Experts from French multinational corporation, Saint-Gobain, have advised quantity survivors, site engineers building architects and other practitioners in the building industry to be opened to innovation, solutions and foreign expertise in order to build a resilient industry.
The experts gave the advice at a one-day workshop with: Creating great living spaces: Innovative solutions for greater well-being as theme.
It was organised for professionals in the manufacturing and construction industry.
They argued that Nigeria was still lagging behind on designs, constructions and materials that stand the test of time, adding that it is high time that professional bodies and practitioners opened to alternative solutions.
Executive Director, Avalon Intercontinental, owners of Renaissance Hotel, Ahmed Tajudeen, who was a guest at the workshop said Nigerians in every sphere of human endeavour could be more proficient if given right exposure and training. He said experts from Saint-Gobain built the hotel at the Ikeja GRA.
He said: “It was indeed a great having Saint-Gobain as part of the finishing team of the hotel, which today stands tall as one of the best in Lagos. As a matter of fact, the company designed and provided an installation team for all materials required including gypsum boards, walls, ceilings, insulation, finishing solutions, flooring solutions and others.
“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. He said there is need to expand its business scope in partnership with major distributor.
“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.
Business Executive, Westtar Kapito, said the company was ready to expand its market share in Nigeria. “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,” he said.
Saint-Gobain is in partnership with Tormek Global Services limited, a major dealer in gyproc plasterboard with a showroom in Yaba area of Lagos. 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.”
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.
