A R549-million contract to build Heineken’s first brewery in South Africa has been awarded to Grinaker-LTA, part of the JSE-listed Aveng Group.

The construction firm’s building and civil engineering business units are undertaking this project in a 50 / 50 joint venture, explains contracts director Richard Amm.

The 70 000 m2 brewery in Randvaal, South East of Johannesburg, will comprise production buildings and cool cellars, as well as a bottling and distribution warehouse for Heineken SupplyCo (Pty) Ltd, the brewing and distribution company for beer brand Amstel. A fast-track construction programme will see the building works completed in June 2009, Amm says. “The programme is very tight as process contractors are required to be given access to each building and sections of each building on sectional completion dates.”

The buildings at the brewery are generally concrete, structural steel and brick structures, with steel roof sheeting on all buildings.  Some 30 000 m3 of concrete will be used in the project, together with 3 500 tons of structural steel and two million bricks.

Amm notes that Grinaker-LTA will be using local labour wherever possible, and a community liaison officer will be employed to help source workers from the surrounding areas.