FACE TO FACE
CRUSHING IT
SINCE THE 1990s
By Ntsako Khosa
Located in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, independent dolerite quarry Midmar Crushers prides itself in providing real solutions to clients. This is embedded in its business philosophy, which has seen it winning consecutive awards from Aspasa.
Producing a variety of concrete and road stone, dust, subbase, and gabion stone for more than two decades, the quarry holds its employees in high esteem. Founded by the Fourie family,“ The business aims to provide customers and the community with high-quality aggregates at affordable rates,” says Midmar Group marketing head, Cassy Fourie. Fourie goes on to describe how the aggregates they sell are more than just stone. The stone sold is used to build roads, schools, and houses, which uplifts and improves the community. Aggregates produced on the quarry supply the Department of Transport, local municipalities, local contractors, and agricultural businesses and they make sure that the aggregate is top-shelf.
The drive to produce quality aggregates is seen in the testing of it, which is done biweekly at local laboratories. This testing is done to ensure that the material meets Committee of Land Transport Officials( COLTO) specifications. These are specifications for the exclusive use by state road authorities for road and bridge works. Some of the projects that they have supplied include upgrading the national N3 highway, assisting in the construction of Spring Grove Dam, upgrading of the Midmar Dam, and the majority of interleading infrastructure in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
Their special focus on attention to detail has led them to win the same Aggregate and Sand Producers Association of South Africa( Aspasa) award three times in less than five years.“ Midmar Crushers was recently awarded the Aspasa About
Midmar Crushers
Midmar Crushers achieves great heights by sustaining their safety and environmental impact focus.
Face Top Independent Performer Award for Environmental, and the Initiating Safety, Health and Education’ s( ISHE) Top Independent Performer Award for Health and Safety. These awards have been received by the company in 2014, 2016, and 2017,” shares Fourie.
She elaborates,“ Aspasa awards are given on completion of two on-site theory and practical full-day audits. The About Face award for environmental recognises that the company maintains outstanding environmental business practices and acknowledges the measures used to control and minimise environmental impact. The ISHE award acknowledges the importance that Midmar Crushers places on health and safety for its employees and their working environment. The company carries out stringent controls and checks to ensure the highest level is maintained in its daily work. Once the audits have been completed throughout South Africa, the rankings are then distributed to over a hundred mines where acknowledgement of the top achievers are made.”
For Midmar Crushers, the award is an honour, as it is one of the highest accolades in the quarrying industry. Fourie says that being recognised as the top independent quarry in South Africa and being rated third overall, reflects the hard work and dedication of their staff to ensure their safety and earn the respect for Midmar Crushers’ impact on the environment.
Looking at the industry
Business has its challenges, whether internal or external. Fourie shares some of the external forces affecting the industry:
24 _ QUARRY SA | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018