A small Somerset West start
LaserCrafts works from Somerset West, where Kobus Truter produces personalised wooden pieces that are made to be used, displayed and finished properly. In the first year the focus was on small gift orders, name plaques and a few shop signs for local customers in Somerset West and Strand. Every piece was cut, sanded and checked by hand, because the business started with limited equipment and a strong habit of doing things properly the first time.
Those early orders taught the team what matters most in wood work. Grain direction, moisture in the timber, clean edges and durable hanging methods all made a difference, especially for customers close to the coast where humidity can affect finishes. The work was local, practical and word of mouth played a big part in keeping the calendar full.
Personal gifts become a steady line of work
Over time, LaserCrafts was handling more personalised gifting requests, especially for weddings, birthdays and new homes. Brides and grooms asked for table numbers, welcome boards and keepsake pieces, while families ordered surname signs, nursery name plaques and milestone gifts. The design side also became more organised during this period, with clearer proofing steps and better ways to match type, sizing and finish to each order.
Next, the business started taking on more repeat clients in Stellenbosch, Paarl and Cape Town. Shops wanted window signs and interior branding pieces that would hold up in daily use, while event planners looked for simple sets that could be cut in batches. It was also the period when LaserCrafts refined its assembly and finishing process, so items could leave the workshop ready for packing with fewer delays.
- Expanded from one-off gifts to repeat wedding and retail orders
- Added more layered sign making for shops and homes
- Improved proofing and finish checks for every batch
- Built a steady local client base across the Helderberg area
Growth through bigger batches and better systems
As orders increased, the business moved from mostly single-item work into bulk production and clearer workflow planning. This meant more careful scheduling of laser cutting time, better material stock control and more attention to dispatch. It also meant the team had to balance creative consultation with practical lead times, because a dozen personalised signs need the same care as one, just on a tighter run sheet.
During these years, LaserCrafts became known for taking on more complex pieces such as layered welcome signs, business branding boards and prototype samples for clients wanting to test a design before placing a full order. The team also learnt how to package items for courier travel, which matters when pieces are going from Somerset West to Hermanus, Durbanville or further afield. A good finish is important, but a good pack is what keeps it intact on arrival.
- Introduced more structured bulk order production
- Started supplying couriered orders more regularly across the Western Cape
- Handled prototype samples before larger production runs
- Developed packing methods suited to fragile engraved and layered pieces
Holding steady through difficult trading conditions
Like many South African trade businesses, LaserCrafts had to work through years that demanded flexibility. Load-shedding, changing delivery patterns and tighter turnaround expectations all affected production planning, so the team learned to work in shorter windows and keep jobs moving in stages. That period strengthened the workshop discipline behind the business, from machine scheduling to finishing and dispatch.
It also pushed the company to improve communication with customers. Clear updates, accurate sizes and realistic timelines became even more important when people were ordering for events, shop openings or deadlines they could not move. Lesedi Ramaboa and the client services process became central to that experience, while Shailen Perumal kept the laser cutting side moving and Ruan Nel made sure the final pieces were properly finished before packing.
Over time, the business had a more defined team structure and a better grip on how to manage custom work without losing the personal service that had built its name. The Somerset West base remained the centre of everything, but the reach was now firmly provincial and growing into nationwide courier work too.
A full team and broader service range
From then on, LaserCrafts became a more complete workshop team rather than a one or two person operation. Anele Ndlovu took on production coordination, Marli Botha supported design consultation, Shailen Perumal handled laser operation, Lesedi Ramaboa led client services, Ruan Nel focused on finishing and Leah Jacobs managed dispatch and courier coordination. That structure made it easier to handle overlapping orders for homes, weddings, shops and corporate clients without losing the personal touch.
With the team in place, the business could offer a broader service range including custom design, wood engraving, layered sign making, gift personalisation, assembly and finishing, and courier packing. Corporate clients began asking for interior branding pieces and event signage sets, while local customers in Gordon's Bay, Strand and Somerset West asked for more household decor and gift items. The work remained grounded in practical making, not just decoration.
- Built a dedicated team for production, design, finishing and dispatch
- Expanded services to include corporate and event pieces
- Improved turnaround on local and courier deliveries
- Kept production based in Somerset West with orders across South Africa
Today: A Somerset West workshop serving customers nationwide
Today, LaserCrafts continues to design and laser-cut personalised wooden gifts, signs and decor for customers across the Western Cape and nationwide by courier. The business still works from Somerset West, with regular orders from Stellenbosch, Cape Town, Paarl, Hermanus, Gordon's Bay, Strand and Durbanville. Some customers need one personalised keepsake, while others need a full run of signage for a shop, event or office.
Each order is handled with careful design, clean cutting, proper finishing and reliable packing. The workshop now manages a broader mix of projects with a larger team. LaserCrafts handles gift orders, signs and custom pieces through the contact page.