Cosira expands to add Electrical & Instrumentation division - Group can now offer optimised projects in many commercial and industrial sectors
13 October, 2008
In the current business climate, quality alone is no longer sufficient. Clients require maximum convenience and streamlined efficiency to facilitate fast-tracked projects and to obtain a quicker return on investment. To ensure that the Cosira Group continues to deliver this level of service, it has established an Electrical and Instrumentation (E & I) division to further enhance its holistic turnkey solutions. This is according to John da Silva, CEO of Cosira.
“Our clients rely on us to deliver effectively and efficiently, and a more comprehensive offering will result in a better rationalised and effective project for our clients. Cosira quality, service and delivery are a matter of record, and our new division will be no different.
The E and I division ties in with some of our current projects and will soon expand into other areas, as we are now able to include an E&I offering in all future tenders to the mining, petrochemical, light industry, power generation and transmission, telecommunication and commercial sectors,” notes da Silva.
The new division, which is based at the Cosira Shop 1 premises, at the corner of Lower Germiston and Wriggle Road, Heriotdale, is headed by Brian Christie as CEO, with Erik Grippaldi as Contracts Director. Glenn Rowden is on board as Proposals Manager.
Christie observes: “It is always exciting to begin a new venture and we are fortunate to be able to do this with the full backing and resources of the Cosira Group.
“Erik ,Glenn and I have over 60 years of experience and are well known in the E and I construction industry and when we learned that the Cosira Group wished to form an electrical and instrumentation division, the timing was right, and the fit and synergy obvious. Our client-focused culture of entrepreneurship and flexibility suited Cosira admirably.”
To counter the current skills shortage, training and personnel development is a key objective of the new division. Semi-skilled on-site labour is sent for training at the in-house Cosira training facility. Suitable candidates are then sent for trade testing at Olifantsfontein for certification in their respective trades.
Cosira E&I annual turnover is expected to rise to around R200 million within the next four years.
As a natural progression of Cosira’s organic growth and to bring their vision to completion, the Group is currently investigating the possibility of forming an earthworks and civil construction division as well.
“Cosira One and our comprehensive turnkey solutions provide an agile business strategy, and assists us in absorbing much of the impact of current market challenges such as the skills and power shortages. By providing the savings commensurate with a rationalised, optimised project, we work smarter and offer more,” concludes Cosira’s da Silva.