Industrial, commercial and residential projects are cropping up across the continent and opening up tenders; speeding up the pace of the African construction industry.  A unique skill set and a crystal-clear picture of where the industry is headed is required to surmount the challenges that come with industry growth and change. In the face of change and fresh opportunity, contractors, engineers, quantity surveyors, architects, designers, property owners and property developers need to better understand how to identify viable project tenders, how to evaluate partners, materials and technology, and how to complete projects on budget and on time.   The TotallyConcrete Expo is the only all things cement, concrete and construction event crafted to provide the entire industry ecosystem with the tools and solutions needed to manage projects of all sizes and ensure their delivery on time and on budget.  John Sheath, CEO of the Concrete Society of Southern Africa, one of the endorsing associations of the event, states, “We hope that the TotallyConcrete Expo 2013, as part of ConcreteWeek, will provide a distinctively African platform in which the concrete and construction industries can converge for skills development, access to cutting edge building and construction technologies and cross-border information sharing.”

From the industrial face, HE Thembelani Thulas Nxesi, Minister of Public Works South Africa will deliver a keynote address focussing on the development of a systematic and comprehensive approach to regional infrastructure delivery and South Africa’s allocation of its R827 billion infrastructure roll-out.  On the residential front, Dan Brown, International Property Executive from Century Property Developments, will address the growth in the housing market.  ABSA bank reports there was a 9.53% house price increase last year, which marks the greatest gain South Africa has seen since the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008.  Commercial developments are also on the upswing with retail space in shopping centres now experiencing a growth rate of 7.8% a year.  Developers, now more than ever, require solutions for innovative, sustainable construction, and will be at the TotallyConcrete Expo to learn from construction experts such as Eng. Hans Rossocha, Engineering Director at Group Five Engineering and Construction (Pty) Ltd, South Africa and Clara da Cruz Almeida, Professional Consulting Architect and designer of the Soweto Theatre in South Africa.

With VIP participation from over 20 countries, the TotallyConcrete Expo promises to deliver you with the latest information on the African cement, concrete and construction markets, industry supply and demand, new projects and contracts, skills development and environmental considerations for tropical construction.  Eng. Joseph Makoju, President, Cement Manufacturers Association, Nigeria will answer questions about Dangote’s new venture to export 5,000 tonnes of bulk cement from the Ibese Cement plant on a weekly basis to Ghana.  HE Erkki Nghimtina, Minister, Ministry of Works and Transport, Namibia, and Hans-Wilhelm Schutte, Managing Director, Ohorongo Cement, Namibia will address the issue of infant industry protection and the need for import tariffs to protect the national economy. Soren Du Preez, Programme Director for the TotallyConcrete Expo aims to provide participants with an unprecedented Pan-African networking opportunity and predicts, “At the TotallyConcrete Expo manufacturers, transporters, and processors of concrete will be provided with access to South Africa and Africa’s most influential project owners to build relationships and identify new and future commercial partners.”