An exhibition focused on the concrete industry, the Totally Concrete Expo, is taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre from May 26 to 28.

Personalities such as High Commissioner of the embassy of Rwanda Vincent Karega, Kenya’s National Construction Authority CEO, Daniel Manduku, and Chartered Institute of Building Africa in Ghana VP Rockson Dogbegah are providing insight during round table discussions at Totally Concrete on the construction industry in their respective national marketplaces.

Event organiser Hypenica reports that cement is used in 65% to 75% of all construction projects in Africa, and demand for the commodity is on the rise in the sub-Saharan region.

Totally Concrete states that the Nigerian cement industry has grown by 95.6% since 2005, and in Kenya, cement consumption per capita has increased 60% over the last five years.

The scale of this burgeoning industry is reflected at the expo, where cement and construction industry magnates will convene with a view to accessing government stakeholders and investors who can facilitate commercial access into Africa’s high-growth markets.

In East Africa, demand for cement has increased competition in the marketplace. African cement producers such as Athi River Mining Cement are building additional clinker plants, while international companies such as Savannah Cement – a consortium of Chinese and Kenyan investors – are planning to invest in new cement manufacturing infrastructure to meet the growing demand fuelled by an upsurge in private-sector housing developments, foreign-funded commercial projects and mega-infrastructure projects, ranging from ports to rail to roads financed by government and donors.

Totally Concrete states that, in Southern Africa, African companies still dominate the market. Cement supplier PPC Cement has established cement plants in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique and plans to further expand, which will include the establishment of a $260-million cement factory in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Dangote Cement has already established operations in South Africa and Zambia, with its sights also set on Tanzania, the Republic of Congo and Gabon.

As both local and international companies vie for a share in the African cement market, cement plants are being built across the continent at a rapid rate. News of Africa’s growing cement demand is already worldwide, attracting international and multinational players who are ready to pump millions of dollars into new projects in the sub-Saharan region.

Totally Concrete not only provides an outlet for construction business development for new entrants into the African marketplace but also offers practical insight into managing daily operations in the African context. Mozambique-based Consolidated General Minerals project manager Wouter Trollip will highlight the requirements and obstacles to building a cement plant in Africa, and Nedbank Group South Africa lead principal for infrastructure Brett Botha will educate visitors with proven exit strategies for high-growth and high-risk markets.

Incorporating both strategic and technical elements, Totally Concrete has the practical tools and techniques for all professionals active in producing cement or using concrete. Stakeholders from over 40 countries worldwide will have an opportunity to access cutting- edge technology as it arrives for the first time on African soil. Totally Concrete is endorsed by over 60 industry associations and sponsored by PPC, Lafarge, AfriSam, CCS, PMSA, Reimer, Nyeleti Consulting and WBHO.

Concrete Society of Southern Africa (CSSA) CEO John Sheath says: “Totally Concrete 2014 provides a distinctively African platform on which the concrete and construction ind- ustries can converge for skills development, access to cutting-edge building and construction technologies and cross-border information sharing.”

The CSSA is one of the endorsing associations of the event.