Five years down the road
Stemele Bosch Africa (SBA) was formed five years ago by
consolidating the regionally based infrastructure project
companies within the B&A Group – which was founded in 1972
– into a single company, operating nationally and internationally
through regional offices and strategic alliances.
SBA Board of Directors.
“SBA is now five years old,” says Max Stemele, managing director of SBA.
“As a team, SBA can look back on its first five years with the satisfaction of having
achieved most of the company’s strategic objectives. As we all know, history will
reflect how we finished the game – and not the half time score!”
“How we adapt to future challenges is much more important than how we dealt
with the past. Having said that, let us dwell for a moment in reflection…”
“The company has consistently exceeded turnover growth targets set in the
inception business plan. Significant growth has also been achieved in the capacity
of our human resources and skills which are in short supply in the industry.”
“The key factor in obtaining growth targets has been SBA’s ability to attract,
develop and retain talented staff, in particular young people.”
“With regard to transformation, we believe the company has started well and is
making good progress. However, we do accept we need more women and senior
HDI management in line with SBA’s motto of ‘transformation through delivery’.
The SBA provisional DTI balanced scorecard rating of 62 is up with the leading
transformation consulting companies. We have 51% HDI ownership and 30%
senior management.”
While an improved economic climate in the construction industry has positively
impacted on business, significant achievements for SBA include:
·
Regional growth in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng
·
Increased market share in KwaZulu-Natal
·
Development of recognised national roads capacity
·
Significant in-roads into the provision of engineering services for both private
and public sector property developments
·
Synergy with Bosch Projects Sugar Division, with associated irrigation projects
in Africa
·
Synergy with Munitech, leading to solid waste opportunities at a national level
·
Growth of significant capacity in the electrical engineering division in the
Eastern Cape, both in the transmission and building services sectors and
·
Six SAICE and SAACE technical excellence services awards since 2001.
These achievements have contributed to increasing the brand profile of SBA in
the infrastructure project industry.
Another exceptional achievement in 2005 was obtaining ISO 9001 : 2000
certification of the SBA Quality Management System, which was followed by a
successful first surveillance audit in June 2006.
“While there is no room for complacency,” concludes Max, “client satisfaction
surveys recently undertaken, as part of the Quality Management System, support
the notion that SBA is meeting our clients’ requirements.”
2 Contact Max Stemele – [email protected]
Chairman’s reflection
on the past year
2006 has seen continued and significant growth for
the B&A Group and this is in line with the construction
industry generally.
In looking back over the year, the following key achievements stand
out:
The establishment of the B&A Group BEE Trust, which now
owns 28.5% of B&A Group (Pty) Ltd. The Trust is committed to
providing funding for Educational Bursaries, Skills Development
and Community Development projects for the previously
disadvantaged.
SBA’s growth and consolidation of its Johannesburg operations.
Core competence has now been established, which is further
supported by other national expertise.
The formation of Bosch Projects Brazil (BPB), a subsidiary of
Bosch Projects, set up primarily to market its patented Chainless
Diffuser Design into the world’s largest sugar market.
In addition to the above, we have managed to maintain our standards
of service delivery in spite of continuing pressures from an uncertain
tendering climate, public sector limited Procurement Management
capacity, scarcity of skills and increasing and often, restricting legislation.
We also have, and will continue to retain, a policy of not taking on
appointments without firstly securing the appropriate resources
needed to deliver.
What of 2007? Firstly, we know that the challenges of 2006 will remain.
In addition, the overdue f