2014 saw a number of interesting developments within the Gabion Baskets family, both internally and within the realm of soil retention and gabion reinforcements. Although a busy and productive year was had, it began on a rather tragic note with the passing of our esteemed employee, Pule Mosito, on 21 March. Making a vast contribution and impact on the company, he will be sorely missed and fondly remembered for his vibrant personality and industrious work ethic. Helping to fill the void left by Pule within the sales department at Gabion Baskets was George Herholdt, who took on the sales responsibilities whilst simultaneously continuing his own duties within product dispatch. This was followed by the welcoming of a new specialist Dispatch Manager, Mornye van der Heever. Arriving approximately a month ago, Mornye has settled down quickly and taken admiringly to the task at hand. We are glad to welcome him into the Gabion Basket family and wish him all the best for the future.
The year also saw Gabion Baskets create a new Facebook page in February to emphasize increased interaction between the Gabion Baskets family and the customers they serve. On the new page, clients and all who are interested can keep up-to-date with all matters related to Gabion Baskets business, from current projects and their developments, to useful hints and tips on earth retention and erosion control, site pictures of completed projects as well as information on the latest innovations and uses of Gabion Baskets and related retention structures. We also have an active following on Pinterest onto which amazing pictures are uploaded of all things gabions.
To aid the convenience of the public we serve and to offer guidance with the installation and modification of gabions, we have further redesigned our webpage to include a dedicated gabion animation tab. On this, you will find the basic steps required to ensure the proper erection and installation of a Gabion Basket. It’s nice at Gabion Baskets!
Looking slightly ahead, 2015 will see the introduction of a new specification of steel coating- Galfan, to Gabion Baskets. Available now and consisting of a 5%:95% aluminum-zinc combination, the strong anti-corrosion properties of galfan makes it imperative for applications that require a strong corrosion resistance. Towards the beginning of the new year we will also be opening a more permanent branch in the Cape Town area to effectively serve all clients from around the region. Exciting times indeed!
To end, the offices will be closed for the Christmas vacation from 12 December and will reopen for the new year on 5 January.
CTS FROM 2014
The successful completion of the Booysens reserve project was a prime example of the viability of the embankment reinforcement materials that Gabion Baskets supplies. Commenced towards the middle of the year by Petron Engineering and contracted by Mr. Ronnie Dagnin, the purpose of the project was the reinforcement of an unstable riverside channel. The existing channel was full of debris and unruly vegetation growth and had to be cleared for the neat installation and placing of the initial gabion mattresses upon a layer of geo-textile non-woven grade A4, having a mass of 210g/m2. To protect the hexagonal woven mesh from the corrosion capability of the channel, the class-A galvanized wire was covered with a grey outer coating of PVC up to a height of 1.3m. Well done to Petron Engineering for a good job!
One of the smaller projects that the GB family were involved with this year was by our distributor partner, P+P Plastics. Completed recently in the area of Port Elizabeth, this project involved similarly the reinforcement of a watercourse channel through the construction of a 3m high wall on a concrete foundation on the banks of the channel. Useful in further preventing river overflow, this application demonstrates the versatility of the gabion structure in enhancing the residential capacity of any given area. Congratulations to our partners P+P for the useful design and application!
