Modern Quarrying Q1 2020

AUTHOR: MUNESU SHOKO

ON PHOTO: PPC CEMENT PLANT Using sub-standard cement has various implications that may negatively affect the sustainability of buildings and structures.

CEMENT

To prove deliberate flouting of standards by some third-party cement blenders in the South African cement market, PPC appointed an accredited independent laboratory in September 2017. The company reveals that the exercise has unearthed serious breach of standards, which poses a major threat to consumers and the integrity of the country’s cement industry at large. ADDRESSING QUALITY FLAWS IN SA’S CEMENT MARKET

I n building or civil construction, cement is the glue that binds the structure together. Yet, Njombo Lekula, MD of PPC RSA Cement, South Africa’s leading cement manufacturer, laments the influx of sub-standard products in the South African market, which are threatening the built environment and placing lives of people at risk. Lekula says using sub-standard cement has various implications that can negatively affect the sustainability of buildings and structures, thus leading to increased repair or maintenance costs, and in worst case scenarios, resulting in injuries and fatalities due to structural failures or collapse. Speaking to Modern Quarrying , Lekula notes that there has been an influx of third-party cement blenders in the South African cement market in the past two years. He estimates that third-party cement blenders, also known as non-integrated cement producers, now account for more than 1,8-million t of cement sales per year, in a market that is selling about 13,5-million t of the country’s available capacity of 18-20 million t per year. During a normal market surveillance exercise whereby it tests competitor products for benchmarking purposes, PPC found that there was huge quality gap in some of the products in the market, which warranted further investigation. In an effort to protect the greater South African cement industry and the consumer at large, PPC appointed Beton-Lab, a South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) accredited independent laboratory, in September 2017 to prove intentional thwarting of standards by third-party blenders.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

PPC laments the influx of sub-standard products in the South African market, which are threatening the built environment and placing lives of people at risk

During a normal market surveillance exercise whereby it tests competitor products for benchmarking purposes, PPC found that there was huge quality gap in some of the products from blenders, which warranted further investigation PPC appointed Beton-Lab, a South African National Accreditation System accredited independent laboratory, in September 2017 to prove intentional thwarting of standards by third- party blenders

Some of the products failed on bag weight. In some instances, some were found to weigh around 46 kg, which is 4 kg short of the prescribed 50 kg

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MODERN QUARRYING QUARTER 1 - 2020