Hawkflight Construction invests $2m in equipment

ONE of the country's leading land and property developers, Hawkflight Construction invested about $2 million last year in the acquisition of state-of-the-art machinery as it forges ahead in consolidating its position in the property sector.

The company purchased state-of-the-art construction equipment, a concrete roof tile and a clay brick manufacturing machine both from China as well as a VB4X block-making machine for the manufacture of concrete bricks, blocks and paving.

Commissioning the clay bricks manufacturing plant in Bulawayo last Wednesday, Hawkflight Construction managing director Mr Mngane Ncube said the company was looking forward to becoming a fully-fledged producer and supplier of an array of building materials before the end of the year.

The clay brick plant was installed by Chinese engineers    who arrived in the country last month.

"Last year we did put quite a huge investment on machinery as we sought to complete our housing project in Bulawayo and Gwanda. However, the whole essence of purchasing these machines was to afford home seekers decent, durable and comfortable houses.

"Over the years there has been a bad perception that low-income earners didn't deserve or could not afford to live in decent houses. This precedent was set by our former colonial masters that is why you find that most of the houses built during that era were squalid," Mr Ncube said.

Hawkflight has an on-going housing scheme whereby it builds core unit houses and hands them to prospective home seekers upon completion with the beneficiaries paying between $120 and $130 over a period of 10 to 12 years.

Through the scheme the company successfully completed 185 houses at Pelandaba West suburb and is working on 3 500 houses at Emthunzini Township, which is located between Pumula South and Nkulumane suburbs. It is also working on projects in Gwanda and Plumtree. Apart from this housing scheme, Hawkflight Construction also sells stands to individuals. Mr Ncube said the company was now targeting to import machinery to set up a state-of-the-art ceramic tiles plant soon.

"We intend to import machinery for manufacturing ceramic tiles thus meaning we will accord ordinary members of the public a lifetime opportunity to own an immaculate home. It also has to be noted that all the equipment we procured is of international standards making our products ideal.

"A house will be roofed with concrete tiles while its inside will have ceramic tiles with the yard or drive ways having pavers all supplied by us. As part of generating revenue we will also be selling these products to hardware companies and individuals," Mr Ncube said.

Estate Agents Council chairman Mr Oswald Nyakunika said the investment in machinery made by Hawkflight Construction would go a long way towards reducing its costs of procuring building material and providing home seekers low-cost houses.

"The investment by Hawkflight is one way of reducing costs and in this case the cost of building becomes low and such innovations are welcome.

"The company also has a targeted particular market, which is the high density area through the provision of low cost houses and with houses getting out of reach for most people their business model might be ideal," Mr Nyakunika said.