Construction World November 2017

Their inherent dynamic nature similarly demanded adjustment to the changing landscape of the construction industry. This resulted in A.SHAK Construction Chemicals being established from existing resources. A.SHAK Construction Chemicals is set to deliver the same Towards customer satisfaction A.SHAK started selling Shutter Release Oils to the building industry in 1958 and subsequently has developed an excellent and ever expanding range of retail products for the DIY and professional builder market.

The a.b.e ® laboratory in Isipingo has also been upgraded to provide more work as well as customer space. The a.b.e ® lab in Boksburg has upgraded its resin laboratory and moved its group processes over to The Centre of Excellence at the Chryso head office in Jet Park. How much product is imported and manufactured locally? Much of a.b.e.’s technology is imported and are governed by mainline and international principles. About 60% of our goods are manufactured locally, derived from R&D-based technology in conjunction with Chryso. What new products does a.b.e. offer the construction market? Within the construction environment, the latest addition to our range is carbon fibre products: we offer carbon fibre strips and wraps and ancillary products in this range. As it was launched only earlier this year – and is a specification product – future project references will help in educating the SA market about carbon fibre reinforcing which is relatively new in this country. How does a.b.e add value to the contractor? For a.b.e., the correct application of the product is vital as this will lead to a good outcome, while the opposite is also true: a less desirable outcome may lead to liability issues. In this regard, the company is involved in continuous professional development through the training of applicators or subcontractors, while product training happens at the a.b.e. offices in Boksburg. In addition, a.b.e. is a member of various institutes and societies where it does presentations while skilled staff often lectures students at universities that offer civil and related qualifications. What is a.b.e’s approach to market conditions? South Africa’s built environment is experiencing suppressed market conditions. Despite such conditions, a.b.e. services both retail and construction channels optimally. We base our retail strategy on numerical distribution. We ensure that what we have, we look after well. For the retail channel this entails maintaining a good product base, optimal merchandising, stock turnaround, etc. In the construction channel this entails making the a.b.e offering known to professional teams a.b.e.® Construction Chemicals has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the CHRYSO Group since September 2010. The majority shareholder of CHRYSO is Cinven (a French independent private equity firm). The combination of CHRYSO’s traditional activities in the field of cement and concrete additives combined with the construction systems offered by a.b.e. provide a complete one-stop- product solution for the construction industry.

level of superior service and products that has established A.SHAK as a respected, quality supplier of reliable products for the past six decades. It prides itself for being innovative and they are passionately responsive to the needs of their customers, focusing on value-adding customer support. This latest evolution within A.SHAK is a deliberate step towards becoming the foremost supplier of

construction chemicals to the civil, building and mining industries. 

(civil engineers, engineers and quantity surveyors) to get our products specified. There is a sales team for both the retail and construction channels. The former has 20 sales people while the latter has 24. This excludes managers who are also involved in specification and sales. What is a.b.e.’s unique selling point? Our brand is strong and well recognised. Our pay-off line, ‘Tradition, Innovation. Quality’, implies that it is a brand that can be trusted as it has the required technical services, R&D, delivery, logistics, sales service, and operational functionality. We have invested heavily in backend and operational support systems such as Forecast Pro and DDRMP (demand driven resource material planning) software to improve the availability of stock. a.b.e. has a solid platform: competent technical as well as retail sales personnel, key account managers, technical product managers, while logistics and operational support is beyond reproach. 

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD NOVEMBER 2017