Pozzolana Ghana Limited determined to do business in Ghana

Mr Douglas Borgsdorf, President of Pozzolana Ghana Limited (PGL), says the company is focused on being an “emotional company” that would not just sell products but enhance the standards of people who use it.

“Our goal is not just to sell a product, but to enhance the standards of people who are using the product; from the customers, whether it is a school or building project or just a wall, and helping the distributors become stronger businesses by helping them with signage and cost-analysis,” he stressed.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview on arrival in Ghana on Monday, Mr Borgsdorf said the company would be involved with the whole follow-through of the project, from sales, training, to building.

“It is to be more of an emotional type business, money will come later; the idea is to enhance knowledge of the local product. To let people know there is a local product that is made and to be used right here in Ghana. For me that is the emotional excitement,” he added.

Mr Borgsdorf is in Ghana to sign some agreements with the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), State Housing Company (SHC) and meet some prospective distributors.

He said the main goal of the PGL’S agreement with SADA, would be for the two organizations to get involve in school projects as well an internship programme for youth under SADA.

Under the agreement, SADA can bring in some youth to be trained on some new technologies in Ghana, to a point where they can develop their own businesses.

He noted that details of the programme as well as a structure for its implementation would be finalised with SADA this week, as it was important to have one in place so it be rotated.

Mr Borgsdorf would meet SHC to discuss the introduction of Pozzolana cement to them, as it was locally manufactured and cheaper than other imported cement.

“There is no better way to have affordable housing than using local material. If you are importing you are never going to be able to lower the costs so everybody has the opportunity to own a home, and it can be done by using local materials which costs about 30-40 per cent less. They are also a much greener footprint,” he stated.

He said PGL was negotiating with the Government to mandate the use of Pozzolana for building in the country.

Mr Borgsdorf pointed out that, PGL’s goal was to work with 80 per cent local businesses and 20 per cent foreign-investment businesses.

On PGL’s corporate social responsibility plans, he said the company was undertaking some projects on the "Pozzolana Highway", which is the road from Mallam Junction to Apam Junction.

The projects would include schools as well as training related to those to be undertaken by SADA and SHC.

“We are setting up a good solid distribution network and train distributors, on the financial side of their businesses. We want to partner with them and give them what they need to be solid businesses in the community through our marketing efforts.”

Mr Borgsdorf said, PGL would build a main distribution centre off the George Bush Highway to be used as a training centre, to train people on how to mix the product for various uses, how to use new technologies and equipment in the building industry especially in block making.

PGL’s vision in future, is to acquire new equipment to enhance production capability. In two years, it expects to have two different facilities and to be exporting the product to other African countries within five years.

“In five years, I want people to say ‘I wanna go work for that company. I want Pozzolana to be the Coca-Cola of the building community,” he added.**