FIVE PRECAST CONCRETE PROJECTS AWARDED CATHAY INDUSTRIES TROPHIES BY THE CMA:

In addition to the presentation of the Trophies and National Awards, 18 Inland Regional Awards were also presented at the Theatre on The Track. The Coastal Regional Award ceremonies took place in Cape Town on September 30th and in Durban on October 2nd. Eleven Cape-based entries secured Regional Awards, nine going to projects located in the Western Cape and two to Eastern Cape-based projects. Seven Regional Awards were won by projects based in KwaZulu-Natal.

Of the five projects awarded Cathay Industries Trophies three were Inland projects and two were Cape-based.  The three Inland projects comprised: Bridgeview, a Suspended Concrete Floor Slab project in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, which was entered by Echo Prestress; Pinnacle Estates, a Residential (between 50-100m²) Concrete Roof Tile project in Sandton, Gauteng, entered by Marley Roofing; and Waterfall Equestrian Estate, a Residential Concrete Block Paving project in Gauteng submitted by SmartStone.

The Cape-based trophy-winning projects were:  Suikerbossie Nek, a Concrete Retaining Block (CRB) wall project situated in the Cape Peninsula and entered by Terraforce; and Red Location Museum, a Commercial and Community Masonry project near Port Elizabeth, submitted by Deranco Blocks.

This year’s awarding of trophies to five rather than four projects stems from the fact that two projects, Suikerbossie Nek and Bridgeview, will share a trophy. Normally only one trophy winner is selected from the combined categories of Concrete Retaining Block Walls, Suspended Floor Slabs and Innovative Products, the other three going to the overall winners in the Concrete Roofing, Masonry and Paving categories. This year the judges felt that Suikerbossie Nek and Bridgeview were outstanding projects both of which were worthy of the premier award, and instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, the decision was taken to split the honours.

Trophy award certificates were presented to each member of the project team, but the actual trophy will reside with the product manufacturer. In the case of the shared trophy each manufacturer will keep the trophy for a year as opposed to the normal two year period.
 
Besides taking three Cathay Industries Trophies this year, Inland projects also took nine National Awards, 18 Regional Awards, and one Special Commendation Award. Three Special Commendations were also awarded to  Western Cape entries. Special Commendation Awards are made in instances where the judges rate two entries in the same category almost equally and both worthy of an award.

Out of a total of 21 entry categories, 16 National Awards were presented this year. National Awards are only made if the entries meet standards which the judges feel are worthy of National Award status and this year five categories did not make the grade.

The awards presentation was a black tie affair attended by over 450 guests, comprising CMA companies, the judges and the media. The double comedy act of Michael de Pinna and Norman Anstey entertained the guests with their unique brand of humour and the duo also announced the awards. These were jointly presented by Garth Gregory, president of the CMA, and Hans Wiegand, managing director of Cathay Industries SA.

John Cairns, CMA director, notes that the competition serves to highlight the significant role that CMA member companies are playing in the provision of educational buildings, access to fresh water, improved sanitation, roads, housing and infrastructural products.

The judging took place earlier this year at the CMA’s headquarters in Midrand, Gauteng.

“It was conducted over two days on the basis of photographic and written submissions, an approach which works extremely well provided the photography is of a professional standard and the written submissions are clear and factual.

“There were two groups of judges, five in each and this was the first time that the judging was held over two days instead of one, as in past competitions. Collectively the judges brought well over 150 years experience to the competition and represented a broad spectrum of disciplines including architects, landscape architects, consulting engineers and quantity surveyors.

“Each group gave up an entire day for the competition and some of them flew up from the coast. We owe them a big vote of thanks,” says Cairns.

As was the case in 2006, this year’s Trophy Awards were sponsored by Cathay Industries. The company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high quality oxide and a global player in the manufacture, blending and marketing of Ferrotint pigments.

Trophy Winners Group Shot
The 2008 Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) Awards for Excellence competition was exceptional in that five rather than the normal four projects were awarded Cathay Industries (formerly Cathay Pigments) Trophies. Pictured here are representatives of the five winning project teams. They are: Kobus Thysse (left) of Deranco Blocks (Red Location Museum Concrete Masonry Award); André Reeders of Dassenberg Retaining Systems (Suikerbossie Nek Concrete Retaining Block Walls Award); Daniel Petrov of Echo Prestress (Bridgeview Precast Concrete Slab Award); Michael Hartley of REE Paving (The Waterfall Equestrian Estate Concrete Block Paving Award); James Metcalf of SmartStone (The Waterfall Equestrian Estate Concrete Block Paving Award); Garth Gregory, CMA president; Mark Irving of Marley Roofing (Pinnacle Estates Concrete Roof Tile Award); and Hans Wiegand, managing director of Cathay Industries SA.

 
ISSUED BY:  David Beer Communication Consultants
FOR :             Concrete Manufacturers Association 
ENQUIRIES: John Cairns (011) 805 6742
                      David Beer (011) 478 0239 or 082 880 6726.  Email: bigsky@ibi.co.za