Vusumuzi Dube
Sunday News Reporter
Real Estate giant WestProp Holdings with nine projects currently under construction has flexed its muscle and acquired a US$1 million brick moulding plant to assist the realisation of the one billion bricks vision by 2050.
Chief executive officer Mr Ken Sharpe says the new venture is in response to market delays in delivering bricks to the company’s construction sites and a quest to manage brick quality.
“We have had to wait for brick deliveries. In some cases, completion of projects had to be shifted to later dates compromising our commitment to excellence. We then sat down and agreed as a company that the best route was for us to manufacture our own bricks that meet our vision of ‘Bringing Dubai to Zimbabwe’”, he said.
Mr Sharpe says the plant that will be manufacturing WestProp branded bricks will be able to meet the company’s yearly requirements and put on the market excess quality bricks to assist in national housing delivery.
“Our plant will be operational in 2025. We are targeting to do our first installations of new equipment in January and February. Initially the plant’s output will be directed exclusively to our Harare projects,” he said.
“The land we own requires one billion bricks which translates to US$5 billion to build. We want to be able to meet our own deadlines in terms of construction timelines,” he says.
WestProp has been on a drive to self-resource with the purchase of yellow machines and other capital-intensive equipment to avoid hiring and delays in completing works.
WestProp are the developers of Pomona City, Pokugara, Millennium Heights, The Hills Luxury Golf Estate, the soon to be built Mall of Zimbabwe and the upcoming branded apartment hotel at Millennium Heights (block 5).
The company’s developments embody the live, work, shop and play theme which is fast becoming the signature selling point of all its products.
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