By Kingsley Adegboye

…says it stopped the use over 10 years ago
ETERNIT Ltd, one of Nigeria’s foremost producers of fibre cement roofing and ceiling products has denied  that its range of products still contain asbestos content. This is coming against the backdrop of an impression from some quarters that in spite of its ban because of its harmful nature, asbestos is still being used by Eternit in the production of its products.

Believed to be harmful to human lives, asbestos  was banned by the Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON over a decade ago in the production of building materials in compliance with international standards. But some people still associate the use of the harmful content with Eternit products.

Damaging impression
However, correcting the damaging impression last week during a media tour of the company, Mr.  Dirk Modderman said the company does not make use of asbestos anymore, pointing out that “the last line of our products with asbestos content was churned out of our factory as far back as in 2001. For the sake of emphasis, and to correct the impression that Eternit  products are asbestos products, none of our products contain asbestos. The asbestos component of our products mix has been replaced with synthetic new technology fibre over a decade ago”, he stated.

Mr. Modderman who noted that strong competition from imported building materials in the country is a major challenge to his company, pointed out that in the face of keen competition amongst the manufacturers and dealers of building materials in Nigeria,  the only way to remain relevant in the industry is not to compromise set standards for quality of products, but to insist on improving on quality of products being produced at all times no matter the situation.

The managing director who informed that his company’s products meet international standard, adding that the company has a good name in the building materials manufacturing sector of the nation’s economy, stressed that the company wants to maintain that good name.

According to him, even with the good name  the company is currently enjoying, “we have to produce high quality products if we must remain in the business following strong competition with foreign products being imported into the country that are cheaper than Eternit products. This is why our watch word at Eternit is quality and no compromise about it”, he said.

Explaining that over 800 people have been  trained by his company free of charge on how to install various products of the company ranging from Duratile roofing tiles, Ultra span roofing truss, Super 7 and Ultra 7 roofing sheets and Super lightweight as well as Coolite roofing sheets, Suspended ceilings, Nailed ceilings and Decorative ceilings, the managing director said in order to cover the nation effectively with his company’s products, the company has concluded plans to offices in Abuja and Port Harcourt.

Speaking earlier, the marketing manager of the company Kayode Adeniji, an engineer said the company is at present reinforcing its leadership position in the roofing and ceiling sheets market by surpassing its customers’ expectations with improved extensive distribution network, good trade incentives, quality customer service delivery and value for money.

He added that “we have recently put great emphasis on customer relations and thus we adopt as norm customer relationship marketing. As a socially responsible organization, we have contributed tremendously to our operating environment in all facets. The company is one of the few ones with certification for quality products, process and procedures, environment management and occupational health as well as safety system”, he said.