The highlight of the structural steel industry calendar, the 36th Annual Steel Awards hosted by the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction in partnership with Aveng Trident Steel, took place on 13 September 2017 in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Kwazulu Natal concurrently. Attended by close to 900 people the event showcased projects completed in the previous year that demonstrated excellence in the use of structural steel. 56 Projects were entered into this year’s awards, and over 300 project team members were involved.
Sponsors for the event were: Main – Aveng Trident Steel, Popular Vote Feature – Macsteel, Photo Competition – Cadex Systems SA, Tubular category – The Association of Steel Tube and Pipe Manufacturers, Light steel frame building category – MiTek Industries South Africa, Metal Cladding Category – Global Roofing Solutions, Factory and Warehouse category – Safintra, and Innovation Category Safal Steel. Partner Sponsors – ArcelorMittal SA, BSi Steel, NJR Steel and Stewarts and Lloyds.
The event culminated in the announcement of the overall winner for 2017, the BMW H-EMS Roof Lift, submitted by Teichmann Structures – who were the main contractors for the project. In addition to being the overall winner, this project also won the Safal Steel Innovation Category.
Conventional roof construction methods for the BMW H-EMS Roof lift project were not possible due to construction period span and site restrictions. The solution was to launch the roof horizontally into its position, over a live plant…where costly high-end vehicles were being manufactured below. The steel roof structure was erected in segments and launched into positions with hydraulic jacking equipment. Columns were installed overhead through the use of motorized trolley and gantry system that was designed by the construction team.
When asked about the BMW H-EMS Roof Lift project, Amanuel Gebremeskel, Technical Director of the SAISC remarked: “I think it’s rare that you get a challenge of this type, in engineering terms as well as fabrication and erection terms. It’s a very risky project, which they have pulled off spectacularly.”
Category winners included:
MiTek Light Steel Frame Building Category Winners: Summit place – nominated by Clotan Steel and Weber Saint Gobain (Joint winner – LSFB Structure), GLA School Hall – nominated by MiTek Industries SA on behalf of Jeffries Bay Build IT (Joint winner – LSFB Roof Structure)
Global Roofing Solutions Metal Cladding Category Winner: Kasane Airport – nominated by Global Roofing Solutions
ASTPM Tubular Category Winner and Architectural Category Winner: The Time Square Globe Bar and Casino Arch, nominated by Cadcon (Pty) Ltd
Commercial Category Winner: CTICC East – nominated by Sutherland
Safintra Factory and Warehouse Category Winner: 265 Sydney Road – Nominated by Cousins Steel International
Safal Steel Innovation Category: BMW H-EMS Roof Lift
Steel Awards 2018 opens for project nominations on 1 November 2017. Any projects containing structural steel, completed in the 2017 calendar year are eligible for submission. Entries close on 31 March 2018. For details on the entry process, please contact Denise Sherman at the SAISC on (011) 726 6111 or email denise@saisc.co.za
