Construction group Basil Read is working on two new airport developments in the hope of capitalising on the airport-related experience it is gaining currently on the island of St Helena.
The JSE-listed group was awarded the £254-million contract in late 2011 to build a 1 850-m concrete runway, a 3 500-m² airport terminal building and associated infrastructure on an island 2 000 km from the nearest mainland and with no harbour.
Outgoing CEO Marius Heyns says the project is “one of the best managed” he has seen in his 30 years of industry experience.
There has been some concern about the South African group having taken on “such a large project so far from home”. But Heyns claims that, despite logistical complexities, the project is going well.
With St Helena scheduled to be operational in early 2016, Basil Read is keen to replenish its project backlog with additional airport-related work and build on the knowledge gained, including its experience in certifying a new airport.
“There are some very exciting projects that we are targeting and we are poised for organic growth throughout the African continent,” Heyns concludes.
