Construction World January 2016

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PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

FIRE RETARDANT BUILDINGS Kwikspace, sub-Saharan Africa’s leader in prefabricated modular building solutions has delivered specialised site constructed fire- proof buildings, unique to Kwikspace’s 40 mm polyurethane panel offering, to the Clanwilliam Dam site.

with a magnesium oxide portion sandwiched between the outer panels. This provides a fire safety feature where, in the event of fire, the panels will resist burning for up to 30 minutes. All the walls are filled with insulating material and lined on the inside with approved materials. The buildings will provide comfortable, air-conditioned office space with high quality finishes to engineering, design, management, administrative and construction supervision personnel. Attention to detail includes windows that were fitted with burglar proofing and mesh fly-screens, thermally insulated ceilings with air-conditioning/ heater units and flooring fitted to client specifications. Solar geyser and energy saving electric installations and the planting of indigenous grasses were also part of the eco-friendly turnkey solution provided by Kwikspace. A special rainwater harvesting system was designed and implemented to supplement normal water supply to the offices. Local labour and semi- skilled personnel were employed throughout the course of the construction period. Comments Kwikspace executive manager, Con de Villiers: “Our expertise in rapid site setups in remote locations has ensured that the two-and-a-half month on-site construc- tion deadline was successfully met, all under challenging weather conditions and a severe sloping site.” Kwikspace is ISO 9001 certified and con- forms to the South African Bureaus of Standards (SABS) and SANS 10400 for all their building designs, unless otherwise specified by the client’s local standards.

two main building structures comprising two pre-fabricated office blocks next to each other: the contractor’s block (952 m²) with 40 offices and the engineer’s block (607 m²) providing 25 offices. The project includes five buildings in total, three of which are workshops with portal frames and sheeted cladding and roller shutter vehicle access doors. The fire retardant feature of the buildings is comprised of panels that are manufactured

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The dam, owned by the Department of Water Affairs, is a gravity dam that was built in 1935 and constructed from

concrete to resist large volumes of water pres- sure. The damwall is set to be raised by 13metres and is one of South Africa’s largest projects set to be completed in a five year roll-out plan. Kwikspace’s involvement has played an integral supporting role to the success of the larger Clanwilliam Dam project and has erected

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AFRICA’S LARGEST PUMP RENTAL HUB Forever the industry trailblazer, Xylem South Africa opened its new pump rental hub – the largest of its kind on the African continent.

ment and services they need to minimise operating costs, Xylem designs, builds, tests and rents it own equipment – we’ll always select and apply the right solution for our clients’ needs. Renting can assist clients in reducing capital expenditure while still retaining access to top of the range, word- leading pump brands,” he adds. The hub operates nationally through Xylem’s regional depots and delivery and transport options to other areas can be discussed upon request. Flexibility and adaptability is key with the Rental Hub – the knowledge- able and experienced technical specialists at Xylem’s rental hub will be able to put together hands-on solutions for customers – while backing it up with solid technical advice and comprehensive maintenance strategies.

The expert team at Xylem South Africa, a part of the global water solutions behemoth, Xylem Inc., has been hard at work over the past few months in preparation for the opening of its new rental hub premises in Gauteng. This new purpose-built facility opened its doors on 1 October – expanding Xylem’s global investment into emergingmarkets and augmented rental development into Africa. The rental hub offers customers ease of access and greater affordability to world-class pump rental solutions within a centralised hub. Over the past few years Xylem South Africa has positioned itself as the go-to company for pumping solutions. The company operates within the entire water cycle and is deeply entrenched as a trusted name in the mining, construction, municipal, agricultural, marine, disaster relief and residential spheres. The company has greatly expanded its regional footprint with branches currently servicing clients in Gauteng, NorthWest, Western Cape, Limpopo, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga. With this strong national presence, the team at Xylem South Africa in conjunction with its global parent company, decided to invest into the expansion of Xylem’s rental service offering in sub-Saharan Africa. “We saw a greater need for tailor-made rental solutions developing in South Africa and its neighbouring countries,” explains Dirk Bekker, rental manager at Xylem South Africa. “There are many benefits to rental solutions. Clients can focus on core business, they can scale up your their fleet, clients pay only for the equip- >

Xylem SA MD, Pierre Fourie.

CONSTRUCTION WORLD JANUARY 2016

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