Advanced Building Technologies

Intastor Controlled Environments, an iMvula group company based in Cape Town, is a leading provider of insulated modular panels, throughout South Africa and the larger African continent. Intastor designs, manufactures and installs quality insulated panel solutions to a wide range of notable names in the retail, food, confectionary and farming sectors.

Insulated Modular Panels

In 2004 three major modular panel manufacturing companies combined to produce, with its new combined management team, an absolute leading edge in the use of Advanced Building Technologies (A.B.T.) solutions.  The modular panel products, traditionally used in the cold room industry has not only enabled growth it has propelled the company into the housing market. Intastor is now in the position to use its A.B.T. methods to provide instant housing solutions to the national and local government, mining groups and private business enterprises that need staff housing and attendant facilities.

Intastor’s focus on the highest quality at best cost value for the customer has guaranteed its leading position in its chosen market sector.  Intastor operates in various business sectors in South Africa with an annual group turnover set to exceed R2 billion per annum. It has a dynamic team of South Africans promoting and facilitating Broad Based Black Empowerment, using people’s skills for both personal and thereby group development, creating wealth through equity ownership at all levels.

Committed to Africa’s Growth

“We are all committed to providing solutions of the highest quality and service customised to our numerous clients’ needs,” says Leslie Robinson, Sales Manager, Intastor Controlled Environments. “The very real value of Intastor’s A.B.T. systems is that it allows us to use green initiatives on our structures and the site application.  Virtually all the products we use in manufacture from core materials to module skins or fixings etc. can be recycled (when they are) no longer required.

“With the introduction of light steelwork suspended floors to our units, another A.B.T. innovation, one reduces the environmental impact by 99 per cent (because) no damage is sustained to the area on which the unit stands.  Removal of units is quick, clean and leaves no enduring scars and (there’s) minimal damage to the environment.”

Two years ago less than 10 per cent of Intastor’s production was exported to other African countries; today it is over 60 per cent and still growing.  Intastor expects it to grow to 90 per cent in the coming year. This will be mostly applied to housing, schools and industrial needs to sub-Saharan Africa with the biggest growth presently being Namibia, Angola and Mozambique.

“It is expected that Zimbabwe has huge development potential once the country settles down politically to enable foreign investment,” says Robinson. “With an ever growing need by the world for ever more natural resources, Africa is set to be the jewel of the world’s suppliers.”

Landmark Projects

Some of Intastor’s landmark developments include the largest single chamber cold room in the Southern Hemisphere; the Pick n Pay Distribution Centre at Centurion; and Shoprite Checkers Distribution Centres in Durban, Gauteng, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. A few of the projects that Intastor is currently working on include a major controlled atmosphere chamber complex for the deciduous fruit industry in the Western Cape and on infrastructure for a uranium mining camp in Namibia near Swartkopmund.

Intastor was appointed to provide 1500 family units at Delft 5 near Cape Town in three phases. In conjunction with the main contractor partner and Citrine Construction, Intastor applied innovative approaches to the construction of residential accommodation and provided the benchmark for modular structures nationally.

Modular construction has demonstrated to be very successful in providing affordable accommodation at high volume delivery rates. While still providing quality homes, to some 800 families in the first phase (this included a community hall, spaza shops and security facilities) phase two included an additional 300 units for handover early in 2012. The balance due was to be erected November that same year.  This has led to the company’s appointment for Delft 6 and now with Delft 7 and 8 to follow.

Unique Advantage

Intastor offers a unique advantage. The company ensures to empower the local communities by using work teams from the area and it provides training on site.
The engineered structurally sound accommodation units are totally energy-efficient and drastically reduce heating costs in the winter and provide coolness in the summer. They are easy to maintain and offer the added value of a moderate elevation from the ground which prevents dust, debris and water entry.

Looking forward, Robinson says the demand for mass housing is increasing in Africa and Intastor will continue to grow as the leading provider of insulated modular panels.

“There never has been a recession in demand for economic mass housing in Africa, in fact the reverse is true,” says Robinson. “Demand is rising faster than traditional means can ever provide creating an innovative approach…our A.B.T. systems provide a better solution over the more traditional with its very slow delivery capability…Intastor intends to maintain a leading position for the foreseeable future in Africa and abroad.”

DneinNuqer

Asime Nyide, known as DneinNuqer, is the insightful mind steering the helm at tabj.co.za. With a keen eye for business trends and a commitment to delivering cutting-edge insights, Asime curates a dynamic space where industry enthusiasts and entrepreneurs alike converge. Unveiling the latest market developments, strategic analyses, and thought-provoking perspectives, Asime Nyide fosters a community of forward-thinkers at tabj.co.za, making it a go-to resource for those navigating the ever-evolving landscape of business. E-mail / Instagram