The following Question and Answer Profile with Irene Wanjiku, the MD of Rexe Roofing Products was first published by Media Max Limited.
There are many ‘fake’ roofing materials in the industry. Why the rise in this fake business and where do they come from?
The ‘fake’ roofing materials in the industry are as a result of unscrupulous companies taking advantage of customers who need to make a saving. They supply cheap and poor quality products which fade within a few months.
Lack of information is also facilitating the spread of fake roofing materials and, therefore, clients need to research extensively before picking any product. A roof should last the entire lifetime of a development.
Why should one use stone-coated roofing tiles rather than normal roofing material?
The stone-coated metal tiles are very light, resulting in huge savings on the roof support structure. They are also eco-friendly and contribute to reduction of deforestation. Easy to install, stone-coated tiles drastically reduce the construction period. Moreover, they have great aesthetic qualities, providing style and individuality for the owners.
What challenges do roofing materials buyers face?
Manipulation by scrupulous distributors to purchase sub-standard products, poor workmanship services by untrained roofers and untrustworthy contractors who inflate the quantities of materials required.
Who are Rexe Roofing Products Kenya Ltd and what do you do?
Rexe Roofing Products Ltd, an acronym for Reliable, Excellent, EXperienced and Elegant, is a private company registered with the Kenya Chamber of Commerce and the National Construction Authority.
Our business is to supply and install a wide range of eco-friendly, light weight roofing and waterproofing products. Rexe Roofing Products Ltd’s objective is to help improve the living standards for home owners in Kenya and East Africa, bridging the gap between demand and supply of roofing products and services in the expanding construction industry. To ensure our clients’ satisfaction, we continuously working to ensure that the prices are affordable without compromising on quality, the range of products and efficiency in service provision.
Are there new business opportunities in the industry?
Rexe has identified numerous opportunities in the construction industry, with lots of upcoming hotels, holiday homes and shopping malls. We as Rexe have seized some of the opportunities and are working with leading firms in the industry such as Mt Kenya Holiday Homes (winners of the East Africa Construction Awards 2014 as Best Development), Mt Kenya Wildlife Estate in Nanyuki, Acacia Mall in Uganda, The Hub, Karen Mall in Nairobi and Gateway Mall in Uganda, among many others.
What do you recommend government should do to improve this industry?
The government should improve quality inspection measures to ensure that dumping of poor quality roofing products does not happen in Kenya. The government should also create awareness of the benefits of using eco-friendly, light weight products for all upcoming developments.
We need the county and national governments to support up-coming local manufacturers to ensure that highest quality roofing products that can compete on a global level are manufactured locally.
What are the decking materials used on roofs to receive shingles?
Fibreglass shingles are very flexible, making them the only roofing material that can adapt to any shape or roof design giving you unlimited creativity. To use them you need a board made from recycled saw dust material or lamiboards made from recycled tetra-pak boxes. This creates waste management through recycling as opposed to using block boards.
How are asphalt shingles made?
Roof shingles are a roof covering consisting of individual overlapping elements. Fibre Glass-based asphalt shingles are manufactured with mat composed entirely of glass fibres of varying lengths and orientations. This fibreglass base is then surfaced with a specially-formulated asphalt coating, followed by weather-resistant mineral granules, suitable for water harvesting.