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people
Building on a dream
His
first visit to a quarry was to earn some pocket money as a young
boy. But Saviour Ellul always knew it was the line of work for him,
NADINE BRINCAT discovers
A look at his finest achievements, such as the work his construction
company did on the Hilton Tower and at the Freeport, is more than
enough evidence that Saviour Ellul has come a long way since he
cycled to the quarry where his father used to work.
At that time, he recalls, he and his brothers used to earn some
pocket money by helping out there.
But it was many years before the boys pooled their resources and
bought a quarry of their own, signalling the beginning of their
own business.
Life was not always easy for Mr Ellul, who is now Chairman of Elbros,
one of Malta's leading construction companies.
"My father died when I was only six months old," he explains,
"and with seven children still at home, my mother, who then
married my uncle, had quite a task taking care of us all. But my
uncle was very respectful to us all, and acted just like a father
to me."
Mr Ellul always felt drawn to the quarry where his father had worked,
so it was only natural that he kept up the family tradition and
entered the line of business.
He remembers buying his very first Leyland truck, used to carry
stones, in 1985, a sign that his beginnings were humble. But that
same year, his business and fortune took a turn, when he teamed
up with a partner who suggested Mr Ellul take over a quarry, hands
on.
Two years later, he founded the flagship company, Elbros, with his
brothers. By 1988 the company was going from strength to strength.
When asked, Mr Ellul said that the project closest to his heart
is the Hilton Tower, closely followed by the Freeport.
"The Hilton is a local landmark, the first high-rise building
in Malta," he says. "I am particularly proud of the fact
that the project was completed in time, with very good quality standards,
and I consider it a success."
Mr Ellul also takes a great interest in the parking and traffic
problems in Malta, being the owner of the MCP car park in Floriana.
"There have definitely been improvements through towing, clamping
and the local wardens," he comments. "And the situation
will be further improved by parking metres."
He believes that complexes failure to cater for parking is detrimental
to themselves, as well as shoppers.
"Solving parking problems helps to encourage business, since
shoppers don't have the hassle of looking for spaces," the
owner of the 1,200-space car park says.
Mr Ellul was also disappointed to note that most shop owners did
not make use of his facilities.
"Most shop owners and workers have not adapted to the idea
and this is a shame, since it doesn't encourage businessmen to enter
the parking business, thereby providing these important facilities,"
he says. "Even during the Christmas season, the MCP has rarely
seen full complement, during its six years of operation."
According to Mr Ellul, with Malta's heavy car density, rising costs
of fuel, insurance and licence expenses, car owners and users will
end up having to front parking expenses.
"This should make people consider searching for an alternative
mode of transport, and reduce the amount of cars on our roads,"
he stresses. "But in this case, public transport must be upgraded,
so that people have an incentive to make use of it."
The Elbros Chairman also admitted that the local construction industry
is currently going through a difficult phase.
"It is not an issue of lack of work, or quantity," he
says. "I think it is more about some companies where there
has been a drop in the quality of their work in general as well
as their contracts."
He was pleased to say that the Building Industry Consulting Council,
of which he is a council member, was taking measures to improve
the situation, with plans coming from the industry to improve the
quality of the product offered locally.
"We are coming up with rules which have to be processed, and
hopefully, will soon enforced by authorities," he comments.
The building regulations the Council is trying to implement deal
with contracts and sub-contracts, including those from government
tenders, which, he said, the industry badly needs.
As regards the effects of EU accession on the local construction
industry, Mr Ellul holds that the new contract conditions should
be drafted along the same standards as those of the EU.
"Companies interested in working with quality measures and
standards will find that they are not very far off from the standards
laid down by the EU," he stresses. "I have worked with
foreigners, who operate within the EU and the difference between
local standards and those of the Union are minimal. I firmly believe
that regulations in Malta should be drawn up like those of the European
Union, since this will work to our advantage, particularly when
it comes to Maltese people, who want to work in the EU."
When asked whether he was interested in taking up a political career,
the reply from Mr Ellul was a definite no, followed by a brief explanation.
"I wouldn't dream of taking up such a commitment," he
says. "I do not think that politics and business should be
mixed, since they can give rise to conflicts of interests."
But Mr Ellul manages to find time to unwind, enjoying drag racing
and surfing the Net.
And of course, he has to find time for wife, Rita, and the couple's
three children, Giovanni, aged 14, Giancarlo eight, and three-month
old Paolo Andrea. Although the choice of his children's names suggests
an Italian influence, Mr Ellul stresses, with a smile, that the
connection stops short of the football pitch.
"I am an avid Manchester United fan, let me make that very
clear!" he says with a laugh.
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