Global Business Pursuit - March 2023

Progress always involves risk you can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first Frederick Wilcox

www.business-pursuit.net

James

March 2024

In this month’s edition, we delve into the inner workings of some global powerhouses, examining how Allianz Insurers has laid robust foundations for future growth. Additionally, we explore the operational strategies of Sinclair Broadcast Group and how they are revolutionizing the media landscape.

Other compelling features in this issue include insights into Knight Frank, Eco Baltia, Advanced Supply Chain Group, and META Platforms Inc, among others.

Our spotlight this month shines on Business Risk, elucidating why embracing risks to expand and elevate your business can yield significant benefits. Whether your team is contemplating diverse business ventures or exploring new market opportunities, discerning the most promising avenues is paramount for success.

Donnie Rust

Global Business Pursuit – Editor

Dennis Alucard Allianz Insurers

Allianz Insurance is one of the largest general insurers in the UK and part of the Allianz Group, who are one of the leading financial services providers globally. With around 147,000 employees worldwide, the Allianz Group serves over 100 million customers in more than 70 countries. Allianz Insurance handles Commercial, Engineering, Legal Protection and Premierline Business on their business insurance section. Meanwhile Petplan, Petplan Equine and Allianz musical insurance on their personal insurance section.

At the heart of the business is the focus on their customers and guided by the principles of their parent group, Allianz Insurance strives to be a trusted partner for their customers and to put them centrestage. By working to continually improve the quality of their service, incorporating sustainable and responsible business practices into their products and services, and combating insurance fraud, they aim to meet the needs of their customers now and into the future.

“We want to build relationships with our customers that are based on trust, so that they recommend us to others,” says Graham Gibson, chief claims officer of Allianz Insurers.

He goes on to explain that along with this customer centric approach is their management

of customer feedback be it in the form of reviews or complaints. Swift action being the top priority for them. He says, “We ensure that Group-wide quality standards are met in handling complaints and that our customers are treated fairly. We also regard complaints as another important source of customer feedback, so we analyse them to implement improvements.”

Products

Offering peace of mind through their products and services allow the customers to know that, in moments that matter, Allianz deliver on their promises. Along with this, they maintain solid underwriting practices and ensure that insurance transactions in 13 sensitive business areas are screened and assessed for ESG risks. Additionally, every employee must complete annual compliance training and regulatory testing to uphold the ethical standards and behaviours required of all of them to carry out their day to day business.

Graham says, “We ensure our products are clearly explained and honestly marketed so our customers and their broker partners can make informed decisions and choose solutions that are relevant to them.”

Interestingly, the company also does all

it can to support a low-carbon society and social inclusion. In 2021, Allianz had over 162 sustainable insurance solutions globally including their products in the UK covering renewable energy instalments. Globally the business supports emerging customers through their micro insurance products, giving protection to 62.2 million customers in 2021, in the poorest 60% of developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Responsible Employer

It is Graham’s belief that by supporting employees, they become resilient both at work and in their personal lives. He wants their employees to be able to come back from life’s setbacks stronger than ever and to have the courage to move forward. This makes the business stronger, and employees who are proud to work for a company are always going to be better brand ambassadors when serving customers.

Diversity and inclusion

As part of the above, Allianz Insurers believe that the difference in their people makes the difference to their business and they embrace the uniqueness of their employees because they understand the strength of their business lies in

One of the UK’s leaders in workplace fire prevention and suppression, Nobel Fire Systems offer a comprehensive suite of fire suppression systems with a focus on two main products. These include their own proprietary K-Series commercial kitchen fire suppression system, which comes recommended by Allianz (and includes a discount for Allianz customers) and Stat-X, a condensed aerosol fire suppression system suitable for ‘special risk’ commercial and industrial plant locations.

In recent years, an area of growth for Stat-X has been the protection of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), which contain lithium-ion batteries. These batteries, found in many, if not most, of today’s devices and electric vehicles are often stored together but if damaged can enter a “thermal runaway” reaction that poses a danger to health and safety and through the chain reaction, destroy all of the battery cells and any devices/components within the BESS, attached to it or within their vicinity. BESS facilities were initially found in relatively remote locations linked to major substations at the grid-scale level, however smaller systems are increasingly being installed in commercial and industrial locations, within or adjacent to buildings, such as hospitals, schools, leisure centres, shopping centres and arenas.

There is no system or suppression agent that is guaranteed to put out a lithium-ion battery fire, therefore Nobel recommends a 3-stage BESS fire protection system, including Prevention via Li-ion Tamer® off-gas detection, Containment via Stat-X fire suppression, and back-up Cooling with Watermist. Their BESS page offers a complete overview of this approach (see link).

Forward thinking companies, like Nobel Fire Systems, who can calculate potential risks and take meaningful action to meet and mitigate them, is what helps keep Allianz Insurers ahead of the game for their customers.

“I’m thrilled to secure this award for the eighth year in a row, which is a significant achievement and I’m proud of the team”

the diverse contributions everybody can make.

“We’re inspired to create a workforce which reflects our community and customers,” says Graham, “We champion environments where we celebrate diversity and people are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas with confidence to help us arrive at excellent solutions for our customers.”

This includes equality of opportunity where they are committed to creating a fair environment where people can succeed regardless of race, gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnic background.

Learning and development

Providing personal development and career fulfilment for all employees is a top priority for the company management. Allianz invested 106.3m euros in training of their employees across the globe in 2022 making sure they are equipped with the skills and knowledge to carry out their role and to take on new responsibilities in the future.

Developing their inhouse talent is a very important success factor for their business, both locally and globally. Their internal talent programmes help to move people up through the business using performance management, succession planning and leadership development while their external recruitment activities help them find the best people for critical roles through search agencies and market mapping.

In 2022 across the Allianz world, they invested €719 per employee in development and training, each employee averaged 45.2 hours of training and the company had 83,529 learning users who logged into their AllianzU platform.

Allianz In The News

Insurance consultancy Gracechurch has awarded Allianz Commercial its Service Quality Marque

(SQM) for the eighth year in a row and is the only insurer to receive this accolade.

Insurance consultancy Gracechurch has awarded Allianz Commercial its Service Quality Marque (SQM) for the eighth year in a row and is the only insurer to receive this accolade.

Run annually, the independent research found Allianz to be particularly strong for its personalised service, with the commercial insurer striking the right balance between expert assistance and online capability through its Claims Hub and Live Chat functionality.

The net promoter score (NPS) for Allianz is at its highest since 2018, with a market-leading position maintained throughout 2023 retaining its number one spot throughout the year according to the Gracechurch survey.

“I’m thrilled to secure this award for the eighth year in a row, which is a significant achievement and I’m proud of the team. Our aim is to constantly improve the service we provide, and our strong customer-first focus in claims management has strengthened our relationships with broker partners,” says Graham, “With a strong team of claims experts and a mixture of digital services, our people and service make a difference and winning this highlights that. However, this doesn’t mean we won’t rest on our laurels, as we constantly strive to maintain and improve how we support our broker partners in the best way.”

Waste not, in Latvia

Donnie Rust

Eco Baltia

Agroup of companies focussed on providing services that reduce the business and personal impact on the environment, Eco Baltia is currently the Baltic leader in the field of environmental management and waste processing, standing for sustainable development in the industry in Latvia. In terms of turnover, they are the largest environmental management and waste recycling group of companies in the Baltic states.

Eco Baltia

Since 2013, services of the environmental management company SIA Eco Baltia vide have been available to every resident and company in Latia. The company provides a wide range of environmental management services such as collection of household and sorted waste, the management of used packaging and textiles, disposal of construction waste and bulky waste management, cleaning of premises and territories and other more seasonal services.

These services are available to every resident and company in Latvia and they provide the

widest range of environmental management services, including collection of household and sorted waste, management of used packaging, construction waste and bulky waste management, cleaning of premises and territories, and different seasonal services.

Post 2021

By the end of 2021, SIA Eco Baltia vide and SIA Eko Kurzeme, the largest (by turnover) Baltic environmental sector companies of the environmental management and waste recycling group AS Eco Baltia, were merged to simplify the company management, as well as to make their operation more efficient and optimal. The aim was also to improve the quality of services provided to the customers, and to create uniform principles for legal and financial governance. This resulted in a recent turnover of EUR 49,3 million, thanks to the work of their 800+ employees and a mission focus that is simply, “Find the value in everything.”

This is how they have become a worldclass regional leader committed to a circular

economy with a focus on developing a sustainable environment for society.

Eco Baltia Ltd. includes such companies as Eco Baltia vide, Jumis and Ecoservice. The principal activity of these companies is waste management. Waste raw material logistics, processing and wholesale is performed by Eco Baltia vide and the waste management chain is concluded by the leading polymer recycling companies in the Baltic States – PET Baltija and Nordic Plast. Latvijas Za ļ ais Punkts is also a significant cooperation partner of Eco Baltia and is, to date, the biggest organization in Latvia coordinating the sorting and recycling of waste packaging, waste electric equipment and goods harmful to the environment.

The companies of Eco Baltia Ltd. group offer services in many of the largest cities of Latvia and their vicinity, incl. R ī ga, Liep ā ja, J ū rmala, Sigulda, Tukums, Talsi and others. The technical basis developed over ten years of working with waste collection containers of different capacities and transportation, tractors, road and beach cleaning equipment, trucks, and cranes, ensures a large

“The main objective of the project and the biggest benefit from a business perspective is efficiency and the significant savings in landfill waste, labour, sorting losses and energy consumption”

variety of continuous and personalized services to their clients.

New Developments. A Waste Sorting Plant In Acone.

To promote waste sorting in Latvia, and thus also to accelerate the achievement of the European Union’s 2025 targets, Eco Baltia, a company of the largest environmental resource management group in the Baltics, Eco Baltia vide Ltd, has agreed to invest EUR 11.7 million in the construction of a sorting plant for municipal and separately collected waste in Acone, Salaspils Municipality, with a total capacity of 45,000 tonnes per year.

The new plant will be able to sort 20,000 tonnes of municipal waste and 25,000 tonnes of sorted waste annually (for comparison, the current sorting capacity of Eco Baltia vide’s plant at Getli ņ u iela 5 for secondary materials is around 18,000 tonnes per year). The plant is planned to occupy a 4,000 square metre site, including a 3,385 square metre building and 700 square metres of sheds. The new plant will employ around 70 people and is expected to open in autumn 2024.

The new plant will have a multi-stage optical sorting system with the ability to change both the types of materials to be sorted and improve the quality control of the sorting process, to remove contaminants from the optically separated stream or, if the stream is too dirty, to select only the useful material.

“The main objective of the project and the biggest benefit from a business perspective is efficiency and the significant savings in landfill waste, labour, sorting losses and energy consumption. Unlike other similar facilities, it will be able to sort both municipal and separately collected waste, but will not use intensive shredding and wind tunnels, instead focusing on adaptive equipment and optical sorting. This will save energy and recover as much recycled material as possible,” says J ā nis Aizbalts, Chairman of Eco Baltia vide.

Unsorted municipal waste will be delivered to the plant from Eco Baltia vide’s Pier ī ga Region, while sorted waste will be delivered from Riga and Pier ī ga. As Aizbalts explains, sorting will be largely automated: in the first stage, large and noncompliant items such as household appliances, bricks, bulky and hazardous waste, metal and glass will be manually sorted, while the rest will be sent to automated machines At the end of the process, manual quality control is carried out to ensure a higher value of recyclable materials.

The plant project builds on seven years of experience at the Eco Baltia vide plant in Liep ā ja. Ideas have also been drawn from similar plants in Poland, Estonia, and Lithuania. Aizbalts says, “These are solutions that make it possible to separate as much glass and metal as possible, which by weight is the largest fraction of recyclable materials in municipal waste. We have brought together all the best technical solutions in one plant to make the sorting process as efficient and safe as possible, and it will be an important support for the European Union’s 2025 recycling targets for plastic packaging waste.”

Latvia generates more than 800,000 tonnes of municipal waste each year, of which approximately 50% is sorted and recycled. The European Union has set strict waste reduction targets for its member states, including a sharp increase in recycling rates – up to 65% of total waste by 2035. At the same time, the European Commission report points out that Latvia is at risk of missing a number of 2025 targets, including for plastics recycling. In addition, Latvia already must pay the EU a plastic tax of around €16-20 million per year for plastic it does not recycle.

Navigating The Omnichannel Era

Donnie Rust Advanced Supply Chain Group

Since they were founded in 1997, the evolution of Advanced Supply Chain Group has been something to watch. Now at the forefront of Britain’s technologydriven logistics sector, they’ve become the specialists in intelligent, international supply chain solutions to retailers, brands, and manufacturers. Acting behind the scenes they’ve become the nerve-system of many big brands that we take for granted.

So, what does it take to support these brands with the increasingly complex demands placed on supply chains in today’s omnichannel era?

Pivoting Prowess

While supply chains have never been straightforward, today they are more fragmented and increasingly complex. Advanced Supply Chain Group rely on their agility and continued innovation to navigate the challenges of operating successfully in a shifting environment. It takes a deep understanding of consumer trends and being able to offer customers a bespoke blend of the technology, tools, and access to talent that creates a competitive advantage. With this agility they’re able to pivot and stay ahead of the biggest changes in the market.

Complementing the above, is a deep rooted

reliance on innovation and a kaizen (continuous improvement) approach that keeps them

UpToDate with technology and new ways of working. As a technology and values-led business, their ethos is aligned with key principles covering corporate and social responsibility, people, respect, quality, agility, innovation, continuous improvement, and growth.

E2e The E-Commerce Solution

ASCG has six owned warehouses and fulfilment centres across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, and long-term trading partnerships spanning the globe. An international logistics provider that moves more than 250 million products around the world each year and employs over 1,500 people. And, at its core and uniting them all, is a customer centric approach that helps guide decisions and the course of the company. This is how it has been for almost three decades.

Caroline Ellis, ASCG’s commercial director, added, “ASC is going from strength to strength. We’ve recently opened a new European operating facility in Nettetal, Germany, and are putting the finishing touches to our new warehouse and fulfilment centre in Bradford.”

Award Winning

Not to brag, but ASCG are proud winners of many industry and business awards recognising the outstanding achievements of the company’s talent and the excellence in customer service, technical innovation, and sustained growth that they hold so dear. The point being that their values and culture make them a business to trust. Their values support their company vision, shape their culture, and outline their ways of working. ASCG is proud of the commitment and investment it has made into creating a collaborative problem solving culture.

A Trusted Partner

As an established end to end supply chain and logistics service provider with over 25 years’ experience. ASCG is now part of Reconomy (more on that below), and deliver technology led solutions to leading retailers and brands across B2C, B2B and omni-channel sectors. Experience speaks for itself and with their origin and global logistics capabilities, their own transport fleet, and both UK and European warehousing facilities, the intelligent and agile solutions come with a solid functional punch that is often lacking in this industry.

Part of this is making sure that the right

people are placed in the right positions to have the most noticeable and positive impact. Recently, ASGC were pleased to appoint Helen Firth as a Business Development Manager.

In her new role, Helen will support ASC’s Commercial Team in growing its UK and panEuropean client base and helping to expand its presence in key markets including fashion, homewares, toys and nursery, and cosmetics.

Helen brings more than 20 years’ experience in sales and business development, including multichannel supply chains. Joining ASCG from logistics and fulfilment operator Staci her resume also includes working at HEC Logistics and APC Overnight, as well as gaining earlier career experience at TNT’s supply chain division.

Her previous roles have seen Helen develop global supply chain agreements with companies ranging from start-ups to major blue chip multinationals, and support supply chain strategies from procurement through to project management.

“ASC is well positioned to support retailers and consumer brands in making supply chains more circular,” says Helen, “This is such an important topic for so many forward-thinking companies and is creating a whole host of new opportunities and challenges.”

She added that she is exciting to be joining a business that has the technology and in-house technical capabilities to make supply chains leaner, more efficient and resourceful, and which can leverage Reconomy Group’s extensive sustainability experience.

“The appointment of talented individuals such as Helen,” says Caroline Ellis, “Complements this ongoing expansion and the existing strength of our commercial team. It gives us extra capacity to stay ahead of customer demand for supply chain solutions that address cost pressures, minimise margin dilution and help lower environmental impact.”

Keeping Things Fresh

In 2021, ASCG was proud to become part of Reconomy, a dynamic organisation of innovative, technology-led brands helping businesses strive towards a circular economy. Joining up with

Reconomy created opportunities to work with like-minded colleagues across affinity brands. This supported and still supports the ongoing optimisation of supply chains for leading retailers and consumer brands across the UK, Europe and internationally.

Working together with Reconomy brands, ASCG has been able to draw on extensive sustainability experience and insight to support customers in better managing their resources to reduce waste and improve circularity. Similarly, being part of Reconomy has allowed ASCG to leverage decades of international supply chain knowledge to support brands throughout the group.

As the last three years are a testament to, ASCG’s new brand identity has continued to build on a promise of ‘intelligent supply chain’, with this embodying a driving purpose to utilise technology, data, and people to help customers improve the overall performance of their supply chains. Working in partnership with customers, ASCG will continue to focus on optimising the efficiencies and effectiveness of supply chains to minimise waste, carbon emissions and energy consumption.

The rebrand is a visual representation of the collaboration that Reconomy thrives on and now that they are a part of it, ASCG will operate as part of their Re-use loop, continuing to provide sustainable, omnichannel supply chain services globally. This includes a range of valueadded services covering pre-retail, returns processing, fulfilment, wholesale distribution and transportation.

A Global Footprint, A Local Team

Donnie Rust

Knight Frank UK

Over the past 127 years, Knight Frank has become a global leader in real estate consultancy and were the recipient of the 2023 UK Customer Satisfaction Awards for Best Customer Focus. As such they are considered by many of their clients to be the premier trusted partner in property and have gained a reputation for working responsibly to enhance people’s lives and environments.

Founded in 1896 and headquartered in London, UK, Knight Frank is not only one of the world’s leading independent real estate consultancies but also one of the oldest. Striving to always act with integrity and care to maintain their legacy and consistently thinking of how the bigger picture affects their client’s needs. This allows them to provide personalised, clear and considered advice across all areas of property.

Keeping An Understanding

With emerging and established markets fluctuating so wildly in recent years, it is Knight Franks understanding of the industry that allows them to navigate these tumultuous times. Like weathered-wizened sailors they know where the shallow and deep reefs lie and the secret to their success stems from their people and their team’s ability to navigate these waters.

“Knight Frank is a partnership defined by our people and the spirit of possibility”, says their website and this is exhibited well. According to them, a true partnership is a balanced one, and they are both passionate about, and committed to, making their business inclusive and diverse where they can give everyone the space and opportunity to perform at their best and be recognised for the immense value they bring.

As a company Knight Frank empowers everyone to have autonomy in their role and encourages them to use their voice in how they can make a positive impact as a firm and shape the future of real estate, the built environment and the impact on the communities it serves. Collaborative and engaged teams naturally provide excellent and dedicated client service and everyone is invited to contribute to the success of their business and innovation.

Esg Ambitions And Actions

The property industry has a considerable influence on the Environmental, Social and Governance challenges we’re facing as a society, from climate change and managing our limited natural resources to social inequality. It is important to Knight Frank’s managers that their influence is positive, so their using their global

reach and independent voice to help their clients and sector become a responsible guardian of a sustainable future.

ESG is a vast, fast-moving landscape and while the company cannot cover it all, they believe that they can set themselves up to become leaders in the areas where they can make the biggest difference. As such their ESG framework is divided into three areas for action:

Restoring the natural environment – they are committed to reducing their carbon (greenhouse gas) emissions, helping restore nature, and advocating for climate resilience.

Creating inclusive workplaces –to being an inclusive business, where everyone’s potential is unlocked, and difference is celebrated and valued.

Strengthening communities –supporting their communities, by understanding their needs and addressing local challenges through corporate investment and partnerships.

Managing Their Footprint

Considering the scale of the company who are, although headquartered in London, a global network with footprints in over 50 Territories, 600 Offices and more than 20,000+ People, there is a challenge in managing their ESG. Having a workforce of the population of a small

city can do that.

Safeguarding Land And Heritage

In February this year, Knight Frank UK sold the third and final henge of ‘Stonehenge of the North’ to English Heritage. The henge comprises a seven-acre mixed-leaf woodland on the site of one of the country’s most significant prehistoric monuments. Thornborough Henges in North Yorkshire is now finally reunited with English Heritage with the support of £150,000 from The National Heritage Memorial Fund as well as support from Jamie Ritblat and family, and The SCS Trust,.

Often referred to as “the Stonehenge of the North”, the Thornborough Henges in North Yorkshire comprise of three large circular earthworks (known as ‘henges’) each more than 200m in diameter. Dating from 3000 to 2500 BC, the henges are of outstanding national significance, a place where people gathered for ceremonies for at least 2,000 years. Thornborough is one of the most important prehistoric sites between Stonehenge and the Orkney Islands in Scotland.

Currently under woodland, the northern henge is the best preserved of the three – and one of the best-preserved henges in the country – and gives a strong impression of how the others would have appeared originally. At the start of 2023, the central and southern henges plus their surrounding lands were gifted to Historic England and English Heritage by the construction companies Tarmac and Lightwater Holdings.

This purchase places all parts of the monument under one single owner for the first time in at least 1,500 years and sees Thornborough Henges, in its entirety – joining Stonehenge, Iron Bridge, Dover Castle, Kenwood and numerous Roman sites on Hadrian’s Wall within the National Heritage Collection, under the

care of English Heritage.

Claire Whitfield, Partner in Knight Frank’s Rural Consultancy team said: “I am delighted that we have been able to negotiate the sale of the final piece of the Thornborough Henges to English Heritage. Reuniting this remarkable ancient monument under single ownership is tremendously gratifying. The northern henge has been exceptionally well-preserved by its previous owners and will be an outstanding addition to the nation’s heritage assets now cared for by English Heritage. My thanks go to Bourne-Arton family for entrusting Knight Frank with this historic sale, as well as to English Heritage and the funders who have made this possible.”

The acquisition not only guarantees public access in perpetuity to the entirety of this remarkable Neolithic monument but allows English Heritage to share with visitors the full story of Thornborough Henges so that they can better understand the henges’ significance and scale as well as how each individual henge relates to the others.

Entry to Thornborough Henges is free although the northern henge is currently closed as a number of trees were damaged in the recent storms and English Heritage is conducting some works to ensure that area of the site is ready to welcome visitors soon. Later this year, the northern henge will receive new interpretation explaining its significance.

Gerard Lemos CMG CBE, Chair of English Heritage, said: “The Thornborough Henges are a remarkable survivor from the prehistoric past, from deep, deep history. We are incredibly proud that all three henges are reunited under one single owner and their future secure. English Heritage will ensure that the entire monument is given the care it deserves. Reuniting the henges like this means that the public is now able to explore all three and re-connect with the people who gathered here 4,500 years ago.”

The business of breaking bread

Daemon Sands ARYZTA

Aryzta is an international baking institution offering a comprehensive range of products and services for in-store bakery solutions. Operating primarily in the bake-off segment of the market, they bring three product portfolios to the table: food solutions, bakery and QSR (quick service restaurants).

Food Solutions: offers a large assortment of quality bakery products, delivered directly to customers with focussed Foodservice and Convenience. Bakery: supplies large grocery and wholesale with bake-off products produced in its own bakeries. The QSR: are focusing on the Quick Service Restaurants Chains offering a very selective product range produced in dedicated Aryzta bakeries.

Portfolio

Their bake-off product portfolio covers three key categories of bread & rolls, morning bakery and savoury bakery. The portfolio focuses on convenience with a range of semi-finished as well as a thaw and serve assortments. Its products ranges are focused on the key consumer trends of freshness, health, artisan and ethical while leveraging the competitive advantages of optimizing the value chain of the customers.

United by a passion for food and the desire

to help food businesses serve memorable taste experiences to their customers, this Swedish company has developed and enhanced a portfolio of specialist best-in-class brands that embody their bakery heritage and innovative spirit. Their collection of brand names includes well recognised consumer brands in continental artisan breads, pastries, viennoisserie, French p â tisserie and American bakery. Such as Cuisine De France, Mette Munk, Hiestand and La Carte.

Business Model

Their business model delivers above market growth through innovation and customised premium product development for their customers. It also aims to deliver improved business performance through operational improvements, cost optimization and E2E process optimization. This approach leverages the continuous market share gain of bake-off within the overall bakery category because of its competitive advantages of delivering freshly baked products which drive store foot fall while minimising waste, labour, and space.

Aryzta is a business dedicated to local market needs and empowers local leadership teams to create value for their customers

and consumers. The multi-local approach allows them to have efficient structures and, very importantly, empowers fast decision making to address their local customers and consumer needs. As such, Aryzta is close to its customers and consumers with short supply chains and accelerated innovation response times. This improves the local management’s engagement and understanding of their clients and drives deeper customer relationships.

Aryzta is focusing on their Bake Off segment within the bakery sector. Bake-off is the premium slice of local bakery, accounting for 25% of the total market. Products are manufactured and semi-finished frozen and are then baked-off or thawed at the point of sale. As such, these products are sold ultra fresh throughout the day and available 24/7. The bake-off market is expected to grow 2-3% annually, driven by consumer trends such as freshness, availability, quality, and innovation.

The Best Standard

Like the honey-brown crust of a perfectly baked bread, Aryzta offers the gold standard for oven baked freshness. They have concentrated on continuous innovation, excellence in quality and

efficiency, strong customer development and providing channel solutions. It all begins with the finest ingredients – along with bakers and chefs!

In Europe, Aryzta operates 13 bread bakeries as well as 13 manufacturing sites for the Quick Serve Restaurant channel producing burger buns and 7 sales organizations for Food Solutions. Altogether they are present in 27 countries in Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Sustainability

The company’s vision is to be a socially responsible organisation and to leverage their global resources to improve environmental, economic, and social outcomes. The broader corporate strategy is to transform the global business into a value creating model through strong engagement with customers, superior product innovation, collaboration with suppliers and high service levels, with sustainability embedded throughout.

They have established 3 pillars that form the foundation of their group wide sustainability efforts:

People And Communities

Attracting, retaining, developing, and giving purpose to their employees and being a positive focal point in the communities where the company operates.

Environmental Efficiency

Using resources more efficiently, creating bottom line benefits and protecting the environment

Inspiring Innovation

Focusing on innovation in their supply chain, their product portfolio and through customer collaboration, with a positive impact on biodiversity. Supporting these pillars are four key values for driving their gold standard. The business model is focused on delivering above market growth through innovation and customised premium product development for their customers. The business model also aims to deliver improved business performance through operational improvements, cost optimization and E2E process optimization. This approach leverages the continuous market share gain of bake-off within the overall bakery category because of its competitive advantages of delivering freshly baked products which drive store foot fall while minimising waste, labour, and space.

Results

Aryzta achieved organic growth of 6.5% in Quarter 5 with revenue of €538.9m. This organic growth was supported by positive volume and price in the quarter despite strong growth achieved in the comparative period (Q1 2023), input costs remaining both elevated and volatile

as well as consumer cost of living pressures.

Europe performed strongly thanks to good volume performances in Germany, France, and Polan and other European channel performances remained consistent with previous quarters. Growth continues to be supported by strong product innovation activities, which accounted for 13% of revenue for the 15 month period compared to 11% in the 12 months to July 2023.

While Aryzta is aligning its financial year to the calendar year from January 2024, it intends to continue to report quarterly market updates in 2024, with Q1 and Q3 updates scheduled for 22. April and 21 October 2024, respectively.

ARYZTA AG Chair and Interim CEO, Urs Jordi, commented, “The positive organic volume growth reflects the competitive advantages of the bake off category for our customers in a challenging consumer environment. These advantages, coupled with our continuing focus on innovation, underpins our growth expectations. We reiterate their expectation for further sequential margin expansion for the remainder of 2023, supported by efficiencies and strict cost discipline. We see no significant near term change in trends for the remainder of this financial year despite the notable increase in cost of living pressures on consumers. Our strategy remains on track to deliver our midterm targets by focusing on organic growth, business optimization, free cash generation and total net debt reduction.”

Integrity aired

Donnie Rust Sinclair Broadcast Group

You only really know the calibre of a business when you see how they handle disaster. In this article we look at how Sinclair Broadcast Group, tightened their grip on their virtues during one of the most particularly devastating periods in recent history and have come through on top.

The Company

Sinclair is a major telecommunications company in the US and broadcasts several television programmes that it owns and operates. Involved in high impact content creation they also provide digital and internet services, programming and operating services, advertising platforms, and technology solutions while their media is seen across television, radio, digital and cable TV. Their best known brands include Comet, CHARGE! TBD, Tennis Channel, T2 FAST, and Tennis.

From their headquarters in Hunt Valley, Maryland, they work with television stations, over-the-air, multi-channel video programme distributors, and digital platforms across the US. One of the major broadcasters in the country, their revenue in 2022 was over $3 billion according to The Financial Times, and in comparison, to other broadcasters their trust rating with their viewers is remarkably high.

A Start In Radio

It began in 1971 when Julian Sinclair Smith, father to the Smith brothers, who are the current major shareholders, saw FM radio and UHF television as significant emerging technologies. He started out on FM radio, WFMM on 93.1 Megahertz in the FM band in Baltimore, Maryland, which he launched in 1960. By the 1970’s he was exploring television and started one of the first UHF television stations, the flagship station in Baltimore, WBFFTV, which signed on the air on April 11, 1971, as a single TV station that eventually grew into today’s Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.

2020. Sticking To Your Guns

There have been many turbulent times that the broadcaster has dealt with, but it wasn’t until 2020 when the pandemic hit that they were truly tested. After the prolific 2010’s decade, the 2020’s started with a world-wide global health crisis and pandemic, the COVID-19 coronavirus.

In a series of unprecedented government actions, businesses were forced to close as workforces transitioned to work-from-home. The public were mandated to wear face masks, professional sports were suspended and advertising experienced the kind of decline not seen since the Great Recession. You probably remember, you were there.

At the same time, the Great Resignation

saw workers voluntarily resigning from their jobs and the effects of the pandemic on the world’s economies and supply chain, the Great Resignation on the labour markets, and Russia’s attack on Ukraine on world-wide oil and grain supplies, led to some of the highest inflation in 40 years and the country’s next recession.

Unlike the Great Recession’s financial crisis, the pandemic was a health crisis that put the economy into recession, shuttering small and medium-sized businesses. The reactionary approach aggravated our distrust and anxieties, and it was a period of civil unrest. The fragile state of the United States resulted in record levels of political advertising revenues for other broadcasters, which probably helped to offset significantly lower advertising revenues due to the pandemic.

During this period, Sinclair Broadcast Group continued to lead with diversified content. Tennis Channel was already broadcasting major tennis events from around the world such as Wimbledon, the US Open, the Australian Open and Roland Garros (French Open) and in 2020 it expanded its distribution internationally with the launch of subscription and FAST which were free, ad supported channels in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. As the year ended, they entered a long-term naming partnership for their RSNs with Bally’s Corp.

In 2021 while much of the world was getting into a second year of lockdown, Sinclair continued their focus on their core business and local news and launched The National Desk (TND), a revolutionary model that takes important and relevant stories from their local newscasts across the country and packages them into a national news broadcast.

2022

This proved to be an interesting year as several MVPDs dropped the RSNs, which then entered new financing and other terms to raise liquidity for the longer term. This allowed them to launch Bally Sports+, the RSNs Direct-to-Consumer subscription offering and because of changes in the subsidiary’s board composition, the RSNs were deconsolidated from Sinclair’s financial statements effective March 1st.

The same year, several gamification elements such as free-to-play games, rewards, an NFT store (OwnMine), and other social participation features were added to make use of the “smaller device” revolution. Tennis Channel launched T2, connected TV FAST channels, and continued their international distribution. ATSC 3.0 was now deployed in over 50% of the country, and Sinclair and USSI Global entered the first live business use case to deliver data to electric vehicle charging stations.

Why What They Do Matters

As a leading broadcast television company Sinclair Broadcast Group’s primary business is to engage consumers on multiple platforms with relevant and compelling news, entertainment,

and sports content, and to provide advertisers and businesses efficient means and value to connect with their massive and varied audiences. They recognize the vital role broadcast television plays in branding and local content delivery, and therefore strive to constantly be at the forefront of leading edge technology and structures to advance the industry.

Aggressive Recruitment

The people are Sinclair’s most important asset. Their teams make the critical difference in how they perform, and their skills, talents and determination separate them from their competitors. The company also shares the belief that people are more likely to achieve their full potential when they enjoy their work, so have made it their priority to provide a workplace where professional growth, success and advancement go together.

Sinclair is considered an employer of choice in the broadcast industry and are confident that their employees’ knowledge, dedication, and ingenuity will be what leads them to newer heights. Every attempt is made to empower and, through their investment and employees’ dedication, break through the barriers to success and continue to build upon their already celebrated tradition.

Awards

Sinclair has been honoured with more than 2,000 awards over the last 6 years, including 200+ Edward R. Murrow Awards and 500+ Emmy Awards.

The New Value Of Soap

Lenny Ofmen

Bradford Soap Works

The last few years have been busy for the Bradford Soap Works company, during which, thanks to one global pandemic, the importance of soap has taken on a brand new meaning for the whole world. Global Business Pursuit speaks with CEO Stuart Benton about how the company handled the Pandemic years and what’s happening after their acquisition in 2023.

In Focus

Founded in 1876, Bradford is a leader in custom formulation and in-house manufacturing of sustainable and environmentally friendly solid personal care products. Utilizing multi-site, highly flexible manufacturing facilities that are vertically integrated through all stages of production, the Company produces a wide array of products, including specialty soap, shampoo bars, conditioner bars, facial cleansing sticks, and numerous other specialty items. Bradford is a critical partner to both largescale CPGs and emerging brands, offering a turnkey solution encompassing cutting edge innovation, development, and formulation capabilities, as well as complex manufacturing and packaging. Bradford is headquartered in West Warwick, Rhode Island, with additional facilities in Columbus, Indiana; and Calexico, California.

Importance Of Soap

Since the COVID 19 Pandemic, a bar of soap has taken on a whole new level of importance, as company CEO Stuart Benton explains, “The impact a bar of soap can have on a life has never been more apparent than during 2020, 2021 and even now in 2024 where the virus has become manageable in part because people use soap more.”

The Pandemic is worth touching on because it highlights the company’s approach to customers and staff. During those years, the demand of soap was high but so was the need to keep the staff safe. After determining how the coronavirus crisis could affect the West Warwickbased company, its customers and the state, Benton said the decision was made early on to go all in on safety.

“The biggest challenge … was keeping the people and the facility, which is in the heart of the Bradford community, safe,” he says, “We implemented multiple changes and policy decisions, but in particular physical distancing, a change of production speeds, spacing, barriers and added additional cleaning.”

Thanks to these decisions the company is still running today, whereas many others did not survive, and Benton, for his role in the period, was named a finalist as a Leader of Change-Pandemic

Response by INNOCOS, a cosmetics industry group in 2021.

Leadership Can’t Be Slippery

Seeking progress rather than perfection, Benton believes that directing and guiding the Bradford team is his responsibility and a big part of moving the company forward. To that end, he strives to empower everyone to be leaders, regardless of title.

“I try to get everyone to focus on incremental improvement each and every day,” Benton said. “It is challenging to make a big-step improvement, but if you can make small, in some instances minute, changes each day, by the time you realize it, the change is significant and measurable. We can learn from everyone, and everyone can make a change.”

The last few years have been busy for Bradford and Benton has been at the forefront of this charge. A couple of years ago, the company took an underutilized space in its facility and turned it into a state-of-the-art production area for Johnson & JohnsonNeutrogena. He explains that they were closing a manufacturing facility in California that was part of a recently purchased brand.

He adds, “We already manufactured part of the line, but there was a significant piece

of production that is not a typical production process; it is more of what is called a hot-poured process. The company turned to Bradford, and over 12 months we were able to convert the space into manufacturing, staff up and start production.”

Bradford also worked with Unilever in developing products for its Love Beauty & Planet brand, which included a bar soap, bath fizz and shampoo bar. Additionally, Bradford developed a first-of-its-kind recyclable paper wrap for Tom’s of Maine. Reflective of the momentum Bradford has experienced is the fact that it has added nearly 150 employees to its team in the past three years under Benton’s leadership.

Passing The Soap

On July 12, 2023, it was announced that

“I try to get everyone to focus on incremental improvement each and every day,”

Gemspring Capital Management, LLC, a middle-market private equity firm announced that an affiliate had acquired Bradford Soap. Which owns Bradford Soap Works.

Gemspring Capital, a Westport, Connecticut-based private equity firm with $3.4 billion of capital under management, provides flexible capital solutions to middle market companies. Gemspring partners with talented management teams and takes a partnership approach to helping drive revenue growth, value creation and sustainable competitive advantages. Target companies have up to $500 million in revenue and are in the aerospace and defence, business services, consumer, financial and insurance services, healthcare services,

industrial services, software and techenabled services, or specialty manufacturing sectors. “We are extremely proud of the legacy we have built as a quality and trusted partner to our customers,” says Benton, “We’re pleased to have found an engaged and knowledgeable partner like Gemspring who shares our vision and has a proven track record of partnering with entrepreneurial teams to build high-growth companies. In this next phase of growth, we look forward to broadening both our capabilities and product portfolio while further establishing our position as the manufacturing and development partner of choice to leading beauty and personal care brands.”

Kristin Steen, managing director of

“In addition to a number of compelling organic growth initiatives, we intend to expand the platform through strategic opportunities and extend the capabilities and product offerings Bradford can provide its brand partners.”

Gemspring, said that the market-leading and differentiated capabilities Bradford had built over its long, successful history were impressive and that their excitement on the acquisition matched his.

“We’re excited to partner with Stu and the entire management team to build on Bradford’s unparalleled product quality to accelerate the company’s growth,” she said, “In addition to a number of compelling organic growth initiatives, we intend to expand the platform through strategic opportunities and extend the capabilities and product offerings Bradford can provide its brand partners.”

Guggenheim Securities, LLC served as financial advisor and McDermott Will & Emery, LLP served as legal advisor to Gemspring.

Keeping Ahead In The Business Of Trailing

Donnie Rust Titan Trailers Manufacturing

Regardless of what is being hauled, be it waste, scrap metal, aggregates, grain or forestry products, there is a trailer that is best suited to the task of moving cargo and keeping it safe. And, if something custom-built is needed, you want it built by a company that lives and breathes trailers. You need a Titan.

Products

Founded in 1973 by Mike Kloepfer, Titan Trailers Manufacturing, combine well-honed skills with impeccable standards. Industry leaders when it comes to their THINWALL™ trailers that include KEITH® WALKING FLOOR®, end dump, tippers, and hoppers to a full range of specialized, but more commonly used trailers. These trailers are renowned for long lasting strength in the most demanding jobs, which is what you want when hauling serious cargo cross country.

“Our biggest strength is custom-designing and building the right trailer to help your business drive for the bottom line,” Mike says, “And never compromising on standards.”

Innovation

Mike believes that the only way to change the future is to invent it, and when he started the business he set out to influence the future of

truck transportation by changing his present.

The first trailers that he built in his hometown of Harley Ontario, were the result of combining his well-honed metal fabrication skills with a restless mind and uncompromising personal standards. However, for him, building and selling trailers would never be enough to call his business a success.

“The goal has always been to find a better way to build trailers and solve problems for customers,” he says.

Today, Titan Trailers are the company that clients go to when they need a problem solved. Wielding a well-earned reputation for worldclass innovation, they’ve become a leader in the transportation industry, long recognized for job-specific functionality and attention to manufacturing detail.

With their patented THINWALL™ extruded aluminium panel, Titan has made an indelible mark on the trailer industry and while other manufacturers have developed their own extruded aluminium smooth side panels, none have matched the original THINWALL™ trailer for strength, durability, load capacity and fuel efficiency. Mike explains that one of the key differences is not settling for a template standard that does most of the job well when you can

create something that does all the job perfectly.

“Other trailer manufacturers build a “standard” trailer specification, but you won’t find one here,” he says, “As custom trailer builders, we don’t believe you can build a true “fit for purpose” trailer by simply checking off options on a one-fits-all spec sheet, instead, you need to discuss things, investigate and apply experience to find the potential issues that the customer simply doesn’t know to look or plan for. You must anticipate the challenges that could be coming as well as solve the ones that are already here.”

Strong Leadership

It takes a lot of components to keep a company producing and growing for over four decades. None more important than strong leadership. At Titan this is reflected in the methods and technologies at work in their advanced manufacturing facilities where they have employed new “green” engineering concepts that keep them at the forefront of energy-efficiency and occupational health.

The state of the art facility, which includes complete facilities for aluminium and steel fabrication, as well as extensive in-house computer modelling systems for trailer design and testing makes it easy for the growing team of

Main Plant/Head Office

Woodbridge, Ontario (Can)

416-745-4444

Email: sales@extrudex.com

Website: www.extrudex.com

Extrudex Aluminum is proud of our standing as an approved manufacturer of aluminum extrusions for Titan Trailers Inc. Quality work coupled with press sizes enabling us to produce shapes up to 14" in CCD and 30 lbs/ft has positioned our company as one of the leaders of the Aluminum extrusion industry. As a flexible, diversified, and client focused supplier, we are well prepared for the future.

Extrudex Aluminum (Que) S.E.C.

Saint-Nicolas, Quebec (Can)

418-831-4444

Email: extrudex@extrudexquebec.com

Extrudex Aluminum Inc.

North Jackson, Ohio (US)

330-538-4444

Email: sales@extrudexohio.com

custom designers and builders to offer businessconscious truckers a complete line of unique, purpose-built trailers.

Titan Tech

Mike is very clear on this, a healthy go-getter attitude is simply not enough to pioneer industry, you must be willing to invent the technology you need to achieve your goals. So, when a transportation business needs new ideas for profitable hauling, Titan is the right place to start. Because, as he says, from the top down, Titan’s business is to solve customer problems and there is no shortage of problems that need solving.

The Titan approach and indeed their secret to success is close communication between Titan engineering, their production team, their dealers, and their customers. Because their management and staff are all “hands-on” with the trailer design and fabrication from start to finish, there are no roadblocks to making changes anywhere along the line, meaning that they can fast-track any idea to give the customer the best possible product.

“We employ the right kind of people,” Mike says, “With every employee knowing their role inside and out and each is encouraged to be an active part of our improvement process, to suggest new ideas even when a trailer is already in production. Innovation makes us stronger, and it makes our customers stronger too.”

Factory

As a custom builder, Titan must be ready to move whenever their customer is ready to spec a new trailer. To make and keep their customer commitments, they have constructed one of the most complete, most advanced trailer fabrication shops in the world. Here, their production facility handles every process from product development to finishing and testing and is

“With every employee knowing their role inside and out and each is encouraged to be an active part of our improvement process, to suggest new ideas even when a trailer is already in production. Innovation makes us stronger, and it makes our customers stronger too.

packed out with the best people.

The shop floor isn’t locked into a specific production line process and every Titan trailer goes through production with a full set of custom design prints and quality control checks, meaning that every operator on the job knows exactly what their customer is expecting.

Inhouse innovation is commonplace. An example of this is where they had to assemble the extruded THINWALL™ panels and developed their own automatic welding process which deep welds the sides automatically, more accurately, with a more pleasing finish and 75% faster than any other available process.

“It isn’t just our technology that is innovative,” Mike points out, “Innovative thinking is very important and crucial to turn every potential sale into a chance to solve real-world problems. Our sales team have a solid reputation in the local community and have earned the trust of customers, prospects, and suppliers by maintaining an unquestionable record for the highest business ethics.”

Sustainable, Dependable, Moral

Daemon Sands

Tolko Industries

Tolko is a leading manufacturer of a wide range of forest products for customers around the world, including lumber, plywood and veneer-oriented strand board, co-products, biomass power, and a growing number of specialty wood products. For more than 65 years, their family-owned company has delivered reliability, flexibility, efficiency, and quality. Their first mill in Lavington, Canada is still operating, and their headquarters are right in downtown Vernon.

A privately owned Canadian forest products company based in British Columbia, Tolko Industries Ltd manufactures and markets specialty forest products to world markets with products including lumber, plywood, veneer and oriented strand boards. The company’s operations cover British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan where they employ approximately three thousand people.

A member of the Forest Products Association of Canada, the company has a strong focus on geographic and product expansion, customer service, community investment, and indigenous partnerships and their people.

The Tolko Team

By the company’s own words, their greatest asset and investment is their staff and they believe

the key to a great company is great people. A long lasted priority within the business has been the recruitment, development and retention of talented people who demonstrate the company values of safety, respect, integrity, open communication, progressiveness, and profit.

“We grow our own, offer a competitive salary and benefits package, and create an environment where employees can take pride in their work, feel valued, and go home safely each day,” the company says.

Operations

Located in the abundant forests of Western Canada and extending into the Southern Yellow Pine forests of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alamaba in the USA, Tolko’s various operations run paralell to their commitment to reliable, sustainable products and customer relationships that have been the bedrock of their 65 plus years in the business.

The lumber industry has fallen under even higher scrutiny over the last few years for fear of it contributing to deforestation and climate change. A careful balance has had to be struck between sustainable forest management and meeting the growing demand for their products. This balance is not only managed by those in the leadership roles of the company but also in the day-to-day conversations had between the

sales team and the customers. Requiring that the sales team have extensive product and market knowledge. Added to this, their plywood, OSB, and Engineered Wood Products (EWP) products are APA certified, which guarantees their customers have access to an impressive library of resource and technical support materials that cover topics including product storage, handling, installation, and much more.

Sustainable Forest Management

As mentioned above, the balance act reached to meet the requirements of sustainable forest management and the general demand, is one that requires continuous management. Tolko currently maintain Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI) certification and their mills are also Chain of Custody Certified to the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC) CoC Standard.

Recognized by governments and customers around the world, these internationally accepted standards are independently audited to ensure conformance and transparency. They are the customer’s assurance that Tolko source their products from forests managed to the highest international standards and that they are committed to environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

People And Culture Management

For a business to be thriving, they have to create an environment in which their team can thrive. Inhouse, Tolko have made significant strides in their industry to create a place committed to providing respect by creating an environment where people feel welcome and safe from harassment and discrimination.

Beyond Tolko, the firm recognizes, appreciates and values the connection between Indigenous People in Canada and the land, their families, communities, and traditional economies. As a company, Tolko benefits from healthy and resilient forest ecosystems that influence their families, communities, and business.

Giving Back

The company provides more than 6,000

“We grow our own, offer a competitive salary and benefits package, and create an environment where employees can take pride in their work, feel valued, and go home safely each day,”

direct and indirect jobs in Canada, almost 3,000 of which are direct staff. They also contribute more than $500,000,000 to the economies of British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan through wages, taxes, and timber fees. But recently they’ve gone an extra step and provided a pivotal gift to NAIT Forestry Technology Students.

First-year students of NAIT’s Forest Technology program were recently surprised during their orientation with a generous gift from Tolko with support from the Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta (FRIAA).

As they were learning about the ins and outs of their program, meeting instructors and classmates and getting a better idea about what lay ahead, a fantastic announcement took them by surprise. It was then announced, by Trevor

April, Department Head for Natural Sciences and Academic Studies at NAIT, that Tolko would be covering all of their costs for field equipment for the upcoming fall.

The magnitude of Tolko’s gift extends beyond the in-class announcement that all first-year students of NAIT’s Forest Technology program will receive their equipment free of cost for an additional two years.

“Personally, I’m really excited for this opportunity for Tolko and FRIAA to give back to the first-year students at NAIT,” said Travis Kiel, Manager, Woodlands Improvement at Tolko.

“Being a graduate of this programme myself, I can attest to the importance of having the right equipment for the job. Being able to provide this forestry toolkit not only gets the right gear in students’ hands, but it also helps to create a safer

“Personally, I’m really excited for this opportunity for Tolko and FRIAA to give back to the first-year students at NAIT,”

experience at forestry field camp and beyond and lifts some financial strain off students.”

For students, purchasing and assembling all the tools and equipment needed to head out to forestry camp can be financially and logistically daunting. Said one student, “I think Tolko made the program better just because they relieved all the stress of getting our own gear and [the] worries if we were going to get the wrong stuff.”

“It was going to be a huge expense so not having to worry about that is freaking amazing,” offered another student.

“We are hopeful that this gift can help people fully realize their love of forestry and be confident that forestry is a good career,” said Travis. “We are always looking for forestry students and forestry grads, in fact, a lot of our workforce are NAIT graduates.”

Perry Partners Inc

Build good teams to build good things

Donnie Rust

Charles

In a country known for its prominent erections, the construction industry veins run deep through the streets of America’s cities and hometowns. Here, in this nation of builders Charles Perry Partners apply a passionate and dedicated focus to their work, turning brick and mortar into shelter and safety; seeing the opportunity to build something greater than themselves, as a privilege and calling.

The Company

Charles Perry Partners, Inc. or CPPI, is a professional general contracting, design-build and construction management firm with offices in Orlando, Gainesville, Tampa, Fort Myers, Jacknonville, Palm Beach, and Savannah.

Since 1968, the firm has grown, diversified and garnered a reputation for excellence amongst their clients. Providing an impressive array of services covering a wide range of areas such as project planning, modelling, budget estimating, cost management, project scheduling and construction.

Not only is Charles Perry Partners a leader in its field but they are also dedicated to sustainability practises and the communities in which they serve.

Community Investment

Stewardship is a core value at CPPI, and their

employees are encouraged to participate regularly in events throughout all the communities that they live and work in. Through this end they take pride in partnering with their clients to be involved in community endeavours when the opportunity arises.

Fair Hiring Policies

Committed to diversity, equality and inclusion across their company and their projects, CPPI is a progressive and forward thinking enterprise. Choosing to partner with businesses that understand the value of a diverse workforce and who make the effort to support their local communities. CPPI understands their role in the economic growth of small businesses in the markets they serve and take that responsibility seriously.

To accomplish this objective, a mentorship programme was introduced. This is designed to provide business owners the opportunity for contractual awards while simultaneously training their management staff in all aspects of operating and managing construction projects in which the minority contractor cannot, or has not, had the opportunity to serve as prime contractor. Each mentor relationship is based on the needs and opportunities of the specific project and has helped eliminate the “lack of experience” obstacle faced by some of these organizations.

The Internal Mentorship Program involves affiliations with other firms as well as subcontractor participation, while the External Mentorship Program involves forming official partnerships with firms to pursue work for specific entities. The CPPI mentorship programmes have been successfully implemented with multiple partners.

Making Use Of The Latest Tech

By harnessing the power of technology, CPPI can stand out from the competition. Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) allows for the digital visualization of construction projects from start to finish using a variety of tools including CAD, BIM, and augmented reality. The VDC process adds value by identifying potential constructability issues early, eliminating field errors, reducing safety hazards and by making technical details easier to explain. All of which have a positive effect on the bottom line.

If it adds value to the client, CPPI strives to implement the most innovative technology available. Their IT department monitors innovations within the industry and works with their field staff to implement modern technology

“At CPPI, we believe in giving back to the communities we serve. We take pride in our active involvement in the regions that we serve through volunteer opportunities, community partnerships, mentorships, and charitable organizations,”

on specific projects as and when appropriate. This allows for important data to be harnessed when it comes to commissioning a project. Building commissioning is a practice that ensures that a project is designed, constructed, installed, and operating in such a way that it conforms to the expected quality standards or requirements of the owner. This process helps to improve building performance, lower operating, maintenance and energy costs, reduce warranty issues and maximize capacity. CPPI often utilizes commissioning even if their clients do not require it as a means of safeguarding themselves.

Continuing Service Projects

Since 1996, CPPI has maintained a dedicated division within the company to focus solely on providing continuing service for projects under $4,000,000. This division consists of personnel with expertise in occupied campus construction and the ability to remain lean and flexible to best suit the needs of each project. CPPI has held contracts of this type with more than 40 different clients.

Prefabrication

For clients, the value of prefabrication speaks for itself and the company’s experience in this area ranges from basic components to full building prefabrication. This allows them to explore the value of pre-fabricating various building elements off-site.

Instead of sequentially construction facilities, CPPI and its trade partners, can deliver multiple project elements at the same time to streamline schedules. With the most technical work performed off-site in a more controlled environment, safety is improved as well. Combining pre-fabrication with 3D BIM, project teams avoid potential conflicts regarding the use of building space.

Additionally, CPPI provides in-house MEP/FP coordination on all their projects with dedicated staff providing support with equipment and material selection, constructability review,

submittal review and installation. When it comes to installation, this same staff are responsible for facilitating systems start-up, commissioning, and owner training to further minimise errors.

Preconstruction

The initial primary objective is to establish a budget that meets the project goals. The in-house preconstruction team consists of experienced staff throughout the Southeast that bring specialized knowledge and relationships to help match the required budget with the development, enabling the construction of a project without sacrificing scope or quality.

Safety And Scheduling

Being committed to an aggressive, results oriented safety programme based on strong management support and effective job site implementation and enforcement, CPPI demonstrates daily that a safe job site is a productive one. To this end CPPI’s safety record exceeds the industry standard and has done since 1968.

Scheduling begins during the preconstruction phase as the materials and equipment with long lead times are identified. From there, the team work to properly sequence the project to balance labour and materials. This approach provides maximum value for clients and minimizes delays and waste. Scheduling techniques such as pull-planning are used to foster buy-in and accountability from their trade partners throughout construction.

Sustainability And Community Impact

CPPI is committed to the construction of projects that are sustainable and environmentally friendly. Sustainable buildings provide benefits that keep operating costs lower while reducing waste. So far they have completed more than 60 sustainable projects including those that meet LEED, Green Globes, Georgia Peach, and Florida Green Building Coalition standards.

“At CPPI, we believe in giving back to the communities we serve. We take pride in our active involvement in the regions that we serve through volunteer opportunities, community partnerships, mentorships, and charitable organizations,” they say.

Realtime action needs real time monitoring.

Donnie Rust

Constant Technologies

Working with the sort of fast paced companies that define the cutting edge of technology, Constant Technologies count Meta, the US Army, NSA, Raytheon, Lockhead martin and CVS Health as their customers. If Batman were real, he’d be a client too. Wherever there is a need for a fast response command centre, Constant Technologies are the company to create the perfect solution.

Clarity Is Key

Each of their command centres is purpose built and Constant Technologies provide over 40 years’ worth of experience, with over five thousand installations completed in over twenty countries. Focussed exclusively on missioncritical projects, with an unrivalled depth of knowledge that enables them to consistently deliver high-performing command centres, their trust and reputation in this industry has been well earned.

“Constant Technologies delivers the most reliable and highest-quality operations centres,” says company president, Brad Righi, “Our unparalleled mission-critical solutions enhance visual response and reaction time, bolstering national security, modern policing, and corporate

security efforts. We uphold our clients’ missions with unwavering pride in workmanship.”

Enhance And Exceed

The ‘Constant difference’ has a term that is often used to describe the experience of a customer when first working with Constant Technologies as a partner. Be it for the erection of an operation centre video wall, A/V technology, or specialized console workstation solutions. At Constant, their team expertly integrates these components into the client’s control centre to ensure they operate optimally. Designed and installed with only the best technology and equipment to meet the demands of the high-performance environment. This includes things like ergonomically designed console workstations that provide team members with improved comfort which increases productivity and improves morale. Or their integrated video wall and advanced A/V data visualization systems that enhance situational awareness and maximize rapid problem-solving capabilities for mission-critical operations.

Areas Of Focus

While there are many individual companies and organisations that have benefitted from their

“Constant Technologies delivers the most reliable and highestquality operations centres”

business, the main areas of focus are closely linked to the technology industries, security operations, finance, public safety, government, healthcare, fleet operations, brand protection and retail.

Constant technologies and networking

Networking, demonstrating their technology and answering the pressing questions from clients directly and being able to demonstrate how processes work are an essential part of their business as innovators. When you’re pioneering a field, it often means explaining things to those benefitting from your wake. As such, Constant are constantly taking advantage of the range of events to showcase their work such as the 2024 National Sheriff’s association Winter Conference in February and the Integrated Systems Europe which run practically right after each other. Conferences and exhibitions exist to highlight new advancements to every one of their industry sectors and they have a footprint at all of them and a dedicated team to make their displays stand out.

Top 50 Integrators

In 2023 Constant Technologies were named in the top 50 Integrators. Each year, the industry publication, Systems Contractor News (SCN), releases a list of the top 50 systems integrators that deliver solutions for various markets around the world. This annual Top 50 list is an important indicator of the state of the commercial audiovisual industry.

Due to their success integrating video walls for 24/7 mission critical environments, Constant Technologies has been listed as one of the top 50 AV integrators for eight years in a row. Last year, Constant ranked at 23.

Because of their work in mission critical spaces, Constant places high importance on the reliability of the video wall solutions they provide. As integrators, they bring together the best of each component to create uniquely tailored operations centre installations. With over four decades in the industry, Constant has built a reputation as a premier integrator for missioncritical environments such as Security Operations Centres, Real-Time Intelligence Centres, control rooms, command centres, and more. Their clients include public safety agencies, healthcare providers, tech companies, financial institutions, and government clients.

Constant’s video wall expertise, paired with their custom console furniture, allows their clients to maximize their productivity in rigorous 24/7 operations centres. With a significant body of work across industries and continents, Constant places high importance on establishing long-term partnerships with our clients.

Products

Video walls- uses range from fleet management to social media, to retail protection and the Batcave (probably). Their videowall solutions are onestop, providing the technology, the on-site installation and the 24/7 service and support.

Technology Furniture: control room consoles,

endurance console, freedom console, endurance pods, contender consoles, simplicity consol, custom solutions and GSA consoles.

Mission Critical Centres

One thing that all Constant Technologies’ clients have in common is their need to have immediate, real time access to critical data and the ability to navigate searches for other important information quickly and reliably. This understanding is one of the reasons why they are the trusted partner for Federal control centres, providing video walls and 24/7 technology furniture solutions. And are the people behind the offices of command for the biggest tech development companies in the world.

These environments are custom built with the minutia of every detail being thoroughly laid out and designed ahead of time. Beyond technology is also the understanding of human capabilities and limitations including things like the ideal distance from a screen for a person to sit, how long can someone sit reliably at a station and the full usages of screen filters and lighting. The more detail that is applied in the planning the better and safer the command centre is. What is required is a complete understanding of the project beyond the simple surface requirements of those paying the bills.

Free Design Consultation

This provides the opportunity to visualize the possibilities for a client’s command and control project, without any financial commitments. There are no fees associated with the discovery process, allowing clients to fully explore options

“Our unparalleled mission-critical solutions enhance visual response and reaction time, bolstering national security, modern policing, and corporate security efforts. We uphold our clients’ missions with unwavering pride in workmanship”

without pressure.

When designing and constructing a command and control centre, clients need a team of experts with the knowledge and expertise to deliver highperformance, mission-critical environments. Constant Technologies brings over 40 years of experience, providing reliable command and control centre design processes and tailored solutions to meet all specific requirements.

Constants specialize in mission-critical projects by leveraging the extensive experience of their design team, comprising of AIA-certified professionals and CTS-D-accredited A/V engineers. Command centres are complicated hubs of activity, they need to be set up by one team at one time.

From salt to stevedoring

Eric Lamper

Solent Stevedores

Stevedoring is a term derived from the word stevedore, referring to the act of loading and offloading cargo from a ship in port. A labour intensive and specialised task involving precision, understanding and skill. The best businesses in this industry are those that have a hands-on experience in the nuances, the challenges, and the most efficient means of completing a task expeditiously.

Solent Stevedores has grown substantially from a single terminal at The Port of Southampton in 2000, to 13 terminals in 2019. With a team including 180 full time staff across Dursley, Southampton, London Gateway, Tate & Lyle Sugars, Immingham, Jersey and even Singapore, this may have started as a British company of dockworkers, but it is now far more.

A market leader in the provision of port services in the UK, the company’s highly skilled and flexible workforce strives to deliver customer service excellence always, across highly diversified and responsive operations. With an annual turnover over £30 million, expertise in Rail, Cruise Ships, Fresh Produce and Bulk Cargo they have fashioned themselves into the go-to company for reliable dock services.

In 1997, Executive Chairman Stuart

“We’ve reached a significant milestone in this project, and we’re really pleased to be moving forward into Phase Two,”

It wasn’t until 2008 that Solent Stevedores secured its first operations outside the Port of Southampton, partnering with Tate & Lyle Sugars at Silvertown and commenced to provide a bespoke sub-contracted stevedoring solution. In 2010, they won two tenders, one to provide turnaround services to Carnival Cruise Ships at the Port of Southampton and a second to provide Cruise Vessel Support to Carnival Cruise Ships

the UK’s largest cruise terminal.

Turnarounds was a new market, but proved to be very lucrative as they soon won a 9 year contract at the Ports of Jersey in 2012, which was when they made the first step outside the UK mainland with a nine-year contract at the Port of Jersey. Solent Stevedores is now the exclusive Terminal Operator at that port, operating two terminals.

Rigorous expansion and investment

MOVE

Make your next count

Kalmar offers a complete range of highly efficient, productive and safe solutions designed to get your business moving. With a large choice of empty container handlers and electrically powered forklifts, reachstackers, terminal tractors, straddle carriers and support services like Kalmar Care, we can tailor a solution that meets your operational needs. Why not talk to us today and see how we can help drive your business forward.

Kalmar, making your every move count.

kalmarglobal.co.uk

Cullen witnessed the birth of Consolidated Salt Ltd, established at Sharpness docks in Gloucestershire. An enterprise focussed on handling salt products exclusively the company was renamed Cullen Group in 2002 which is the parent company of Solent Stevedores. By that stage Solent had commenced operations with bulk cargo handling in 2000.

at

continued. In 2013, they secured investment to fully modernise the Fresh Produce Terminal at Southampton. The 14,500 sqm fully temperaturecontrolled facility can handle palletised traffic from reefer ships, containers and road trailers, storing them for periods and shipping them out when needed. In 2015, they entered the Port of Immingham offering bulk cargo handling solutions. With a 10 year lease position SSL they commenced operation of a fully enclosed warehouse, with the capability to handle a variety of cementitious products. 2016, saw them start to load and offload cargo trains at the Port of Southampton. The next year, they secured a 20 year lease for the Rail Terminal at the same port and in 2018 they opened a new off-dock empty container yard at London Gateway port.

Post 2020

While the company hardly had the chance to slow down in 2020, when the world went inside but products still needed to be shifted, they were

able to get a head start on the recovery period and the following years have been busy.

At the start of 2022, Solent Stevedores hit a record year for bulk tonnage in January and in April they secured a five year deal with Saga Cruises to cover all cruise calls to the Port of Southampton for the cruise company’s two new ships, the Spirit of Adventure and Spirit of Discovery. In September, they announced a multimillion pound rail investment at the Port of Southampton to enhance container offering to the tone of £17.5 million, to connect deep sea shipping lines and on land rail networks. Phase 1 of which completed last year in April 2023.

What Did Phase One Entail?

A £17.5 million project, Phase one of the project has seen 5.5 acres of new site installed including large areas of fibre reinforced concrete enabling the space to be used for stacking containers seven high with new Empty Container Handlers. New modern offices are

also in place on site. Phase One of the project has now been handed over to Solent Stevedores by contractors Ryebridge Construction and will be immediately used for storing loaded and empty containers.

“We’ve reached a significant milestone in this project, and we’re really pleased to be moving forward into Phase Two,” says Commercial director at Solent Stevedores Clive Thomas, “Further developing the rail provision at the Port of Southampton is key to the ongoing development of intermodal rail travel connecting deep sea shipping lines to the UK through the Solent Rail Terminal.”

The Solent Rail Terminal is undergoing a significant upgrade as part of joint investment between rail terminal operators Solent Stevedores and Associated British Ports. Once the project is complete, deep sea shipping lines will have access to an 18-acre facility that will link the existing intermodal rail transport site with laden and empty container handling, storage,

“Further developing the rail provision at the Port of Southampton is key to the ongoing development of intermodal rail travel connecting deep sea shipping lines to the UK through the Solent Rail Terminal.”

maintenance, and repair within a single-site boundary – a first for the Port of Southampton.

According to Paul Reeves, Head of Commercial at ABP Southhampton, Phase Two of the investment is now underway and will include connecting a further 6.5 acres of space to the existing rail terminal and the final phase will see all rail track works complete. He adds, “It is fantastic to reach the milestone of completing phase 1 of the development. We are very pleased with the progress of the work to date and are excited to watch Phase 2 progress. This project enables our customer to handle, store, and fix more containers on site at the port. Also, it is important to us, as the port operator, that we support our customers in their sustainability journey. The improved rail provision for the Solent Stevedores will enable the company to transport more of their clients’ containers via rail, reducing the number of HGVs on our roads and improving the local air quality.”

The Definition Of Supply Chain Professionalism

Donnie Rust

Danya Foods

We look at the expanding footprint of Danya Foods Co. Ltd as they continue to enjoy their considerable growth within the Middle East and North African regions. Speaking with Thomas Nordholt, Regional Supply Chain Director.

Danish based global dairy giant Arla Foods, producer of the unmistakable Lurpak butter, owns Danya Foods, for which they’ve invested over DKK 35 Million into the production processes, as well as warehouse capacity expansions and automation. Arla Foods is the fifth-largest dairy company in the world and a cooperative owned by more than 12,500 dairy farmers, combining traditional craftsmanship and world-class technologies to ensure its products remain closer to nature, from farm to fridge.

Thomas explains how the company has adopted new technology to help the firm become more efficient, saying, “In 2020 Danya went from manually operated to almost fully automated production. Part of our main investment was purely being able to produce more processed cheese.”

He adds, “Another part of it was to automate existing production facilities to reduce conversion costs. For instance, where the company had manual labourers emptying pallets, washing glasses before the filling lines, filling boxes and cartons, then packing them onto pallets we now use robotic machinery to do this.”

A conveyor belt now brings finished items

“Because of the sales growth of our main products there is a never ending demand especially for industrial size processed cheese, that’s why we are investing heavily to help reduce cost per kilo and increase capacity”

from production to the distribution part of the site, and there are robots that not only bring pallets into the warehouse but even shrink-wrap the finished products being loaded for distribution.

“It has been a fantastic journey. In this coming year our focus will be to increase capacity even more while reducing time and cost to market.” He adds..

Staying Progressive

Danya prides itself on having achieved a doubling in production volume at the same time as reducing costs. Apart from the worldwide Lurpak butter from Arla, one of the big brands in the Middle East is called Puck. This brand offers processed cheese, cheese triangles and slices, cheddar, processed cheddar, processed garlic cheese, cream cheese, thick cream, sterilised cream, and condensed milk.

It also imports 20kg blocks of cheese from Europe, mainly Denmark. Then it is shredded and sold as Mozzarella under the Three Cows and Puck brands. Saudi Arabia counts for about 50% of Danya business in the Middle East. There is also a vast market in Africa, but it is more skewed towards products such as the Dano milk powder brand. It is a widespread market too reaching North, East and West Africa.

Operations were established in Saudi Arabia in 1977 and Danya now has 13 depots, 3 warehouses, and 420 vehicles which is a mix of sales vans, trailers, and smaller vehicles. The company head office is in Dubai, and Riyadh is the location of the production site for both Danya and a selection of Arla items sold within the Middle East and Africa.

Consolidating its local transportation to, from and between depots within Saudi Arabia and abroad and making use of third party logistics

solutions are some of the priorities on the company’s action item list.

Nordholt says, “Because of the sales growth of our main products there is a never ending demand especially for industrial size processed cheese, that’s why we are investing heavily to help reduce cost per kilo and increase capacity.”

The dairy producer knows there is a direct correlation between volume output to the costs of materials, manpower and the effort that goes into a finished product. Therefore, everything is geared towards making the whole business process gain more fluidity.

The group supplies products to all Middle Eastern countries and as an importer of Arla Foods finished goods from manufacturing sites in Europe, Danya is also a distribution centre for its parent company in Saudi Arabia to the region. There are several distribution set ups in other Gulf countries, but it has a presence in every country in the region.

Strategic Vision And Teamwork

Minimising disruption in the supply chain and maximising profitability, without compromising excellent value for money to the end customer has not been the sole focus for Danya.

A key feature is its multifunctional, multinational group of employees who are all working towards the company’s long-term strategy of increasing volume by at least 20% per year by 2020 while at the same time continuing to reduce the cost base. The growth will be a mixture of organic growth, adding new products to the line and may also include mergers and acquisitions if such opportunities surface.

“There’s always rewards and what is unique in my opinion,” says Nordholt, “Is that we give high achievers an opportunity but also those hard-

Fruit and Plant Based Raw Materials

Preparations – Compounds – Fillings

Pulps – Natural Extracts

Orana creates unique and innovative tailor made fruit and plant based solutions for bakery, baverage and dairy manufacturers.

Quality by Nature - the sustainable way

“The staff propose various charities that they believe we should focus on... For example, earlier this year the focus was on mental health, and for a month we supported a number of charities working in the field.”

working people who may not come with a very high end education or a very fancy looking resume in terms of their work experience.”

This inclusiveness in encouraging the careers of all people no matter what background or education is a focal point of staff recruitment and retention. One prominent example includes one gentleman who started working at Danya as a receptionist in 2019; today he oversees all direct deliveries to all the main supermarkets in Saudi Arabia.

“Simply by delivering results it immediately gets noticed at the top end of the organisation. It’s those people we are willing to invest in hard and fast,” says Nordholt, “We give them opportunities to succeed, and we value their ideas and contributions.”

He explains that what sets them apart is their team spirit which encompasses the entire organisation and means if a labourer from the warehouse really believes he has a good idea or suggestion, he is not afraid to walk into the general manager’s office proposing his idea because he knows they will be very receptive.

There is a government programme called Saudization to employ at least 20% local people in companies such as Danya and Danya have been quick to support this. Increasing automation created a need for more highly skilled employees with Nordholt recognising many Saudis have a high skillset in robot technology and programming, therefore naturally increasing demand for those people.

Asked what sets Danya aside from competitors, Nordholt says, “Our agility in the supply chain is incomparable. Objectively we are fairly small compared to some of our competitors here, but they are very heavy organisations whereas we are extremely good at getting everyone to buy into a project instantly and delivering the results in a short time.”

It’s All In The Name

Donnie Rust Hi-Tec Industries

In 2024, the significance of manufacturingremains paramount, serving as the bedrock of economic vitality and innovation across the globe. Despite the rise of service-based economies and the advent of digital technologies, tenured manufacturers such as Hi-Tec Industries continue to play a pivotal role in driving progress and prosperity.

Hi-Tec Industries is a leading industrial manufacturing company located in Portage La Prairie, MB, and have been providing exceptional quality products to its global customers since 1995. Founded by the Dueck brothers, HiTec Industries is a proudly family-owned and operated company, but also take pride that their business is a key driver of economic growth,

providing employment opportunities, generating revenue, and fostering trade relationships.

Beyond serving as a cornerstone for an essential industry for the nation’s GDP, contributing as it does to overall economic stability, these long-term-based manufacturers serve as hubs for research, development, and technological advancement, catalysing innovation and enhancing competitiveness on a global scale.

What Do They Make

Over the years Hi-Tec’s portfolio of services and products have diversified and now include agriculture, transportation, industrial, and oil and gas as well as several peripherals. Hi-Tec is

a trusted partner in providing solutions for any project and manufacture agriculture equipment for several company affiliated brands, including the V-Wing brand (Ditcher), NDEco (Feed Mixers), and Quadivator (ATV Implements).

Manufacturing is not merely about producing goods; it’s about transforming raw materials into valuable products that improve lives. From pharmaceuticals to renewable energy technologies, manufacturing is at the forefront of addressing societal challenges and meeting evolving consumer demands. In 2024, as the world grapples with issues such as climate change and healthcare crises, the role of institutions such as Hi-Tec Industries in developing sustainable solutions and delivering essential goods and

services has never been more critical.

As stated on their website, for Hi-Tec quality is a top priority. The company is ISO

9001:2015 certified, ensuring that all products meet the highest quality standards demanded by the industries served. With a main operating facility boasting 110,000 sq. feet of space, and a dedicated welding shop on the premises, Hi-Tec has the capacity and expertise to handle even the most complex projects.

As a leader in the manufacturing industry, they provide exceptional products and services to their customers worldwide. With a commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction, Hi-Tec Industries is the ideal partner for any industrial or agricultural project.

Supplychain

Furthermore, Hi-Tec drives interconnected supply chains, fostering collaboration and specialization among different companies both globally and at home. This interdependence promotes cooperation and facilitates the exchange of knowledge and resources, ultimately leading to shared prosperity across the entire industry.

One of the ways that Hi-Tec Industries has contributed to this shared prosperity is by setting

“Hi-Tec has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1995, when it was founded by the Dueck brothers in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. ”

themselves the mission of exceeding customers’ expectations by delivering exceptional, consistent, and high-quality products while upholding the values of integrity and honesty. Striving continuously to improve their processes and innovate to provide the best possible experience for their customers. Their kaizen style commitment to excellence and transparency has set them apart from the competition and guides them in aspects of their business while encouraging others in their market-segment to improve and develop at pace.

In Focus

Hi-Tec has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1995, when it was founded by the Dueck brothers in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. Starting with custom manufacturing of combine header components, the company quickly gained a reputation for its high-quality workmanship, and its customer base grew rapidly, first within the province and then across Canada and the United States.

As demand for its services and products continued to increase, Hi-Tec expanded its operations, branching out into multiple sectors including the transportation and oil & gas industries throughout North America. With a

In addition to their Portage location, HiTec works closely with several partner manufacturing companies to complement their services.

dedication to excellence and a commitment to innovation, Hi-Tec continued to grow, acquiring equipment brands, and developing its own products.

In 1997, Hi-Tec became the equipment manufacturer for NDE feed mixers, a company located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Recognizing the potential of this new venture, the owners of Hi-Tec purchased the NDE company in 2003, which is now known as NDEco. Since then, Hi-Tec has continued to add to its family of affiliated equipment brands, including V-Wing and Quadivator.

This kind of business approach comes with many benefits not only to the economic and societal impacts of a country but, securing the names, brands and legacies of smaller businesses also holds strategic importance in national security. A robust manufacturing base ensures a country’s self-sufficiency in critical sectors, reducing dependency on imports and safeguarding against geopolitical risks.

And the future of manufacturing is poised for further transformation, driven by advancements in automation, artificial intelligence, and sustainable practices. Embracing these technologies will not only enhance productivity and efficiency of companies like Hi-Tec Industries but also create new opportunities for skilled labour and foster the development of high-value industries.

Affiliated Manufacturers

In addition to their Portage location, Hi-Tec works closely with several partner manufacturing companies to complement their services.

For example, Hi-Tec Industries OK LLC adds manufacturing and fabrication capacity within the US, facilitating the needs of global clientele. And Precision Laser is primarily a laser-cutting facility with multiple state of the art laser cutting centres,

also located in Selkirk, Manitoba.

Employee Values

The employees are the heart of their company and Hi-Tec is the first to testify that their success is only due to their team. They strive to create a healthy and productive atmosphere for their employees.

With over 160 employees, it is notable that the company has 80+ employees with a longevity of 5+ years of service, with a number over of them over 15 years. This sort of long-term commitment is credited to the atmosphere that has been created and the basic principles and values they live by: Fairness, Diversity, Compassion, Safe Environment, and trustworthiness.

Today, Hi-Tec stands as a testament to the power of hard work, dedication, and a commitment to quality. With a diverse range of products and services, and a proven track record of success, Hi-Tec is poised to continue its reputation and growth well into the future.

The Constant Development of Shiphandling

Travis Crouch

John Dahle Skipshandel

In 2016 the company employed thirty-three highly skilled staff whose wide-ranging expertise has helped make the company robust and ready for the future.

Offshore operations encompass a myriad of hazards, ranging from extreme weather conditions to equipment failures, presenting significant dangers to personnel and the environment. The offshore environment, whether for oil drilling, wind energy, or other purposes, demands stringent safety measures to mitigate risks effectively.

Equipment manufacturers play a pivotal role in ensuring the safety of offshore personnel through innovative design, rigorous testing, and ongoing maintenance protocols.

The Company

Established in 1915, John Dahl Skipshandel is a vibrant and financially profitable Norwegian company that finds itself in a state of almost constant development. This ongoing improvement and growth have made them a preferred supplier of products and services within lifting equipment, fall protection, protective equipment, tools and other consumer items for oil and ship-related activities. Their operations have proved to be financially profitable, and the company is known as an attractive workplace, with a clear focus on health, environment, safety, quality, and creativity.

One of the primary dangers offshore is the threat posed by machinery malfunction or failure. Equipment such as cranes, winches, and drilling rigs must withstand harsh marine conditions while operating reliably. Manufacturers must prioritize robust engineering, utilizing materials resistant to

corrosion and fatigue. Additionally, incorporating redundant safety features and fail-safes can prevent catastrophic accidents.

Another critical concern is the risk of personnel injury or loss of life due to inadequate safety measures. Equipment manufacturers should prioritize ergonomics and accessibility in their designs, facilitating ease of operation and minimizing the likelihood of accidents during maintenance or routine tasks. Furthermore, providing comprehensive training materials and ensuring user-friendly interfaces can enhance operator competence and situational awareness.

Fortifying Their Products

John Dahle Skipshandel has seen robust growth since the start of the millennium. In 2016 the company employed thirty-three highly skilled staff whose wide-ranging expertise has helped make the company robust and ready for the future. Jan Christian Bernhardt was appointed Marketing and Quality Manager in 2000, and in May 2005 he took over as Managing Director. Knowledge and interests have been passed from generation to generation, and John Dahle is now managed by the younger’s sons John Einar and Eirik who are also actively involved in the company.

What the company manufactures includes cables, wires, fasteners, consumables, chemicals, and personal protective equipment. The equipment that ends up covered in grease and muck, which must do their job well or people get

John Dahle Skipshandel

injured or killed, this is John Dahle’s bread and butter. The strongest cables, the best fasteners, the hooks, chains, links, and various other items that are used to keep people safe and alive. Their equipment may not be the prettiest nor is it always appreciated, but when they are called on to do their job, they do not let people down. And thanks to their website, ordering these items is as simple as point and click.

Focus On The Most Vulnerable Areas

In the early 1990s, the company decided to invest in a brand new product: fall protection. John Dahle Skipshandel AS acquired Klyde Consultancy and subsequently grew to become one of the leading inspectors of fall protection equipment in Europe. Since then, one of their main focusses has been on this line.

“We have held courses in fall protection and evacuation for a number of years,” says Erik, “The courses have been a success with participants representing a wide range of companies. DNV, Transocean, National Oilwell, Elite Vinduspuss and the Norwegian Armed Forces are amongst those who have benefited from our courses.”

It is the company’s ambition to set the standard of approach when it comes to fall protection. Years of experience along with indepth studies into production standards and legislation have allowed them to tailor courses and equipment to meet the needs of their customers.

Fall Protection Equipment Inspection

John Dahle Skipshandel AS is Norway’s largest inspector of fall protection equipment. Every year thousands of blocks and other units are inspected and recertified in their workshop in Risavika where their award winning staff have extensive experience with training directly with the equipment manufacturers. They work hard and diligently so that the client can feel safe and supported using the equipment that they have inspected.

Tailored Logistics Solutions

When it comes to fall protection equipment, John Dahl can help customers with logistics for the inspection and supplementation of fall protection equipment. Their “box solutions” have been a remarkable success with many rig operators as an example.

Course Work

A basic course outline includes a presentation of equipment in accordance with European manufacturing standards and a review of relevant regulations applicable onshore and offshore. This is followed by an explanation of the “ABC method” which is a simple approach of risk assessment that involves the instruction in the use of equipment, a written test and an evaluation.

Most of the courses take place at the company premises in Tananger, but the team are happy to travel to accommodate clients.

“We have found that combining product sales with learning generates rewards in the form of more highly satisfied customers,” says Erik, “Thus, many businesses have chosen us to hold courses for their own customers and partners.”

Environmental Sustainability

Environmental sustainability is an increasingly pressing issue in offshore operations. Equipment manufacturers must develop solutions that minimize the ecological footprint of offshore activities, such as utilizing eco-friendly materials, implementing energy-efficient technologies, and designing equipment for easy decommissioning and recycling.

Moreover, advancements in sensor technology and data analytics offer opportunities for predictive maintenance, enabling early detection of potential issues and proactive intervention to prevent equipment failures. Continuous monitoring of equipment health and performance can significantly enhance safety offshore.

Collaboration between equipment manufacturers, regulatory bodies, and industry stakeholders is essential to establish and uphold robust safety standards for offshore operations. Regular audits and inspections can ensure compliance with safety regulations and drive continuous improvement in equipment design and operational practices.

In conclusion, the dangers inherent in offshore operations necessitate a concerted effort from equipment manufacturers to prioritize safety in design, construction, and maintenance. By incorporating innovative technologies, adhering to rigorous safety standards, and fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability, manufacturers can help safeguard the lives of offshore personnel and protect the environment.

Builders Of Homes

Donnie Rust KARP

Ahome is more than just a place to rest your head. A home is where children discover the little nooks-and-crannies to hide their secret treasures, for the parents to later find. A home is the first location for all-out-heroic adventures for young pirates and princesses. It is a sanctuary. It is a treasure trove. It is a fortress. The first place you run to with your best news in the world, or to hide from the worst. It is the backdrop to happy memories and foundational experiences. It’s home.

For over thirty years, Karp Associates have built long term relationships with their clients, applying their creativity, attention to detail, budget oversight and timeliness with a keen sense of sensibility to make houses into homes. Firmly established as one of the premier construction and consulting firms in New England, there are hundreds of incredibly happy clients building one-of-a-kind memories in their homes. We look at what it is they do and how they do it.

The Secret To Building

Building a house is straightforward and humanity has been creating them for thousands of years so we have the fundamentals pretty much sorted. Making a home takes a touch of something else and the secret for Karp is to listen to their client’s needs and desires. Only then, when they’ve got

a clear idea of their unique vision, does their team of professionals proceed from concept to completion to deliver satisfying results that are on time and on budget.

The leadership plays a huge part in the business, and the leaders Arnold M. Karp (founder and president), Paul Stone (COO) and Robin Carrol (Director of design and residential construction), all play a key role. Across the leadership is a huge intelligence well in terms of professional construction management, fiscal management and residential design which allows them to shape and finely tune the company’s approach to their business.

Location

From their office at 16 Cross Street in New Canaan, CT, Karp Associates are near their geographic areas of Fairfield, Lower Westchester and New Haven Counties. This local presence plays a role in understanding the approval processes and various town regulations, as well as culture and flavour. Proving that there is a lot to be said about offering a local element to a product.

A Strong Foundation Based On More Than Bricks And Mortar

At Karp Associates, their passion for building design and creativity, attention to detail,

impeccable client service and professionalism have become the cornerstones of their longevity and success. Renowned for their renovation and remodelling of historic homes, they emphasize architectural integrity and high calibre artisanry in every project. A Karp custom home is born out of a collaborative approach between the client and a hand-picked team of professionals.

Part of this is the company’s incredible experience in oversight, reliance on on-going communication and eye for detail that all help to deliver a home that suits the customer’s unique needs, reflects their way of life and is compatible with its natural surroundings. Whether building a custom home or transforming an existing one, their trusted reputation and experience in residential design and construction allows the customer to have peace of mind and leave the details and challenges of building to them.

Karp Associates offer multiple products, and these have been carefully formed and perfected over the years.

Renovations

With thousands of projects under their tool belt, renovations have become a mainstay of their business and Karp’s mission is to make every renovation as seamless and successful an experience as possible for their clients.

Custom Homes

Imaginative design, traditional artisanry, innovative technology and innovative amenities are what makes their company and their longevity and continued success in the custom home sector. Their impeccable client service and strong sense of professionalism distinguishes them as a leading custom homebuilder.

Construction Management

Construction management requires an aligned interest to the client’s objectives and goals and through the CM, clients are advised in preconstruction and construction services. This is based on a simple premise; clients want to work with someone who has their best interest in mind.

Karp Associates can lend its expertise to the client and offer professional advice in the areas of budgeting, value engineering, scheduling, constructability review, phasing, site logistics and safety. They do the valuable analysis so the owner will have a more thorough set of plans and understanding of schedule and associated project costs. With over 30 years perfecting the building process, clients have come to rely strongly on the Karp team to show them the way.

Consulting

Having someone in your corner when it comes to making decisions on buying, selling, renovating, building or refurbishing makes everything easier. Karp’s approach is a long term investment of trust and provision, their commitment to providing the best guidance to homeowners, nonprofits and institutions is well established in the industry. And, as projects have gotten more complex and costly, assembling the right team from concept to completion is even more crucial.

Project Rescue

Things often go awry in the building industry and offering distressed residential and commercial projects the help, the financial control and hands-on project management, the team at Karp Associates have often been the ones who are called to get the project back on track.

Offering a proven, well buttoned method and guidance for projects that have become problematic. These services range from permits, budgets, and expert testimony to replacement of subcontractors, Karp Associates will revitalize, restructure and complete the project.

Property Management

Karp Associates provides Property Management services for both residential and commercial properties. For their residential clients they are a resource for a range of services including the operation, control and oversight of homes and buildings. Additionally, they manage maintenance, utilization of assets, accounting and life cycle decisions for real estate properties.

Through thousands of projects and awards, Karp Associates seems most keen to ensure that their customers understand that theirs is not just a building company. But a people and a family company too.

META Platforms Inc.

The Kings Of Social Media

Lucas Braggiband

Having essentially garnered the corners of modern-day communication with Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and created an entire industry based on their ideas, what are the inventors of social media doing today?

While the old legend was of founder Mark Zuckerberg essentially starting Facebook while sitting in front of a computer in his dorm room may have been an inspiration for millions of tech wizards wanting to make their billions, the approach of the company has for many years been far more merger and acquisition focused. The technology that they do not build themselves, they acquire and merge into their own creating a deeply diverse technological machine comprised of various parts birthed from the minds of the most creative people in the world. Additionally, while most people see META Platforms as simply phone apps and nothing more, there is a great deal going on behind the scenes.

Working through a network of offices and regional headquarters across the globe, Meta Platforms has established a global network of conduits to ensure the connectivity to their brand, that of open communication and technological development, thrives. With a clear intention to remain the dominant social media platform, the company has hubs in US and Canada, Ireland, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and South America. Facebooks online advertising and developer support teams is supported from offices in Hyderabad India with various support centers in Chittagong, Dublin, California and Austin Texas according to Wikipedia.

Connecting The Future

As of 2023, Facebook operates 21 data centers globally and has committed to purchasing 100% renewable energy to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Its data center technologies include

Fabric Aggregator, a distributed network system that accommodates larger regions and varied traffic patterns.

Artificial Intelligence

Meta AI is an artificial intelligence laboratory belonging to Meta Platforms and develops various forms of artificial intelligence to improve augmented and artificial reality technologies. Meta AI is an academic research laboratory focused on generating knowledge for the AI community. This is different and stands in contrast to Facebook’s Applied Machine Learning (AML) team, which focuses on practical applications of its products between programming and users.

A History Of Intelligence

Meta AI started as Facebook Artificial Intelligence Research (FAIR) with locations in the Menlo Park, California headquarters, London, United Kingdom, and a new laboratory in Manhattan. FAIR was officially announced in September 2013 and was directed by New York University’s Yann LeCun, a deep learning Professor and Turing Award winner. Working with NYU’s Centre for Data Science, FAIR’s initial goal was to research data science, machine learning, and artificial

intelligence to “understand intelligence, to discover its fundamental principles, and to make machines significantly smarter”.

Research at FAIR pioneered the technology that led to face recognition, tagging in photographs, and personalized feed recommendation.

Vladimir Vapnik, a pioneer in statistical learning, joined FAIR in 2014. The coinventor of the support-vector machine, he is one of the developers of the Vapnik–Chervonenkis theory, which is a form of computational learning, which attempts to explain the learning process from a statistical point of view.

FAIR opened a research centre in Paris France the following year in 2015, and subsequently launched smaller satellite research labs in Seattle, Pittsburgh, Tel Aviv, Montreal and London. In 2016, FAIR partnered with Google, Amazon, IBM, and Microsoft in creating the Partnership on Artificial Intelligence to Benefit People and Society, an organization with a focus on open licensed research, supporting ethical and efficient research practices, and discussing fairness, inclusivity, and transparency.

In 2018, J é r ô me Pesenti, former CTO of IBM’s big data group, assumed the role of president of FAIR, while LeCun stepped down to serve as chief AI scientist in the same year, FAIR was placed 25th

in the AI Research Rankings 2019, which ranked the top global organizations leading AI research. However, it quickly rose to eighth position in 2019, and maintained this position in the 2020 rank. FAIR employs over 200 staff members.

Initial Work

FAIR’s initial work included research in learningmodel enabled memory networks, self-supervised learning and generative adversarial networks, text classification and translation, as well as computer vision. The modules released have been used in several deep learning technologies, such as Tesla’s autopilot and Uber’s Pyro.

The past work has been exciting on several different fronts, in 2017 FAIR discontinued a research project once AI bots developed a language that was unintelligible to humans, inciting uninformed conversations about dystopian fears and artificial intelligence going out of control. Then in 2022, Meta AI predicted the 3D shape of 600 million potential proteins in two weeks, an unprecedented advancement in medical science that will categorically benefit all of humanity in the future.

Today’s Research

Innovative development continues to grow and take their technologies into new and interesting areas, the uses and benefits of which may not be immediately apparent. In 2022, BuilderBot was revealed, a technology which allows users to generate virtual worlds by using voice commands. Other tools include the No Language Left Behind, a system capable of automatic translation between written languages, and Universal Speech Translator, a system capable of instantaneous speech-to-speech translation. Then there is Computer Vision, which aims to allow computers to interpret visual data; natural language processing and conversational AI, which would allow machines to understand and generate natural language, i.e., conversation.

Across dozens of laboratories, the wildest and most imaginative brains are getting together to solve puzzles not only on the digital and machine learning front, but real-world applications for things as well. This will generate advances in technology that, largely, will go unnoticed by the general public. For many of us, Facebook is just the app that we use to connect with our school friends and distant relatives and while we may know that WhatsApp and Instagram are also products, we don’t think deeper about things. But Meta Platform’s technology and their push into the future is beyond what even its founder can imagine and or comprehend.

The future is truly now. Ain’t that meta?

The People Behind Your Wind Energy

Malcolm Tucker Njord Offshore

With today’s heady focus on renewable energy solutions, windfarms are expected to maintain their supply irrespective of circumstance; while those receiving that energy, such as you or me, are often utterly unaware that it takes more than just wind to keep those farms producing. Whenever one of Europe’s ever expanding number of offshore wind turbines require maintenance, Njord Offshore is the company often called in to carry technical staff and supplies to and from the installations. As Chief Executive Officer Tom Mehew explains, as is often the case, there is more that goes into this than we think.

In Focus

With their head office based in Tendring, UK and with other operations extended throughout Northern Europe, Njord Offshore Ltd is the first call for crew transfer vessels in the offshore windfarm sector. Focused on bringing their clients nothing less than industry leading service, Njord Offshore combines well maintained, custom built vessels, manned by qualified and trained crew and backed up by a hardworking experienced shore-side team. Thanks to this, the company is widely recognised as the go-to for crew transfers, but this is not their only skillset, and their vessels are constructed for a range of duties, however passenger comfort and offshore transfer capability remain their key focus.

The company delivers exceptional standards of service through close attention to design and maintenance of its vessels, all of which are operated by a selection of well trained and proactive crews. This is compiled by a team of experienced shore-side engineers that can provide 24-seven technical support throughout their work in Europe.

“All of the vessels within our fleet are classed with an IACS member, as well as being purpose built for offshore wind farm crew transfers,” explains Tom Mehew, Managing Director of Njord Offshore. “Each vessel is built in order to cope with a wide range of duties, with passenger comfort and transfer capabilities remaining our key focus at present.”

Currently, the Njord Offshore fleet consists of fifteen transfer vessels, which are all working on offshore wind farms throughout Northern Europe, meaning the company plays a huge role in the 28GW of electricity that these wind farms generate. Subsequently they have carried out more than 250,000 successful transfers across 500,000 miles of ocean.

Willing and able to make a splash in the industry, Njord Offshore provide the kind of business acumen and dedication to standards that have attracted several large-scale investors that will allow the company to achieve a wider global reach.

“PSA Marine, a Singaporean based company that exclusively controls all pilotage in Singaporean waters, has recently invested in Njord Offshore,” Mehew reveals, “We believe that together our companies will be able to easily develop our services within the European market, while also looking at possible expansions into the APAC region in the near future.”

Fleet Development

While the offshore wind market pushes further offshore, in search of more areas to erect solutions, Njord’s fleet is having to grow at pace to meet the additional demands placed on its vessels. Mehew reveals that, presently the company is building larger vessels, all of which have a larger range, cargo and transfer capacity and better redundancy.

“At all times our principal motivation is to fulfil the ever-changing logistical requirements for our clients, while retaining a core focus on safety and reliability in all of our vessels,” he says.

In such a crowded marketplace, a reputation for excellence is the best form of marketing, and realistically the offshore service provided will only be as good as the vessels that a company can bring

forward, and as good as the crew that operates them. Maintaining the vessels to the highest possible class and having well trained, happy, and motivated staff is core to the provision of good service and that is something that Njord Offshore is always striving to improve upon as Mehew explains.

“Thanks to our hard work over the years, we now operate one of the largest fleets of IACS classed offshore wind farm transfer vessels in the market,” he says, “Although a portion of the fleet is now on longterm contracts, we still maintain a number of vessels for on-the-spot assistance that is required by ad hoc construction and campaign work.”

Mehew adds, “We’ve been using Volvo Penta’s IPS900 Quad system in our 26-meter CTVs for many years now and all expectations have been fulfilled. We, and our customers, require speed, manoeuvrability and efficiency combined with high static bollard push. In addition, we also look for reliability and redundancy to maximize the uptime for our clients.

“The advantages of the IPS have been fully proven. The joystick controls are intuitive, the control response times are fast and accurate which ultimately makes docking on a boat landing in rough weather easier and safer and we also have a dynamic fender system to reduce the load on the boat landings during these conditions.”

Greater capacity

Njord Offshore, based in Essex, has been operating crew transfer vessels for offshore wind

“We’re

doing our part for the next generations. These efforts show our interest to continue working in an integral way: with safety, efficiency, responsibility, and respect for the environment,

For over 25 years and every detail is important! quality, service, experience, reliability are the most important building blocks in any system to keep moving

With our own fleet of vehicles and bunker station, we know exactly what is going into your tank. Because every unused filter change on a ship means: time savings, money sa vings, more environmentally friendly.

farms since 2012 across Northern Europe.

The 26m CTV catamarans have been designed by UK-based naval architect BMT Nigel Gee and built by Singapore-based Strategic Marine. They have two Volvo Penta IPS900 drives in each hull. The new CTVs have a capacity of 24 passengers and four crew, with a deadweight of 30 tonnes.

Safety and futureproofing

Volvo Penta’s IPS packages have long been a safe and secure option for customers operating in the offshore energy industry. The precision handling and excellent manoeuvrability provided by the system’s joystick steering, high thrust propulsion, and Dynamic Positioning System, ensures that a vessel can be held in a steady position against wind turbines, even in conditions of strong currents and high waves. A reduction in fuel consumption of up to 30 per cent results in lower CO 2 emissions by the same percentage and the IPS also offers an unbeatable load capacity per horsepower in relation to speed.

“Wind farming is a naturally clean and environmentally friendly industry, with a major focus on reducing costs as well as emissions,” says Gerard Tö rneman, sales project manager for Volvo Penta’s Marine Commercial sector, “Our IPS900 Quad drives have been proven to cut fuel costs, and with fewer emissions they reduce the environmental impact, which has a benefit for the future.”

Building and operating a vessel with the IPS drive means that customers benefit from Volvo Penta’s all-inclusive manufacturing and servicing provision. Due to the company’s extensive dealer network, a customer’s complete driveline –including engine, pods, and control system – are all covered by the extended coverage program.

Modern solutions for modern requirements

Andrew Thwaites, technical director of Njord Offshore, has said, “It’s a specialist challenge, getting crew to and from windfarms in rough seas. Our boats can be at sea around the clock and the crew live on board 24/7, so they are equipped with all modern conveniences. Volvo Penta has offered us a very good service - they’ve been spot on.”

The Bus-Iness Of Transport.

Daniel Williams

The idea behind the smart bus company Zeelo, founded in 2016, is that it provides software and managed services to their clients and partners to increase bus occupancy levels and reduce transportation costs, CO2 emissions and administrative time. On one side reducing the number of wheels on the road and on the other providing real-time tracking for clients.

Co-Founders Sam Ryan, Barney Williams and Dani Ruiz originally sold their pioneering ridesharing app JumpIn to Addison Lee in 2014 and Zeelo, which is now a leading global transit-tech company, was founded in 2016 and has continued to grow where other businesses have sunk.

Local Expertise

A key component of Zeelo’s success is their use of local coach operators to complete the journeys. Instead of having their own fleet, they make use of the operators within the contract areas who have the vehicles, drivers and experience. This approach had a twofold affect during the Pandemic periods of 2020 - 2021. Zeelo was

able to provide safe and traceable transport for several clients such as Amazon, who saw huge increases in demands during the period and at the same time, provide work for bus and coach operators who would have been out of work otherwise. An opportunity that, for some operators, meant the difference between keeping wheels on the roads or closing shop entirely.

The secret to Zeelo lies within the alignment between drivers, operators and their secure and innovative transportation management software system. This comprises a SaaS platform, proprietary routing algorithm, mobile apps for riders and drivers, and 24/7 customer support. This ensures poorly connected commuters have a regular, subsidized, and sustainable bus service, wherever they are based.

Locations

Headquartered in London with a research and development team in Spain and live operations in the UK, US, and South Africa. In the second half of 2023 the company’s focus in the USA all but exploded and a total equity investment reached

$34 million as Zeelo geared up to serve new enterprise clients and launch new transportation technology features for bus operators.

With the global transit-tech company’s approach on green initiatives, their work with independent, often family owned bus operators and their focus on sustainable and affordable private bus and shuttle transport programmes to schools and employers, Zeelo has been well received in America. Securing $14 million in its latest Series A extension round from three new venture capital firms, including FlatzHoffmann, the European growth equity investor; IREON Ventures, the venture capital arm of Motor Oil Hellas; and a prominent Boston-based family office with a principal that recently took their Nasdaq listing private for $6 billion.

US Expansion

When it comes to the United States, Zeelo is on a mission to accelerate expansion and have opened their second headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts. Co-founders Sam Ryan and Barney Williams have relocated to invest in scaling

the team, while fellow co-founder and CTO Dani Ruiz continues to build the engineering team in Europe to accelerate new product development.

New contracts have been secured with Fidelity as well as two leading multi-site corporate enterprise clients, including the world’s leading e-commerce marketplace and a global shipping and logistics business. This sets the stage for rapid revenue growth at low capital expenditure in the world’s leading developed market. With a proven Transport-as-a-Service (TaaS) platform, Zeelo is well-positioned to capture significant market share and drive sustainable growth within the US and UK B2B bus commuting sector which is worth $40 billion (£31.6 billion).

“Developed markets are underserved for daily mass transportation needs and we have seen increased demand for our transit-tech solution in the United States over the past 12 months,” says Sam Ryan, “Due to this demand, we’ve had a growing number of requests from shuttle operators to leverage our technology to improve their client relationships and streamline operations. This new capital will accelerate Zeelo’s expansion across the US for an accelerated rollout of large scale, multi-site transportation contracts, with some of North America’s biggest household brands, as well as further investment in our software offering.”

Moving More Staff With Less Carbon

Zeelo’s approach addresses the evolving needs of B2B organizations, such as shift worker and office employers, schools, and universities by providing customized transportation services for daily commutes to suburban and peri-urban areas that lack sufficient mass transit coverage.

In addition, Zeelo’s platform offers relevant insights to its clients to plan their headcount, production capabilities, and staff punctuality. This has allowed them to save on average twelve hours per week in administrative tasks, increase bus ridership by 50% and enable an impressive 43% in savings on employee shuttle transportation per year.

“Our newly set up fund seeks to support technology companies with proven business models and a lasting environmental impact,” says Christopher Hoffmann, Partner at FlatzHoffmann. “We help them navigate the transition from Series A to growth and beyond. Zeelo is a unique and proven mobility player headquartered in Europe with a strong expansion push to the US. It combines a strong transit-tech platform with a clear sustainability mission. We are convinced of Zeelo’s experienced leadership team and their ability to innovate and execute. They have come very far in building their business, and we look forward to supporting their growth strategy for developed markets.”

Lowering The Carbon Footprint

A prominent benefit of Zeelo’s smart bus approach, is that they pass on CO2 emissions savings to their clients and are committed to transitioning all services to net-zero emissions battery-electric buses by 2030, with nearly 10% of Zeelo’s UK clients having already made the switch to electric buses for their commuter services. Meanwhile in 2022, Zeelo offset over 2,600 tons of CO2 emissions and created over 26,000 employment opportunities, with 70% of Zeelo riders admitting that they rely on the service to commute to work, and without which they would not have been able to accept their job.

UK Growth

While expansion in the USA continues, in the United Kingdom, developments are also taking place with Zeelo acquiring Kura, a smaller player in the smart bus industry. Kura, a small U.K. startup that combined a school bus service with a software platform to safeguard pupils has since 2010 performed the task of transporting children to and from schools, which forms a large part of Zeelo’s AM and PM activities.

Its acquisition for an undisclosed amount by Zeelo means the combined entity will have 220 customers, 450 operator partners and 40,000 daily riders using the platform, according to the company. Sam Ryan hinted that there is a pipeline of merger and acquisition opportunities as Zeelo continues to dominate the roads in the UK.

“The UK market remains one of our key legacy areas and our relationships with the operating partners we have in the area are crucial for the longevity of our business.”

Daemon Sands

Nuova Ricambi

With satisfied customers in one hundred and fifty countries, Nuova Ricambi is one of those family businesses that takes customer satisfaction personally. Marcello Zanesi, current managing director explains why this is the only way to run a business.

Founded in 1980, with the aim of providing service to coffee machine manufacturers, repair technicians and roasters. These businesses in the 80s were becoming increasingly busy as the west sunk into a coffee fever driven by sitcoms focussed on coffee diners and shops.

Today, the company is a recognised ‘one stop shop’ for the entire catering industry. Selling spare parts for professional coffee machines, coffee grinders, dishwashers, refrigeration, professional kitchens, cleaning products and accessories for baristas, and can also produce tailor-made gaskets for professional refrigeration.

Founded by Marcellino Zanesi, the company is now run by the second generation of the Zanesi family, which has worked hard to grow the business. As Marcello explains, in the last few years, they have achieved a 360-degree expansion on their products, “Today,” he says, “We are present all over the world, both directly and through sister companies and our authorised distributors.”

Just recently, the company’s market position has been further boosted by acquiring Nuova SM Commerciale, a specialist in spare parts for professional kitchens, creating a winning synergy of top-level expertise and wide-ranging industry experience – a remarkable achievement ahead of Nuova Ricambi’s 40th anniversary.

“We are a solid company that knows how to adapt to changes,” said Mr Zanesi. “We have been working with passion and responsibility since 1980 when first my father Marcellino Zanesi, and

Nuova Ricambi

then myself have managed to make Nuova Ricambi not only a leading company in its sector, but a real family for our employees as well as our partners.

“For us,” he says, “Our suppliers are just as important as our customers, and we always try to build trusting and lasting relationships.”

Smooth operation

Nuova Ricambi today is not only a spare-part specialist but also a producer of its own products that combine innovation and utility. A good example of this is the bar accessory called Sipresso, created in collaboration with Italian manufacturer LeonardoTecnika.

“Sipresso is an automatic precision coffee tamper, a showcase of high technology, all ‘Made in Italy’,” proudly stated Marcello, “The product has been specifically designed for baristas who can always tamp the coffee with the same pressure and the correct angle over time, working quickly and cleanly.”

The barista has also been the focal point of one of the company’s recent brands, EDO, born in 2015 from an idea to supply a selection of innovative, high-quality tools and products to meet all coffee lovers’ needs. EDO aims to be the meeting place where international baristas can

exchange ideas on the latest trends and products of the world of coffee, to learn, meet and buy innovative products.

Top quality, innovations, and excellent customer service with the technical office available round the clock have been some of the factors that have always differentiated Nuova Ricambi from its competitors.

“We believe that constant and consistent quality is key for any coffee shop or restaurant,” Marcello underlines, “Therefore, we aim to have more and more equipment available to help the barista and the chef achieve the highest standards.”

As a company always striving to improve its way of working to provide an even better service to customers, Nuova Ricambi recently expanded its warehouse and introduced an automated vertical warehouse management system using a centralised IT method developed by the company.

“With the introduction of these new technologies, delivery times have been reduced to just 24 hours for Italy and 48 hours for shipments abroad, meeting the needs of engineer technicians who can in turn reduce their warehouse stock, while making sure they always have what they need,” Marcello explains.

“With the introduction of these new technologies, delivery times have been reduced to just 24 hours for Italy and 48 hours for shipments abroad, meeting the needs of engineer technicians who can in turn reduce their warehouse stock, while making sure they always have what they need,”

Nuova Ricambi

Improved connection

“An active presence in the territory is crucial for business growth,” Marcello says and explains that Nuova Ricambi has recently invested in the development of a salesforce CRM platform to bring the company closer to customers, improving communication and updating customer data in real time.

Speaking about expected market developments, he reflected that the espresso machine market is likely to grow worldwide, as is an increased focus on sustainable products.

“In line with this shift, we select materials and suppliers who follow this principle. Furthermore, in the world of spare parts for professional coffee machines, increased emphasis is now put on the goodness of the extracted drink and on the consumer’s health. For this reason, stainless steel products are preferred, such as stainlesssteel filter holders, which are lead-free, when compared to copper and brass products.

Highlighting the company’s commitment to innovation, Nuova Ricambi was one of the first companies to manufacture and recommend steel filter holders for its customers.

Always Looking To Improve

In 2016, Nuova Ricambi became the sole distributor of DuoDrip, which led to the company’s first foray into the USA market,

“Coffee tastes continue to influence the market and we are there to make sure that it is delivered with smooth, elegant style,”

possibly one of the biggest coffee drinking nations in the world. The challenge that keeps the science of pourover moving ever forward is how to isolate and balance the ideal results of different phases of extraction, to influence what appears in the cup. This includes the delicate aromatics and acids, followed by the less distinct but still important body and sweetness of the coffee, but if it goes on too long, some bitterness may enter the mix at the end.

DuoDrip endeavours to use a two-tiered pour over to empower baristas to zero in and customize the brightness and body of their cups by providing two different filters on a single brewer, for controlling and tweaking the first two phases of extraction while avoiding going too far.

Invented by Italian barista Davide Berti, two-time winner of the Italian Coffee in Good Spirits Championship and the 2015 World Cezve Ibrik Championship. It is manufactured by EDO Barista. DuoDrip made its public debut in late March of 2016 year at Hotelex, the 25th Shanghai International Hospitality Equipment & Supply Expo, and is available now exclusively through the Nuova Ricambi coffee parts and accessories distribution network.

“Coffee tastes continue to influence the market and we are there to make sure that it is delivered with smooth, elegant style,” says Marcello, “Reflecting the taste that we all love.”

Nuova Ricambi

Portsmouth Aviation

Legacy Of Top Notch Delivery

Donnie Rust

Despite the dynamic evolution that Portsmouth Aviation has undergone over the 95 years since their founding, the values of this family-owned engineering powerhouse are forged in steel. Cost effective engineering and manufacturing solutions, a deep sense of community and belonging and a focus on employee development and growth, these values have shaped this business for almost a century.

Beginning as an air ferry innovator in 1929, Portsmouth Aviation’s present status as a leading engineering service manufacturer is a direct result of their unwavering commitment to delivering top-notch engineering solutions. Diligently standing by their clients, as they monitor every detail throughout every stage, from design conceptualization to seamless production, ensures a collaborative and supportive partnership.

Relationships

What makes a business work well, especially to last for almost a hundred years, has less to do with the product than the team behind it. Having cultivated an environment that encourages continuous learning, growth and progress, the company’s workforce is creative and innovative. And there is no surer way to decide how a

company looks after their clients by how they look after their staff.

“Our dedicated team of skilled professionals are not only enthusiastic about their work but also driven to achieve excellence,” they said.

Commercial pressures.

In recognizing the commercial pressures faced by businesses today, Portsmouth Aviation has positioned itself carefully as a dependable business partner. Their focus on immediate customer needs has solidified their reputation for prompt deliveries, product improvement and comprehensive, cost-effective solutions to manufacturing challenges and new product introductions.

This commitment to efficiency is reflected in their in-house approach where they manage the entire manufacturing process, from innovative CAD design to purpose-built test facilities. This integrated approach not only ensures a comprehensive solution for their clients but also minimizes project timelines, reduces costs, and eliminates the inaccuracies and errors that can sometimes happen when production is spread across multiple businesses. Also, importantly, this in-house approach means that if something does go awry, the problems can be corrected at once.

Their Story

“We take great pride in our ability to provide the high level of quality products produced and using the state-of-the-art inspection and test equipment, ensure the customer’s needs are always met or exceeded,” says Pete Vaughan, Quality Manager Portsmouth Aviation.

To be state-of-the-art one must be continually pushing against the boundaries of the tried and tested and the company is constantly evolving and modernizing, using their experience and knowledge of the industry to inform how they continue to develop as a company.

Core Strengths

Technical Services: At Portsmouth Aviation, Technical Services are an integral part of their business model. Their bespoke approach can be a game changer for a client’s project, but innovation does not mean disregarding traditional manufacturing capabilities, but by using their wide range of core technical service competencies, they are able to ensure that their position at the forefront of precision engineering industries is secure.

CNC Machining: one of the main in-house capabilities. Their ultramodern equipment and wide-ranging ability set them apart in the industry. This has included ensuring their CNC machining equipment is of outstanding quality, keeping their ability to provide efficacy and quality to their valued customers. The experienced team comes with a comprehensive knowledge of CNC machinery, ensuring that customers receive the best possible final product at the best time.

Metal Fabrication: fabrication and manipulation is an area of expertise that is essential to many of the projects undertaken by the company. Their specialist engineers have a multitude of experience in metal fabrication and their ability in welding is clear in the quality of their work.

Metal Finishing: Portsmouth Aviation has the power to enhance the performance, durability, and protection of the components they produce, enabling their process technicians to create

“We take great pride in our ability to provide the high level of quality products produced and using the state-of-theart inspection and test equipment, ensure the customer’s needs are always met or exceeded,”

reliable and long-lasting protective coatings that can withstand challenging environments and operational demands.

Paint & Finishing: these services at Portsmouth Aviation play a crucial role in ensuring the quality and durability of their engineering products. With meticulous attention to detail and the use of advanced coating technologies, these services ensure the longevity and best performance of critical components, reinforcing the company’s commitment to delivering high - quality and reliable solutions to its customers.

Qualification, inspection and Testing: Qualification, inspection, and testing are critical processes aimed at ensuring the reliability, performance, and compliance of engineering products or systems. These processes involve assessing and confirming the design, manufacturing, and functionality of various components, materials, or entire systems. These processes help find potential issues, weaknesses, or deficiencies early in the development or manufacturing stages, allowing for necessary improvements, adjustments, or corrective actions. Ultimately, qualification and testing contribute to delivering safe, reliable, and high - quality engineering solutions that meet industry standards and customer needs.

“Our state-of-the-art facilities and comprehensive expertise are channeled to our customers via our people and teams; working in close collaboration with our customers, we listen, challenge, and innovate, adding value and reducing risk throughout the project.” Simon Escott, Managing Director.

NHS Manufacturer Of Choice

Recently, Portsmouth Aviation was named NHS medical equipment manufacturer of choice, after they designed and manufactured a number of Bedside Chart Trolleys for the NHS. They were approached by the University Hospital Southampton during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic to create the Bedside Chart Trolley’s to support patient care in hospitals.

Thanks to their work, the NHS staff on hospital wards that are experiencing dramatic surges in admission and treatment, have been able to provide critical care efficiently and effectively to those in need. Hospital equipment is relied upon so heavily every day and has an immense impact on how medical care is provided.

“During this most challenging period, you very quickly learnt which companies stepped forward and those who did not. Whilst nurses, doctors and support staff worked around the clock providing care for the most vulnerable, it was heartening to know that there were people out there like Portsmouth Aviation, working just as hard to support us,” says Asa Thorpe – Senior NHS Manager in Charge of Critical Care, Theatres and Anesthetics

They do it all

Malcolm Tucker

Ask anyone in Trinidad and Tobago and they’ll tell you that Servus Limited does it all. Their wide range of facility management services, including IFM, janitorial services, air conditioning services, project management options, technical services and computerised maintenance management options have made them a veritable ‘one-stop-shop’ on the islands.

The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of RGM Limited, is one of the few on the islands offering a complete range of building maintenance services, and certainly one of the only ones doing so with their level of experience and customer-centricity.

As it stands, Servus is one of the few companies providing fully Integrated Facility Management (IFM) in Trinidad and Tobago. Offering a rare all-in-one location for all buildingrelated services for their clients, their people and their values make them stand out in the digital age, where technology has facilitated the rise of individualism.

From asset management to construction and maintenance of home or office buildings, Servus has a demonstrative commitment to excellence that has earned them a reputation as the leading integrated facility management company in the country, with more than two million square feet

of prime commercial and residential space under their purview.

In Focus

There are a few reasons to outsource, and a main one is peace of mind. Servus can manage every aspect of a client’s property, or be hired for stand-alone services: air conditioning, janitorial, landscaping or pest control. Either way, they tailor their service to suit the specific needs and do it all under the trusted Servus brand.

Staff And Service

As the name would suggest, Servus works hard to inculcate a sense of “service with a smile” in their staff. They reveal that the business was initially started to provide integrated facilities management for a client within the financial sector and as demand grew, the business took off.

From this earliest customer they learnt valuable lessons. The client determined very early on the value of outsourcing non-core activities and responsibilities to organizations that specialize in these service areas. Teaching them that if a task/service does not support your core product, outsourcing to a third party, who has the expertise can be a cost-efficient and strategically wise option.

Reputation

Servus Limited maintains that its commitment to excellence has since earned it a high reputation as the leading Integrated Facilities Management company in the country, with more than two million square feet of prime commercial and residential space under their purview. The company’s services are also flexible with clients being able to either sign on for the full range of services or bundle a few select stand-alone ones together in the categories of air conditioning, janitorial services, pest control, and much more.

The secret is that the company tailors their service to suit the client’s specific needs and they do it all under the trusted Servus brand. Their team is properly accredited so that their standards are kept high and they can build lasting relationships with their clients. Their’s is a systematic approach and well documented as it is accredited by ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS).

Recovery After Covid

The company’s approach to thinking collectively for its clients and staff was epitomised during the Covid period, which in Trinidad and Tobago is still a concern. But during the worst part of those early years, they worked hard to make operations even easier for clients during the pandemic, providing

deep cleaning and sanitisation services.

‘As the COVID-19 threat became a reality, we trained a core group of employees to handle deep sanitization and disinfection services which included the use of electrostatic foggers. Our teams were trained in decontaminating sites that had been exposed to the virus as well as the use of relevant PPE.’

‘Since then, apart from the sanitization services, we have implemented other measures to properly manage the ongoing threat in our industry. Spatial planning, the implementation of social distancing protocols, installation of handwash and hand sanitizing stations and the installation of sneeze-guards/partitions are just some of the measures we have executed across our client sites.’

A Deepdive Into Facilitiy Management

At its core, facility management aims to do several things, and this is where Servus Limited’s customer experience really shines. The following examples are a snippet of the fundamental pillars that the company follows and is a clear example of why they are such a prominent name in the industry.

Innovative Working Conditions.

In essence, facility management helps customers streamline their daily operational procedures, with the overarching goal of

“After the hurricane in 2018 we made significant steps in the rebuilding process. This progress has been made on three fronts, individual, company ad national. Dominica is strong and moving forward and we are proud to be a part of that.”

reducing costs and improving operational efficiency substantially. However, facility management extends beyond mere property repair and maintenance. It has evolved into an impactful management system that bolsters the strategic development of an organization.

Managing your organization’s facilities with your in-house resources might seem like an appealing idea, primarily due to the perceived control it offers. However, this may not always be the most beneficial strategy for your organization. The size of your organization and the complexity of your facilities can significantly influence whether you should consider outsourcing support functions to a facility management company.

Focus on Core Functions

Every organization has its core competencies, and excelling in these areas is crucial for growth and sustainability. By outsourcing support services to a facility management company, your team can concentrate on these key areas, secure in the knowledge that your facilities are being well-managed.

The expenses associated with hiring, training, and retaining in-house facility management staff can quickly add up. In contrast, outsourcing these duties can often be a more cost-effective solution.

Overseeing an organization is a timeintensive task. As your organization grows, so too does the time and resources required to manage it effectively. By employing a facility management company, you free up valuable time to focus on your core business objectives.

Facility management extends beyond simple cleanliness and maintenance. It requires specific knowledge and technological proficiency. Collaborating with a facility management company ensures you have access to industry best practices without the stress of staying current in this specialized field.

Terra-Gen

Donnie Rust

Founded in 2007 and the love child of two infrastructure giants, ECP and Igneo Infrastructure Partners, Terra-Gen had a very good start to life. The former, is a leading investor in infrastructure projects that facilitate energy transition from fossils to renewables, and the latter, a global investment manager with more than $15 billion in direct infrastructure assets.

Terra-Gen

Today, Terra-Gen, LLC is a leading U.S. developer, owner, and operator of utility-scale renewable energy projects in North America with an ownership interest in approximately 3.3 GW and 3,800 MWh of wind, solar and energy storage capacity in operation and construction across 28 renewable power facilities throughout the United States. As a company they are focussed on building a more sustainable tomorrow by doing the work today.

What Do They Do?

In summary, Terra-Gen finances, develops, constructs, and operates clean and sustainable utility-scale energy assets. And have dedicated themselves to responsibly developing projects that promote economic development and environmental sustainability in the communities where they conduct their business. Terra-Gen is

committed to building and operating responsible energy projects that not only benefit their customers but also the local community and future generations.

Leaders In Clean Energy

While being largely indifferent to the politics surrounding clean energy bills, the company remains proud of their leadership in America’s growing clean energy sector. A position that not only brings affordable clean energy and meaningful economic growth to communities across the United States but also creates employment opportunities.

“Our projects bring skilled and green jobs, improvements to infrastructure and increased annual revenue to local communities,” says their website, “As a company focused on renewable energy, Terra-Gen responsibly develops its projects to minimize the environmental impact of our operations.”

Taking Ownership

With a track record for stewardship, Terra-Gen’s leadership and employees understand that the protection of human health, safety and the environment is foundational to all that they do and is represented in their accomplishments.

They are committed to conducting business in a legal and ethical manner, abiding by their strong Environmental Health and Safety Policy. As such, local involvement in communities and stewardship of their areas is central to the task.

Business Approach

Conservation, environmental health and sustainability are the business principles that guide Terra-Gen not only in their broader, long term planning but also their day-to-day actions. As is stated on their website, their company fosters a culture of honesty, transparency and accountability in the development, construction, and operations of all their energy projects.

Employees are especially valued, and TerraGen’s inhouse culture is one that celebrates the success of their interdisciplinary teams in project development, construction management and project operations. After all, these teams are comprised of professionals who work to ensure their projects are properly sited, safely constructed and mindfully operated. Project development teams work with local, state, and federal agencies to permit projects with the highest environmental standards to avoid sensitive resources and mitigate risk. And project operation occurs with consistent compliance

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specialist oversight to ensure that their facilities function in ways that are consistent with environmental regulations and avoid impacts to the environment or natural resources.

Protecting The Condors

In 2012, Terra-Gen created Alta Environmental Services (AES). Located in Kern County, California, AES is focused on the protection of the federally endangered California Condor. Their team plays an important role in the California Condor protection efforts located in the Tehachapi Mountains. AES currently monitors a flock of about 90 Condors and provides this service to other wind energy companies operating in the Tehachapi region.

Monitoring condors requires full-time personnel who track condors during daylight hours when the birds are active. The AES team monitors condors

“Our projects bring skilled and green jobs, improvements to infrastructure and increased annual revenue to local communities,”

by tracking GPS transmitter data or locating them with radio equipment and binoculars. This is done by monitoring for condor entry into specific areas surrounded by imaginary lines called geofences.

What this means is that if a condor flies into geofenced airspace monitored by AES, GPS trackers on the condor signals biologists in nearby towers. Biologists track the condor’s movement and, if warranted, AES will notify nearby operating wind farms. Once notified, wind farm operators can signal project turbines to shut down in as little as one minute. Doing so protects the condors while allowing the much-needed alternative energy projects to operate.

At present, there are approximately 550 condors worldwide, with about 350 of those living in the western U.S. As part of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recovery programme, the

remaining condors are protected in zoos and breeding facilities. These facilities provide a secure place for adults to breed and produce offspring that one day can be returned to the wild.

Additionally, Terra-Gen supports the broader U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service condor recovery programme by providing GPS monitors and radio transmitters that can be safely attached to the birds. The USFWS traps the birds twice a year at specific locations on refuge lands and biologists perform routine health checks and replace lost or broken radio and GPS transmitters. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also regularly releases captive bred juvenile condors to join the wild flock. The accumulated data is essential for the USFWS to support the recovery of these beautiful birds.

AES represents an important part of TerraGen’s business and a real world example of how the

“As a company focused on renewable energy, Terra-Gen responsibly develops its projects to minimize the environmental impact of our operations.”

company applies their environmental values and work practices to help promote well-sited alternative energy projects and environmental stewardship. But it isn’t just limited to such endeavours.

Community Projects

Terra-Gen understands and is strongly committed to empowering their neighbours and local communities where they conduct business. This involvement complements their company mission that focuses on bringing affordable clean energy and meaningful economic growth to communities across the United States. Some of their company efforts include sponsoring high school scholarship programs, contributing to air and space safety research facilities, donating to indigenous reservations, supporting local fire stations and the American Red Cross.

Having changed the Dominican landscape of hardware shopping and lumber yards in 2018, when Do It Center Dominica opened, the business has continued to flourish on the initial idea that seeded the company. To work closely with customers and professionals to get the best results.

A bit of background: back in November 2018, well-known Dominican businessperson, Karl Nassief, opened “Do It Center” (DIC) as a one-stop shopping location that broadly catered to DIYers and contractors while embracing the motto “Your partner in home improvement.”

Karl and the Nassief Group of Companies who were already owners of Auto Trade, KFC, Fine Foods Inc, and several other successful local businesses, chose to locate Do It Center along the Edward Oliver Leblanc Highway on Goodwill Road in Roseau, on the site of a previous commercial building that was devastated by Hurricane Maria.

Originally, Do It Center opened as a hardware, lumber, and building materials company providing contractors and homeowners with a wide variety of products and materials from construction to furnishings and d é cor. As part of the global member owned cooperative, Do It Center served and still serves as the exclusive agent for the Do It

Best® line of products.

In Focus

A Dominican household name, Karl Nassief is the proprietor of multiple successful franchises including Auto Trade, KFC, Fine Foods Inc., and other top franchises. He saw an opportunity to offer a business that catered directly to contractors, homeowners, and lovers of DIY providing them easy access to the best toolage and materials.

“Do It Center is a fully branded “do it best” store and is a brand from Indiana,” explains Do It Center general manager Evadney Esprit, “We introduced Do It Center to Dominica to really change the landscape of hardware shopping and lumber yard to the public. And we have achieved that.”

Since opening their doors to the public, DIC has promised to continue to expand their products, training and approach and over the last six years have established a loyal customer base who are satisfied with what the company has to offer.

Staff Make All The Difference

How customer facing and customer supporting staff treat those visiting the stores is essential for building the reputation. With a staff number

of over forty, the team understands that the customers coming to the store will either know exactly what they are after (such as contractors and DIY enthusiasts) or will be looking for advice and guidance (general first-time homeowners), both need to be treated with the upmost respect.

A key to ensuring that the staff accomplish this task is to make sure that the staff themselves are looked after. Evadney explains that the employees are happy, partly due to the nature of the work but also due to being experts in the field and given the respect that they deserve.

Employees are particularly important to the success of the business. DIC treats its team with respect, offers staff training, a friendly work atmosphere and, in turn, customers receive the best service from people who love their jobs.

Do It Center Dominica has access to all the Do It Best brand training materials and initiatives to use in its own employee training process. The DIC Human Resources department also conducts training, which was invaluable as all of the current employees were new hires when the store was opened and since then the company has invested a lot of time and money in making sure they are knowledgeable and prepared to serve customers.

Web Store

Two years after launching, in 2020, during the

height of the Pandemic, the company launched their new webstore to enable convenient online shopping. This one-stop destination for the best hardware, building materials and household products proved popular very quickly and have remained firmly in use.

Featuring extensive product lines with high resolution images and product descriptions, as well as Live Chat Agents to help customers navigate the site with ease, the initiative demonstrated Do It Center’s continued commitment to provide premium service to the general public, especially during challenging times when many contractors and homeowners found themselves needing equipment to complete paying jobs but would have been unable to source the readily available materials and tools.

Plans

Looking to the future, the company’s priorities and objectives are clear and resolute: to continue to grow and provide the services for the public of Dominica and expand to respond to the needs of the country.

“That’s really what the future holds for the business,” says Evadney. “We have incredibly

“After the hurricane in 2018 we made significant steps in the rebuilding process. This progress has been made on three fronts, individual, company ad national. Dominica is strong and moving forward and we are proud to be a part of that.”

good technology; we have a great POS system that manages our inventory and accounting. The technology is also such that we can communicate with Do It Best and prepare purchase orders on our software, and it communicates directly with the warehouse in Miami. So, we do not have to fax or email our orders in and we have spent time and made the investment in technology, including scanners for receiving which means we can look up prices on our phones, and how much of an item we have in inventory, so we can serve the customers as efficiently as possible. As for growing product lines, we currently do not carry decorative tiles, but it is a requirement for any hardware; something that the clients want and look for. So, we have started placing orders and will be offering tiles for our customers.”

Evadney explains that her background is in finance, where she is a chartered accountant by profession, and has worked with Karl Nassief for the last few years, so she was already part of the Nassief Group of Companies when she made the career change and became the GM of Do It Center.

“It has been extremely rewarding to see the resilience here,” she says, “After the hurricane in 2018 we made significant steps in the rebuilding process. This progress has been made on three fronts, individual, company ad national. Dominica is strong and moving forward and we are proud to be a part of that.”

Donnie Rust

At the core of Trinidad and Tobago’s advancing energy sector is Trinidad Offshore Fabricators Unlimited (TOFCO), a world-class provider with over a decade of expertise in fabrication, construction and offshore services for the oil and gas industry. Keeping the work in-country rather than sending jobs elsewhere, the company has proven they can deliver projects to the highest standards that benefit those living nearest.

As the operation behind the landmark Juniper project, as well as nine other major offshore projects, TOFCO’s impact within the sector has been tremendous, and through the quality and standard of services delivered, the company’s reach continues to expand. Expansion meaning more partnerships with local government, local contractors and oil and gas companies and more jobs for local communities. There is a sense that TOFCO has been built with the idea of using local talent to ensure the maximum benefit for the country and to create economic value from the projects undertaken.

TOFCO as it is known today was formed 20 years ago as part of a joint venture between Chet Morrison Contractors, LLC a Louisiana based company and Weldfab Ltd of Trinidad. Javed Mohammed, TOFCO’s general manager, has been with the company since 2004 and has seen it engage in some impressive projects, and they started with a big one.

“Our first major was the BP Cannonball

“Over the last twenty years we’ve seen the importance of cultivating a progressive management to employee relationship with an emphasis on teamwork and communication,”

project in 2004,” he recalls. Twenty years later the company is celebrating with a phenomenal HSC record of 11,500,000 man hours without a losttime incident, “This is a tremendous achievement based on the risk profile that we operate in.”

People Matter

While TOFCO, on the surface, is a technology focussed business, which provides incomparable value in service and products using innovative technology. It is their people that is their foremost priority. Mohammed is proud that their culture of leadership supports their staff and local communities and that they are in the position to empower a local workforce and community through training, education, and career development.

“Over the last twenty years we’ve seen the importance of cultivating a progressive management to employee relationship with an emphasis on teamwork and communication,” he says, adding, “This ties in closely with our safety record.”

Last year at the T&T Energy Conference, Mohammed explained that the continued development of human resources was crucial for the country as it attempts to find various lanes to economic stability.

“I think it’s very important,” he said, “One of the key drivers has always been sustainability and continuity. So, we have had our challenges not because of our performance of that but because

of the economic downturn that happened in 2020. We did have a drop, but we are grateful to be able to still be a surviving entity. It is important for the community, it is important for the country, not just the company obviously because we continue to excel,”

He went on to say that what TOFCO does is create the opportunities for (local) skill sets to enhance themselves and this is one of the important things driving both the country’s direct and indirect economic impact. Which if you go to measure, it goes all over, not just in Trinidad. People can even take their earnings and spend it all over the world when they travel. So, it just shows you what opportunities are there and how much the company, and the country can do.

Energetic Approach

The company’s commitment to innovation, which is in direct response to addressing the evolving needs of varied clients, has played a significant role in its development. Arriving at creative solutions that respond to each client’s challenge has allowed TOFCO to accomplish its goal of

sustainable growth, becoming a remarkable illustration of local achievement.

Since, 2004 TOFCO has become a highly valued supplier of comprehensive construction and maintenance services. Recognised for its outstanding safety standards and superior work it is known as a one-stop solution for the highest quality fabrication and support needs for the oil and gas industry. They have progressed from a sole focus on the offshore business to work on refineries and petrochemical plants. Diversifying operations has allowed TOFCO a greater agility, leading the company to explore prospects that will ensure even more sustainable growth.

With a strong view to capitalise on opportunities in international markets, TOFCO has attracted attention beyond their nation’s shores, from as far as South Africa and South America. The company has hosted government officials from countries such as Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela, Ghana, and Nigeria, all of whom have expressed interest in adopting TOFCO’s business model.

Location Location Location.

As their full range of services have expanded and diversified over the years, TOFCO now offers everything from construction and fabrication to equipment installation and labour services. As well as a host of other operations between. All from their large thirty-seven acre waterfront facility that allows them strategic access to the Caribbean and northwest South America

This waterfront site is located on the southwest coast of Trinidad where it has easy access to the Gulf of Paria, which allows TOFCO to support all the oil and gas fields in the offshore industry in Trinidad and the surrounding Caribbean region, as well as easy transport of decks or other components for offshore assembly.

From here with their local workforce of skilled industry professionals, TOFCO have integrated established processes, leading technologies for fabrication and other services, and scheduling management to maximize efficiencies, quality control and customer service.

“...We did have a drop, but we are grateful to be able to still be a surviving entity. It is important for the community, it is important for the country, not just the company obviously because we continue to excel,”

The premises include a state of the art fabrication workshop, with a 140’ running trolley crane system, warehouse space and overhead trolley cranes as well as six 2T Jib Cranes, NC cutting machine and table and pipe rollout machines.

And due to the size of their facility it is ideal for fabrication, lay down and loadout of large components having direct waterfront access.

New Projects

There have been several peaks and troughs in the industry over the course of the last half decade, which are results from a number of external factors that have impacted the work. However, 2024 is looking to be a busy year and Mohammed is excited, explaining that the continued development of human resources is crucial as the country attempts to find various lanes to economic stability.

“I think it’s important for the community, I think it is important for the country, not just the company obviously because we continue to excel,” said Mohammed.

Forging a company, moulding a legacy

Donnie Rust WHS Plastics

For over ninety years, WHS Plastics has successfully operated in a highly competitive global marketplace where they have established themselves as a key player and innovator. Founded by William Henry Smith, who’s initials still adorn the title, the company’s birthplace was Birmingham England where it forged a reputation for having the most UpToDate and cutting edge manufacturing techniques and ideas.

Crucial in the race for the development of radar systems during the second world war, WHS Plastics have played an instrumental part in producing products both in the homes of people across the world, and their kitchens and garages too.

Products

The secret to longevity it seems is to make decisions that benefit employees and clients alike, and often this involves partnering with businesses that may at first glance seem like competitors but become partners. Through this approach, the company operates in a variety of market segments including automotive, electronics, extrusion, industrial, off highway, packaging, metal pressings and hygiene products. Benefitting from a strong UK footprint supporting some of the UK’s biggest brands along with an overseas facility

supplying blue chip global companies.

The Essentials

At the core of WHS Plastics’ business is the design and manufacturing of injection mouldings ranging from high quality functional parts to complex assemblies featuring added value elements such as painting and foiling processes, for both interior and exterior automotive components. To complement these skills, they offer advisory consultation to customers on material choices, the use of technical polymers and recyclable materials. Bringing as many elements inhouse as possible, WHS manufacture high quality injection moulding tools, assembly equipment and a wide range of metal pressings.

“When dealing with customers we always deliver measurable benefits to differentiate our offerings from the competition,” says CEO, Paul Nicholson.

Their experience in the manufacture of precision high tech mouldings goes back for almost a century and includes considerable work in power tools, widgets, packaging, drainage products and complex exterior and interior automotive parts. But despite this impressive portfolio, the common theme linking

so many different markets and segments is that they are both technically and performance challenging and this goal plays to the skills and expertise within their development and technical teams.

Protecting The Legacy

A wholly owned family business, the Smiths have run WHS Plastics since its inception. Clint Smith a third generation family member has been the chairman of the company since 1994 and his son Brad has been involved within the business for over 18 years. The Smiths may be the owners, but the family size is extensive and since the purchase of Xandor Plastics during 2023, which formed a £200 million group headquartered in Minworth, Sutton Coldfield, their family has expanded to over 1700 skilled and experienced staff over seven hi-tech manufacturing sites. These sites are in the West Midlands, Yorkshire, Liverpool, Glasgow, and Swansea together with a modern facility near Cairo in Egypt.

Privately owned and trading under the well-known and respected WHS Plastics name, the new business employs some 1750 people and a combined installed base of more than 250 injection moulding presses of up to 2700T clamp force and sophisticated design, engineering,

painting, and assembly capabilities makes the business the largest independently owned injection moulding company in the UK.

Additionally, complimentary processes including extrusion and metal pressings and fasteners complete the portfolio. In addition to a range of prestigious automotive customers, such as Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota, Nissan, Aston Martin, Plastic Omnium and Lear, it also has many other blue-chip customers including, Marks and Spencer, Hewlett-Packard, Samsung, Perkins, JCB, Bulten and Diversey.

Of the union, Paul Nicholson CEO of WHS, commented “Our combined business has the size and presence to maximise the opportunities available in a volatile marketplace, benefiting both customers and employees. I am looking forward to creating a successful, agile business, trusted by its customers, which continues to develop its people and acts in a responsible manner. I am looking forward to continuing our legacy.”

Sustainability

And part of that legacy is doing their bit to protect the world and as such their sustainability approach is ingrained in the business strategy. A truly great Company cannot sacrifice the environment for short term commercial gain. They believe that, rather than being a burden, sustainability brings exciting opportunities and commercial advantage, and they approach this area with their normal structured approach to support and encourage customers on their Sustainability journeys and minimise environmental impacts. They inspire colleagues to act responsibly inside and outside of work, encourage suppliers to improve environmental credentials and generate better long term returns for their stakeholders.

“We recognise that it is our people who are

the true differentiator within our business. It is the commitment, expertise and enthusiasm of our people that makes our business great,” Paul says, adding that, “At WHS Plastics we pride ourselves in developing our people.”

Several of the senior personnel started their careers in junior roles within the business, many as apprentices who climbed the ladder into management. Within the company an employee can grow a rewarding career in a range of different disciplines. Progress within the business is based on merit only as the company does not tolerate any discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, national origin, religion, or belief, actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, marital status, age, or disability.

Teamwork Makes All The Difference

As individuals there is only so much that can be achieved, but working as part of a team we can deliver far more, more quickly. The WHS approach is to encourage cross functional team working to create new innovative solutions to complex challenges. And, as a company they strive to have Health, Safety and the Environment as their top priorities and do not compromise on achieving the highest possible standards in these regards.

“Part of building a great team is trust and we conduct our business affairs with honesty and transparency,” Paul says, “We set high standards for our ethical behaviour and our approach to business in general. Our ongoing future depends on it.”

Waste Not Want Not

Malcolm Tucker

While today, governments, businesses and the public are united in a call for greater sustainability, Iceland based SORPA have already invested decades shaping an industry around their waste management solutions. This significant head start has put them at the forefront of this diversifying market and highlighted them as an industry leader that wastes nothing, especially time.

Figures from the World Bank forecast that waste generation will rise 70 percent on current levels to 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050, a figure driven by rapid urbanisation and growing populations. As a result, the need for proper management has become essential in building sustainable communities – a necessity that is being implemented effectively in Iceland by SORPA.

The Company

Founded in 1989 as a non-profit municipalityowned firm, SORPA handles the waste for Reykjavik city and another six key districts around the capital area where they are recognised as an ambassador for sustainable living. Serving this region, the organisation runs its operations from 10 different locations including a receiving station, a charity shop for used household goods, its main office, a landfill site and six different

strategically located recycling centres.

“We also operate around 85 drop-off centres for recyclables,” explains Bj ö rn Halld ó rsson, General Manager of the organisation. “When combined, this network allows us to provide a broad range of services, receiving, handling, recycling and disposing of all different kinds of waste.”

With these facilities spanning much of the country’s most populated areas, SORPA caters to the waste management demands of roughly 70 percent of the Icelandic population, encompassing more than 100,000 homes.

Simple And Efficient

SORPA is driven to ensure that such services are provided at the lowest possible financial and environmental cost and have achieved unrivalled levels of social responsibility in this way. The organisation continues to face and overcome all kinds of waste management challenges, remaining reliable and reputable despite the struggles of recent years.

In particular, the firm’s emphasis on flexibility and efficiency has proved to be crucial to their success. As Halld ó rsson explains, it is a combination of good planning, the implementation of an effective quality control

system and the participation of their workforce that is the key to their success.

“We continually analyse our existing operations in the aim of expanding our capacity, something that was introduced to great effect with one of our recent restructuring processes,” he says, adding, “Whilst almost all of the heavy equipment we use is owned and operated by contractors, we recognise in certain instances that it can be more economical to manage these ourselves – something we have begun to do in our receiving station.”

Progressive Change

With their reputation for being progressive, SORPA aims to continue expanding and promoting sustainable waste management throughout the entire country.

An example of this, is that the built a combined biogas and composting plant that allows them to handle greater amounts of municipal waste, primarily waste that is generated from households. Moreover, the facility produces fertilisers and compost that is used, amongst other things, to fight erosion in Iceland, advance biodiversity and nutrition recycling, and improve air quality.

This facility has the equivalent impact in CO2 UNOTECH

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emission terms as removing 36,000 vehicles off the country’s roads and although it was a flagship project, it’s just one of several initiatives that the organisation pursues on a regular basis.

Championing innovation in waste management is a role that SORPA has become familiar with. The organisation has been looking for new ways to tackle industry-centric challenges in the capital area for decades, evident in its production of methane from landfill gas – an initiative it has been pursuing since the turn of the century.

“This was a pilot project for not only Iceland but the world, and SORPA has made good progress in controlling the production,” Halld ó rsson explains.

“Biogas is a good alternative fuel for vehicles and is in fact the only fuel in Iceland certified by the Nordic Swan, the official ecolabel of Nordic nations.

“Further, we’re currently in discussions with a local bus company in regard to potentially expanding the use of methane as a fuel for public transport buses, a solution that could be ideally aligned with our new biogas facility.”

Exploring a multitude of ways that waste can be turned into and utilised as energy, SORPA continues to turn curiosity from concept into reality, revolutionising Iceland’s waste management practices.

Make Haste

Fundamentally, SORPA’s acclaimed approach has been crucial in allowing Iceland to better address the challenges posed by rising waste, both raising awareness and providing effective solutions.

“SORPA’s contribution is vital when it comes to reducing the environmental impact of waste in Iceland,” Halld ó rsson adds. “Working in this privileged position, we ensure that we play a key role in helping to achieve almost all of the country’s sustainability goals.”

Achieving these goals is highly dependent on SORPA’s ability to accommodate all types of waste in a financially sound and environmentally friendly way moving forward. Predictions are that the ongoing tourism boom will continue making the future of waste handling a challenge for all involved, but one that SORPA is positioned well to overcome.

An Action Plan For Sustainability

“Iceland ensures that it is compliant with the United Nations’ Sustainability Goals, and

Today, all waste trucks servicing Reykjavik Capital run on upgraded landfill gas, plus two city buses.

the Icelandic government has put increasing emphasis on issues specially related to Iceland,” Halld ó rsson explains.

“This includes educating all people on sustainability, making sure water resources are protected from waste pollution, providing environmentally friendly fuel, enabling the betterment of waste management and air quality, and increasing biodiversity.

“Every year we welcome around 2,500 students of all ages to visit SORPA to teach them about waste management. No other institution or company in Iceland offers such services free of charge to national schools or institutions.”

In August 2020, the capital region’s new gas and composting plant began operating and was named GAJA. The construction of the gas

“SORPA’s contribution is vital when it comes to reducing the environmental impact of waste in Iceland,”

and composting plant in Á lfsnes is a big step in environmental matters in the capital area, but organic materials that fall in the capital area are processed in the plant into methane gas and soil amendment.

The main benefit of processing organic waste in GAJA is a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Side benefits of this process for GAJA are about 12,000 tons of soil improvement and 3 million Nm3 of methane annually. The methane is enough to power about 4-6,000 passenger cars or about 100 buses. It could also power about 2,000 medium-sized homes.

Now that the gas and composting station has become operational and has been running for a number of years, over 95% of household waste in the capital area is now reused.

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