Construction World August 2021

COVER STORY

Suppliers must be able to demonstrate the capacity and flexibility of their truck fleets and scheduling systems.

South Africa’s readymix landscape has changed significantly over the past decade, becoming more unpredictable and in many ways riskier for the contractor. It is time to go back to basics, according to Amit Dawneerangen, Construction Materials General Manager for Sales and Product Technical at AfriSam. HARD TIMES MEAN GETTING BACK TO BASICS WITH READYMIX

“T he readymix ‘game’ has changed considerably in recent years, moving from an industry with just three or four major readymix players linked to the big cement companies, to a more diverse sector with many independent operators,” says Dawneerangen. “There is a wide spectrum of quality among these independents, often making it a real challenge for contractors to know exactly what they are getting – especially when looking for the lowest price.” Not all contractors have the capacity, for instance, to fully investigate the internal capabilities and systems of the readymix providers whom they wish to consider as suppliers. “The result is that it is not uncommon for contractors to be let down by their readymix suppliers,” he says. “AfriSam is regularly brought in – at a relatively late stage – to salvage projects which have run into difficulty because another readymix provider has not been able to meet the standards required.” In these situations, contractors clearly face a range of financial and reputational challenges, from project delays and added re-work costs to

the prospect of legal liability and project failure. The root of these problems is often the lack of due diligence in choosing the service provider, and the tendency to pursue the lowest cost option without sufficient regard for quality. Keeping to standards He reiterates that the country’s readymix concrete standards – SANS 878 – govern its manufacture and supply, and provides the basic starting point for all suppliers to be compliant. From the batching process onward, SANS 878 specifies the tolerances within which the manufacturing and application of readymix must take place. “A sophisticated batching system must have the necessary weighing equipment to ensure accuracy, and to alert plant management to any quantities that are out of tolerance,” he says. Due to the tight limits specified by the standards, a batching plant must also have its weighing equipment regularly checked and calibrated, according to Russel Wearne,

“The readymix ‘game’ has changed considerably in recent years, moving from an industry with just three or four major readymix players linked to the big cement companies, to a more diverse sector with many independent operators.” Amit Dawneerangen, Construction Materials General Manager for Sales and Product Technical at AfriSam.

20 CONSTRUCTION WORLD AUGUST 2021