News

INDIGENOUS VEGETATION FOR CRB WALLING – THE ROUTE TO GO ADVISES THE CMA
(13 July 2010)
One of the more rewarding features of concrete retaining block (CRB) walls is the plant life which, when properly chosen, flourishes in the numerous soil-filled crevasses presented by these structures. Rather than the stark alternative of graffiti-bearing solid-concrete retaining walls, CRB walls provide an ideal platform for the creation of ...... read more

GLOBAL EXPERT TO HOLD SEMINARS ON GREEN PAVING SYSTEMS
(07 June 2010)
Australia’s Dr Brian Shackel, a world leader in concrete block paving (CBP), will be staging four half-day seminars on permeable concrete block paving (PCBP) systems during September/October. He will be teaming up with local paving expert and former Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) director, John Cairns, who will demonstrate and expand ...... read more

SIDE-STEPPING PRECAST CONCRETE STANDARDS - A HUGE THREAT
(11 May 2010)
The Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) believes that the exclusion of SABS standards in tender documents issued by local and national government bodies for precast concrete products poses a serious threat to construction standards as a whole as well as to the community at large.
 
In some instances, the consequences are immediately ...... read more

PRESTRESSED SLABS INSTALLED AT ORANGE FARM YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
(07 May 2010)

Manufactured under ISO 9001 and SANS 1879 : ...... read more

CMA INTRODUCES NEW TROPHY AWARD
(21 April 2010)
The CMA (Concrete Manufacturers Association) has announced a new trophy award for its Awards for Excellence competition.

CMA director, Hamish Laing, says the number of ...... read more

TWELVE-MONTH IMPLEMENTATION WINDOW FOR REVISED PAVING STANDARD
(15 April 2010)
Paving producers which hold the SABS (South African Bureau of Standards) mark for concrete block pavers (CBP), SANS 1058, have 12 months in which to comply with a revised standard, SANS 1058 2010, officially published by SABS in March.

The revised standard was drafted jointly by SABS and the CMA (Concrete ...... read more

CMA PUBLISHES GREEN PAVING BROCHURE
(07 April 2010)
The Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) has published a brochure on permeable concrete block paving (PCBP), the green alternative to conventional concrete block paving (CBP).

Its primary objective is to assist landscape designers, property developers, as well as planning, building control and adoption officers to better understand PCBP and the positive ...... read more

CMA UPDATES HOLLOW-CORE CONCRETE SLAB BROCHURES
(29 March 2010)
The Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) has updated two brochures on precast concrete slabs, ‘Prestressed hollow-core concrete slabs’ and ‘Precast concrete slabs on load-bearing masonry’. Both are intended for developers, building professionals, architects, structural engineers, and quantity surveyors and are based on SABS standards for the types of materials used.

Originally ...... read more

CMA TO HOLD SEMINARS ON HOLLOW-CORE SLABS FOR ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS
(18 March 2010)
The Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) will be staging two afternoon seminars on prestressed and reinforced precast concrete hollow-core slabs. Aimed principally at civil engineers, architects and property developers, the seminars will take place at the Bytes Conference Centre in Midrand on April 15 and in Kimberley on May 27. They ...... read more

CMA DIRECTOR RETIRES
(01 March 2010)
John Cairns, the CMA’s director for the past 13 years, officially retired at the end of February. His position has been filled by newly appointed director, Hamish Laing.

John will continue to work for the CMA on a consultancy basis for the next six months and will be still very much ...... read more

CMA MEMBERS DONATE BUILDING MATERIALS TO TOWNSHIP YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
(15 February 2010)
The Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) is donating over R700 000 worth of precast concrete building products for the construction of a youth development centre (YDC) at Orange Farm, a large township with a population of over 1.5 million, located some 45 km south of Johannesburg. The products include concrete masonry ...... read more

UPDATED PERMEABLE PAVING DESIGN SOFTWARE AVAILABLE FROM THE CMA
(10 February 2010)

Updated versions of PermPave, software used for designing permeable concrete block paving (PCBP) surfaces, and LockPave, software used for designing conventional concrete block paving (CBP) surfaces, are now available from the Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA).

PermPave Version 2.1 and LockPave Version 18.1 are available on a single disc at no ...... read more

CONCRETE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION INVITES ENTRIES TO ITS 13th AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE COMPETITION
(11 January 2010)
The Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) will be staging its 13th Awards for Excellence competition during 2010. The competition is open to all architects, engineers, manufacturers, developers, contractors or users involved in precast concrete projects and is not limited to CMA member companies.

CONCETE ROOF TILES - THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND BEST LOOKING ROOFING MATERIAL
(02 January 2010)
Concrete roof tiles are still the most cost-effective roofing material for roofs built with trusses. This observation is based on an updated survey coordinated on behalf of the Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) by roofing specialist, Victor Booth Pr Eng. – an independent consulting engineer.

Last conducted in 2007, the survey ...... read more

A MEETING OF PRESIDENTS
(23 November 2009)
Garth James (left), president of GIGSA (Geosynthetic Interest Group of South Africa) and Silvio Ferraris, president of the CMA (Concrete Manufacturers Association), seen here during a break at a CMA seminar in Cape Town on the design, construction and reinforcing of CRB (concrete retaining block) walls on September 30th. 

It ...... read more

SOUTH AFRICA PARTICIPATES IN INTERNATIONAL PAVING CONFERENCE
(14 November 2009)
Buenos Aires offers an ideal setting for a conference, providing a rich cultural and architectural heritage which is nothing if not inspirational. This, and the fact that Argentina has been using concrete block paving (CBP) for the past 30 years, is why its capital was chosen as the venue for ...... read more

CONCRETE BLOCK PAVING MORE COST-EFFECTIVE THAN PREMIX ASPHALT IN MANY APPLICATIONS
(09 November 2009)
An independent survey conducted on behalf of the Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) during August shows that concrete block paving (CBP) is, in most instances, a more cost-effective surfacing option for driveways, car parks, residential streets and township roads than premix asphalt paving (PAP). The results of the survey have been ...... read more

SEMINARS DEMONSTRATE HUGE INTEREST IN HOLLOW-CORE SLABS FOR MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS
(08 November 2009)
If there was any doubt as to the huge level of professional interest in how prestressed and reinforced precast concrete hollow-core slabs can be used as an alternative flooring material for multi-storey buildings, it was dispelled in October when over 250 engineers, architects and property developers attended two seminars on ...... read more

PRECAST CONCRETE OFFERS A HOUSING SOLUTION – SA HOUSING CONFERENCE
(28 October 2009)
Precast concrete can reduce South Africa’s housing backlog dramatically. Just how was the subject of two papers presented at this year’s SAHF (Southern African Housing Foundation) International Housing Conference and Exhibition. These were delivered by CMA director, John Cairns, and Llewellyn van Wyk, a senior researcher at the CSIR.

Staged ...... read more

UPDATED CONCRETE BLOCK PAVING MANUALS AVAILABLE FROM THE CMA
(13 October 2009)
The Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) has republished three paving manuals: Book 3 - Specification and Installation; Book 4 – Site Management and Laying; and Building Roads. Books 3 and 4 are largely instruction manuals meant for contractors and engineers, whereas Building Roads is a promotional leaflet aimed at local government ...... read more