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BusinessExcellence Weekly ISSUE No. 82 | www.bus-ex.com

GOLDCORP Marlin Mine:

Guatemala’s gold standard Goldcorp’s Marlin Mine continues to make new discoveries that are increasing its life expectancy

EXSA Peru:

CAMANCHACA:

Alamos Gold:

HERE’S WHY ONTARIO, CANADA

IS YOUR NEXT

BIG IDEA Opportunities for mineral exploration in Ontario abound. Powered by global leaders in innovation and safety standards, our mining practices are among the safest and most sustainable in the world.

With business costs lower here than in most G7 countries, Ontario suppliers are more competitive – so you can depend on quality goods and services, delivered on time, on spec and on budget. Innovation is at our core. Make Ontario your next big idea.

YourNextBigIdea.ca/Mining

$2.9B

in non-metallic minerals, including diamonds, was produced in Ontario in 2012

$2.6B in gold

$1.5B in copper

$1.4B in nickel

$787M

in other metals such as platinum and silver

Paid for by the Government of Ontario.

business excellence

Business John O’Hanlon Editor johanlon@bus-ex.com Will Daynes Editor wdaynes@bus-ex.com Matt Johnson Art Director mjohnson@bus-ex.com Louise Culling Production Designer lculling@bus-ex.com Richard Turner Director of Sales rturner@bus-ex.com

Business Excellence brings you content from leading business influencers and strategic thinkers providing inspiration and guidance to help you and your business grow.

We showcase some of the best examples of successful organisations from around the world giving you a unique insight into how they operate.

Vince Kielty Director of Editorial Research vkielty@bus-ex.com Sharon Rooke Administration & Operations srooke@bus-ex.com Matt Day Head of Technology mday@bus-ex.com Andy Turner Chief Executive aturner@bus-ex.com

Contributors George F. Brown, Jr. Consultant & Author

HINT: For the best experience, click the fullscreen icon

Subscriptions & Enquires info@bus-ex.com

Jacquard House, Queen Street, Norwich, NR2 4SX. England

Infinity Business Media Ltd

The content of this magazine is copyright of Infinity Business Media Ltd. Redistribution or reproduction of any content is prohibited. Š Copyright 2014 Infinity Business Media Ltd.

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issue No.82

6 14

6 Top ten

Technologies to watch out for in 2014

Here are ten emerging technologies which are gaining traction as they move from development prototypes to becoming commercially viable products.

14 Strategy

Positive pricing experiences

Take a proactive approach to pricing and turn online competition from a threat to an opportunity.

20

20 Goldcorp – Marlin Mine Guatemala’s gold standard

The first gold mine of significant size in Guatemala, Goldcorp’s Marlin Mine continues to make new discoveries that are increasing its life expectancy.

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contents

36

36 EXSA Peru

Creating exact solutions

In expanding its value proposition, EXSA is positioning itself to remain as influential to Peru’s mining sector as it has been for the last six decades.

46 Reliable Controls

Better Controls and Plant Commissioning

We spoke to founder, President and CEO Ed Macha about the industry, the challenge, and his personal vision.

56 Alamos Gold

A track record to be proud of

The secrets behind the company’s success and how its commitment to responsible mining has improved the lives of many.

66 Camanchaca

Feeding the world from the ocean

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66

Camanchaca’s quality fish products have made it a leading player on the international stage

76 Al Rashed International Shipping Company

In the right place at the right time One of the primary contributors towards the growth being witnessed across the Middle East.

84 Dalkia Energy

Making environmental progress through energy

One of Europe’s leading energy companies, Dalkia provides innovative solutions and technologies to support sustainable growth and enhance environmental best practices.

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top ten technologies to watch out for in 2014 Here are ten emerging technologies which are gaining traction as they move from development prototypes to becoming commercially viable products Written by: Will Daynes

Top Ten

Stefano Tinti / Shutterstock.com

1 Graphene Thinner than a sheet of paper, yet 200 times stronger than steel and more conductive than copper, in the eyes of many Graphene is the future.

Branded as a “supply critical mineral” and a “strategic mineral” by the US and the EU, Graphene is today being used throughout the world in order to achieve critical advances in various industries and technologies, from more efficient solar panels to building lighter aircraft.

Everyday items are also starting to benefit from the minerals unique properties, from batteries that last up to ten time faster to phones and computer displays that bend and fold.

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2 Virtual Reality (VR) Once the stuff of science fiction, Virtual Reality (VR) is set to take a major step into the everyday lives of people this year.

Following the crowd-sourcing success of Oculus Rift, which this year revealed its Crystal Cove prototype headset, gaming giant Sony has unveiled its own device, which it has dubbed Project Morpheus. “We believe VR will shape the future of games,” where the words of Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony’s Worldwide Studios. Applications will however extend beyond gaming, with aspects of VR technology being incorporated into many of the most exciting new innovations, for example Google Glass.

technologies 3 3D Printing While the technology has existed since the 1980s, it has only been in the last few years that 3D printers have become more widely available on a commercial level. Today 3D printing technology, the market for which was valued at around $2.2 billion worldwide in 2012, is being utilised for prototyping and distributed manufacturing across a plethora of industries such as architecture, construction, industrial design, automotive, aerospace, military, engineering, dental and medical care, biotech and even the food sector.

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Top Ten

5 Advanced Robotics

4 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) Until now the term Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) or Drones have had an almost purely military connotation, what with their use being embraced by the US and other armed forces in recent combat operations. While their military applications will undoubtedly grow in the years to come, attention is now turning to what some are calling the untapped commercial use of these pilotless aircraft. Potential future uses of UAV’s includes the monitoring of crops, fighting forest fires, inspecting power lines and pipelines, and delivering vaccines to remote parts of the world.

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The idea of creating machines that can operate autonomously dates back many a decade, however it was until the second half of the 20th Century that fully autonomous robots became a reality. In 2014, robotics is an ever-growing field with commercial and industrial robots more widespread than ever before. Often used to perform jobs more cheaply, and more accurately and reliably than humans, robots can today be found being used in manufacturing, assembly, transport, earth and space exploration, surgery and laboratory research. With innovations in sensors and processing, modern robots are able to tackle more complex tasks with greater ability to adapt and more dexterity than ever before.

www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/

technologies

7 Driverless vehicles

6 Space Tourism In 2001, American Dennis Tito became the first space tourist, travelling into the atmosphere on an eight day trip that included a stopover at the International Space Station. Since then only six other people have shared such an experience. Nevertheless, predictions remain that the Space Tourism industry is set to become a billion-dollar market in the coming years, claims backed up by the fact that Virgin Galactic, one of a number of private space agencies, had sold around 500 tickets worth $200,000 each by the end of 2012 alone.

2013 was a landmark year for driverless, or autonomous, vehicles, with the US states of Nevada, Florida, California and Michigan becoming the first to pass laws permitting such vehicles on their roads.

In the wake of this several European cities in Belgium, France and Italy now intend to develop transport systems for driverless cars. It marked the latest step in the development of the automotive sector, one which numerous experts predict will see 75 percent of all vehicles being autonomous by as early as 2035.

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Top Ten

8 Wearable Tech The world has come a long way since the introduction of the calculator watch during the 1980s, a device which at the time was among the very first pieces of widespread worn electronics.

Today the development of wearable technology that will be adopted on a global scale is a crucial aim of the world’s leading tech firms, from Samsung’s new range of Galaxy Gear to Google Glass, the search company’s wearable glasses that it hopes will take the planet by storm. The application of wearable tech also extends far beyond commercial means, with the medical and military industries continuing to prototype and roll out new devices and solutions at a rapid rate.

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technologies

10 Digital Currencies

9 Big Data Never before has so much data been readily available. But how do you get any useful information out of such large data sets?

Data collection is becoming so large and complex that it is virtually impossible to process using traditional database management tools or processing applications. With advances in technology such as semantic language processing, and without the financial constraint to cost effectively store and process huge collections of data, more and more businesses are looking to more unstructured data as a source of customer and business intelligence. Big data is also big business with an influx of new dedicated information management specialists, software firms and businesses that excel in big data management and analytics. In 2010 it was calculated that the Big Data market on its own was already worth more than $100 billion, a figure that has continued to grow by ten percent annually since, twice as fast as the software business as a whole.

Introduced in 2009, Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency, a digital medium of exchange that is electronically created and stored, to begin trading and remains today the best known and most abundant digital currency, with roughly twelve million bitcoins in existence as of November 2013. Since Bitcoin first appeared numerous other cryptocurrencies have been created, many of which share the characteristic of slowly introducing new units in order to mimic the scarcity and value of precious metals and avoid hyperinflation. What they all share however is a design to replicate Bitcoin’s successes in 2013 when its value at one point topped the $1,000 mark.

Will 2014 be the year that a new contender steps up to challenge Bitcoin’s dominance?

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LUE A V • LUE

VALUE

E U L A V • E U L A •V

• VA E U L • VA

e v VALUE • VALUE • i VALUE • V t i s E U L A V Po • E U L A •V E U L A •V E P U L r A V i • c E i U L A V • VALUE VALUE • VALUE • VALUE • VALUE

Take a proactiv o pricing and turn from a threat to ge Word s by Geor

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Strategy

VALUE • VALUE • VALUE • VALUE • VALUE • VALUE

VALUE • VALUE • VALUE

ing

Experiences VALUE • VALUE • VALUE • VALUE • VALUE • VALUE

• VALUE • VALUE

ve approach to on online competiti y o an opportunit e F. Brown, Jr.

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I

n a recent discussion about customer experience that had been lively and provocative, the room went silent when the topic of pricing surfaced. That was not surprising, as it’s easy to anticipate that a low point in most customer experiences involves the discussion of prices. Even ads for car dealers have focused on the ways in which they’ve taken trauma and tension out of the purchasing experience, alluding to the industry’s tradition of unpleasantness during price negotiations. And the competitive environment of recent years has probably added to the difficulty that exists in coming to agreement on price. We have all heard quotes like the following. “The only way we got people into our store over the holidays was with massive discounts.” “My customers had to go down market during the recession, and they aren’t moving back up.” “We keep losing share to private labels in the Big Boxes, all due to price.”

While the above challenges are solidly based on reality, making pricing a

got “The only way we ore over people into our st with the holidays was ” massive discounts

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daunting topic, firms that proactively manage pricing strategy with the right tools in place can produce significant top- and bottom-line results. A point gain in realized prices can yield a much larger proportional improvement in profits. And the evidence is strong that there is a strong correlation between margins and negative customer experiences – and that correlation goes the wrong way. Firms pay a price when the customer experience turns negative when the topic of price arises.

In my work with clients on pricing, two themes have emerged that can help to translate pricing into a positive element of the overall customer experience. The first lesson is well-reflected in a quote from Warren Buffet: “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” Over and over, observing the flow of the sales process, the focus on value disappears when the discussion turns to price. It is almost as if a gate has slammed shut, closing off all the valid reasons that had previously been communicated to the customer when the discussion shifts to price.

One of my clients has used a tactic of responding to customer requests for lower prices with an almost immediate offer to move down the Good-Better-Best spectrum to the product that matches the price request made by the customer, carefully pointing out the tradeoffs that are implied by that choice. This tactic, in his opinion, allows him to show respect for the customer’s price request, but at the same time allows him to focus

Strategy

on the value contributions associated with the highpriced product first and “One firm success fully introduced foremost. He believes a premium price pro that by doing this, he duct into an is able to link value in credibly challengin and price in the mind g market of his customer. And, by implementing a strategy that as one additional ‘g ave customers an benefit, he believes option that that this approach they could refuse’” allows the focus of the customer experience to return to the positive themes associated with the value being delivered.

Another client emphasizes in its sales training programs that not every it. Their marketing program emphasized price challenge is a real threat. There the value associated with the high-priced are segments and customers in just option, and implicitly told customers that about every market that are willing to the decision on price was theirs, that pay for product and service superiority. they could go either way, and that they This firm emphasizes that remembering would get what they paid for.

– and, more importantly, reinforcing – Several years ago, Charlie Peters, the non-price advantages that they offer Senior Executive Vice President and can enable their sales team to avoid a member of the Board of Directors of unnecessary participation in the vicious Emerson, gave the keynote address at cycle of price-based competition. One of a meeting of the Professional Pricing their slides reads “Don’t discuss price.

Society. His presentation offered many Discuss value.” It is a good message. insights and actionable suggestions, Still another firm successfully gained from his experiences as the pricing introduced a premium price product czar at Emerson. But the cornerstone of into an incredibly challenging market his advice, which he returned to time by implementing a strategy that “gave after time, was that the key to success in customers an option that they could realizing attractive prices was delivering refuse.” That strategy offered the best value to customers. It is a message that of both worlds – the firm didn’t take a should always be at center stage. major risk because it continued to offer In industry after industry, I have seen a low-priced option, but it gained upside examples of firms that were able to realize potential from customer segments that premium prices by learning of the unmet wanted more and were willing to pay for and poorly met needs of their customers,

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and responding to them. One client with whom I worked several years ago started off a discussion by lamenting that the product line is question involved a stable and well-understood technology, some of the best companies from three continents, and little opportunity for innovation. I asked him if that view was shared by the customers who bought that product, and his response emphasized the high levels of satisfaction that were reported in survey after survey. My follow-up question was whether those surveys had ever asked for a “wish list” not presently offered by those in the market, and the response was that had never been asked. When we subsequently did ask that question, the results were surprising. While about 60% of those that answered did not suggest items on their wish list, the remaining 40% had wish list requests. Two of the wish list items most frequently mentioned were not only feasible additions to the product line, but were relatively easily implemented.

“Create value to capture value” is an enduring lesson, one that if remembered

omers that “I heard from cust process, not g n ci ri p e th s a w it had triggered t a th , se r e p s ce ri p negative reactions”

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can help to ensure that the discussion about pricing becomes a positive element of the customer experience. If your firm is delivering value to your customers, you can be rewarded for it, through a price premium or otherwise, and customers can be comfortable with that fact as long as they see the linkage between value and price. The examples and suggestions above have returned to this theme over and over, deliberately. Creating value is the route to making pricing a positive experience.

The second theme that emerged in research on how pricing fits into the overall customer experience addressed a different dimension of the overall customer experience. And it is, once again, something that can be managed so as to avoid problems. In many interviews, what I heard from customers was that it was the pricing process, not prices per se, that had triggered negative reactions. Such comments weren’t reflecting more instances of the old-time car sales environment.

Rather, they reflected frustration over delays, approval processes, duplicative paperwork, information gaps, and other ways in which the customer is “run through the gauntlet” in order to make a purchase. In one interview, a customer of one of my clients gave the following advice: “If there was one thing I’d tell [your client], they should try to buy one of their own products. It’s a nightmare if there is any complexity whatsoever to the transaction. We love their products, but hate to do business with them. I don’t know how to fix this, but I will

Strategy

tell you that it’s costing them sales.”

Pricing processes are an “Pricing processes important part of the customer that are experience, and if the customer customer-friendly is put through the wringer, and that v that can be the element alue the customer ’s time are ones that is most remembered. th at will increasing In one recent project, I had ly become ‘table the opportunity to interview stakes’ for many su ppliers” purchasing executives that had shifted a meaningful portion of their buys to Internet-based suppliers, including some of the new providers like Amazon Supply.

What I heard, over and over, can be summarized in a single phrase: “easy Pricing will always be part of the to do business with”. I certainly heard customer experience, and ensuring comments about the breadth of the that it is a positive part will become product lines that were available, strong more and more critical. Firms that take logistics, and low prices, but the “easy a proactive approach to pricing and to do business with” theme was the one find a way to explicitly link price to that was communicated with feeling the value delivered to their customers and was typically the first dimension are going to be rewarded. And pricing of the experience that these purchasing processes that are customer-friendly executives mentioned. Pricing processes and that value the customer’s time that are a positive part of the customer are ones that will increasingly become experience will become a more and more “table stakes” for many suppliers. The important differentiator in the future, as rewards from making pricing a positive such Internet-based competitors grow part of the overall customer experience and enter into new markets. can be enormous.

About the author George F. Brown, Jr. consults with industrial firms on growth strategy through his firm B-to-B Advisors, Inc. He is the coauthor of CoDestiny: Overcome Your Growth Challenges by Helping Your Customers Overcome Theirs and the cofounder of and a Senior Advisor to Blue Canyon Partners, Inc., which he served as CEO for fifteen years. George has published frequently on topics relating to strategy in business markets, including articles in Industry Week, Industrial Distribution, Chief Executive, Business Excellence, Employment Relations Today, iP Frontline, Industrial Engineer, Industry Today, and many others. gfb@BtoBAdvisors.com

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Guatemala’s gold standard The first gold mine of significant size in Guatemala, Goldcorp’s Marlin Mine continues to make new discoveries that are increasing its life expectancy

written by: will daynes research by: candice nice

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Goldcorp - Marlin mine

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Panoramic view of the processing plant

Goldcorp - Marlin mine

H

aving been in production since late 2005, it took less than five years for Goldcorp’s Marlin Mine to produce its onemillionth ounce of gold. Located in the western highlands of Guatemala, 300 kilometres northwest of Guatemala City in the municipality of San Miguel Ixtahuacan, in an area boasting elevations ranging from 1,800 to 2,300 metres above sea level, Marlin has operated as both an open pit and underground mine, and continues to generate significant cash flow.

Marlin Mine was originally discovered in 1998 by two Guatemalan geologists. Acquired in July 2002 by Canadian Company Glamis Gold, it was they who, in conducting an exploration study, determined that the mine held a projected 1.4 million ounces of gold.

On 27 November 2003, the Ministry of Energy and Mines of Guatemala issued a licence for the development and operation of the Marlin project and following the successful completion of the construction phase in the third quarter of 2005, the mine began producing gold and silver before the turn of the year.

In the time between 2003 and 2006 approximately $300 million was invested into the operator’s exploration activities and overall preparations for exploitation. It was then in 2009 that Goldcorp invested an additional $69 million into the operation, with a similar figure being ploughed into the business in 2010. Such was Goldcorp’s commitment to the long-term success of the project that it remains on course to have invested a further $150 million into Marlin Mine by the end of 2014.

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Grupo EMO’s leadership rests on the application of specialized, trendsetting techniques in technology, planning and developing in each and every one of our underground constructions, tunnels, open space operations and civil work for hydroelectric. The application of these techniques is performed by highly qualified local and international professionals, using the best human and technical equipment as an operations platform with specialized teams and heavy machinery.

Contact: 00502 + 2361-9444 00502 + 2498-4888 info@grupoemo.com www.grupoemo.com

Conquering Limits • Tunnel construction • Civil Work • Hydropower • Mining • Geotechnical • Soil Nailing • Grout Injections • Explosive Management

Key Work Points: • Profitability • Reliability • Industrial Security • Machinery

Goldcorp - Marlin mine

Local workers

Lying within a highly prospective land package of approximately 100,000 hectares that encompass the main deposit and various important vein structures and mineralised zones, the Marlin site hosts four major lithologic units, those being pyroclastic deposits, marlin andesites, tertiary volcaniclastic sequence and porphyric dykes.

Marlin was the first gold mine of significant size in Guatemala and because of this Goldcorp made it a matter of great important to build lasting partnerships with communities surrounding the mine site. To

GRUPO EMO Since 2004 GRUPO EMO, S.A. has been an strategic supplier for underground mining operations to GoldCorp. Recognized in the Marlin Mine site as prime contractor for underground projects and forming part of the mine development and ore recovering team, GRUPO EMO has offered a wide range of activities for underground applications including mine development, service installation, bolting and ventilation, also different type of underground support systems including cement and chemical grouting, production mining with long hole equipment and hauling, shotcrete applications and other underground civil works. GRUPO EMO´s focus on professional capabilities in safety and reliable operation and the continuous formation process of our staff, adds to our company´s inventory a steadily enlarged knowledge as well as personal attitude, loyalty and high quality standards, as the most important values we are transferring to our client.

GRUPO EMO has been the pioneer introducing professional underground construction in tunneling and mining in Central America obtaining a sound reputation for its professional engineering capabilities, development of human resources and total commitment to safe and secure working environment. GoldCorp and its local representative Montana Exploradora have recognize this kind of support and continues to contract additional tunnel construction with a full program of wire mesh and split set installation. We are also looking forward to serve as hauling contractor for the open pit re-naturalization program. We feel fortunate and proud to form part of the GoldCorp/ Montana family for the last eight years and we look forward to continue our successful cooperation in the future.

E. info@grupoemo.com www.grupoemo.com

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“It took less than five years for Goldcorp’s Marlin Mine to produce its one-millionth ounce of gold” this day the company continues to have a positive impact on the lives of families in the area through the creation of increased health, economic, educational and social opportunities. Furthermore, of the mine’s

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1,905 workers, approximately 98 percent of these are Guatemalan residents.

These employees operate each day knowing they are protected by Marlin’s stringent health, safety and environment rules and

Goldcorp - Marlin mine

Nursery environment

standards. Indeed, the safety culture one will find present at the mine has benefited hugely from countless successful safety initiatives that have been implemented throughout the years, including daily and weekly safety briefings, monthly inspections and ongoing training programmes.

The mine also operates in full compliance with the environmental standards and regulations of Guatemala and to the mining industry guidelines as set out by the World Bank. Furthermore, Marlin adheres to the internal Goldcorp standards in order to

ensure that the highest level of environmental stewardship is achieved. Marlin’s Environmental Management System (EMS) is designed to promote continuous improvement in the environmental management of the operation. The EMS concentrates on four phases, those being policy and planning, implementation, evaluation, and review and Improvement.

Of equal significance is the fact that Marlin holds the distinction of being the first mine in Central America to become fully certified under the International Cyanide

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Goldcorp - Marlin mine Management Code, which is recognised as the international benchmark for transporting, storing and using cyanide.

However, long before any Goldcorp mine commences with production the company will have already put plans in place for its eventual closure and the subsequent reclamation of the land. The Marlin Closure Plan for the open pit and waste rock storage facility was approved by the Guatemalan Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) in October 2012.

Goldcorp’s wholly owned subsidiary, Montana Exploradora de Guatemala,

A local farmer

Everlife EVERLIFE is a Guatemalan firm with 10 years of experience, dedicated to provide consultancy and assessment, with the highest professionalism and quality, in environmental, social and business management issues.

We are conformed by a multidisciplinary team of professionals with extensive experience in extractive industries, renewable energy and transmission and distribution of electricity, among others. Our reputation has given us the opportunity to serve some of the most important and largest companies and projects in Guatemala. We are proud to serve Goldcorp and to be able to contribute, through our services, to the sustainable development of mining activities in the country. One of our most important projects is the Environmental Impact Assessment study (EIA study) that was prepared for the Technical Closure of the Marlin Mine Open Pit, which was the first

environmental instrument of its kind analyzed and approved by national authorities. We have also worked on EIA studies for mineral exploration licenses and permits.

Guatemala is a country rich in cultural diversity, conformed by 24 ethnicities and the same number of languages. This is a very important part of our expertise, due to the fact that in many projects there is a need to carry out the Public Participation Process with different ethnical groups at once. At EVERLIFE we know our business and we understand how vital this is for your investment and that´s why we offer integral solutions, supported with the use of top of the line technology and equipment, approved and recognized by international environmental agencies.

E. flopez@everlifegt.com www.everlifegt.com

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T H E E X T R AC T I O N O F G O L D A N D S I LV E R With Guatemala having many valuable natural resources, Productos del Aire can highlight the extraction of gold and silver, among others.

M.Sc. Juan Ram贸n Pallais | Special Applications Advisory | Guatemala Air Products, Inc. Phone 2421-0400 Ext. 227 | jrpallais@productosdelaire.com www.productosdelaire.com

Goldcorp - Marlin mine

Mine entrance

submitted the corresponding compliance bond to the MARN in the amount $28 million on October 16, 2012. The closure compliance bond amount established with MARN will be adjusted according to actual conditions and as subsequent sections of the closure plan are updated, reviewed and approved by the MARN. Subsequent sections of the closure plane will be updated as required by the MARN. The geochemical, hydrological and geotechnical assessments required for the Tailings Impoundment Closure Plan was conducted during 2013, and a final plan is expected to be submitted to the authorities before the end of 2014.

Productos Del Aire De Guatemala The extraction of gold with cyanide seeks to convert insoluble gold in complex metal anions soluble in water.

After being removed and crushed, the mineral is separated from the sludge by Elsner’s equation adding cyanide and oxygen.

The “Elsner” chemical equation is: 4 4 Au + 8 NaCN + O2 + 2 H2O Na[Au(CN) 2] + 4 NaOH Cyanide is present as potassium, calcium or sodium cyanide and is essential to avoid gasification, because cyanide is highly toxic: HCN(g) NC-(aq) + H+(aq) Therefore, it is necessary to maintain an alkaline pH throughout the process.

Calcium carbonates are added to keep alkaline water.

After the gold extraction, the “water process”

has to be neutralized before download to the environment.

Productos del Aire is making this neutralization applying gaseous carbon dioxide disolved in the “water process”: CO2 (aq) CO2(g) Which then reacts with the carbonates: Ca2+ (aq) + 2 CaCO3 + CO2 (aq) + H2O HCO3- (aq) And with water to create carbonic acid: H2CO3 (aq) CO2 (aq) + H2O Therefore, a simple application of CO2 gas bubbling in “water process” makes the water pH initially alkalines by the carbonates that reach normal levels without complicated mixtures of chemicals in the water. www.productosdelaire.com

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Industrial, Mining & Food Industry Since its formation in 1985, Grupo DISOSA has been dedicated towards the marketing of chemical products for the industrial, mining and food industry sectors, delivering the highest standards of products and quality of service. Grupo DISOSA is headquartered in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and has branches in the Mexican states: of Baja California Norte, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sonora, Zacatecas, Mexico City and in Guatemala in Guatemala City.

Contact Numbers: 52 (33) 3145-�0555 | 52 (33) 3881-�1270 Sales Management: alejandro.cota@disosa.com Mining Management Area: luis.escobedo@disosa.com

www.disosa.com

Goldcorp - Marlin mine

The processing plant

Another part of Marlin’s internal structure is its Sustainable Development department.

It is this area of the business which provides resources and funds for community development initiatives in communities near the operation and along the access road to the mine through its Organizational Development Unit.

Each project is designed, selected and implemented in conjunction with community

leaders and members. The Sierra Madre Foundation (SMF) is a Guatemalan foundation, funded by Goldcorp, which was formed in an effort to contribute to the development of neighbouring communities. Its mission is to assist with the planning and implementation of sustainable, community-based development and capacity building programs in San Miguel Ixtahuacán and Sipacapa.

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Tilapia fish project

Goldcorp - Marlin mine

2,000 tonnes Of ore produced by Marlin’s underground operation every day In early 2012, open pit operations at Marlin ceased when the mining of the final, highergrade portion of the pit was completed. Today the mine is an underground operation only.

Underground operations at the site employ mechanised cut-and-fill and long hole stoping mining, with underground loading equipment feeding haul trucks that transport the ore to the surface via ramps. Production from underground operations is roughly 2,000 tonnes of ore per day. This ore is processed in a conventional crushing, grinding and milling circuit. Marlin also has a tailing storage facility, a waste rock storage area and various ancillary installations.

Despite open pit operations coming to an end, successful exploration activities in the area surrounding the pit indicate the potential for extending the life of the mine.

The discovery of a bonanza grade vein, the Delmy vein, which is located near the Marlin deposit and within the existing mining area, will contribute significantly to the mine’s future production.

For more information about Goldcorp - Marlin Mine visit: www.goldcorpguatemala.com

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EXSA Peru

Creating

exact solutions In expanding its value proposition, EXSA is positioning itself to remain as influential to Peru’s mining sector as it has been for the last six decades

written by: Will Daynes research by: Abi Abagun

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EXSA Peru

F

ounded in 1954, EXSA Peru is reuse of waste oil in blasting, elimination today part of Breca, the leading of red fumes from blasting operations and economic group in Peru, and is so forth. To achieve this we have invested the country’s leading provider of heavily in technological innovations, while rock fragmentation solutions to the at the same time deepening the expertise mining and construction industries, with more and development of our staff through than a 50 percent market share. The company’s comprehensive training. Furthermore, we are market leadership is reflected in both its introducing automation into our production recent sales growth and its earnings before processes in order to improve our existing interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization safety critical processes.”

(EBITDA). Over the last five years EXSA’s sales In order to provide its customers with have increased by an average of 23 percent per the best solutions EXSA took the decision to year, while in the same period its EBITDA has segment its market according to the type of seen more significant growth of approximately operation carried out by said customers. These 25 percent annually. segments include open pit It has become such through mining, underground mining, is pioneering development quarries and construction and commercialisation of a companies. Among its open wide assortment of products pit customers are the likes i nc ludi ng dy na m ites, of Antamina, Yanacocha, The year EXSA cartridged emulsions, ANFO, Goldfields, HudBay and was founded bulk emulsions , ammonium Southern Copper, while when it nitrate and a full range of comes to underground mining initiators. The sales of the aforementioned they include Buenaventura, Volcan, Hochschild products are in turn boosted through the Mining, Minsur, Horizonte and Marsa, and in providing of technical assistance and training the construction market customers include services centred on the proper selection, safe Graña y Montero, Odebrecht and others.

With no real substitute available on handling and use of EXSA’s products.

“Utilising our 60 years of experience,” the market to match the volume of rock states CEO, Karl Maslo, “we have recently fragmentation it creates, it is understandable been modifying our focus and market why wide-scale mining today remains virtually orientation, expanding our value proposition impossible without the use of explosives. Over to our customers from products and the course of its six decades of existence, EXSA operational services to tailor made solutions, has proudly retained a reputation for not only which we have called “exact solutions”. Such the quality of its products, but also for its solutions include the construction of powder attitude towards safety. magazines and nitrate storage facilities, “At EXSA we recognise the high level of risk as well as conducting secondary drilling, that is linked to our activities and therefore

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EXSA Peru we have made it our mission to ensure that the concept of safety runs through our DNA,” Maslo continues. “Our level of safety awareness is such that each year our annual celebration schedule includes the EXSA Safety Day. This day represents the only date, other than official holidays of course, that the company puts work on hold in order to commit the day towards allowing all of our employees and collaborators to be trained in and strengthen their already comprehensive knowledge of safety.”

The contribution of said people to the

success of the company of course has to be recognised, the level of which stems from their enjoyment and satisfaction of being a part of EXSA. “The commitment of our people is reflected in the high score we obtained in a recent Great Place to Work study, which makes EXSA the highest rated explosive company for employee satisfaction in Peru,” Maslo says. “On the subject of awards it was last year that we also received Class A certification from the consultant Oliver Wight for Process Planning and Control. With this recognition EXSA

AEL MINING SERVICES AEL Mining Services, a member of the JSElisted AECI Group in South Africa, is a leading developer, producer and supplier of 3rd generation electronic detonators, initiating systems, blasting services and solutions for mining, quarrying and construction markets in Latin America, Africa, Europe and the Far East.

AEL operates closely with selected partners across Latin America and is proud to be associated with Exsa, AEL’s preferred partner and distributor in Peru of electronic detonators including DigiShot™Plus and SmartShot™ range, as well as Underground Bulk Systems (UBS) for more than 12 years.

Consisting of a capable team of leading explosives engineers and scientists, AEL has over a century of expertise and knowledge in developing ground-breaking and innovative

blasting solutions that contribute to the creation of infrastructures in countries throughout the world. AEL supports Latin America’s growing mining market and will continue its investment on the continent through its expertise, resources and cutting edge technology.

AEL’s proven capability of deploying infrastructure to global standards in a fast turnaround time, coupled with the expertise to rapidly develop customised premier products to suit specific applications and mandatory quality standards, gives the group a competitive edge in expanding into new markets.

AEL unearths wealth by meticulously providing the mining industry with carefully controlled energy. www.aelminingservices.com

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inspired Your weekly digest of business news and views

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became the first explosives business in Latin America, and very few in the world, to have obtained this certification.”

For the last 60 years EXSA has undoubtedly contributed a huge amount to the sustainable development of the mining industry in Peru. In looking back on its impact on the sector it was decided that its 60th birthday would be the ideal time to redesign its corporate image, one which reflects a new vision for the company and a new approach to how it delivers its service. This new image was first unveiled at the EXTEMIN 2013 mining exhibition.

“We want our customers today to not simply see us as providers of products or operational services that are limited to blasting,” Maslo

EXSA Peru

“We believe in long term relationships and that is why we care about ensuring the continuity of our customers’ businesses” highlights, “rather we want them to recognise EXSA as providers of exact solutions that are integral to their entire value chain. We view the business of our clients holistically and as such we want to focus on capturing operational efficiencies in their production chain. We believe in long term relationships and that is why we care about ensuring the continuity of our

customers’ businesses. By knowing the business of our customers better than themselves, we will be able to provide them with tailor made solutions beyond their expectations.”

“It is EXSA’s belief that sustainable development and steady growth should be constant goals and as such we seek at all times to uphold best practices when it comes

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“As part of our development over the past 60 years we have grown into a multi-national company” to achieving continuous improvement and delivering total quality and excellence. In recent years we have invested heavily in order not only to respect the environmental laws, but also to exceed the mere fulfilment of our obligations, thus becoming a leader in our industry,” Maslo enthuses. “Moreover, since 2004 we have held ISO 14001 certification and OSHA 18000 certification since 2008, and in 2003 we obtained the ISO 9001 certification. These certifications require us to have procedures and evaluation methods in place to identify and eliminate any potential environmental or safety implications our operations may have. Our degree of social responsibility also saw us become the first blasting company in Peru to receive the distinction of being recognized for our role in this field by being named an Empresa Socialmente Responsible (socially responsible) business.”

EXSA’s goal for the short-to-medium term is to continue to grow and consolidate its position as the leading regional player in the mining industry when it comes to rock fragmentation. One way that the company is expressing its aims for the future is through the design and use of a dynamic new logo, one that represents the company’s new value proposition, its continuing high levels of customer focus, its constant process of

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innovation and the way it is always striving to meet its clients’ changing needs by providing them with exact solutions. The colour blue represents the level of trust, confidence and commitment that exists between EXSA and its clients, while the yellow symbolises the human side of the business and the close relationships EXSA forges with its customers.

“As part of our development over the past 60 years we have grown into a multi-national company which today has subsidiaries in Brazil, Colombia and Panama, and exports products from Peru to the majority of the countries in South, Central and North America,” Maslo concludes. “Our growth strategy for the future revolves around three strategic pillars, innovation, customer focus and solutions, all of which are furthered as a result of our proven operational excellence, quality, efficiency and safety. Meanwhile, we have developed a very aggressive growth strategy across the Americas, one that has proven to be very successful, and we move into our seventh decade of operations we will continue to look for business opportunities both locally and internationally.”

For more information about EXSA Peru visit: www.exsa.net

EXSA Peru

Bette Plant

Reliable Contro plant automatio work, par

r

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Reliable Controls

er Controls and t Commissioning

ols Corporation is a dependable partner for on, assessment, auditing and commissioning rticularly in mining and O&G projects

written by: John O’Hanlon research by: Peter Rowlston

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Gold and copper recovery in the Dominican Republic

Reliable Controls

E

d Macha always felt there was a better way. Fascinated since childhood by the possibilities of automation, he learned the industry inside and out, knowing one day he would be the one to transform it. Beginning at the age of 15, he spent his summers sweeping electrical room floors and troubleshooting pull cords on conveyor belts at a mine site in Mexico. After graduating in electrical engineering from New Mexico State University, Macha worked as a control engineer, taking on numerous jobs including a large commissioning project working with Bowen Engineering and Fluor Daniels in the multi-million Alumbrera project in Argentina.

Five years later, there was a delay in projects and Ed realized that was the time to jump on the idea he never stopped dreaming about.

The opportunity to start his own business.

With the support of his father, Al Macha, and younger brother Alex Macha, who are now respectively RCC’s Vice Presidents in Operations and Technology, Ed Macha developed a unique method for systemizing power, instrumentation and control systems in a way that could make projects more efficient during commissioning. With the implementation of this new way and the support of a few key people, Reliable Controls Corporation (RCC) was born in April of 1999.

The primary focus of RCC was the mining industry. The company’s first big break came within months of being established, with the challenge to automate a tripper conveyor control system at a mine that used lasers for control and optimisation. This was followed by another large project performing

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a complete Instrumentation and Controls audit and assessment in 2001 at Minera Escondida’s concentrator. The next few years brought nothing but opportunity and growth for the flourishing company. In 2002, RCC performed the commissioning and start-up of the Power Distribution Systems and Controls Systems for BHP Billiton at Minera Escondida’s Phase IV megaproject.

That success attracted the attention of other major clients and the company grew fast. In 2004, RCC had reached eight employees, at which point it expanded its operation in Salt Lake City: since then it has experienced steady growth and today has 53 employees.

If there’s a key to this business, it lies in the commitment of its staff. With an average age of 38 the team includes seasoned engineers with the ability to manage large teams, a middle generation in their thirties, highly tech-savvy and bright, and the youngest generation in their 20s, many of whom joined RCC straight from university, eager to learn and willing to work hard to get where they need to be. “It’s a very constructive combination!” says Macha. “We have great leaders in all of those age groups.”

The company’s portfolio developed quickly, with satisfied clients in both the mining and the oil and gas (O&G) sectors. RCC is

a perfect fit with businesses in these two sectors – companies that are in the process of building new facilities and clients that are reassessing their existing facilities. This was always the basis for building the firm’s reputation, he says. “We build trust, respect and unity. We become family with our clients, making it a win-win situation. To do this, we train and develop as much as we can. We value our people’s experience and give them

“We build trust, respect and unity.

We become family with our clients, making it a win-win situation. To do this, we train and develop as much as we can” 50 | be weekly

Reliable Controls

Copper and gold underground mining in Indonesia

training, so we are offering design, installation and our clients continuing commissioning in each expertise. The world faces of them. “We focus on a crisis of resources right understanding our clients’ now and the type of work needs,” he emphasises.

RCC’s foundation year we do on power systems, “For example many of instrumentation, automation them need to modernise or and commissioning is huge upgrade their facilities after in fixing that crisis. RCC is developing a long period of operation – they might and training the next generation to step not even have the original documentation, up and resolve the crisis.” The company’s drawings and commissioning information. record of growth by recommendation and So the first thing we will do is to make an the long term relationships it has built audit of the whole installation. We trace with mining and O&G majors testifies every wire, and create plant drawings to the success of this approach. and documentation that may be missing RCC’s engineers are experienced in or out of date: in short, we tell the client both understanding the synergies as well exactly where their plant is at!”

RCC’s qualified engineers then use as the unique characteristics of plant

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a proprietary system to pinpoint potential opportunities and offer detailed recommendations for creating more favourable conditions with little to no downtime. “The system breaks the job down into work packages: our engineers go through the entire plant and give the owner a snapshot of every last detail of his instrumentation, automation and electrical installation.”

Having established the baseline, RCC goes on to make its recommendation of what needs to be done to upgrade and improve safety or compliance. A great example of this service was shown in 2009, when Barrick Gold contracted RCC to provide electrical and instrumentation assessment and ‘as-built’

Copper thickener in the Atacama Desert, Chile

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engineering services at the Cortez Pipeline Mill located 60 miles south west of Elko, Nevada.

RCC performed a detailed electrical and instrumentation assessment including verification and wire tracing, as well as providing ‘as-built’ documentation. ‘As-built’ means assessing the variations from original engineering plans to what was actually built – and any subsequent modifications. Without this, it is impossible to plan any future development. At Cortez Pipeline Mill, wiring, drawings, motor schematics, instrumentation, controls and electrical systems were all audited and the client presented with a turnover package and recommendations related to safety and reliability, critical

Reliable Controls

“We trace every wire, and create plant drawings and documentation that may be missing or out of date: in short, we tell the client exactly where their plant is at!” instrumentation and logic, and electrical and instrumentation component conditions with respect to both safety and functionality.

A job well done, which developed into a continued relationship with Barrick and work in major projects world-wide, including being a key partner in the Pueblo Viejo mega project (2011-2013) in the

Dominican Republic where RCC provided pre-commissioning and commissioning services for both Fluor and Barrick.

Another core service that has really made its mark on the mining industry is testing and commissioning. This can be applied to a simple standalone plant or complex site-wide systems. “We place a lot of emphasis on that, and have developed a systematic approach to commissioning that is as foolproof as we can make it,” says Ed Macha. He is referring to the in-house software application that covers the whole process of verifying and validating the plant and getting it up and running. The company has been busy in its home state (Utah), Arizona, and Nevada, last year completing commissioning services for Freeport McMoRan, Barrick, and Rio Tinto.

Currently, the company is in the commissioning process for the $160 million gyratory crushing system and 21,500 gallons per minute Merrill-Crowe facility at Allied Nevada’s Hycroft gold mine.

RCC is providing services to complete all electrical and instrumentation terminations and performing component testing and plant commissioning. The systematised approach by project manager, Jeff VanDyke, and team of 20 has made a substantial difference in the project.

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Another aspect Reliable Controls prides itself in is that of forging innovative technology. RCC has just launched a new application called PlantSight (www.plantsight.com) based on its unique system which is now available to purchase by anyone. This tool is cloud-based and utilises iPads and laptops to perform all inspections, punchlists and test package completion. The key is to

have immediate information available for tracking, making decisions, early discovery and accountability based systems required for the commissioning of world-class facilities.

“This tool is great for tracking real time progress, and generating online reporting,” Ed Macha enthuses. “The system aims to improve efficiencies, reducing re-do work and improving the reporting process, all of

“PlantSight is a great tool for tracking real time progress, and generating online reporting”

RCC management - Fred Botha, Alex Macha, Al Macha, Nikki Butler, Ed Macha, Brad Liljenquist

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Reliable Controls

RCC engineer, Michael Toone, utilizing PlantSight while commissioning

which help to meet project deadlines. I truly believe RCC understands the importance of technology and is one of few businesses in the industry that are capitalising on it!”

With offices already established in the USA, Chile and the Dominican Republic RCC is now setting up shop in Peru and Indonesia. “We will go wherever our clients need us,” says Macha – and he makes it clear that though he is currently focused on South East Asia and South America, Australia and Canada are definitely of interest, and that the logical progression going forward will be a big push into the energy sector. The latest international venture in Indonesia has proved RCC’s ability to work with a 14-16

hour time difference between the site and the engineering companies/suppliers in North America, as well as the logistics challenge.

Though his clients agree that RCC holds the key to the best available plant assessment and commissioning, Ed Macha still thinks there is a better way. “We do our work with so much pride. Everything we do is beautiful. It is a work of art. We all believe in doing a job with passion! We cannot stand mediocrity - there is always the challenge to do it better!”

For more information about Reliable Controls visit: www.rcontrols.com

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Alamos Gold

A track record to be proud of John A McCluskey, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Alamos Gold, discusses the secrets behind the company’s success and how its commitment to responsible mining has improved the lives of many

written by: Will Daynes research by: Peter Rowlston

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Pouring gold at the Mulatos Refinery

Alamos Gold

W

hen I look over the last two years, while I do see a highly problematic gold market, particularly for producers, I also see evidence to suggest that the long-term outlook is pretty good. Primarily this is because many of the underpinning reasons for the rise in gold price in the first place continue to exist, reasons like high degrees of sovereign debt.�

Those are the words of John A McCluskey, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Alamos Gold. Having begun his career in 1983 with Glamis Gold, McCluskey would go on to hold senior positions in a number of public resource companies, founding Grayd Resource Corporation in 1996, and ultimately establishing Alamos Minerals. It was the amalgamation of Alamos Minerals and National Gold on 21 February, 2003, that gave rise to Alamos Gold itself.

A Canadian-based mid-tier gold producer, Alamos’ core focus is to become a leader in the field of growing low-cost gold production, in financial performance and in delivering shareholder value. The company owns and operates the Mulatos Mine, located within the Salamandra Concessions in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range in the north western state of Sonora, Mexico. Acquired by the company in February 2003 for $10 million, Mulatos is a conventional open-pit, heap leach operation and is recognised as being one of the lowest cost gold mines on the planet. In addition to the Mulatos Mine, Alamos also boasts a leading growth profile with exploration and development activities not only in Mexico,

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Alamos Gold

Overview of Mulatos crushing circuit

but also in Turkey and the United States.

Turning back to the topic of the gold industry as it stands today, McCluskey’s belief is that the current gold market is simply not sustainable. “If you look at average all-in sustaining costs of the industry today, which don’t typically take into account taxation, with gold trading around $1,250 an ounce there is simply not enough of a margin present to sustain the industry. The result

of this situation will ultimately be either a rise in the price of gold or a significant decline in gold production.”

So given this outlook, how is it that Alamos is able to remain prosperous? “Where we have looked to make acquisitions we have always done so with the view of all-in sustaining costs being below $1,000 per ounce,” McCluskey continues. “This provides us with a much more comfortable margin than that

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Mulatos Crushing Circuit

which the typical industry producer enjoys and means we can effectively withstand a drop in the price of gold much better than such producers. It also means that our suite of projects exists as one of the lowest cost development pipelines in the industry and that is a very unique, strong position to be in, in anyone’s book.”

The Mulatos Mine is some way removed from being a development asset, but its on-going success marks it out as being the flagship of Alamos Gold. “When we started operations at Mulatos in 2005, we had roughly nine years of production ahead of us, an

estimate calculated off the back of running at 10,000 tonnes of ore per day,” McCluskey highlights. “At that rate we should have run out of ore in 2013, however successful exploration and expansion programmes allowed us to ramp up production to 13,000, 15,000 and now 17,700 tonnes of ore per day, and now we anticipate having a further eight or nine years of mine life ahead of us.”

A number of important factors have contributed towards the extension of Mulatos’ mine life. These include the fact that the ore body was not fully defined when Alamos began mining it and the fact that when the

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Alamos Gold

17,700 tonnes Of ore being produced daily at Mulatos

company conducted its first economic study on the mine the gold price stood at around $375 an ounce. As gold prices increased the company was then able to use lower cut off grade assumptions allowing for much more of the material it was defining to become part of its reserves. Furthermore, the Mulatos pit contains a variety of ore types, some of which wouldn’t have qualified as reserves at lower gold prices, but are now profitable.

The Mulatos mine and its surrounding area is today very much a different place to that which Alamos first entered over a decade ago. Miles away from any built up modern location, Mulatos is a remote community that prior to 2003 was essentially cut off from the rest of Mexico and was a town lacking in transportation networks and other infrastructure.

“Infrastructure has been one of the biggest things we have invested in since beginning operations here,” McCluskey enthuses. “A large sum of money went into the construction of 70 kilometres of road, from the pre-existing paved highway through several mountain valleys all the way to the mine itself.”

Of course being a responsible mining company takes more than single gestures and to this end the work of Alamos to provide a better quality of life for the

John A McCluskey

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Mulatos Leach Pad Reclamation

Alamos Gold communities living around its operations continues unabated. In addition to providing support for a number of local elementary and high schools the company continues to pursue an aggressive scholarship programme that has to date sent dozens of individuals into higher education.

The company is also responsible for building a medical support network from the ground up in the area. “Before we arrived in the area there was virtually no medical support for miles around,” McCluskey states. “In the event of an emergency people would face up to a six and a half hour drive to the nearest hospital.

What we have done is establish a medical clinic at the mine, which has been delivering comprehensive medical care now for more than a decade. In addition we have provided funding for medicine for the local population, rebuilt and maintained 8 kilometres of piping to supply clean drinking water to the town of Mulatos and built a water treatment plant, significantly improving the water quality of the nearest natural water source to the community.”

Alamos’ track record in delivering value not only for its shareholders but also local communities speaks for itself, and McCluskey believes that it is one that is widely replicated throughout an industry that should do more

Mulatos Heap Leach Pad

to defend itself against critics. “The basis of virtually every economy comes down to natural resources and their development, therefore the importance of mining cannot be overstated. While there have obviously been examples of environmental degradation in the past, I would say that the industry, especially in the 30 years that I have been a part of it, has had an exemplary record.

As a company, and an industry, we want to operate in ways that are environmentally sustainable. I think this industry needs to make this point much clearer.”

For more information about Alamos Gold visit: www.alamosgold.com

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Camanchaca

Feeding the world from the ocean Camanchaca’s quality fish products have made it a leading player on the international stage

written by: Will Daynes research by: Abi Abagun

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Camanchaca

N

owadays, aquaculture is a major economic activity in Chile, due to its excellent geographic, climatic and water quality conditions.

In fact, by 2006 the country had risen to become the second largest global producer of salmon, behind only Norway, while in the case of mussels it retains its crown as the largest global producer.

Founded in 1965, initially with its focus being the fishing and processing of Langostino lobster and wild shrimp, Camanchaca underwent a significant change in 1980 when the company’s management pursued a strategy of diversification. This change saw the business expanding into aquaculture and subsequently Camanchaca has grown into an international entity with sales offices or brokerage representation in the US, Japan, Europe, and most recently in Mexico, China and South East Asia. Such is the importance of the distribution network that today Camanchaca exports its products to over 50 countries while aquaculture products account for over half Camanchaca’s revenues.

Today, aquaculture activities include salmon, mussels, scallops and abalone, while the fishing activities are focused on jack mackerel, sardines, anchovies and langostinos.

One of the world’s leading fishing, seafood and aquaculture companies, Camanchaca currently has annual sales of over $400 million.

In Northern Chile the company possesses a fleet of 16 fishing vessels, with a total hold capacity of 6,000 cubic metres and a modern plant with a daily fish processing capacity of 2,500 tonnes.

Meanwhile, in South-Central Chile it has a

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To Camanchaca, thank you for your trust in our products and services. Copec and Mobil.

More than a lubricant: A business tool If you think of oil as a line item, or simply as an operational cost, perhaps it’s time to think of it as something more: an opportunity. Mobil lubricants can smoothen the way to maximize productivity, reduce expenses and down time.

*Mobil is a trademark of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries. Other trademarks and product names used herein are the property of their respective owners.

Camanchaca fleet of eight offshore purseCOPEC seine fishing vessels with a Established in 1934, Copec has sold and distributed fuels total hold capacity of 10,000 for residential and industrial use in Chile. In 1959, Copec cubic metres, three boats for partnered with Exxon Mobil Corporation, one of the leading crustacean fishing, a canning lubricant companies in the world and owner of the Esso and plant with a daily production Mobil brands. It gave Copec the exclusive rights to produce capacity of 25,000 boxes, a Mobil lubricant products. This historical agreement has enabled Copec to consolidate the leadership of a market. fishmeal and fish oil plant, and Copec supports one of its most important customers, a Langostino processing plant.

Camanchaca, a leader in the fishing industry by supplying In Petrohué, the company’s high quality products and services. salmon hatchery boasts www.copec.cl an annual salmon smolt capacity of 15 million fish, making it the largest facility of its kind in the world. Elsewhere, Camanchaca’s Río del Este hatchery focuses on breeders in their last stage before spawning, while its Playa Maqui centre specialises in developing trout.

Together the Río de la Plata hatchery and the Playa Maqui centre produce an annual trout smolt capacity of five million fish.

“The vision of Camanchaca is based on the concept of feeding the world from the ocean,” explains Corporate Planning and Marketing Director, Igal Neiman, “therefore it makes sense that we have been focusing our activities towards meeting human consumption demands.”

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Between 80 and 90 percent of Camanchaca’s products are exported across the globe. “Approximately 90 percent of our salmon products are exported with our main markets being the US, Brazil, Japan and Mexico, while we are seeing increasingly high levels of demand coming from China and South East Asia,” Neiman continues.

“In the case of frozen mussels, Europe is our top market, although demand in the US

and Asia continues to rise. Frozen mackerel is mainly sold in Africa, while at home in Chile the growing aquaculture trade means there is a big demand for our fish meal and fish oil products.”

Being among the top tier of fishing and aquaculture companies in the world, it will come as no surprise to find that all of Camanchaca’s products come with the highest quality certifications. What you may not know

“The company was the first salmon producer on the planet to be awarded three star Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification”

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Camanchaca

however is that the company people, local communities was the first salmon producer and the environment. on the planet to be awarded For starters the company three star Best Aquaculture employs around 3,000 people Practices (BAP) certification. during peak times, making The year Camanchaca Each star represents having it the largest employer in was founded a different part of one’s some of the localities in which it operates, providing value chain certified to the highest level. In the case of an economic lifeline to Camanchaca the three stars highlight the certain areas, from north to south farming of its salmon, the feeding of the of this long and narrow country. salmon and the work of its processing plant.

When it comes to sustainability Camanchaca Camanchaca’s understanding of the value has established three macro-programs dubbed of responsibility also extends beyond its own “Efficient Camanchaca”, “Clean Camanchaca” facilities with the company having taken and “Friendly Camanchaca”, which was great strides in its lifetime to support local set up last year. “As part of the Friendly

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“In the last year the company has continued to make strong progress in expanding its international reach and securing its long term future�

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Camanchaca Camanchaca program we host numerous events designed to allow mutually beneficial interaction with local communities and stakeholder, understanding their concerns and needs,” Neiman says. “One of the other things we do is partner with local schools, inviting classes to visit our facilities where we teach them about our business in the hope that it encourages them to one day work for us or within the wider industry.

Meanwhile, when it comes to the environment we also bring together teams to work on cleaning local beaches and are constantly looking at ways to reduce energy and water consumption.”

In the last year the company has continued to make strong progress in expanding its international reach and securing its long term future. One development saw it opening an office in China, in partnership with three other Chilean companies, along with the brand “New World Currents”, in order to serve the South East Asian market and increase the distribution of salmon across the region.

Furthermore, last year saw Camanchaca become part of the Global Salmon Initiative, a select group of 15 salmon farmers from across the globe, representing 70 percent of the salmon produced worldwide, that are committed towards achieving sustainable growth for the industry.

“Our business expects a big growth in demand,” Neiman concludes. “As such, and bearing in mind the increase in demand for our products in Asia, it is important that we continue to make our production process as efficient as possible. In doing so we must maintain the sustainable growth of our industry. We recognise fully that you can’t take fish from the ocean without considering the renovation of this scarce resource, therefore as we grow as a business we will endeavour to ensure that we preserve the biomass of our oceans in the years and decades to come.”

For more information about Camanchaca visit: www.camanchaca.cl

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In the right place a The successful diversification of its business portfolio and service offering has made Al Rashed International Shipping Company one of the primary contributors towards growth across the Middle East

written by: Will Daynes research by: James Boyle

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Al Rashed International Shipping Company

at the right time

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Al Rashed International Shipping Company

P

roudly boasting a free and thriving economy, Kuwait stands tall amongst the top twenty richest nations on the planet. Among a number of other achievements, the Middle Eastern country has developed one of the largest shipping industries in the Arabian Gulf, within which exists Al Rashed International Shipping Company, one of, if not the leading player in the Kuwaiti marine sector.

Following the Iraqi invasion that prompted the first Gulf War, Kuwait faced the challenge of having to rebuild its infrastructure network. It was around this time that Al Rashed International Shipping Company grasped the opportunity to diversify as a business. Since then it has grown into a company which promotes itself not only as a shipping/port agent but also as freight forwarders, charterers and contractors, capable of taking on all manner of shipping requirements from specialised vessels to passenger ferries, freighters, container ships, bulk carriers and oil tankers.

“Over the last couple of years we have worked hard to increase our market share not only in Kuwait, but also in Iraq, where we were the first transport and logistics company to establish a proven freight delivery system into the country following the removal of the old regime, and into Saudi Arabia,” explains General Manager, Ravi Varrier. “Today we have some 220 people working for us in Kuwait, 300 in Iraq, and a small set of individuals operating in Saudi Arabia.”

As Varrier goes on to tell me, the company has become increasingly involved with

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several major oil projects currently ongoing in Iraq, working alongside many of the leading international oil companies present in the region. Simultaneously, the company is handling the increasing levels of several big bulk vessels’ traffic to Iraq port(s), bringing supplies and materials from Far East and the UAE, predominantly, for use on projects currently underway in the country.

Meanwhile the company is playing a supporting role in several major projects in Kuwait, one being the construction of the new Bubiyan Port in the north-east of the country, while a contract signed eight months ago has seen Al Rashed International Shipping Company become a principal player involved in the building of Kuwait’s largest causeway bridge. These massive individual

“by being able to conduct work in many different fields at the same time we find ourselves in increasingly high demand”

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Al Rashed International Shipping Company

undertakings are the latest to “While the growth join a Kuwait based portfolio w it ne s s e d in t he which also includes a number aforementioned countries of offshore projects. has contributed to our own Kuwait is perhaps the success, arguably the biggest perfect example of a country reason in my opinion is that is determined to spend the diversification of our Estimated offshore what is necessary to create a business and our ability to and infrastructure take on work across different brighter future for itself and investment in Kuwait its citizens, be it through business sectors,” Varrier over the next five years providing better services or by continues. “Our flexibility ensuring strong employment as a business is what makes us stand out as a company opportunities. As a matter of fact, it is estimated that over the course of and by being able to conduct work in many the next five years alone some $20 billion different fields at the same time we find will be spent in Kuwait on major offshore, ourselves in increasingly high demand. In infrastructure and other projects. turn we always strive to establish strong,

$20

Billion

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“We aim to carry on doing what we do best, whilst always looking at ways that we can expand into other key areas” long-lasting relationships with all our clients, whatever their background may be, and this gives them the confidence that we are the service provider best suited to their needs.”

The idea that the company needed to diversify was one that Varrier immediately began pursuing upon taking over the role of General Manager, however he is the first to recognise that even with a strong plan in place to expand the business it would

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not have been possible without both the support of the company’s owners who gave a free hand to pursue this business in the right direction, and the dedicated service provided by its workforce.

“Take Saudi Arabia for example, where we have only recently started establishing a presence alongside our partners in the region with the aim of becoming more involved in the big oil and gas projects

Al Rashed International Shipping Company

occurring there,” Varrier says. “It represents a hugely exciting and growing market for us to operate and one that has such great potential for future business. Therefore it is clearly a country we hope to expand within and we can only do so by having the right people in place, after all no matter what line of work a business specialises in, it cannot hope to succeed without having the best people to drive it forward.”

Ongoing developments in Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia will no doubt continue to provide much of Al Rashed International Shipping Company’s work over the coming months, with each country requiring the support of experienced partners in the construction and delivery of ever more important oil and gas, power generation and infrastructure projects.

“In the months ahead our strategy is simple, and that is to become an increasingly important contributor to these major projects,” Varrier concludes. “Positioning yourself as a vital service provider, and subsequently maintaining said position, is a fundamental requirement for any big business wanting to grow in this part of the world. From there we aim to carry on doing what we do best, whilst always looking at ways that we can expand into other key areas. That will be key to maintaining our own success and achieving our own growth over the long-term.”

For more information about Al Rashed International Shipping Company visit: www.al-rashedgroup.com

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Dalkia Energy

Making environmental progress through energy One of Europe’s leading energy companies, Dalkia provides innovative solutions and technologies to support sustainable growth and enhance environmental best practices

written by: Will Daynes research by: David Brogan

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Dalkia Energy

B

orn in 1998 following the merging optimising industrial utilities, upgrading of two Générale des Eaux the energy performance of buildings and subsidiaries, Compagnie Générale developing alternative and renewable de Chauffe and Esys Montenay, it energies, Dalkia offers its customers was in 2000 that Dalkia opened across the globe made-to-order solution up its capital to the French electricity provider designed to lower their energy use and EDF, following an agreement between improve the environmental and economic the provider and Vivendi Environmental. performance of their facilities.

Representing the Energy Services Division of Using energy audits Dalkia is able to develop Veolia Environment, Dalkia is one of Europe’s and implement decentralised solutions for leading energy companies, boasting operations energy and environmental efficiency before in 35 countries and achieving managed then deploying and operating these solutions revenues of €8.9 billion in 2012. at its customers’ sites. Due to the fact that The company provides innovative solutions Dalkia manages more than 100,000 energy to support the sustainable growth of cities facilities its customers benefit from substantial and businesses. In an era economies of scale and defined by climate change, from its ability to replace scarce resources and volatile frequently-fluctuating process energy prices, Dalkia offers with favourable tariffs, from the purchase of energy to clients proven expertise in operations maintenance. developing, constructing Number of countries in Dalkia’s employees are then and operating greener and which Dalkia operates economical energy systems. tasked with converting said Involved in every step energy into heat, cooling, of the energy chain, from decentralised compressed air and electricity at its customers’ production to demand-side management and site, while maximising plant efficiency. optimised distribution, Dalkia operates with The company always strives to work one goal in mind and that is to improve energy alongside the local authorities and performance. The company’s activities involve manufacturers it serves, be it in cities or at energy infrastructure operation, the design production sites, in order to positively manage and management of high-efficiency systems, their energy use. It is this approach that and energy consumption management. The makes Dalkia different from those energy services it offers include heating and cooling specialists that focus predominantly on the systems, multi-technical and thermal services, centralised production and transport of gas industrial utilities, comprehensive building or electricity. In contrast to such specialists management and associated special services. Dalkia considers itself to be a manager of Building on its own extensive experience local energy infrastructures. in operating cooling and heating networks, In facing down the challenges of the 21st

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Dalkia Energy Century, Dalkia has diversified during the course of its Specialist Industrial Refrigeration / HVAC company. We are lifetime to become a provider certified to ISO 9001:2008 for the Sale, Design, Installation, of innovative solutions that Commissioning and Validation of Industrial Refrigeration / are contributing to the HVAC systems for Biomedical, Pharma, Food, Beverage and sustainable development Electronics Industries. We implement detailed site specific of its clients. Among the maintenance programs for all systems. BAF strive for Capacity Performance, Efficiency, Reliability, Safety technologies it has invested in and Ownership value. are cogeneration, solar power, www.baf.ie geothermal power, heat source capture from incineration and biomass. The company’s efforts in the last mentioned have largely occurred in Europe to date and include the development and network connection of France’s largest biomass energy generation plant in Cergy Pontoise, which provides heat and water for up to 70,000 people, and Pannonpower, one of Europe’s largest biomass cogeneration plants, which is based in Hungary.

Dalkia offers state-of-the-art solutions to some of today’s most daunting issues. These include reconciling urban and economic development achieving collective comfort and protecting the environment. The company considers itself to be a key player in the control of energy demand, reduction of polluting emissions and greenhouse gases and the development of renewable energies.

Brian A Flynn Ltd

$8.9 Billion The company’s managed revenues in 2012

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The ways in which it assists in this global cause include its offering of optimised management systems to achieve substantial energy savings through better energy efficiency, its use of renewable energies that significantly reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and the volume of polluting emissions, and the implementation of new solutions such as cogeneration or the use of unavoidable energy.

Fluctuations in the price of fossil fuels, particularly oil and gas, have made the development of new solutions essential. Dalkia is an integrator of energy solutions for the environment by acting on several factors such as the introduction of alternate and renewable energies, optimisation of need management and changes to consumer behaviour. For town councils, these solutions are effectively deployed through community services, not

“Dalkia has diversified to become a provider of innovative solutions that are contributing to the sustainable development of its clients�

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Dalkia Energy

only district heating and cooling networks, but also decentralised energy production and energy management in municipal buildings.

The industrial sector on the other hand has been historically dependent on fossil fuels and is particularly concerned by the question of polluting emissions and now faces increasingly strict legal and environmental constraints. In this field, Dalkia offers high performance technical improvements to give better energy efficiency for the supply of utilities, as well as services to achieve optimised control of installations. Combining these services reduces energy consumption and achieves a two-fold economic and environmental benefit.

So renewable energies are very much at the heart of Dalkia’s efforts, however it

does recognise that successfully limiting the environmental impact of the energy sector is about more than simply reducing fossil fuels, rather it is also about implementing a rigorous policy against all many of releases and emissions, including CO2, SOx, NOx, dust and other pollutants.

It is for this reason that Dalkia’s Research and Development Department can today be found applying its skills to boosting efforts to develop and improve technologies that will ultimately assist in reducing the environmental impact of its clients’ installations.

For more information about Dalkia Energy visit: www.dalkia.com

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