Housing in Southern Africa June 2016

Bricks & Paving

Technicrete ISG concrete masonry face brick was specified for the University of the Witwatersrand Mathematical Science Building on the West Campus, Johannesburg. Wits opts for Technicrete

Guinevere Thomas, Group Marketing and Communications Manager for the IS Group. The Wits faculty used 380 194 concretemasonry face bricks, which enhanced the look and feel of the building through the distinctive choice of paint colours, rustic con- crete slabs and rhythmic patterns of glass for an architectural impact. Grey masonry was chosen for its aesthetic finish as well as to increase the durability of the building, whilst the irregular pattern of the Techni- crete Rockface brick illustrated the shadow lines of the building. The use of the Technicrete masonry product also eliminated the need for paint on the exterior walls, thereby reducing building maintenance costs. Technicrete ISG’s masonry prod- ucts meet manufacturing standards and building regulation requirements and have undergone testing for wa- ter absorption as well as vigorous strength factor testing. The TechnicreteRockfacemasonry brick is offered in two thicknesses: 73 mm and 70 mm; with lengths x widths of 222 x 103 and 220 x 100 re- spectively. Standard colours include Autumn, Terracotta, Grey, Plum, Slate and Tan – although other colours can be made to order. Technicrete ISG is part of the IS Group which also com- prises Rocla and Ocon Brick. ■

T he building comprises lecture venues, student seminar rooms and staff offices. In order to meet the faculty requirements and student accommodation, a twophase rebuilt was commissioned. “The use of the masonry brick is trending in South Africa due to its aesthetically pleasing appearance and maintenance-free features. It is a highly durable formof construction and is commonly used for retaining

and building walls for residential as well as commercial building ap- plications. The Technicrete masonry range is used to create an appealing edge as a face-brick boundary wall solution. It is a cost-efficient, high end brick that delivers an aestheti- cally pleasing finish, and in the case of the new Wits faculty building, the Technicretemasonry range created a visually impactful and rustic element to the faculty construction,” said

M ariana Lamont, Regional Sales Manager for Ocon Brick said “It is quite an achieve- ment to have won our eighth con- secutive PMR Golden Arrow Award. We are incredibly proud of this rec- ognition from industry research spe- cialists PMR.africa. The entire team at Ocon Brick has put in an immense amount of effort and takes great pride in ensuring that customers require- Ocon Bricks wins award

Ocon Brick won its eighth consecutive PMR Golden Arrow Award in the Suppliers of Bricks and Formwork/Scaffolding category, hosted by PMR.africa in Johannesburg last month.

ments are met in the most profes- sional and reliablemanner possible”. “Our manufacturing processes are regularly reviewed to ensure that we offer a superior product at all times and this, coupled with our renowned service delivery reliability, has led us to the winner’s podium again. It is a prestigious award reflecting our pro- fessionalism, and we are delighted to have received this honour from our peers in this industry,” concluded Lamont. The awards aim to enhance and recognise excellence while setting bench marks in the different indus- tries. Research is undertaken via a sample of industry retailers and con-

struction company representatives into the performance of brick manu- facturers and suppliers of formwork and scaffolding. The PMR.africa annual national survey includes: the ability to meet orders, BEE, competitive pricing, delivery promises, flexibility, quality of products, reputation and sustain- able development practices, range of products, etc. Ocon Brick has the capacity to manufacture over amillion bricks per day at its Meyerton plant in Gauteng. The company’s clay stock bricks are recognised for their consistency in longevity, strength, durability and quality. ■

Mariana Lamont

Guinevere Thomas

June 2016