Following the closure of the Cement & Concrete Institute (C&CI) in April, owing to the withdrawal of funding, major South African cement producers AfriSam, Lafarge and Sephaku have announced the establishment of a new agency, which will offer education and consulting services previously provided by the C&CI.
The newly formed Concrete Institute, which started operations on May 2, would offer concrete technology services to the construction industry and retained several key members of the C&CI staff.
Former C&CI MD Bryan Perrie, who had been appointed head of the new institute, said that all courses listed in the C&CI’s School of Concrete Technology 2013 Training Programme were still being offered.
“We are, in fact, hoping to expand the curriculum by including even more courses. The Concrete Institute has also taken over the responsibility for running the comprehensive and highly respected Advanced Concrete Technology course, which was under way when C&CI closed,” he said in a statement on Friday.
The Concrete Institute was currently also offering a free advisory service, as well as chargeable consulting services, including onsite visits by technical staff.
Perrie said it would continue to offer a comprehensive information centre and would also distribute a wide range of C&CI publications.
“There was widespread dismay in the building and construction industries when the C&CI was forced to close doors. With the support of new cement producer, Sephaku, as well as AfriSam and Lafarge’s continuing support, we are now confident that the Concrete Institute will continue to provide the services that made the C&CI an industry icon over the past 75 years,” Perrie added.