Dear Members

The year has started with a flurry of activity, with the organisation of the FloorSem 2012 seminar road show which has attracted record support from the members and industry in terms of both attendance and sponsorship. A huge ‘thank you’ to all those who have participated – your support is greatly appreciated.

It is also membership renewal time and I appeal to those members wishing to renew for 2012 to do as soon as possible to ensure maximum benefit from your membership for the year. A reminder also to the professional registered engineers that your individual membership of the Society entitles you to ‘partial exemption’ from your annual fees to the Engineering Council of South Africa (worth R950 in 2011/12). This is due to the fact that we are a registered Voluntary Association with ECSA. In addition, you will also automatically be awarded 1 CPD point for being a Society member.

One of the Society’s main aims this year is to increase membership to ensure representation and support from all segments of the concrete and construction industry. Our drive to attract more company members has borne fruit over this past year, with several organisations joining us, but we would like to see many more enjoying the benefits that Company membership can offer.

With Fulton Awards 2013 a mere 18 months away, planning has already commenced to make it an even better event for entrants, sponsors and guests Nomination forms are already available on the CSSA website and you are urged to complete these nominations for any project that was completed in 2011, and later on this year for any projects that are completed or substantially complete in 2012. It is far easier to nominate a project whilst the team is still together and not scattered across the industry on new projects.

A great deal of work has gone into reviewing and revising the Fulton Awards categories, criteria for entry and judges’ questions. This has been done as a direct result of feedback from members after the 2011 awards and my personal experience as one of the judges. For the record the categories now are:

We are planning to hold two more National Seminar road shows during June and October. More information will be published shortly.

Finally, a reminder to all members that March 28^th marks our Annual General Meeting, which this year is to be held in Cape Town as the new incoming president hails from the ‘mother’ city. Nick van den Berg will be stepping down as President as his term of office ends, and I would like to take this opportunity of thanking him for the support he has given me personally in my first year as the CEO of the Society, and also for the direction and guidance he given the Concrete Society as a whole.

 John Sheath

Chief Executive Officer