Tekleberhan Ambaye Construction P.L.C. (TACON) — Brochure 2018

THE CONSTRUCTION PARTNER OF CHOICE

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HOW TACON REDEFINES ETHIOPIAN CONSTRUCTION WRIT TEN BY

DA LE BENTON PRODUCED BY

S TUART IRVING

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Through a companywide transformation and world-class service delivery, TACON is the Ethiopian construction partner of choice

A

s a proud member of the TAF Group, Tekleberhan Ambaye

Construction PLC (TACON) is a team of innovative, committed and engaged professionals who strive to deliver and exceed on the diverse expectations of all its stakeholders.

While engineer Tekleberhan Ambaye Fanta made his name as a philanthropist and businessman, the construction

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company he established in 1993 served

average growth rate of 167%. The

as a springboard for the group that has

service segment of the company has

now become one of the leading diversi-

also grown to provide a full line of

fied Ethiopian business firms.

infrastructure development services,

Over the course of the last 25 years,

including among others: construction

rapid growth and an ‘obsession with

of highways and airport runways; civil

performance and speed’ has seen

works of railways and water projects;

TACON certified as an efficient and

massive earthworks; specialist pile

renowned Class One Ethiopian General

foundation excavation services; and

Contractor (GC 1).

industrial plants.

Over the last seven years, the

But what is the secret to this

company has seen its annual revenue

success? For Seifu Ambaye, Chair-

increase by 1,167%, maintaining an

man and Chief Executive Officer, it w w w.t a c o np lc. com

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has been a drive for total client satisfaction as part of a major strategic transformation.

“Since I took up the post of TACON’s Senior Deputy General Manager in 2010, I embarked on a radical transformation of the company’s strategy, ushering in a new era of project management and internal efficiency,” says Ambaye.

“With the technical support of Ernst & Young (EY), the TAF Group has recently formulated a growth strategy that aims to gain competitive advantage and demonstrate institutional effectiveness through growth goals in the areas of financial, customer and market and internal processes.”

The unmatched growth of TACON is very much characterised by a mixed bag of both solid opportunities and substantial challenges. Through time, Ambaye came to realise

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“ With the technical support of Ernst and Young (EY) the TAF Group has recently formulated a growth strategy that aims to gain competitive advantage and demonstrate institutional effectiveness through growth goals in financial, customer and market and internal process” — Seifu Ambaye, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tekleberhan Ambaye Construction P.L.C. (TACON)

that the company was marching too quickly to the extent of outgrowing existing capacity. This, in turn, created notable difficulties in meeting the growing expectations from clients for timely delivery of projects, including an inability to shoulder the burden of contractual and financial commitments. “If these challenges, coupled with internal pressures such as ineffective leadership, traditional construction service delivery methods, highly politicised behaviour and lack of

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘TEKLEBERHAN AMBAYE CONSTRUCTION (TACON) P.L.C. FULL DOCUMENTARY’ 106

systems continued to prevail, the

aforementioned internal pressures,

growing malaise would reach an

the company needed to act.

unbearable point,” he says.

“We adopt a project management

“The growing demand placed upon

philosophy that revolves around

the company by its key stakeholders

collaborating with all stakeholders and

allowed us to transform the business-

engage in integrated project delivery,

es of TACON and the TAF Group at

creating detailed activity and resourc-

large as a way-out strategy.”

es plans to meet the client’s scheduled

Tacon identified a number of key

implementation timelines, track project

drivers for this transformation. From

progress and fine tune deviations, closely

the government’s push to develop

monitoring the quality and cost-efficiency

competent local contractors, clients’

of operations thereby completing and

shift in focus towards the timely

delivering the projects on-time,”

delivery of quality projects, to the

Ambaye explains. w w w.t a c o np lc. com

“The result is that we take pride in the

cial, public, educational, residential,

promising outcomes, thus our clients

multi-purpose, health, research and

can always be assured that only the

financial buildings, as well as industrial

most experienced and qualified people

plants and recreational facilities.

are serving them, all the time.”

Amongst TACON’s diverse client

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For Ambaye, TACON’s completion of these contracts represent far more

portfolio is a number of government

than enhancing physical infrastruc-

organisations. Over the course of its two

ture; they are implemented exceeding

and a half decades of operation, TACON

clients’ requirements and done so with

has worked with governments to

high quality and value with the view of

undertake numerous complex commer-

ultimately improving the livelihood secu-

rity and economic self-reliance of

philosophy: ‘Counting on Our Human

local people. “From our perspectives,

Capital’ and this is something that

the significance of the completion of

Ambaye continues to drive.

works under contract goes beyond the

“We firmly believe that the company’s

culmination of the traditional client-

prime asset is our human resources,”

contractor relationship,” he says. “In

he says.

fact, our approach has been instru-

“As an organisation we strive to

mental in allowing TACON to become

ensure that everyone has adequate

a company of choice of the govern-

opportunity to understand and be

ments of regional countries.”

committed to take responsibility for

TAF Group was created with a core

their own continued development

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“ The result is that we take pride in the promising outcomes, thus our clients can always be assured that only the most experienced and qualified people are serving them, all the time” — Seifu Ambaye, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tekleberhan Ambaye Construction P.L.C. (TACON)

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needs a promote lessons learnt inside and outside the companies; as well as to innovate, improve and recommend better ways, among others.”

These beliefs in the human resources saw TACON establish a Centre of Excellence in 2014. Accredited by the public regulatory bodies, the courses offered by the Centre of Excellence are designed to develop the necessary knowledge, skills and attitude of the trainees meeting relevant Occupational Standard (OS) and remain 111

instrumental to increase the productivity, performance and profitability of the construction industry participants and other institutions.

As TACON looks to the future, Ambaye is mindful of the need to strike a balance between short-term goals and long-term ambition.

“Our short-term goals are to embark on formulating a strategy that combines internal growth by using the company’s capabilities to develop their own businesses as well as re-engineering operational systems and service delivery processes,” he says.

“To achieve the objectives embodied in our overarching vision and

112 mission statements, the leadership will continue to invest in human capital; review the project management and supply chain practices in order to eliminate all service delivery that falls below industry standards. This will allow TACON to continue to stand tall above others in the industry.�

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CMC MICHEAL ADDIS ABABA ETHIOPIA T +251 116 500 000 www.taconplc.com