Read More - Natal Portland Cement

3/2010
NPC-CIMPOR CELEBRATES WITH CUSTOMERS AT
THEIR PHOTOGRAPHIC PREVIEW EXHIBITION
Durban’s Docklands Hotel on the city’s
waterfront was the venue for a glittering
Customer Year-End Function held in
October .
This annual event celebrates NPC’s top
customers who have made the annual
Gold and Silver list, thus affording them
the much sought-after GOLD or SILVER
status. The presentation of certificates
to qualifying customers is followed by a
cocktail party – a very special function
for some very special customers.
In his address, Piet Strauss, MD for
NPC-CIMPOR highlighted the fact that
NPC is part of The Cimpor Group, a
major international player in the cement,
concrete and aggregate industry, and
currently having a presence in 12
countries worldwide. He went on to add
that, with NPC having supplied all the
concrete for the construction of the KSIA
Airport – the biggest construction
The Docklands Hotel, Durban
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NPC-CIMPOR CELEBRATES WITH CUSTOMERS AT THEIR PHOTOGRAPHIC PREVIEW EXHIBITION continued...
project Durban has seen in some time, NPC has established itself more firmly as a concrete producer and supplier in the
Durban area and has successfully increased its presence in the concrete market.
When discussing industry statistics, Piet said: “Due to issues related to the Competition Commission Investigation, we
unfortunately do not have any updated industry stats. Hopefully these will be available soon, and will enable us to determine
the current market situation for cement more accurately. What we do know is that the declining trend, which started last year,
has continued and the market is at a much lower level this year than it has been in previous years. We do not believe that
this will change quickly and anticipate that this will continue at its current level for at least another year. In the longer run we
are however confident that South Africa will again show growth with a number of infrastructure projects on the cards. In the
meantime conditions are not the greatest and we face more competition in the form of over-capacity from other players, new
players coming into the market and cement imports. Our aim is to be competitive, to maintain our position, and to give our
customers the very best service.”
He concluded his speech by highlighting a pet project for NPC – the NPC-CIMPOR Photographic Competition and welcomed
everyone to enjoy the preview of the 2010 NPC-Photographic Exhibition.
Hermie Swanepoel (Fountain Civil Engineering),
Sudheer Singh (Fountain Civil Engineering)
Venessa Burton (NPC-CIMPOR), Charmaine Rautenback (NPC-CIMPOR),
Patricia Kekewich (NPC-CIMPOR ) Hanlie Turner (Cement & Concrete Institute)
Garth Gamble (Concrete society RSA)
Customers are addressed by NPC-CIMPOR MD Piet Strauss
Solomon Nkosi (NPC CONCRETE), Percy Mseleku (Nomandla Roads & Civils)
Sunil Sooko (Nomandla Roads & Civils)
Richard Thompson (Metier Concrete products),
Yvonne Thompson (Metier Concrete products)
NPC-CIMPOR’s PRO 10 delivered in style at the end of the function
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EVENTS
NPC would like to acknowledge the following companies for their continued support.
NPC Gold
NPC Silver
Bazley
Aberdare
Marley Roofing
Brackley Investments
Amawele Joint Venture
Maverick Trading
Brick City
BBS Group
Mega Build it
Build it
Blue Gold
Metier Concrete Products
Builders Trade Depot
Bothas Hill Build it
Msunduzi Block
Cashbuild
Branberry Investment
Namandla Roads & Civils
Freese Build it
Cobro Concrete
PG Hardware
Group 5
Conpro Brick & Block
Port Shepstone Precast
Herbert Build it
Corobrik
Rumdel
Independent Buying Consortium
Cretemix Mixed Concrete
Santos Builders
Killarney Brick & Block cc
DSD Trading
Save-Build
Kwazulu Cement Distributors
Essential Hardware
Seabreeze Build it
Lancaster
Everlast
Shuffels Investment
Margate Construction
Fountain Civil Engineering
SKT
Metier Mixed Concrete
Grid Construction
Stedone Civils
Monier Roofing
Guruvadu
Ukhozi Discount
Motheo Construction
HJL Joubert
WK Construction
National Asphalt
Homebase Builders
NPC Concrete
Impact Plus
Power Build it
Infraset
RVG Naidoo
Joymac Sand
Slimline
Kulucrete
Stanger Brick & Tile
Kwa Zulu Processing
Two Way Builders
M&S Belim
Woodbros
Mahomed Builders
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WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT COCKTAIL FUNCTION
WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT COCKTAIL FUNCTION continued...
The winners of the external competition as well as the TOP 5 entries from NPC’s internal [staff] competition were exhibited at the
preview evening and thereafter at the KZNSA gallery for one week. These images are currently travelling around the province,
so make sure you look out for the beauty of NPC CONCRETE celebrated in KZN.
Now in its second year, the 2010 “Develop A New Angle On Concrete” photographic competition attracted over 400 entries
from enthusiastic amateur and professional photographers from across KwaZulu-Natal. This represented a 100% growth on
the 2009 entries.
Commenting on the growing success of the competition, Piet Strauss, said, “We’ve had an extremely positive response to the
competition again this year with an extraordinary number of potential winners amongst the entries.”
Photographers were required to capture images which feature concrete and cement predominantly in their design whilst also
being beautiful, interesting and striking!
“Concrete is an extremely versatile medium and the entries reflect the diversity of its many creative uses,” said Piet Strauss,
explaining that one of NPC-CIMPOR’S objectives is to show how these materials can be used in a number of innovative ways
in urban design and art.
Inspired by KwaZulu-Natal cityscapes, concrete bridges and a variety of innovative concrete structures, the judges were
impressed by the extremely high standard of the works submitted. Mo Hope-Baille of the Photographic Society of South Africa
said, “We were looking for images that celebrated the art of cement and concrete; that told a story and delivered on brief. The
tremendously high standard of the entries we received made judging extremely difficult.”
Avi Bhoora and Piet Strauss with first prize winner, Andrew Griffin.
1st place R20 000 – Andrew Griffin: Blackburn Pedestrian Footbridge over the N2 highway
Commenting on his win, a delighted Andrew said,” Although, I hoped to be a winner, my main objective when I entered was
to have my work exhibited at the KZNSA Gallery. I sent in a number of photographs and I’m just really happy that one of them
caught the judge’s eye. Now, I just need to decide how to spend the prize money – on a new laptop or a lens!”
Winners celebrate with
NPC - CIMPOR MD Piet Strauss
Avi Bhoora and Piet Strauss with second prize winner, Gavin Fordham.
2nd place R10 000– Gavin Fordham: John Ross Bridge in Richard’s Bay.
Gavin, an enthusiastic amateur photographer, said: “As I work all day and only finish up at about 19h30 most evenings, a lot
of my photography is either done at night or in the early morning. I was hoping to be in the Top 50 but didn’t expect at all to be
a finalist.”
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EVENTS
EVENTS
NPC CUSTOMERS AND STAFF
TOUR USHAKA
Customers take a stroll in the park
Avi Bhoora and Piet Strauss with third prize winner, Michelle Hibbert.
3rd place R5 000– Michelle Hibbert: Kinetic Art – Nichol Square Parkade in Durban’s CBD
A first year photographic student at Vega, Michelle was encouraged by the competition to push the boundaries of creativity
by taking “something as ordinary as concrete and putting a new twist on it! “I’m more aware of the beauty of concrete used in
urban design than ever before,” she noted.
NPC-CIMPOR also acknowledged the
NPC staff top 3 winning images.
Seen here are:
1st place R2 000 Patricia Kekewich
(middle)
2nd place R1 000 Chris Barr
(left)
3rd place R500 Nissa Khan
(right)
September was a special month for NPC customers as well as
for NPC staff and their children as they got to visit the uShaka
Marine World and its NPC Edu-Centre. Included in a day filled
with activities was a tour of the Aquarium and a spectacular
dolphin show.
NPC-CIMPOR has sponsored the centre since its opening
at uShaka Marine World in 2004. A substantial portion of the
sponsorship is used to fund the two initiatives that make up the
OUTREACH programme.
The first is to provide guided tours for learners who visit the facility
and the second is where the OUTREACH team and its mobile
The mobile marine vehicle calls at approximately 100 schools
per year and reaches between 10 000 and 13 000 children in
KwaZulu-Natal.
NPC-CIMPOR is proud to be supporting the Edu-Centre – a
facility that not only provides great entertainment, but also
imparts an abundance of knowledge to all visitors.
CORPORATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT
FOR CIMPOR SUPPORTING CHARITY IS
A WAY OF LIFE
Any idea how many towns worldwide are
called “Newcastle”? Well there are six
–in Japan, the UK, the USA, Switzerland,
Germany and, of course, the one in South
Africa.
In October this year representatives from all
the Newcastles in the world, descended on
our own Newcastle for a seven-day summit.
The opening venue was the Newcastle
Swimming Pool where a much anticipated
skydiving dare between the towns Mayor and
the manager of FNB was to take place.
The Mayor’s skydiving jump for charity
on Sunday, 17 October 2010 was proudly
supported by CIMPOR. Following a call
from Councillor Afzul Rehman, CIMPOR’s
Newcastle Plant Manager, Deon Niekerk,
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marine vehicle travel to the schools. The NPC Edu-Centre is
visited by about 1500 schools each year and, to date, more than
615 000 learners have been the guests of the Edu-Centre.
was on hand to donate R10 000 towards the
“dare”. All monies raised have contributed
to the East Coast Radio Toy Story 2010
fundraising initiative.
The CIMPOR group of companies is no
stranger to social programmes that benefit
and help enrich the lives of surrounding
communities. In April CIMPOR committed
itself to renovations worth over R2 million
to the Amajuba Education Centre in
Newcastle.
The company has also donated equipment
such as computers, fax machines and
printers, to Hospicare, a non-profit organisation
taking care of the terminally ill.
Deon Niekerk hands over a cheque for R10 000
to Councillor Afzul Rehman.
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CUSTOMER PROJECTS
CUSTOMER PROJECTS
Mvoti Toll Plaza gets Ultra-thin Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement
First completed section of UTCRCP concrete
The labour-intensive process offers an opportunity to employ members of the surrounding community – thereby assisting areas
which are often characterised by extreme poverty.
NPC are proud suppliers of cement to this very exciting and innovative project.
Concrete constituents being added into
pan mixer by hand
South Coast landmark
GETS A REVAMP
Placement of first UTCRCP concrete.
Compaction and vibration of UTCRCP concrete
A very interesting project will be taking place at the Mvoti Toll Plaza over the next few months – one that could change the face of
concrete pavement designs in future. Martin & East, a Cape Town-based contractor, is currently carrying out trials for replacing
the existing block paving with ultrathin continuously reinforced concrete pavement (UTCRCP).
This UTCRCP design is in a developmental phase, and has thus far only been applied in Gauteng on a section of the N12 and
for a truck crawler lane on the N2 near the Huguenot Tunnel in the Western Cape. The next location at which this technology will
be applied is KZN. All three of these projects are exposed to high traffic volumes and loadings, and while this type of pavement
has been extensively tested under the CSIR’s Heavy Vehicle Simulator, performance under real traffic conditions will be closely
monitored during service. If successful, SANRAL will roll this technology out, where appropriate, to other road rehabilitation
projects.
It is a 50mm thick continuously reinforced concrete pavement designed for concrete road surfaces. The design mix includes the
following constituents: a high cement content, silica fume, fly ash, steel fibres, poly fibres as well as admixtures – each playing
an important role ensuring the success of the mix. Cement consistency is vital for the mix design to work effectively. NPC’s
cement has been used in the trial and will be used in the project.
If successful, this design could add as much as 20 years to the lifespan of an existing road surface, with very little maintenance.
It can also be laid over existing road surfaces, requiring very little preparatory work on the existing surface. The 50-mm layer
thickness reduces the quantity of raw materials required as compared with conventional continuously reinforced concrete
pavement which has a minimum thickness of 180 mm. Other benefits include a minimal decrease in current bridge clearances
and a minimal need to raise adjacent drainage kerbs and channels.
The process is very labour-intensive, with pan mixers being used on site. All components are pre-batched in small quantities
which are fed in by hand; furthermore the concrete is also spread by hand. The mix design requires a high cement content and
the continuous reinforcement.
The pier at Margate is one of the South Coast’s most memorable
landmarks. Having been closed for some time due to deterioration
caused by both age and neglect, the pier is now in the process
of being fully rehabilitated by contractor, Stefanutti Stocks Civils
KZN, with completion scheduled for the December holiday
season.
Site manager, Anthony Graham-Jolly, says long-term durability
is the top priority in the current revamp. “Because the original
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columns are still sound, we’re putting new decks on top of the
pier. Keeping in mind that they must endure constant battering
by waves, as well as salt and sand, durability is obviously a
key consideration. NPC CONCRETE has produced a special
concrete mixture for the project that offers greater durability
and chloride resistance. Over and above the product’s quality,
I’ve been impressed by the technical expertise and hands-on
approach of the staff and technologists of NPC CONCRETE.”
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PRODUCTS
cement launched
LEARNING
NPC PARTNERS WITH IKHAYA FUNDISA
TECHNISKILLS ACADEMY
NPC-CIMPOR proudly launched a new product, PRO-R, into the marketplace during
October 2010. This product was created primarily with the bag market in mind
and it complements the existing product range. It will provide new opportunities
for NPC-CIMPOR and its customers. The product is clearly differentiated by
its branding in an orange bag. Already some customers have coined the term
“Gold” cement – a trend that appears to be gathering momentum.
PRO-R, which will be packed at Simuma, conforms to the 32,5 R strength class
of SANS 50197-1. It is a CEM II/B-L 32,5 R cement and has been designed to
achieve high early strength, which is a favourable characteristic in a variety of
industry sectors. From a pricing point of view, it is well positioned between the
PRO and PLUS products.
NPC-CIMPOR are confident that this new product will have a significant impact in the 32,5 R strength class
market and are encouraging cement users to compare this cement to other alternatives currently available.
The official opening of the NPC-IFTA
training academy in January 2011, situated
at the Simuma Plant in Port Shepstone,
will mark a significant milestone in the
history of NPC-CIMPOR.
NPC-CIMPOR has partnered with IFTA
Academy in a deal that will see the training
centre turning out approximately 100 - 200
learners per annum. The facility, which
will be called the NPC-IFTA Technical
Training Centre, will offer learnerships in
the following trades: fitting and turning,
welding, boiler-making, motor mechanic,
diesel mechanic, earth moving equipment
mechanic, tractor mechanic, instrumentation
and millwright training. This partnership
PRO 10 market tested
will not only exceed the demands of the
regulatory environment, but will also improve
efficiency and productivity by providing
quality training that is locally situated. NPC’s
existing learnership programme has proved
to be a huge success with many learners
finding permanent employment within the
company. The establishment of this new
centre will make a significant contribution
towards maintaining a continuous pool of
technical skills.
NPC-CIMPOR’s input to the partnership
has been to provide a building and facilities
at the Simuma Plant, and both parties are
committed to establishing a sustainable
centre of excellence. The renovation of the
site is well under way and the anticipated
site handover will take place in early
December 2010.
Seema Sukhoo, the Training Manager for
NPC, said, “This is an important venture for
us. Being able to set up accommodation
for 100 learners and train them properly,
will at least start to make something of a
dent in the shortage of artisans we are
currently facing in the SA industry. We
believe that IFTA has the right pedigree
and, given their already proven track
record, we believe we will achieve high
levels of success.”
NPC-CIMPOR Birdlife Trogans
Inter-schools Art Competition
Ronnie van Niekerk, Seggie Kistan and Deon Niekerk with the first
packed pallet of 10kg cement at the Newcastle plant.
In October NPC-CIMPOR commenced with the trial phase of their new 10-kg cement
bags, appropriately named PRO 10.
As this was a trial, only a few customers were selected to sell the product and
determine its acceptability in the marketplace.
The product is packed at the NPC Newcastle plant into a bag that is almost identical
to the one containing PRO cement. It has one distinguishing feature, apart from it’s
size, which is a carry handle enabling customers to carry the bag more easily.
For the past six years NPC-CIMPOR has been sponsoring the Birdlife Trogans Inter-School Art Competition, which aims to
ensure that, by the time learners complete primary school, they have been exposed to a variety of birds, thus encouraging a
child’s growth and knowledge and stimulating an appreciation of the need for environmental stewardship.
To date, the bags have been welcomed with enthusiasm and the next phase will see
more customers selling the product.
The 2010 competition saw the participation of 24 schools. To date over 150 000 learners have taken part in this competition and
been exposed to the world of birds.
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The Construction Industry Activity
0.00%
Outlook for Building Investment - TOTAL - (SQM approved: Annual change)
August 2009 - August 2010
-5.00%
Building Statistics
-10.00%
Article extracted from industry Insight Construction Monitor
THE LAST WORD
-15.00%
+20.00%
-25.00%
-30.00%
-35.00%
-40.00%
Feb-09 Mar-09 Apr-09 May-09 Jun-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09 Dec-09 Jan-10 Feb-10 Mar-10 Apr-10 May-10 Jun-10 Jul-10 Aug-10
NEW
The construction industry is still in dire straits. Residential
building plans passed is seemingly on the rebound while
the non-residential market remains depressed. The current
turnaround in planned residential buildings look to improve the
medium term output and conditions are expected to improve
within the next 12 months. Current construction conditions
are reflected in construction activity data confirms the lack of
opportunity in most market segments. Some activity in public
service non-residential renovations may pose some short term
opportunities.
As monthly data is more prone to fluctuations it is important to
pay attention to the annual data. Based on a 12 month running
total, the number of square meters approved for private sector
construction continues to decrease albeit at a softer rate. The
annual rate of decline has softened further from -20,8% y/y in
July 2010, to -18,8% in August 2010. This clearly shows the
difficult position the building industry continues to find itself in.
Despite lower interest rates with prime at 9,0% demand for
Renovations
buildings remain subdued. Factors such as poor economic
growth, the national credit act, excessive housing stock and
existing properties offered at discounted rates are not helping.
Affordability will also remain a key consideration, following
rapid growth in house prices and building costs during the last
five years. The decline in civil projects awarded is particularly
pronounced as most large infrastructure projects have reached
completion. It is however interesting to note that the number of
projects awarded rose 13,3% which is largely attributed to small
non-residential renovation projects as well as civil engineering
maintenance projects of which the majority were awarded by
government departments.
Over 3 million fewer square meters were approved for construction
during the first eight months of 2010 compared to the same
period in 2009.
CONTACT DETAILS
To find out more details on Newscast, or for any Public Relations queries you may contact:
Editor: Bavashnee Naidoo
Tel: 031-450 4492
Cell: 083 459 0207
Email: [email protected]
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