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ISSUE No. 41 | www.bus-ex.com

eurostar diamond traders:

Polished

Perfection How the company is geared up to meet both the challenges of today and the future codelco:

3Q concrete:

al delma:

Included The BE Mining Directory showcases leading mining organisations from across the world, ranging from big corporations to junior mines and their supply chains.

Be seen throughout our portfolio of magazines: •BE Mining Directory •BE Mining •BE Weekly •BE Monthly •

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info@bus-ex.com Infinity Business Media Ltd

editorial Martin Ashcroft Editor In Chief

Martin has edited business magazines for 15 years and has been editor-in-chief since Business Excellence began in 2006. mashcroft@bus-ex.com

Will Daynes Editor

Will has been a business writer for three years. He joined the Business Excellence team in September 2012. wdaynes@bus-ex.com

John O’Hanlon Editor

John has contributed to Business Excellence since its inception: he joined the in-house editorial team in February 2013. johanlon@bus-ex.com

CONTRIBUTORS Wiegert de Vos

Wiegert is a marketing director at Exact, a leading global supplier of business software.

George F. Brown, JR

A regular contributor, George is CEO and cofounder of Blue Canyon Partners, Inc., a consulting firm working with leading companies on growth strategy.

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issue No.41 6 Technology

One source of truth

Supporting cross-border business growth with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) used to be the preserve of blue chip companies. However, a modular approach allows smaller firms to centralise, localise and scale as required.

6

16 Strategy

They Only Had One Pig

Why listening to your customers recomendations will taylor innovations to suit their needs and enhance product development to yield a higher payoff.

26 Eurostar Diamond Traders Polished perfection

CEO Kaushik Mehta, discusses how the company is geared up to meet both the challenges of today and the future.

36 Codelco

26

THE COPPER CONDUCTOR

36

Almost a third of the world’s copper production comes from Chile whose state copper production company Codelco dominates world supply.

50 RDA Zambia LINKing ZAMBIA

RDA Zambia is juggling massive resources to deliver an ambitious road network that will enable the landlocked nation to export its goods and grow its economy.

4 | be weekly

contents 62 3Q Concrete

Cementing a legacy 3Q Concrete supplies its products to some of most important infrastructure projects in South Africa.

62

70 Eldo Coaches

GETTING ABOUT IN STYLE Eldo Coaches has helped to keep Gauteng moving for more than half a century: now it is making inroads into South Africa’s long-haul and tourist routes.

78 Al Delma for General Contracting & Training Services Training for the future

How Al Delma is best placed to create a skilled local workforce in Iraq.

70

86 Abu Dhabi Aviation AIRBORNE ABILITY

78

Abu Dhabi Aviation is the most effective and largest operator in the region with MOR services to match.

BE Directory 96 Buks Haulage Limited

Logistical solutions

98 Chritech Engineering Services solid engineering

100 mintec

PRODUCTIVITY FROM MINESIGHT TO YOUR SITE

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Technology

One source of truth Supporting cross-border business growth with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) used to be the preserve of blue chip companies. However, a modular approach allows smaller firms to centralise, localise and scale as required

written by: Wiegert de Vos

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S

mall and medium sized enterprises (SM E s) a re more active in inter national markets than ever before.

Advances in technology and lower barriers to international trade have made it easier for them to compete globally, yet building a network of subsidiaries presents a fundamental challenge, with each business unit operating in a different environment.

It is therefore critical to have one set of master data for managing core business functions like benchmarking (KPIs), communications and reporting. ERP software is designed to achieve this, by integrating business processes, functions and workflows within a single IT architecture. It provides one ‘source of truth’ and supports the efficient flow of information across the organisation.

However, ERP projects are notorious for taking longer and costing more than anticipated. Even the most well-equipped organisations struggle to successfully realise the expected business benefits. Indeed, the scale and

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complexity of ERP projects has meant that historically, only very large and multinational cor porations have undertaken an organisationwide implementation.

Smaller firms that do successfully deploy ERP at their head office can then find it difficult to ‘stretch’ their central system across multiple sites. International subsidiaries in particular have very different needs – both in terms of the business processes they employ, and local culture, language and legislation.

In order to make ERP more relevant to smaller firms with international operations, innovative midtier vendors now offer modular systems. Available at a fraction of the cost of toptier cross border solutions, modular ERP enables SMEs and entrepreneurial organisations to expand their implementation one step at a time without weakening it.

Out-of-the-box, standalone extensions to a company ’s existing infrastructure ensure that new operations enjoy the same level of support as the HQ. Each new ‘add-on’ can

“ERP proj notorious longer and c than ant

jects are for taking costing more ticipated�

Technology then feed into a central master data system, allowing local offices to run independently while contributing to company-wide reporting.

The ERP’s reach is extended as required, rather than being stretched. Faster and cheaper to implement, smaller organisations are able to grow their system in line with their business needs and in response to market demand.

The Pareto principle Deploying additional, highly specific blocks of certain ERP functionality can deliver significant business benefits.

Rapid improvements can be made in targeted areas rather than trying to manage the wide range of challenges associated with broad and therefore complex implementations.

Basic yet essential functions like financials can be up and running in a matter of days or weeks, whereas a full ERP rollout can take months or even years.

Moreover, experience shows that with ERP deployments, the Pareto principle (the 80/20 rule) often applies. Focussing ERP

on the 20 percent of functions and features that align with core business processes will typically account for 80 percent of the efficiency gains to be realised.

Crucially, a modular approach to ERP allows SMEs and entrepreneurs to address the overriding organisational challenge posed by expansion across borders – the evolution of management. When a business moves to a more formal organisational structure its head office must maintain organisation-wide control. At the same time, subsidiaries need the freedom to drive their own objectives in local markets. Empowering them at the local level with the functionality they need, while still maintaining a holistic overview of the company, is the key to success.

For senior management at head office, the main concern is a lack of business transparency. Reporting will usually be done monthly but can often be subject to delay and based on definitions and procedures differing from those used in other subsidiaries.

Conducting like-for-like

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comparisons of KPIs such as inventory levels, day sales outstanding, and product mix and margins therefore becomes highly complex and time-consuming.

Modular ERP can help.

Running one master data system used by all subsidiaries provides a single source of truth and delivers improved insight and reliable crossborder KPIs. Standardising centrally and localising where necessary ensures clarity and supports standardised reporting practices.

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Effective communications Eden Chocolates for example, has a production facility in Suzhou, China and implemented the same midtier ERP package used at its head office in Belgium.

This way, the company has been able to align its finance and accounting, inventory, production and quality control functions locally while ensuring effective communications between its Suzhou plant and head office.

This has resolved many

of the inconsistencies in communications that existed previously.

“Our two offices currently keep separate databases,” says Alven Ge, Finance and Human Resources Director at the Eden Chocolates plant in Suzhou. “Only top management can access both databases, but we still need to be able to communicate without difficulty. When the Belgian office downloads reports, they can easily understand them because they use the same system,

Technology

“When the Belgian office downloads reports, they can easily understand them because they use the same system” which saves time. Sometimes head office sends us a sample report from their own ERP, so that we can send them exactly what they want.”

Eden Chocolates uses ERP to administer the entire process of producing chocolates – from generating sales to

shipping and everything in between. When a sales order is received, it is entered directly into the system, from which an MRP (materials required planning) is created and issued to the sourcing team. Once a supplier has been selected, the ERP system generates supplier and pricing information, as well as item codes for new materials. It also tracks incoming supplies and customer orders, creates production orders, and makes this information available to the warehouse for shipping.

Once finished goods have been shipped, a sales invoice is generated and sent to both the customer and the accounts receivable department.

The latter can then create reports to see whether there are still suppliers that need paying, or whether there are outstanding payments from customers. Eden chocolates also uses its ERP system to assure quality control, by

tracing all items leaving or entering its factory, recording det a i led i n for mat ion relating to inspection, and monitoring the shelf life data of individual ingredients.

“The system prevents waste and saves money, because it automatically generates reports telling us which individual items will expire in the near future.”

Improved visibility A nother mid-sized company to benefit from a standardised yet localised approach to ERP is Vacu Vin, a manufacturer of food and wine consumer products.

Vacu Vin implemented a mid-tier ERP system across its eight subsidiaries in Europe and North America to improve decision-making and the level of support provided to subsidiaries. Using ERP, Vacu Vin has automated its procurement and warehouse processes, enabling local

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Technology subsidiaries to ship directly to local customers and eliminate double entry, meaning time savings, fewer errors, and faster delivery times.

According to Vacu Vin’s Stephan Schneider, the company’s ability to plan production centrally has also improved considerably as it can now view local stock levels directly, as well as incoming sales orders from local offices. “The result is better capacity planning and

Using ERP has also enabled Vacu Vin’s head office to benchmark subsidiar y performance and react accordingly. “Today, we have global, real-time visibility of our business operations,” continues Schneider. “There is a huge difference in our ability to support our eight subsidiaries, because product sales managers in the head office can react very quickly to problems. Today, all subsidiaries run ERP, and

“Our inventory levels are lower today because of the visibility ERP provides” utilisation as well as fewer out-of-stock situations,” he says. “Furthermore, our inventory levels are lower today, because of the visibility ERP provides. Our ability to plan sales is much better and therefore we need fewer inventories. Finally, we can better support local resellers in terms of selecting the optimal product mix and purchase volumes and they really appreciate that.”

it is easier to benchmark subsidiary performance and take corrective actions. For example, one subsidiary saw a 30 percent revenue increase after a change project that was started due to the business intelligence from ERP.” Simple, but powerful Despite the simplicity of the modular approach when compared to projects proposed by the top

tier international ER P providers, there is clear evidence from successful multinationals that they have the power to continue driving impressive growth.

W hen Bugaboo, a Netherlands-based manufacturer of baby buggies, launched in 1999, the team comprised just six people and was working with very simple installed systems. Accounting was done on a small scale and Bugaboo’s ERP requirement was minimal. Opting for an SME solution to support its wholesale & distribution operations, Bugaboo has subsequently grown to be a major international player with operations in Australia, Spain and the US. It therefore conducted a review to determine whether its ERP platform could still provide the necessary level of support.

“Exact software is actually intended for the SME sector and as we are undergoing tremendous growth we decided to take a critical look at the situation,” says Rob van Dijk, project leader for system development at Bugaboo.

“We looked at a number of different systems, including

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the big players with ERP packages. We nevertheless came to the conclusion that we were still very satisfied with Exact and would stick with it for a number of years.

There are two reasons for this: it works very well and is excellent value for money.”

All the sales organisations within the Bugaboo group use its ERP system, with every site linked to its four international divisions, while its central customer contact centre records all contact points within the system.

As well as accommodating local legislation for tax, local transport and language, the ERP platform has enabled Bugaboo to develop a worldwide Retail Online Ordering portal. Users can create inbound and outbound orders based on a range of factors – including prices, product range, language, and inventory and delivery time – which are then

processed automatically and forwarded electronically to retailers, logistics partners and e-commerce platforms.

Trustworthy reporting, out-of-the-box In the past, too many firms have relied on spreadsheets and non-connected systems to support international growth. The risks of this approach are wide-ranging.

Manual processes are prone to human error, while data cannot easily be shared or compared with that held in other spreadsheets or systems. Conversely, if all sites use the same system, it is comparatively simple to reconcile definitions, maintain a consolidated database and report on it.

Using a modular ERP architecture and web services, it is relatively straightforward to build a hyperlinked crossborder backbone to provide SMEs with an integrated

view of their business. A modular architecture means that a company can use only the ERP features necessary to support core business functions when establishing a new site.

In addition, innovative ERP vendors are offering monthly subscriptions like those employed under

“smaller firms should not be afraid to think big with ERP. Today’s modular solutions offer powerful functionality at an attractive price point” 14 | Be weekly

Technology

the software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, providing a flexible alternative to the rigid user licensing agreements employed by top-tier ERP players. Under the utility pricing model, the cost of the licence and ongoing maintenance are aggregated into a recurring monthly fee. There is no minimum contract period and upgrades can be implemented on a pay-asyou-go basis. This allows SMEs to start with a subset of ERP functionality and add new features as their business grows.

With the traditional capital outlay eliminated and a monthly fee that is a fraction of the cost of conventional ERP licensing, SMEs have the flexibility to scale rapidly both up and down depending on the local market requirement.

At the same time, ERP allows organisations to pool strategic functions such as finance, HR and marketing at one location and deliver

them as a shared service to local subsidiaries.

Ultimately, smaller firms should not be afraid to think big with ERP. Today’s modular ERP solutions offer powerful functionality at an attractive price point, with the flexibility to scale both up and down as necessary for an extremely efficient, low-cost and rapid ERP implementation.

Wiegert de Vos is marketing director of Exact, a leading global supplier of business software. www.exact.com

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They Only Had One Pig Why listening to your customers recomendations, will tailor innovations to suit their needs, enhance product development to yield a higher payoff and save you time in the process

written by: George F. Brown, Jr.

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strategy

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D

uring a recent discussion, a customer of one of my clients described an episode of the popular television series House in response to a question that I had asked. In that episode, Drs. House and Wilson had made a bet as to which could hide a chicken in the hospital for the longest time without being detected by security.

A young doctor on the staff asked a colleague why each of the two senior department heads had chickens in the hospital. The answer she got was “The store only had one pig.”

The interviewee connected this story to my question about our client’s product development contributions as follows: “Every year, your client comes to us with a new release of their product, touting some new features and capabilities. We always ask them ‘Why did you do this?’ and get some sort of an answer. Now I realize their answer is the equivalent of ‘They only had one pig’. It is an answer, technically accurate, but doesn’t really address what we are asking,

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namely ‘What makes you think these changes will be of any value to us?’” He went on to characterize the most recent several releases of our client’s product as being totally disconnected from what they needed as a customer. His concluding comment was that “Maybe someone in your client’s engineering department thinks these are good ideas, but clearly no one has ever asked us customers if we share that opinion.”

While this executive’s perspective was a troubling message to take to this client, the truth is that their firm is far from alone in terms of investing in innovations that produce nothing by yawns on the part of customers.

Several years ago, two of my colleagues cataloged the most frequent external inputs to product development as follows: • Last Call Certainty – Ideas advanced that react to the most recent customer visit.

• Incrementalism – Ideas focused on small-step improvements to the current product.

• Technology Infatuation – Ideas surfaced by experts

“Maybe some client’s en department t are good i clearly no o asked us cu we share th

eone in your ngineering thinks these ideas, but one has ever ustomers if hat opinion”

strategy enamored with technology they have seen elsewhere, heard about, or personally developed.

• C opy-Cat Imitation – Ideas advanced because a competitor has gone in this direction.

• B rainstorms – Ideas advanced as a result of an inspiration. What is unfortunately missing from this list is the recommendations of customers.

Thinking about your customers – not just your direct customer, but customers at every stage of the customer chains in which your firm participates – provides the inputs for an approach to innovation and product development that can yield a higher payoff. As the executive quoted earlier went on to say, “We know exactly what your client should do in terms of evolving their product. And we’d be excited if they listened and took our advice. All they’ve ever needed to do was ask.”

For almost every firm, this executive’s advice is correct and relevant. Customers know what innovations

would be of value to them, and are almost always willing to share their ideas.

There is a systematic way to think about your customers and elicit ideas that will create value for them and lead to rewards for your firm’s shareholders. In CoDestiny, we outline three ways in which a firm can bring value to its customers – helping them to grow volume, helping them to achieve a higher price point, and helping them to “take costs out” and strengthen their bottom-line margins.

These three routes to success always work, and they work when it comes to identifying innovations and new product strategies.

As an aside, these three concepts also provide a litmus test for ideas that are surfaced through traditional means such as those that were listed above. If the idea has merit, the sponsor should be able to explain how it will help customers grow volume, reach higher price points, or take costs out of the system. If they can’t make at least one of those connections, it is the right time to bring out the caution

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“Most customers respond to questions about how they can grow by focusing on what it will take to increase their market share, and this opportunity should never be overlooked” flag. And, in those instances in which the sponsor of an idea can provide a credible explanation as to how the idea will create value along one of these three dimensions, you now have the foundations for a productive discussion with the customers who are thought to be the likely beneficiaries of the idea. More often than not, discussions with customers that are focused on the reasons why the innovation is believed to create value will yield one of two outcomes. One possibility is that you will learn that it is wishful thinking, that the customer doesn’t buy into the value calculation. It’s rarely wise to just accept that outcome and discard the idea, but it is almost always wise to hear their reasoning and objections.

The second possibility is the more exciting one, when the

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customer agrees with the potential. In those instances, there can be incredible value from interactions that result in a “customer-written product development plan.”

After all, who is better at saying what they will value then your customers?

Listening to customers is, of course, always a challenge, always with the potential for distractions and misleading messages. That reality applies to discussions about innovation and product development as well as to the other topics where conversations are important.

It is critical to separate the innovations and product development contributions that genuinely create value for customers (and allow you to capture value for your own shareholders) from those that don’t. In truth, customers are often as guilty as your

own organization’s team in terms of being swayed by interesting technology, competitor offerings, or other such factors. But when approached correctly, the potential for your customers to contribute high-value insights is great.

Ideas that Help Your Customers to Increase Sales Volume The first means of creating value for customers involves contributions that help them to increase sales volume. To get at ideas that contribute along this dimension, the focus of discussions has to be on what the customer believes is impeding their growth. Productive lines of discussion involve two routes to greater volume – taking market share and reaching “adjacent” markets.

Most customers respond

strategy to questions about how they can grow by focusing on what it will take to increase their market share, and this opportunity should never be overlooked. If a supplier can help its customers win sales against its competitors, your firm and your customer can both benefit from higher volume. If you can learn the dimensions along which your customer is viewed as inferior to its competitors, you might be able to identify contributions that can help to close that gap.

But another way of helping a customer increase volume is by helping them to identify new markets in which they can participate. Sometimes these new markets involve new geographies – entering fast-growth markets like China, India, or Brazil.

It is remarkable how much of a contribution a supplier can make in this area, particularly if their

customer’s entry strategy depends on understanding the peculiarities of the new country market, or if it has local-content requirements, or if new sales channels are required to reach end customers. The key thing to learn from a customer is what will have to change in order for them to be successful in a newly-targeted market. That insight can help to guide your firm’s product development plans.

New geographic markets are, however, only one option through which a supplier can work with its customers to

find new sources of volume.

Adjacent markets offer a similar possibility, but often require more creativity in terms of thinking. If the options were easy, the customer would probably have thought of them and already implemented then.

Successful suppliers have come up with ideas in this realm by thinking of how their own products and services contribute across the customers and markets in which they are active, and then trying to spotlight lessons that can be taken to specific customers that build upon those broader lessons. Your customer is probably already thinking about adjacent markets and will likely value any insights you can bring as to how they can make the transition successfully. Bringing them ideas is a superb way through which to start a conversation that can lead to ideas about

“another way of helping a customer increase volume is by helping them to identify new markets in which they can participate” Be weekly | 21

new product development options that will deliver value to your customer.

One firm, for example, had numerous customers that served the aftermarket in their industry with replacement parts and services. It identified other firms that only sold original equipment, and went to them with ideas about how to expand to a more complete life-cycle offering. In several instances, this idea resonated with the customer, and the two firms defined product development strategies to allow entry into the customer’s aftermarket environment. In another industry, a firm that developed a new sensor for use in highlychallenging environments involving extreme weather conditions subsequently did a systematic examination of other instances in which sensors might be subjected to demanding conditions. The project involved a combination

of market research and brainstorming, resulting in the identification of nearly two dozen possibilities. They then did outreach to prospective customers, learned the issues that kept those firms awake at night, and commissioned several product development efforts to evolve the sensor’s capabilities into those application environments.

Today, over 70 percent of the firm’s sales are in these additional markets.

Ideas that Help Your Customers to Reach a Higher Price Point The second opportunity for value creation, helping customers to reach a higher price point, is probably the one which is most confusing and challenging. It is rare to speak with any company that doesn’t cite the challenge of developing new capabilities that differentiate their product and respond to the

challenge we cited in the title of the first chapter of CoDestiny: Your Customers Want More and They Will Pay You for It. One approach that has generated constructive discussions with customers involves defining options through which customers can offer a standard product at their current price point and a new, high-end option at a higher price point. This approach allows the supplier to provide customers with a “no downside, real upside option.” If the option is selected, the supplier and the customer can share the rewards of reaching a higher price point, and if the option takes off and gains market acceptance, it can in fact move the market to the higher price point preferred by customers.

The key question to ask your customers is of the form “Assume for a minute that

“helping customers to reach a higher price point, is probably the one which is most confusing and challenging” 22 | Be weekly

strategy your current product falls at the ‘Better’ point on the Good-Better-Best spectrum.

Under that assumption, what would the ‘Best’ product look like?”

Sometime a supplier can do their own market research or draw upon their own experiences to develop a roster of ideas that can be discussed with customers. Learning what is of interest to even a niche group of customers can be of great value, if a trade-up option relevant to that niche audience can be developed.

Many of the options that we presently take for granted on our cars and trucks were first offered as trade-up options to a niche group of customers before becoming standard features on vehicles. Small items like cup holders, most of the consumer electronics used in vehicles (eg CD players, DVD players, navigation systems, security systems etc), and products like sunroofs began in the aftermarket as a post-sale option for those customers that wanted them. As suppliers helped the carmakers to see the increasing volume of

customers that bought these products, the carmakers began to offer these features as options on their vehicles.

Many of us can remember making the decision to buy the car with the CD-6 player and the sunroof, even though it had a higher sticker price. Today, many cars offer those options as standard equipment. The automotive industry is not the only one where this strategy has proven successful.

What it required to make this option successful is insight about what additional features are of interest to at

least some niche group of customers. That is one of the reasons why, in this section and the earlier one, I have advocated using market research and experience to create a factual starting point for conversations with customers. Like anyone, your customers values it when you bring them useful information and insight.

Doing so is always a superb way to begin a constructive conversation, one in which the customer sees your attempt to bring value to them and is oriented towards reciprocating. The other

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“The final opportunity for creating value for customers is that of identifying how to take costs out of the system” reason for the developing a solid fact basis is that of separating those ideas that have the potential to create value from those that don’t.

As was noted before, not all of the ideas you hear from customers are good ones, so additional sources of corroboration can help to ensure a focus on the ideas that have merit.

Ideas that Help Your Customer to “Take Costs Out” The final opportunity for creating value for customers is that of identifying how to take costs out of the system.

This approach requires that firms take a new perspective on innovation and product development.

Most frequently, the perspective about innovation and improvement involve better performance or more features. These are, of course, valuable contributions, and

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the source of many of the success stories associated with growth in sales volume or reaching higher price points. But they are not the only possible contributions from innovation initiatives, as the following comments from customers of various suppliers attest: “It reduced our costs of manufacturing.”

“It eliminated two steps in the installation process.”

“It cut our warranty claims in half.”

“It allowed us to increase our efficiency in managing our shelf space by 25 percent.”

“It didn’t require protective packaging.”

“It allowed us to use the same component on three generations of our equipment, reducing inventory levels by more than half.”

“It was self-diagnosing, reducing the number of trips required to fix a broken unit by half.”

Every one of those statements was included in a supplier success story told by a customer about a highlycherished supplier that had brought value to the customer.

In none of these instances did the success story involve improved performance along the basic metrics relevant in the industry, nor did any involve new features of importance to end customers.

But all of them helped the supplier take costs out of the system and improve their bottom lines.

Every supplier has such options, and innovation planning should focus on identifying them and determining whether it is possible to respond to such options for value creation.

The best suppliers become aware of these options by building strong touch point relationships at all levels of their interactions with their customers. It’s highly unlikely

strategy that interactions between the sales and purchasing organizations are going to focus on discussions about shelf space economics, manufacturing process improvements, or packaging.

But other departments within both the supplier and customer organization are acutely aware of problems and opportunities in these areas.

And if those departments interact and share information effectively, it will often be the case that the supplier organization can identify innovations that respond to real customer needs.

It takes investment in relationships to get to the point where such innovation opportunities surface naturally, but such investments can have a huge payoff and significantly increase the number of instances in which innovations will be applauded by a supplier’s customers.

Just asking your contacts in the purchasing department “How can we help your firm take costs out?” probably will elicit an answer of the form “Cut your price.” But asking the question of the right individuals throughout

the organization can yield answers like those reflected in the various quotes presented above and point the way to product development options that create value that can be shared between the supplier and their customer.

Summary To conclude, return to the challenge reflected in the comments made by the executive at the start of this article. The product innovations that were made only because “they only

had one pig” were invested in because the firm failed to listen to the voices of its customers. When this firm refocused its efforts to learn what options would create value for its customers, it found exciting options within all three categories.

For the firm that was the subject of the executive’s harsh review, the outcome was a celebrated success. Within a two year period, it had doubled the percentage of sales associated with new product introductions, and there was widespread agreement within the firm that the best was still to come. Their experience can be replicated in your firm.

The same potential exists for you to get help from your customers to bring a focus to your innovation and product development plans, ones that results in customers saying “They listened and did exactly what we needed.”

George F. Brown, Jr. is the CEO and cofounder of Blue Canyon Partners, Inc., a management consulting firm working with leading business suppliers on growth strategy.

Along with Atlee Valentine Pope, he is also the author of CoDestiny: Overcome Your Growth Challenges by Helping Your Customers Overcome Theirs. www.bluecanyonpartners.com

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Eurostar Diamond Traders

Polished perfection Chief Executive Officer of the Eurostar Group, Kaushik Mehta, discusses how the company is geared up to meet both the challenges of today and the future

written by: Will Daynes research by: Will Kirby

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One of the polishing rooms at Eurostar, Botswana

Eurostar Diamond Traders

I

t was in 1972 that Dame Shirley Bassey released the iconic song Diamonds Are Forever. Immortalised as the theme tune to one of Sean Connery’s greatest James Bond adventures the song spoke of how diamonds will remain long after a person’s love has gone. The truth is that not only will diamonds outlive many generations to come, the creation of natural diamonds pre-dates life on earth itself.

Formed at high temperature and pressure at depths of between 140 and 190 kilometres inside the Earth’s mantle, the growth of natural diamonds occurs over periods of 1 billion to 3.3 billion years. Brought close to the Earth’s surface naturally through deep volcanic eruptions by a magma that cools into igneous rocks, diamonds can also be produced synthetically or through chemical vapour deposition (CV D).

Renowned for its superlative physical qualities, diamond possesses the highest hardness and thermal conductivity of any bulk material known to man.

Today it is thought that approximately 26,000 kilograms of diamonds are mined annually, equating to a total value of almost $9 billion. At the same time, around 100,000 kilograms of diamond is synthesised, with roughly 49 percent of diamonds originating from Central and Southern Africa.

Despite the timeless nature of diamonds, the diamond industry has not avoided the economic turbulence that has plighted many a business sector over the years. Ironically enough, it was during the 1970s that the seeds were sown for what has since been referred to as the great diamond crash of 1980.

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$9 Billion The estimated value of diamonds mined annually

Rough stone

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Having been founded only two years prior to this event, perhaps it wouldn’t have been a surprise if Eurostar Diamond Traders had become a short-lived entity. As it happens, the events of 1980 actually helped shape the company into what it remains 35 years on.

“Having weathered the near collapse of the diamond business in 1980,” explains Kaushik Mehta, Chief Executive Officer of the Eurostar Group, “we saw the fall in the price of diamonds as an opportunity to set about expanding ourselves from our single manufacturing plant in Belgium, focusing on a core business strategy that involves purchasing rough diamonds, cutting and polishing them, and then selling them on through various channels to retailers, wholesalers and prestigious brand names.”

At its heart, diamond cutting is the practice of changing a diamond from a rough stone into a faceted gem through a combination of specialised knowledge, tools, equipment and techniques. The activity of diamond cutting, as well as overall processing, is typically concentrated in a select few cities around the world, with 80 percent of all rough diamonds being handled in the Antwerp diamond district.

“While our activities in Belgium remain absolutely crucial to our operations,” Mehta continues, “we have developed massively as a business since the early 1980s, evolving into one of the leading diamond manufacturers on

Eurostar Diamond Traders

Analyzing rough stone - mapping inclusions

the market.” This evolution saw Eurostar become a Sightholder of the DTC, the sales and marketing arm of the De Beers Group, in 1986, before going on to found Eurostar Belgium Inc. in New York in 1992.

Two years later the company achieved a major milestone in its development with the establishing of its main diamond cutting and polishing centre in China, where it now operates from three locations. In 2001, Eurostar completed the acquisition of a sizeable stake in The Hearts on Fire Company,

making it the leading producer of ideal cut Hearts & Arrows diamonds in the world. The first decade of the new millennium bought with it yet more success, with Eurostar Diamond Traders Shanghai being founded in 2002 and Eurostar being awarded a second DTC Sight in Botswana. More recently, in 2010, the group has established both Eurostar Diamond Traders Hong Kong Ltd. and Eurostar Diamonds India Pvt Ltd, the latter of which is run by Mehta’s brother Paresh.

Following the successful establishment of

“We have developed massively as a business since the early 1980s, evolving into one of the leading diamond manufacturers on the market” be weekly | 31

“Internally, the group has also made great strides in its work to attract, and subsequently retain, the most talented individuals possible to its workforce�

Analysing polished stone

32 | be weekly

Eurostar Diamond Traders infrastructure within China the company has begun to turn its attentions to other targets, the next being Cambodia. “As a result of the length of time that we have existed as a leading player in the market,” Mehta states, “we have been able to not only create a very strong distribution network covering various market segments, but also a vast portfolio of notable customers, and we want to build on this further in the years to come.”

Eurostar Diamond Traders’ focus on the future means that it relentlessly pursues innovation, out-investing the industry in developing the latest manufacturing processes and tools. “We are never satisfied with what is seen as the industry standard,” Mehta enthuses, “rather, we stretch ourselves beyond what others see as possible. Thanks to the expertise of our in-house research and development team we are always able to stay a few steps ahead of the competition.”

As is the case with any respected player within the diamond industry, sustainability and corporate social responsibility are massive themes that drive many of the decisions and activities that Eurostar Diamond Traders undertakes. In addition to being 100 percent Kimberly Process compliant, the company participates in a number of community schemes in all of its major locations, from

Kaushik Mehta, CEO

building schools in China to running an orphanage in Botswana. In 2011, the Eurostar group achieved certification to say that it meet the ethical, human rights, social and environmental standards as established by the Responsible Jewellery Council’s Member Certification System.

Internally, the group has also made great strides in its work to attract, and subsequently retain, the most talented individuals possible to its workforce. This all begins with the training that it provides at its factories. “Our in-house schools,” Mehta highlights, “feature intensive programmes that train our workers to expertly polish diamonds. After completing a year-long course, these individuals will have earned the qualifications necessary to move into full time positions in our factories.”

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Sieving polished diamonds

Eurostar Diamond Traders Even with a trained workforce in place one of the major challenges the company faces today, particularly in China, is being able to retain these employees for a substantial period of time. “As recently as two-to-three years ago,” Mehta reveals, “we were experiencing a situation where up to five percent of our Chinese workforce were moving on to other employment on a monthly basis. In the time since we have launched a series of incentivising initiatives to combat this, going so far as to providing accommodation for our workers. What this has helped us do is reduce the percentage of outgoing employees down to as low as two percent, a figure that we hope to improve going forward.”

As Mehta goes on to conclude, this is just one of the challenges that Eurostar Diamond Traders will have to face in the immediate future as the industry battles with the effects of the increasing disparity between supply and demand. “The fact is that while no new diamond mines have opened in the last decade, increased productivity and production has resulted in a shortage of rough diamonds. This is a serious concern for the market and one that will not be solved by a quick-fix solution. That makes it all the more imperative that in the years to come we must continue to do what we do best as a business in order to shine brighter than our competitors.”

For more information about Eurostar Diamond Traders visit: www.eurostardiamond.com

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THE COPPER

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Codelco

Almost a third of the world’s copper production comes from Chile whose state copper production company Codelco dominates world supply

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Codelco

C

Autonomous mining trucks

opper fundamentals are highly buoyant. Demand for copper is increasing at over half a million tones annually, most of it driven by China, which consumes 20 percent of global supply.

Demand for copper shows no sign of levelling off in the opinion of researchers at Yale, who calculated from 2006 consumption figures that global demand for copper would exceed the amount extractable from the ground by 2100.

Codelco (Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile or the National Copper Corporation of Chile) was founded in 1976, five years after the Chilean government nationalized the entire copper mining industry. Codelco grouped the existing deposits into a single mining, industrial and commercial corporation and today it is the biggest copper producer in the world controlling a tenth of known global reserves. Codelco has more than $20.835 billion in assets and in 2011 its equity totalled $6.065 billion. In the same year the company produced 1.79 million metric tons of refined copper - over ten percent of world copper production. And at today’s investment levels it estimates it has the capacity to maintain current production rates for a further 70 years at least.

But that can’t be done without strategic investment, and a number of specific projects are being targeted. The Andina Division is located at 3,000 metres above sea level a little to the north of the Chilean capital Santiago and at the base of the chain of operations that is strung out along the Andes in the northern half of Chile. It

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CODELCO Codelco

FINNING, CONTRIBUTING TO THE FUTURE OF MINING benefits to the mining companies, it permits that the workers operate from securer places and the possibility that the processes are conducted in a more constant manner” In addition, Finning and Caterpillar have been working on the design, development, validation and implementation of new processes, equipment and technologies, for the exploitation under a new concept called “continuous mining”. This implies a very big technological change, which will permit the extraction of mineral without detentions.

This technology addresses several of the current challenges that the mining industry Mining companies are continuously looking faces: increase of the costs, derived from for different ways to improve security, fall in the quality of the mineral extracted , reduce costs, increase profitability, and promoting efficiency. Also, new technologies requirements of sustainability and the need for always improving the standards of safety are always required to increase production, and occupational health of the operators and improve the recovery of the minerals and to mining workers. keep the workers secure.

Finning and Caterpillar have understood this “Finning’s aim is to fulfill the markets needs challenge. That’s why they have implemented with excellence in equipment and services, so that their customers may reach each an important technological plan, which facilitates advancing towards an automated of their goals. To be able to do this in an accurate manner technology plays a key mining industry using the latest technology role, that’s why Finning and Caterpillar are in systems, which allows control and command of the operations of various mining working so hard in that dimension. Last but not least, Finning is playing an important role tasks from a central office.. in tackling the challenge of lacking qualified Currently Finning´s offerings includes professionals for the mining business in semiautonomous technology that allows general, by investing in Technical Formation, for operation of LHD equipment, this suite to be able to ensure and deliver the best is called Command. Command permits the operator to do the loading work cycle from a service in the market and to offer formation remote location, operating the machine using for operators and technicians on the client´s side.” a control.

“It is positive to be incorporating process www.finning.com automation, since it brings important

BEweekly WEEKLY | | 412 be

$4.3 Billion Invested by Codelco in 2012

Employee at the Ventanas division

42 | be weekly

is a combined open-pit and underground mining operation. Andina Expansion Phase I project involved expanding its mining and processing capacity from 72,000 tonnes per day to an average 94,000 tonnes per day and was completed in 2012 at a cost of $1.2 billion. But this was just the first part of a major expansion programme aimed at increasing annual production at the mine to around 680,000 tonnes over the next 30 years. Andina Phase II is truly a megaproject involving the shifting of more than half a million tonnes of ore daily once it is completed in 2018 – by then Codelco will have invested $6.27 billion at Andina.

Chuquicamata, 1,600 kilometres to the north of Santiago near the port of Antofagasta, is an open pit operation that has been mined for a century and is close to being mined out.

But lying at a deeper level Codelco estimates there is a further 1.7 billion tonnes of copper ore. So from 2019 and for the next 50 years after that Chuquicamata will operate as an underground mine, a change that will cost $3.8 billion. The method to be used here is block caving, which involves driving access tunnels below fragmented ore that is crumbly enough to flow under gravity to the waiting trucks. It is an increasingly favoured way of dealing with high volume, relatively low

Codelco

Construction of the underground tunnels at Chuquicamata

grade ore deposits (Chuquicamata comes in at around 0.7, with molybdenum at around 500 ppm) as long as the geology is right Going underground at Chuquicamata will give Codelco potential production of 340,000 tonnes of fine copper and more than 18,000 tonnes of fine molybdenum a year from an expected throughput of 140,000 tonnes of ore a day. During its

construction it will create a maximum 3,767 jobs. From 2019, the operation will provide work for up to 4,837 employees.

It is being designed to the highest safety standards, and will have a very positive environmental impact – by going underground Chuquicamata will reduce its dust emissions by no less than 97 percent.

Another older mine, this time an

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ENGINEERING-ENVIRONMENTAL

www.pochcorp.com

• Analysis and Project Evaluation

• Sustainable Development

• Engineering and Design

• Environmental Engineering and

• EPCM Projects • Implementation and Commissioning • Project Management • Procurement • Construction Management

Management • Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage • Strategies for Businesses and Communities relations • Green Building

Chile - Peru - Colombia - Brazil - Mexico - United States - Australia

CODELCO Codelco

ENGINEERING-ENVIRONMENTAL A Latin American leader in engineering, construction, project management and environmental.

POCH is a Chilean enterprise specialized in providing Engineering and Environmental consultancy services.

With more than 23 years of experience, POCH is a leading company in the South American market, with a team of over 600 professionals and experts in the developing of integral services which include Engineering, Project Management, Construction Management, Technical Inspection of Works, EPCM Projects, Environmental Management, Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, among others.

The company has participated in the development of important investment projects and services for many recognized Chilean, Latin-American and worldwide companies, in many different industries, such as Mining, Food and Beverages, Telecommunications, Infrastructure, Energy, Edification, among others.

Privately owned and with headquarters in Santiago, Chile, POCH has offices also in Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Australia and the United States.

The company´s commitment to face new challenges and to constantly diversify its

services has allowed it to sustainably and organically grow in a 15% relation per year.

Looking forward to constantly attend the Mining industry needs, a very important economic sector in Chile and South America, the company has an experienced and professional team of experts and specialists in the fields of Engineering and Environmental services, also in all the different engineering specialties, such as civil, structural, electrical, mechanical and piping, robotics and hydraulics, among others.

In the Chilean mining industry, POCH has participated with an important number of firms mainly offering them Engineering and Environmental Services, growing step by step in the development of solutions for this industry.

In another matter, POCH has a very important commitment to develop a sustainable business and to contribute to the development of economies and communities where it develops projects and studies. The company is also a member of the Global Compact initiative of the United Nations, which brings together companies around the world to work in relation to the respect of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.

E. poch@pochcorp.com www.pochcorp.com

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underground operation, is the El Teniente property that traces its origins as far back as 1819, though commercial mining has been done there since 1905. The existing mine near Rancagua south of Santiago is the world’s largest underground copper

mine containing 2,400 kilometres of tunnels and lies at an altitude of nearly two kilometres. The new mine level (NML) will involve cutting a massive two million square metre slice deeper into the mountain, accessed by two parallel

“It seems inconceivable that the demand for Chilean copper could fail to justify the massive expansion projects that are in the pipeline�

Copper production at Chuquicamata

46 | be weekly

Codelco

Operations office at the Andina division

nine-kilometre tunnels, one for access and the other for the conveyor that will take the ore out to the concentrator site.

Between 2011 when construction started and its commissioning in 2017 the project will build 98,450 metres of tunnels and 3,454 metres of vertical ventilation shafts and transfer shafts. Most of the $3.5 billion investment will go on this underground work: surface work includes

the construction of a new, faster road from Rancagua with associated tunnels and bridges – this will make life easier for the mine’s 5,500 employees. To a great extent the new El Teniente operations will be remotely operated from a control room at Rancagua, 50 kilometres away from the mine. The NML project adds 2.02 billion tonnes of reserves, at a 0.86 percent copper grade. Codelco estimates that at over 50

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Codelco’s Radomiro Tomic division

Codelco

1,809

million tonnes Codelco’s 2011 copper production years of operation starting from the end of 2017 it could produce more than 17 million tonnes of fine copper.

In all Codelco’s current portfolio involves 30 studies and projects aimed at keeping the Chilean national mining giant in a leadership position globally, not only in terms of production numbers but also in environmental, technological and safety best practices right across the value chain. Emissions, water usage and energy conservation are all at the heart of Codelco’s strategy – however it seems inconceivable that the demand for Chilean copper could fail to justify the massive expansion projects that are in the pipeline.

The company’s recently appointed CEO Thomas Keller has been busy courting world markets and especially the Chinese market which according to Keller accounts for 40 percent of world demand an can be expected to grow between five and seven percent annually based on China’s predicted GDP growth of up to eight percent.

For more information about Codelco visit: www.codelco.com

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written by: John O’Hanlon research by: Abi Abagun RDA Zambia’s is juggling massive resources to deliver an ambitious road network that will enable the landlocked nation to export its goods and grow its economy

LINKing ZAMBIA 50 | be weekly

RDA Zambia

BIA be weekly | 51

8,201 kilometres of road will be built or upgraded over a period of five years

RDA Zambia

A

ccording to the Zambia Tourism Board this nation surrounded by eight neighbours has over 40,000 kilometres of roads, only 8,200 kilometres of them tarred and another 8,000 kilometres all weather gravel road. The rest are made of compressed laterite and vary in condition from reasonable to rather bad, being vulnerable to the seasonal rains. A recent review of the condition of urban roads revealed that 60 percent of the urban road network is in poor condition, but it’s the trunk network that has the greatest impact on Zambia’s economic development, and the road network plays a critical role in the development of the country and the region as a whole.

That’s why the RDA recently launched its Link Zambia 8000 road project, also known as the Accelerated National Roads Construction Programme. A total of 8,201 kilometres of roads will be built or upgraded over a period of five years at an estimated cost of K28.4 trillion. Link Zambia 8000 aims to connect Zambia’s population centres with those of its neighbours, create 24,000 jobs, especially for young people, grow local industries and contractors, cut travel times creating hubs of economic growth in outlying regions.

Angola, DRC, Tanzania, Malawi Zimbabwe, Botswana Namibia and Mozambique are all growing fast, so roads like the T4 or Great East Road, which links the capital Lusaka with the Mozambique port of Nicola are vital to trade and tourism alike. A key 360 kilometre section of this road between Luangwa Bridge and Mwami Border is taking priority for rehabilitation and upgrading as part of the Nacala Road

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A JOURNEY IN AFRICA TO ACHIEVE NEW BENCH MARKS IN QUALITY, SAFETY, OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY & WORK ETHICS AMSL (African Mechanical and Superlift Ltd) has executed more than 20 successive projects in Zambia in connection with Smelter, Refinery and Tail Leaching plants as well as Annual Maintenance contract of Concentrator.

Our expertise are in Civil Works, Mechanical Equipment Erection (including tall & heavy equipment in single-piece), fabrication/erection of large scale piping, structural & large dia. Tanks.

Since 2009 AMSL have taken up Annual Plant operation maintenance contracts for units like Concentrator, Smelter, Tail Leaching Plant and other ancillary units eg. Sulfuric Acid plant,DM Water Plant,Oxygen plant,ETP etc almost on continuous basis.

PLOT NO:1867, P.O Box no.10939, Opp.Solwezi Road, Industrial Area, Chingola, Republic of Zambia.

Email.id: amslzambia@gmail.com amslconstruction@gmail.com Web site: www.amslafrica.com Land line: +260(212)2350973 Mobile: +260966170712/+260974776264

AMSL is working with international standards of Health, Safety, Environment and Quality requirements to client’s satisfaction.

AMSL is now confident and ready of offering following services: • Handling of EPC Contract • Large scale civil works • Large scale piping and structural steel work.

• Erection of process/mining equipment and material conveying system.

• Large dia storage tanks & tank farms.

• Annual plant Maintenance.

ZAMBIA RDA Zambia RDA Zambia feature text in qui officia deserunt Corridor Project from Nacala forculpa both supervision and civil mollit animtenders id est have laborum. to Lusaka go here.....Lorem ipsum through Malawi and works and now dolor sit amet,example consectetur Lorem ipsum dolor amet, is an excellent of the been launched by thesit RDA for adipisicing elit, sed do consectetur adipisicing elit, urgency with which the RDA all four sections.

It is planned eiusmod incididunt sed dofoureiusmod tempor is pursuingtempor its agenda. that all contracts will start incididunt ut1stlabore et ut The labore et isdolore work beingmagna jointly at the same time April, 2013 dolore magna expected aliqua. Ut aliqua. ad minim with completion in funded Ut by enim the Government enim minim veniam, veniam, quis nostrud the firstad quarter of 2015. of Zambia together with the quis nostrud exercitation exercitation ullamco laboris European Development Bank, Once competed the new ullamco laboris nisiboost ut nisi aliquip exDevelopment ea commodo TheutAfrican section will not just aliquip ex but ea atcommodo consequat.

Duis aute irure export trade the same Bank, the Agence Française consequat. irure dolor in reprehenderit This is aUnion. caption this is areduce caption accidents de Développement and theinEuropean time and Duis bringaute down the in reprehenderit voluptate velit esse The rehabilitation andcillum upgrading works are operating costsdolor for logistics companies in in dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. velit cillum fugiat being implemented in four separateExcepteur contracts. voluptate the region, all esse among thedolore RDA’s eu strategic sint cupidatat non proident, sunt nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat Goodoccaecat progress is being made with procurement objectives.

RDA ZAMBIA AFRICAN MECHANICAL AND SUPERLIFT LIMITED Established in 2008, African Mechanical and Superlift Limited (AMSL) is a mechanical engineering company operating in Zambia, Mozambique and South Africa. The AMSL team has vast practical experience and expertise in mechanical construction, mechanical maintenance and heavy equipment erection, providing a variety of solutions in accordance with international standards in health, safety, environment and quality.

Our management team has collective experience in the design, implementation and operation of mechanical engineering projects including the supply, fabrication and erection of structural steel, piping and tanks, and the mechanical maintenance of copper smelters, concentrators and refineries.

We undertake the annual maintenance of concentrators which involves dismantling,

overhauling heavy mechanical equipment such as the crush mill, ballmill, sagmill, conveyors, and flotation cells. We also have the annual maintenance contract for the new smelter at Nchanga, Africa’s first ‘Direct to blister technology’ smelter, including responsibility for the anode furnace, castwheel, compressors, slag granulation ponds, conveyors, boiler, sulphuric acid plant, pre and post water treatment plants with related pumps, blowers, copper tubes, duct, piping and equipment.

Our objectives are to focus on our clients’ needs with quality service and develop a long term partnership, maintaining a high degree of health, safety and environment cleanness at our job sites.

E. amslzambia@gmail.com E. amslconstruction@gmail.com www.amslafrica.com

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RDA Zambia

20 percent of all contracts goes to local Zambian owned contractors

On the other side of the country Zambia It is a condition of all contracts that 20 percent faces the DRC with its enormous economic of the work should go to local contractors – potential. A $207 million contract was signed that is, businesses that are majority owned by in December for the design and construction Zambians. The objective of this policy is to of a new road between Luwinga and Mansa, help build the construction sector in Zambia as a mere 100 kilometres from Lubumbashi. a whole, and reduce unemployment – however The contractor China Henan will be starting a key benefit will be the resulting transfer of work in the first quarter of 2013 and expects skills, and the stimulation of entrepreneurship to complete the work during making Zambia more self 2016. “The construction of reliant over time. the Mansa to Luwingu Road 2012 was a defining year will provide a shorter link in the six year history of the between Copperbelt and RDA, says Chiwala. Last year Luapula provinces,” says CEO the government of Zambia Bernard Chiwala and though allocated 17 percent of the the bulk of the work will be National Budget to the road carried out by international sector alone, the largest Target revenue from contractors, he promises that allocation given to any sector bond issue local contractors must benefit. in recent history. The total

$1.5

Billion

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China Henan International Cooperation Group Co. Ltd’s (CHICO) main business operation covers contracting international engineering projects, consulting service for international projects, international human resource cooperation and exchange, mining development, agriculture investment, undertaking infrastructural projects aided financially by Chinese Government in oversea countries apart from the involvement in information industry.

CHICO maintains and operates regional offices in over 20 countries and regions across Asia, Africa and Europe to service its vibrant business. www.c-chico.com/En

Seen

Contact us today and put your company in the spotlight!

vincent@bus-ex.com 58 | be weekly

roads budget for 2013 is around $600 million from the Zambian government with as much again being contributed by external agencies such as the EU, COMESA, the Development Bank of Southern Africa and international contributors like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

An increasing contribution comes from the road fund fuel levy. A road user charge tariff was introduced in the form of fuel levy from 1 May 1993. When it was identified that the deterioration of the road network in Zambia and the consequent loss of road asset value was caused by inadequate funding and poor management. In 2012 19 percent of expenditure on roads came from the fuel levy: in 2013 that rose to 27 percent.

Another source of funding is being promoted. The Road Development Agency

RDA Zambia

The RDA is focused on linking the more remote parts of Zambia

(RDA) plans to start building a toll-gate system across Zambia’s national road network by the end of the year, says Bernard Chiwala. He said the RDA expected to raise about 25 percent of its annual budget from the planned tolls.

“We have appointed a road tolling manager and in the next four months, they will begin to prepare for installation. We will install them on 17 selected sites which we have already identified.” The planning stage will be

completed by June, with construction starting in the second half of 2013, he says. And tolls will apply on the Great East road too, once the upgrade is finished.

The routes the RDA will initially focus on tolling are those linking Livingstone, the busiest tourist centre and Nakonde on the Tanzanian border. But many new projects will be subject to a similar funding model. A good example is the Kazungula Bridge project

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The RDA’s mission is to meet world standards

RDA Zambia linking Botswana and Zambia at a point now served by a pontoon. Under an agreement signed at the end of last year the $124 million project would be funded by the government of Japan through Japan International Development Cooperation (JICA), the African Development Bank and the government of Zambia. The project includes the construction of a new tolled road and railway bridge with one-stop border post facilities and access roads at Kazungula. It will take four years to build the 3,028-foot bridge,” said Chiwala. Tolling will address the added impact of trucks on the roads – commercial vehicles will pay proportionally more than cars, and these funds will go toward the maintenance of the roads.

Finally, the RDA plans to sell $1.5 billion of bonds by the end of this year. The agency has presented a plan for the sale to Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda and approval is expected soon, said Bernard Chiwala: “Toward the second half of the year we will have concluded that,” he said. “It is our expectation that we will be able to raise about $1.5 billion” from international investors.” It’s a neat financial arrangement, with the security for the bond issue deriving from revenues from the road toll programme. Whatever the source of funds or the contracting model, the RDA will always keep sight of the goal, to promote the national interest of Zambia. “Better roads that meet world standards are what the people of Zambia want to see from this point going forward.”

For more information about RDA Zambia visit: www.rda.org.zm

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3Q Concrete

Cementing a legacy 3Q Concrete supplies its products to some of most important infrastructure projects in South Africa and has positioned itself perfectly to respond to developments within an ever-changing market

written by: Will Daynes research by: Paul Bradley

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3Q Concrete

D

erived from the Latin word and quickly. “We try to emphasise these “concretus”, meaning compact traits and characteristics in all that we do,” or condensed, concrete has had Marais enthuses, “and this all begins with an immeasurable impact on the relationship that we seek to form with both the ancient and modern our customers. We strive to have a personal world with its usage dating as far back as bond with each client, utilising the smaller 800 BC. Today the global use of concrete company mentality that we have that is twice that of steel, wood, plastics and promotes regular interaction.” aluminium combined, and is only exceeded Of course, product quality is equally as by the usage of naturally occurring water. important as good customer relations and Founded in 2006, 3Q Concrete is a the systems and process controls that 3Q South Africa based company specialising Concrete has established throughout its in the production of normal organisation ensure that, and customised readywhile it is able to provide its clients with a cost effective mixed concrete from its form of concrete, it has 12 strategically located batching plants. “We began never once compromised on life as a small operation,” the quality of its product.

The year that 3Q “One of the other explains Managing Concrete was established contributing factors to our Director, Charl Marais, “located in the North West success,” Marais states, province of the country, close to where the “is our f lexibility. As a result of the major platinum mines are situated.” geographic location of our plants and our From there the company steadily grew fleet of more than 80 trucks we are able to by making a number of acquisitions, before follow market demand wherever it may go, eventually becoming a part of Capital Africa mobilising our resources quickly. Indeed, I Steel (CAS), which itself is 50 percent believe that we have now reached an ideal owned by Wilson Bailey Homes (WBHO), critical mass where we have a large enough one of the largest construction companies fleet that allows us to do this efficiently in Africa. “We have expanded nicely in and effectively.” recent years,” Marais continues, “operating 3Q Concrete’s prosperity means that it is primarily in parts of South Africa that able to continue seeking ways to expand its have witnessed a rise in mining activity presence. One of these will see it open up a and positioning ourselves accordingly to new batching plant in the coming months capitalise on positive developments within in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It is here that it hopes to profit from the marketplace.”

The three q’s that the company derives the extensive iron ore mining activities its name from stand for quality, quantity within the region.

2006

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3Q Concrete

3Q Concrete produce both normal and customised mix designs

With almost 50 percent of South Africa’s economy being in some way reliant upon the mining sector, it is understandable that the industry remains of great interest to 3Q Concrete. “Mines continuously need improvements and modifications,” Marais says, “and concrete is always a core ingredient during these undertakings.”

3Q Concrete is very much a project

orientated company and as such it focuses primarily on areas where construction activity is prevalent, while at the same time being able to continuously assess market levels. This approach to its work means that it is now looking into opportunities to expand outside of its own borders into Mozambique where it foresee lots of potential opportunities for growth.

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“it’s always important that companies possess employees with a hunger for work and a management team capable of accurately monitoring costs

3Q Concrete aims to open three new batching plants in 2013

68 | be weekly

3Q Concrete “While it is fair to say that we do run a tight ship,” Marais says, “at the same time we consider ourselves to be a lean and mean operation.

Our business model allows us to make money even when activity levels in the country decrease. Whereas other large companies often end up finding they become reliant on constantly high volumes of work in order to turn a profit we are unique in that we are equipped to ride the ups and downs of the market and remain profitable.”

As of today 3Q Concrete remains committed to opening up at least three new batching plants during the first half of 2013, while also putting in place the ground work for further expansion in the six-to-twelve months following.

“Approximately 60 percent of WBHO’s revenues come from outside of South Africa,” Marais says, “and it is because of this that we are more determined than ever before to capitalise on the opportunities that Southern Africa has to offer.”

In order to do this Marais is adamant that the company needs to retain the mentality that has served it so well to date. This means having employees who are hungry for work and taking a pragmatic view when it comes to costs. “Since the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008 it has never been

3Q prize their employees above all other things

more important for a company that wants to be successful to possess a workforce with a hunger for work and a management team capable of accurately monitoring costs. As times have changed so too have businesses had to adapt accordingly and that is what we have done. By having the right people, attitude, discipline, flexibility and the desire to go that extra mile for our customers we have been able to exceed even our own expectations.”

For more information about 3Q Concrete visit: www.casteel.co.za

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Eldo Coaches

GETTING ABOUT IN STYLE

Eldo Coaches has helped to keep Gauteng moving safely and efficiently for more than half a century: now it is making inroads into South Africa’s long-haul and tourist routes

written by: John O’Hanlon research by: Paul Bradley

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us transport could have been made for South Africa. Though it’s a big country with huge variety across its nine provinces, unlike many of its neighbours it has an excellent road network and one of the four major intercity bus lines travels to nearly every city and village. Not only is crosscountry bus travel in South Africa cheaper than flying but it is far more satisfying.

The Rainbow Nation’s landscape is as varied as its people.

Unfortunately a lot of misconceptions about South Africa persist, particularly where urban transport is concerned, and some of the very local bus operators, it is true, can help to perpetuate the image of overcrowded and unreliable buses, stripped of all comfort and carrying as many chattels as actual people.

Back in 1956, though, the Moola family set up a company with a different vision – to bring dignity and comfort to the travelling majority. In those days it was not easy for black people to set up a business and those that did succeed were tested to the limit.

Moolas Transport Services faced many challenges in an era that was dominated by the minority white population.

The company was the first wholly black owned operator to venture into the luxury coach market. Permit applications and financing were difficult to obtain at that time. However the company’s commitment and track record in taking their services to the people has enabled the company to grow continuously. Today it is a very different company from 57 years, when the founders Ahmed Moola and his brothers

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The company’s drivers undertake a week long training course with Scania before getting behind the wheel

Eldo Coaches

Deposita Systems is the leading South African developer and manufacturer of equipment and systems associated with the safeguarding, collection and processing of cash notes within the retail environment.The Deposita system registers each cash note deposited and reconciles each deposit transaction to an identifiable source using an automatic banking machine, the ABM.

No 1 Travertine Avenue N1 Business Park Kosmosdal Extention 7, Midrand Tel: +27 11 729 3300 Fax: 087 941 0598 www.deposita.co.za

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Seen www.bus-ex.com

Eldo Coaches

Coach interior

Ismail and Mahomed were doing every job grown its fleet to 75 commuter buses and it in the operation, even driving the buses is an established contractor to the Gauteng themselves when required. Ahmed’s son Department of Transport.

Mohsin subsequently joined the firm and is Despite competition from low-cost operators for whom compliance is not a priority Eldo now Chief Operating Officer.

Eldo Coaches was set up to serve Coaches has stuck firmly to its principles of the majority of working people in the quality operation. The fleet is renewed on a five-year cycle with coaches Johannesburg area. This meant that in the early days it imported from Brazil – they was predominantly providing have Scania Chassis and a transport infrastructure bodies manufactured by to people commuting from leading coachbuilders such rural areas into the city areas as Marco Polo and other local The number of drivers whether to work or to shop. specialist firms. All vehicles employed by Eldo This division still operates are maintained and serviced Coaches today. The company has now

by Scania South Africa,

45

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which provides a round the clock roadside breakdown service throughout the country.

Tyres, a frequent cause of accidents if they are not maintained, are regularly inspected and replaced.

These levels of best practice are essential in the growing tourist market. As the company’s luxury coaches were increasingly hired by tour operators to show South Africa’s amazing scenery and attractions to visitors from overseas the decision was made to set up Eldo Tours as a separate division offering luxury travel to the tourist industry as well as smaller buses for shorter tours or as airport to hotel transport and even a fleet of chauffeur-driven Mercedes sedans much in demand by corporates and VIPs. You won’t find better facilities anywhere in the world. These coaches are all equipped with air conditioning, reclining seats, personal reading lights, DVD and audio entertainment and of course toilets. Safety will always be the priority, says Mohsin Moola, and added benefits from a modern well maintained fleet include fuel economy, reliability and that priceless item you can’t put on the balance sheet – a great reputation.

The best equipped coach is still only as safe as its driver. Passengers can further be reassured by the support Eldo Coaches gives its drivers.

The company’s 45 drivers are all experienced professionals; new recruits are carefully selected, and have to take a week long training course with Scania before getting behind the wheel.

Drivers and vehicles are constantly monitored in real time through a state of the art satellite system that can check any coach’s location and speed, and detect any poor driving practices like harsh braking or fast cornering. One of the biggest causes of coach accidents in the world

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Eldo Coaches

Part of the fleet

Coach facilities

is tiredness, and one of the chief cost cutting methods used by unscrupulous operators is making drivers work excessive hours. Not at Eldo Coaches, where working times are strictly monitored and enforced, and on shorter routes with only one driver on the bus, resting periods are de rigueur.

The current structure of Eldo Coaches comprises three divisions and we have already spoken about Eldo Tours. The Innercity division provides a ‘semi-lux’ service to Johannesburg and its suburbs under a licensed contract for Gauteng Department of Transport using its 75 buses.

The Intercity division has five luxury coaches that run a service between Johannesburg and Durban via Lenasia, Heidelburg, Harrismith, Estcourt and Pietermaritzburg. There are

several departures a day and this is a great alternative to air transport for business and private passengers alike, at a fifth of the price.

The 350 mile journey takes rather longer of course but the comfort of the coach provides an opportunity for rest or to catch up with reading or writing.

The strategic plan is to increase the number of intercity routes plied by Eldo Coaches.

Incumbent coach operators, not to mention airlines, should be on their guard if they are offering anything less than total safety, reliability and value for money.

For more information about Eldo Coaches visit: www.eldocoaches.co.za

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Training the for future Chairman, Dr Sarmed Nima, discusses how Al Delma for General Contracting & Training Services is best placed to create a skilled local workforce in Iraq

written by: Will Daynes research by: James Boyle

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l Delma for General Contracting & Training Services

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Training with scaffolding structures for use to support people and materials

Al Delma

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ccording to numerous geological surveys and available seismic data, the country of Iraq possesses what might well be one of the largest collections of oil reserves on the planet, estimated to total over 350 billion barrels. However decades of sanctions, two Gulf Wars and the subsequent years of civil unrest left its oil infrastructure in dire need of modernisation and investment.

Despite a growing international effort to transform Iraq’s oil industry for the better, there are still considerable skills gaps that need filling before the country can truly profit from what its land has to offer.

A 100 percent Iraqi owned company, established in 2006, Al Delma for General Contracting & Training Services aims to contribute to the re-building of Iraq into a stronger player on the international stage. Boasting a national footprint, Al Delma prides itself on its consistent level of service and ability to offer qualified personnel, plans and its accurate implementation of projects.

“In the aftermath of the second Gulf War in 2003,” explains chairman, Dr Sarmed Nima, “companies slowly began to return to Iraq. It was at this time that we took it upon ourselves to establish a business that would specialise in providing skills and training.”

Having worked for Iraq’s Ministry of Oil until 1999, and extensively within the private sector in the years after, Nima believes his true calling in life has always been in the field of petroleum engineering. It is his knowledge of, and experience within,

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the country’s oil sector that helped him to recognise the market’s need for professional training services.

“We began by providing English learning training,” Nima continues, “and have since advanced into providing core skills training, for example professional administration and managerial skills, and financial training.

Now we are also beginning to branch out into providing specialist technical training from our facility in Basra.”

A prime example of this training would be in the field of welding, a hugely important service required by the vast majority, if not all, of the companies working in Iraq.

“There is a distinct lack of professional services available in certain areas of Iraq’s oil industry,” Nima says, “and welding is one of them. What we have introduced is a stepby-step training programme, complete with ready-to-use simulators, that teaches people how to weld and do so professionally.”

This approach has since been extended to other disciplines such as scaffolding, working with chemicals, explosives and hazardous materials, and working in confined spaces. Courses that Al Delma currently has in development include those aimed at petroleum engineering, such as the production of reservoirs and

Awareness training in confined spaces is e

drilling, and health and safety.

“Other areas of business that we are looking to venture into,” Nima states, “are construction and procurement. Procurement activities in particular in Iraq tend not to be carried out to the standards that international companies expect and this is something we want to remedy. I personally have been responsible for executing more than 160 different procurement contracts during

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Al Delma

essential for a successful oil & gas HSE

Al Delma has state of the art training facilities

my career and I now want perception of our company,” to transfer my knowledge Nima says, “also comes and understanding on to with the preconception others through our training that for whatever reason programmes. In a move our standards are lower that we hope will be take than they should be. This couldn’t be further from the these plans a step further, Iraq’s estimated truth. In fact, performance I have recently been in oil reserves wise, we excel where many Canada working to form others fail.” partnerships with those companies that are keen to Common issues that plight establish a presence within Iraq with the those failing companies include acquiring aim being to introduce their products and visas for Iraqis and handling the complex services into the country.” logistical challenges that the environment One of the challenges that Al Delma creates. Equally crucial to success is simply has to continually work to overcome is being able to have a firm understanding of its perception by some as being a little the culture of Iraq and how this impacts more than a local Iraqi business. “This upon the type of workers the country

350

Billion

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Knowledge and simulation is key to qualify as a professional welder

Technicians train

“Al Delma believes that all international companies should be committed to upgrading the standards of their Iraqi personnel” breeds. “This is where being a locally based company really benefits us,” Nima enthuses. “By having a clear understanding of the environment in which we operate we are best placed to stand shoulder-toshoulder with international companies as they attempt to establish themselves in this part of the world.”

It is Nima’s opinion that the company has

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developed hugely in recent years, becoming much more organised while maintaining its commitment to improving its capabilities further. By doing so, Al Delma gives itself a better edge over its competition when it comes to attracting the interest of international partners.

Having this edge appears all the more important when you take a closer look at

Al Delma

n in real maintenance workshops

what the immediate future for Iraq has in store. “In all our discussions with the likes of BP, Shell, Lukoil and other major international players based in the country,” Nima says, “what we have found is that they all agree that training is one of their most pressing concerns and requirements. What you must remember is that since 1980, for all intents and purposes, until very recently Iraq has remained disconnected from the world. This has created an issue where most of the local population are not educated or skilled enough to make this happen in this industry.”

What Al Delma believes is that all the aforementioned companies have a commitment to upgrading the standards of

On job training builds confidence

their Iraqi personnel and they want them to know that the company is on hand to deliver the core skills they need. “It is my opinion,” Nima concludes, “that if Iraq’s oil industry is to reach its proposed target of producing ten million barrels of oil per day, then it will need a trained workforce of at least 70,000 Iraqis. This gives us great confidence that the market for training in Iraq will increase as the industry grows, and as this occurs we will do what we need to do in order to grow as well.”

For more information about Al Delma visit: www.aldelma.com

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AIRBORNE ABILITY 86 | be weekly

Abu Dhabi Aviation

Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA) is the most effective as well as the largest operator in the region with MOR services to match

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Abu Dhabi Aviation

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bu Dhabi Aviation (ADA) approximately 40 percent of ADA’s business was formed in 1976 as a coming from outside the UAE.” The facility is located at Abu Dhabi joint venture between the emirate of Abu Dhabi and International Airport. The maintenance an overseas company, its complex consists of two hangars for fixed and mission to provide the Arabian Gulf offshore rotary wing aircraft – all under one roof. Total oil industry with air support services. Its hangar floor space is 5,130 square metres. journey from those tentative beginnings, The hangars are linked by the engineering operating just two aircraft, to become the management and administration block and largest commercial helicopter operator in the associated support workshops. Total workshop Middle East is a remarkable success story. It floor space is 3,769 square metres. More than currently operates more than 100 of its own 220 people are employed in the engineering and its client’s helicopters as well as three Department, including over 140 qualified and fixed wing aircraft, offering its experience experienced aircraft maintenance engineers and its services globally. & workshop technicians.

With assets of nearly Abu Dhabi Aviation $1 billion, ADA operates was awarded a special mainly Bell and plaque by Bell Helicopter AgustaWestland helicopters after completing 700,000 and Bombardier Dash 8 helicopter flight hours – the Hours of operation in Bell helicopters figure is now approaching series turboprop transport a million hours. Due to the aircraft but it also offers high intensity of offshore oil these aircraft on lease to clients around the world – often the most support work, around 200,000 landings and cost-effective solution for them. take-offs are required annually, while the It is also one of the region’s largest repair, company transfers around 26,000 passengers maintenance and overhaul companies, and 162,000 kilograms of freight to and from servicing both helicopters and fixed wing offshore facilities each month. Sustaining aircraft, whether for its own fleet or for these impressive rates has required a high outside clients. Many of the world’s largest degree of dedication, commitment and petroleum companies turn to ADA for the professionalism on the part of the pilots, heavy maintenance and modification of their engineers and support staff. aircraft. “There is no facility in the Middle East Following many years of successful – or indeed the Far East – which will provide collaboration with AgustaWestland ADA the services we are planning to deliver,” created a helicopter maintenance joint venture says chairman Nader Ahmed Mohammed Al with this major supplier in 2011. The new Hammadi. “Our current capabilities provide company, named AgustaWestland Aviation services to our clients on a global basis with Services, will carry out a range of services and

100,000

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Aircraft Maintenance & Modification

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Abu Dhabi Aviation

activities for the sale of helicopter spare parts The joint venture will be of mutual benefit for and accessories, helicopter/component repair both partners to further expand their range and overhaul, customisation, modification of services, capabilities and presence. The and upgrading. According to the evolution demand for helicopter maintenance across of future market requirements, the joint the Middle East is growing and providing this venture’s scope of activities could be further service right at the doorstep of our clients is a expanded to encompass special configuration benefit that will see huge returns in terms of development, component production and overall industry growth,” said Al Hammadi. even helicopter assembly.

While most of the company’s work is Customers are now offered a wide range of still for oil and gas industry clients, it services in Abu Dhabi that have historically has diversified as demand for helicopter been available only from intervention has grown. the manufacturer in Italy These days it routinely or the United States. “We conducts ag r icult ural, aim to be a global aviation geological and search and company beyond its current rescue operations. It leases international business scope, aircraft and helicopters to Area of maintenance and the new joint venture is the fire fighting services facility in Europe and Australia at a step in the right direction.

3,769 m2

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the height of their fire fighting seasons. It has variously provides seismic support in Yemen, assisted the telecommunications network in Oman, carried out crop spraying in the UAE, disaster relief in Pakistan and has been happy to provide health evacuation and medical services to the huge crowds that gather in Riyadh, Jeddah, Mecca and Medina during the busy Ramadhan and Haj seasons. It is of course well versed in the techniques of medical evacuation, a vital contribution to the health and safety support of offshore oil rigs.

In 1984 ADA pioneered the technique of long line vertical referencing in the Middle East. Vertical reference flying is flying while looking downward rather than horizontally using the natural horizon. It’s an extremely unnatural way to fly a helicopter but it can be learnt, and is very useful in the kind of seismic surveys used when looking for oil or other resources. The work is performed by helicopters specially configured to utilise under-slung load techniques that incorporate a long-line of up to 200 feet, enabling the helicopter to remain clear of all obstructions.

As part of this service ADA has completed a number of contracts in the rugged mountains of Oman and Yemen, using a 40 metre long line. Similar long-line vertical

referencing techniques are also being applied to numerous construction projects in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen. Some very successful applications have included the erection of electricity pylons as part of government schemes to bring electricity to remote areas, and in the construction of microwave towers for data and voice transmission by the telecommunications sector.

Another key service provided by ADA is

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Abu Dhabi Aviation

search and rescue support ADA’s helicopters can also be configured to perform a for the Armed Forces of number of other specialised the United Arab Emirates.

This is operated out of four tasks. From 1996, for strategic bases located within example, the company Annual movements in the Emirate, with a dedicated has been under contract support of O&G clients fleet of seven state-of-theto Catalonia to undertake fire-fighting services as and art AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters fully equipped for search and when required. Spain, with its dry climate rescue. Each carries a complement of two and wooded terrain, is very vulnerable to pilots, a winch operator and a specialist wildfire outbursts particularly during the rescue paramedic. The SAR helicopters are in hot summer months. 2009, for example, was readiness to be called out 24 hours a day and a particularly bad year, and fires during the seven days of the week. They operate over dry season were severe enough to achieve both land and sea, and can also be called out international news coverage. The helicopters to provide assistance to the general public, used for this vital task are Bell 212 and 412s working in coordination with civilian rotary fitted with highly effective Isolair ventral wing operations. They also undertake inter- tank and snorkel systems for scooping up and delivering water to quench the flames. These hospital patient transfers.

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“our fleet and crews stand ready 24 hours a day, for search, rescue, support and logistic operations, at sea and on land” are regularly seen in action in Catalonia.

The company’s Bell 212, 412 and 206 helicopters can also be fitted with specialised camera equipment, and these are then contracted to provide coverage for live photo missions. Among the missions the company has fulfilled are contracts to provide live local

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TV coverage of dhow races at one end of the spectrum, through to taking the dramatic ‘tanker war’ footage that was shown on the major news networks worldwide during the Iran-Iraq war. On a less perilous note, the company has diversified into a range of services that promote health and productivity. A number

Abu Dhabi Aviation

of the Bell 206 helicopters, for example, can be configured to carry spray equipment capable of applying both insecticides and pesticides.

In this role the company regularly carries out extensive spraying programmes in both the UAE and Oman.

February 2013 saw Abu Dhabi host Idex, arguably the most strategically important tri-service defence exhibition in the world.

ADA was present, with a large pavilion, in common with its partner Finnmeccanica, owner of AgustaWestland. However ADA’s presence was as much about showing the company’s commitment to the government and its requirements. “We seek to harness

our participation in Idex to show support for police throughout the UAE and other countries, who are either participating or observing the activities of the expo, especially in the field of search and rescue operations,” said Al Hammadi. “The message we are bringing to Idex is that our fleet and crews stand ready 24 hours a day, for search, rescue, support and logistic operations, at sea and on land.”

For more information about Abu Dhabi Aviation visit: www.abudhabiaviation.com

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Logistical solutions

Buks Haulage Ltd (BHL) was registered in Zambia in 2004, specialising in the transport of various commodities with value added services and facilities

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HL is a dynamic entity currently offering total logistical solutions within Zambia and sub-Saharan Africa with the norm of business currently conducted in but not limited to Zambia, DRC and Namibia. We are renowned for our ability to bring Logistical Management Methodologies to greater heights through our experience. Our mission is clear, to provide you with optimal Transport and logistical solutions throughout Zambia and sub-Saharan Africa, by combining loads when

“ We are committed to honouring our agreements with our clients on time and at all times�

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possible, ensuring that the vehicles for your product is optimally utilised and maintaining all stock levels on a weekly, monthly basis.

We are committed to honouring our agreements with our clients on time at all levels and to remain professional at all times. Honesty, transparency and objectivity in dealing with clients are non–negotiables at BHL. We have also developed a powerful contractor base which is both an empowerment initiative and beneficial to your organisation. Each client is treated individually and offered real time management solutions pertinent to their organisation. We give you peace of mind to focus on your core business, while we manage your transport/logistics.

In our experience, sound project management is vital and determines the success of both long and short term

Buks Haulage LTD

projects. Excellent communication is of the essence for effective decision making, delegation of tasks and liaison with all our customers at all levels.

The assigned manager will ensure that the project team develops a sound understanding and appreciation for our client’s business. BHL does not enforce the use of any specific methodology, but prefers to use the methodologies, tools and standards set by mutual agreement with our clients. BHL specializes in formalising international delivery instructions either through import or export key transactions. We invoice via commercial invoicing where applicable, i.e. taxation and payment formalities. We will handle export documents, licenses, permits, export

declarations, inspection certificates, insurance documents and commercial invoices. BHL works in conjunction with the clearing and forwarding agency. Local deliveries in Zambia will be done via mutual agreement.

We are also a subsidiary of a listed company in South Africa (Cargo Carriers).

Buks Haulage Ltd Chilanga Cement road P.O. Box 70700 Ndola Zambia

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T +26 (0)212 671404 E buksvr@bhl.co.zm www.bukshaulage.co.zm

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solid engineering Chritech is involved in mechanical, civil and general building engineering works including equipment and labour supplies

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ut of the pictorial evidence of jobs done or played part in, we seek to introduce ourselves or re-echo our existence in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering works and Heavy duty equipment hiring both to the mining industry and the general construction setting with the aim of bringing required results to peculiar challenges.

Chritech Engineering Services is

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a mining and general engineering contractor registered under the registration of business name act, 1962 having complied with the companies code of Ghana.

Our core competencies cover Design and Constructional works for processing plants, (Personal and Corporate), Tailings Dam, Stockpile Management, Dust Suppression and Long Haulage of Bulk Material, Labour and Material supply.

Based in Bibiani, a mining town in the Western Region of Ghana, we have the ability to arrange and quickly move to site far and near at reasonable notice.

We maintain the highest safety standards in managing our contract to suit the standards set by our clients. We position ourselves “fairly” of the rate range in relation to

Chritech Engineering Services

other competitive service providers within the sub-region, out of which we still meet standards in all aspects of our operations.

We hope you will be able to match our core business and competencies to your “Total Quality Management (TQM) and “Modern Industrial Best Practices.”

Chritech Engineering Services P. O. BOX 153, Bibiani, Western Region, Ghana, West Africa T +233-31 20 99 019 E eschritech@gmail.com

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PRODUCTIVITY FROM MINESIGHT TO YOUR SITE For mine modeling, design, scheduling and operations, companies seeking an integrated software package are increasingly turning to MineSight. At the surface and below it, new MineSight technology is now set to make mining even more productive

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ineSight is Mintec’s comprehensive mine modeling and mine planning software. It’s built on more than 40 years of developing models and mine plans for projects worldwide. Thanks to Mintec’s network of branch offices on every continent, MineSight is backed by unparalleled service and support.

3D graphics are integral to MineSight and have been continually developed to enhance the software.

At the heart of the software, MineSight 3D provides interactive display and editing of all types of data, including

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drillholes, 3D Block Model, geologic interpretations, topographic contours, and gridded or triangulated surfaces.

It has sophisticated interpretation tools for geologists, full 3D design for underground mine layout, CAD editing of polylines and solids, full 3D solid intersection solid and visualisation of all types of geological and mining data.

Underground, MineSight CAD tools in MS3D can be used to complete the layout of a mine, creating all the required vents, ramps, tunnels and access shafts that sit and interact with the mineral location at appropriate points.

Just in time for its annual MineQuest seminar series, which kicks off in Tucson, Arizona, April 15-19, Mintec is excited to introduce several new products. It’s an appropriate venue because much of the new technology is borne of the client-developer collaboration embodied by MineQuest.

Mintec New releases include: • MineSight Atlas, an activity and resource-based scheduler.

• M ineSight Implicit Modeler, a mathematical tool enabling geologists to build complex shapes directly from drillholes.

• MineSight Performance Manager, the newest, fully-integrated addition to MineSight’s operational product suite, featuring consolidated reporting and true mining analytics.

• MineSight Reserve, which unifies the consolidated power of MineSight’s reserve engines and features a completely integrated reserve calculation and reporting engine.

• MineSight Stope, a complete toolkit for stope design, scheduling and reporting.

• MineSight Surface Resloping Tool, an invaluable addition to MineSight 3D’s Engineering Open Pit CAD, enabling engineers to reduce a shape (i.e. waste dump) to a desired final slope while balancing cut and fill.

• MineSight Sub-Blocking, which extends MineSight model files to convey detailed information along, for example, contact boundaries of geologic zones.

• Model Center, which initializes and manages models directly from MineSight 3D. When it comes to a general mine planning package, MineSight is unique, says Mintec president John Davies.

Combined result - drillholes, mineral solids, block model and the access shafts

“We have the only standard package that can address the full needs from exploration to operation; with software we have authored ourselves - we don’t resell third party scheduling tools,” says Davies.

“This, combined with a stellar support team makes us a very strong player in the GMP space.”

Mintec, Inc. 400-1286 Homer Street Vancouver BC V6B 2Y5 Canada T 604.681.4547 www.minesight.com

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