As Managing Director of IDEAL WORK I have the opportunity to visit a lot of countries every year. My plan for 2015-2016 is to increase my trips to Africa because there is a huge request for our products in this area. We have done already projects in Nigeria, Kenia, Ghana, Algeria, Guinea Equatorial, Tunisia, and Libya and in many other countries.
Why is Stamped Concrete getting so popular in Africa? It would be easy to answer with the list of reasons we used for Europe and USA few years ago.
First, it’s a beautiful alternative to pavers and natural stones, especially for applications such as patios, driveways, walkways, and pool decks. It also requires less maintenance than those materials because it has no joints where weed growth can occur. Adding to the value of stamped concrete is the material’s longevity. When properly installed and maintained, stamped concrete will last for decades.
From an aesthetic standpoint, stamped concrete is hard to beat when it comes to pattern and colour options, which are virtually unlimited. This solution can also offer high margins for the installer and great inspiration for the architects.
All these reasons are the same also in Africa, but there is another big one:
Africa needs to create jobs for the young population, and Stamped Concrete is a wonderful opportunity. We do not ship finished products from Italy. We sell the “ingredients”, we train the local workers, and then everything happens in the jobsite. This means that stamped concrete can help to create future artisans and will help the local people to improve their skills.
Ideal Work adds to all these benefits and also unique sales strategy offering the products in combination with onsite training and technical support. These allow the African companies to train a large number of workers with a low investment.
Luca Seminati – Managing director IDEAL WORK –www.idealwork.com
