The order books are depleted, the projects are shelved or are downright stopped. The cause: the crisis of the euro. Developers are reluctant and virtually every major construction projects have been completed or are nearing completion. The critical period should be around May-June with layoffs expected, according to the CEO of Prodesign.
"There are four or five years, orders flowed. Three types of structures were in great demand, offices, commercial spaces and leisure, that is to say, the IRS / RES. But the euro crisis is passed by. Customers, mainly for foreign IRS / RES, decreased or no longer wishes to proceed with his initial interest. It is the same for offices aimed BPO clients, so foreign. As for shopping malls, can continue to grow on a small island and last major project was probably the Croisette in Grand Baie, "says Vickramsing Bhujun, which launched in 1997 Prodesign society, and lays looking rather pessimistic about the future of the construction industry. Projects that were designed in 2011 or 2012, according to our interlocutor, may not see the light because of the contagion effect of the crisis of the euro as the various stages of a project, the feasibility study to achieve through the design and permitting, two or more years may elapse. The year 2013 promises to be the most difficult Prodesign according to the firm. The critical period should be around May-June with layoffs expected.
Should become resigned to return the bad days? "No," claims the director of Prodesign. "When the private sector can no longer drive the construction market, it is the government's take on this role. Certainly, we see that the central government is extremely present in the development of infrastructure, but its impact on the economy is less. It takes much less men to build roads as buildings. Besides foreign companies often do not hire the local workforce. We believe it would rebalance the investment from the state to build public buildings such as hospitals, sports centers or in modern schools, "says Vickramsing Bhujun. In addition to providing a "balance between current and future needs," these state investments, says it will have an impact on the private sector: "The construction industry must adapt to the current context. By first being more aggressive in marketing in order to expand the customer base. Then, it is to be more competitive by focusing on improving services, reducing production costs and investing in technology. Finally, the sector must be exported to the regional market. "His firm, says he has already anticipated the challenges ahead, placing innovation at the heart of the company policy, offering a range of services that prevent customer concerns inherent in any project for a building. "We accompany the client at the beginning and at every stage, taking all the hassles to our account. We calculate the return on investment of the project, we handle the paperwork and help decision-making. In short, we are a true one-stop shop with a turnkey service, "says Vickramsing Bhujun. His company has also invested in advanced computer software to reduce costs, avoid waste and reduce construction time. Recognizing the importance of human capital in the company, Prodesign decided not to sacrifice any employee, a solution deemed "too easy in times of crisis": "We prefer to retrain staff in changing their duties pending days best. We keep the same time investment in training. '