A striking new landmark has risen along the Harare-Chitungwiza Highway, signalling a new era for Aquabridge Private Limited, a leading provider of high-quality electrical power cables and related products and services. This impressive mixed-use commercial infrastructure, located in Retreat just after Hatfield when traveling from Harare, houses a state-of-the-art warehouse, a modern showroom, and Aquabridge’s new headquarters, marking the company’s full-fledged entry into the Zimbabwean market and solidifying its commitment to powering the nation’s future. Previously operating from The Grange, Aquabridge is the official Zimbabwean distributor for Aberdare Cables of South Africa.
Strategic Location, Streamlined Access:
The location on the Harare-Chitungwiza Highway offers several strategic advantages. Its proximity to the main road ensures easy accessibility for customers, while convenient access to this arterial route facilitates onward journeys. Unlike some Harare locations, this corridor remains relatively decongested, ensuring smooth and efficient operations for businesses like Aquabridge. This prime location allows Aquabridge to be closer to its customers, providing unparalleled shopping convenience under one roof and marking a shift from their previously pursued, targeted marketing strategy. The building itself represents a new era for the company, transforming an area previously lacking world-class infrastructure. During Structure and Design Magazine’s visit, only interior and exterior signage remained to be completed, yet the building’s masterful construction was evident.
Designed for Efficiency and Customer Experience:
The 1500-square-metre building, 100% powered by solar energy, is designed with both operational efficiency and customer experience in mind. The expansive 900-square-metre warehouse, with three roller shutter doors for dispatch, receiving, and access to overspill stock areas, allows Aquabridge to efficiently manage inventory and fulfill orders quickly, minimizing lead times for customers. Unusually, the building’s design prioritizes access to the rear off-loading, loading, and parking areas, ensuring smooth and efficient transactions for customers collecting goods.
The headquarters’ entrance, featuring a striking façade of large glass panels supplied by Architectural Aluminium, faces the Harare-Chitungwiza Highway frontage.
This striking glass façade creates a welcoming and professional impression, reflecting Aquabridge’s commitment to quality and building customer confidence from the moment they arrive. Inside, the ground floor, covering 300 square metres, houses a striking entrance that leads to a semi-open-plan space. The building’s main focal point is the reception and call centre area. A modern showroom, manned by the technical sales team, provides a comfortable and convenient experience for customers seeking expert advice and product selection, complete with literature, brochures, and technical guidance. A customer waiting area with access to outside landscaped gardens offers a relaxing and pleasant environment, further enhancing the overall customer experience. A larger dispatch area for bulk orders is located inside the warehouse.
The headquarters’ offices are designed for quietness, effectively isolating any noise from the warehouse, while still maintaining architectural integration. This allows for a productive work environment while ensuring smooth coordination between departments.
Owner-Driven Vision:
Hannan Chitate, the company’s founder and Managing Director served as project manager, collaborating with established building and construction consultants. He created the initial structural and functional drawings and then engaged architects later. He also developed the interior design concepts executed by International Slab Sales, who cut and assembled the design elements.
“This building is more than just a warehouse and office space; it’s a symbol of our commitment to our customers and our belief in the future of Zimbabwe,” said Chitate.
“We designed it with efficiency and customer experience in mind, reflecting our core values as a company.” The headquarters’ ground floor includes disability-friendly bathrooms. The upper floor houses large offices occupied by team leaders for Finance, Marketing, Logistics, Stores and Procurement and Executive Office. The boardroom occupies a central space covering 50 square metres and has a nine-person capacity table made from exquisite teak wood furniture custom-made for Aquabridge by Adam Bede.
An artistic, fabricated steel staircase connects the ground and first floors of the offices. Another staircase on the external side of the office section also provides direct access to the first floor from the main gate. The teak handrails on the 24-metre-long internal balustrades covering the double-volume reception area, are a striking feature from the ground floor and complementary to the grand ceiling chandeliers. Timepiece fabricated on site the two staircases and all balustrades. Other project partners included Revolta’s Roots (Ruwa) and Adam Bede, who supplied high-end teak furniture complemented by teak doors from Lupane Timbers. Homestyle provided pavers, Beta Bricks supplied bricks, and cement came from Khayah and PPC.
“I designed the building, layout, and functionality, working with Struqton Structural Pvt Ltd as the engineers and Craft-Worx Architecture as the architects, consulting them on design and execution, including the installation of beams, trusses, and other elements,” said Chitate. This is a passion project, executed with determination and delivered with honour to all our customers, who deserve nothing but the best. The 18-month construction period, was generally longer than expected as the project was funded from organic capital accumulation. The building is surrounded by gardens with lush green lawns and flowers that create a great space for customers to relax and mingle whilst being attended to. A spacious car park is located in front of the headquarters’ reception, with another adjacent to the warehouse. A 96-square-metre recreational space for employee breaks is planned adjacent to the external staircase, furnished with a gazebo tent for weather protection.
Service and Market Confidence:
Aquabridge launches its new headquarters and warehouse with strong confidence, poised to disrupt the local cable market. “The cable industry has existed for decades, but our unique selling point is our focus on quality fit-for-purpose products,” said the founder. “Firstly, we consistently provide the highest quality products. Secondly, it’s delivery efficiency. We pride ourselves in providing utmost quality products and efficiency in service delivery.” This commitment to quality and service is further reinforced by their investment in a fleet of commercial vehicles for nationwide delivery, including five-tonne vehicles, 1 tonne NP300 Nissan vehicles, and a 15-tonne truck, all purchased locally.
Aquabridge aims to be closer to its customers by providing unparalleled shopping convenience under one roof. Their initial expansion target is the Midlands region due to the concentration of mining clients, followed by Bulawayo and potentially Marondera, seen as a growth area after Chitungwiza. They are also positioning themselves to serve the farming community, requiring cables for water irrigation, with sales peaking during the tobacco marketing season (April-July), as well as the commercial construction sector, with the many cluster home developments in and outside Harare. “We understand agility is crucial for business. Our main proposition remains centered on listening and responsiveness to client needs,” said Chitate.
History and Future:
Aquabridge has operated from The Grange since its 2016 founding, beginning intense trading in 2017, initially providing high-voltage electrical products, electrical power line construction materials, generator sets, and tools and equipment. Recognizing a market opportunity due to inconsistent cable, wire, and conductor supplies, the company began focusing on these products around 2019-2020, achieving significant growth during the COVID period and beyond. They also offer related products, supplying utilities like ZETDC, Zimbabwe Power Company, REA, ZINWA, and many other private companies. “We have maintained our traditional customers over the years, and we are indebted to them for believing in us early on. We listened to our customer’s expectations and have successfully designed and delivered a quality product modelled around our customers’ needs and wants,” said Chitate.
Community Promise:
A long-term corporate social responsibility program will be launched for the surrounding community. While projects are still in planning, management has identified areas for assistance and will communicate them soon. Local community members will be considered for employment.
Readers interested in learning more about Aquabridge’s products and services are encouraged to visit or contact them:
7530 Seke Road, Retreat, Harare
Tel: +263 242 586 444 / +263 242 586 411 Cell: +263 782 513 939
Email: sales@aquabridge.co.zw www.aquabridge.co.zw
