Modern Quarrying Q1 2020

FOCUS ON QUALITY TO STAY COMPETITIVE

T hat 2019 was a tough year for the industry is no overstatement. Despite huge prospects of improved activity at the start of the year, construction remained sluggish. What are the prospects for 2020? According to Industry Insight, overall conditions in the local construction industry continue to be challenging, as profitability remains under pressure, confidence levels near record lows and competition is rife. At best, some stabilisation is anticipated within the construction sector, albeit at the near record lows. The construction sector is expected to remain under pressure over the medium term. Of particular concern is the slowdown in approvals of investment in buildings for 2020 and 2021. In such a tough environment,

to assist in ensuring the correct classification of products. Over time, as the systems improve, quarry owners can opt to obtain accreditation through the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) for ISO/IEC 17025 – general requirements for competence of testing and calibration laboratories. The idea is to help Aspasa members produce better graded products that are tested consistently to meet the specifications of their clients. The testing entails the inspection of the laboratory, including the testing apparatus and the verification of procedures. The audits will be simple but thorough and will leave the quarry in no doubt as to what is required. With this in place, producers can confidently supply their products without fear of material rejections in future, provided that the necessary procedures are followed. The audits will also be tailored to the requirements of individual quarries which may range in size from a small family-owned quarry to large multi-national concerns producing aggregates and crushed granular material for multiple uses in different markets. Helping quarries deliver on their quality promise means providing them with a sustainable edge for continuous competitiveness. Aspasa’s process is designed to help operations achieve their quality assurance goals for aggregate production as they evolve to address all aspects of their businesses.

the business environment will surely become more competitive for quarry owners. Industry association, Aspasa, is calling on its members to focus on quality in order to stay competitive in such a cutthroat trading environment. In fact, increasing requirement for certified quality aggregates has seen Aspasa introducing its own guidelines and auditing systems to ensure testing of aggregates and crushed granular materials is done in accordance with South African National Standards (SANS) 3001 AG and GR series test methods. In future, member quarries will have an option to participate in an annual audit designed to measure compliance of testing facilities, including their apparatus calibration and personnel competence against an abridged ISO 17025 format,

Munesu Shoko – Editor quarrying@crown.co.za

@MunesuShoko

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MODERN QUARRYING QUARTER 1 - 2020