Paving (and cladding) the way

Today we&#039;re visiting GFG Slasto Supplies in the capital that not only mines the stone in Namibia, but also processes it.Speaking to owner Gwen Delie, she says the natural product they use comes from a farm in the Naukluft mountains where they mine the stone from a quarry. “From there it is transported to Windhoek where it is processed and delivered countrywide,” she says.This beautiful stone is used to clad or decorate buildings, adding value and sophistication to your space. “It’s durable and low maintenance, but more so, it’s a Namibian product that is manufactured by Namibians.”The slasto or raw product, is mined in a mountainous area. “Besides using the slasto itself, from this we can manufacture tiles, building stone and riven slate tiles which is used for cladding and flooring. This stone can be used for different applications, including foundations and patios. It is a very strong product, and since it&#039;s a natural stone, it can be applied to any surface,” Gwen says.They also supply different stones: Slate, building stone, rock face slate tiles and paving. “These are often used by lodges for walkways since it is non-slippery, it&#039;s low maintenance and it adds value to a property because it&#039;s a natural product and not man-made,” she says.The company has been involved in various projects, but one that really stands out for Gwen is Sandwerf that belongs to architect Leon Barnard and who created a beautiful sanctuary and restaurant. “It&#039;s still under construction but it is really beautiful,” she says.Other prominent places they&#039;ve worked on include Midgard Lodge, Mokuti Lodge and Oanob. “Amongst others, we also did work at the new Rehoboth abattoir, Okahau Town Council, Rundu VTC, Namwater in Ondangwa and the Outjo Tourism Centre in the north, and in the south we&#039;ve done work at Warmbad and the Keetmanshoop VTC.”But most importantly, its Namibians installing the stone.With this portfolio of jobs, Gwen says they are really blessed that their products are in demand. “We&#039;re also really proud that Namibians are supporting other Namibians, and that local products are being used.”She adds that stone masonry is a specialist job. “Not just any builder can install stone, because it requires craftsmanship. We have our own team of builders who do installations across the country. We&#039;re also currently working on the Hilton Hotel in Lusaka, Zambia.“Sadly, stone masonry often gets a bad wrap because people just use any builder to install it, and then the end product does not look good and the product gets a bad name.“With stone, because it&#039;s a natural product, it&#039;s important that the installation is done properly and correctly, so that once it&#039;s done, you can see what difference it makes to your building.”Why choose GFG?“We are proud of what we&#039;re doing and our ability to supply this natural product,” Gwen says. “I feel the reason people should support us, is because we&#039;re creating employment for Namibians. Support local product suppliers, be proudly Namibian. Too often products are being brought in from beyond our borders. It&#039;s really wonderful to support local business. Our stone is mined and manufactured locally, and it&#039;s a matter of pride using it.“I&#039;m happy to say that many architects are adding our products to their projects and we are particularly proud to be part of historic buildings. Currently, we&#039;re busy restoring the Second World War cemetery. It&#039;s very special to me. The original stones were installed in 1906 and some are still intact, but due to wear and tear, the EU decided to do some maintenance work. Other special projects include the Hosea Kutako homestead at Aminius which is also being renovated. We&#039;re proud to be involved, because many years down the line, our products will still be there. I always tell my staff that it&#039;s their handy work there. They’ve gone out and are part of an historic building.”Happy clientsSpeaking by site manager, Charles Tjoutuku, he says that he is responsible for ensuring that clients receive their products, that our products are delivered on time and that all is well in terms of sales.One of the projects he is proud of being involved with, was the new Paratus Data Centre. “It was an intense project for us, because it needed to be completed in under three weeks. Thankfully we have a good team both here and where we mine the product, so we could deliver.”How does he ensure that his clients are happy?“This is based on our company principles: To have integrity, to cooperate and to be honest with clients. If we can&#039;t deliver immediately, we will tell our clients as such and ask them to give us a bit more time to fulfil their request.”When it comes to his favourite product, Charles says it’s the slasto. “It is natural. The other products require a bit of work to give it the final look.”How are the products processed?The processed products are created from the slasto itself, Charles says. “We cut slate from the slasto, which is the natural form thereof. Then there is also riven walling, which is also produced from slate.”To those wishing to enter this business and market, Charles says you need credibility and you need to be persistent and consistent. Finally, “you need to be passionate about it”.So, why choose GFG products? “The stone is durable, long-lasting and the climate has no effect on it; it doesn&#039;t get dirty, it doesn&#039;t get outdated; and it&#039;s both modern and classic.”For more information, call 081 249 5774 or 081 411 7177, or send a message to info@gfgslasto.com

Paving (and cladding) the way

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-07

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Paving (and cladding) the way

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-07

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