Construction World July 2018

MARKETPLACE

Eighth Diamond Award reflects continued excellence Corobrik’s dedication to the delivery of quality products and ongoing customer satisfaction has seen them receive the illustrious PMR.africa Diamond Arrow Award for the eighth consecutive year.

Visitors will also discover Saint-Gobain’s innovative solutions through the building itself. From the floor to the ceiling and walls, the experience centre and office space incorporate different Saint- Gobain materials that can improve comfort. The flooring area has been coated with Saint-Gobain Weber self-levelling screed. Saint- Gobain Gyproc and Ecophon acoustic ceiling panels were installed to improve acoustic. Visitors will also be surprised to discover lami- nated glass solutions that can switch from translucent to transpar- ent immediately thanks to a liquid crystal. Saint-Gobain is a driver in the development of the Kenyan fabric through the services and solutions it delivers to improve living com- fort for the greatest number of people. The Group creates local employment and offers a wide range of training courses to upskill professionals within the construction in- dustry. “In Kenya, the average unemployment rate is about 11%. It is critical for us to provide distributors, craftsmen and artisans with the necessary technical skills on new construction technology. In 2018, we trained 170 people from the different sectors within the construc- tion industry in Kenya on the installation of ceilings, drywalling and insulation,” says Sachin Ramkasoon. Saint-Gobain also supports the development of local communi- ties. In 2014, the Saint-Gobain Initiatives Foundation contributed to the complete refurbishment of four classrooms at Nagum Primary School where 370 pupils take turns for their lessons. Local compa- nies were consulted to perform the work.  Kenya Architect Nathan Kureba (centre) unveils the new Saint-Gobain Experience Centre at 9 Riverside building in Nairobi. With him is Saint- Gobain Directeur Marketing International, Slawomir Szpunar (left) and CFOO sub-Saharan Africa, Denis Simonin (right). excellence, while also acknowledging the hard work that goes into running a successful business, and we feel this is achieved year-on-year.” The suppliers are rated across 11 industry aspects, including ability to meet orders, Black Economic Empowerment, competitive pricing, deliveries meeting promises, environmentally friendly solutions, flexibility, range and quality of products, response to queries, reputation and sustainable development practises. The ratings are then tallied with PMR.africa handing out Diamond, Gold, Silver and Bronze awards to companies, institutions and individuals that have excelled throughout the year. Corobrik is honoured to be taking an award that recognises the service and quality products it delivers to customers on a daily basis. Shangase said this comes down to a culture of employee value creation which has entrenched an ethos of constant high performance across its factories and centres nationally. All Corobrik’s manufacturing processes meet international standards with sustainability underscoring all business directives. The past decade has seen Corobrik investing in sustainable equipment such as advanced extrusion technology at the Phesantekraal factory to reduce energy consumption and improve the structural building material; new robotics at Rietvlei and Lawley factories; and the conversion to a natural gas kiln at the Lawley factory. This has resulted in reduced emissions and earned Corobrik carbon credits for the effort. Corobrik also complies fully with the National Environment Management Act of 2014, with its own Environmental Impact Access implemented at each quarry. 

Disseminated by South African consultancy and research company, PMR.africa, the annual awards are given to high-performing organisations ranking tops after an industry evaluation is conducted. “We are incredibly proud to have received the prestigious Diamond Award for being the highest rated brick supplier countrywide,” said Musa Shangase, Corobrik’s Commercial Director. “These awards strive to enhance competitiveness and company Pictured from left: Shauneez Naidoo, Musa Shangase, Lauren Moll and Teboho Mokoena of Corobrik proudly display the Diamond Arrow Award they received from PMR.africa.

Representative office in Nairobi Saint-Gobain openened its experience centre at its new representative office in Nairobi. More than a mere showroom, this space will enable the visitor to discover and experience how Saint-Gobain building solutions can make a difference in people’s daily life. Throughout the year, thematic events will be organised to tackle specific topics within Kenya’s building and construction industry. Conceptualised to be informative and engaging, the experience centre is fitted with digital access points and practical experienc- es around comfort. “We invite visitors to feel, touch, see and hear. Through different experiences to explain sound or thermal transmis- sion, we try to demonstrate how our solutions can have an impact on our daily life,” says Sachin Ramkasoon, Business Development Director for East Africa. Digital displays show why comfort matters. The DB station, a mobile application, enables the visitor to experience various acoustic performances of conventional wall compared to Gyproc walls.

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD JULY 2018