SA Affordable Housing January - February 2019 // Issue: 74 | Page 12

ADVERTORIAL - COVER STORY
A rising star in
affordable housing
Tri-Star Construction is about to turn 35 and is thriving in troubled
times – thanks to a decision it took five years ago to get involved in
affordable housing.
Tri-Star has successfully completed the first phase of Riverside.
R
ecognising the inevitable economic downturn five
years ago and predicting its effect on the commercial,
industrial and retail sectors ahead of time, Tri-Star
Construction’s management took the plunge and entered
the affordable housing market.
Championed by one of their long serving directors –
Maurice Williams – the company now boasts completion of
more than 7 000 affordable units with a current order book
of an additional 2 300.
Tri-Star Construction is a multi-disciplinary construction
company that can (and has) built anything from shopping
centres to commercial office blocks, hotels, warehouses,
residential, high-rise and low-rise construction
and renovations.
The project comprises the construction of new multi-storey
residential blocks of 270 flats.
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JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2019
The company’s staff retention and career opportunities are
excellent as they take pride in developing their human
capital. For example, Tri-Star’s four contract directors have
been with the company for an average of 17 years each and
have collective experience in the industry of 120 years.
Long service awards of 10 years plus were recently awarded
to 40 employees.
This loyalty and consistency of staff and leadership
ensures a consistent quality in delivery, illustrated here
through three of their recent projects.
KEMPTON PLACE
This massive project was completed in 2012 for City
Properties and is an inner-city mixed-use construction
project.
The project comprises demolitions, the refurbishment
of 180 existing units, 2 800m² of retail space and the
construction of new multi-storey residential blocks of
270 flats.
“Two tower cranes as well as vertical goods hoists were
used to transport materials, people and waste, yet despite
the vast and complex site Tri-Star’s safety record was
substantial – maintaining a score of 93%,“ says contracts
director Steve Aydon.
At its peak 580 staff were employed on the site creating
numerous jobs for the local community, which upskilled
workers and small business units.
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