SAFAL Group’s New Roofing Solution to Address Environmental Degradation
By Zachary Ochieng
NAIROBI---SAFAL MiTek Limited, a joint venture between Mabati Rolling Mills Limited (MRM) of Kenya and Mitek Industries South Africa (Pty), a division of worldwide MiTek Holding Inc., part 'of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathway, USA, last week launched their flagship product, “ULTRA-SPAN”, an affordable and eco-friendly roof truss system that is set to mitigate the effects of climate change.
The innovative material that comes with a 25-year material warranty is poised to replace timber roof truss system, effectively saving the African forest cover currently under threat. Besides being environment friendly, ULTRA-SPAN is easily available, affordable and takes less time to erect, as opposed to timber that is increasingly becoming rare and expensive.
The product—the first of its kind in the region---was launched in Nairobi at a colourful ceremony graced by Dr James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Bank. Also in attendance were Dr Manu Chandaria, Chairman, Mabati Rolling Mills, Mr Stephen Fray, Group Managing Director, Mitek, Asia Pacific &Africa, and Mr Kaushik Shah, Regional CEO, Safal Group, Horn of Africa. The launch also attracted various players in the construction industry including architects, engineers and quantity surveyors, among others.
Speaking during the launch, Mr Fray, Group Managing Director, MiTek, Asia Pacific &Africa was excited about the partnership with MRM and expressed confidence that ULTRA-SPAN will be extremely successful in Kenya and the region as the building industry in Kenya continues to grow and timber becomes scarce.
“We are looking to strengthen investment in this market. Though it will be sometime before it hits the takeoff stage, we are confident of making a big contribution to the East African economy”, said Mr Fray.
Mr Stewart Murray, Managing Director, MiTek South Africa (Pty) Limited said that MiTek has and will continue to invest in the fine-tuning of the software for its suitability for this market. “We were looking for the development of sustainable software that would result in economies of design”, said Mr Murray.
“The introduction of this new innovation in Kenya is set to revolutionise the building industry here”, said Dr Chandaria. “Most importantly, its introduction means less use of timber, which is a crucial move in saving Kenya’s already thinning forests.”
According to Mr Kaushik , Regional CEO, Safal Group of Companies, the increased demand for housing means demand for better products and solutions.
“ULTRA-SPAN is the most-environment friendly product and it also serves both the low and high end markets very well”, said Mr Kaushik. “It is a product with a very great potential.”
Among the projects already undertaken by Safal MiTek, which has manufacturing facilities in Athi River, Kenya, are the construction of houses for the internally displaced persons (IDPs), as well as hospitals, health centres, godowns and other residential buildings.
Riding on the back of an innovative software design, the product is combustion-free and easy to install ( 35 – 40 per cent faster), with the ability to erect between 5-10 houses a day depending on the design, location, etc. Other benefits of the product include light weight, high strength, fungus, borer and termite resistant, higher accuracy, longer life due to pre-galvanised sections and lower builder’s risk and insurance costs.
“ULTRA-SPAN has a longer life because it is designed using a state-of-the-art software solution. It satisfies the ever increasing demand for complex roofing market”, said Mr Kaushik Shah.
Mr Ramji Varsani, Managing Director of EPCO Builders, who constructed the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Housing Project in Nairobi’s Embakasi estate where this product was used, confirmed that the company saved a lot of time in completing the buildings.
Dr Mwangi announced that Equity Bank would shortly sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Mabati Rolling Mills, where Kenyans willing to use ULTRA-SPAN for the construction of their roof structure can access financing from the bank at affordable interest rates.