Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa January/February 2015 | Page 10

CompanyWatch profile of a leading south african company in the built environment BEKA Schréder B EKA Schréder is Africa’s leading manufacturer of luminaires and glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) poles. BEKA (Pty) Ltd started operations in 1978 in Namibia, a country that has one of the most corrosive climates in the world. The first products in manufacture were corrosion-resistant Glass Fibre Reinforced Polyester Poles and Public Lighting luminaires that continue to provide long-term solutions for the hostile coastal and inland environments. Due to the success of our products becoming firmly established in neighbouring South Africa, the decision was made in 1981 to move the head office and factory to Olifantsfontein, a strategically positioned industrial town situated between Johannesburg and Pretoria. In 1989, BEKA became South Africa’s first lighting company to be awarded ISO 9000 certification. This commitment to quality became the company’s hallmark and has enabled us to become Africa’s largest lighting manufacturer and market leader in exterior and interior lighting. We offer an extensive range of highquality LED luminaires, most of which are locally designed and manufactured, making them the best suited for African conditions. Our focus is on designing sustainable LED solutions, by making our designs FutureProof. We understand the importance of renewable energy solutions, and provide various solar-powered indoor and outdoor lighting products. Our success can be attributed to the research and development of the luminaire and pole ranges, ensuring the appropriate mechanical and thermal product integrity in the environmental conditions of the African continent. The success of this approach provides a sound product identity that generates growth and expansion into other markets and territories. Our products are used in many infrastructure developments, such as roads and highways, residential and commercial areas, and town centres as an integral part of urban re