sales pipeline from order intake to final delivery. It’s also crucial for me to stay informed about new stainless steel products, industry trends, and competitor activity.

What would you say are the biggest i. work and ii. life lessons you have learnt thus far in your life?

Work: One of the biggest work lessons I’ve learned in my 29 years at Columbus is the importance of teamwork, especially in navigating tough market conditions. This applies not just within departments but across the organisation. Often, it’s through cross-functional collaboration that innovative ideas are born. These have repeatedly helped us weather challenging times.

Life: On a personal level, the biggest life lesson has been learning how to merge my technical skills with the needs and expectations of both internal and external customers. The key is to really ‘listen and hear’ what people want. It’s a continual process, and as long as you’re open to learning.

How do you hope to take your career to even greater heights - what are your plans for the future?

With three decades in the stainless steel industry, including 14 years in commercial leadership in the North American market, my focus now is on growing and revitalising the South African, and broader African, manufacturing sectors. Understanding the local market will take time, but I bring extensive technical and market knowledge that I’m eager to share. My goals are twofold: Firstly, to support all stakeholders in the stainless steel value chain, including producers, fabricators, and end users, through strategic guidance, technical support, and market development.

Secondly, to invest in the next generation by mentoring young talent within Columbus Stainless and our customer network, ensuring continuity and sustainable growth.

In your opinion what are the biggest challenges currently facing the South African stainless steel industry and what are some of the innovative ways these can be overcome?

Market overcapacity in China has driven down prices across international and Asian markets, creating a notable price gap compared to European and American markets. This has directly impacted South Africa by flooding the market with low-cost imported goods and raw materials, intensifying competition. The result is underutilised domestic manufacturing capacity and shrinking profitability.

Given the global trend of import tariffs in major economies, there’s a strong case for the South African government to implement similar protective measures. However, while tariffs may offer short-term relief; long-term survival depends on operational efficiency and innovation, particularly in finding new and diverse applications for stainless steel.

What do you consider the most exciting innovations/product developments happening in stainless steel right now and what sectors hold the greatest potential for the use of stainless steel in the future?

The stainless steel industry is undergoing a wave of innovation driven by sustainability and advanced applications. Exciting developments include high performance and nickel-free alloys designed for extreme environments and medical use. We’re also seeing a shift to green production, with cleaner energy sources and increased recycling to cut emissions. Stainless steel is playing a key role in the hydrogen economy, especially
in storage systems. These advancements are positioning stainless steel as an essential material for a sustainable and tech-driven future.