Cape Town – Lascocrete is a leading manufacturer and installer of superior quality concrete products in and around Cape Town. Leveraging 45 years of expertise, their dynamic leader Theresa Lassen, is proud of their track record of delivering solutions during troubling times, purposefully integrating the slogan “Impossible is nothing” in their philosophy and work ethic. This mantra is doubly important for Theresa as she strives to breakdown the gender barriers in a predominantly male dominated industry.
Women empowerment is a topic which has generated substantial traction, particularly in traditionally male dominated industries like construction with the aim to change the status quo. Theresa is in the top bracket of women in construction who make up 14% of construction industry professionals and this number will rise with an increasing number of women being open to joining the industry.
According to recent studies, women comprise only a small 10.3 percent of the workforce in the construction industry. It must be said a number of these are relatively small companies which struggle under the industry’s gender barriers. The barriers created by a male dominated industry continue to negatively impact women-owned businesses and their participation as they are met with limited access to lines of credit, gender stereotypes and insufficient financial skills training.
“The construction industry has been known for its male dominance in its positions of power. Lascocrete is proud to be a woman owned company with the success of the company alone showing great evidence that the women of this era are resilient and dominant and are able to achieve greatness. As Lascocrete, we pride ourselves in women empowerment. As a company, we only hope that with our positivity around woman owned businesses, it can serve as great encouragement to all the women in our country to speak up and fight for their success!” – Theresa Lassen
Taking great pride in employee investment to ensure the highest standards are maintained, Theresa has been with Lascocrete for over 10 years and has created a structure which promotes inclusivity; discipline and respect which is constructed towards a common goal, producing quality concrete products and satisfied customers.
Overseeing a team of over 65 men and women, the presumption that a female leader would be soft and easy is far from the truth. Theresa is as tough as any business owner with a firm but fair approach which ensures all employees are treated equally and with respect. Her emphasis is on the importance of listening to input brought forward by the Lascocrete employees and that feedback is invaluable as they structure better training methods and keep relationships healthy.
The enterprise has grown through her vision by introducing Lascokerbs into the industry. They chose to branch into Kerbs which ties in with their growth strategy. The Kerb business falls under the banner: Lascokerbs and this area specialises in the manufacture of concrete kerbs and edging which is supplied to civil contractors, developers and builders.
Under her leadership, Lascocrete has managed to stay relevant for over 45 years, and produce the highest quality products and customer relationships. The importance of role models to young South African women cannot be underestimated and the strides taken by women such as Theresa will shape the industry for years to come and will contribute to the progression of women going up the construction industry ladder.
Visit www.lascocrete.co.za for more information
