Construction World July 2016

DOUBLING UP

Brick-It, which manufactures cement stock and Maxi (RDP) bricks using two VB4X machines from PMSA, aims to double its production output by purchasing a fourth machine.

Expansion plans at Brick-It include installing a RE1400 machine from PMSA.

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Established in November 2005 by Sean Cameron and Steven Carr to service the Gauteng region, the manufacturer has transformed

Brick-It produces 11 to 12 million bricks a month.

Cameron highlights. Trojan Cement also has an on-site presence. Brick-It runs a modern fleet of 18 Mercedes Benz trucks, which it uses to supply its products to major customers such as large property developers. “We also supply a large number of Cashbuild, Build It and Builders Warehouse stores,” Cameron reveals, adding that the company produces 11 million to 12 million bricks a month at present. The RE1400 is one of the largest mach- ines available from PMSA for the production of concrete bricks, blocks and paving. It is built to heavy-duty standards to ensure long life, high performance and consistent quality. “PMSA has provided technical assistance to us in increasing production on both the wet and dry side of the operation. On the dry side, they have suggested quite a few changes in order for us to get more pallets out. In addition, we had an issue with the strapping of the bricks, which PMSA also resolved for us,” Cameron reveals. “The availability of the PMSA technicians to come out to site is excellent, reflecting a high focus on customer service and after- market support.” Walter Ebeling, MD of PMSA, highlights that, with the building and construction sector facing pressure from reduced margins and a lack of new projects, the company is well-positioned to help its customers fine- tune their existing assets in order to boost productivity and end quality. “We are unique in the industry in being a specialist manufacturer that is able to cover the entire business spectrum, from estab- lishing a business to boosting the bottom

itself into a major competitor in the produc- tion and supply of quality, cost-competitive concrete bricks. The latest development at the company is to enter the highly competitive and poten- tially lucrative paver market as part of an overall diversification strategy. Civil works for the site establishment of the new RE1400 machine from PMSA commenced this month. “Our goals for the next three years are to meet the current demand and supply of bricks in a fast-developing region, to double brick production within our ninth year of operation by the acquisition of a new RE1400 machine from PMSA, and to improve customer satisfac- tion by providing excellent service and lower prices,” Cameron comments. He remains confident of Brick-It’s ongoing success, pointing to the manufacturer’s diver- sification into pavers and also its involvement in the low-cost housing segment for RBA Homes and Karibu Group. Brick-It operates from a site in Marsala Road in Chloorkop, Johannesburg. Cameron points out that the manufacturing plant is ideally situated in close proximity to both customers and suppliers. The site is well-equipped to stockpile aggregates (partitions), and includes a large production and stacking area. “We are located close to the Tembisa informal settlement, and hence we are able to use this as a labour pool to assist with the upliftment of the local community,”

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line through the application of appropriate technology,” Ebeling explains. “We have been building on our tech- nology, leadership, expertise and experience in the concrete products sector for the past 40 years, and have an array of options to suit all client needs,” Quintin

Booysen, sales and marketing manager at PMSA, stresses. “Brick-It is an excellent example of the kind of long- standing relationships we forge with our customers.”

Brick-It director, Sean Cameron.

CONSTRUCTION WORLD JULY 2016