Quarry Southern Africa September 2018 | Page 6

SA NEWS

Eighty years of disseminating concrete info

The enormous collection of printed matter in The Concrete Institute ( TCI )’ s information centre is as relevant today as when the well-known ‘ concrete library ’ put its first few books on the shelf 80 years ago , says Susan Battison , information specialist at the TCI .
The centre at the TCI offices in Midrand holds the largest collection of cement- and concrete-related reference works on the African continent , arguably also in the southern hemisphere . It was started in 1938 when the TCI forerunner , the Portland Cement Institute , was established and has been the one constant factor amid name changes and shifts in focus that the current TCI has since undergone .
TCI
Bryan Perrie ( seated on left ), MD of TCI , was pictured with the staff of the TCI ’ s information centre . Susan Battison is seated next to Perrie , with Bongani Methula ( standing on left ) and Kizzy Shipalana at the back .
Battison comments : “ Many people think that libraries with books and papers are irrelevant because so much research information is now available on the Internet . However , Internet research can be dangerous and commercially influenced . Some of the information on the web is marketing in disguise , emanating from amateurs
or pseudo concrete experts posting YouTube videos and blogs . Very little information free of charge on Google is peer reviewed or verified for accuracy and updating .”
She says peer reviews and scholarly information can be expensive to obtain , but the TCI information centre has a vast collection of such verified information available — free of charge . “ The centre has built up a reputation of trust within the concrete industry and is recognised as a champion of free concrete information .”
Its impressive catalogue has essential information under one roof for students and concrete industry specialists and if necessary , the centre ’ s staff can also search global information resources , to save clients
valuable time and money . Tertiary students who have progressed to become heads of university departments or global authorities spend hours of research at the Midrand ‘ library ’, which has generated immeasurable goodwill for TCI over the years .
“ Our reference works now total over 130 000 items and includes journals , conference proceedings , books , DVDs , standards , and historic data from an era long before the Internet existed . TCI Information Centre caters for the needs of professional builders , civil engineers , concrete technologists , students , lecturers , professionals , journalists , and home improvers . It has even helped school children with homework ,” Battison adds .

Construction and mining equipment sales rise

Sales of construction and mining equipment continued to improve during the first quarter of 2018 , with sales of new equipment reaching levels last seen in the first quarter of 2015 . According to figures released by the Construction and Mining Equipment Suppliers ’ Association ( CONMESA ), a total of 1 542 units were sold during the period ; an improvement of nearly 100 machines during the same period last year . It also extends the upward trend that has seen equipment sales inch upwards since the beginning of last year .
CONMESA chairman , Lawrence Peters , says the move is in line with the association ’ s expectations and predictions at the beginning of the year . He adds that the second quarter should continue a similarly positive trend , but with the uncertainty of volatile exchange rates and rising fuel costs possibly weighing against a sharper increase in sales .
The recovery has been steady but slow due to the underlying challenges faced on both the mining and construction sides of the industry . While low commodity prices have weighed heavily on the mining sector , the sluggish sales are also because of political uncertainty , as well as unease of the Mining Charter and its impact on mining investment in South Africa .
Along with other executive members of the association , who are elected from member companies within the association , Lawrence represents the large multiagency equipment distributor ELB Equipment , which has exposure in nearly all sectors of the mining and construction industries . His company experience also
Conmesa bears out the findings , where sales are improving across the board , rather than pointing to any one sector .
This is reflected by fellow board member and representative from Bell Equipment , Dale Oldridge , who says the company ’ s figures are better than expected in all areas , with mining equipment performing particularly well . He says that internally the company is also optimistic that construction equipment sales will improve during the latter part of the year as infrastructure projects are launched close to next year ’ s elections .
Barloworld Equipment ’ s Dr Samantha Swanepoel concurs , reporting that sales are improving across all industries , but reminds us that the industry ’ s improvement is off a relatively low base . She adds that factors such as the implementation of the Mining Charter , as well as negative mining news headlines , are still depressing aftersales business and margins .
Mining and construction equipment sales continued to increase in the first quarter of 2018 .
4 _ QUARRY SA | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018