In November 2016, Franki celebrated 70 years of continuous operation in Africa and, according to MD Errol Braithwaite, “We are convinced that the attributes that have served us so well in the past will continue to do so in the future.
“We are proud and gratified to have worked on projects which have contributed massively to the development of the continent and we see ourselves, along with all members of the built environment profession, as primary enablers of growth and development in Africa.
“Our 2013 acquisition by the Keller Group has greatly enhanced our portfolio of products and our access to world class expertise. There is no doubt that, when involved early enough, we are able to bring the most cost effective and technically appropriate solutions to almost any geotechnical project almost anywhere in Africa,” Braithwaite says.
Franki is well represented on the continent, having recently completed projects in Mauritius, Angola, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Swaziland, Botswana and Zambia.
“Indeed, our partnership with Keller enables us to bring best practices in expertise, health and safety, quality, and technology to Zambia and any other location in Africa which, combined with Franki’s experience, constitutes a compelling service offering to our customers,” he says.
The first office of the Franki operation in South Africa was established in Cape Town in 1946 as a subsidiary of Frankipile, the internationally renowned Belgian-based piling company. From the fledgling start of the first contract – the installation of eight piles for a small building in Paarden Eiland near Cape Town, Franki has the capability and capacity to handle large and complex geotechnical projects.
It competes with international geotechnical companies in sub-Saharan Africa while not losing its appetite or competitiveness on small projects – even today the majority of its projects are less than two million rand in value.
Franki is also renowned for developing piling technology, boasting some of the best-known geotechnical engineers in the country who have developed a reputation for their knowledge and expertise both here and abroad. Changing of the Guard Meanwhile in January 2016 there was a change of guard at Franki with Braithwaite taking over as Managing Director from Roy McLintock who retired in December 2015.
Franki offers a comprehensive range of geotechnical and marine engineering services including both design and construction for the general construction, civil engineering and mining industries.
It is ISO 9001 accredited and OHSAS 18001 certified. Franki are specialists in: Piled Foundations; Soil Improvement – In-situ Compaction; In-situ Replacement; Rigid Inclusions; Deep Soil Mixing; Jet Grouting; Grouting; Underpinning; Lateral Support; Pipe and Culvert Jacking; Marine Foundations and Structures; Environmental Remediation; Geotechnical Investigations and Geotechnical Design and Advice.
