Joe Bischoff, a stalwart in the stainless steel industry, passed away in November after battling cancer. He was 64 years old.
Joe started his career in metals when he joined Jacksons in Johannesburg in 1976. Here he met key stakeholders who would encourage his advancement in the industry. In 1978, Joe joined Holman Trading, launching the company’s stainless steel division. He managed the division until he left the company in 1984 to start Jaguar Stainless Steel in partnership with John Lang.
In the late 80s, Joe saw a need for the manufacture of superior quality local fittings for paper mills and petro chemicals. This lead to the launch of LFM (Local Fitting Manufacturers) and the opening of Jaguar Steel’s Durban branch, where the company had landed a contract with a large paper mill.
In 1994, Joe relocated to Durban. 10 years later, Jaguar Stainless Steel was sold to Natal Stainless Steel. He moved back to Johannesburg, launching the company’s projects division. He was instrumental in expanding the company’s operations into Zambia.
In 2014, Joe joined Eurosteel, where he headed up business in the Garden Route region. “It was a challenging task, but Joe grew business in the region from nothing,” says Gordon Barnes, branch manager at Eurosteel. He brought in many new clients, establishing it as a thriving branch. “The only thing we would fight about is, in December Joe would send a parcel to each staff member, at his own cost, to spoil them for Christmas. He has left a huge hole in the company and will be sorely missed,” says Gordon.
“Joe was a good man. As a colleague and employer, he was fair and hard working. He was a great sales person, customers loved him, and an excellent negotiator. His contribution to the industry was enormous,” says life-long friend Wim Ridderhof.
Joe was one of nine children. He is survived by his brothers and sisters, his four children, and nine grandchildren.
“My dad was the best father in the world. He taught us how to be kind, respectful and generous to others. Through his actions he taught us unconditional love. He was a wonderful human being who was always there for you and could make you laugh during the saddest times. We are very proud of him, our real life superhero,” says his daughter, Bridget Fourie.