WATERFALL RAPID TRANSPORT REBUILDING LIBYA...Rustenburg Rapid Transport project well under way Work started last year on the Rustenburg Rapid Transport project in the North West Province

Social and environmental in construction projects

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY JUNE 2013

BEST

PROJECTS

2013

CALL FOR ENTRIES

SUSTAINABILITY

RAPID TRANSPORT REBUILDING LIBYA

WATERFALL COUNTRY ESTATE

in Rustenburg well under way double digit growth

LSFB for luxury home

JUNE

EditorWilhelm du Plessis [email protected]

Advertising ManagerEugene Botha [email protected]

Layout & DesignLesley Testa

Circulation Karen Smith

PublisherJenny Warwick

Published monthly by:Crown Publications ccP O Box 140BEDFORDVIEW, 2008Tel: 27 11-622-4770Fax: 27 11-615-6108

Printed by:Tandym CapeThe views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher.

Paid Circulation:(First Quarter ’13)

49

Free Circulation:(First Quarter ’13)

4 650

Total Circulation:(First Quarter ’13)

4 699

2013

Cover story

Features

Regulars4 Marketplace

20 Property

22 Environment

26 Projects & Contracts

42 Project Profile

58 Equipment

64 Products & Services

68 Diary & Appointments

AfriSam, the leading Southern African black-controlled construction materials group, has embarked on a robust strategy to grow its aggregates and readymix business across Africa. The revitalised strategy is aimed at strengthening the company’s market pen-etration, expanding its footprint and adding more variety to its existing product lines.

4. Business culture can change behaviourIn the quest to achieve ‘zero harm’, Wits Uni-versity’s Centre for Sustainability in Mining and Industry offers a course that will enable leaders across industries to better affect the behaviour of everyone in their organisations.

10. Apprenticeship programme thriving Murray & Roberts Plant is running a thriving apprenticeship programme aligned with Section 13 of the Manpower Training Act 56 of 1981, with about 30 apprentices currently enrolled at various stages of the four-year programme.

12. Globalising and diversifyingWorleyParsons, the Australian-based global engineering, procurement and construction management group, recently announced the completion of the R900-million acquisition of EPCM business TWP Holdings from Basil Read following the receipt of all final approvals, including approval from the South African Competition Commission and shareholders.

22. Social and environmental sustainability in construction projects The environmental management of construc-tion, especially on complex, large-scale proj-ects, has become a specialised activity that is multi-disciplinary in its approach.

The range of environmental, social and sustainability issues that need to be dealt with during the construction phase has grown tremendously over recent years

30. New Virgin Active in BryanstonThe massive development for the new Virgin Active health club that has been underway in Bryanston, Johannesburg for the last nine months has caught many a passing motor-ists eye, many who have been wondering when the opportunity to view those work-ing out through the screen sized windows will happen.

36. Trendy new dealershipKIA Motors, which recently opened their new 3 500 m2 dealership near Clearwater Mall, west of Johannesburg, have strict corporate identity specifications that all dealerships have to implement which has resulted in a very bold, bright and airy KIA showroom.

40. Undulating roof construction efficiently formedAn undulating roof structure is being formed by means of longitudinally movable slab tables at a height of 20 m. The project solu-tion developed by PERI’s Argentine engi-neers fulfils the high architectural concrete requirements as well as maintaining the short construction period from an economic point of view.

42. New GCIS building in Pretoria on trackMurray & Roberts Buildings is on schedule for the May 2013 completion of the new Govern-ment Communication and Information Sys-tem (GCIS) building in Pretoria. This six-storey building is being developed by Growthpoint Management Services for Isivuno Properties.

46. Rustenburg Rapid Transport project well under way Work started last year on the Rustenburg Rapid Transport project in the North West Province following completion of detail design by the VelaVKE-UWP-Phatwe JV, which won the tender for planning, design and construction supervision of the R640-million construction project.

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June 2013CONSTRUCTION WORLD

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frica’s opportunitiesDuring the last few years many South African construction companies have indicated that they are moving ‘cross border’ into Africa. What exactly makes the case for investing in construction on the continent so strong? A recent report by Deloitte, ‘Construction on the African Continent: Opportunities, Risks and Trends’ explores these factors.

UrbanisationIn 2010 Africa had 51 cities with more than a million people and one, Cairo, with more than 10 million people. By 2040, 100 African cities will have more than one million people and seven cities will have in excess of 10 million people. According to projection, Kinshasa will be the largest, with 24 million people. In an effort to curb the pressures that is already felt with extremely rapid urbanisation, entire new cities are being developed – cities in Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria are examples. Add to this that mortgages are becoming more easily available and the need for housing developments escalate.

Strong growth leads to shortage of office spaceAs more businesses access the African opportunities and set up local operations, the need for high quality offices escalates. Rentals in Luanda (due the oil and gas industry) are sky high – making it the second most expensive city in the world for expatriates, the most expensive being Tokyo. Lagos is 39th on this list. Perceived expensive cities are far less expensive: Paris at 37, Stockholm at 46 and Vienna at 48.

Rising middle classIn 1980, some 111 million people (26% of Africa’s total population) fell into this category. In 1990 this rose to 151,4 million (27% of the popula-tion) and in 2000 it was 313 million (34,3% of the population). This has a direct bearing on consumer businesses – specifically retail (food and clothing). According to the report there is currently an explosion of

Cairo is currently Africa’s biggest city

... but not for ever. Kinshasa will over-

take it by 2040.

such businesses moving into the continent which leads to a massive need for retail infrastructure.

Regional integration and cross-border infrastructure projectsAfrica consists of 54 countries – most of these are small with popu-lations often less than 20 million. Unfortunately the infrastructure systems and borders of many countries are reflections of the colonial past – roads, ports, railroads etc. were built for the sole purpose of extracting resources and not with binding territories together. A regional infrastructure will make it possible to form large, competitive markets as opposed to the many existing small and inefficient ones. Initiatives to achieve this such as the North-South Corridor and the Southern African Development Community hold massive potential for public-private partnerships and various infrastructure projects.

Unfortunately Africa’s massive opportunity comes with many risks and challenges. The major ones include: accessing funding; the lack of alignment between national and regional legislative frameworks; construction costs that are high due to the non-availability of building materials and lastly the fact that, for the most part, Africa’s middle class remains a largely cash society. WILHEM DU PLESSISEDITOR

“Many health and safety incidents are based on systemic failures that took place long before the

particular accident that causes the harm.”

In the quest to achieve ‘zero harm’, Wits University’s Centre

for Sustainability in Mining and Industry, (CSMI) offers a course that will enable

leaders across industries to better affect the behaviour of

everyone in their organisations.

Business culture can change behaviourmarketplace

THE KEY, SAYS CSMI director Professor May Hermanus, is to equip leaders with a holistic picture of how their organisation’s culture and systems make people behave, and to look beyond the ‘blame game’ when

Professor Kobus de Jager – CSMI strategic associate and presenter of the course.

trying to prevent accidents or failures.The course – titled 'Occupational Health

& Safety Leadership and Human Factors' – will open the eyes of high level managers to the systemic failures which organisations, which create the ‘error traps’ where accidents become inevitable.

“What the Human Factors focus in the course does is to look at people in context – inside and outside the workplace – and unpack how we understand human error,” says Professor Hermanus.

“We help course participants to under-stand what people bring to organisations – in terms of the daily innovations crucial to being productive. We all know that people are fallible, but we often do not recognise the inherent value of people’s daily decisions to deal with the unexpected; without this personal initiative, most organisations would grind to a halt.”

The problem occurs when these decisions go wrong – where misjudgements take place that lead to accidents.

“Many health and safety incidents are based on systemic failures that took place

long before the particular accident that causes the harm,” says Professor Kobus

de Jager, CSMI strategic associ-ate and presenter of the course.

“So we have designed a course that will take participants

through the interdependen-cies of their health and safety systems so they have a bet-ter understanding of cause and effect.”

Part of the course aims at understanding how leaders can anticipate problems, and also how they respond to them.

“Human beings and systems are not perfect,” says Professor Hermanus. “They evolve and change as different pressures act

on them, as processes and procedures change. The

‘blaming’ response is often counter-productive if it does

not help in resolving the issue in the long run.”

Underlying this approach is the need to create an enabling cul-

ture that will allow the organisation to evolve in the right direction – towards

safer practices and attitudes. “Culture describes the behaviour of peo-

ple within an organisation, and a constructive culture must be driven by leadership,” says

Professor De Jager. “The course guides par-ticipants on how to integrate organisational culture and systems to achieve the most positive behaviour.”

The course recognises that most health and safety practitioners are focused in one of the many areas of specialisation, such as occupational hygiene, safety or even industrial relations. As such, they may not be equipped to take a broad and inclusive view of their role when they are promoted to a leadership position.

“When people become leaders, it is vital that they give leadership to the holistic pro-gramme of that organisation,” says Professor Hermanus. “To do this effectively, they need to understand how the various elements fit together, and that is something that they may not be formally prepared for. This course fills that gap.”

She emphasised that leaders signal what is important and what matters in organisa-tions, and also allocate the resources that get made available. They also make decisions about which programmes and which systems are going to be the most effective, so their role is pivotal in enabling health and safety.

“Looking at the outcomes of health and safety performance of different companies, it is those companies who have prioritised health and safety at a leadership level that are making strides,” she says. “They are able to shape the way that their organisation oper-ates on a strong foundation of good health and safety practice.”

The course will be presented in Septem-ber 2013, and runs over the duration of a week. It can also be incorporated into post-graduate qualifications in the Wits School of Mining Engineering.

For more information, email Rieta Ganas on [email protected]. ●


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Sika Sarnafil, the worldwide market leader in thermoplastic roofing and waterproofing membranes, has been awarded the 2012 RoofPoint™

Excellence in Design Award. The accolade was in recognition of their supply of sustainable roofing products to the General Motors (GM)

Customer Care & Aftersales Warehouse at GMs’ Distribution Center in Lansing, Michigan, USA.

marketplace

THE ROOFPOINT EXCELLENCE in Design Award, developed by the Center for Environ-mental Innovation in Roofing, recognises the best in design and installation of long lasting, energy efficient, and environmentally friendly roof systems. The Sika Sarnafil-GM project was one of 100 entries received for the 2012 awards and was selected for demonstrat-ing 'Excellence in materials management', including material recycling, project waste management and the use of environmentally preferable construction materials.

This General Motors (GM) project involved reroofing 44 130 m2 with Sika Sarnafil’s reflec-tive, energy-efficient Sikaplan vinyl mem-brane. Two layers of vinyl roof were removed from the building and as a result, nearly one million square feet of membrane, equaling 140 tons, was recycled – making it the largest vinyl roof-recycling project in North America. The material has been recycled into Sika Sar-nafil roofing membrane products.

“Sika Sarnafil is committed to helping con-tractors, building owners and government to reduce their environmental footprint and achieve their sustainability goals,” said Brian J. Whelan, senior vice president of Sika Sarnafil. “The Sika Sarnafil Roof Recycling programme helps reduce waste and allows us to be more efficient with our products and resources.

"We are honoured to be recognised for this project by the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing.” ●

CLF IS ONE OF THE only companies in Southern Africa that specialises in the laying, grinding and polishing of flat concrete floors for industrial applications. CLF director Peter Norton explains that the Cape Town branch was opened in order to expand the company’s national footprint.

"CLF has had an eye on the Western Cape market for a long time, however Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal were the main focus areas until recently. Following our successful growth, the obvious choice was to grow into the lucrative Cape Town region," he says.

Norton highlights the fact that the potential for growth is tremendous. "There are a number of large distribution centres that require new floors, while there are also currently refurbishment projects required

at the V&A Waterfront, where tenders are being handed out."

Norton points out that the number of architectural and engineering firms that are based in the Western Cape can also provide a good opportunity for CLF's regional office to expand its advisory and consultation capabilities too.

"While most resources will come out of the CLF KZN or Gauteng offices, our presence in the Western Cape has now been officially established, and I am confident of the future outlook. Gauteng initially provided for most of CLF’s business.

"Recently we have seen good growth of the company's business come from KZN, and I believe that the Cape Town office has the potential to contribute between nicely for the company in the medium to long term."

Excellence In Design Award

General Motors (GM) Customer Care & Aftersales Warehouse at GM's Distribution Center in Lansing, Michigan, USA.

Due to its continued and measurable success in the South African market, industrial flooring expert Concrete Laser Flooring (CLF) has expanded its operations by officially opening a representative

branch in Cape Town, Western Cape.

Expansion into Western Cape

Peter Norton.

Although it is still in its infant stages, Norton stresses that the CLF Cape Town branch is fully equipped to supply the full range of CLF products and services to clients in the region.

"These include the five core segments of the company, namely; new laser screed-ed flooring, coating, polishing, repairs and surveys," he concludes. ●


10

Murray & Roberts Plant, a division of Murray & Roberts Construction, is running a thriving apprenticeship programme aligned with Section 13

of the Manpower Training Act 56 of 1981, with about 30 apprentices currently enrolled at various stages of the four-year programme.

Four different apprenticeships are on offer: earthmoving equipment mechanics, auto electrics, boiler making and heavy current electrics.

marketplace10

ACCORDING TO THE ACT, a Section 13 ap-prenticeship allows registered candidates to take a trade test as a final evaluation. Section 13 apprentices have a contract of appren-ticeship and attend formal institutionalised training, as well as practical on-site training.

The Murray & Roberts Plant apprentice-ship programme was launched in January 2010 and has recruited candidates coun-trywide from the available pool of learners who have a National Certificate of Vocation at Level 3 or 4, with Maths.

Applications are carefully reviewed and only selected learners interviewed, with the most promising sent for technical assess-ments to evaluate their potential to succeed in their chosen programme.

About 80% of the current apprentices are previously disadvantaged South Africans, with several female candidates also on board.

The company has made a significant investment into the apprenticeship pro-gramme, which seeks to strike the required balance between theory and practice. In line with the formal structure of the Section 13 apprenticeship, the programme is strictly

competency-based and includes a theoretical component that is completed at an accred-ited college, alongside a practical section, during which learners participate in activities at on-site workshops or at off-site projects.

“To help address the dire need for scarce and critical skills identified by the gov-ernment, we believe our apprenticeship programme will play an important role in producing artisans proficient in a wide variety of techniques and capable of continu-ally producing high quality workmanship,” Murray & Roberts Plant managing director, Jim Wiggins, says. “Successful graduates from the course have the opportunity to be considered for employment with us and indeed have the competitive edge of being well versed in the company’s culture, quality, safety and performance requirements.”

Enterprise developmentComplementing its investment into the national artisan skills pool and into small entrepreneurial enterprises, Murray & Roberts Plant is putting energy into its own Enterprise Development programme.

Apprenticeship programme thriving “Our approach is hands-on involvement in developing a business owned and man-aged by a previously disadvantaged entre-preneur, rather than simply allocating a sum of money to an organisation which would undertake this kind of development initia-tive on our behalf,” Jeremy Hallett, financial manager at Murray & Roberts Plant, says.

“For us, it is not just a matter of accruing points on a Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment scorecard, but about mak-ing a positive and tangible impact in our industry with beneficial repercussions well into the future.”

A recent success story is the company’s partnership with Eastern Cape Tyres, founded and managed by Matthew Nondawyi. The fledgling tyre company operates from Murray & Roberts Plant’s premises and uses the company’s facilities. Nondawyi is encouraged and supported in his effort to expand his business in the industry, deepen his expertise and provide services for other construction and engineering companies. Eastern Cape Tyres trades under the name of Tyre Zone in Gauteng.

Murray & Roberts Plant Murray & Roberts Plant specialises in the pro-curement, maintenance, repair and manage-ment of construction plant and equipment used on Murray & Roberts Construction’s civil, building, roads and earthworks, marine and mining projects. The company’s extremely broad range of equipment currently numbers about 1 400 individual items of specialist and generalist equipment. ●

Some of the apprentices currently enrolled in the Murray & Roberts Plant four year apprenticeship programme.


12 marketplace

Completing the puzzleMcNiff listed some of the reasons why Wor-leyParsons approached Basil Read for the acquisition of TWP.

“WorleyParsons is looking to establish a strong Mining and Minerals capability outside the key centres of Australia and Canada – TWP has a strong base here in sub-Saharan Africa which satisfies our desire to create a global minerals, metals and chemicals hub in Africa,” says McNiff. He adds that the acquisition has added capabilities to WorleyParsons, specifically in the underground mining area and precious metals processing space, which were capabilities WorleyParsons was keen to add to its portfolio.

“TWP, in a broader sense, is a very well managed business with strong project and operational management and we saw that as adding depth and breadth to the existing WorleyParsons business here in South Africa. This will help in the other sections that we operate in – hydrocarbons, power and infra-structure.” This will allow WorleyParsons to access the broader resource sector in South Africa and leverage the strong infrastructure capabilities that it already has in its existing South African business. “That was one of the key reasons why we acquired the KV3 busi-

ness: we knew we had strong infrastructure capabilities and going forward we were going to target the resource sector – so this com-pletes that part of the puzzle,” says McNiff.

“TWP has good relationships with exist-ing clients and because of the work they do in the sustaining capital market and the mining industry, we saw this as a market that we can expand. Sustaining capital for our customers is a very important aspect of WorleyParsons’s business, which we call ‘Improve’,” adds McNiff.

With the combined presence and capa-bilities that WorleyParsons now has in South Africa it can now offer customers the ability to execute, on a world scale, mega-projects while using South Africa as a springboard into the rest of Africa. “This is going to be a unique offering with the comple-mentary skills and expertise from both organisations – we will add value to customers who would otherwise be go-ing to more expensive parts of the world to get those skill sets,” explains McNiff.

Another key motive for the acquisi-tion is that TWP has a strong up front fea-sibility study capability. “It is not something that we previously had – it allows very early customer engagement which is a

good business model. This we see as adding value to our business all over the world.”

A clear business model The acquisition deal excludes Basil Read Matomo, TWP Matomo Process Plant, TWP Investments, LYT Architecture (previously T.PSP Architects) and TWP Australia. “We have a clear business model and our focus was always going to be about increasing our access to mining, engineering, procurement and the construction market,” explains McNiff. “The aim is to globalise TWP’s capabilities and the other business units were not the right fit for the WorleyParsons risk profile for the types of projects that we are engaging in.”

Co-branding leverages both brand valuesAs both brands hold good brand value it was decided to, during the initial period, co-brand as WorleyParsonsTWP. “There is clearly very good brand value in TWP, while the same is true of WorleyParsons – it is a bankable brand and relates to many customers across the globe,” says McNiff.

In terms of people, careful attention will be paid to integrate the busi-

nesses so that the strategic synergies that exist can be

extracted. “We want the new combined business to be a global execution

centre here in Africa

Globalising and diversifyingWorleyParsons, the Australian-based global engineering, procurement

and construction management group, recently announced the completion of the R900-million acquisition of EPCM business TWP

Holdings from Basil Read following the receipt of all final approvals, including approval from the South African Competition Commission

and shareholders. Wilhelm du Plessis spoke to Nigel Townshend, chairman of TWP and Francis McNiff, regional managing director:

Sub-Saharan Africa for WorleyParsons.

Francis McNiff, regional manag-ing director: Sub-Saharan Africa for WorleyParsons.

From left: John Grill – WorleyParsons chairman; Digby Glover – WorleyParsonsTWP COO, Nigel Townshend – WorleyParsons executive director Sub-Saharan Africa and global mining and precious metals and Andrew Wood – WorleyParsons chief executive officer.

Continued on page 14


14 marketplace14

THE NEW BRAND signature is morethan a slogan: it conveys both the force of the Group’s ambition and of its strategy. It expresses Lafarge’s vision, gives its ac-tions both meaning and clarity, and marks its difference.

“It is our ambition to contribute to building better cities,” says Lafarge Industries and Lafarge Mining Chairman,

and for the business to come together in the WorleyParsons global structure,” explains McNiff.

The transition process will be man-aged by executives from both companies. “The aim is to bring the people, systems, tools, and capabilities together as quickly as possible in a seamless manner so as not to disrupt the business too much, while capturing the synergies. We expect some cross-fertilisation of key staff,” says McNiff. “What we are building here is a bigger and more far reaching business.”

Globalising and diversifying “WorleyParsons’ entry into Africa goes back a few years but was then more focused on West Africa,” says McNiff. “It was clear that if you want to be taken seriously on the African continent then you have to be serious in South Africa. That was one of the key drivers why we realised that we needed to have a footprint in South Africa.”

“In South Africa you have a good pool of highly skilled resources in the mining sector – these resources are not too rich on the ground in other parts of the world so accessing those skills and resources are key development areas.

“If one takes those resources and skills with the capability and track record that TWP

has with the global footprint, brand equity, processes and systems that WorleyParsons have, we have the ability to build up a world-class execution centre here in South Africa that can access local projects but also projects internationally,” says Townshend.

“Over the last years there has been a trend for global companies to acquire South African companies – not just in the mining field. Fairly soon there will not be a huge number of South African engineering companies that are not foreign owned and controlled. That is recognition of the level of skills that we have in this country and the attractiveness of the various organisations,” says Townshend.

“For a long time now, TWP, while a large organisation in the African space, has been trying to get more of its work outside of South Africa by growing its business elsewhere. We have been reasonably successful in Africa. Six years ago we opened up in Austra-lia (Perth) and three years ago we opened up in South America (Lima) where we have 150 staff with projects in Bolivia, Columbia, Chile and a project in Canada that is managed from Lima. But is has been difficult, slow and pain-ful to expand globally from a South African base,” says Townshend.

WorleyParsons has more than 40 000 staff, and operates in 41 countries.

“The presence in all those countries

brings a new market to TWP, but more im-portantly, brings in-country expertise. There have been a number of projects that we have been working on in conjunction with WorleyParsons – for example in Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Those are countries we would be a bit cautious of as TWP, but with the in-country presence of WorleyParsons, we will now gladly do projects in these regions,” explains Townshend.

“In Africa, TWP is considered a Tier 1 com-pany, big enough to take on major projects. The biggest undertaking currently is the new Venetia Underground Project – it is just shy of R20-billion. However, we are not considered as Tier 1 on a global basis: globally, a project such as Venetia would be outside TWP’s frame of reference. With WorleyParsons being a Tier 1 supplier to many of the mining houses on a global basis, it opens up doors for TWP,” emphasises Townshend.

“The objective to turn South Africa into the global mining and precious metals hub gives us the opportunity to what WorleyPar-sons calls ‘work share’ around the world. We can build up the expertise in South Africa – which already has the necessary experience – while it is also more cost competitive than other areas in the world,” says Townshend.

“In the end it is a very good fit for both parties,” concludes McNiff. ●

New brand positioning announcedLafarge South Africa has announced the repositioning of the

international Lafarge Group’s global master brand to reflect the increasing shift to urbanisation taking place throughout the world. The new brand signature ‘Building better cities’ pledges

Lafarge’s commitment to help create sustainable cities and rural developments that are desirable environments for all people.



16 marketplace16Nonkqubela Mazwai, “The solutions we propose contribute to constructing cities that can provide everyone with decent housing, cities that are more compact, cities that are more durable, cities that are better connected, and let us not forget – cities that are more beautiful,” concludes Mazwai.

The company is no longer only a producer of materials but also a supplier of solutions, located close to its markets and customers. “Building better cities emphasises our position as a solution provider with innovative products, the expertise and the unparalleled technical support of the Group,” says Lafarge South Africa’s Country CEO, Thierry Legrand. “By contributing towards building better cities, we will sustain growth and improve the lives of people. It gives both meaning and clarity to our actions.”

Meeting the challenges of urbanisationUrbanisation is one of the biggest chal-lenges of the 21st century. In the coming decades, cities will change substantially as population growth is anticipated to occur mostly in urban areas. By 2050, 70% of the world’s population will be living in towns and cities, compared with just over 50% today, resulting in two billion more city-dwellers.

To cope with this burgeoning urban landscape, development at an unprec-edented scale will be a major challenge for the whole construction industry, including in South Africa where the urbanisation trend has been accelerated. More and more of our people are migrat-

ing to towns and cities, requiring housing, hospitals, schools and offices, together with the associated infrastructure to connect and service cities, such as roads, airports, water and power utilities.

As a world leader in building materials, the Lafarge Group, together with its partners, will be a major contributor to the creation of enhanced urban environments.

Lafarge South Africa is in a position to provide solutions for more housing in cities, more compact cities, more durable cities, bet-ter connected cities, and more beautiful cities. A strong presence in all its construction related business lines: cement, aggregates, readymix and plasterboard will accelerate this.

This same expertise developed for cities, will also continue to improve development of South Africa’s rural towns and villages.

Building better citiesThe Happy Valley housing development in Cape Town is a typical example of South Africa’s drive to provide more housing in cities. The structural frames for 1200 afford-able houses are being built using Lafarge

readymix concrete, while the remainder of the structure is plastered brick. Lafarge South Africa’s readymix team provided readymix mortar and plaster as the highly successful quality solution.

To help create more beautiful cities, Lafarge South Africa works closely with architects, specifiers, contractors and all stakeholders in the construction chain. Lafarge Agilia™ Vertical readymix con-crete recently provided the aesthetic and architectural solution for the façade of the stunning Podium landmark building in Menlyn, Pretoria.

More durable cities require more demanding criteria for construction involv-ing innovative ‘green’ materials that ensure strength and lower maintenance, while tak-ing full account of environmental concerns over the structure’s life cycle.

Lafarge South Africa supplied various grades of innovative lower carbon footprint readymix concretes for the construction of Cape Town’s Green Point Stadium, a project for posterity.

With the dramatic escalation in urbani-sation, efficient storm water management is an increasing challenge to reduce the risk of flash flooding and sustain natural water cycles.

Lafarge recently introduced the highly acclaimed Hydromedia™, a new fast draining concrete pavement solution in South Africa. This innovative product provides rapid storm water removal from streets, parking surfaces, driveways and walkways.

Innovation at the heart of the businessInnovation is at the heart of the Lafarge strategy and the Group dedicates more than €100-million to building material and methods research and development every year. A unique research and development centre in Lyon, France em-ploys over 250 employees. In South Africa, the highly respected Quality Department of Southern Africa, is a SANAS accredited laboratory with all the knowledge and ex-pertise to support innovative new solutions for our customers.

A world leader in building materials and a top-ranking player in the cement, aggregates and concrete industries, La-farge contributes to the construction of cities around the world. Its innovative solu-tions provide cities with more housing and making them more compact, more durable, more beautiful and better connected.

“Our commitment to Building better cit-ies defines our clear sense of purpose,” adds Legrand. “Our brand repositioning builds on the company’s established reputation: it represents a pledge to customers that Lafarge South Africa can be relied on to help provide innovative solutions for the diverse challenges that are continually being presented by construction.” ●

In South Africa, the com-pany manufactures and supplies cement, aggre-gates, readymixed concrete, gypsum plasterboard and interior building fittings.

Since 2010, the Lafarge Group has been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, the first global sustainability benchmark, in recognition of its sustain-able development actions. With the world’s leading building materials research facility, Lafarge places in-novation at the heart of its priorities, working for sustainable construction and architectural creativity.

Lafarge South Africa’s Country CEO, Thierry Legrand.

Lafarge Industries and Lafarge Mining Chairman, Nonkqubela Mazwai.

Category A1: Civil Engineering Contractors

Prerequisites for entries• Only South African construction and civil projects.

• Projects are eligible during the execution of the project and up to 12 months after completion.

Criteria for category A1• Construction innovation technology

• Corporate social investment

• Design innovation

• Environmental impact consideration

• Health and safety

• Quantifiable time, cost and quality

• Risk management

• Motivating facts about the project

Category A2: Building Contractors



Criteria for category A2• Construction innovation technology


• Design innovation



• Quantifiable time, cost and quality

• Risk management


Category A3: Civil Engineering and Building Contractors (outside South Africa)

Prerequisites for entries• Projects outside South Africa, executed by a South African

contractor.


Criteria for category A3As per category A1 and A2

Category B: Specialist Contractors or Suppliers



Criteria for category B• Construction technology innovation





Category C: Professional Services



Criteria for category C• Construction innovation technology


• Design



• Quantifiable time cost and quality

• Risk management


First held in 2002, Construction World’s Best Projects showcases excellence in

the South African building, civil engineering and project management sectors.

The aim of Construction World’s Best Projects is to recognise projects across the

entire construction industry: from civil and building projects to professional

services to specialist suppliers and contractors.

Main sponsor


18

Category D: Public Private Partnerships

Prerequisites for entries• Only South African construction and civil projects


Criteria for category D• Construction innovation technology


• Design




• Risk management


Category E: The AfriSam Innovation Award for Sustainable ConstructionDescription of category: Working with the community on a project that has socio-economic impact.

Prerequisites for entries• Only South African construction and civil projects


This category will be judged on the project’s

(i) change and transferability

(ii) ethical standards and social equity

(iii) ecological quality and energy conservation

(iv) economic performance and compatibility

(v) contextual and aesthetic impact

Criteria for category D• Construction innovation technology


• Design




• Risk management


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CTS

CONSTRUCTIONWORLD’sJudging

A panel of independent judges from the construction industry has been appointed. They are Trueman Goba, chairman of Hatch Goba; Naude Klopper, former executive director of the Gauteng Master Builders’ Association; and Rob Newberry, managing director of Newberry Development (past president of the Chartered Institute of Building).

Each criterion as set out for the various categories will be scored out of 10 – with 10 being the highest score and one being the lowest – it is therefore VERY important that entries address the criteria for the particular category it is entering.

In each category and Overall Winner Award and one or two Highly Commended Award(s) will be made. A ‘Special Mention’ award may be given.

Special issueThe December issue of Construction World is dedicated to the various winners and entries and is thus an overview of activity in the built environment during the past year.

Submitting entries• Each entry must be accompanied by the

completed entry form. This is available from www.crown.co.za or by requesting it from [email protected].

• The maximum length for submissions is 2 000 words

• Each submission must clearly state which category is entered for*

• IMPORTANT It is to the entrants’ own advantage to address ALL the criteria as set out in the category being entered

• The written submission must be accompanied by up to six high resolution photographs with applicable captions

• The submission must also contain a summary list of important project information such as client, main contractor etc. – i.e. the professional team involved in the project

• Electronic submissions are acceptable – entrants do not need to produce hard copies of entries

* Construction World retains the right to move entries into a more appropriate category

DeadlinesDeadline for entries is Friday, 6 September 2013at 17:00.

Awards eveningThe awards evening, in the form of a cocktail function, will be held on Tuesday, 29 October 2013 at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club, Johannesburg.

Contact For further information contact the editor, Wilhelm du Plessis on 011-622-4770 or [email protected]


19


20

Compared to certain segments of the golf estate market in the

United States, South Africa’s golf estate market overall has fared somewhat better,

says Dr Andrew Golding, CE of the Pam Golding Property.

property

“FROM 1990 TO 2003 SOME 3 000 new courses were built in the United States, boost-ing the total number of courses nationally by 19% and costing about USD20-billion, according to the National Golf Foundation. However, soon after that the sport began to lose its allure and since 2005 over 350 golf courses closed,” he says.

“Compounding the problem, some real estate developers in the US had not consid-ered the viability of the golf courses them-selves. A number of these courses, designed by brand-name golf course architects, were championship level and too difficult for the average player. They took a long time to play and cost millions a year to maintain, pushing up annual dues. Across the country, about 2 000 of the 16 000 golf courses are ‘financially distressed’ and estimates are that 4 000 to 5 000 golf courses will be in financial danger if they do not change their model. Some de-

velopers are recasting their golf communities to appeal to a broader band of home buyers, including more families and young people.”

Dr Golding says here in South Africa we find both similarities and differences. He says somewhat like the general residential market, the South African golf estate market is easily separated into metropolitan and non-metropolitan markets. “Consider Steenberg, De Zalze and Atlantic Beach Estate in the Cape, Mount Edgecombe, Zimbali and Sim-bithi in KwaZulu-Natal and Dainfern, Silver Lakes and Woodhill in Gauteng to name but a few and you find these golf estates are successful nodes in densely populated residential suburbs. From a property perspec-tive, their performance has been more or less recession-proof and actually very impressive, especially when one compares property val-ues in these estates to the surrounding areas.”

He says Zimbali and Simbithi are good examples of this – both are significant estates; Simbithi with 1 800 opportunities and Zimbali 1 200. Ninety-five percent of both estates are sold out, with Zimbali, being a more mature development, enjoying 90% completion of homes. Both are situated in the Ballito area, where the total market sales turnover in 2012 was R1,3-billion. Together, Simbithi and Zimbali concluded sales in the region of R800-million for the year, which is two-thirds of the entire Ballito market. Of note is that Simbithi land prices rose by 30-40% since 2007, in the midst of a serious recession.

“Another excellent example of this typi-cal golf estate ‘phenomenon’ is Cape Town’s Steenberg Estate, which is listed as the fifth most expensive place to live in South Africa. There is a 540% difference in the aver-age property value between a Steenberg home and one that is just beyond its gate in the suburb of Tokai. Similarly, De Zalze, a 380 erven estate, which has actually become

a suburb of Stellenbosch in the Cape Wine-lands, has achieved consistent growth during the quieter period since 2007 as well as record prices in excess of R20-million for individual properties in 2008 and 2009,” says Dr Golding.

“Generally golf estates which are not situated in or close to major metropolitan areas have experienced more challenging times. With the economic recession impact-ing negatively on the purchase of holiday homes, leisure destination golf estates came under considerable pressure. Some estates are simply too remote and not close enough to metropolitan areas where statistically one would find a higher demographic of wealth to support not only the holiday home mar-ket, but even just the estates’ amenities. The hardest hit has been those inland or country destinations which, during a recession, will unfortunately take second place against coastal property in the same category.”

Dr Golding says it appears that in South Africa, the market for golf estate opportuni-ties outside of metropolitan areas are limited, not only from an availability perspective but also in terms of the bulk infrastructure contribution levies that are required upfront by municipalities.

“For example, why should plots on golf courses be so large? Is there any reason why duplex style housing should not be devel-oped around a municipal or public course that has not been designed by a big name? Perhaps we need to look for new opportuni-ties in the golf property environment. An excellent, up to the minute example is Steyn City in northern Johannesburg, which will provide 11 000 housing units, the best of which are only on the perimeter of the new golf course. The golf course itself greatly im-proves the environment which is transformed from a mixture of floodplain and quarry to an Eden in comparison,” concludes Dr Golding. ●

LEFT: Simbithi in KwaZulu-Natal. RIGHT: De Zalze, a 380 erven estate, has become a suburb of Stellenbosch.

SA’s golf estate market has proven relatively resilient

Together, Simbithi and Zimbali concluded sales in the region of R800-million for the year, which is two-thirds of the entire Ballito market.


22 environment

CLARK POINTS OUT THAT no longer is the focus on just preventing environmental impacts at the construction site, but also outside of the site with a great amount of emphasis being placed on cross-disciplinary matters. “Hatch Goba’s ESG has developed an approach, which has been piloted interna-tionally, to integrate environmental manage-ment with construction services in order to manage issues within and outside of the site more effectively,” explains Clark.

He adds that as unlikely as it may have seemed years ago, currently the success of a project can now hinge on how environmental management is approached. Hatch Goba’s ESG approach, manages the sustainability work stream, including environmental and social components, throughout the project lifecycle. Hatch Goba ESG becomes an inte-gral part of the construction team long before site establishment by getting involved from concept and prefeasibility stage – both of which set the scene for construction.

The ever increasing scope of construction environmental management has resulted in the management of social issues and the fostering of sustainable development taking centre stage.

“Through our experience on mega-proj-ects of different kinds, we have identified sev-eral aspects that are important in construc-tion environmental management, including: local procurement, selection of construction

materials, job creation, workforce planning and training and community engagement. Furthermore, typical impacts that would require management on a construction site include: removal of vegetation, relocation of animals, relocation of rare species and plants noise management, air quality management and meeting permit conditions during con-struction,” explains Clark.

Projects are often delayed or sometimes even stopped during construction due to environmental or social issues that have been neglected prior to site establishment. Clark stresses that the cost impact resulting from these delays is usually considerable. Hatch Goba’s ESG makes use of risk and opportunity assessments to develop an approachfor each aspect and impact, while consultation with the client and communities is used to refine it.

The approach is multi-disciplinary with the environmental objectives being inte-grated into the roles of the construction team. Hatch Goba’s ESG works closely with the overall project team to help manage each component of the Construction Environmen-tal Management Plan (CEMP).

Speaking on the social aspects that need to be considered in a construction project, Clark points out that the biggest shift has been seen in community engagement, which is no longer confined to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). “Ongoing com-munity participation during construction

Social and environmental sustainability in construction projects

The environmental management of construction, especially on complex, large-scale projects, has become a specialised activity that is multi-

disciplinary in its approach. Hatch Goba Environmental Services Group (ESG) regional director for Africa, Max Clark says that the range of environmental, social and sustainability issues that need to be dealt with

during the construction phase has grown tremendously over recent years.

is important in order to identify and create opportunities for the community. In order to determine how much a community is benefiting from a new development, Hatch Goba ESG conducts a comprehensive base-line of a community’s socio-economic status against which it measures impacts and programmes that are developed through community consultation.

The sooner these programmes are es-tablished, the sooner benefits will start to be realised and project benefits to the com-munity will be realised by all. It takes time to develop links with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) working in the area and to establish a level of trust with the affected community. Interaction with local communi-ties is of utmost importance – maintaining a good relationship with the local communities and the construction site workforce is critical. Imported workforces may be regarded as stealing jobs or not paying due respect to local customs.

This education is integrated into aware-ness programmes, which are carried through to the induction process and implemented throughout the project lifecycle.

Job creation is an important aspect of the CEMP in that a construction project can benefit affected communities by providing employment to unskilled and semi-skilled community members. Community members are provided with the opportunity to get work experience and develop new skills to improve their standard of living. This requires cooperation among social specialists from Hatch Goba ESG, the recruitment team and the industrial relations practice.

Clark concludes by saying that an inte-grated, multi disciplinary approach during construction involving the environmental management team together with the other project disciplines is important in order to maximise environmental and socio-economic opportunities, to manage risk and to ensure successful project delivery. ●

The environmental management of construction has become a specialised activity.

Success of a project can now hinge on how envi-ronmental management is approached.


23environment

THE CONVERGED SYSTEMS must be compatible with current needs and future technologies, while being able to support an increasingly complex mix of users. When done correctly, this network and connected systems meet the specific needs of an organisation, offering combinations of speed, convenience and flexibility that traditional systems simply cannot match. Plus, building operators are provided with a single point of control that allows for enhanced building management that drives more than just security strategies.

One large multinational corporate executive put it succinctly: “For this build-ing, the system is akin to the neural network in our body. It is the core of the building’s disaster and control centres. It directly determines the cost and efficien-cy of operations management and ensures safety and comfort within the building.”

Successfully converging systems re-quires the design and maintenance skills of an experienced and proven service or solution provider. These system-wide so-lutions must support not just the security of people and assets, but also ensure that the building environment is conducive to productivity and facilitates the smooth running of operations. Furthermore, it must drive cost containment and meet other

demands, such as energy efficiency or work safety policies.

These converged systems have many benefits. Chief among them is the ability to constantly monitor and refine the operation of many disparate building systems simulta-neously. Integrated and converged systems are helping building managers take more control and become more responsible for overall building operations. Authorised users can access the network from anywhere, any-time and with any Internet-enabled device, tapping into security devices or components such as CCTV cameras, as well as control and retrieve data from other integrated systems. This provides them with insight into overall performance of the facility or alerts when pre-configured thresholds are or are not met.

Here is an example of how converging building systems can work to improve the outcome of a situation. As soon the fire alarm system detects a fire, the building automa-tion system signals the HVAC system to stop delivering fresh air to the area and pressurise the path of egress to clear it of any smoke. The access control system will unlock doors along the escape route and train CCTV cam-eras on the fire area to give first responders a live video feed.

And with the single network making more data readily available, innovations in

Vital building functions converge

By Neil Cameron, general manager, Johnson Controls Systems and Service Africa.

One of the latest trends in major commercial buildings – especially among those of multinational corporations – is the convergence of the security function and other vital building systems onto a single

network. While well worth the effort, it is not an easy task.

management are emerging. Developing the requirements for a security system or for facili-ties management is important to meet busi-ness policy, drive operations, enable strategy and even comply with industry regulations. It has, however, been difficult to monitor and manage these systems proactively. One solution is to link to a cloud-based service where all facility data is constantly monitored. If configured thresholds are exceeded (energy consumption peaks or a security risk presents itself ), identified users are alerted, procedures are automated (non-critical power usage is closed down or sectors in a building isolated) and the problem is escalated to ensure a speedy resolution.

But usage and other patterns, along with pattern divergence, can also be discerned. As more organisations subscribe to monitor-ing and management services, facility and security performance benchmarks are being identified to drive a new level of problem resolution and raise the bar for performance of these systems.

One of the key issues organisations need to focus on is buying into and acquiring security and other building solutions that are built on open platforms. The best plat-forms for integrated and converged security and building operations are those that best enable the use of solutions from numerous vendors. This allows facility managers to pick the best of fast-advancing technologies and drive standardised policy adherence through-out the organisation.

The days of separate, standalone security and building control systems are numbered. IT professionals, security directors and facil-ity managers see the value of converging potentially dozens of building systems onto one network with a single control-point op-tion. System convergence has arrived and will only gain momentum for its ability to more effectively and proactively manage large buildings. ●


24 cover story24

In support of this strategy, the company has launched an intensive in-house Customer Value Management (CVM)

initiative which seeks to unlock value for customers across the board in new and innovative ways. The initiative has resulted in the creation of a new sales organisation for the company.

“A real priority for us is to ensure that our company becomes more customer-centric,” says Malose Chaba, who is the head of AfriSam's construction materials business unit. We intend to achieve this by creating a single sales organisation and concentrating our operational functions to ensure that we deliver on customer requirements.

“Regardless of what product cus-tomers wish to purchase, their deal-ings with AfriSam will now be through a single point of contact. This ‘single sales organisation’ approach makes the sales process easier and more convenient for our customers, and saves time by eliminating the multiple channels previously necessary to process an order. The single service concept is complemented by the introduction of one customer service centre where all customer queries may be directed.”

Chaba adds that in order to implement the new strategy, AfriSam changed its organi-sational structure. Combining aggregates and readymix into one business unit was just

one of the changes introduced to adapt the company’s internal efficiencies to the chang-ing business environment and to grow the company sustainably.

AfriSam has realigned its sales organisa-tion with three main customer-specific mar-ket segments: retail sales; building, civil and manufacturing sales and multi-product solu-tion sales. Previously the company deployed a sales consultant for each product line, but now sales personnel sell all three products lines in the geographical areas where they are available.

friSam gears up for growth in aggregates and readymix

AfriSam, the leading Southern African black-controlled construction materials group, has embarked on a robust strategy to grow its aggregates and readymix business across Africa. The company is currently the number one aggregate producer and the second largest readymix producer in Southern Africa, respectively. The revitalised strategy is aimed at strengthening the company’s market penetration, expanding its footprint and adding more variety to its existing product lines.

“We have adopted a ‘Territory Manage-ment’ customer servicing approach and have re-allocated sales team mem-bers to specific geographic areas for optimum customer management,” adds Chaba. “Each sales consultant has full responsibility and is accountable for a specific territory.”

Leading positionAfriSam is positioned as the leading aggregate producer in Southern Af-rica, both by revenue and by volume, with the capacity to produce more than 10 million tons of aggregate per annum. This stems from a strong local aggregate and readymix footprint in the major metropolitan areas of Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, as well as facilities in more outlying areas. The business comprises 16 aggregate

quarries, with access to several mine dumps and one sand pit, located throughout South Africa in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Mpumalanga.

“We have been able to maintain this leading position primarily as a result of the broad product range we offer and the quality of these products,” says Chaba. “Our offering comprises road stone, concrete aggregate, road layer works material and speciality aggregate. Road layer works material includes the base and sub-base materials that provide

AfriSam’s Customer Value Management (CVM) initiative aims to unlock value for customers across the board in new and innovative ways.


25cover story 25

the supporting structure in pavement design and is made from the crushing of fresh parent rock, as well as partially weathered material, while speciality aggregate includes railway ballast, gabion stone and other larger sizes, generally used in erosion protection in its various forms.

“All processing is managed in compli-ance with ISO 9001 to ensure that products comply with the relevant specifications and with customer requirements. To this end our technical team works closely with custom-ers to develop and test products that suit particular specifications and applications.

LEFT, TOP TO BOTTOM:

AfriSam is the number one aggregate producer in Southern Africa.

AfriSam’s product offering comprises road stone, concrete aggregate, road layer works material and speciality aggregate.

AfriSam’s readymix concrete is specified for large scale projects such as Cradlestone Mall, which is being constructed in Mogale City in Johannesburg.

This dedicated Product Development team underpins all AfriSam’s business units from a scientific and technical perspective and sup-ports both internal and external customers with innovative technical solutions.”

An additional competitive advantage in the aggregate market is AfriSam’s fully integrated approach. The company is a fully vertically-integrated supplier of ce-ment, Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS), aggregate and readymix concrete and the only such supplier in Gauteng Prov-ince, which constitutes a third of the total construction market activity in South Africa.

Second biggest producer of readymixAfriSam is second biggest producer of ready-mix in the Southern African region by revenue and volume, and is able to produce over 1,8 million cubic metres of readymix concrete per annum. The company acquired the first of its readymix operations in 1966 when it became a shareholder in Pioneer Readymix. These operations have since expanded steadily and today, AfriSam has 41 readymix plants in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Western Cape, North West and Botswana.

The company deploys technical teams to design customised mixes and its readymix business harnesses sophisticated ordering and scheduling tools, computerised mixing, concrete pumping services, technical backup and quality assurance controls.

AfriSam’s readymix operations are able to produce almost any concrete mix customers ask for, including specified concrete – where a customer specifies the strength, hardening and workability requirements of the mix, as well as application brands, which comprise different concrete mixes identified as opti-mum solutions for specific building or con-struction applications, such as foundations, suspended slabs, surface beds and retainers.

The company also offers speciality brands, which are mixes for unique niche applications that require specific concrete characteristics. This range includes suspended slab mix, sur-facebed mix, starmix and post tension mix.

During 2012 AfriSam acquired six new readymix plants, some of which will be deployed at new sites and the remainder integrated into existing operations.

Group approachAfriSam adopts a Group approach to sustain-ability, based on the belief that a company can only be sustainable in the long term if it actively manages, measures and optimises its financial, social and environmental per-formance on an ongoing basis and underpins this with a strong corporate governance plat-form. Of critical importance to this philosophy is a structured and disciplined approach to risk to ensure that the results of AfriSam’s efforts are not diminished through avoidable loss or uncertainty.

Employee safety and wellness and the safety of all who interact with AfriSam are of equal importance, together with acute awareness and minimisation of the adverse impacts of the company’s activities on both the community and the environment in which it operates. ●


26

On 12 October 2011, Barloworld Power won the bid to refurbish

St Helena Island’s diesel generator power station for

a contract value of around R49-million.

projects & contracts26

A BRITISH OVERSEAS Territory with a rich maritime history, St Helena is located in a remote part of the South Atlantic Ocean and has depended for decades on its diesel generators for its electricity supply.

The island’s contact with the outside world is also presently reliant on the RMS St Helena mail ship, which sails every month between the island and Cape Town, some 3 200 km distant, carrying cargo and passen-gers. In the near future, however, the island’s first airport, now under construction, will open up new travel routes and opportunities.

On St Helena, Barloworld Power’s project scope included the supply and commis-sioning of:

• Four new Cat generating sets, replacing the older equipment. These comprise three Cat 3516B generators running continuous power and a smaller Cat 3508B for lighter loads;

• New medium voltage (MV) switchgear;

• A new and modernised SCADA and

control system designed to lighten the workload of the plant operators and to integrate a small wind farm and sub-station; and

• New cable works, fuel system, bulk tanks and all ancillary systems to support the new engines.

The total system was designed and built by Barloworld Power in Boksburg with all major MV panels sourced from South African suppli-ers. (Barloworld Power is the Cat and Perkins power systems dealer for Southern Africa.)

In accordance with the contract, a full factory acceptance test (FAT) was carried out prior to shipping.

On 31 August 2012, the first Cat unit was delivered to site. By this stage, the major-ity of the old equipment had already been removed from the power house in prepara-

Island power

tion for the new arrivals. The Barloworld Power installation was divided into several phases, each one with a critical timeline.

The first phase was to prepare and install the first generator as a temporary installation to provide power to the island while the station was being refurbished. This temporary installed generator was com-missioned and running on 23 September and until the end of November performed superbly. The new power station came on line on 30 November 2012.

Installation of the final generator was completed and the facility handed over with minor works that still needed to be completed in February 2013. Overall project finalisation was scheduled for April 2013.

This remote power station will now be supported by Barloworld Power’s team based in Cape Town. ●

An interior view showing the new Cat 3516B units.

St Helena’s diesel generator power station.


27projects & contracts

THE DELTA IS PLAGUED by Typha, an aquatic plant that grows abundantly in the area. The plant’s proliferation limits water access for the population, reduces the potential for agriculture and increases the occurrence of diseases like bilharzia (also known as schistosomiasis) and malaria. The polders will allow intensive usability of the land in the near future and deny the Typha further space for growth.

The client for the project is Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du fleuve Sénégal (OMVS). It is a governmental organisation of Guinea, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal set-up to manage the Senegal River and its drainage basin. It aims to promote self-sufficiency in food, to improve the income of the local populations and to preserve the natural ecosystems.

Aquatic plant plaques 100 000 haWith a length of 1 800 kilometres, the Sen-egal River is West Africa’s longest river. Its delta, which lies between the Sahel and the Sahara, is pivotal to the local population’s socio economic conditions. Many people live in villages along the banks of the river. In the 1970s, OMVS built two dams to organise the area’s water supply, improve navigation and generate energy. Fawzi Bedredine, project manager at OMVS, says: “Construction of the dams created a large freshwater lake, while flood plains are per-manently under water and there has been

a sharp reduction in the penetration of salt in the river. In the fresher river delta, the Typha, which flourishes in a freshwater environment, has proliferated massively on the flood plains of the river”. The aquatic plant now plagues a total area of 100 000 hectares.

Creating polders, dikes and drainage canalsGeorge Peters, project manager at Royal HaskoningDHV, says: “The huge proliferation of the Typha has major consequences for the local people. These aquatic plants prevent them from having access to the river, the flood plains are unavailable as agricultural land and drainage canals become blocked. The plants attract birds that eat the crops in the nearby agricultural areas. On top of all this, 90% of the population have contracted bilharzia, a disease that can cause organ failure and is spread via worms and larvae in the river water.”

The Royal HaskoningDHV plan is designed to improve the situation of the local population by creating agricultural land and improving access to the water. Eight polders, 63 kilometres of dikes and 60 kilometres of drainage canals will be constructed in the river delta in an area covering between 3 000 and 4 000 hectares. “Creating the polders will make it possible to use the area for agricul-ture, thus preventing the Typha from growing and spreading. The local people will again get access to the river and thus to fresh water for irrigation and trade,” says Peters.

ACCORDING TO LIVIERO CEO Neil Cloete, the construction group’s building division took just six months to notch up the 2 million injury-free manhours. “When one considers the complexity of all the trades that are executed on a building site, together with the additional risk of all subcontractors that get reported in our numbers, this achievement is very significant,” he stresses.

“Our DIFR (Disabling Injury Frequency Rate) has been consistent at 0.25 for the past three months,” Cloete adds. “I congratulate every single employee of Liviero Building for making their contribution to improve our safety environment and attitude. We now have a new challenge – reaching the 5 000 000 LTI-free hours milestone. We believe we can achieve this through continued vigilance and diligence.” ●

The design of the polders will be ready in July 2013. In addition to the design, Royal HaskoningDHV is producing a technical and financial plan for construction of the polders and is advising OMVS on the setting up of the management organisation.

“In 2009 the Dutch Rivierenland Water Board approached us with the request to assist OMVS. Since 2004 the water board has a twinning relation with OMVS and acts as intermediary between OMVS and Dutch knowledge institutes and companies,” says Peters. The contract for the project is worth €1,7-million and it is being financed by ORIO (Facility for Infrastructure Development), a grant scheme operated by the Nether-lands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ●

Safety milestone The safety milestone of 2 million LTI-free (Lost

Time Injury-free) hours has been achieved, and exceeded – by Liviero Building.

Celebrating Liviero Building’s safety achievement are (left) Brad Boertje (Liviero Building MD), Francois Boerstra (senior contracts manager), Mike Lowe

(contracts manager), Eric Martin (operations director), Chris van Vuuren (SHE manager), Pierre Louw (contracts manager) and Ivan Pretto (contracts manager).

Polder plan protects peopleInternational consultancy, engineering and project management

service provider Royal HaskoningDHV has produced a master plan to develop the Senegal River delta and is designing eight polders as

a pilot project in the area.


28

Propertuity and Pam Golding Properties (PGP) have announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership in which PGP will not only

market residential accommodation in one of Johannesburg’s most vibrant and trendy precincts, Maboneng, but it will also provide strategic guidance and advice. The alliance has been heralded as

one of the most important recent developments in the residential property market in the city of Johannesburg.


“PGP IS DELIGHTED to be involved in the visionary Maboneng Precinct,” says Dr An-drew Golding, chief executive of PGP. “We have been very interested in the rejuvenation of the inner city for some time, a key devel-opment node in which we plan to become increasingly involved. We have been looking to partner with appropriate developers in this area for several years now and are extremely pleased to have formed an alliance with Propertuity, the renowned development arm of Maboneng.”

“The Maboneng Precinct is the most sus-tainable and ambitious private development initiative taking place in the Johannesburg city centre today. The project is encourag-ing impressive economic growth and social cohesion in the area. It is also growing at a phenomenal rate. While the precinct cur-rently involves around one square kilometre on the eastern fringe of Johannesburg’s inner city and no fewer than 32 buildings, the developers have enormous vision and are constantly looking for opportunities for further development beyond the current boundaries of the project,” says Dr Golding.

Propertuity’s CEO and founder Jonathan Liebmann says PGP will be an invaluable partner going forward, providing advice on development, marketing, pricing and project management. The involvement of Pam Gold-ing Properties in the marketing of residential property within the precinct is a major coup

for Maboneng that lends further integrity to this project. PGP’s vision of recreating urban culture aligns with Propertuity and the two are a ‘natural fit’. These were among the rea-sons why Propertuity decided to approach Dr Golding and explore whether it would be possible to bring PGP aboard as a strategic partner,” he adds.

The concept of MabonengMaboneng is the brainchild of Propertuity, which was founded by Liebmann. Seeking to encourage the artistic and entrepreneurial spirit, he purchased the DF Corlett construc-tion offices and warehouses to create Arts on Main, a centre of artist studios, galleries, retail outlets, office spaces and restaurants. During the construction Liebmann began to acquire a much broader vision for the area, seeing not just a creative and entrepreneurial centre but an entire community of enlightened indi-viduals. The concept of the Maboneng, which means ‘place of light’ in Sesotho, was born.

Liebmann says Maboneng has involved the creative use of vacant industrial buildings to establish a mixed-use precinct consisting of residential, retail and office space. It is expected that there will be a total of 40 build-ings transferred to the project by the end of 2013. Of the 32 buildings that have already been transferred, not all have yet been ear-marked as office, retail or residential space.

Some 700 owners or tenants currently

reside in three residential buildings called Main Street Life, Revolution House and Arts on Main, which have either been completed or are still under construction. A fourth building named Artisan Lofts is under heavy construction. It is envisaged that the precinct will be home to approximately 3 000 people within the next five years. Five new developments will be launched in 2013, some largely residential, but all with a retail component on the ground floor, adding fur-ther to the lifestyle spaces that already give the neighbourhood dynamic flavour. No less than 60% of the properties that are available have already been sold. Many of these were purchased off plan.

Refurbish vs buildAccording to Liebmann, Propertuity refur-bishes existing buildings rather than builds them. “This is largely because we want to keep the character of both the area and each individual building that makes up the area,” he observes. “It also makes financial sense for us to work with an existing structure rather than start anew, this allows us to offer competitively priced property to our buyers ”

“Each development is unique and inspired by its original architectural language. The idea is to construct a neighbourhood identity and create a strong community, while at the same time ultimately totally re-energising this part of Johannesburg.”

According to Liebmann, there has been an increased appetite from investors for low risk inner city property in recent years. “Foreign individuals who are enjoying the unique urban lifestyle offered by the precinct or those, such as banking executives who are recognising the great investment potential offered by owning apartments there, are all snapping up properties,” he notes. “The avail-able apartments range in price from between R390 000 to approximately R2-million for a luxury penthouse.”

It is interesting to note just how ambitious the developers are: they are already looking north towards Ellis Park for further expansion opportunities over the next five to 10 years. Liebmann says plans to expand the University of Johannesburg’s campus are also likely to be a boon to development in the area.

Another good sign for the Maboneng Precinct is that retail and office spaces are mushrooming giving an indication of just how quickly development is taking place in the area. While there are currently around 100 commercial interests in Maboneng, this number is expected to rise to 1000 within just a couple of years.

“Those who are residing in Maboneng appreciate its centrality, situated as it is close to the Johannesburg CBD and the banking district,” says PGP Hyde Park joint area man-ager, Jonathan Davies. “It is also not far from the new Gautrain Park station and residents

Johannesburg city centre renewal


WHEN THE BUILDING was being designed, the architect designed non-standard windowsills constructed from four separate concrete slabs. This presented a problem for the contractors, Archstone Construction.

“The challenge they faced was how to waterproof the corners of the slabs as there were gaps on all four corners and this could lead to water flowing back into the building. The solution was to waterproof all the corners using X-Calibur X-Pruf ElastoCem and to use X-Roc SkimCoat to finish off the concrete and make it aesthetically pleasing,” says Chaitan Manga, general manager at TAL.

X-Pruf ElastoCem is a two component polymer modified waterproof membrane which is supplied in readymix kits. The product is used for bridging gaps and waterproofing con-crete. When mixed, an easily brushable coating is produced. It can simply be applied by a stiff brush, roller or trowel to obtain the desired thickness.

X-Roc SkimCoat is a single component cementitious poly-mer modified concrete skim coat for use in horizontal, vertical and over head applications. This product, applied from a thick-ness of 1 mm up to 5 mm, gives concrete an aesthetically pleas-ing smooth and uniform finish and colour. Both products are manufactured locally by TAL. The construction of the building began in December 2011 and the first phase was completed and ready for occupation in September 2012.

Located in Route 21 Corporate Park, Equity Pharma Holdings is a privately owned South African-based specialist pharmaceu-tical and medical technology business.

TAL continues to deliver innovative solutions that its custom-ers can trust. As part of TAL’s building solutions division, the X-Calibur range of construction chemistry solutions consists of product systems designed to maximise concrete performance, prevent decay and repair damage.

TAL customers have access to the expertise and advice of highly qualified technical advisory staff through its advisory service and a free of charge detailed materials and methods specification can be drawn up for specific installations. ●

Equity Pharma head office

TAL is proud to be associated with the new head office and distribution centre of Equity Pharma Holdings in Pretoria for which it supplied X-Calibur products to solve a concrete related

problem the contractor had on site.


30

The massive development for the new Virgin Active health club that has been underway in Bryanston, Johannesburg for the last nine months has caught many a passing motorists eye, many who have been wondering when the opportunity to

view those working out through those marvelous screen sized windows will happen.

projects & contracts

VIRGIN ACTIVE HAS expanded the number of clubs throughout the country extensively over the last few years, their design, features and facilities have set the benchmark in this sector of the leisure industry.

Lizl van Wyk, architect, at Design Line Architects and Interiors, the consultancy that has been involved with Virgin Active’s club expansion programme comments: “Six to eight new Virgin Active health clubs open every year. The philosophy of Virgin Active is to ensure that members enjoy their work-outs, and that family-time is fun while in the club. The prime focus is to ensure all members have a positive experience and this is reflected in the way the clubs are designed, decorated and built.

“The attention to detail and the embracing of modern trends, while maintaining consistency, in the construction of these health clubs is what makes them world class. The new Bryanston Virgin Active, like many other of the group’s clubs, has top of the range facilities including special features to ensure that disabled members can access and exercise safely at the facility – pool hoists, elevators, showers, toilets, access gates and ramp ways in the parking areas are all installed for this purpose”.

Special requirementsWhile building a health club is not out of the ordinary for WBHO, the building contractor on the Bryanston project, some of the special requirements were an interesting element. WBHO aite agent, Kobus Kotze says: “The Bryanston Virgin Active development has, among other features, three swimming pools: one for laps, one for leisure and one for spa purposes. It was, for example, critical that no dust invaded this section; the area was closed up completely before the pools were installed. The club also has the usual steam, sauna, restrooms and a healthy eating restaurant all conforming to the Virgin Active design and layout requirements.

“The anticipated membership flow in the health club was a factor in selecting finishes that can withstand not only constant use but also the health club environment of air circulation, steam and wet environs. Seven types of vinyl, four internal tile types and

two to three carpet specifications were utilised in the finishings of the club, says Kotze.

One of the considerations, in the choice of bricks for the club construction, is water absorption. Clay stocks were the engineer’s specified brick for the outer part of the Bryanston health club and leading brick manufacturer, Oconbrick, received the contract to supply Non-Facing Plaster Clay Stock Bricks due to their strong absorption qualities – they do not absorb water like their cement counterparts do. Non-Facing Plaster Clay Stock Brick, with their ease of plastering quality, making them not only strong, but durable. The average strength of the brick is 21 MPa.

“The size of the building built for Blackstar Properties, and that Virgin Active now occupies is approximately +/- 4 700 m2. Oconbrick supplied 384 000 Clay Stock Bricks to the project. They are regular suppliers to WBHO as their product is well recognised within our industry for consistency of quality and shape,” says quantity surveyor, Kenton Rhodes, from WBHO

“Constructing a building of this calibre has its own unique challenges, but of specific importance was the high standards and complex finishes required by the architect. We have built a few other health clubs, where Virgin Active has been the tenant, so we do understand their requirements relatively well”.

Public safety and comfort at health clubs is of paramount concern and one advantage of the Oconbrick is its resistance to heat. In addition, the bricks offer exceptional acoustic properties with good thermal insulation. Ease of handling and a low carbon footprint are two other elements that make it a preferred choice. ●

New Virgin Active in Bryanston

are able to take advantage of the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit System, which provides a fast, safe and affordable bus service in the city. In addition, the precinct’s Mabogo Shuttle provides transport between Gautrain Park station and the Maboneng Precinct daily.”

The developers are making the area more pedestrian friendly and is working to have certain streets closed to traffic for the exclusive use of pedestrians. Cycling lanes are also being developed within the precinct. The security in the area is impressive with constant street patrols being undertaken by security personnel. Each of the apartment blocks will furthermore offer secure parking and biometric access.

Artisan Lofts is under heavy construction and 42 high-end units ranging in size from between 32 m to 100 m are available for sale. Most are north facing bachelor and executive open plan apartments with wrap around views.

“PGP’s involvement will be over the long term, between five to 10 years, and we believe we will add significant value to this exciting and innovative development during that time,” concludes Davies. ●


31projects & contracts

THIS AFTER THE DCD Wind Towers broke ground on their wind turbine manufacturing plant in Zone 3 of the Coega IDZ.

“The Coega IDZ – including the Port of Ngqura – is set to become the nexus through which renewable energy parts and sector logistics are coordinated and managed for the entire province,” says Sandisiwe Ncemane, CDC business development manager in the energy sector.

“We have worked long and hard to create an environment in which renewable energy – from end to end – could both flourish at and be facilitated by Coega. This is becoming a hard-won reality as investment in this sector grows not only within the boundaries of the Coega IDZ, but throughout the province.”

The Eastern Cape has significant resource potential in terms of renewable energy generation, with exceptional wind condi-tions by international standards, good solar conditions, as well as substantial potential for energy from the biomass and biofuels sec-tors. These locational assets have positioned the province as a major site for sustainable

energy investment and implementation. The socio-economic impacts also make

the sector a point of focus in government strategies: “At Coega alone the estimated value of the pipeline investments amounts to approximately R3-billion, with these wind and solar investments set to create thousands of jobs, about 6 000 direct and 5 000 indirect over the course of construction and opera-tion,” says Ncemane.

Currently Coega has 20 operational investors, with five investors currently under construction and an additional two – includ-ing DCD Wind Towers – about to commence. An additional three investors – AfriSam (SA), AMG (China), Casa Steel (SA) – are underway with environmental impact assessments.

The basket of renewable energy investors include Electrawinds, Universal Wind, Innow-ind, EAB Astrum, and biofuels (Phyto Energy).

The Coega IDZ Renewable Energy busi-ness sector is uniquely geared to offer the best solutions for renewable energy and abundant opportunities in Wind Energy, Pho-tovoltaic, Biomass-to-Energy development.

ATLANTIC ALUMINIUM WAS contracted to install HulaBond panels in order to lend the building a modern, aesthetically appealing ap-pearance. It was specified that this project should be cost-effective, thus two of Sika’s long-lasting, highly resistant products were chosen to bond and seal all the aluminium panels.

Sika Cleaner-205 was used to clean the HulaBond panels and channels. This cleaner is a solvent-based adhesion promoter

Coming into its own as renewable energy hub Recent investments in the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) are bringing to reality long-held organisational objectives around developing Coega as the Eastern Cape’s renewable energy hub, the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) said recently.

Winds of change: Electrawinds’ first wind turbine in the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is the first of many that will come

online at Coega over the next two to four years.

Its positioning features include abundant land, connection to the Eskom grid via over 30 substations within the IDZ, proximity to logistics solutions like the port, a lay down area within the IDZ designated for wind tur-bine components, custom built warehouses to manufacture the green technologies components, green technology incentives and other IDZ specific incentives provided by the Department of Trade and Industry.

“By next year the landscape of Coega IDZ will have morphed completely and will be home to a minimum of 30 operating inves-tors,” adds Ncemane. “Coupled with sustained investment attraction underway, the future looks bright and green.” ●

Improving aesthetic appeal Formerly known as Louis la Grange Square, the Mount Road Police Station in Port Elizabeth was originally constructed in 1925. By 2010, the ageing façade of the building was in dire need of a facelift.

designed for the activation of surfaces prior to bonding and sealing with products from the Sikaflex range. Sika Cleaner-205 can be used to activate various non-porous substrates such as metals, plastics, ceramics and painted surfaces, and its application temperature ranges from 5 to 40 °C.

For bonding the HulaBond cladding to the aluminium channels and for sealing between the HulaBond panels, Sikaflex-221 (8 000 x 600 ml, light grey) was applied. This high quality, multi-purpose, non-sag, 1-C polyurethane sealant cures on exposure to atmospheric humidity to form a durable elastomer. It has low odour, is non-corrosive, can be sanded and over-painted, and bonds well to a wide variety of substrates. It is resistant to fresh water, seawater, limewater, sewage effluent, diluted acids and caustic solutions. Sika Cleaner-205 and Sikaflex-221 are both manufactured by Sika in accordance with ISO 9001/14001 quality assurance system.

To assist applicators with the installation of the aluminium panels, scaffolding to a height of 30 metres was erected around the entire building. For safety reasons, work was suspended when the notori-ous Port Elizabeth winds blew and was only resumed once the wind speeds decreased to less than ten knots.

Despite the weather delays, this Sika project was completed in December 2011, within the 15-month time frame. The city of Port Elizabeth and its police force can feel proud of the new-look Mount Road Police Station. ●


32 projects & contracts

to successfully complete its scope of work within six months.

"Having been a DPI Plastics client for 20 years, I can rely on the company's professional and responsive approach towards Irritech. The Chinanguanine project was no different, and all the piping products were supplied timeously, with support and service offered on an around the clock basis."

He does admit that Mozambique's tropi-cal weather proved to be a challenge. "Heavy rainfall resulted in onsite flooding but, as a result of innovative design, the infield equipment could be removed and the pump stations mounted on pontoons from the outset. As a result, the project was completed in November 2012, and the official handover took place in February 2013, with a total of 130 local farmers in the region expected to benefit from the project."

According to DPI Plastics exports manager Rajesh Naval, the Ultraflo range of pressure pipes account for 90 per cent of the com-

IRRITECH OWNER AND head irrigation specialist Franek Raciborski points out that the Ultraflo range was selected as the piping product of choice, due to its proven track record in the market. "Ultraflo is a high quality pipe that has been preferred by local contrac-tors for a number of years."

DPI Plastics technical and product man-ager Renier Snyman highlights the fact that the Ultraflo pressure pipe system offers design engineers and contractors numerous advantages, including; a lower mass, higher impact resistance and increased hydraulic capacity.

"The Ultraflo pipes for this particular project were delivered in standard 6-m-lengths and have a Class 6 pressure rating, with excellent frictional resistance and low wave celerity, thereby ensuring resistance to surges."

Raciborski notes that Irritech was appointed as the contractor to the Chinan-guanine project in May 2012, and was able

Mozambican project DPI Plastics supplied Irritech with a total of 72 km of mPVC Ultraflo pipes,

varying in diameters of between 63 mm and 500 mm, which were installed at the privately funded Chinanguanine project, located

approximately 100 km north of the Mozambican capital Maputo.

pany's pipe export sales. "mPVC has proven to be highly popular in the African market, due to a combination of its strength, durability and cost effectiveness – which has resulted in sales worth more than R35-million in markets such as Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mauritius and Angola. I am confident that this trend will continue well into the future, with a strong possibility of expansion." into new markets too."

Naval notes that the addition of new large bore sizes including 560 mm and 630 mm, will further benefit the export customers, as they currently are importing these sizes from overseas or running two pipes parallel

DPI Plastics technical and product manager, Renier Snyman.


33projects & contracts 33

to each other to suffice the requirement of large bore pipe.

Pietermaritzburg-based Irritech surveys, designs, and installs all types of irrigation, and prides itself on appropriate client- specific solutions. Raciborski believes that the company's all-in-one solutions offering often take into account a client’s labour skills, transport costs, availability of spares, and other diverse factors that extend beyond

Pontoon located onsite at the Chinanguanine project.

the realm of traditional engineering. "Coupled with this is our proven ability to

work in remote and distant locations, employ-ing the resourcefulness of our energised staff to maximum effect."

Raciborski is confident of the future out-look for Irritech and the industry in general. "Irritech has vast experience in the design, manufacture and commissioning of various irrigation schemes, including; centre pivots,

drip, micro, moveable and solid set sprinkler systems and water reticulation systems. Hav-ing developed a large footprint in Southern Africa and, together with an office in Lusaka, Irritech has placed itself in a strong position to obtain measurable growth, particularly within the African market – where numer-ous tenders are being issued as a result of increased foreign investment in infrastruc-tural development," he concludes. ●


34

Very wet winters, a high water table and unstable sub-grade material (earth) has necessitated approximately half of the 24 000 m² road-building and access-course project in Klapmuts, Western Cape, to be surfaced with concrete block paving (CBP) because of its superior

strength and stability properties.


ASPHALT WAS ONLY USED where the water table was deemed low enough and the sub-grade sufficiently stable by the main contrac-tors, Power Construction.

The road-building project forms part of a turnkey housing contract which is being financed by the Department of Human Settle-ments. The tender was awarded to Power Construction by the Stellenbosch Municipal-

ity, for whom the project is being undertaken.It involves the construction of 1 067 x

40 m² subsidy houses in two phases over five-years. Phase I is being undertaken in two portions of which Phase IA sees the construc-tion of 480 houses, due for completion by the end of March this year.

Designed by BKS Consulting Engineers and built by Seymour Paving, the road and

Klapmuts housing project

One of the precast concrete staircases being used in the construction of the double-storey

units at Kalpmuts.

access-course project involved surfacing some 11 000 m² with CBP, 6 600 m² of access course and 4 400 m² of roads. Asphalt was only used where the sub-grade was consid-ered sufficiently stable.

Steven Levey, senior quantity surveyor at Power Construction, said that the contract includes a 10-year latent defect clause and this was the main reason why concrete block paving was deployed in the sections where the sub-grade was unstable.

“CBP provides a long term paving solution unlike asphalt, which under these conditions, would most likely have begun cracking within five years. Moreover, CBP surfaces are aesthetically pleasing and can easily be lifted and replaced as new, for example, during the installation of electric cables, which often takes place after the roads have been laid.”

Power’s contracts manager, Pietre Smit says that grey 60 mm and 80 mm 35 MPa interlocking concrete paving blocks were used for the CBP. They were supplied by Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) member, C.E.L. Paving.

“We laid the paving on a G4 base which is superior to a sub-base and can easily with-stand the high water table. Moreover, it has good load-bearing capacity,” says Smit.

Seymour Paving director, Jon Whiting, says the borders of both the access courses

One of the CBP roads in Klapmuts which clearly shows the neat finish of double-cobble edging.

A recently constructed CBP road in Klapmuts in which precast concrete kerbing and bollards were also used.



Some of the hollow-core slabs which were used on the double-storey units at Klapmuts.

and the roads were edged with double cobble pavers (see photo), which were also supplied by C.E.L. Paving.

“It finishes off the project very neatly,” says Whiting,” and we have used the process extensively on other projects.”

CMA executive director, Wally Armstrong, says this Klapmuts subsidy housing project, which was NHBRC approved, is an excellent showcase for precast concrete.

“Not only was CBP chosen for the roads because of its superior durability and all-weather properties, but precast concrete formed the main building components in the construction of the houses. These included: precast building blocks supplied by CMA member, Boland Concrete for the masonry; precast hollow-core slabs for second-storey flooring of the double-storey units and precast staircases; and concrete roof tiles

supplied by CMA member, Eagle Roof Tiles. “Hollow-core slab flooring is ideal for

multi-storey structures, not only for subsidy housing, but for designer homes, hotels, apartment and office buildings as well. It is a much faster and cleaner building process than in-situ flooring, and because it’s pro-duced in a factory environment, offers high and consistent quality.

“Similarly, precast staircases provide an excellent building solution. They are much easier to install than their steel or timber equivalents and require no maintenance,” says Armstrong.

The largest precast component of the Klapmuts project was the masonry which comprised concrete blocks in three sizes 400 mm x 200 m x 190 mm, 400 mm x 200 mm x 140 mm and 400 mm x 200 mm x 90 mm. Once built, the outer walls were plastered and painted and the inner-walls were bag-washed.

“Given the superior aesthetic properties of CBP and concrete roof tiles has meant that the Klapmuts project is visually appealing, and as such, is likely to encourage pride-of-ownership and a greater sense of community among the lucky few who qualify for these houses. Furthermore, another plus was the fact that that much of the labour for the project was drawn from the local community. Many of them were unskilled and received CETA-accredited training from Power Con-struction,” concluded Armstrong. ●


36

ABB, the leading power and automation company, recently announced that they will be inaugurating their new offices in Milnerton, Cape

Town, to better meet the infrastructure needs of the

expanding market in the region.

ship building but also in terms of fittings and finishes. There were a few challenges at the new dealership one of which was the ellipti-cal curve to the showroom with the entire showroom façade being clad with aluminium – waterproofing the cladding and establish-ing a neat finish was a painstaking exercise.

The showroom bulkhead pattern and drift line had to be perfectly executed due to it being closed off with a stretching ceiling material which was unforgiving material to work with, as once it has been cut to drawing measurements it cannot be altered”.

ABB HAS GROWN its business through targeting electricity utilities and industry customers. Their five divisions include; power products, power systems, discrete automa-tion and motion, low voltage products and process automation.

The new facility, which forms part of an environmentally sensitive park, was generally built in line with the energy efficient nature

of the internationally acclaimed ABB brand and boasts some of the latest technology and energy saving concepts.

Situated on over 10 000 m2, the building is divided into an administration block and workshop facilities.

The admin block houses all five the ABB divisions and the workshop facilities house a turbo charger workshop, a medium voltage services facility, and a low voltage/drives distribution centre.

ABB Turbocharging solutions provide long term economical resolutions and field experience accumulated through the world-wide ABB Turbocharging service network ensure that customers benefit from continu-ous product development and improvement.

While the ABB Medium Voltage Services provide for the maintenance, retrofitting, installation and commissioning of new and legacy medium voltage equipment and solu-tions to municipal, industrial and commercial


AS MUCH STREET frontage for the ve-hicle showroom and pre-owned vehicle showroom is one of the pre-requisites for a KIA dealership with the service reception needing to be as close to the service drop-off area as possible. The servicing area should be linked directly to the showroom, thereby enabling new models to be visible to entice an existing customer-base.

Guilherme Pereira da Silva, senior archi-tectural technologist at GL Architects said, “KIA Motors have high design standards not only for the construction of the entire dealer-

Cape Town offices inauguratedcustomers for the provision and distribution of electrical power.

ABB has been a pioneer and leader in electrical engineering and industry automa-tion solutions and systems. Innovation and quality are key characteristics of their service and product offering.

“With the steady growth in the market and the move to Milnerton from Paarden Eiland was strategic and our employees have adjusted well. The investment in the new facil-ity highlights our commitment to the Western Cape region. As more companies are steadily steering towards resource efficient buildings, our Milnerton facility serves as our commit-ment to the environment to lower our carbon footprint,” says recently appointed ABB CEO South Africa and Cluster manager, Southern Africa, Leon Viljoen.

The new premises are situated at No.1 South Precinct, 4 Topaz Boulevard, Montague Park, Milnerton. ●

Trendy new dealershipThe motor vehicle market is tightly contested with all major brands

revamping their showrooms and facilities to make the customer’s experience mutually beneficial. KIA Motors, which recently opened their 3 500 m2 dealership near Clearwater Mall, west of Johannesburg, have strict corporate identity specifications which has resulted in very

bold, bright and airy KIA dealership showrooms.

The design of KIA showrooms cater for a handover bay and a delivery bay with the inclusion of a separate entrance for new vehicle deliveries to be placed in the show-room for immediate display purposes.

It is important that customers are afforded



sufficient, well maintained, safe parking and walking areas, so the quality and even laying of bricks to these areas is crucial.

With KIA dealerships requiring such extensive frontage, the bricks utilised for such a project need to offer not only attractiveness, but durability and strength due to the anticipated multi-faceted traffic throughput. Giuricich Bros Construction was tasked with the building of the KIA dealership with the tender for the project

stipulating the utilisation of clay stock brick.Oconbrick, a leading supplier of clay stock

brick, won the contract to supply the clay stocks to be utilised on the forecourt and surrounding areas.

The project, which commenced in May 2012, was completed in January 2013. Over 360 000 clay stock bricks were utilised. The final finish gives the dealership a very smooth, clean and light brick finish, which not only creates a sense of space, but is suitable for forecourt signage to be painted upon it, which is clearly visible to staff and visitors to the dealership.

“We have worked with Oconbrick before, and found the quality of their product to

be good; it is well suited to the KIA project. A positive factor with Oconbrick is their reli-ability and technical support. Their deliveries are always on schedule, thereby eliminating delays to the project,” says Adrian Lawless, of Giuricich Bros Construction.

Oconbrick products have been utilised in South Africa across a wide range of residen-tial, commercial and golf estate properties including interior use. They are offer good brick strength, durability, water absorption, superior thermal insulation, low carbon footprint and are built to last. They have a nil-to-slight efflorescence, water absorption of approximately 11%, with dimensions of 220 mm x 100 mm x 70 mm available. ●


38

If there were any doubts that the light steel frame building (LSFB) method is appropriate for upmarket housing in South Africa, then the

magnificent new Kevin Els-designed home, built by Ivecon Projects in the new Waterfall Country Estate development north of Johannesburg,

will certainly help to finally put those doubts to rest.


THE SPACIOUS DOUBLE-STORY, which has 680 m2 under roof and a host of impressive design features – including breathtaking cantilevers, a home theatre, and a glass-walled wine cellar within the hypermodern kitchen – is a testament to the possibilities offered by LSFB.

The initial idea to use LSFB came from Els, of the innovative Fourways-based Els & Associates Architectural Studio. “This is a new methodology that has really stuck its head out in South Africa, and when I became aware in early discussions that time was of the essence, I insisted that we investigate LSFB as an option,” he says.

Construction is significantly faster with LSFB because the lightweight steel frame is manufactured in the factory and then as-sembled and erected quickly on site. Once in place, the building can be enclosed and inter-nal finishes can start sooner than in a bricks and mortar structure. The method also saves time because it allows different disciplines to work concurrently. It is not necessary, for example, to wait for a completed façade

before finalising accurate measurements for windows. LSFB can also be used in conjunc-tion with heavy structural steel, which may be required for long spans or cantilevers, or to expose as part of the architectural expression.

More energy efficientJohn Barnard, director of the Southern Afri-can Light Steel Frame Building Association (SASFA), explains that LSFB is significantly more energy efficient than more traditional construction methods – both with regard to 'embodied energy' of the materials and components, as well as 'operational en-ergy' relating to heating and cooling of the building over its design life. Steel is also a reusable and recyclable material, which means that it reduces the overall carbon footprint of the project and assists in compli-ance with the SANS 10400-XA:2011 national building regulations.

Continually evolving systemSven Iversen, founder and director of Ivecon Projects, the construction and project man-

agement team involved with the project, has travelled extensively worldwide and says that in Europe, New Zealand and Australia, LSFB is the growing trend.

“In South Africa, people are simply used to brick and mortar building, but it is only a matter of time before the mainstream South African building market catches on to the advantages of the LSFB method.”

Iversen says the building industry is con-tinually evolving and that technology is the driving force. “Traditional building methods are no longer the only answer. Ivecon Projects embraces new technologies and is moving toward innovative, energy-efficient methods of construction, fast-tracking construction time which translates into cost savings for our clients,” he says.

Ivecon Projects recently won the Best Built Home and the Green Design award at the prestigious Century Properties home show.

Advantages of LSFBFrom a construction point of view, there are numerous advantages to LSFB. Steel is unequalled in meeting tight construc-tion schedules in any weather conditions, a smaller construction team is required, and because a limited amount of masonry work, if any, is required on site, LSFB ensures a cleaner and safer construction site.

“From an architectural perspective,” says Els, “there are many reasons for the architect to feel comfortable and confident when designing with light steel framing.

"It is flexible enough to handle complex design elements, giving you freedom of expression in your design methodology. Also, steel has slenderness and grace when required to span distances and cantilevers.”

Barnard said that as the market increas-ingly realises that LSFB can be used for a range of different applications and takes into account the considerable benefits, both practical and financial, of the building meth-od, perceptions about traditional building methods being the only viable alternatives are being questioned. “There are more and more local examples of striking buildings that are being built with LSFB,” he says. ●

Light Steel Frame home in Waterfall


4040

THE NEW HEADQUARTERS of the Banco de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires bears the signature of the London architect, Norman Foster. The four floors of the prestigious office complex in the Parque Patricios district are covered by a 9 000 m² undulating roof structure. Slender circular columns in generous grid dimensions of 16 m x 24 m seem to allow the filigree appearance of the architectural concrete construction to float in the air at a height of over 20 m. The building is 94 m wide, more than 100 m long and opens up to the outside through the use of large glazed areas.

Architectural concrete accurately and quickly formedA dimensionally-accurate design, flawless architectural concrete quality and high

working operations speed – in order to bring these three essential requirements into line during construction, project engineers from PERI Argentina have developed a customised formwork and scaffolding concept. The longi-tudinally-moved table solution is positioned on an intermediate platform and facilitates fast cycle sequences for constructing the 16 m long casting segments across the entire width of the structure.

The form-giving formwork units are mounted on slab tables which can be moved on an intermediate level to the next section by hand with the help of the PERI trans-portation trolley. On the basis of the VARIO system, using timber formers and a VARIO raised formwork construction, the precisely-shaped formwork elements were delivered

prefabricated to the construction site. These are connected to form large-sized, up to 24 m² table moving units using MULTIPROP shoring towers. Articulated couplings ensure extremely tight connections between the VARIO elements.

Flexible scaffold sub-structureA PERI UP Rosett Flex scaffolding structure and the MULTIFLEX girder slab formwork system form large working and support levels at heights of 13 m and 16 m. The support-ing system is based on type-tested PERI UP shoring towers which are connected across the entire width of the building and form a 96,5 m long framework unit. While the 1 m standard width of the shoring sections remain largely constant, the bay widths of between 0,75 m and 1,50 m – using the 25 cm grid system – in the direction of the sec-tions were flexibly adapted to accommodate the loads that have be carried. Through the modular design, not only can the variously stepped, partially-inclined contact surfaces be taken into consideration, but also two dif-ferent platform heights can be formed with-out having to break up the spatial bracing

Efficient construction of undulating roofAn undulating roof structure is being formed by means of longitudinally

movable slab tables at a height of 20 m. The project solution developed by PERI's Argentine engineers fulfils the high architectural concrete requirements as well as maintaining the short construction

period from an economic point of view.

For forming the undulating roof construction, movable slab tables on PERI UP intermediate platforms are being used. (Photo: PERI GmbH)

LEFT: Rentable VARIOKIT and MULTIPROP system components form the site-compliant basis for the movable, form-giving slab tables. RIGHT: Due to the metric basic grid dimensions, the PERI UP Rosett Flex scaffolding sub-structure could be optimally adapted to suit the different contact areas.(Photos: PERI GmbH)

projects & contracts




ContractorCRIBA S.A., Buenos Aires

ArchitectFoster + Partners, London

Field ServicePERI Argentina S.A., Buenos Aires

The PERI project solution features two platform levels at heights of 13 m and 16 m on which the slab tables can be easily moved in a longitudinal direction. (Drawing: PERI GmbH)

system. As a result, transferring the horizontal loads also takes place in the system which means time-consuming tube and coupler assembly is not required.

In agreement with the site management, on-site material requirements for the sub-structure could be limited to only two section lengths as the PERI UP scaffolding system can be dismantled and re-assembled in a new position extremely quickly. Thus, the scaf-fold sub-structure which has been freed up is moved to the next area while a 16 m long concreting section is shuttered across the complete width. ●

A standardised construction kit system as well as the planning and delivery of formwork and scaffolding from a single source makes the PERI project solution very cost-effective

along with greatly accelerating the construction progress. (Photo: PERI GmbH)


42

Murray & Roberts Buildings i s o n s c h e d u l e f o r t h e May 2013 completion of the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) building in Pretoria. This six-storey building, located on the corner of Festival and Franc is Baard ( former ly Schoeman) Streets, is being

developed by Growthpoint Management Ser vices for Isivuno Properties (Pty) Limited.

project profile42

The GCIS team provides professional services, sets and influences adher-ence to standards for an effective

government communication system, drives coherent government messaging and proactively communicates with the pub-lic about government policies, plans programmes and achievements.

The design brief was to provide a modern office complex on a prominent site located in the historic precinct of Hatfield, Pretoria. The architectural team comprises ADO Archi-tects, Urban Concept and Arc Architects, with tenant installation, space planning analysis, and interior design and detailing of the inte-rior by INK Design Lab.

The new building has a 70 by 70 metre footprint that fits tightly onto the 80 by 80 metre site. Owing to the space constraints, the Murray & Roberts Buildings team has been making use of the mezzanine area for laydown purposes.

Construction is based on a conventional reinforced concrete frame structure. Approval was obtained to demolish several residences on the site to make way for the development and, following discussions with the Tshwane Building Heritage Association, it was agreed that certain aesthetic archways of these buildings would be incorporated the new building façade.

These elements determined the base en-velope design, which is a square block with an internal open atrium that addresses natural light, ventilation and practical office depth to accommodate both cellular and open plan office space, private and secure courtyard external space, minimised circulation and visual communication across internal open space. The ground floor is dedicated to an auditorium, two boardrooms, an information resource centre and a press briefing room. Two of the six office floors features a meet-ing room that looks out onto Francis Baard Street. The executive offices are on the fifth floor, with the top two floors set back to al-low for rooftop balconies and outdoor space, effectively articulating the building roofline.

The external skin is a combination of high performance glazing within an External Ther-mal Insulating Composite System (ETICS) that offers superior weight, malleability, insulation and facilitates speed of construction.

The eastern façade at street level in-

corporates the brick archways, as well as a sun protection canopy overhanging the pedestrian walkway, that continues on the northern façade. These elements integrate the development with the urban fabric of the surrounding area.

The development harnesses Weber Saint-Gobain ETICS (external thermal insulation composite system) technology, chosen for its environmental, operational and safety advantages. Lesly Harris of Murray & Roberts Buildings says ETICS technology enabled his team to significantly reduce the number of bricks originally required as well as cut down on the cranage time that would have been required for the brick and plaster work.

“ETICS has been applied with great suc-cess at two other Growthpoint developments — the new Kaya FM building and the Lakeside Office Park Redevelopment in Centurion,” he adds. “ETICS made its debut into the South African construction arena about four years ago, but has been used in construction in other parts of the world for some time. This innovative system is able to improve the thermal properties of the building envelope by a factor 10 or more, creating thermal comfort for the occupants and allowing for architectural freedom in façade design. It also makes a strong contribution to energy savings in the building.”

Aiming for a 4-Star green ratingAiming for a 4-Star green rating, the project team has incorporated a number of green building features, as well as several innovative

New GCIS building in Pretoria on track




43project profile 43



44 project profile44

energy solutions. Growthpoint has Aurecon to oversee the green building elements of the development.

Pre-commissioning, commissioning and quality monitoring will be undertaken for the mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and fire services of the project in accordance with the correct Chartered Institute of British Engineers codes. And, to ensure efficient running of all these systems each subcon-tractor will sign a monthly tuning contract ensuring that for one year after practical completion, the building is tuned and tested. Aurecon will also compile a Building Users Guide for the building owner and occupants, to ensure that tenants enjoy the full benefits of a green building.

At the same time, an Environmental Management Plan is being implemented and independently monitored to ensure compliance. This includes Murray & Roberts Buildings ensuring that more than 50% of all construction waste from the site is recycled to mitigate the amount of waste destined for landfill.

Ventilation will be improved by an HVAC system that provides outside air at a rate which is 100% higher than that prescribed by SANS 10400-O. The building design also makes provision for good levels of daylight to enter the building for occupant wellbeing and to reduce the need for artificial lighting. The lighting system includes high frequency ballasts in fluorescent luminaires for energy efficiency and increased lamp life.

Paints, carpets and sealants have been specified as low VOC (volatile organic com-pounds) to mitigate sick building syndrome, while exhaustlouvers will enable the extrac-tion of indoor pollutants from printing and copying areas.

All measures have been taken to create the most efficient lighting design possible, in terms of fittings and distribution, achieving an average of 360 Lux with no areas exceed-ing 400 Lux. Lighting power density for 95% of the total usable area has been designed to be 2 W/square metre/100 Lux. Each enclosed space and zone smaller than 100 m2 will be individually switched for lighting.

Occupancy and absent detection systems will control lighting usage in dedicated meet-ing and conference rooms. Basement parking lighting will be luminaires fitted with two stage electronic ballast with default setting at 20% of 100% lighting output, with a mo-tion sensor which will activate to 100% on motion detection and reset to 20% after a pre-selected time period.

Two 10 kW output (3 kW input) air-to-water type heat pumps will generate hot water, saving energy compared to a conven-tional geyser.

In terms of transport, the development team has aimed to reduce the number of parking spaces by at least 25% lower than the maximum local planning allowance applicable to the project to encourage the use of public transport facilities. Five percent of the parking bays are dedicated to alterna-tive fuel and hybrid vehicles, with preferred parking locations. One of these parking bays will also be equipped with an electric plug point for electric vehicles. Cyclist facilities, bicycle parking bays, showers and lockers have been incorporated into the design.

Water efficient fittings and fixtures, including dual flush toilets and waterless urinals will be installed to achieve significant water savings. Condensate recovery from the HVAC system will also be collected and reused, resulting in decreased potable water

usage. A 36 000 litre water collection tank will harvest rainwater that will be collected for toilet flushing.

Water consumption is further mitigated with each floor-plate of the building being less than 2 500 square metres and harness-ing the passive design principle of provid-ing openable window sections on floors, specifically for smoke ventilation. This has eliminated the need for office sprinklers, with only the main lobby of the building provided with three sprinkler-drencher heads per floor.Water meters linked to the building man-agement system will provide the building manager with information on water usage and leak detection.

The landscape design incorporates initia-tives such as moisture sensors, indigenous plant species, night-time irrigation, mulch in plant bed areas and the use of water reten-tion additives, to reduce irrigation demand.

A dedicated recycling waste and general waste storage area will be provided for sepa-ration and recycling of office waste. Concrete mixes, supplied by AfriSam, reduce Portland cement quantities by 30% on average by the substitution of fly ash into the concrete mix, while 90 % of all steel used has been specified to have a post-consumer recycled content greater than 60%. The total cost of PVC is being reduced by 30%, through replacement with alternative plumbing and storm water piping materials, such as HDPE, while timber products are being obtained from sustain-able, recycled or re-used sources. To reduce transportation emissions, 20% of the contract value is being sourced from within 400 km of the site.

To reduce emissions, refrigerants have been specified to have an ozone depleting potential of zero.


44


45project profile 45InteriorINK Design Lab has specified a modern office environment that integrates the requirements of high technology imperatives with the warm and welcoming spirit of an African organisation. Ma-terials, textures and colours strongly translate the idea of a modern African space and, since the GCIS is the custodian of many important historical pho-tographs, the design team has used some of these images to celebrate and expose the tenant’s work.

“We have tried to avoid a standard and con-ventional commercial approach, in favour of a more organic and natural feeling,” INK Design Lab’s Lisebo Mokhesi says. “The decisions made were influenced by the richness of colour and textural quality of the African environment. Challenges included designing high technology spaces, such as the press room, in a fresh and modern way, without compromising the acoustic and audio-visual technology requirements.

“The success of the final design can be attrib-uted to very good levels of co-operation between the tenant and all the professional teams. We are proud with the way we have managed to com-municate the GCIS vision into the interiors to create a humane, vibrant 21st century workplace in which people want to work and where they are enabled to be productive. We are also very proud of having participated in the selection of the right materials and adhesives that will help the building to achieve a 4-Star green star rating. ●

45


46 roads & bridges46

THE VELAVKE-UWP-PHATWE JV comprises UWP Consulting, VelaVKE Consulting En-gineers (now part of the SMEC Group) and Phatwe Consulting Engineers, a 100% black owned company based in Rustenburg.

This project forms part of the national Public Transport Action Plan to improve public transport networks in 12 cities in South Africa. It aims to provide a high quality and affordable public transport system that will enhance the social and economic develop-ment of Rustenburg.

The development and construction of the RRT was planned to take place from 2011 to 2015, with implementation of the public transport services envisaged by 2015, explains UWP Consulting director Friedrich Slabbert.

The tender awarded to the VelaVKE-UWP-Phatwe JV incorporates two bus rapid transport (BRT) corridors over a distance of 34 km that overlap in the Rustenburg CBD, with 37 proposed stations.

“We completed detail design for a fast track section between the Rustenburg CBD and Phokeng Town of the Royal Bafokeng in a very short time and the 16-month con-struction contract was awarded to M Civils on 18 June 2012,” says Slabbert.

“From appointment to construction award, the VelaVKE-UWP-Phatwe team com-

pleted all planning and inception through award processes within eight months for a project with a total value of R392-million.

“Planning and design of the remain-ing sections of the contract, involving the Rustenburg CBD and Phokeng town, have commenced and tenders will be called for this year.”

What the RRT will look likeMost of the route will have a dedicated bus lane in each direction with an additional pass-ing lane at the stations. Along the regional routes outside the CBD, the road will consist of a dedicated bus lane and one to two mixed traffic lanes per direction with paved shoul-ders and non-motorised transport facilities. In the CBD, two existing lanes will be dedi-cated to the BRT.

All the intersections will be upgraded, either to a left in/left out access or to a full intersection with BRT traffic signals and turning lanes.

Unique video technology is being used in the planning, design and construction phases to assist with accurate on-site details.

This allows detail planning and design sessions to be held off-site with all role play-ers present. Thirty per cent of the contract value is being spent with local contractors and materials suppliers.

Rustenburg Rapid Transport project well under way

Work started last year on the Rustenburg Rapid Transport (RRT) project in the North West Province following completion of

detail design by the VelaVKE-UWP-Phatwe JV, which won the tender for planning, design and construction supervision of the

R640-million construction project.

Public transport is closely linked to the future spatial development of Rustenburg, which aims to:• integrate the existing urban structure;

• provide a greater housing typology mix;

• provide social amenities in an equitable manner;

• protect commercial agriculture and natural open spaces;

• enable the cost-effective provision of bulk municipal services;

• rationalise transportation infrastructure and services provision, specifically public transportation; and

• capitalise on the economic competitive advantages in the region, such as mining.

Bus Rapid Transport (BRT)The Department of Transport has made it clear that BRT is crucial to the success of South Africa's transport system. BRT is a mass road-based public transport system that mimics rail systems. The aim is to provide a high qual-ity, customer oriented transport system that delivers fast, comfortable, and low cost urban mobility to public transport users.

Through improvements to infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling, a BRT

system uses buses to provide a service that is of a higher quality than an ordinary bus line. The BRT will play a leading role in transforming public transport within Rustenburg to a point where it will become the pre-ferred mode of travel for most and make a major contribution towards the more efficient development of Rustenburg as a whole.

The public transport priority measures to be implemented will reduce travel times, with an enormous economic impact.

Immediately after comple-tion of the construction work, journey times for all road users will reduce, saving on vehicle operating costs and time in vehicles. ●

UWP Consulting director, Friedrich Slabbert.


47

A diamond-shaped cathedral of concrete and finely tuned steel, the Rio Negro Bridge rises from the Amazon jungle to span one of the world’s largest rivers. A massively complex project, the Rio Negro bridge measures 3 500 m in total length, and boasts a 400 m long cable-supported central section which

will allow the Amazon’s significant shipping traffic to pass unimpeded.

roads & bridges 47

WHEN COMPLETED, THE BRIDGE over Rio Negro will be the second largest cable-stayed bridge over freshwater on the planet, second only to the crossing of the Orinoco in Venezuela at Ciudad Bolivar. The new bridge will reduce the trip from the regional capital, Manaus, to the interior of the Amazon by 30 minutes each way.

A country divided Brazil is the largest country in South America in land mass and the fifth largest on Earth with a population of 190 million. Brazil has the seventh largest GDP and is, by most accounts, the fastest growing economy. Rich in natural and human resources, this massive country is divided by a complicated system of rivers with the Amazon at its heart, separating its territory into five distinctive regions. Travel in Brazil by anything other than air is difficult, if not nearly impossible, because of its massive river system which divides the country like great walls of water. The Rio Negro bridge will connect the only urban center in the region, Manaus, across the Rio Negro to the city of Iranduba, which serves as the gate-way to the interior of the Amazon, one of

the most remote and untouched regions of the world. Making that connection is costly. Originally projected at USD359-million, the government decided to maximise competi-tion for construction by breaking down the bids into stages of construction. Every stage of the project was separately contracted by the government including primary surveying, pillar construction and insertion, spanning of the pillars with roadway, marine engineering, lighting, and nautical signaling. The benefit of this plan, of course, is that government funds would be spread more broadly through smaller companies, none of which could take on the entire project alone. The downside, however, is that exact costs could not be predicted over the multi-year project, and particularly in a region where little massive construction had been attempted before.

Taming a riverThe Amazon region is well known for its extremes in weather. In Manaus, the tropi-cal monsoon climate means torrential rains which create huge floods that annually in-undate the surrounding areas: factors which hinder mobility, especially considering that

the primary means of transportation across the river is by ferry. The Rio Negro bridge crew has to overcome these challenges as they attempted to span a portion of the river that experts knew very little about. In fact, so little was known about the span of river where the bridge was planned to cross that initial projections required significant surveying of the riverbed as well as monitoring of the river currents. The task proved formidable. A work platform of 400 barges was needed on the river as well as a crane that could hold up to 300 tons to position the piles. But the eco-nomic impact was also significant. The bridge construction employed over 3 300 workers di-rectly with an additional benefit of more than 8 000 workers tangentially involved with the project. As Henrique Domingues, manager of Obras Consorcia Rio Negro, describes it, “We had big challenges. First, the Rio Negro is a big, fast-flowing river, so we chose the narrowest point where we could reasonably cross. Second, little was known about the geology of the region so we had to do surveys for the foundations. The foundations required large-scale metal skirts that we had to drive

Amazon catherdral

Bridge facts

Length: 3 595 m

Road spans:

73 Cable-stayed section: 400 m

Center span height: 55 m

Central Mast Height: 10 m3

Excavated piles:

246 Concrete used: 138 000 m2

Steel used: 14 500 tons



48 roads & bridges48

THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF the infrastruc-ture spending will be poured into the country’s rail and metro network, where more than USD35-billion will be invested in the next 10 years.

In addition, Qatar plans to modernise its road systems through an extensive expressway buildup worth a total of USD20-billion of contracts. Other invest-ment priorities include future expansion plans for the USD12,5-billion Doha Inter-national Airport.

“The next 10 years will be a crucial turning for Qatar’s transition into a highly progressive metropolis, with a transport system that will be amongst the most mod-ern in the world,” says Edmund O’ Sullivan,

chairman, MEED Events, organisers of the 4th Annual Qatar Transport Conference that took place on 27 – 29 May 2013 at the Renais-sance Doha City Centre Hotel.

“For contractors, project owners and developers as well as other transport industry stakeholders, there has never been a better opportunity to understand the key issues and challenges shaping Qatar’s transport requirements than at the conference, which provided an essential breakdown of the country’s transportation sector by key experts and panelists.”

The transport masterplan includes an upgrade of 400-600 km of existing roads at an estimated cost of USD8-billion; as well as expansions for Qatar’s three main ports –

into the riverbed with incredible force. Also, we knew little about the currents below the surface of the river. All this makes the work a daily challenge and requires new technolo-gies and techniques.” And special problems require special teams.

Crowning the bridgeOne of the special teams called in to com-plete the work on the diamond crown of the central span was Camargo Corrêa. Founded in 1939, Camargo Corrêa is now one of the largest construction companies in Brazil. Camargo Corrêa specialises in big projects such as energy and industrial facilities, mass transportation, and sanitation, so it was well placed to take charge of one of the most important and difficult pieces of the bridge, the cable span. After assessing the challenges

of the contract, Camargo Corrêa contacted Topcon dealer Santiago & Cintra to supply them with the equipment they needed to get the job done.

But even then, the surveying teams met unique problems, such as the fact that mov-ing water does not make for good reference points. As surveyor Rosivaldo Marques of Camargo Corrêa explains, “In the construction of a bridge we have only two fixed points, the river banks, essentially to the north and south. In this sense all the measurements with the equipment was made from a fixed point on the south side of the construction site. Without any total station this would not have been possible.” The surveying teams, working from both the stable framing of the bridge and the constantly moving barges, had to adjust to constantly changing realities.

Wind surge, torrential rains, flooding, all could change the playing field. Thankfully, good equipment makes for quality work.

“Santiago & Cintra delivered our Topcon total stations as requested and they were always perfectly calibrated and ready to go to work. Topcon’s local technical support was invaluable to our work on the bridge. We could always count on Topcon technical sup-port from Santiago & Cintra."

The final bil l is expected to total USD614-million: 60% over initial projec-tions. But by reducing the 40 minute ferry ride to a 10 minute drive, and, perhaps most importantly, by increasing the speed of com-munications thanks to the fiber optic cable embedded in its infrastructure, the Rio Negro bridge will take this Amazonian region into the 21st century. ●

Transport upgrade tops Qatari agenda Upgrading its domestic transport system is among Qatar’s investment

priorities for the decade, funding at least USD70-billion worth of projects that have already been planned.

Ras Laffan City, Mesaieed City and Doha Commercial Port.

In addition to gaining key insights about Qatar’s transport sector, delegates attending the conference werebe able to earn Continuous Professional Develop-ment (CPD) credits at a networking and knowledge-sharing session being held in association with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Other presentations and panel dis-cussions covered the entire spectrum of transport projects in Qatar. These included including rail, ports, freight, and airport developments.

As a major international event, Qatar Transport 2013, supported by Bentley, EC Harris, Grace Construction Products, Hyder Consulting and Louis Berger, at-tracted a large and influential international audience, and thus provided attendees unprecedented networking opportunities that are available with high profile govern-ment representatives, project owners, gen-eral engineering consultants, contractors, financiers and investors, and specialist ser-vice providers to the transport industry. ●

Key stakeholders and decision makers met to discuss opportunities in Qatar Transport 2013.

About Qatar Transport 2013 MEED’s annual Qatar Transport c o n f e r e n c e h a s d e ve l o p e d successfully over the years bringing in main clients in the transportation sector to give p r o j e c t u p d a t e s , p r o m o t e a n n o u n c e m e n t s a n d s h a r e developments made in Qatar’s Rail network initiatives, local and major roads programmes, highway projects, intermodal transport networks facilities and tunnelling developments.


50

Libya’s massive rebui lding efforts, driven by large-scale investments on new projects, will help sustain the country’s double-digit growth in 2013, said His Excellency Deputy

Pr ime Minister Dr Awad Ibrahim Elbarasi at a press

conference announcing the launch of Libya Projects 2013.

roads & bridges50

DR ELBARASI CITED FIGURES from theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF), which sees Libya’s economy growing by 16,5% in 2013. He also revealed that the upcoming plans for Libya to host African Cup of Nations (CAF) in 2017 has resulted in a massive bud-get of LYD400-million purely for construction of infrastructure for the CAF in 2013 alone.

With the recent successful completion of Libya’s second anniversary revolution,

confidence in the country has increased and preparations for several critical projects are underway. According to Dr Elbarasi, the top industries in Libya with major projects to be awarded this year until 2015 are infrastruc-ture, oil and gas, petrochemicals, utilities and industry with government entities as key cli-ents, the largest being GECOL, HIB and NOC.

“Our ageing infrastructure needs a radical overhaul. We devised a projects programme that will develop and modernise critical infrastructure, energy, utilities and industry sectors to boost the economy. Stability and economic diversification are high on the agenda of the government and we are laying the groundwork for this initiative to move forward starting with the election of the new members of the General National Congress,” said Dr Elbarasi.

With petrodollars reserve, Libya has the means to fund the programme, making it a huge possibility in the foreseeable future. These developments will be comprehensively discussed at the inaugural Libya Projects 2013 conference, scheduled on 3 - 5 June, 2013 at the Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli, Libya.

“As Libya transforms and renews itself,

Dr Awad Ibrahim Elbarasi (left), Libyan deputy prime minister speaks to MEED's Richard Thompson about the rebuilding efforts in Libya.

the need for up-to-date and accurate mar-ket intelligence and high-end networking opportunities with key government institu-tions and relevant project owners has never been greater, making the conference a must-attend event for key stakeholders eager to make inroads into the country’s projects development programme,” said Edmund O’ Sullivan, Chairman, MEED Events, organisers of Libya Projects 2013 in cooperation with Business Mirror (BM) Libya, and supported the General National Congress.

Delegates attending Libya Projects can expect to learn about the on-ground practi-cal realities of doing business in Libya; as well as interact and create key relationships with more than 300 individuals and institutions involved in the country’s rebuilding efforts.

In addition to Dr Elbarasi, who will discuss Libya’s economic outlook and growth strate-gies, Libya Projects 2013 will also feature a keynote address by Dr. Juma Attiga, Vice President, General National Congress, who will share insights on Libya’s long term vision as captured in its 2030 framework, as well as its roadmap for the utilities, infrastructure and power sectors.

Equally important, the conference will share important updates on tactical mea-sures being adopted by the government to ease the security concerns of international companies intending to do business in Libya. A dedicated session on funding, procure-ment and project management will help participants develop a tailored funding and project management approach for Libya’s projects market.

With interest on Libya’s projects market at a high during this intense rebuilding phase, interested participants are encouraged to register early to book a place in Libya Projects 2013, which is also being supported by Ernst & Young, Shapoorji Pallonji, Drake and Scull, Hill International, Keller, Saint Gobain Glass, Libya Holdings, Dar Al Handash, Jeddah Cables Company, Parsons. ●

Libya’s rebuilding to sustain double-digit growth


51roads & bridges 51

“SCHOOLCHILDREN AND BREADWINNERS are forced to wait a minimum of four hours to get across the bridge, but with the new bridge being developed, this would drastically improve access to and from the both countries,” says GIBB’s director: electrical engineering, Dr Willem Sprong.

The Kazungula Bridge is a pact between Botswana and Zambia, a bilateral trade tie. The bridge would be instrumental in aiding Botswana and Zambia to work together, increase trade and assist citizens’ work in either country without work permits.

The project will see leading South African consulting engineering company, GIBB earn at least R40-million through a joint venture with Nippon Koei, managing the review of the pre-construction phase and detailed designs, and ultimately, the construction.

According to Sprong, the Kazungula Bridge is a 960 m bridge to be built over the next five years. Construction is envisioned to begin in March 2014 with completion expected for early 2018.

This new bridge will accommodate both road and rail. “We are responsible for the design review, tender documentation

and supervision of the construction of the Kazungula Bridge proj-ect,” says Sprong. He added that the bridge will be unique in that it would consist of two one-stop border posts on either side of the

bridge, which will prevent queues by motorists on the bridge itself.Other players in the JV working on the project include

Bothagka Burrow Botswana, CPP Botswana and Zulu Burrow Development Consultants.

“One of the challenges on this project is that there is an annual three month flooding season on the area and this will potentially hinder the construction during this period. The team would have to ensure that they maximise the period before flooding season starts to meet the appropriate deadlines,” adds Sprong. ●

Kazungula Bridge gets underwayThe construction of the USD248-million Kazungula

Bridge will infinitely improve the quality of life for the thousands of people who are currently reliant on a ferry to travel to and from Zambia

and Botswana.


52

Affordable saws for entry level contractors

roads & bridges52

DIAMOND PRODUCTS DIRECTOR Brian Clark notes that the recently introduced DP 75 H wall saw is an ideal option for the clinical non-destructive removal of concrete to create openings in the civil industry applications. "The saw consists of an 800 mm diameter blade, which can cut reinforced concrete and masonry to a depth of 320 mm. Another feature is a high frequency motor can be disconnected from the machine in less than two minutes without the need for any tools, in order to reduce the carrying weight for the operator."

Clark explains that the saw comprises of a cutting head, tracks and power pack, which are manufactured from a torsion rigid aluminium, with stainless steel taper gibs, while power transmission is achieved by an oil-lubricated gear with an integrated over-load clutch in its rotating arm. “The blade and the feed operations are electrically driven by a three-phase 380 V motor, which eliminates the need for costly, bulky hydraulic power packs onsite."

According to Clark, the electric motor is a high-cycle motor, which provides greater watts to increase the power of the saw with-out sacrificing its lightweight. "The saw is

easily portable, making it suited to the African market where more and more jobs are done in confined spaces. Due to its fast set-up, the DP 75 H wall saw provides improved pro-ductivity, while its electric design eliminates leaks that occur when many hydraulic wall saws are used."

Diamond Products co-director Darryl Gray notes that the DP 13 HP-400 concrete saw is another suitable option that is more competitively priced than similar competi-tor products, while maintaining the highest standards of quality. "The machine can be fitted with blades as large as 400 mm, thereby ensuring respectable cutting depths, and is ideally suited for repairing pot holes and cutting neat curbs or trenches across roads for pipe laying," he explains.

Gray highlights the fact that the DP 13 HP-400 concrete saw is powered by a 13 hp Honda engine, which provides customers with further peace of mind with regards to reliability and parts availability. "The simplic-ity of the machine is another major advantage to smaller contractors, as it has a minimal amount of moving parts, and can be easily loaded onto the back of a bakkie. The DP 13 HP-400 concrete saw is completely stand

Small and emerging contractors that specialise in working on projects involving roads and bridges can benefit from a range of specialised concrete saws available in the local market through Diamond Products – a specialist in the manufacture, assembly and sale of diamond tools

and equipment for industrial applications.

alone and even houses its own water tank to keep the blade cool in rural conditions where water supply is difficult to come by."

According to Gray, a super-rigid box frame ensures straight cuts while resisting warping and vibration, which ultimately prolongs the life of the saw and the blade. "Additional features of the DP 13 HP-400 concrete saw include; ergonomically designed height adjustable handles and easy crank for raising and lowering cutting depth, in addition to a hinged front lift-up blade, which is designed to provide easy replacement," he continues.

The new DP 13 HP-400 concrete saw fits in perfectly with Diamond Products MAX range of cutting blades, which offer increased value-for-money, due to the fact that it comes standard with a 14 mm diamond segment, as opposed to the industry standard of 10 mm.

“In the plant hire industry, it is important to stock equipment that is reliable and durable, and the 14 mm diamond segment ensures a significantly increased lifespan for the blade, thereby providing the plant hire company and its clients with a high qual-ity and cost effective floor cutting product," notes Clark.

The Max Blade range, which is capable of reaching a cutting depth of 125 mm on concrete and tar surfaces, is ideally suited to medium sized applications that do not require large capital equipment. Gray notes that over the past 20 years, the construction industry has moved away from owning small plants in order to save on overhead costs. "This means that small plant hire has devel-oped into a big industry in South Africa and, thanks to the innovation and quality of the Max Blades range, Diamond Products is able to satisfy the needs of both the supplier and the contractors.”Brian Clark (left) and Darryl Gray.


53roads & bridges 53

Clark adds that all distributors of the

D i a m o n d P r o d u c t s brand are fully trained

in the various applications of the produc t , and that

in-store training is also available to consum-

ABOVE: DP 75 H wall saw. FAR LEFT: Floor saw – 13 hp.LEFT: DP 75 H wall saw control unit.

ers. “Diamond Products prides itself on sup-plying the highest-quality product offerings to the South African market, and is the only company in the industry that offers free cus-tomer training as part of its after sales service package. This provides a comprehensive solu-tions package to meet all requirements.” ●


54 crushing & screening54

UMHLALI QUARRY HAS over the past few months replaced much of its mobile equip-ment with products from the Jet Park-based company’s modular crushing, screening and materials handling range. The net result is a modular facility with the equivalent output of a traditional permanent static plant, but with significant savings in terms of both cost and time.

According to Pilot Crushtec International national sales manager Nicolan Govender, the process began in mid-2011 when it sup-plied the north coast company with its first cone crusher.

“As we have a permanent presence in the region, it was easy for us to provide full support to the customer through the design process and beyond. Regular contact and collaboration sparked the drive to increase Umhlali Quarry’s output of road stone aggregate, by giving it the capability of a modular custom built plant. Crushers, screens and conveyors from the Pilot Modular suite

Creating capacity through collaborationCreating capacity through collaboration

“POWERSCREEN CONTINUES TO strengthen its Global Distirbutor Network with the signing of DUO Africa in Ghana. The region has great potential and we are confident that DUO will be an excellent distributor to deliver growth and support for our customers’ requirements. Power-screen now has more than 120 distributors across the world to deliver

A leading quarry operator in KwaZulu-Natal has established a static high output crushing plant, thanks to the close collaboration that exists between itself and Pilot Crushtec International.

of products were selected,” says Govender.The result is an operation that was sup-

plied and installed in the space of a few months. The primary plant is currently pro-ducing aggregate at a level of 250 tonnes per hour (tph) which is deposited into a surge stockpile, while the secondary plant has an output in the region of 280 tph.

“What we have delivered to the customer has, over a period of time, provided a modu-lar solution to meet his needs. The modular concept gives us the ability to build up the plant’s capacity in stages, as and when required. By following this route, Umhlali Quarry has avoided the high capital outlay and extended time frame associated with the construction of a conventional permanent plant,” Govender adds.

The company is owned by Kenyan busi-nessman Kinyua Gachoki who has extensive agricultural and quarrying interests in the region. The business relationship, which now sees him operating Pilot Crushtec’s largest

static plant in KwaZulu-Natal, has grown directly as result of the service and technical support he enjoys from his supplier.

“Right from its very first visit, Pilot Crush-tec International has helped us to develop our crushing knowledge and we know that any solution to a technical problem is just a phone call away. Nicolan Govender has also given us great assistance in identifying the markets best suited to our equipment,” says Gachoki.

He adds that a particular incentive to do business with Pilot Crushtec International is that it has the ability to supply products ex-stock without any prolonged waiting periods. This belief was reinforced recently when Umhlali Quarry took delivery of a new Sandvik QJ241 mobile jaw crusher in order to boost its production.

The Umhlali Quarry stable of Pilot Crush-tec equipment currently consists of a Pilot Modular/TRIO MC130 cone crusher, a Pilot Modular/TRIO MJ3042 jaw crusher, a Twister AC210 vertical shaft impact crusher with a 200 kW motor, a Pilot Modular TD6118 triple deck screen, a Pilot Modular DD4815 double deck screen and a Pilot Modular DD2412 double deck dry screen. Materials transfer is handled by nine Pilot Modular conveyors. ●

The modular custom built plant has now increased Umhlali Quarry’s output of road stone aggregate.

New distributor for GhanaPowerscreen, one of the world’s leading providers of mobile crushing and screening equipment, is delighted to announce the signing of DUO Africa as their first distributor in Ghana. DUO Africa will sell equipment into Ghana and support Powerscreen products in the Sub-Saharan region.

FROM LEFT: Alex Moss – CEO; Rodney Kennedy – general manager; Luke Talbot and Fintan McKeever – sales managers, all from DUO Africa.


55

Terex Washing Systems (TWS) have just completed commissioning a 150 tph Recycling Wash Plant in Glasgow in association with their

Scottish dealer Blue Machinery (Scotland). The plant which is now up and running, 10 hours per day, was installed for the well known

independent quarrying company Paterson’s Quarries. The new site is located at their Greenoakhill Quarry & Recycling Centre, Glasgow.

crushing & screening 55

“WE ARE DELIGHTED to continue our close working relationship with Paterson’s of Greenoakhill in supplying this new TWS washing plant for their new materials recov-ery centre at Greenoakhill. We have worked closely with the Paterson’s Group over the last 10 years and look forward to a continued working relationship with them,” comments Austin Carey, managing director, Blue Machinery (Scotland).

A bespoke Terex Washing System plant is processing construction, demolition and excavation waste to produce four grades of stone and two grades of sand. Fergal McPhil-lips, sales manager for TWS explains, “Upon careful analysis of the feed material and being mindful of the large variation in the silt content, it was established that specific attention was necessary when choosing the sand plant. With this in mind a flexible sand plant with a unique pre-wash option was sure to be the perfect solution. Based on these findings TWS proposed a bespoke system which is now ensuring that the construc-tion and demolition waste material is being effectively processed and is producing sale-able aggregates and sand.” Garry Stewart, applications & sales support engineer, TWS added, “The high silt content of Paterson’s construction and demolition material was a challenge which TWS relished. We knew we had the expertise and technology to convert this sticky clay bound material into saleable building materials. The Paterson’s material is hugely variable and it was critical that we designed and manufactured a plant which could handle these variations. On a recent site visit we witnessed first hand the quality of clean aggregate and sand being produced.”

Paterson’s approached Blue Machinery (Scotland) Ltd as they required a Recycling Wash Plant to deal with tens of thousands

of tons of construction, demolition and excavation waste. Extensive testing and sieve analysis highlighted that the material to be processed had a very high silt content of 30% plus. After consultation with Blue Machinery (Scotland) and Paterson’s and vigorous analysis on the feed product, Terex Washing Systems proposed their range of cyclone separators and utilised a prewash to manage this high level of silt (less than 63 micron material).

Sean Loughran, director of TWS com-mented, “Blue Machinery (Scotland) has a strong history in washplant sales in Scotland with the previous Powerscreen Brand and were the natural choice as the dealer for TWS in this area. The Blue Machinery (Scot-land) sales team is highly respected within the Scottish market not only for high quality products they sell but also for their high levels

of application and technical knowledge. The Paterson’s Plant is a demonstration of

what can be achieved from initial conception through to the production of high quality products. Both Blue Machinery (Scotland) and TWS carefully considered the customer’s specific needs and manufactured a truly effi-cient plant which is now producing the goods in terms of high quality recycled aggregates.”

The end products are being sold into the market for construction projects and groundwork contracts throughout Glasgow as well as being used in Paterson’s Readymix and their concrete block making operations. This Terex Washing Systems plant completes the recycling process with construction, de-molition and excavated material taken from sites around Glasgow, which is processed and is then returned to those sites in the form of clean, sized aggregate for drainage, Readymix Concrete, concrete blocks and asphalt.

This is one of many plants TWS have installed where they continue to provide a unique solution for the customer’s indi-vidual needs, which is achieved through years of expertise from rich heritage and legacy companies. Post plant installation, TWS is committed to providing outstanding customer support which is realised through their global dealer network. ●

Doing the washing up globally

An aeriel view of Paterson's site.

unbeaten customer support; committed to getting customers the right parts the first time and providing experienced field engineers should you need them,” says Colin Clements, international sales director.

DUO PLC has been an existing Powerscreen distributor in the UK for more than 25 years, and also represents other Terex® product lines: Terex Mineral Processing Systems and Terex Washing Systems..

“We are delighted to strengthen our relationship with the Pow-erscreen brand. Having worked on several washing, crushing and screening projects in Africa in recent years, we have gained consider-able experience in this market which combined with our extensive Powerscreen product knowledge places us in an excellent position to establish DUO Africa and Powerscreen as progressive, market-leading

brands in Ghana and across the West African region,” says DUO CEO, Alex Moss. He adds, “Our Ghanaian office and Service Centre will carry comprehensive stock of Powerscreen spares and will be supported by a team of experienced Service Engineers who will provide our African customer-base with the same levels of support we offer our UK customers.”

DUO will offer customers financing options through Terex Finan-cial Services™. Terex Financial Services offers a range of finance and leasing solutions, structured to accommodate customers’ cash flow and budgets. The Terex Financial Services team is equipped to assist in all areas of asset management, from the analysis of future equip-ment values through the disposal of used equipment. ●


56 fuel & oil56

ROTOTHERM, REPRESENTED LOCALLY by Instrotech, uses the proven Canongate technology. Tank-i has been developed for level measurement on the vehicle fuel tank and is a solution that allows fleet operators to monitor, manage and ultimately protect their fuel.

Principle of operation A small, non-invasive ultrasonic sensor is bonded to the

external base of the fuel tank. The system calculates the height of the liquid in the tank from the time taken for the signal to be transmitted and then received from the

liquid surface. Signals from the transducer are fed into

“OIL AND GAS HAS THREE segments – up-stream, midstream and downstream. Rand-Air is already actively supplying a number of its Atlas Copco products to the midstream and downstream markets. We have recently seen a growing awareness of applications whereby we supply oil-free compressors, to-gether with nitrogen kits, to customers in the expanding downstream market,” says Byrone Thorne, marketing manager for Rand-Air.

“We believe that this is a result of the awareness drive by Rand-Air, in both South Africa and Africa, regarding the benefits of using our products. We successfully sup-plied this product combination for a mining application in Madagascar, and our team identified and pursued an opportunity in South Africa. By being open to the needs of customers, we are able to customise solutions that increase their productivity and decrease their downtime,” adds Kim Coetzee, sales manager at Rand-Air.

The latest proactive initiative by Rand-Air is the gearing up to supply product to the upstream offshore market. “Rand-Air is in the process of opening Atlas Copco Rental in Angola. One of our key employees – Ceu Moreira – has been tasked with setting up the facility and identifying the right people to work in this operation,” says Coetzee.

It is critical to supply only rig-safe, Zone 2 machines to the offshore market. “As one moves closer to the drilling area, stringent safety measures are required. We have been very involved in our research of this very specialised and exacting market to ensure we provide the right products where and when they are needed,” Thorne continues.

Rand-Air is a pivotal part of the Atlas Copco organisation, whereby specialisation is the order of the day. “Atlas Copco Rental, operating under the auspices of Rand-Air, will provide a valuable complementary service to Atlas Copco Rental in the United Kingdom (UK). The UK rental division has specialised in the oil and gas industry for many years and we will be able to leverage their knowledge and experience in the field,” says Coetzee.

The benefit of providing a product base and service backup from southern Africa, is that Atlas Copco Rental in Angola will be able to alleviate any logistical problems and delivery lead times associated with sourcing the product from the UK, as was previously the case.

Coetzee says that safety adherence and the provision of knowledgeable people are critical prerequisites for supplying product to the oil and gas industry. “Our employees are all undertaking compulsory offshore

training to enable them to work on the rigs. In addition, the team is also currently under-going an extensive training and upskilling familiarisation process with regard to the specific functions and applications of each specialised product.”

A number of high-end products have been identified for their suitability in the oil and gas industry. These include the Atlas Copco steam boiler, the nitrogen generator, Atlas Copco Zone 2 machines, rig-safe machines and the dedicated offshore TwinAir compressor.

“We will be able to provide appropriately selected equipment, with an excellent track record, for the specialised oil and gas applica-tions. Advantages that we bring to the party are our customer-centric service approach, our consistent adherence to sustainability, and Atlas Copco’s new technology, which is characterised by reliability and superior backup service. This is very much in line with what our parent company, Atlas Copco is doing on a global scale,” Thorne concludes. ●

Kim Coetzee, sales manager at Rand-Air.

Customer-centricity for growing oil and gas industry

Customer-centric service and high-quality equipment underpin Rand-Air’s approach to sustainable business. In line with demand from customers in the oil and gas sector, the company is gearing up to

extend its existing service offering to this burgeoning industry.

Monitor, manage and protect fuelWith the ever-escalating cost of fuel these days, the

siphoning-off of fuel from vehicles for illicit sale in commercial fleets and industry in general is, not

surprisingly and most alarmingly, on the increase.

the processor and then output to a separate system. The package is supplied as a sensor/processor pair. The system can be configured to work in a low power mode which can be controlled from the telem-etry system where required. When combined with a GRS telemetry tracking system, the fleet manager can get an accurate and up-to-date indication of the vehicles’ fuel consumption and be warned of any excess consumption, due possibly to fuel theft.

Tank-i is ATEX (safety) approved for hazardous areas where required and easy to install – with no down-time and no penetration of the tank vessel. It can be retrofitted to existing tanks/fleets and is unaffected by temperature fluctuations. With no moving parts there is no maintenance on the unit.

Currently, Tank-i has found application in refrigerant receivers; low pressure gas (LPG) tanks; distilled spirits vats; beer tanks and tank-ers; pure water tanks; liquid chlorine tanks; acid and solvents tanks. Tank-i is used by leading beverage, pharmaceutical and chemical companies around the world for accurate, reliable, simple and safe tank contents gauging. ●


57

TYPICALLY, THE PRESENCE of lead in an oil sample comes from the wear of plain bearing material as it is a metal used in the construction of such bearings. As lead is quite toxic, there is a move to use ‘greener’ materials and the metal, bismuth, fits the bill.

So says John Evans, diagnostic manager for WearCheck, who has over 30 years’ experience in the oil analysis industry, and currently heads up WearCheck's team of diagnosticians.

Evans goes on to explain, “For many years ‘white metal’ (plain or hydrodynamic) bearings have been made of a lead/bronze alloy, usually containing 10% lead, 10% tin and 80% copper. Typical uses of such bearing can be found in big end and main bearing applications in internal combustion engines, and bearings in hydraulic pumps.

“The alloy is very effective as a bearing material and relies on the fact that lead is insoluble in the copper/tin (bronze) alloy. The lead forms small pockets in the bronze matrix that deform and smear easily across the surface of the bearing. This lead coating has very low shear properties and forms a solid lubricating surface at high speeds. The soft lead is also good at minimising the effect of abrasive wear and contamination particles as they become embedded in the lead layer.

“Typically, these bearings would consist of a lead overlay on a bronze matrix for fatigue resistance with a steel backing for strength.

“As effective as these alloys may be,” says Evans, “engineers are under pressure to find alternatives to the use of heavy metals such as lead. This has been primarily driven by the European Union under a direc-tive concerning the Restriction of Hazardous Substances. Lead-based alloys for bearing materials are currently exempted from this directive but the race is on to find an alternative to lead.

“Some success has been found with the metal bismuth replacing lead in an alloy containing 3% bismuth, 10% tin and 87% copper. The bismuth is also insoluble in the bronze matrix and operates in exactly the same way as lead.

“Bismuth is a white crystalline metal with a pinkish tinge and a melting point of 271 ºC. Like lead it is very dense, but considerably less toxic. The major producing countries are Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Canada and Japan.

“Since introducing the test in its trial phase, the use of bismuth has been noted in some engine oil samples, usually accompanied by the absence of lead. The analysis of bismuth will be useful in determining the presence of abnormal plain bearing wear in engines, and Wear-Check can now offer this service.

“Interestingly, bismuth naphthenate has also been used to replace lead naphthenate as an extreme pressure (EP) additive in greases, and it sometimes shows up in grease analysis and helps to identify the additive chemistry of the grease,” concludes Evans. ●

Condition monitoring specialists WearCheck recently became the first oil analysis laboratory in South Africa to offer the spectrometric determination

of bismuth levels in used lubricating oils.

fuel & oil 57Bismuth analysis

John Evans, diagnostic manager for condition monitoring specialists WearCheck, recently confirmed that theirs is the first oil analysis laboratory in South Africa to

determine bismuth levels in used lubricating oils, a development which spells good news in the long term for 'greener' bearing material.


58 equipment58

R E G I O N A L S A L E S M A N AG E R J u a n Frauenstein says Babcock has successfully tendered and supplied construction equip-ment to the DOT for rural road maintenance over many years. The equipment is deployed throughout the province, from Kokstad to Eshowe, from the Department’s central premises in Pietermaritzburg.

“I believe we secured this particular order based on delivery and pricing, having negotiated the best possible prices with our suppliers,” he comments. “To meet the DOT’s tight deadline for delivery of all units, we implemented the required modifications and delivered the units within a record 10 weeks, via a staggered programme that met every delivery date agreed with the DOT at the time the order was placed. This was a tremendous achievement and Department officials commended us on the professional, fast and hassle-free manner in which we expedited this order.

“Modifications included central lubrica-tion, special tyre specifications and a Sentinel

engine protection system. We met their specifications to the letter and, in certain areas, even exceeded the requirements on both the graders and the backhoe loaders.

“Babcock is also providing operator train-ing via our in-house trainers, which certifies the operators as competent to handle these machines. In addition, we’re providing techni-cal training that allows operators to conduct basic troubleshooting and repairs. Field service technicians based at our Durban and Richards Bay branches conduct most of the major servicing in the field.”

Field-proven componentsVolvo graders are engineered with field-proven components for reliable service life. Top features include a twin-gear, direct-drive circle turn system, for maximum strength to hold or smoothly turn the 3,66 m moldboard while moving under full load.

The moldboard comes with replaceable cutting edges and overlays. A ROPS/FOPS low profile cab has an interior noise of 72dB(A), as

Babcock has just completed the fast track delivery of 20 Volvo G930 graders and 11 Volvo BL61B backhoe loaders to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport (DOT). This is the biggest order for graders the company has received from the KwaZulu-Natal DOT to date.

Biggest KZN orderwell as a deluxe suspension seat, tilt steering and unobstructed views, for less fatigue, more comfort and safety. The graders’ design makes for low maintenance and easy service access to all components, incorporating a unique, easy-lift rear hood.

They are all equipped with Volvo power-shift transmission, featuring eight forward and four reverse gears, as well as rear rippers and scarifiers.

All the machines are fitted with Volvo CareTrack state-of-the-art telematics systems that deliver real time operational information to a computer or cell phone.

The Volvo backhoes are equipped with a heavy duty loader styled 1 m3 front bucket and a 720 mm rear bucket, both with replace-able teeth. These machines provide safe, ergonomic operation with plenty of personal storage and very good all-around visibility from a ROPS/FOPS cab with an interior noise of 74dB(A). Separate hydraulic valves for loader and excavator provide a load-sensing, flow-sharing hydraulic performance.

As the exclusive distributor for Volvo Construction Equipment in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Lesotho, Babcock International Group offers a full aftermarket support capability including maintenance, repair and overhaul utilising comprehensively equipped workshops. ●


59

Increasing versatility

Goscor Hi-Reach, sole distributors of Genie products in Southern Africa, won several awards at the annual Genie Awards, which were held

recently in Dubai at the annual summit for dealers in the Africa/ Middle East region. These included a special individual award that

went to Goscor Hi-Reach MD George Landsberg for his personal contribution to Genie in the region.

equipment

Increased versatility and safetyThe introduction of the new quick coupler wheel loader attachments is the latest expan-sion of the new Doosan Heavy Attachment range for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. Offering a one-stop shop approach for attachments and increased versatility for Doosan wheel loaders and excavators, the Doosan Heavy Attachment range has been designed to match key machine parameters and kinematics to ensure optimum performance, visibility, stability and safe operation at all times. All of the attachments are designed, manufactured, tested and approved in accordance with cur-rent international standards.

The new Doosan wheel loader quick couplers increase safety by enabling the operator to easily and quickly change attachments without leaving their cab. Visual locking indicators, protected cylinders and ISO/DIS 13031.2 compliance provide a further guarantee of safety. The independent auxiliary circuit on the quick couplers also allows full use of third or fourth functions for hydraulic attachments.

The new Doosan wheel loader quick cou-plers offer a robust construction with high-strength steel for extended lifetime in the toughest conditions. The open frame design lowers the weight of the couplers and ensures maximum visibility for the operator, with compact dimensions that minimise machine capacity and breakout force losses.

Buckets are matched to the tipping loads of the wheel loaders for maximum stabil-ity and safe operation of the machines. The design of the attachments is based on kine-matics simulations which prevent collisions or kinematic lock-out and ensure the move-ment of the attachments is what is expected and is always completely under the control of the operator. The simulations also ensure forces are transferred correctly from bucket to the carrier to facilitate optimum loading, digging, crowding and dumping. Critical bucket positions have been optimised to enhance digging and dumping performance. In addition, the pallet fork attachments have been designed to ensure that the operator

GOSCOR ALSO WALKED away with the award for ‘Best Performance for Scissor Lifts’ as well as ‘Best Aftermarket Service’, which recognised the company’s excellence in training, warranty support, parts availability, refurbishing, service and maintenance.

Sharbel Kordahi, (general manager) Terex Middle East and Southern Africa – Genie’s parent company – said that yet again Goscor Hi-Reach’s performance had been outstanding. “Year in and year out, Goscor Hi-Reach goes the distance for us and for its

Awards for local distributor

Doosan has announced the launch of a new range of ISO 23727 type quick coupler systems for the company’s new generation Doosan DL200-3 to DL420-3 Stage IIIB compliant wheel loaders.

For use with the new quick couplers, Doosan has also

launched a new range of pallet fork and bucket attachments.

Doosan has launched a new range of pallet fork and bucket attachments.

customers. From sales to aftermarket ser-vice, their vitality as an organisation ensures constant growth for Genie aerial platforms in Southern Africa,” he said.

Kordahi also congratulated Landsberg for his individual achievement. “George Landsberg has worked with Genie since 1999. In all this time, his commitment, imagination and professionalism has never been less than first rate. The award is more than deserved,” Kordahi said.

The summit at which the awards were made was attended by dealers from Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, South Africa and others. ●

has excellent visibility of the tines in every area of operation.

The new quick coupler range comple-ments the family of high quality pin-on bucket attachments for the Doosan wheel loader range. The quick-coupler and pin-on buckets offer a combination of robust con-struction and excellent penetration capabili-ties, covering the full range of applications from light duty jobs to the most severe and arduous tasks. The large number of sizes and bucket types – encompassing General Purpose, Heavy-Duty, Rock and Light Mate-rial buckets - ensures maximum versatility and efficiency. ●

Doosan has launched a new range of ISO 23727 type quick coupler systems for the company’s new generation Doosan DL200-3 to DL420-3 Stage IIIB compliant wheel loaders.


60

The successful execution of a heavy lift is based on a number

of core elements. According to Peter Yaman, general manager of Johnson Crane Hire’s Heavy Lift Division, the

basis of a safe lifting operation is determined by careful,

systematic planning.

equipment

JOHNSON CRANE HIRE leverages its ex-tensive experience in the lifting industry and provides clients with access to the largest crane f leet in South Afr ica , operated by a strategically trained team of skilled crane operators.

PlanningProactive planning and a clear pre-emptive understanding of the nature of the lift, the risks involved, and any limitations is critical to the success of a heavy lift.

“The planning begins with a site inspec-tion followed by a more intensive on-site visit by Johnson Crane Hire’s technical heavy lift team to verify measurements and dimen-sions. Once the details are acquired, a CAD rigging study, in 2D or 3D, is undertaken. A 3D rendering provides us with the capac-ity to view different angles, thus allowing us obtain the correct perspective of the site. It also ensures that we are able to immedi-ately see any obstructions with the boom and the load, which are not always visible on the 2D drawings,” Yaman explains.

A well-executed drawing also enables the team to determine whether a crane will fit within the confines of the site and whether the crane’s tail swing is clear of any obstruc-tion. “We are able to ascertain these factors by adding all the lifting tackle, slings and other ancillary equipment into the drawing. We are then able to check that the boom length and

hook height are sufficient and that the physi-cal dimensions of the unit do not impact the surrounding plant,” Yaman continues.

By interpolating all of this important information prior to the lift, Johnson Crane Hire is able to select the crane best suited to the application. The next step involves determination of the required load bearing capacity. This information is relayed to the client who can then ensure that the site is prepared to accommodate the high loadings generated by cranes.

SafetySafety underpins every action undertaken by the Johnson Crane Hire team. “The nature of our operational environment, with lifts of high tonnage being common practice, means that we ascribe to the highest levels of health and safety,” says Yaman.

Once the rigging study is completed, a method statement and risk assessment is un-dertaken. This confirms the entire lift process and forms part of Johnson Crane Hire’s oper-ating parameters, in line with good corporate governance and safety file compliance.

“Johnson Crane Hire has extensive expe-rience in a myriad different lifts undertaken in varying circumstances. This allows us to assess any potential risk associated with the lifting operation. Much of the risk is associ-ated with moving the crane into its required position for the lift and assembling it in this position on site,” explains Yaman.

Superior fleetOver the years Johnson Crane Hire has built up an extensive fleet of cranes of varying capacities. “Flexibility and availability of cranes is important to our clients. Similarly, because we do not compromise on safety or quality, our fleet is continually upgraded to provide a comprehensive mixture of techno-logical offerings,” says Yaman.

A well-equipped workshop manned by a mechanical team with strong technical knowledge of cranes guarantees a well-maintained fleet. “Our larger cranes are

Key factors for successful heavy lifts

serviced by the oems. Suppliers like Liebherr provide technical backup and complement the maintenance offering available at each branch from our mobile service technicians. Liebherr maintains an extensive stockholding of the necessary consumables required to keep our large cranes in excellent condition,” adds Yaman.

Skilled, trained operatorsPotential crane operators receive a solid grounding at the company’s training school in Vanderbijlpark.

“Because we have a large pool of opera-tors to choose from, we insist that each of our operators is certified and permitted to only operate specific crane models on which they have been trained and certified. This ensures that the operator is fully versed on the complete operation of his specific crane,” says Yaman.

“Based on the size of our fleet and its utilisation in terms of the number of lifts done in the last year we have increased our market penetration. This is a clear indication that Johnson Crane Hire has not been complacent in its position as the crane hire of choice. We continue to deliver on our promises to clients to provide them with a safe, carefully planned heavy lift,” Yaman concludes. ●

LEFT: Proactive planning by Johnson Crane Hire ensures the success of all lifts. RIGHT: Johnson Crane Hire has extensive experiencein a myriad of different lifts undertaken in varying circumstances.

Johnson Crane Hire is able to select the most appropriate crane for each lifting application due

to its fleet size.


61equipment

THE TWO-STOREY 700 m2 showroom will also house a sales and marketing office and training facility in order to fully highlight the endless creative possibilities that con-crete offers in modern day construction.

PMSA sales and marketing manager Quintin Booysen believes that the com-pany is setting a trend in the local in-dustry through the construction of the entire building which is, in itself, the most fundamental aspect of the showroom. "The modern, minimalistic and aesthetical-ly-pleasing building is constructed almost entirely out of concrete, and in so doing, dispels the common misconception that concrete is a cold, grey and ugly material suited mostly for industrial purposes."

The showroom flooring is completed with HTC Superfloor, which is an easy-to-maintain polished concrete flooring system that provides the highest shine to the floor surface, by making use of a range of HTC floor grinding machines and acces-sories. Booysen notes that PMSA has gone one step further by using HTC Superfloor to polish a number of concrete pull-up structural concrete walling panels, which make up the showroom walls and main reception staircase.

“A polishing and grinding machine weighs up to 300 kg and would be impos-sible to run against a wall. Another option would be to use a hand-held grinding tool, however that would not ensure a precision finish.

"PMSA improvised by pol ishing the precast concrete panels using the HTC Superfloor system, before pulling them up by making use of a tilt-up method,” he continues.

These panels are being used both for structural and display purposes to highlight the potential beauty of precast concrete, by simply polishing or adding colour aggregates to it. Booysen adds: “Our main objective is to show architects, engineers and contractors that a polished precast panel can serve as a stylish and modern finish in a home, office

Innovative concrete showroom Pan Mixers South Africa (PMSA) – the largest supplier of concrete, brick,

block and paving making machinery and technology in Africa – officially opened its cutting-edge showroom, following 18 months

of tireless and dedicated work.

or shopping environment while being a structural element.”

In addition to being aesthetically-pleasing, Booysen points out that the PMSA showroom is also environmentally-friendly and requires minimal maintenance and energy in its daily usage. "Polished con-crete provides further benefits that include ease of cleaning due to a smooth surface, and a reduction in lighting bills, due to the fact that the panels reflect more light into the building."

According to Booysen, concrete floor-ing can have a lower installation and life-time cost, when compared to traditional products such as epoxy flooring and tiling. "What's more, the entire building is fit-ted with acoustic and thermal insulation ceilingsto ensure that the structure is kept cool in the summer and warm in the winter,

Offices in the functional showroom.



62

Over the last decade, the concrete industry has slowly increased

the complexity of its formulas in an effor t to improve in-situ strength, viscosity and setting time, while reducing cost of production with

admixtures which optimise cement to gravel ratios. This

has created a new market for cement mixers that produce

more precise results.

equipment

AT THE 2013 ADVANCES in Cement and Concrete Technology in Africa conference in Johannesburg, Dirk Heuer, manager Building Materials at the German company Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich, explained why the company’s world-renowned inten-sive mixers are gaining new relevance in the progressively high-tech concrete industry:

“Using a unique mixing principle, Eirich mixers have proven to reduce cement requirements by up to 10% without affecting final concrete strength by means of superior homogenisation. Other benefits are higher early strength of the concrete, which means precast products can be removed earlier. This drastically improves precast manufacturers’ productivity,” he says.

“Eirich mixers offer significantly reduced batch times for high performance concrete. That means daily throughputs can be main-tained for much smaller mixers and, in turn,

this reduces energy requirements. In fact, this helps to improve our customers’ profitability as well as the final qual-ity of concrete. Proper homogenisa-

tion of concrete mixtures has also proven to reduce the need for

super plasticisers by between 2% and 10%.”

E i r i c h h a s p r e v i o u s l y focused on its strengths within the specialised mixing markets,

but the increased complexity of concrete manufacturing has seen Eirich’s applicability to the industry grow.

“High value cement also has very small grain sizes, which

increases the mixture’s tendency to agglom-

erate. To destroy these agglomerates, you need more shearing forces to be applied to the mixture. This is a point where our inten-sive mixing principle is a major advantage,” he says.

Eirich, represented locally by its joint venture partner Birkenmayer, started manu-facturing industrial mixers in 1903. The com-pany later invented the world’s first planetary mixer in 1906 and in 1924 introduced the first rotating pan technology to the market and created the world’s first counterflow intensive mixer. The first rotor agitators were introduced in 1960, followed by inclined mix-ing pans in 1972.

“Today, we have a range of application-specific innovations such as hybrid mixing sequences, which allow variable speed mix-ing, various types of wear protection covers and fully automatic cleaning systems. We customise every mixer to match precisely the needs of our customers – starting at project consultation and the supply of mixers and ancillary equipment to aftersales services and support. This is why Eirich is very com-petitive in price and lead times compared to mass-produced mixers which need to be re-designed and customised to suite more specialised mixing applications,” says Heuer.

Eirich is extending its product range by introducing a new one-litre lab machine EL1 which is ideal for research and development in universities for fine grain mixtures. Other product additions include the R16 industrial mixer which features a capacity of 600 to 900 litres. The R28 industrial mixer features a maximum capacity of 4 000 to 5 000 litres and the new R33 features a colossal capacity of 6 000 to 7 000 litres. ●

Driving scientific concrete production

are each specialists in their specific product lines," he continues. "By having all divisions centralised in one location, we can ensure that we provide a comprehensive customer service offering onsite, where clients and their employees will be trained in various fields, ranging from the application and usage of products, to operator safety and machine maintenance."

The concept of the showroom was first dreamt up by PMSA management in mid-2010, with construction beginning approximately one year later.

"A lot of thought and effort was put into the concept of the showroom before construction began. Using a limited budget, we have created a magnificent structure that has been well and truly worth all of the effort that everybody has put in.

"Having finally achieved our goal, I am confident that we will inspire various con-tractors, engineers and architects to make more efficient use of coloured, decorative and polished concrete in the future," Booy-sen concludes. ●

thereby further reducing energy costs and unnecessary energy wastage."

Booysen adds that the showroom will also play a major role in highlighting the capabilities of PMSA's full range of quality concrete equipment and associated tech-nology, as well as the technical support and

after sales service capabilities of the company as a whole.

"Customers will also be provided with a value added service offering as they have the opportunity to touch and feel what is on offer, in addition to being able to directly interact with our various sales engineers, who

The PMSA management team with Gerrie Bouwer, the architect, from E.A.D. (second from left).


63equipment

DURABILITY IS BUILT IN WHEN it comes to the life of Cat motor graders, and so are the components, which are designed to ensure that fleet owners achieve best- in-class utilisation over long hours of in-field application.

Older Cat G and later generation H Series models are prime examples, with systematic component upgrades extend-ing their life for well in excess of 20 years.

“With use, of course, comes operating wear so when it comes to the replacement

Simplifying overhaulsAn all-in-one maintenance

solution for drive train bearing replacement on Cat

G & H series motor graders.

of drive train bearings, Caterpillar has responded with an easy to use kit, which will ensure that maintenance personnel can achieve quick turnaround times for faster grader overhauls,” explains Barlo-world Equipment group product specialist, Reuben Phasha.

For simplified ease of ordering, there are four standard bearing kits to cover specific Cat G or H Series grader mod-els, together with four corresponding part numbers.

As Phasha points out, rather than sourcing loose parts, customers can save up to 15% on a grader drive train bearing refurbishment by going the Cat parts kit route. “For added piece of mind, these are genuine Cat parts, ensuring the best possible ‘in the box’ solution,” he adds. ●

ABOVE: The Cat 140H motor grader. BELOW: The Cat 16H continues to retain its global leadership as one of the best production graders for heavy civil engineering and mining applications.


64

Flooring products supplied by a.b.e. Construction Chemicals

w e r e u s e d f o r n e w floors at the Windhoek

premises of I ndustr ia l Building Supplies (IBS).

products & services

a.b.e. – PART OF THE CHRYSO Southern Africa Group – supplied a combination of its trusted flooring products, abecote 337 tough epoxy paint and abeflo for the 600 m2 new floors at the IBS retail/warehouse outlet in the Namibian capital.

abecote 337 is a two-component, solvent free, water dispersed epoxy emulsion that produces a floor coating with a paint smooth finish. Abecote 337 epoxy floor coating is not only decorative but robust enough to have been applied as protection for factory and warehouse floors throughout Southern Africa. Floors at chicken farms, dairies, motor workshops and even battery plants – with their acidic environment – are protected with abecote 337. The product is also used as concrete curing membrane and primer for a.b.e. hi-build and abeflo.

abeflo is a four-component, solvent free, self levelling flooring system with clear resin and hardener components. The product caters for high-hygiene standards and pro-vides strong colour retention and a medium gloss finish. The product also has a derivative in abeflo HPU: a polyurethane self levelling chemical resistance mortar.

Peter Jones, a.b.e. Construction Chemicals’ product manager: flooring, says IBS was impressed by a product presentation on abeflo he had conducted in Namibia last year and selected the product to achieve the neat, smooth, and hard wearing surface it was seeking for its new flooring. Architects, Decora of Windhoek, as a result specified the a.b.e. system for the project.

“a.b.e.-approved applicator, Implicor of Windhoek, headed by Chris Deetering, requested that I f ly to Windhoek to personally supervise the smooth application of these a.b.e. products. Implicor had previously undergone a.b.e. training for a flooring project it handled for Windhoek Breweries,” Jones states.

“For the IBS project, Implicor initially

THE SOLUTION FOR THIS demand is Sika’s latest technology Sika ViscoFlow. In the area of concrete admixtures for ready-mixed and site-mixed concrete, the Sika ViscoFlow product group opens up new possibilities for retention of the consistency of concrete and thus for its workability over periods of hours.

The key element of Sika ViscoFlow is the latest technology polycarboxylate ether-based superplasticiser, which (enhances) the workability time significantly, allowing for the period needed to transport and place the concrete properly.

The initial setting of the concrete is thereby only extended by the additional workability time gained by the use of this polymer. This is important for urban construction sites with congested traffic, or in remote areas resulting in long transportation times. The workability time can thus be defined based on the requirements:• Slump retention without additional retardation and

subsequent fast strength development

• Constant slump flow and consistency of your concrete for hours

• Suitable for a wide range of applications with high or low water/cement ratio and/or high or low ambient temperatures

Consistency and duration of workability of the concrete mixture are thereby positively affected along the entire dosing spectrum. This holds true for all Portland cement types. Sika ViscoFlow

Windhoek industrial warehouse

had to vacuum grind the floors before applying two coats of abecote 337 as primer. The primer was required as the floor was very porous. The primer was applied late in the afternoon and early evening to help the system penetrate the substrate as the midday heat cooled off. This is always recommended in areas of extreme temperatures.

A 2 mm thick coating of abeflo – in Pale Grey colouring – was subsequently applied to produce quality flooring which completely met the client’s expectation and approval,” he adds.

In over seven decades of operation, a.b.e. Construction Chemicals has formulated prod-ucts that are trusted and applied by major flooring contractors, and can also be used by the home-owner/DIY enthusiast. ●

Workability enhancing admixtureThe South African construction industry with its

many challenging projects is demanding more and more workability time of fresh concrete,

in order to be as flexible as possible.


65products & services

THE MSA CLOSED CIRCUIT breathing apparatus is specifically designed for long duration missions, and comes fully fitted with potassium hyperoxide (KO

2) canisters

that provide for four hours of breathing support for emergency and rescue teams in confined spaces.

The MSA AirElite 4h was officially in-troduced to the South African market in November 2012 by MSA Africa. points out that the breathing apparatus is particularly well suited to numerous applications, in-cluding; mining rescue teams, firefighters, chemical industries, refineries, military facilities and port authorities.

KO2 – function and reaction

Exhaled air, enriched with carbon diox-ide (CO

2) and moisture, is directed into

the exhalation bag by the valve control. A blower assists the air in its passage through the air distributor and into the two parallel connected KO

2 canisters. Inside the

KO2 canisters, with their maintenance free

cooling, the exhaled air is liberated of car-bon dioxide and humidity, and is enriched with fresh oxygen (O

2).

Mohun highlights the fact that another important aspect of KO

2 is that it offers

optimal O2 surplus, due to the fact that

there is no compressed O2 reserve, which

may cause CO2 intoxication if the soda lime

cartridge is exhausted prematurely. She continues: "The risk of CO

2 intoxication is

therefore entirely eliminated with the MSA AirElite 4h."

According to Mohun, the functioning principle of KO

2 makes bottled compressed

oxygen and additional carbon dioxide absorbers obsolete. "If nitrogen needs to be flushed, this occurs automatically by the oxygen surplus. The reaction heat is reliably absorbed by the air cooled heat exchanger and the entirely maintenance

free water cooling effect of the canis-ters. Enriched with fresh oxygen and pleasantly cool, the breathing air then passes through t h e p a r t i c l e filter into the i n h a l at i o n

Revolutionary new breathing apparatus MSA has enhanced its reputation as a global leader in the development,

manufacture and supply of sophisticated products that protect people's health and safety, following the development of the AirElite

4h – the world's first KO2 breathing apparatus.

of the user as its top priority. "This is clearly evident in the fact that the MSA AirElite 4h not only satisfies the approval requirements of the DIN 58652-2 and vfdb 0802 standards, but has also passed the tough Flame Engulfment Test for min-ing and fire brigades, with flying colours. The MSA AirElite 4h is also controlled by an integrated control and display unit, with digital consumption indications that provide three warning stages at 50%, 20% and 5% remaining capacity with visual and acoustic warnings. It also comes standard with an automatic motion sensor and alarm, in addition to a manually activated emergency alarm," she concludes.

The MSA AirElite 4h has an opera-tional temperature tolerance ranging from minus 15 °C to 60 °C, and provides breathing resistance at 30 ℓ/min at minus 3 mbar during inhalation, and 5 mbar during exhalation. It is stored in a poly-carbonate, self-extinguishing, impact-resistant housing with antistatic coating, and has standard casing dimensions of 600 mm x 360 mm x 190 mm and a total weight of 15 kg. ●

Respiratory products manager, Suraksha Mohun.

• The extended workability time of high performance concrete with a low water/cement ratio and therefore high durability properties can also be set with Sika ViscoFlow.

• Under different environmental circumstances such as hot temperatures, the required workability time can be achieved with Sika ViscoFlow. ●

bag, and from there through the inhalation hose to the full face mask."

Safety matching economyBy making use of the TR conversion kit, Mo-hun points out that a unit for real life opera-tion can be quickly and easily converted into a training unit. "All of the training exercises can then be performed at practically no cost with a reusable training canister. The integrated P3 particle filter permits training under realistic conditions in mist and non-toxic smoke. With P3 particle filters, training under realistic conditions in high dust environments, mist and non-toxic smoke is possible."

Mohun explains that the MSA AirElite 4h does not require any additional logistics such as expensive testing equipment, oxy-gen transfer pumps or deep freezers. "This reduces the investment and maintenance costs of the AirElite 4h to a minimum. The service time is entirely dependent on con-sumption and, with an average breathing rate of 30 ℓ/min, the expected time is between four and six hours," she adds.

Approved safety Mohun stresses that MSA places the safety

superplasticisers are adapted to local conditions in every country and are thereby always based on proven Sika ViscoCrete Technology. Consistent and rigorous further development has generated ex-tremely robust PCEs for daily use, which are provided globally under the Sika ViscoFlow brand name.

Sika ViscoFlow represents a valuable addition to Sika’s polymer toolbox, broadening the range of applications and fulfilling chal-lenging customer requirements.• Sika ViscoFlow can be used for high performance slump

retention in any concrete facilitating an ensured target. This stabilising effect can be achieved without any additional retardation of the initial setting.


66

A Q & A with Brian Africa – mark et ing and bus iness development executive of Per formance and Custom

Bond Services (PCBS).

Guaranteeing Africaproducts & services

PSS IS PASSIONATE about PLANNING, whether it is setting up new baseline schedules; improving existing schedules or compil-ing historical schedules. It assists with progress tracking, ensuring the client’s schedule documentation is accurate and to his/her best benefit, putting him/her one step ahead in claim situations.

In brief PSS offers: • Setup of a baseline schedule with accurate links driven by

resources and/or method (site agent/engineer to be involved and take ownership of schedule for execution)

• Calendar requirements such as rain, milestones, specific item sequence etc. are set up in line with with GCC requirements

• Fully resourced with usage graphs for EPCM reporting• WBS areas by use of site drawings and scope of work.

PSS assists in claim related scheduling issues by setting up 'historic' schedules (from the client’s correspondence with the client or contractor and daily site records – should these documents NOT be available)

• Calculation of standing time, delays (impact of design changes and permits not available), etc.

• Site specific MS Project training to site agents and contracts managers

For more information or to make an appointment, please call Berna Seddon on 079 492 2916. Or visit our website www.pssplanners.co.za

Easier planning and schedulingProject Planning and Scheduling (PSS) is an experienced project planning and scheduling consultancy that

specialises in multiple discipline construction and study phase schedules.

What does PCBS do?

PCBS operates as an underwriting manager on behalf of Guardrisk Insurance Company Limited. It is mandated to underwrite con-tract surety bonds, specifically in the con-struction industry but also in the customs & excise industry.

How long has the company been in existence?

PCBS started operating in late 2005. We then had a licence to underwrite on behalf of Santam Risk Finance (now called Centriq Insurance). In 2006 we started underwriting on behalf of Guardrisk Insurance.

How would you describe PCBS in one sentence?

Africa’s guarantee specialist.

What makes PCBS’ offering unique?

Our market edge in terms of the construction guarantee that we offer is our implementa-tion of alternative risk transfer. Guardrisk Insurance is an alternative risk transfer insurer, which enables us to use their software and modelling to apply the alternative risk trans-fer to the construction and customs & excise industry. This allows the client to participate

on the risk which leads to the benefit of a lower insurance premium.

What is ‘alternative risk transfer’ and what are the benefits?

In simple terms, alternative risk transfer is a mechanism where the insured participates on the risk as opposed to insuring the entire risk – similar to excess on personal insur-ance where the first portion is for your own account. The advantage of this is that the cli-ent receives company tax benefits (as there is being participated in the own risk), and from an insurance point of view a lower premium is being paid as a smaller portion of risk is being insured.

What are the benefits of getting issued a guarantee through PCBS as opposed to another similar company?

Firstly, for an existing client we are able to is-sue guarantees within 24 hours. The second is the quality of our guarantee (it is global credit rating) – it is widely accepted – by both public and private entities. This gives us the advantage over other similar offerings.

Another benefit, especially for bigger contractors branching out into Sub-Saharan Africa, is that PCBS – though its fronting partners and Guardrisk International – is able to offer foreign currency guarantees. This is why we brand ourselves as Africa’s guarantee specialists.

Who are you clients?

About 60% of our client base is BEE contrac-tors – these are contractors doing work for national government, provincial government

or municipalities. About 25% are specialist engineers with the rest being blue chip cli-ents who operate in both the public and the private sectors.

It has always been our underwriting philosophy to enhance small to medium enterprises – specifically in the construction industry. Many of these contractors have the technical capacity but lack the financial knowledge about how to run a business. This leads to them often struggling to access financial services.

It has therefore been a conscious decision for us to find a model with which to address this risk and at the same time allow the client to grow his/her business.

We intend to continue focusing and growing these SMME contractors as we have seen many of our clients growing from small contractors to medium sized contractors.

Have you noticed an increase in the number of guarantees you issue?

We have seen a year-on-year increase in the number of guarantees issued compared to a very slow last quarter of 2012 which is an indication that the construction industry is recovering from the slowdown. ●

Brian Africa – marketing and business development executive of Performance

and Custom Bond Services (PCBS).


67products & services

A TRIED-AND-TESTED, high quality material, LYTAG LWA has been used on some of the most high profile projects around the world – in the UK, Spain, Africa and Middle East. The Shard, the ‘Gherkin’ and the extensive redevelopment of St Pancras Station, demonstrate the design flexibility and sustainability benefits that the material brings for design teams.

Lytag Ltd’s move into the South African market will mean that clients, en-gineers and architects in the area are now able to take advantage of the engineer-ing flexibility, cost and time savings, and green credentials of LYTAG LWA.

Richard Baldry, commercial director at Lytag commented: “This is an exciting development for Lytag. Our products have brought benefits to many projects around the world for more than 40 years, and we have now made these materials, and the benefits that come with them,

available for construction and civil engineer-ing projects in South Africa.”The business’ new South Africa agent Johan van Wyk will use his knowledge of the con-struction industry in South Africa, to bring the unique benefits of LYTAG LWA to projects in South Africa and surrounding countries. Van Wyk will be based in Pretoria, Gauteng.

“I am excited about the opportunities to apply this unique and high quality material in South Africa. Looking at the great projects that have benefitted from LYTAG LWA around the world, I am looking forward to helping bring similar success to some iconic African buildings,” says Van Wyk.

LYTAG LWA is commonly used in a range of construction applications including struc-tural and precast concrete, floor and roof screeds, and green roofs.

Weighing approximately 50% less than natural aggregate, it brings an approxi-mate saving of around 25% in density over

Now available in SAUnique lightweight aggregate (LWA) LYTAG LWA is now available in South Africa, helping design teams and contractors to reduce

timeframes and costs on South African construction projects while also improving the building’s environmental impact.

normal weight concrete, but retaining the same structural integrity. This means that engineers and contractors can make significant cost and time savings, as LYTAG LWA reduces the need for reinforcements. This adds design flexibility and allows for more design options.

Using LYTAG lightweight aggregate also enhances the sustainability credentials of a project. Manufactured from Pulverised Fuel Ash, the by-product of coal-fired power sta-tions, its use reduces demand on quarried aggregate and diverts waste material from landfill. It can help meet environmental tar-gets such as Green Star SA and BREEAM. ●

LYTAG LWA’s South Africa agent, Johan van Wyk.


68

The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), the leading international trade association for the American hardwood industry, has announced plans for a trade servicing mission to South Africa

in May this year.

Thebe Exhibitions and Projects is pleased to announce the launch of the BRICS Trade & Investment Exchange, a Trade Fair dedicated to

promoting intra-BRICS trade by promoting business.

Appo

intm

ents

diary & appointments

THE BRICS TRADE & Investment Exchange, which was formally launched at the Fifth BRICS Summit, held from 26 – 27 March 2013 at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC), is scheduled to take place from 16 –18 October 2013 at the Sandton Convention Centre.

The aim of this event is to highlight new business opportuni-ties between the BRICS countries and to provide a platform for companies, government institutions and business associations from all of the BRICS nations to draw attention to and showcase key

MagnetLEFT: Shalendra Barath sales engineer, specialising in electrical products.RIGHT: Brad Ludewick, sales engineer, specialising in abrasives.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT FOLLOWS AHEC’s participation at the Dubai WoodShow 2013 where Michael Snow, executive director and Roderick Wiles, director for Africa, Middle East, India and Oceania, highlighted the environmental credentials and market potential of U.S hardwoods at the ‘Dubai WoodShow 2013’ seminar. The seminar was centered on the various possibilities of building with wood with the speakers covering four main topics including – wood as a building material in the GCC; wood as a design component of architectural projects; the current state of wood use in the GCC; and timber legality.

Building a case for wood as the only true and naturally sustainable building material, Michael Snow talked about the ISO-conformant report on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of rough-sawn kiln-dried American hardwood lumber and threw the spotlight on the true environmental credentials of the U.S. hardwood resource. AHEC

BRICS Trade & Investment Exchange launched investment and trade opportunities to buyers from other BRICS nations.

The BRICS Trade & Investment Exchange will be a three-day business-to-business trade fair and networking platform dedicated to promoting trade and investment between BRICS nations.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation, which hosted the Fifth BRICS Summit, has granted its official endorsement of the BRICS Trade and Investment Exchange.

Exhibitors at this event will include companies from a broad range of sectors within the various BRICS nations, including, but not limited to: transport, construction, manufacturing, minerals, energy, petroleum, agriculture, retail, automotive, ICT, telecommunications, textiles and pharmaceuticals. Exhibitors will have the opportunity to meet targeted local and international visitors who have a vested interest in trading with other BRICS nations, thereby developing lucrative business con-nections while gaining an early foothold in a burgeoning market. ●

South African first

commissioned the LCA study in 2010 and the recently released report contains extensive data on the environmental profile of U.S. rough-sawn, kiln-dried hardwood lumber using a comprehensive set of environmental impacts. In addition, it also covers the environmental life cycle of hardwood lumber from point of harvest in the U.S. through to delivery at the importers yard in major export markets. Snow also outlined the current progress in developing Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for American hardwoods and was confident that EPDs will soon be widely recognised as an essential standard across leading building rating systems. ●

LEFT: Roderick Wiles, AHEC director for Africa, Middle East, India and Oceaniaand Michael Snow, AHEC Executive Director at the Dubai WoodShow 2013.

Redpath Mining South Africa

Ockert Douglas, managing director.

Babcock

Deon Verreyne, managing director industrial business.

Power Technologies (Powertech)

Vally Padayachee executive director for business development and marketing.

Vic Prins, director aviation.

Royal HaskoningDHV

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