Ready mix concrete consists of factory prepared cement, sand and aggregate mixture that is delivered to construction sites for immediate application and according to customers’ specifications.
Alliance Concrete Limited in partnership with Savannah Cement is set to launch ready-mix concrete this month as studies show that a majority of global consumers prefer ready-made products as they are time-saving and simplify their lives.
Ready mix concrete consists of factory prepared cement, sand and aggregate mixture that is delivered to construction sites for immediate application and according to customers’ specifications.
It is a product that seeks to enhance construction project efficiencies by cutting on site concrete mixing costs and time.
The company has invested in a Sh600 million project. It has batching plants in Kitengela and Dagoretti and will exclusively get its products from Savannah Cement.
At the Dagoretti base, it has fitted a 120 cubic meters per hour batching plant, it also has two boom pumps with over 40-metre pumping capacity, a fleet of 15 concrete truck mixers and two fixed pumps.
“When using conventional concrete, a contractor will need to hire people to mix gravel, sand and cement in order to get the required ration; this take three to four hours to be ready for application.
“However, with the ready mix concrete we deliver to the contractor a finished product saving them time, and once delivered it can be applied immediately thus saving on cumulative costs,” said Kemal Gocmen, General Manager, Alliance Concrete Limited.
Indeed, time- saving as a marketing strategy has been found to appeal to consumers.
In a 2016 survey digital media company GlobalData found that 36 per cent of consumers count on time-saving products and services.
This means that they will buy goods that meet their requirements in order to reduce stress and simplify their lives.
Another 25 per cent said that they rely on such products to create more personal time for activities such as hobbies and relaxing.
“Demand for ease and convenience derives from being time-poor and a perception of not having enough time to do all the things that one wants or needs to do. It encompasses all aspects of life, demanding dependence on highly efficient and effective products that better facilitate busy lifestyles and maximise leisure time,” reported GlobalData.
The new time saving product will, therefore, come in handy as it seeks to capitalise on projected demand as the government’s Big Four agenda to provide more than 500,000 affordable housing units gets under way.
According to the first quarter 2018 GDP report, the construction sector grew by 7.2 per cent compared to 8.2 per cent growth realised in the first quarter of 2017. The sector’s growth in the quarter was slower than the corresponding quarter of 2017, driven by the ongoing public infrastructural projects such roads and phase two of the standard gauge railway.
During the review period, credit to the construction sector increased by 7.5 per cent compared to a growth of 2.6 per cent realised in the first quarter of 2017.
Globally, the ready-mix concrete market is expected to reach $954.7 billion (Sh95.5 trillion ) by 2024 due to the rising number of infrastructure projects and increasing government spending on construction projects such as power plants, roads, airport expansions and dams in emerging countries, according to research by Grand View Research.
Commercial applications are expected to realise a 7.6 per cent compound annual growth from 2016 to 2024 due to the rise in demand for construction projects in developing countries.
Alliance Concrete Limited and Savannah Cement face competition from Bamburi Cement and Portland Cement, among other firms, which make ready mix concrete and have established themselves in the market.
“As a manufacturer we are exploring alternative market opportunities to guarantee our growth in an increasingly competitive market.
“This constitutes increasing the production volume of ready mix concrete deliveries to complement the existing bagged and bulk cement sales,” said Ronald Ndegwa, Savannah Cement Managing Director.
- African Laughter
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