NEDBANK Corporate Property Finance: Cape has funded the development and completion of a R76 million industrial facility in Blackheath, on behalf of Macadams International.

The 17 500sq m purpose-built facility will be used to home the group manufacturing companies, Macadams Baking Systems and RA Plastics.

The development has been designed with green principles in mind: ten 5 000 litre tanks to collect rainwater from the roof have been incorporated into the design, and these are used to supply the toilets, urinals and irrigation systems. Hot water is supplied by three solar powered geysers and a number of indigenous trees and shrubs have been planted to encourage birdlife back into the area. Monitors on the roof and clear sheeting on the sides of the building allow natural light in so that the main warehouse lights do not have to be left on at all times. Macadams International has, over the last 100 years, become a major force in the baking systems industry both in Africa and the rest of the world. As South Africa’s leading supplier, the Cape Town company offers an extensive range of baking related equipment such as ovens, provers, mixers, moulders and food service equipment. The company has sales offices in Johannesburg and Durban and is part of Universal Industries.

Universal listed in November 2007 on the JSE, and is the holding company for SA’s leading suppliers of refrigerated display cases, polyurethane insulated panels, and baking systems. The group supplies mainly to the perishable food retail, wholesale and related industries. It has production facilities in excess of 45 000sq m and employs 689 employees.

Richard Thomas, divisional executive of the Cape division of Nedbank Corporate Property Finance says the bank funded this facility for a combination of reasons. “Our long-standing relationship with the client and tenant was a major consideration, but equally important were the outstanding property fundamentals – good location, strong tenure and a known and capable professional team and construction company. Added to that, the fact that the building included a number of environmentally friendly initiatives made us at ‘the green bank’ very happy. The development ticked all the right boxes and therefore we were delighted to fund it.”

The facility was developed on behalf of Macadams by Cape based construction company, Granbuild together with Tim Hughes Architects and Jan Van Gysen Consulting Engineers. Granbuild was started in 1972 and is a member of the Master Builders Association, specialising in industrial, commercial, retail and school projects. Other current projects include Vodacom Bellville, Palmyra Retail Centre, CPUT Administration Building, N1 City Office block, a new office and warehouse facility for Prime Cleaning and the Homestead Child Youth Care Centre in Khayelitsha.