The core services of the former Cement & Concrete Institute (C&CI), including its training facility, information centre and consultant service, are being evaluated at the request of industry members to deter- mine whether they are still beneficial to the industry.

The C&CI, a marketing organisation that develops the market for concrete amid competition from alternative construction materials, closed last month after the withdrawal of its funders and resignation of its main board members.

C&CI marketing manager Hanlie Turner states that notice was given to the institute at the end of February, as the board members intend to undertake their own branded marketing and support to the construction industry and no longer see value in the institute’s offering.

She adds that the C&CI is a national asset and its closure will leave a gap in the industry.

“We were successful and worked according to our mandate. Our marketing was technical and focused on how concrete could be used in roads, architecture, human settlements and construction.

“It is sad that, after 75 years, the funders could not come up with a joint vision on how they wanted to see the institute going forward. During the past two years, we had been working on market surveys and a turnaround strategy to realign the institute with the industry.

“We had a fresh strategy that was on the brink of being implemented. There were many new things happening that we were excited about and our new strategy could have added a lot of value to the industry. Unfortunately, none of that is going to happen,” states Turner.

a.b.e. Construction Chemicals concrete repair and general construction product manager Ivor Boddington agrees that the closing of the C&CI will leave a gap in the industry.

“The institute offered services to the industry on a [consulting and advisory] basis and also trained people in different areas of concrete technology. It also had a full library [on concrete technology] that was readily available. The institute’s closing is a sad loss,” he says.

Meanwhile, Engineering News reported last month that, following the C&CI’s closure announcement, cement supplier PPC indicated that it had withdrawn its membership from the institute and would redirect its funding to various research and development initiatives that would benefit the cement and concrete industry.

South African cement manufacturer AfriSam also announced its resignation from the C&CI, indicating that, despite its confidence in the value that the institute offered to the construction industry and its efforts to sustain the industry body, no solution could be found.

AfriSam said it would, as part of the closure process, participate in the steering committee meetings.

“AfriSam would like to use this opportunity to thank the C&CI for the valuable role it has played in promoting the interests and general advancement of the cement and concrete industries as a whole in Southern Africa,” the company stated.

In a statement announcing its exit from the C&CI, local cement, concrete and aggregate supplier Lafarge said: “These events are deeply regrettable for the C&CI’s employees and the construction industry as a whole.

“The institute has provided a respected service for the industry for more than 70 years and has been providing a high standard of information services on building materials and best practices, as well as internationally recognised training courses in cement and concrete technology.”

The company indicated that it would, in the absence of the C&CI, use its expertise and competencies to provide a technical service to its customers.

“We are especially saddened by the impact that this situation is likely to have on the staff of the C&CI,” Lafarge South Africa CEO Thierry Legrand said.

All of the 25 C&CI employees have been retrenched, says Turner.

“The people who worked here have such skills and industry know-how and I thought that they all would have been easily absorbed in new jobs within the industry, but that doesn’t seem to be the case, owing to the current global economic situation,” Turner notes.