Ghana’s Building Materials Industry Leading The Way

Diamond cement is produced in Buipe in the Northern Region of Ghana.

Accra, May 6, 2018//-The combination of rapid population growth, urbanization and economic development are putting Ghana at risk with regards to meeting the increasing demands for housing and urban planning.

Although the construction and building materials industry could form the bedrock for possible solutions to the developmental challenges, accounting for more than 20% of the gross national capital in Ghana , their significant contributions to sustainability challenges in society and the biosphere as a whole have been little emphasized in Ghana.

The need to develop appropriate strategies and actions to make the construction activities in the country more sustainable is of great importance to society. Against a backdrop of population growth, migration and urbanization, Ghana faces many development challenges, including sporadic economic growth, environmental degradation, and overwhelming and complex social issues.

There is a close relationship between economic growth and the construction and building materials industry, characterized by the physical infrastructure and asset-based development upon which growth and development are achieved.

The sustainability aspects in the built environment are generally concentrated on reducing the environmental footprint of buildings. Sustainable buildings are assessed by reduced production of greenhouse gas emissions (particularly carbon dioxide);  reduced use of natural resources, in particular, water, gas and electricity; reduced waste production and increased recycling;  enhanced building occupant health, comfort, and safety;  production of renewable resources;  collection of water for potable and non-potable uses; and recycling and treatment of sewage and waste water.

Furthermore, sustainable construction can be qualified as a special case of sustainable development targeting the construction industry especially, whose role it is to develop, plan design, build, alter or maintain the built environment, including the building materials manufacturers and metal supplier.

A new approach to sustainable building evolves from the incorporation of the concept ‘sustainable development’ into the real estate and construction industry that provides an integrated approach to environmental, social, and economic dimensions.

The World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) popularized this concept in the Brundtland Report  indicated that it “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

At a broad level, successful strategic sustainable development for the construction and building material industry can be summarized as “energy efficient and comfortable living and working spaces, with 70% of the world’s population living in urban areas, 95% of existing building stock using zero net energy, and less than 5% of buildings heated with fossil fuels” (World Business Council for Sustainable Development Vision 2050 Project).

This vision is in alignment with one set by the Ghana Green Building Council (GHGBC), which represents the sustainable construction industry in Ghana. GHGBC’s Mission Statement is “to transform the built environment in Ghana towards sustainability through the way our communities are planned, designed, constructed, maintained and operated.”

Their vision statement follows  with “to significantly improve the overall health and lives of present and future generations through sustainable buildings and communities” (GBC Official Launch Handbook 2011).

The mission statement of the architectural community is “To provide innovative and high quality services in the design and supervision of projects in an efficient, timely and cost-effective manner to the satisfaction of our clients, using a highly motivated and dedicated workforce” .

Nevertheless, there exist myriad challenges facing the construction and building materials industry in Ghana today. Increasingly, insurmountable social, environmental, health and economic challenges continue to hinder the growth of Ghana’s construction and building materials industry.

KEY PLAYERS IN THE INDUSTRY

Sethi Brothers: conquering the West Africa steel market

Sethi Brothers Limited, which manufactures steel products, and it offers the best stainless steel valves for sale has become a very powerful force in Ghana and beyond, is pursuing its regional development and sector consolidation.

One of the ambitious company’s medium-term goal is to offer a sustainable and high performance steel products range supported by unrivaled customer service.

Sethi Brothers Limited was established in 1976 by Charles and Paul with an initial capital investment of US$10,000. From a humble beginning in Monrovia, Liberia, the company has grown from a general merchandise store dealing in building materials to a leading manufacturer of steel products in West Africa.

Srthi steels

Indeed, the steep rise of Sethi Brothers is attributed to the vision and foresight of the two brothers who saw the need to acquire Wazni Trading’s Retail Business and Mezbau Incorporated(A Belgium Trading Co.) of Liberia along with its large premises and product lines such as aluminum doors, windows and roofing materials. You can get help form roofer Indianapolis for best roofing services.

At that time, the company employed a total staff of 10 expatriates with 200 local employees and generated approximately US$10 Million annually. However, the Liberian civil war in 1989 forced the company to relocate its headquarters temporary in Lome, Togo and subsequently to its present head office in Tema, Ghana in 1994 under the trading name Sethi Brothers (Ghana) Limited.

In addition to Sethi Brothers Togo and Liberia however, Sethi Liberia is no longer a part of the Sethi Group). Pursuing its expansion policy, Sethi Brothers Ghana Limited has new branches opened in major Ghanaian cities and towns like Tema, Takoradi, Kumasi and Accra giving the company an International outlook.

While a number of companies have associated with the Sethi Brothers Ghana Limited including:  Sethi Brothers Kumasi – Steel Trading Company;  Steel Force Kumasi – Steel Trading Company;  Sethi Manufacturing Company Kumasi – Manufacturing Unit; and Sethi Steel Takoradi – Steel Trading Co.

In a bid to serve its customers, Sethi Brothers Ghana Limited  offers range of products includes re-inforced bars, profiles, roofing system and architectural paints.

“Our manufacturing base produces reliable high performance steel grades. We provide our steel in lengths and widths that are specific to each process. We have the flexibility and expertise to tailor products to meet specific end-application requirements.

We have dedicated approachable teams to support our customers. Working together we can make gains by reducing tool wear to improve line speeds”, according to officials of the leading steel manufacturer.

The leading steel manufacturer sounded the warning that procurement of steel products calls for a lot of precision towards correct dimensions; quality, quantity and correct prices. It is therefore important for customers to be very careful in selecting the source of their supply.

That is why at Sethi, its contract with customers is to provide steel products in correct sizes, correct quantities, supported by correct prices for every product purchased.

With many years of existence, the company has the expertise to provide bespoke products for its numerous. The Sethi Brothers Ghana Limited is among the leading provider of employments to thousands of people in the West African country.

Besides, the company which is a household name in Ghana contributes significantly in taxes to the socio-economic development of the country.

Sethi Brothers Ghana Limited  shares its history on the principle that its activities should always benefit society. Today,  the company is guided by the same long-term vision that drives it to continuously improve its wide range of products.

Sethi Brothers Ghana Limited is doing what its competitors fail to do which keep the company growing from strength to strength. It has started the journey but it is yet to arrive.

Sofaamy Glass Processing Ghana Limited: A trailblazer

Given how many small businesses fail, there is always something to be learned from those that succeed.  Sofaamy Processing Ghana Limited, still going strong after 12 years, provides a case in point.

The basic formula for this company’s success can be stated rather succinctly: Provide a high quality product at a reasonable price and back it up with exemplary service.  Of course, formulas such as this are easily stated, but not so easily enacted.  Kofi Somuah who runs the company has managed to create the leading glass processing company that makes this strategy a reality.

Indeed, Sofaamy Glass Processing Ghana Limited started off as a small glass processing unit in 1995 at Tesano in Accra, in a small single-room store/ workshop. It was a ‘One man band’ which provided expert product and glass installation services to local tradesmen.

Information about its services quickly spread and demand grew, requiring a rebranding of the business and a gradual but consistent expansion of its products and services.
Within the first six months of operations, it made some acquisitions and set up branches to execute its aggressive strategy.
By 1999, Sofaamy set up Façade Solutions in Ghana and acquired a controlling stake of what was later to become an international standard, a stone supply, and an installation company.

With bulldog tenacity and ingenuity, the company has established seven Distribution Outlets: in Accra (Dzorwulu, Darkoman, Madina, Lashibi, Awoshi and Kasoa) and Kumasi (Anloga Junction) to meet the growing needs of its customers composed of large companies, medium, international groups, and SMEs and individuals.

To properly coordinate the affairs of all the branches, the management of the company has decided to locate the company’s head office and processing factory at the Achimota Golf Hills.
The company popularly known today as Sofaamy, is a fully incorporated registered company in Ghana, since 2001. From its head office, the CEO and Managing Director, Kofi Somuah directs and manages all its outlets to achieve the mission and vision of the company.

He efficiently does that with the aid of a committed and vibrant team of staff and technical workforce, as well as the use of state-of-the-art ICT facilities; a technologically advanced glass processor.

“We have made tremendous strides in the fabrication and marketing of many varieties of processed glass sheets in the history of Ghana. We are fast becoming the first among equals in the Glass business; in Ghana and beyond”, Mr Somuah stated.

Sofaamy continues to endear itself to its customers, thereby becoming A First-Choice Builders’ Companion. With a Staff and Labour strength of about 161, and a current annual turnover of about USD 11million, the company continues to contribute in no small measure to the growth of Ghana’s economy.

Sofaamy’s unmatched product line and experience has created a comprehensive solution to satisfy virtually any architectural glass requirements in the country.

Its customer base and working relationship has included corporate and private institutions, namely hospitals, private estate developers, automobile warehouses and glass dealers, the aviation industry, university and tertiary institutions, hospitality and leisure institutions.

For this purpose, the leading glass processing company is shaking up conventions by offering to its customers innovate products and services tailored to their needs. The development of original products and services has become the dogma of the company.

* Accessories, these include all kind of frameless door patch fittings such as handles, floor spring, lock, top & bottom patch fittings and pivots, glass to glass fittings, glass to wall fittings, accessories for aluminum framed doors, windows, curtain wall, among others.

* Aluminum composite panel (ACP), consists of a thermoplastic polyethylene core that is sandwiched between two outer flat aluminum plate sets. The polyethylene core is bonded between the two aluminum sheets providing a very light weight, flat, smooth and strong rigid sheet.

The Aluminum composite sheets can be coated with a number of coatings from PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride), chem film, powder paint coating, or polyester paint depending on client requirement.  ACP can also be produced in a wide range of colours including metallic; and patterns that resemble woods and marbles. PVDF and polyester ACP can be found in a range of applications from building claddings to signage as a replacement to heavier and expansive substrates.

* Mirrored glass,  produces mirrored glass- a metal coating is applied to one side of the glass. The coating is generally made of silver, aluminum, gold or chrome.

The company within the past 12 years has received several awards including Best Company – Glass Distribution and ProcessingWest African Regional Magazine Awards.

Alutrade: The Global Brand

Ghana’s burgeoning metal recycling industry continues to attract global players. One of the global player to enter the industry is Allutrade Limited with a promise to change the face of the industry.

As a family business started in 1987, Alutrade Ltd has grown to become one of the leading metal recyclers in the UK, servicing businesses both locally and nationwide and providing total waste management to all types of industries.

From its sites in the Midlands, Alutrade handles all types of metal scraps and last year successfully recycled over 42,000 tons of product, some of which would have been landfilled only three years ago. If you have any extra scrap laying around after a project, then consider getting help from a scrap metal pick up service.

The main site which is located in Oldbury, specialises the recycling of extrusion and sheet off-cuts from aluminium fabricators and mixed non-ferrous material from merchants, local authorities and waste management companies. Through the use of up-to date and modern technologies the company cuts, shreds and sorts all the metals and grades them appropriately for use by smelters all around the world back into metal products used in everyday life.

We also recycle more specialised products, recycling used beverage cans (UBC), bottle tops and aerosols.
Alutrade takes contaminated products, sorts out the various contaminates and cleans up the product so it can be properly recycled back into its original form i.e. the can is melted back into can and is not downgraded back into a lower quality product.

The company was delighted to have been involved in the recycling of materials from the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games – specifically the Olympic Rings and the mock-up of Big Ben. Alutrade was involved in the removal of seating from the water polo venue too.

The advantage of using Alutrade as your scrap recycler is that it can provide a complete waste service using its own modern fleet of vehicles, skips and bespoke containers and can tailor-make a package to suit all your requirements.

Alutrade offers competitive prices with instant payments by cheque or BACS which can be linked to LME (London Metal Exchange) and is fully compliant with all environmental and government legislation, ensuring all material is handled in a legal and environmentally friendly way.

In fact all the company’s sites operate on a zero landfill policy with much of the unrecyclable product going to fuel or local cement kilns, keeping Alutrade’s carbon footprint as low as possible.

Whether you are a local plumber or electrician or a large corporation, Alutrade is capable of providing a fast and friendly disposal system, guaranteeing you the best possible prices at the lowest cost to the environment.

The company’s product range includes clean extrusions, aluminum swarf, clean commercial sheets, commercial pure sheets, and bottle tops and aerosols.

B5 Plus Ghana Limited: leading the ECOWAS steel market

The leading steel company- B5 Plus Ghana Limited , which most industry watchers say is one of the fastest growing steel companies in West Africa is leveraging on its experience to provide customer-centric products for its customers.

Mr. Mukesh V. Thakwani alias Mike, who is the Chief Executive Officer of B5 Plus Steel Industry, located in Tema in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, started the business in a small office with small staff.

Founded in 2002, he aims at providing highly customer-centric product with excellent relationship building skills to customers.

B5 Plus products

The company succeeded because he served the needs of the indigenous building and construction industry, plethora of distributors and retailers, as well as business organizations/people not catered for by other steel companies in Ghana and beyond.

Mr. Thakwani’s customers are his most prized assets, thus providing them with quality and prompt services is his first priority, according to the business magnate.

From a very humble beginning, B5 Plus Ltd has grown by leaps and bounds and become one of the premier steel industries in the West African region.

Currently, B5 Plus Ltd with several subsidiaries including DPS International has staff strength of over 1,200.

As an avid and astute businessman, Mr. Mukesh V. Thakwani has a rich experience of 25 years in steel industry in the African business landscape.

He is the proud recipient of the European Award for Quality and Excellent Services award, 2013, and was recently crowned the West African Personality of the Year 2015 by the Business Executive Magazine, a leading international magazine in West Africa.

Mr. Thakwani’s leadership potentials and the unflagging pursuit of excellence have won himself and his business enterprise a plethora of awards including the few listed above.

❖Pillars of Modern Ghana Awards Presented to B5Plus Limited, Category: TNG, ​Steel Fabrication Company in Ghana for the year 2014

❖The Biz 2014 – Mr Mukesh V Thakwani in recognition of Excellence in Business Management, with all its rights and privileges given in the city of Abu Dubai, UAE, 2014

❖AGI Ghana Industry Awards – Certificate was presented to B5Plus Limited for being best company in the metals, buildings & construction sector in the 3rd AGI Ghana Industry, 2014

His personal journey has taken him from India to West African countries like Liberia, Togo, and Benin since 1988, before settling down in Ghana to highly-successful, and multiples award-winning entrepreneur. That journey has helped him to acquire an incredible business expertise.

He believes that every C.E.O/MD should have four essential qualities to succeed in this new millennium. These are-listen effectively, be an industrious entrepreneur, possess a cross – functional approach to solve problems, and shrewd common sense combined with discerning power.

Mr. Thakwani’s relentless efforts to propel B5 Plus Limited to the acme of excellence, have established benchmark of customer service and quality for steel industries in Ghana.

The company which aims to become the world’s steel industry benchmark through the excellence of its people, its innovative approach and overall conduct, is capable of achieving that.

With corporate headquarters in Tema, Ghana, today B5 Plus operates in all the ECOWAS countries. It has a significant presence in African steel as an integrated manufacturer of steel and finished steel products.

The company’s principal product is steel products which come in seven major categories: Mild Steel, High Tensile & Iron Rods, Galvanized Products, Stainless Steel, Marine & Mining, Roofing & Nails and Concrete & Fencing.

 

By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, African Eye Report

Email: info@africaneyereport.com

 

 

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