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Nigerite, professionals rue alternative building solutions

By Tunde Alao
22 June 2015   |   3:39 am
THERE is a palpable fear decorating operations of the housing industry that the sector’s deficit margin may continue to widen, if individuals and developers stick to the conventional building methods, as stakeholders advocated for practitioners to embrace alternative building solution.
Nigerite

President, Africa Union of Architects, Tokunbo Omisore (left); Managing Director, Nigerite Limited, Frank Le Bris; Chairman, Nigerite Ltd., Alh. Rafiu Adekunle Adele and Regional Director Africa, Etex, Marc Vanoverbeke, during the official Launch of Kalsi Building Board Solutions by the company at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, recentlyTHERE is a palpable fear decorating operations of the housing industry that the sector’s deficit margin may continue to widen, if individuals and developers stick to the conventional building methods, as stakeholders advocated for practitioners to embrace alternative building solution.    

Stakeholders have lauded Nigerite for the introduction of dry construction process, which seems to be an alternative to the conventional method of building with bricks, blocks and concrete. The Kalsi cement board solution features durability, versatility, workability and safety.

They agreed that new technology known as  dry construction solution is capable of assisting in reducing the housing gap in the country. Stakeholders made the submission at the formal launching of a new product, Kalsi Performance Cement Solution organised by Messrs Nigerite Nigeria Limited.

Speaking on the new product, Nigerite’s Managing Director, Mr. frank Le Bris, while tracing the genesis of the firm’s contributions to the construction industry in Nigeria, stated that the different between wet and dry constructions are noticeable, adding that with the introduction of Kalsi cement board solution, developers are in a position not only to increase their outputs, but also to reduce the cost of production.

Le Bris said that Nigerite has made financial investment in new factory lines and equipment as well as additional personnel, but the firm believes that this is just one of the few things they can do to contribute to the economic and technological upgrade of Nigeria.   “KALSI dry construction system is the future of building technology. Since we cannot run away from tomorrow, why not bring tomorrow to today if we have the means. The world over, dry construction is gaining ground.

“It is a common knowledge that housing deficit in Nigeria today is close to 20 million, this solution is being introduced as one of the fasted means of bridging this gap since it takes pretty few number of days to construct from start to finish”, he said.He added that “the product ensures cleaner environment at construction sites and thus points to our avowed commitment to environment friendliness.

Besides, it costs less in the final analysis, while it helps to beautify the environment, whilst it is not a replacement for the wet construction system; it is simply an alternative to it and also provides quicker, effective and cheaper means of renovation.    “ It is all encompassing as it offers products cutting across all parts of a building except the roofing.

It is easy to move and construct. As part of our commitment to finding more convenient ways to building processes, we believe it will guarantee a much more convenient method of renovation and construction. “Features in Kalsi cement board solution include durability, versatility, workability and safety.

The product is weather resistance to diverse environmental factors, assuming appropriate and regular maintenance, makes it possible to guarantee that buildings with them will have the benefit of a long lifespan without deterioration of their excellent characteristics”, said Le Bris.

Nigerite’s Marketing Manager, Africa, Mr. Juan Lugo, while explaining how the product is a worthwhile alternative to the conventional method of building with bricks, blocks and concrete, said Kalsi make use less materials, but with efficient and maximum result.

He added that the method, can also be used to complement existing structures built with the conventional system where there is need for renovations and face-lifts.

“Kalsi, which hitherto been domiciled within the Etex Group, the parent company of Nigerite is being introduced into the Nigerian market to meet the growing demand of Nigerians.

Nigerite Limited is a member of Etex Group worldwide with over 120 factories in 44 countries in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa. It has been in existence in Nigeria for more than 55years providing excellent roofing, ceiling, flooring solutions and its latest innovation- dry construction”.

Expressing his support for the product, UACN Managing Director, Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran stated that in the face of three fundamental problems confronting real estate sector could be addressed to a greater extent if dry construction methods are being pursued.

According to Ogunniran, these problems consist of land titling, finance, especially, retail financing, and construction methods have been the major factors that need to be addressed in housing delivery in Nigeria.

“However, while the federal government has been able to address land titling and real estate financing by setting up technical committees to look into them, construction methods are yet to be addressed and this could only be done by the stakeholders in the industry, thus, efforts by Nigerite to introduce the product is commendable”, said Ogunniran, who admitted that Kalsi product is currently on the fringe, urging the firm to speed up its research to be able to come into mainstream.

Speaking in the same vein, President, African Union of Architects (AUA), Chief Tokunbo Omisore, who lauded Nigerite’s efforts for the introduction of the Kalsiboard, said the firm has been of great asset to Nigeria.

According to Omisore, Nigerite has been “supportive, productive, especially, in poverty alleviation, employment opportunities, capacity training for artisans and professionals in real estate sectors, and the newly introduced material that is capable of reducing cost of production and enhance housing delivery in Nigeria”.

The AUA president promised that professionals in built environment will, more than ever, seek a way of intensifying use of dry construction methods.

Similarly, President of the Mortgage Banks Association of Nigeria (MBAN), Mr. Femi Johnson, described the introduction of Kalsiboard as another feat by Nigerite. He praised the firm for its dogged determination to provide alternative building solution that would not only reduce the cost of production but also facilitate the mass housing production in the country.

Johnson assured the gathering that the mortgage facilities would be provided for those who want to key into alternative building methods, especially, dry construction in view if its enormous advantage.

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