Strata Civils has successfully built 18 hockey and soccer AstroTurfs to date and aims to service the synthetic sports field market countrywide, Charles Linnegar, Managing Director, says. “Our first major contract was for township infrastructure in Parklands and Sunningdale, high growth property hubs on the West Coast of the Cape Peninsula. We have recently started work on two hockey AstroTurfs in the Johannesburg/Pretoria area and one in Polokwane.”

Linnegar says that Strata Civils has acquired the relevant experience to streamline AstroTurf design in order to offer the client a cost effective solution without compromising on quality. “The tolerances on the final surface of the turf are critical to the quality of the playing surface and we pride ourselves in achieving these standards. Our partnering philosophy once again is highlighted by aligning ourselves with a prominent supplier and installer of the turf.”

The company’s underlying philosophy is that “teamwork builds excellence,” Linnegar notes. “This extends to partnering with clients in order to provide them with best value. Our philosophy sets a foundation to allow all parties involved in a project to sit around the table and offer the client a cost effective, safe and quality product, and one that hopefully exceeds the expectations of the client. This in turn cements the relationship resulting in long term alliances.”

Established in May 2001, Strata Civils was acquired by the Raubex Group in 2012. After the boom in the 2010 World Cup, Linnegar notes that the local construction market experienced a significant downturn in activity. “Our strategy looking forward was to partner with a strong listed entity to weather the storm in tough economic conditions. Our reputation for integrity, coupled with technical and service excellence, attracted the interest of the Raubex Group, which became our majority shareholder in mid-2012. This has led to the sharing of expertise in certain markets to the mutual benefit of both parties.”

Apart from its involvement in the synthetic sports field market, Strata Civils’ core business is township infrastructure including bulk earthworks and associated underground pipe work and road works. “We are one of the preferred contractors to Garden Cities and Aska/Milnerton Estates, two prominent property developers in the Western Cape and CapeCo, a prominent property developer in Port Elizabeth,” Linnegar says.

“Our CIDB rating (7CEPE) allows us to tender and procure work with various municipalities in the Western and Eastern Cape for infrastructure, pipelines, roads and earthworks. We have also been successful in subcontracting to prominent building contractors for the external works to large shopping centres, hospitals and warehouses.”

Current contracts in the Western Cape include storm water retention dams in Pinehurst, a relatively new high growth area in the Northern suburbs being developed by Garden Cities, upgrading of bulk water infrastructure for Transnet in Salt River, a hockey AstroTurf in Rondebosch and various warehousing projects for building contractors. In the Eastern Cape, Strata Civils is busy with township infrastructure work for property developer Capeco, in addition to external works for the UTI warehouse in Coega, Port Elizabeth and external works for a shopping centre in Port Elizabeth.

“The construction industry at present is still a very challenging space to be in,” Linnegar comments. “Trading conditions are currently extremely tough due to a combination of a lack of infrastructure development spend and inflexible labour legislation. My hope is for the talk of investment in infrastructure to become reality and to give the economy the boost that is required to provide sustainable growth in our industry.”