36 / 40
February 2015
B
y making use of South African
Bureau of Standards (SABS)
approved products, contrac-
tors are ensuring that only quality
products are being used in the con-
struction and building sectors, says
David Tromp, Managing Director of
Damax Kahn & Kahn. The construc-
tion sheeting company specialises
in plastic sheeting for foundations,
walls and roofing andwaterproofing.
“We also have an extended product
range of other items usually required
on a construction site,” says Tromp.
If quality SABS approved products
are not used, it can have an impact on
the integrity of the building.
Kahn & Kahn supplies a variety of
sizes, colours and grades of construc-
tion sheeting.
Products include; aluminiumtape,
masking tape, drop sheets, woven
polypropylene bags, joining acces-
sories, barrier tape, orange barrier
netting, and sisalation (an SABS ap-
proved aluminium-based roof insu-
lating material).
Tromp says that SABS approved
materials provide added benefits.
“New energy saving legalisation
is being implemented in South Af-
rica. In order to adequately comply
with these codes, it will become
increasingly important to use SABS
approved materials, such as sisala-
tion, which ensures ongoing energy
savings.”
Tromp points out that the com-
pany’s products are used for health
and safety on site. “Our orange barrier
netting is used to barricade poten-
tially dangerous areas. If a person
falls into a hole, the netting will allow
them to climb to safety. It can be used
on open trenches, manholes and
around road repair areas. Other ap-
plications include covering electrical
in-ground cabling as a visual warning
to stop digging as well as to provide
queuing areas at public events.”
Tromp added, “We have supplied
plastic sheeting for use in construc-
tion to Zimbabwe, Mozambique and
Malawi. We are confident that we can
continue to expand on our success
in the African marketplace in the
foreseeable future,” he concludes.
■
Quality SABS approved materials
Industry Buzz, Events & Products
T
he FNB/BER Building Con-
fidence Index released in
December, showed the highest
level of confidence among building
industry players since the beginning
New hope for building sector
of 2008 and according to the Index,
confirmed that the building sector
was now in themidst of a revival. The
Index jumped up 15 points during the
past quarter with main contractors’
confidence 13 index points higher
and sub-contractors’ confidence up
by three index points.
Tumi Dlamini, Executive Director
of MBSA says the confident outlook
of contractors approached for the
final quarter of 2015 Index showed
that, although the industry still faced
formidable challenges, the small
reprieve experienced in the third
quarter of the Index was gaining
momentum. “There is now certainly
potential for a much improved 2015.
With this indication of higher hopes
for the future, we expect that 2015
could be a turnaround year for the
industry with an increase in building
activities around the country. MBSA
is also further encouraged by the
fact that renewed confidence is now
permeating across the rest of the
building value chain, with the sub-
contractors’ confidence also having
risen. Retailers have also benefitted
from this recovery.”
Dlamini said for an industry that
had traded under extremely dif-
ficult conditions in 2014, with low
margins and significantly decreased
building activities throughout the
country, the Index’s findings came
at an opportune time just before the
industry’s end-of-year shutdown.
“Based on the urgency that we have
seen from government to deliver the
long-awaited infrastructural projects
from its budget allocation of R847
billion, MBSA hopes that 2015 will be
a year of growth. A re-energised and
focused commitment by government
to deliver on these vital infrastructure
projects will augment the gains now
reported in this Index.”
■