Construction World July 2015

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD JULY 2015
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A free service – anyone from paint
contractors, artisans, and entrepreneurs,
to home owners, and DIY enthusiasts
– can register for the product knowledge and
basic paint technology courses that span a
full day. Once learners have completed these
introductory courses, they are free to enrol for
a more comprehensive online eLearning course.
A certificated course – learners only receive
their accreditation from Prominent Paints once
they have completed and successfully passed
the eLearning module.
According to technical services consultant
at Prominent Paints, Herman Rabe, the courses
are both theoretical and practical and the
introductory modules cover everything from
the paint make up, to calculating the Dry Film
Thickness (DFT) and the influence the Micro and
Macro climates will have on paint when applied.
The fundamentals of surface preparation are
covered extensively, as is choosing the right paint
system for various substrates.
“Our courses run once a month from the
Prominent Paints head office in Alberton. Not
wanting to limit training to one province, on
request, our trainers will travel to any other region
or even African country to deliver this sought
after service,” says Rabe.
“At Prominent Paints, we feel that DIY should
be about more than just paint – it is about
responsible and strong leadership, innovative
paint solutions, real partnerships and a passion
for doing the right thing and our corporate
responsibility projects must mirror this,” adds
Rabe. “With so much more than just colour to
consider when searching for a paint solution,
we believe in investing in the artisans and indi-
viduals who are going to be choosing and using
our products.
SHORTAGE
OF SKILLS IN
PAINT INDUSTRY
Prominent Pa int s , a ful l y
integrated member of PPG and
a leading paint manufacturer
in South Africa, is addressing
the skills shortage within the
local paint industry through
its Training Academy. Since its
inception almost 35 years ago,
the academy has invested in
the training of almost 12 000
learners, a number the group is
committed to growing.
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“As a manufacturer and marketer of paint prod-
ucts that adhere to international best practices
and actively promote the drive towards environ-
mental sustainability, Prominent Paints is a brand
with substance and our corporate responsibility
projects must mirror this,” concludes Rabe.
Anyone interested in this free service offered
by the Prominent Paints Training Academy
should contact the customer care depart-
ment on 0861 77 66 46. Alternatively email:
Prominent Paints was established
in 1981 and celebrated its 30 years
of manufacturing in SA in 2011.
Prominent Paints is a proud member
of the Green Building Council of South
Africa (GBCSA) and from an ecological
perspective, its paint is lead free,
complies to, and even exceeds the
standards set by the GBCSA.
The Tanzanian business has successfully
completed roads and water projects
valued at more than USD10-million, with
structures and capacity building assignments
further expanding its portfolio in the last few
years. UWP Consulting (Tanzania) was registered
as a local engineering consulting firm in May
2005, with five local professionals holding 51%
of the shares and UWP Holdings 49%.
The company was started after Henry Catma,
an engineer based in Dar es Salaam, responded
to UWP’s search for an individual or small
company to form a joint venture in Tanzania.
The timing was particularly good as Catma and
four other Tanzanian professionals were in the
initial stages of establishing a local company
called Tangroup Professionals (TANPROL).
“It was easy to integrate TANPROL with UWP
SA to formUWP Consulting (Tanzania) since both
were targeting the same markets,” says Catma,
A DECADE IN TANZANIA
UWP Consulting (Tanzania) opened its doors as a partnership
between Tanzanian professionals and South African engineering
consulting practice UWP Consulting a decade ago.
who has served as managing director of the
company from its inception.
The other founding shareholders in the
company are not involved in the day-to-
day operations.
For several months Catma was the only
full-time employee in the fledgling Tanzanian
business, but the first major breakthrough came
in 2006 when three municipal road upgrading
projects were awarded in succession and two
more engineers joined the firm. Today UWP
Consulting (Tanzania) has a staff complement
of 20, including six professional engineers, and
has successfully completed numerous projects
alone and in joint venture with UWP SA.
Notable awards include the design of the
65 km Tanga-Horohoro and 78 km Perami-
ho-Mbinga roads, and supervision of the high
profile Lower Ruvu Water Treatment Plant
providing potable water to Dar es Salaam.
The company is looking to increase its client
base by exploring opportunities in the private
sector, in mining and through joint ventures
with other professional firms in airport, railway
and harbour projects.
“We are also hoping to implement a strong
succession plan by employing young profes-
sionals, providing training and giving them the
opportunity to acquire shares. This is a contin-
uous process which began in 2014 when our first
young professionals acquired a shareholding in
UWP Consulting (Tanzania).”
Henry Catma, managing director of UWP
Consulting (Tanzania).
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