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A New Option for African Infrastructure: Steel Structure Solutions with a 50-Year Lifespan and 98% Recyclability

2025-09-12

The African continent is entering a golden age of infrastructure development—from South Africa’s Red Rock solar thermal power station and Guinea’s Massaké railway to Angola’s electrolytic aluminium plant, green energy and industrialisation projects urgently require highly durable, low-maintenance building structures.

♻️ Why do African developers favour steel space frames?

 

Optimal full lifecycle cost

50-year extended service life: Through triple anti-corrosion technology (zinc-rich primer + epoxy micaceous iron oxide intermediate coat + fluorocarbon topcoat), the main structure remains corrosion-free even in West Africa’s salt-erosion coastlines and East Africa’s high-humidity rainy seasons.

98% Material Recyclability: Upon project decommissioning, steel components can be directly remelted for reuse, eliminating concrete construction waste accumulation and aligning with Africa’s sustainable infrastructure policies.

Hard Technology for Extreme Environments

High-Temperature & High-Humidity Protection: Utilising epoxy glass flake coating (120°C heat resistance + salt spray impermeability), successfully deployed at Algiers Airport (50°C desert conditions) and Angola’s electrolysis workshops (85% humidity).

Seismic Safety Certification: Node tolerances controlled within ±2mm, meeting seismic design requirements for magnitude 9 earthquakes (e.g., the 265-metre minaret of Algeria’s Grand Mosque, Africa’s tallest building).

Rapid Delivery, Time and Labour Savings

Bolted spherical grid structures achieve over 90% prefabrication, accelerating on-site assembly by 60% compared to traditional methods and mitigating rainy season delays (e.g., Guinea’s Massi Railway dry-season accelerated construction).

Solutions specifically designed to address African pain points

 

Challenge

SAFS Technical Response

User benefits

Sea freight costs are prohibitively expensive

Lightweight design (30% steel reduction + compact packaging)

Logistics costs reduced by 45%

Local welding expertise is inadequate

Fully bolted connection, eliminating the need for complex welding

Quality is controllable, with installation training requiring only two weeks

Unstable electricity supply

Integrated Solar Roofing Solutions

Reduce operational energy consumption by 20%