Macsteel, a merchandiser and distributor of steel and value-added steel products, flew South Africa’s flag high by applying its pioneering technology to break the world record for the longest roof span covered by a single metal corrugated sheet.

In partnership with Tate & Nicholson, Fortress, Pick n Pay and WBHO, Macsteel’s roofing unit roll formed the longest continuous corrugated metal roof sheeting in the world. It was spanning the width of 280m across the widest part of the roof covering the new Pick n Pay flagship distribution centre in Kempton Park.

The attempt to break the world record was completed on May 25, beating the previous 200m record. The attempt has been sent to the Guinness World Records for verification, and the company received confirmation of the world record on May 30.

The pioneering technology which enabled Macsteel to achieve this feat is their innovative roofing product NOVOTEXI 440, roll-formed on-site, using their industry-leading Sky Forming process.

It would have been much harder to break the world record without pairing these two Macsteel innovations.

NOVOTEXI 440 was developed by Macsteel to resist high winds on large-scale roofing and to meet the challenges engineers face in providing solutions for extreme weather conditions caused by climate change.

Mike Benfield, Macsteel CEO says, “We are excited to be part of this development project with our partners. We remain true to the spirit of Pursuing Reinvention which is the driving force behind our business strategy and has become the foundation on which we initiate and manage our customer engagements.”

Sky Forming is a unique solution, streamlining the roofing of mega-build projects. As the name suggests, it is a ground-breaking process where the roll-forming container producing the NOVOTEXI 440 sheet, is lifted to the roof level to seamlessly apply the product at height and speed. The Sky Forming process – developed to meet the safety requirements of the Department of Labour – enables Macsteel to offer a differentiated service to stakeholders in the construction sector.

Macsteel has primed innovation as one of its key pillars to ensure sustainability in a global and South African context. Driven by a stressed economy over the last decade, Macsteel has focused on innovation in pursuit of more cost-effective solutions as a prerequisite to assisting customers.

“A significant part of our strategy is focused on partnering with our customers in the early stages of a project to be able to provide strategic support from design to installation in providing efficient and cost-effective steel solutions to our customers,” adds Benfield.

“We understand the importance of remaining agile and relevant and Pursuing Reinvention means finding new ways to grow our business and enabling our customers to grow at the same time,” concludes Benfield.

In a briefing on May 25, Macsteel Roofing group product specialist Dave Reid thanked everybody involved, adding it takes a full team to get a job like this done.

“I stand humbled here today. We can really look at this building and say it looks awesome.”

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