Maintaining a presence close to its burgeoning customer base led AfriSam to establish a readymix plant in Saldanha Bay’s Industrial Development Zone. Fully operational in June 2014, the plant will have a production capacity of 70m³ per hour.

Bevin Cornelius, AfriSam’s building construction materials territory manager in the Cape, explains that the plant will service the entire Saldanha Bay municipal area, including St Helena, Saldanha Bay, Langebaan, Paternoster, Jacobsbaai, Vredenburg and Hopefield. “We selected the site at Saldanha’s Industrial Development Zone due to its close proximity to the upcoming projects within the central hub of the Saldanha Bay municipal area.” Cornelius continues that the company has planned for some time to increase its footprint in the region and was encouraged by the announcement of the upcoming contracts to build the Langebaan Hospital, the further extensive development of Saldanha’s Industrial Development Zone and the widening of the port at Saldanha Bay.
The enormous project, which should lead to the integrated development of the Saldanha Port, the Saldanha Industrial Development Zone, Saldanha Municipality and the Saldanha/Langebaan Coastal and Nature areas on the West Coast of South Africa, will require extensive investments in port development, IDZ facilities, industry establishment and expansions. It is forecast that there will be employment growth of approximately 10 000 jobs in the initial development phase and up to 40 000 jobs when the industrial zone and port are fully developed.

“Not only will each of these projects require large amounts of readymix product, but they will also prompt the increased development of infrastructure to support these projects. These would typically include roads, schools, clinics, sewage systems and housing, which in turn will also require readymix concrete,” says Cornelius.

AfriSam’s Saldanha Bay readymix facility will comprise offices, storage silos for cement and storage areas for other aggregates, as well as delivery and dispatch areas to accommodate the company’s readymix delivery trucks. Cornelius points out that although the official working hours of the facility are weekdays from 07h00 to 17h00, the company is cognisant of the fact that deliveries may be required on weekends. “We are flexible to the needs of our customers and aim to accommodate them wherever possible.” He adds that the feedback received from the community to date is very positive. “Local readymix consumers welcome the entry of another readymix supplier in the area, and AfriSam looks forward to bringing to the area its recognised quality products and superior services.”