bigen africa
feature
Bigen reports
exciting prospects
Bahrain World Trade Centre, Manama, Bahrain (Bigen Africa acted as subconsultants to WS Atkins Middle East)
We look at one of South Africa’s leading engineering companies Bigen Africa.
By Marie Toms
Oliver Tambo International Pier Project; Gauteng, South Africa
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www.southafricamag.com
Images: ŠBigen Africa
Bigen Africa focus CONSTRUCTION
T
imes in the construction industry have been tough of late and the sector has struggled since the 2010 Soccer World Cup because of a lack of reliable projects in South Africa. It forced people to look elsewhere and improvements in the global economy saw local companies undertake projects overseas. Some have even set up new offices in West and East Africa and other emerging markets. And things are now improving at home; the state has started providing tenders for its multibillion-rand infrastructure plan. Many analysts are now predicting an uptick. But you’ll have to wait a little bit longer – until 2014, say some. And infrastructure projects could still be held back by bureaucracy. “Even though we are building a pipeline, many construction companies believe our sector could be much busier. Waiting periods are volatile for projects in South Africa, which makes planning difficult and doing business more expensive,” Stefanutti Stocks CEO Willie Meyburgh said recently. While we wait for construction to pick up at home, opportunities are plenty across Africa.
At Bigen Africa, we think smarter about infrastructure development – and our solutions span the entire life-cycle of projects
Worcester Mall, Worcester, Western Cape, South Africa
www.southafricamag.com
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Bigen Africa focus CONSTRUCTION
Bigen Africa, a South African infrastructure development firm with a fast-growing presence in Africa, is eager to capitalise on that and is set on “accelerating infrastructure development” across the continent. The firm has a network of 14 offices across South Africa and is represented in various African countries. The group’s remarkable growth since its establishment in 1971 is, says its website, “indicative of our smarter business approach – interlocking worldclass, bestpractice development finance, engineering, and management consulting expertise to customise innovative, value-driven solutions for clients in the public and private sectors alike”. “At Bigen Africa, we think smarter about infrastructure development – and our solutions span the entire life-cycle of projects,” it adds.
Images: ©Bigen Africa
Roodeplaat Bulk Water Supply Scheme , Tshwane, South Africa
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BES AFRICA BES Africa Engineering & Management Consult Pty Ltd formerly trading as Batseta Engineering Services is an Engineering Consultancy registered in South Africa in 2010. As part of the Construction Codes of Good Practice, gazetted on 4 May 2009 which seeks to deal with past inequalities, Bigen committed itself to enhance sustainable growth of micro, medium and small Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) companies through their enterprise development programme. Accordingly BES Africa Engineering & Management Consult became a beneficiary of this programme. BES Africa Engineering & Management Consult is 100% black owned, with a level 1 BBBEE status. Services rendered include amongst others; • Project and Programme Management • Infrastructure Development Planning • Construction Management • Electro-Mechanical Engineering • Water and Sanitation • Roads and Stormwater • Transportation Engineering • Structural Engineering
BES Africa Engineering & Management Consult is a specialized multi-disciplinary engineering company which provides technical and professional expertise within infrastructure, development and planning. Our in-house engineering team is structured to identity and perform in these specialized areas to client’s requirements and specifications, with the ability to project manage, engineer and deliver beyond the customer’s expectations. In conjunction with our associates that provide high quality service in our areas of expertise we offer engineering services on a turnkey basis.
Products & Services: • Civil Construction Engineering • Civil Engineering Consulting Services • Electrical Engineering • Engineering Consulting Services • Environmental and Geophysical Engineering
Unit E101 Jacaranda Place Woodmead Business Park 145 Western Services Road Woodmead
Tel: +27 11 656 4309 Fax: +27 11 656 4319 Email: admin@besafrica.co.za Website: www.besafrica.co.za
ENGINEERING- & CONSULTING SURVEYORS REGISTERED SURVEYORS, SPECIALISING IN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
SERVICES: • • • • • • • •
Engineering surveys and mapping for design purposes Construction setting out and verification Establishment and verification of control beacon networks As-built surveying, mapping and modelling for audit and verification purposes Placement of registered surveyors on site – long and short term projects Hydrographic- and sedimentation surveys, mapping and modelling – dams and rivers High definition terrestrial 3D laser scanning and modelling High definition mobile 3D laser scanning and modelling
Offices in Gauteng, Limpopo, Northern Cape and Gaborone We work in the whole of
Head office: + 27 12 347 7879 E-mail: quotations@trailsurveys.com Website: www.trailsurveys.com
Images: ©Bigen Africa
Roodeplaat Water Works (Ozone Tank), Tshwane, South Africa
Bigen is passionate about furthering growth in African countries and understands the unique challenges faced by them. It is the company’s vision to develop sustainable infrastructure to improve the quality of life of the communities where it works. According to Bigen’s website, it structures “integrated and sustainable development partnerships which give our clients the advantage of, not only tailored infrastructure on-site, but sustainable projects in the context of their broader socio-economic environment”. It adds that its comprehensive range of professional services “assists our clients to remain profitable enterprises, while contributing positively to development, both locally and throughout Africa.” “Bigen Africa, a multidisciplinary infrastructure consultancy providing services from project development through feasibility studies, implementation and asset management, uses its business approach to assist clients in achieving integrated 6
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and sustainable development of their infrastructural requirements,” the company told a South Africa Magazine researcher. Bigen recently released the group’s first integrated annual report, for the financial year ended October 2012. It provides an overview of sustainable achievements in market penetration, operational efficiencies, financial prudence and social economic development. Some highlights included the establishment of a new International Finance division; strengthening of the brand in Southern Africa and positioning in West Africa; deeper involvement in the South African government’s strategic infrastructure programmes; forging of new partnerships in both private and public sectors across the continent; achieving a 0.96 performance factor on strategic targets; and boosting of revenue by five percent. In all it was a good year. “The company’s objective of “doing good while doing business” was also taken to the
Bigen Africa focus CONSTRUCTION
next level with the establishment of the Intuthuko Foundation, an independent vehicle for channelling investments from strategic partners into underprivileged communities in areas of operation across the full value chain of business,” the company said. Bigen said its growth strategy has “resulted in a sustainable pipeline of work and the company structure and workforce have been adjusted to accommodate growth”. So, what’s next for Bigen? It has a healthy project pipeline and energy and engineering have been identified as growing divisions. Indeed, the company has big plans for its involvement in the renewable energy sector, as well as promoting the wider array of services that can be provided. “Bigen has pledged its full support for African governments in delivering their infrastructure development programmes as the company continues to expand its wings in West Africa and East Africa,” the company’s website says. “In South Africa, Bigen Africa continues to work with national, provincial and local government in various sectors such as energy, water and sanitation, roads and transport, mining, housing, education, and health in the light of the government’s recent announcement on its infrastructure development programme”. Bigen’s capabilities in engineering, management consulting and development finance are well embedded in Southern Africa. END To learn more visit www.bigenafrica.com.
Nelspruit Water Works, Mpumalanga, South Africa
At K2M Environmental we believe that the company vision should be enshrined in our day-to-day activities through a set of core values and our vision is to build sustainable partnerships with our clients by offering best practice, cost effective and appropriate solutions through the integration of development and planning, information technology and information management skills. This vision is supported by a set of core values which include: · · · · ·
Innovation Integrity Commitment Excellence Creativity
Range of products and services: · Policy and Strategy Research and Development · Municipal Information Systems, Information Bureau Services and Cadastral Mapping · Project and Programme Management · Strategic Environmental Assessment & Environmental Impact Assessment studies · Socio-Economic Surveys and Analysis · Development Feasibility Analysis · Local Economic Development Plans KZN – Durban Mpumalanga – Witbank Nortwest – Potchefstroom
Cell: 082 7760 881 Email: gert@k2m.co.za
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