Experts from French multinational corporation,-Saint-Gobain have charged quantity survivors, site engineers building architects and other practitioners in the building industry on the need to be opened to innovation, seamless technology and foreign expertise in the quest to grow Nigeria’s building industry.
The experts gave the charge at a one-day workshop with the theme: ‘Creating Great Living Spaces: Innovative Solutions for Greater Well-being’ organised for professionals in the Nigerian Manufacturing and Construction industry.
Nigeria is really lagging behind on designs, constructions and materials that stand the taste of time according to the experts explaining that it is high time that professional bodies and practitioners be opened to alternative solutions.
During the training Nigerian Architects, Civil Engineers, Installers major distributors and other professional bodies were exposed to new building methods, alternative techniques of making, mounting and finishing of plasterboards and the use of other construction materials, which were described as great economic value not just to stakeholders but to the entire construction sector which is currently in dire need of innovative technologies for growth.
Ahmed Tajudeen, Executive Director, Avalon Intercontinental, owners of Renaissance hotel who was a guest at the Lagos workshop said Nigerians in all economic ramifications could be proficient given right exposure and training. He attested that the experts from Saint-Gobain, built the hotel at Government Residential Area; Ikeja.
“It was indeed a great experience having Saint-Gobain as part of the finishing of the hotel, which today stands tall as one of the best in Lagos. As a matter of fact, the company helped in designing and also provided an installation team for all materials required including gypsum boards, walls, ceilings, cross and main tee, insulation, finishing solutions, flooring solutions.
“Saint-Gobain brought specific solutions matching our needs: standard regular boards (ceilings), firestop boards (corridor walls and bedrooms), moisture resistant boards for wet areas (bathroom and kitchen walls), glass wool insulation for acoustic performance in walls and ceilings. In the course of the project they actually flew some of their personnel all the way from South Africa to train our men in Nigeria, which for me is quite remarkable.”
Earlier, Saint-Gobain Gyproc Senior Product Manager, Heidi Olivier described Nigeria as the biggest market for building materials in sub-Saharan-Africa, that need to expand its business scope in partnership with major distributor and that is why we are here in Nigeria.
“The whole idea of this workshop is to bring together various professionals who use our products and service in the course of doing their jobs and to also bring them up to speed with our latest offering in the market. She further stated that Saint-Gobain has made a name for itself in the industry with the production of high quality plasterboards which are second to none in the industry and has earned it a lot of recognition globally,” she said.
According to the Business Executive, Westtar Kapito, the French company is ready to expand its market share in Nigeria adding that “the company has come a long way in mastering the art of designing high quality plasterboards to suit all categories in the building industry that would be impactful for Nigeria. We are here in Nigeria to replicate what we have achieved in other markets.
Saint-Gobain is in partnership with Tormek Global Services limited, a major dealer in Gyproc plasterboard in Nigeria, with a showroom in Yaba area of Lagos State. Before the end of the year the company will be holding yet another event basically for installers to bring them on board. Plans are already underway to open a customer experience centre very soon in Lagos.”
