The construction boom in Nigeria has had a great influence on the state and structure of the built industry. Although the industry has grown very rapidly in the last few years, however, this growth came with some sociological problems like urban decay, compliance with standards and product standardization issues.
While local contractors are being encouraged by the government to improve on standard, it is hoped that stakeholders in the building and construction industry will develop sustainable strategies to arrest urban decay through effective housing delivery.
Furthermore, there is an urgent need to utilise housing as a catalyst for economic development that will engage professionals in the housing delivery value-chain on the modalities to reduce housing cost through modern techniques and construction materials.
A key stakeholder in the housing delivery value-chain is the block maker. It is noteworthy that cement is a major constituent of blocks for building and construction. Latest studies on the application segmentation of cement show that the block making segment accounts for about 20 percent of total cement consumption.
More so, blocks and precast represent about 22 percent of construction works across the world. Every player in this subsector wants to maximize profit, sometimes cutting corners to produce between 35 to 45 blocks from a bag of cement against the industry standard of 20 to 25 blocks from a 50kg bag of cement. Unfortunately, this means inferior blocks and weak buildings.
In response to helping the block makers maximize profit while still keeping to industry quality standard; Lafarge Africa recently re-launched an improved formulation of the Elephant ‘Supaset’ cement. This was done to deepen Lafarge’s continuous drive for excellence and innovation in the construction industry.
The new Supaset cement, now in horizontal bags, is the first cement formulation specifically for block making. Supaset is formulated to deliver superior performance to block makers and like other Lafarge Africa brands, consistent quality. The product is tailor-made to complement the efforts and promote the businesses of artisans, specifically block makers and other building construction workers.
“The introduction of this improved formulation, ‘Supaset’ is in line with the growth pillar of Lafarge Africa’s Strategy 2022, ‘Building for Growth,’ which aims to drive profitable growth and accelerate our performance in key areas. Providing such a product for our customers is keeping to our commitment to excellence,” said Michel Puchercos, CEO of Lafarge Africa plc.
Read also: El Dokani replaces Puchercos as Lafarge CEO
According to Puchercos, Lafarge Africa has continued to lead technological advancement in the Nigerian manufacturing sector in the last 60 years. Its global presence and research centre in Lyon, France, provides a unique opportunity for the cement manufacturer to deliver in line with best practices and create innovative products and solutions that deliver more value to its customers.
“The new Elephant Supaset is a solution to the long yearnings of our customers, especially block makers who have lost investments as a result of cement products that do not guarantee the strength needed for construction of buildings and other strong high concrete construction works,” Puchercos stated.
Speaking further on Lafarge’s contribution to the built environment as a responsible company, Puchercos said the cement maker’s insights further strengthens its commitment to build for growth and deliver on sustainable construction in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals number 11 and 12.
According to Puchercos, by 2030, the world, and indeed Lafarge Africa hopes to attain the goal of sustainable cities and communities amidst responsible production and consumption. In this regard, Supaset provides the right foundation to achieve these goals in the building industry.
“In view of the huge investments in the industry, Supaset provides a solution to making stronger blocks and precast materials at an affordable cost that will not devalue the bottom-line of our esteemed customers. Our artisans now have cement that is stronger, durable and customized for their need. A product they can use efficiently without any fear of losing out on their investments—a product that offers inestimable value. Across our supply chain, this is our promise,” Puchercos assured consumers.
Supaset is bespoke and more refined to achieve stronger buildings and durable construction works. The superior qualities of Supaset pitched the product above other brands in the market, making it the perfect choice for block moulding and a variety of precast elements.
With the peculiarities of weather conditions across the different regions of the country, Lafarge Africa has improved Supaset to answer to all climate conditions. For commercial value, blocks that are moulded with the new Elephant Supaset are ready for use in 24 hours. That would increase the capacity and capabilities of block makers to meet up with increased demand of their product, with higher volume that guarantees more profit.
The brand’s unique value propositions of ‘Supa strong, Supa quality and Supa Value’ are all linked to the fact that Supaset guarantees strong blocks and structures derived from a quality brand which gives unlimited value in profit to the trade and durability to the structure.
“The cumulative result of this is that Elephant Supaset guarantees that blocks set fast and buildings are strong,” said Gbenga Onimowo, commercial director of Lafarge Africa plc, acknowledging that the new product is in response to customer needs and in line with global industry standards.
According to Onimowo, Lafarge Elephant Supaset cement is now positioned as ‘The Chairman’ for the construction of solid structures, being the first specialized cement for block making, precast moulds and concrete applications in Nigeria.
Speaking on other strategies to position the brand in addition to launching the new look horizontal bag improved product performance, Onimowo said that Lafarge supported the roll out with a new marketing communications campaign across conventional and new media channels to improve brand awareness and recall.
“We launched Supaset because we have a unique understanding of the needs of our customers and end users. With our access to global best practices, innovative solutions from the LafargeHolcim Group we were able to identify and introduce Supaset to take the lead and provide real solutions in construction. We understand the huge losses that block makers face due to the lack of cement formulation that guarantees fast-setting and superior blocks and by extension durable structures,” Onimowo said.
“Supaset, just like the name rightly suggests, is a rapid-setting cement that enables blocks dry and set fast, while retaining its quality and ensuring no cracks and breakages thus making it the only cement with such capabilities in the market today. The desire to further secure and grow our market share within this segment took us back to the drawing board and the result is what we are experiencing, the re-launch of an improved Supaset. Supaset has superior value, sets fast and enables the production of ready to use blocks within 24 hours,” he stated.
According to Onimowo, Supaset is the ideal choice for high strength concrete for advanced construction works. He said that Lafarge Africa continues to lead in innovation and creativity, adding, “We are equally proud to present this newly improved product in horizontal cement bags; the first of its kind in Nigeria.”
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
