Construction World June 2017

This offering will contribute towards transformation in the construction industry and the development of Small, Medium and Micro-sized Enterprise (SMME) contractors, which have been recognised by government and business as crucial for industry development, economic growth, job creation and poverty alleviation. Hosted by AfriSam and Builders Warehouse, the Contractors Corner aligned the expo with the recent commitment by government and seven major contractors to support and promote enterprise development and industry transformation in Africa's construction marketplace. The initiative offered emerging SMME contractors unprecedented opportunities to find out about new projects opening for tender, learn about the latest available materials and technologies, develop soft and hard skills as well as participate in competitions and prize giveaways. It was held within the first-ever African outdoor workshop auditorium and featured live-streaming masterclasses along with hands-on product demos. “The Contractors Corner was designed to boost the participation of these contractors both at the event and in the country’s economy by equipping them with knowledge and skills to enhance their daily operations,” says Soren du Preez, programme director of Africa’s mega construction and infrastructure show. Victor Bouguenon, group marketing manager, AfriSam, added: “AfriSam was proud to sponsor the new Contractors Corner at this year's African Construction and Totally Concrete Expo. We understand the growing importance of the small to medium contractor, the challenges they face and the real possibilities they can unlock for our industry and our country. As a leader in the construction materials industry, we believe that we have an inherent responsibility to support, uplift and promote emerging participants in the building sector.” Items covered in the Contractors Corner included Readymix concrete masterclasses; Finance and building materials for government projects and Best practices in key account management and material supply. President of Small Contractors Association of South Africa (SCASA), Thobile Madikizela shares: “The African Construction and Totally Concrete Expo’s all new Contractors Corner is an initiative in alignment with the SCASA that aims to uplift and empower small contractors in South Africa through training and capacity building.” In addition to the sessions provided in the Contractors Corner, interactive professional and commercial classes were offered on the Expo floor at no charge. These CPD-accredited workshops comprised a variety of expert presentations addressing subjects ranging from high-performance waterproofing and Readymix troubleshooting to a business case for builders’ rubble in construction. As Africa's largest gathering of built environment professionals, the Expo also provided ample chances for SMME and main contractors, as well as others working across varied sectors of the industry, to network. With transformation being a crucial aspect of this year’s Expo, the Women in Construction Awards were hosted at the event. “We believe that enterprise development, gender empowerment and transformation are key to unlocking the future potential of the construction industry and ultimately closing Africa’s infrastructure gap,” concluded Du Preez.  Big role of small contractors The African Construction and Totally Concrete Expo introduced a free, CPD-accredited training programme at this year’s event which took place on 23 and 24 May 2017 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

The inauguration of PPC’s Ethiopia operations, Habesha Cement, marks the completion of the construction of the factory and instalment of the technical and non-technical systems. The ceremony, officiated by His Excellency, Ato Hailemariam Desalegn, the Prime Minister of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, was held at the plant in Holeta, 50 km north-west of the capital, Addis Ababa. The establishment of Habesha Cement Share Company is the first of its kind in Ethiopia, established via a shareholding scheme consisting of over 16 500 Ethiopian shareholders. The 1,4 million tonne per annum cement plant was built to address the demand for cement and assist the booming construction and infrastructure activities in the country. Habesha Cement’s inauguration now brings to three the number of projects PPC has successfully completed outside South Africa in the past year as part of its expansion strategy. On 17 April, PPC Barnet DRC despatched its first truck load of saleable cement from the plant near Kimpese in the Kongo Central province in western DRC, 230 km south-west of the capital Kinshasa. The 1 million tonnes per annum cement plant was commissioned in February 2017. "With the completion of the plants in the DRC and Ethiopia we have achieved two significant milestones in our quest to become a major player in the cement industry across Africa," said Njombo Lekula, managing director, International operations, PPC. “Both plants have been built using the latest technologies, in line with international standards.” With PPC celebrating its 125 th birthday this year, this longer term strategic approach is in line with the company’s philosophy and commitment to quality. “Because quality matters in all we do, we choose to focus on the bigger picture: the ultimate vision of success. This challenges how we think and act not only in terms of the products and materials we manufacture and the projects we invest in, but also when it comes to our approach to collaborating with the right partner,” said Lekula. "We are excited and enthusiastic about the completion of these two new plants and as a brand, remain committed to bringing innovative products and breakthrough engineering expertise to the continent’s growing markets,” concluded Lekula.  Major expansion milestones As part of its expansion strategy, PPC recently announced the inauguration of its Ethiopian operation, Habesha Cement.

5

CONSTRUCTION WORLD JUNE 2017