The building and construction sector is still depressed, years after the Covid-19 pandemic has passed. So noted building and construction wholesale and retail materials supply group The Building Company group merchandise executive Stuart Jowett in an exclusive interview with Engineering News Online on Tuesday, at the group’s 2025 exhibition, being held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

“Currently, there’s almost no growth to speak of, in the market,” he reported. “Everybody is still waiting for the positive narrative, from interest rate cuts to the [Government of National Unity] policies, to release cash, allowing projects to start.”

There was, however, an encouraging straw in the wind. Since October, the company has received a surge in requests for quotes. He observed that this suggested that optimism was returning to the sector. But it would be a few months yet before anything concrete emerged.

Meanwhile, the group was continuing its policy of always seeking to lower the cost of doing business, both for itself and for its suppliers. He pointed out that, to a large extent, this involved digitalisation, which allowed the streamlining of processes and the cutting out of unnecessary costs for all concerned. The savings were then passed on to the group’s customers.

The exhibition was a showcase for the group’s suppliers. The Building Company used it, he explained, to highlight to suppliers at large, that it had a focused approach, with a select group of suppliers, with appropriate business plans with each of these suppliers. The group selected its suppliers because it believed that they had the right products, the right quality, and could supply when required, for its customers. The group had an annual Supplier Awards ceremony (associated with its exhibition) to recognise particularly outstanding suppliers.

Those customers included small, micro and medium-sized enterprises. Part of the group’s value proposition to them was credit support. A tradesperson, with an acceptable credit rating for the previous 12 months, who opened an account with group subsidiary retail company BUCO, would automatically get 30-day interest-free credit.