Construction World June 2017

COVER STORY

AfriSam EXPERTISE at the core of CPM SECTOR GROWTH

Much of our modern world is constructed using concrete; in fact, con- crete is the second most consumed substance on earth after water.

Today, many contractors are faced with the decision as to whether to use in-situ concrete, precast concrete products or a combination of both. There are a number of deciding factors, chief amongst these are the project time frame, the quality, the safety and the cost. Shortening of time frames National sales manager at AfriSam, Amit Dawneerangen, says that the rapid pace of urban development has necessitated a shortening of construction time frames, and this has led to contractors looking more favourably upon precast concrete products. “Concrete has proven for more than 2 000 years to be durable and the use of precast concrete products is not new,” he says. “As far back as ancient Rome the material was poured into moulds enabling this civilisation to build its complex network of aqueducts, culverts and tunnels. “What is new is the combination of this traditional material – concrete – with constant industrial innovation by the local manufacturers to produce precast concrete systems and products that meet the needs of the infrastructure and built environment

contractors,” Dawneerangen says. This has made the concrete precast manufacturers (CPMs) sector highly competitive, and operating in an economically constrained environment has added to the challenges faced by these operations. Significantly, South Africa is home to a broad spectrum of CPMs from small to medium enterprises to large scale manufacturers; yet all face similar challenges in terms of optimising concrete mid designs while reducing the total cost of manufacture. “The watchword for CPMs has become operational efficiency, and AfriSam has found that many turn to an independent third party to advise them on best practice in terms of concrete technologies,” he says. AfriSam’s offering Not only has this been a catalyst for AfriSam’s new offering which was implemented at the beginning of this year, it is also directly in line with the company’s philosophy of creating concrete possibilities. AfriSam offers CPMs an Efficiency Audit which is used to assess and evaluate the operating processes at an individual CPM, and based on this the company is able to make informed recommendations, especially on the most appropriation selection of materials for their production process. “What is most important about our approach to support the CPMs is that we are not applying a one-size-fits-all approach,” Dawneerangen explains. AfriSam has built its reputation on the sharing of its expertise to assist customers in building sustainable businesses and is aware that majority of the CPMs do not have access to an in-house concrete technology specialist. AfriSam’s Centre of Product Excellence has the necessary depth of experience and skilled technologists who understand concrete product manufacturing processes. This means that solid technical support is readily accessible to this sector of the market. Importantly, the AfriSam Centre of Product Excellence has also helped many new players establish a presence in the market by imparting essential knowledge on

the cement, aggregates and sand required to manufacture a quality product, and particularly early on in the conceptualisation stages of these factories. “In the CPM market we focus on assisting our customers to operate as efficiently as possible and this involves evaluating the existing mix designs and assisting to reduce unnecessarily costly components without compromising the quality of the end product,” he says. “By drawing on all the alternatives, it is possible to provide the most cost effective solution for each customer. It is about building relationships that give our CPMs a competitive edge and reflects the quality, consistency and high performance of our products.” He cautions that the incorrect selection of materials will not only have a significant impact on the quality of the end concrete product, but also on the cost of manufacturing. For example, a poor quality aggregate could increase both cement and water usage, he says. A large number of products Based on its close interaction and collaboration with this market, AfriSam has developed a number of cement products that meet the specific needs of the CPMs. Dawneerangen refers to AfriSam’s Rapid Hard Cement in the 52.5R strength class and AfriSam’s High Strength Cement in the 42.5R strength class and 52.5N product. AfriSam’s Rapid Hard Cement meets the high early and late strength requirements of the industry. “The “R” early strength factor in AfriSam’s 52.5R CEM I Rapid Hard Cement and 42.5R CEM II High Strength Cement is proving to

AfriSam’s Rapid Hard Cement has been developed for specialised concrete product manufacturers.

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD JUNE 2017