Ernest Baynes, the principal of BTT, is an approved Black Industrialist in South Africa, directly supported by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. Ernest is the eldest in the family and has two young brothers. He was raised in Johannesburg during the tumultuous 1970s and 1980s South African political unrest. Ernest, a qualified mechanical engineer, took over the leadership of the company in 2004, transforming it into a certified Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). His drive towards comprehensive quality management triggered the creation of a smart factory with didgital implementation of quality standards. As a result of its innovatively designed products and expertise in manufacturing transformers, BTT manufactures transformers for far afield as the Middle East.