Civil Engineering July 2022 | Vol 30 No 6

Civil Engineering July 2022 41 S outh African steel distributor Macsteel, in partnership with Tate & Nicholson, Fortress, Pick n Pay and WBHO, recently broke the world record for the longest roof span cov- ered by a single metal corrugated sheet. Macsteel’s roofing unit roll-formed the sheets, spanning the width of 280 m, across the widest part of the roof covering the new Pick n Pay flagship distribution centre in Kempton Park. Macsteel used its inno- vative roofing product NOVOTEXI 440®, roll-formed on site, together with its industry-leading Sky Forming process, to achieve this. NOVOTEXI 440® was developed by Macsteel to resist high winds on large- scale roofing projects, and to meet the challenges engineers face in providing solutions for extreme weather conditions caused by climate change. Sky Forming is a unique solution, streamlining the roofing of mega-build projects. As the name suggests, it is a ground-breaking process where the roll-forming container producing the NOVOTEXI 440® sheet is lifted to the level of the roof so that it can seamlessly apply its product, at height and at speed. “We are very excited to be part of this development project with our partners. We remain true to the spirit of ‘Pursuing Reinvention’ which is the driving force behind our business strategy and has be- come the foundation on which we initiate and manage all our customer engage- ments,” says Macsteel CEO Mike Benfield. Macsteel has primed innovation as one of its key pillars to ensure sustainability in a global and South African context. Driven by a stressed economy over the last decade, Macsteel has focused on innovation in the pursuit of more cost- effective solutions as a prerequisite to assist customers. “A significant part of our strategy is focused on partnering with our customers in the early stages of a project so we’re able to offer strategic support from design to installation in providing efficient and cost-effective steel solutions to our cus- tomers,” adds Benfield. “We understand the importance of re- maining agile and relevant and ‘Pursuing Reinvention’ means finding new ways to grow our business and enabling our customer to grow at the same time.”  Macsteel breaks world record with pioneering technology Macsteel broke the Guinness World Record for the longest roof span covered by a single metal corrugated sheet Construction materials suppliers to beware anti-competitive behaviour A multi-million Rand fine issued to one of the country’s major con- struction firms recently should act as a warning to companies in the industry, including miners of building materials, to steer away from collusive behaviour or face the wrath of the law. This is according to Nico Pienaar of surface mining industry association ASPASA, who adds that a fine line exists between in- dustry cooperation on non-competitive matters such as health and safety and collusive behaviour such as price fixing and allocations. The risk of such behaviour was highlighted by the Competition Commission finding construction company Esor guilty of market allocation and collusive bidding and fined R15 million. He says the dangers of collusion exist even at grassroots level with the supply of raw materials such as aggregates and warns suppliers to guard against any practices that can be seen as being anti- competitive. In the interest of informing the industry he points to the following tactics to avoid collusion: 1. Provide training for staff and management on the dangers of collusion 2. Do not discuss details of pricing with competitors in any set- tings, even informally 3. Compete fairly and avoid entering into agreements with competitors 4. Blow the whistle on collusive be- haviour wherever it is encountered 5. Voice your concerns if commu- nication in any form seems to be anti-competitive 6. Object on record and leave any meeting if it becomes collusive 7. Trust your instincts – if it feels wrong, it probably is. “Ignorance of the law is no excuse; therefore it remains the responsibility of all staff involved in the sales process to be well informed. Managers and directors are at even greater risk of implication and should be especially aware of laws and regulations in dealing with sales agreements and contracts. No contract is worth the risk of criminal prosecution nor the reputational damage that is associated with being found guilty of anti-competitive, collusive or cartel-like behaviour,” concludes Pienaar.  Nico Pienaar of ASPASA warns against collusive behaviour