The board of directors and employees of the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC) says its CEO and industry stalwart Paolo Trinchero will long be remembered as a dedicated champion of the steel sector and a strong proponent of sustainability throughout the sector.

After fighting a brave 18-month battle with cancer, Trinchero sadly died on August 21.

Trinchero’s contribution and dedication to the steel industry spans 30 years, including his first stint at SAISC in 1998 as a consulting development engineer and technology director, and later as an engineering manager for Macsteel Trading, to start up its cellular beam division.

He served as group business development and technical director at Macsteel Corporate Services a while later, adding to 11 years of service at Macsteel.

He returned to and led SAISC since 2013.

Colleagues and family share in a press release issued on September 8 that Trinchero was passionate about anything related to steel, particularly SAISC’s annual Steel Awards, which he presided over with great pride.

Additionally, he was an enthusiastic driver of the steel sector’s participation in the development of pan-African infrastructure, from mining projects to commercial high-rise buildings.

He oversaw many projects from conception to fabrication across Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands.

“Trinchero was unique in combining both technical and business acumen to promote the industry’s agenda and its best interests, which allowed him to be on industry policy committees, while also serving on technical committees,” comments SAISC acting CEO Amanuel Gebremeskel.

He attributes the continued existence of the Institute to Trinchero’s dedication, adding that the industry body is one of only six institutes of its kind around the world.

SAISC marketing director Denise Sherman says Trinchero understood that the strength of the industry and the institute lay in technical competence and a sense of community.

“I hope that his legacy of care, concern and technical strength will live on in the people and the Institute he leaves behind.”

The SAISC board says Trinchero, the man with a heart of steel – and gold – will continue to be celebrated for the lasting positive impact he made on the industry, and on the lives of many, including his wife and three children.