WINDHOEK – The 2015 directory for the construction industry is out and the Construction Industries Federation (CIF) of Namibia wants the principal agents and buyers of construction services to use the services of CIF members listed in the directory.
Bärbel Kirchner, consulting general manager of the CIF, says in the absence of a National Planning and Construction Council, which will allow for greater regulation of the industry, and the grading of contractors, the directory is expected to provide a useful who’s who of the industry, and information about the spectrum companies in Namibia’s construction industry.
“The critical feature of the directory is the categorisation of companies, based on their annual turnover. This provides a guideline in terms of their capacity of handling respective projects,” said Paul Hartmann, the special advisor to the Minister of Finance, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila as special guest during the launch of the directory in Windhoek yesterday.
There are some 430 companies that are members of Namibia’s Construction Industry Federation. These range from companies with an annual turnover of over N$200 million to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) some of which have an annual turnover of less than N$1 million. “Together they play a big role in Namibia’s economy, both in terms of employment and in terms of their tax contribution. I am also particularly pleased to see that 48 percent of the members are SMEs,” said Hartmann.
CIF has been publishing an industry directory since 2013 to provide useful information on the spectrum of contractors and businesses involved in the construction industry.
The directory is available in hard copy as well as online.
“This searchable directory will help buyers of construction and building services to find contractors including SMEs as well as trading companies and affiliated members, such as electricians,” said Kirchner.
The online version of the directory is a searchable, sortable listing featuring the name of the company, first and surname, city and type of business. The online version also provides a buyers’ directory, where the required services can be searched.