Local consulting engineering firm UWP Consulting South Africa (SA) says that its Tanzania-based practice, UWP Consulting Tanzania, which was established about ten years ago, is doing well in the country, where it has successfully completed roads and water projects valued at more than $10-million, with capacity-building assignments further expanding its portfolio in the past few years.
UWP Consulting Tanzania was formed as part of a partnership between Tanzanian professionals and UWP Consulting, and was registered as a local engineering consultancy in May 2005, with five local professionals holding 51% of the shares and UWP Holdings 49%.
The company was started after Dar es Salaam-based engineer Henry Catma responded to UWP’s search for an individual or small company with which to form a joint venture in Tanzania. At that stage, Catma and four other Tanzanian professionals were in the initial stages of establishing a local company named Tangroup Professionals Limited (Tanprol).
“It was easy to integrate Tanporol with UWP Consulting SA to form UWP Consulting Tanzania, since both were targeting the same markets,” says Catma, who has served as the company’s MD from its inception.
The other founding shareholders in the company are not involved in the day-to-day operations of the company.
In 2006, with the company having secured three municipal road upgrade projects in succession, two more engineers joined the firm. Today, UWP Consulting Tanzania has a staff complement of 20 employees, including six professional engineers. It has also successfully completed numerous projects alone and in joint venture with UWP Consulting SA and other local and international firms.
Recent Achievements
UWP Consulting Tanzania was recently awarded a contract to design the 65 km Tanga–Horohoro and 78 km Peramiho–Mbinga road. The company also supervised work on the Lower Ruvu Water Treatment Plant project, which supplies potable water to Dar es Salaam.
“We are looking to increase our client base by exploring opportunities in the private sector, in mining and through joint ventures with other professional firms in airport, railway and harbour projects.
“We are also hoping to implement a strong succession plan by employing young professionals, providing training and giving them the opportunity to acquire shares. This is a continuous process which began in 2014 when our first young professionals acquired a shareholding in UWP Consulting Tanzania,” concludes Catma.