South Africa’s leading fly ash supplier, Ash Resources, over the last thirty years has successfully developed a by-product of Eskom’s coal-fired power stations to be a key component of local cement and concrete. The company also has a fine track record for the reliable delivery of its innovative fly ash products for the construction of challenging infrastructure projects regardless of size or distance.
Few current projects can be as fascinating and logistically challenging as the international airport being constructed on St Helena. A remote island in the southern Atlantic Ocean, St Helena is halfway between Africa and South America. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon Bonaparte’s exile from 1815 to1821. With no airport, goods have to be transportedto the island on a specially chartered vessel that takes five days to travel from Cape Town. That is all about to change! To promote tourism with the aim of making the island community more self-sustainable, the British Government is funding the construction of an airport.
South African contractor, Basil Read, was awarded a Design, Build and Operate contract for the project. They then placed the contract for the supply of 3 000 tons of fly ash with Ash Resources. “We wereable to guarantee delivery of our premium classified siliceous fly ash, DuraPozz®, to meet the customer’s needs in the required time frame.” says Andrew McKeen, Ash Resources’ Channel Manager – Construction. “Our fly ash is being used on all the main civil works and new buildings for the airport.”
Delivery from Ash Resources’ flagship Lethabo plant to St Helena is a complicated logistical exercise that involved loading on the contractor’s special supply vessel for the voyage to the island.
“We place a high value on our good name for being supply partners with our customers,” says McKeen. “All the company’s departments played a role in this operation and are focused on being solution providers, not only product suppliers. Our production and supply chain personnel rose to the challenge and have successfully supplied 1 500 tons so far on this unusual contract.”
About Lafarge
Located in 64 countries with 65 000 employees, Lafarge is the world-leader in building materials, with top-ranking positions in its Cement, Aggregates and Concrete businesses. In 2012, the Group posted sales of 15,8 billion Euros.
Lafarge places innovation at the heart of its priorities, working for sustainable construction and architectural creativity to help build better cities around the world: more beautiful cities that are better connected, have more housing, and are more compact and durable. Since 2010, the Lafarge Group has been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, the first global sustainability benchmark, in recognition of its sustainable development actions.
In South Africa, the company manufactures and supplies cement, aggregates, readymixed concrete, gypsum plasterboard and interior building fittings. It focuses on providing solutions to help the sustainable development of better cities that benefit the country’s people. Through having a strong presence in all of its business lines, it is in a unique position to contribute to urban construction, while also helping to build better rural towns and villages.
Lafarge South Africa also demonstrates active concern for the conservation of the country’s wildlife heritage and is a major supporter of the world’s first dedicated baby rhino orphanage in Limpopo Province. The Group has for many years been a leader in sustainable development and was the first industrial group to enter into a worldwide ‘Conservation Partnership’ with the environmental protection organisation, WWF International.
Additional information is available on the website at www.lafarge.co.za
For further information, please contact:
Charlene Lamb
Country Communications Manager
011 657 0000
Glass Communication Management
Bridget von Holdt
011 646 9992 / 0826100650
