ELIMA Light Weight Steel Manufacturers taking the steel industry by storm
ELIMA Light Weight Steel Manufacturers is a 100 percent previously disadvantaged Namibian owned company with its core business being the manufacturing of light weight steel roof frame solutions for the construction industry. There are only four lightweight steel manufacturing companies in Namibia, making ELIMA the only black owned manufacturing company in the entire country. With their operations based in Windhoek, ELIMA Light Weight Steel Manufacturers is a level 1 BEE light steel manufacturing company and leading manufacturer and supplier of lightweight steel roof trusses, floor joists, frame structures and associated alternative, innovative and energy efficient building products.
With a vision of becoming a leading player in the manufacturing and construction of Alternative Building Systems, the company seeks to expand its product line to include the Fortis Building System. The Fortis Building System is defined as an innovative lightweight steel reinforced concrete walling system consisting of profiled punched metal panels, top and bottom U-Channels, horizontally spaced steel deformed reinforcing bars, pre-welded steel mesh, shotcreted or hand packed structural mortar application and plaster layers to complete the structure.
The company comprises of a team that is knowledgeable in different industries with vast experiences, ranging from quantity surveyors, architects, chartered accountants, structural/civil engineers and sales representatives; making ELIMA quite unique in becoming the leading Light Weight Steel Manufacturing company in Namibia.
Tateati Shapalo – ELIMA’s founder and Managing Director is a qualified Quantity Surveyor by profession and has been in the light weight steel manufacturing industry for over six years. He is well vested in the ArchiCAD22 software, the Scottsdale engineering roofing software and the VertexBD software used for roof designs and roof load calculations.
He has been involved in providing various solutions, both to government institutions and the private sector including; hospitals, clinics, schools and community centers. He is able to identify and differentiate the steps involved in developing lightweight products and design, construct and set up processes with specific lightweight material in an accurate manner to fully utilise the lightweight potential. Mr Shapalo holds a Bachelor of Technology: Quantity Surveying, Bachelor of Technology: Construction Management (Facility Management) and a National Diploma: Building Science from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town, South Africa.
ELIMA’s mission is to offer cost effective and time efficient construction solutions whilst utilising highly recognised design engineering software to ensure compliance to industry standards relating to the design of light weight steel roofs (SANS 517). We intend to use an automated fabrication process that eliminates jigging, measuring, cutting and stock length inventory to ensure construction of only the highest quality trusses.
Our design, manufacturing and delivery of roof trusses, purlins and brandering is as a complete unit, or in “kit form” (puzzle form) which makes it cost effective to transport.
The anticipated off the shelf sales will be focused towards the manufacturing and selling of 38mm and 50mm purlins, as well as 13mm ceiling battens.
The company has been operational since March 2020 and has been able to service clients countrywide. Some of our clients include Octagon Construction, INO Investments, Chicco building supplies, Zhongmei Engineering, First Capital, Richard Frankle & Partners Quantity Surveyors and the National Housing Enterprise, to mention a few.
1.1 Production Process
The typical high-level production process includes the creation of a client specific steel frame design, during tendering, done by our in-house designers. The detailed designs are then structurally approved by in-house and outsourced engineers.
After contracting and project planning is completed, the designs are given to the manufacturing department for manufacturing of lightweight steel components which are placed in a holding area for assembly as per the various project sites designation.
The delivery process will be facilitated by outsourcing it to a transportation company, which will be a key signed up partner to our company.
There are numerous benefits realisable when using this construction technique, as it is fast to construct, durable, energy efficient and it has the flexibility of being fitted to specific choices.
This product is further structurally sound, tried and tested and complies with SA NBR Design Requirements in South Africa. The general building solution could be applied to commercial, residential, mining and government buildings as well as partitioning of existing buildings.