Spearheading the Future: The Cosira Group launches state-of-the-art steel fabrication and construction facility – Cosira Vulcan
1 October 2009
The Cosira Group, one of the largest, privately-owned structural steel fabrication and construction companies in South Africa, today unveils its much anticipated, state-of-art steel fabrication and construction facility known as Cosira Vulcan, situated in the heart of Vulcania outside Johannesburg.
“We believe that the launch of Cosira Vulcan will have an enormous impact not only on the Cosira Group, but on the steel fabrication and construction industry in Southern Africa as a whole,” says John da Silva, Chief Executive Officer of the Cosira Group.
“Cosira Vulcan is not only the Cosira Group’s greatest business investment to date, but one of the most technologically-advanced and efficient structural steel fabrication facilities in existence today.”
Cosira Vulcan will initially have a nameplate capacity of 4500 tonnes, with an eventual capacity of 6500 tonnes of structural steel and platework per month on phase 2. The facility covers an area of 36000 m2 to accommodate the extensive new CNC machinery, handling and mobile manufacturing cells and is situated on 150 000 m2 of ground, to accommodate future expansions.
“By having all our structural steel fabrication under one roof, process management and control at Cosira Vulcan will be even more effective,” says da Silva. This will allow the Cosira Group to further increase its production output and complete projects even faster than previously.
“Cosira Vulcan will place the Cosira Group way out in front in our industry. I truly believe we have one of the leading facilities in the Southern African steel fabrication and construction industry, fully benchmarked and comparable with global standards,” he comments.
Da Silva also revealed the Cosira Group’s plans to expand its operations globally.
“With a view to continue with purposeful and sustainable expansion, the Cosira Group is currently exploring avenues for international expansion. This is an important move, which will ultimately see our vision of ‘Constructing South Africa, Constructing the World’ develop into a reality,” he says.
“We believe that the future lies, not only in South Africa's own burgeoning infrastructure development and construction requirements, but also in those of a growing export market. We aim to strategically leverage these to our benefit not only locally, but globally,” he adds.
This year marks 21 years in operation for the Cosira Group. The company, which started out as the vision of founder and Chairman John da Silva Senior, as a small business with only 3 employees in 1988, now has a staff complement of over 2000 employees.
The job creation capacity has grown particularly within the last 9 years, from 250 employees in 2000, to over 2000 this year.
However, despite the unparalleled success and development that the Cosira Group has experienced, the group has retained its core essence, through the spirit and passion of entrepreneurialism which has been key from its inception.
“As a company whose principles have always been deeply embedded in family values, we still maintain that each and every employee is part of the greater Cosira family; and that the continuous development of our people remain our highest priority,” says da Silva.
“The Cosira Group has earned the status of employer of choice in the steel industry. Because we believe our people are our greatest asset, we believe in the continuous investment and development of our people.”
Says da Silva: “We are also privileged to have been the first steel fabrication company to obtain a BEE shareholding through the investment by the TIH Group in 2004. Since then, we have pursued a highly developed BBBEE policy, which has earned the group a great deal of success. This is further complemented by our dedication to enterprise development and skills transfer within our organisation.”
“Cosira also firmly believes in making a difference in the communities in which we operate; and this time we have an opportunity to make a difference right on our own doorstep.
“We have therefore chosen to become a corporate sponsor to the Nkumbulo Comprehensive School which is situated in the heart of KwaThema, which is situated very close to Vulcania, in a bid to improve learners' access to technology.”
As the first of several planned actions, the group recently donated 50 computers to the school, and has also renovated the computer studies room.
“We are constantly striving to build confidence in our people, technology and expertise, while keeping our clients satisfied, by going the extra mile each and every time. Cosira Vulcan is going to play a considerable role in this exciting process,” concludes da Silva.