Barloworld opens first of a kind showroom in Isando

Barloworld Equipment officially unveiled its new head office and flagship Caterpillar earthmoving equipment showroom in Isando on Wednesday.

The new development consists of a head office, world-class showroom and new training campus, which is currently under construction.

The showroom alone is a first-of-a-kind in the country, which is dedicated to heavy earthmoving equipment. It is split into two zones, namely “tyre” and “track” product categories, with both open and enclosed areas.

Emmy Leeka, CEO of Barloworld Equipment, said the project was conceptualised as a series of iconic buildings nestled in an indigenous landscape, with the showroom facing the R24 highway for maximum exposure.

The company renamed its new learning academy in honour of late CEO Peter Bulterman. Bulterman died on May 8 last year and served as the chief executive officer of Barloworld Ltd. in Southern Africa, Iberia and Russia.

Barloworld CEO Dominic Sewela highlighted the passion Bulterman had for the training academy.

“Peter’s fingerprints can be spotted all over the learning academy, which has trained 1 500 Caterpillar certified artisans. It was his way to contribute to the public and change people’s lives,” said Sewela.

Dumisa Ntsebeza, Barloworld chairperson, stated the opening of the academy in 2009 was aimed at supporting skills development in southern Africa.

“We wanted the academy to contribute to the company’s and country’s broader transformation objectives and contribute to the availability of skills in the engineering and construction industries in South Africa,” stated Ntsebeza.

The new academy will also provide accommodation for students.

Nigel Lewis,vice president of Caterpillar, said: “We are making the investment to ensure we continue to serve and provide solutions that our clients need. Caterpillar and Barloworld are striving to earn the business of its clients for the next 90 years,” said Lewis.

Ekurhuleni executive mayor Mzwandile Masina said the City of Ekurhuleni was delighted about the academy, because it would impact on the environment and society by decreasing the unemployment rate and improving the technical skills of the people of Ekurhuleni.

“Barloworld Equipment could not have chosen a better place to house its new head office than the City of Ekurhuleni. The company has invested directly in the skills development of our people, particularly in Ekurhuleni.

“We want to congratulate the company for its commendable work because they are not just growing as a company but are tagging our people along.”

Said Leeka: “Ultimately, this beautiful behemoth is living testament to what happens when inspired combinations come together to co-construct the monumental and co-create the iconic.

“It stands as a definitive symbol, not only of the historic past that Barloworld Equipment and Caterpillar share, but of their future together as agents of development, who can unleash the power to build nations and tangibly transform lives.”

Features of the new building

• The head office, comprising two elongated buildings, are linked by an enclosed glazed bridge.

• Its design encompasses flush-glazed strip windows. The prevalence of glass in both buildings ensures maximum sunlight because of their north-facing orientation. This minimises the need for artificial heating and lighting.

• Both the head office and showroom roof structures were designed to cater for photovoltaic panels.

• The most immediate noticeable feature of the new showroom structure is its elongated front-facing bubble profile, inspired by the curved shape of the Caterpillar excavator tread. Not only is this an iconic visual tribute to the legendary earthmoving equipment showcased within, but it also allows this huge machinery to be comfortably exhibited in the voluminous interior space this design creates.

• Couple this with a vast glass façade, which makes the interior exhibit perfect visibility of the busy R24 highway, and this becomes far more than a cutting-edge combination of corporate head office and flagship showroom.

• It is one of the most monumentally attention-grabbing display cabinets ever built, exquisitely exhibiting the mammoth machines.

• How can such huge apparatus easily enter or be extracted from this space? The building claims a never-been-done-before international breakthrough with a staggering 8.8m x 5.5m piece of the prominent glass frontage being fully retractable via intricate motor-driven automation.