Spanish company to drill Nigerians on finishing technology

A Spanish firm, Muse by Impacto, has concluded arrangements to train Nigerians in the use of finishing material specification, usage, procurement and installation of tiles, ceramics, marbles, and white cement in the building sector.

It said over 1,000 jobs will be created in the next year, as the firm increases operations across the country.

Muse by Impacto, a Spanish building material expert firm was borne out of the necessity to bridge the knowledge gap in finishing materials.

Speaking recently in Abuja, the company Chairman, Carlos Iraburu Elizade, said the firm, within its showroom in Maitama, has tried to provide a studio and a conference room where architects can come together and solve technical problems, as well as sit and exchange knowledge.

“We have the physical samples that are displayed in the showroom, we have a library where they can do research, and we have a direct link where you can make calls to the factory in Spain, and solve the problems.”

Using materials is about solving problems, and there is always a problem to be solved, which is a finishing to be made. So, for you to know which particular product to be used, you have to have the knowledge, and that is what we would bring in to this showroom.

“Muse by Impacto has been in Nigeria since 2001, as a Spanish company. The sales have been up and down, and we now have tiles manufactured in Nigeria; we have tiles coming in from China, from Italy, but the tiles from Spain over the years have been proven to be more superior than the rest,” he said. 

On the consideration of local content, he noted: “We already bring local content, we have a factory since 2004, manufacturing at Agbara in Lagos, and we have more than 400 employees working in the factory.”

On his part, the Vice -President, IMPACTO Group Worldwide, Chiedozie Udeze, said the company opened Muse as a concept, to advise Nigerians on how to improve the finishing of houses.

Udeze said: ‘’We see that times are changing dramatically in comparison with marble, wood, vinyl, that they need a special ability and technique to install the tiles, and that is why we created Muse to give advice for free so that Nigerians can have a better house.

“Nigerians should not be afraid of buying large sizes of tiles, usually, large sizes are difficult to install and expensive. So, we are bringing affordable price and even if customers want, we will do the installation for them, the offer that we are giving nobody else gives that. 

“We want to improve Nigeria, so we are working with local manufacturers of ceramic tiles but the largest size in Nigeria is 60×60, and if Nigerians want large tiles we have to bring them from Spain because they are not manufactured in the country yet. But that does not mean we are not working with local manufacturers. We have specific showroom for ceramic tiles that deals with locally-made ones.”