Business Focus Magazine - Issue No.127

Issue No.127

INNSERVE

Supply, installation & maintenance of drink dispensing systems.

PRAGUE CONVENTION BUREAU

SPECIAL FEATURE: THE NEW TOURISM SECTOR

Strengthening awareness of Prague as a convention & incentive destination.

GIBRALTAR TOURIST BOARD

GIBRALTAR ROCKS! Exclusive interview with Minister Gemma Arias-Vasquez & Gibraltar Tourist Board, on evolving to meet the needs of a new breed of tourist, but that is not all it has to offer.

ABB Data Centre | Reliable Solutions | Experience Turks & Caicos | Beautiful by Nature PlanET | Scaling Up Biogas | Stellar Industrial Supply | The Power of Customer Service

FEATURE YOUR BUSINESS With a global readership of over 340,000, Business Focus Magazine is the perfect platform to place your business in front of our Senior Executive level audience. www.businessfocusmagazine.com

PROJECT MANAGERS

EDITOR’S NOTE

NIK AHUJA n.ahuja@ceomediagroup.com CAMERON BEAZER c.beazer@ceomediagroup.com ANDREW BOURKE a.bourke@ceomediagroup.com BENJAMIN CROWSON b.crowson@ceomediagroup.com DAVID GARNER d.garner@ceomediagroup.com DAVID HAYVIS d.hayvis@ceomediagroup.com JOHN HOLLIMAN j.holliman@ceomediagroup.com DECLAN JONES d.jones@ceomediagroup.com JOSH MALIN j.malin@ceomediagroup.com ROBERT NAPIER SMITH r.smith@ceomediagroup.com LIAM PYWELL l.pywell@ceomediagroup.com JAKE REEMAN j.reeman@ceomediagroup.com ALBERT RUSU a.rusu@ceomediagroup.com HAYDEN TURNER h.turner@ceomediagroup.com RASH UDDIN r.uddin@ceomediagroup.com TYLER WARNER t.warner@ceomediagroup.com

DESIGN

SCOTT ANDREWS design@ceomediagroup.com

ACCOUNTS

MIKE ASHER accounts@ceomediagroup.com

PRODUCTION

KAMILA KAJTOCH production@ceomediagroup.com

EDITORIAL

CHRIS FARNELL cfarnell@ceomediagroup.com

SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR

TREVOR GRETSINGER t.gretsinger@ceomediagroup.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS, PRESS RELEASES AND GENERAL ENQUIRIES: info@ceomediagroup.com

The content of this magazine is copyright of CEO Media Group.

Redistribution or reproduction of any content is prohibited. © Copyright 2024 CEO Media Group.

FOCUS ON

TOURISM It is only November, but you are not alone if you have already started looking forward to the holiday season.

So this issue, to help us all through this last bit of the year, we have been looking around the world at the best the tourism industry has to offer. This is not just about kicking back and relaxing, however – holidays are hard work. The market is changing, and so are the tools the sector has access to.

I

nside this month’s Business Focus Magazine, you will find profiles of the tourist boards of Gibraltar and Montserrat, as well as other organisations dedicated to attracting tourists such as Experience Turks & Caicos and the Prague Convention Bureau. But also look into the businesses that make a good holiday possible, from firms like Crerar Hotels who provide the ideal hospitality experience, to companies like Hydes Brewery and Innserve, who ensure you receive the perfect pint.

But hospitality is just one of the sectors we are looking at in this magazine. We are also looking at the construction industry, through Knightsbridge Development Corporation. From hospitality to hospitals, we have also profiled the healthcare firms American Mission Hospital and MercyOne. Of course, it is not surprising to discover that all of these industries are underpinned by the increasingly prominent and complex role played by the communications sector, and we stay up to date with the latest developments there through

our features on ABB Data Center Solutions and Seznam. cz.

And as usual, we have a finger on the pulse of the energy sector, with PlanET Biogas USA Inc., and the manufacturing industry, with profiles on Cavotec, Everspin Technologies and Schneider Group.

Because we might all be looking forward to the holidays, but there is still plenty of work to be done in the meantime.

ON THE COVER

Gibraltar Tourist Board Go to page 16

Issue No.127

INNSERVE

SPECIAL FEATURE:

Supply, installation & maintenance of drink dispensing systems.

THE NEW TOURISM SECTOR

PRAGUE CONVENTION BUREAU

Strengthening awareness of Prague as a convention & incentive destination.

GIBRALTAR TOURIST BOARD

GIBRALTAR ROCKS! Exclusive interview with Minister Gemma Arias-Vasquez & Gibraltar Tourist Board, on evolving to meet the needs of a new breed of tourist, but that is not all it has to offer.

ABB Data Centre | Reliable Solutions | Experience Turks & Caicos | Beautiful by Nature PlanET | Scaling Up Biogas | Stellar Industrial Supply | The Power of Customer Service

EDITOR’S NOTE | 3

IN THIS ISSUE

8

13

16

48

EVENT

Resourcing Tomorrow Business Design Centre, London, UK 3rd - 5th December 2024 Resourcing Tomorrow is a must-attend event to stay ahead in the ever-changing mining industry.

This dynamic platform is designed to foster innovation, drive collaboration, and accelerate growth in the mining sector.

Tourism Sector The New Tourism

LEADING FEATURE

Gibraltar Tourist Board Gibraltar Rocks

COMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

ABB Data Centre Reliable solutions for continuous operations

56

Everspin Technologies A Memory for Excellence

62

Seznam.cz Essential Data Support

70 76

16

NEWS

CONSTRUCTION

Knightsbridge Development Corporation Success and Succession

70

Moelven Limtre Building the Scandinavian Way

48

80

86

90 98

4 | CONTENTS

ENERGY & UTILITIES PlanET Scaling Up

HEALTHCARE & PHARMACEUTICALS American Mission Hospital Where Care and Technology Meet

HOSPITALITY & LEISURE Crerar Hotels Beyond the Ordinary

Experience Turks and Caicos Beautiful by Nature

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

ISSUE NO. 127

108

Hydes Brewery Home Brew

114

Innserve Ltd Service On Tap

128

Montserrat Tourism Authority Paradise Regained

134

Prague Convention Bureau The Right Destination

144

114

MANUFACTURING

Billi Australia Just Your Cup of Tea

90

134 98

148

Cavotec The Green Way Forward

154

Schneider Group Combing Marvellous

160

Stellar Industrial Supply The Power of Customer Service

170

178

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

PACKAGING & PRINT

Abriso Jiffy Sustainable Protection

RETAIL

Herbert Retail On-Label

CONTENTS | 5

Your total foodservice solution We work behind the scenes to supply more than 13,000 products to over 45,000 caterers and foodservice businesses around the UK. With a depot network of 24 sites spanning the country from Worthing on the south coast to Oban in Scotland we provide a truly local presence, both in terms of service, products, employment and community engagement. Our multi-temperature supply chain gives our customers full consolidation of frozen, ambient and chilled products on the same delivery, which makes life easier for them and is a point of difference.

We’ve also recently opened our doors to the public, offering home delivery and click and collect solutions from many of our depots. As one of the UK’s leading foodservice providers, we share our customers passion for great food.

All the ingredients for a partnership that delivers

EVENT OF THE MONTH

EUROPE’S MOST INFLUENTIAL AND LARGEST MINING EVENT

RESOURCING TOMORROW: ACCELERATING THE ENERGY TRANSITION WHERE: BUSINESS DESIGN CENTRE, LONDON, UK WHEN: 3RD - 5TH DECEMBER 2024

Resourcing Tomorrow represents an unparalleled opportunity for all organisations seeking engagement with mining, energy and resources.

Bringing together 2000+ key players from mining and energy companies, investors, brokers and exchanges, educators, government, regulators, suppliers and operators from around the world to benefit from insightful content, grow relationships and do business.

R

esourcing Tomorrow is a must-attend event for those who want to stay ahead in the ever-changing mining industry. This dynamic platform is designed to foster innovation, drive collaboration, and accelerate growth in our industry.

8 | EVENT OF THE MONTH

This year’s spotlight is on breaking out of the echo chamber, urging miners to lead the charge in the global energy transition. From decarbonisation to industry hurdles, it’s time for bold action and collaboration.

By forging new partnerships with OEMs, energy giants, and governments, the mining sector can spearhead innovative solutions. As we unveil our agenda amidst transformative times, we invite industry leaders to redefine mining’s narrative and embrace the future.

With over 2,000 participants from more than 100 countries, Resourcing Tomorrow covers the entire mining value chain. You’ll meet mining and energy companies, investors, policymakers, consultants, legal firms, technology

companies & more. Government representatives from around the world also attend, from Australia, Armenia, Canada, Chad, Nigeria, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Czech Republic, Portugal, the United Kingdom to the United States.

This diverse audience of mining and resource professionals creates unparalleled networking opportunities, fostering strategic partnerships and facilitating the development of groundbreaking solutions. As a result, attendees depart armed with practical insights and actionable strategies to drive success in their roles and organisations.

Join the mining sector at the last key networking opportunity of the year on 3-5 December 2024 at the Business Design Centre in London.

EVENT OF THE MONTH

Find out more at: www.resourcingtomorrow.com

EVENT OF THE MONTH | 9

contact_salesEMEA@paloaltonetworks.com +966 800844 5418 Prince Mohammed Ibn Salman Road, Ar Rabi, Spring Towers, 3rd floor, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia www.paloaltonetworks.com

CLOUD

Prisma® Cloud Comprehensive cloud native security paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/cloud

TOURISM SECTOR

THE TOURIST SECTOR HAS COME THROUGH SOME CHALLENGING TIMES, TO BECOME A VERY DIFFERENT MARKET SECTOR ON THE OTHER SIDE.

THE NEW TOURISM There are few industries who would say they were not adversely affected by the Covid pandemic, but few were hit as directly as the tourist trade. It is hard to sell a holiday to someone who cannot leave their front door.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

H

owever, some in the industry saw this as a chance to invest and rebuild. People like Chris WayneWills, CEO of Crerar Hotels.

"We all worked hard during the pandemic, with a considerable investment made in turning all of our properties into either four-

or five-star establishments,” Wayne-Wills tells us in our feature this issue. “All that hard work culminated for us last year, when Crerar Hotels won the AA Small Hotel Group of the Year Award for 2023 and 2024. That achievement probably sums up the company in recent years."

NEWS | 13

TOURISM SECTOR

But while the industry has been changing, so has the market. After spending months confined to their own homes, people are more keen than ever to travel, but their demands are also more specific.

“Before Covid, we used to see more of people coming in coaches. After Covid, there has been a shift to more individual travel.

People are more adventurous and would rather experience the destination on a personal level than in a coach with 50 other people,” says Kevin Bossino, CEO of Gibraltar Tourism Board.

In our profile of the Gibraltar Tourism Board we learn that in the post-Covid world, people are less interested in where they can go on holiday and more interested in what they can do on holiday.

“People are more comfortable with technology as well,” says Christian Santos, Minister for Equality, Employment, Culture, Tourism and Youth at His Majesty's Government of Gibraltar. “We used to have more package holidays, where now people do their own research, and we have seen a lot of growth in online sales.

Independent tourism has grown exponentially.”

Looking at the tourist industry around the world, the common thread is a hunger for experience, something new, but also something that can be shared through apps such as Instagram.

As Bossino says, “They don’t necessarily want to lie on a beach all day, they want to have an experiential visit with the beach as a nice add-on.”

Crerar Hotels has also adapted its offering to meet these new appetites.

14 | NEWS

As Wayne-Wills says, "At the Island of Mull, for example, they can visit a mussel farm, or even go out with a fisherman and pull North Atlantic lobsters out around the Treshnish Isles, which they can take back to the hotel to be cooked for them.

This type of hospitality really works for people."

But as well as wanting more of an experience from their holiday, modern tourists also want a holiday that is easier on the conscience.

"Sustainability underscores our dedication to preserving and enhancing our tourism assets for the well-being of both residents and visitors,” says Minister of Tourism of Turks and Caicos, the Hon, Josephine Connolly, in an interview this issue.

The Monserrat Tourism Authority has also set out to meet that demand from the market, as Rosetta West Gerald, CEO of the Montserrat Tourism Authority, explains, “Unlike nightlife seekers, Montserrat attracts a different type of tourist. We promote eco-friendly tourism, and target those seeking soft adventures – hiking, biking, diving, snorkelling, turtle watching, volcano viewing and birdwatching."

In making this offering, Montserrat is finding ways to support its own community.

“We have launched special programmes for local stakeholders to learn more about the tourism industry, to see how tourism can benefit them, and to improve their customer service skills,”

Gerland says. “An example is the Culinary Skills Training Programme aimed not only at enhancing culinary skills in preparation and presentation, but also to inspire a new generation of local chefs, fostering a vibrant culinary scene that complements Montserrat's unique tourism offerings."

DIGITAL TOURISM

While the tourism industry is dealing with a more demanding and more tech-savvy consumer, it also has a few new tricks up its sleeves. The industry has access to data resources far beyond anything it has had before.

As Alvin Hegner, acting CEO and CoChair of the Board of Experience Turks and Caicos, profiled in this issue, explains, "We aspire to lead the way in Caribbean tourism by effectively curating and gathering data on multiple topics, including visitor spending habits, demographics, searching and booking timelines, and flight capacity from key markets. We have now reached the point where we have the data to operate predictively."

Data collection is a tool that Experience Turks and Caicos is using not only to inform its own strategies, but also those of its partners.

"Our objective is to be the primary source of tourism data in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and we are actively engaging with various agencies in the region to achieve this goal," Hegner says.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

TOURISM SECTOR

These digital tools are also giving the tourist industry new channels of outreach, as AriasVasquez points out in our profile of Gibraltar’s tourist board.

“We have seen an interesting phenomenon recently with a local young man who has a PhD in history,” says Arias-Vasquez.

“He returned to Gibraltar and is creating historical posts on Facebook and Instagram on different heritage sites. He is developing a product from that to make something he can market, and we have involved

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

him with the Tourism Board. He’s doing podcasts around Gibraltar to guide people through sites of historical value.”

NEW AVENUES

Just as Covid encouraged people to seek out new experiences in their spare time, it also showed people the value of in-person collaboration in their work life. So the tourist sector is also beginning to invest more in offering its venues up for conferences and industry events.

“We want to expand the MICE sector,” Bossino points out. “Meetings Conferences Incentives and Exhibitions.

We have a unique offering for small meetings, conferences and incentives because of the variety of things you can do that are just a hop away from any location.”

It is a potentially lucrative market, as we learn in our profile of the Prague Conference Bureau.

"A congress delegate spends two to three times more than the average tourist," Roman Muška, Managing Director of the Prague Conference Bureau tells us.

The conference sector, much like the tourist sector is a highly competitive one.

And whatever service and amenities you offer, it is ultimately about selling a location.

As Muška points out, "Competing for an event destination really is pretty much the same as competing to be the Olympic Games host city.

You need a functioning local team, partners, to find spaces, accommodation, incentives from local councils... the whole package is then submitted, hoping to be selected as the winning destination.”

NEWS | 15

GIBRALTAR TOURIST BOARD

GIBRALTAR’S TOURISM INDUSTRY IS EVOLVING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF A NEW BREED OF TOURIST, BUT THAT IS NOT ALL IT HAS TO OFFER.

GIBRALTAR ROCKS PROJECT MANAGED BY: RASH UDIN

16 | LEADING FEATURE

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GIBRALTAR TOURIST BOARD

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GIBRALTAR TOURIST BOARD

Gibraltar is a small country with a long history, a huge variety of wildlife and natural beauty, and so much more to offer besides. So it is no surprise that the country attracts a lot of sightseers. As tourist interest has grown, so has the role of tourism in Gibraltar’s economy. Today, tourism contributes significantly to the GDP of the country. It is a huge industry that covers a wide spectrum of sectors across different businesses and areas of the economy, including cruise liners, airlines, overland tourism from Spain, individual travellers and even sports.

G

ibraltar Tourist Board exists to further grow that market, as well as ensuring that the country’s offering can adapt to keep up with the changing demand within the sector.

“We help coordinate those activities and promote Gibraltar as a destination,” says Kevin Bossino, CEO of Gibraltar Tourist Board.

There is no denying that it is a unique destination. Its position at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula means that Gibraltar has historically been recognised as the southernmost point of Europe. At the same time, the country’s strategic position at the western end of the Mediterranean, as one of the ancient “Pillars of Hercules”, puts it in a key geographic position.

“From a strategic standpoint it is the key to the Mediterranean,” says Christian Santos, Minister for Equality, Employment, Culture, Tourism and Youth at His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar. “We pride ourselves on our British identity and Mediterranean lifestyle. Our tourist sites are all heritage sites, and we enjoy over 300 days of sunshine a year. We have always

18 | LEADING FEATURE

Christian Santos, Minister for Equality, Employment, Culture, Tourism and Youth at His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar.

“WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON OUR BRITISH IDENTITY AND MEDITERRANEAN LIFESTYLE. OUR TOURIST SITES ARE ALL HERITAGE SITES, AND WE ENJOY OVER 300 DAYS OF SUNSHINE A YEAR.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

GIBRALTAR TOURIST BOARD

Gemma Arias-Vasquez, Gibraltar’s Minister for Health, Care and Business as well as the Minister for Port, Maritime, Public Health, Town Planning, Procurement and Utilities.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

been a popular destination in the summer but now we are also seeing more visitors during what used to be called the off-peak season.”

Gibraltar also has a unique attraction in the form of its nature reserves, with its resident Macaques (Monkeys) that are the country’s pride and joy.

“One thing I frequently talk about is that there is a point in Gibraltar where you can see three countries on two continents.

It is a fantastic geographical and geopolitical place to be in,” points out Gemma AriasVasquez, Gibraltar’s Minister for Health, Care and Business as well as the Minister for Port, Maritime, Public Health, Town Planning, Procurement and Utilities.

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IMPERIAL GROUP OVER 62 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DEVELOPING AND GROWING BUSINESSES IN GIBRALTAR Imperial Group is the realisation of a vision, started over 62 years ago by the late John Risso. His legacy is being brought to fruition by his son John Paul Risso.

“We are a group of diverse yet synergistic companies, predominantly in the FMCG arena, always looking to grow and benefit from each other’s expertise”.

THE EARLY YEARS Imperial Group has been operating since 2014 resulting from a strategic decision to create a specific team to lead a group of established companies in Gibraltar.

John Paul Risso, CEO of Imperial Group, has constantly pushed for development and growth from the different companies he manages – originally started by his late father, John Risso, back in 1962 when he started Restsso Trading Company Ltd. In order to realise his father’s vision for the future, John Paul set up Imperial Group to grow and diversify Restsso’s activities into other areas. This separate company has garnered all the expertise from the various industries, wholesale food import and distribution, restaurants and supermarkets.

Dealing with several leading international brands for the past 62 years has given Imperial Group a solid foundation on which to build for the future.

A WELL ESTABLISHED BUSINESS FORCE IN GIBRALTAR Since its launch in 2014, Imperial Group has been the driving force behind a series of business launches; Risso’s Daily Supermarket in late 2019, also the opening of Domino’s Pizza, the development of Pressto Dry Cleaning, the joint venture with United Brands, the redevelopment of Cornwall’s Yard a new multi-brand commercial centre in the heart of Gibraltar which is aimed at also developing the old part of town and the relaunching of the Europa Point Café.

There are several other projects, which are under way and that are due to be launched in the near future, each building on the strong food expertise within the company.

“Imperial Group is a central business unit structured to be able to focus its energies on continually developing new ideas. Its specialised management ensures that these ideas can become a reality.”

Given our background in all aspects of the food business we can develop successful and evolving strategies for either the B2B or B2C environments.

This is key for any international brand that joins us and also makes sure that our existing brands remain relevant to our local customers.

Our experience clearly rests in our 4 key categories: wholesale, distribution, retail and eateries.

WHOLESALE & DISTRIBUTION Our wholesale and distribution businesses started over 62 years ago, 1962, Restsso has been at the forefront of the FMCG business in Gibraltar, setting up long term partnerships with many of the leading international companies to bring everyone’s favorite brands to Gibraltar.

We have worked with companies like Unilever, Mars, United Biscuits and Kellogg’s for over 45 years – clearly proving our commitment to developing strong and successful working relationships with our principals.

As a very specialised market, we also created a joint venture with United Brands Ltd. A relatively young company which focuses primarily on the Tobacco trade distribution in Gibraltar. To maximise its distribution channels there are some other FMCG brands that are also marketed by United Brands.

RETAIL We own several retail outlets, one of our oldest is Pressto which has been offering a dry cleaning and laundry service from the centre of Gibraltar since 2006. The business has been growing steadily since its opening and specifically over the last 5 years to include the laundry service for a number of Hotels in Gibraltar for customers and staff. One of our popular specialties is for customers who get married in Gibraltar, making sure they are looking perfect for their special day.

Risso’s Daily supermarket, one of our most recent new businesses within the group opened its doors 5 years ago in November 2019. Having developed greater vertical integration with Restsso and maximising our group synergies we have a perfect way to also test products in the market and get closer to our end customer.

The concept is of a “local store” supermarket, large enough to carry a broad range of food products and household items but small enough to build long term close relationships with our customers.

Cornwall’s Yard is an established mixed residential and commercial complex which we have renovated and rebranded, positioning it as the perfect stopping place between Main St and the old part of town for a coffee or a bite to eat. It is built on the site of the original Royal Engineers Officers quarters dating back to around 1753 and we have developed it into a colourful and exciting rendezvous for locals and tourists alike with both retail and eateries on site.

EATERIES One of Gibraltar’s most popular eaterie is Europa Point Café, a café and food retail outlet in what is often referred to as “the southern most point in Europe”. Due to its location, it’s popular with both tourists who are fascinated to see the African continent from Europe, and local residents who enjoy the wide-open spaces and the children’s play area next to it.

The Europa Sports Complex is a formidable multi-sports and events venue that has been built right next to us and whose sports men and women are also our customers.

Domino’s Pizza, well known throughout the world was set up in Gibraltar in 2015. Given such a close association with the brand in the UK we saw an opportunity to bring this international brand out to Gibraltar. From a very successful opening week it became clear that Domino’s was very much in line with the market needs, especially in the food delivery arena where we manage Gibraltar’s most reliable and quick, fleet of delivery drivers.

One of our more recent business interests is in the Rock Bastion Leisure Centre. In the heart of Gibraltar it is home to Climbing Walls, a Gym, various eateries, a Cinema complex and a Triple A certified 14 lane Bowling Alley all of which cater daily to our local community as well as being the perfect place for catering to Corporate Events.

SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY Since our beginnings back in 1962 we have always played a big part in local community affairs, supporting charities like “GBC Open Day”, sports activities, local cultural activities like the Cavalcade, Rock Chef, the MTV Presents Gibraltar Calling Music Festival, The Gibraltar World Music festival and business activities such as the Young Enterprise initiative.

Our focus remains always on the future, developing strong businesses for the group, for our customers and for our community. www.imperialgroup.gi

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+350 20071760

GIBRALTAR TOURIST BOARD

of activities you can do in a very short space of time. You can be scuba diving shortly after landing and a couple of hours later you can be up exploring the Upper Rock Nature Reserve or meeting your family for lunch after they’ve been shopping.”

THE NEW TOURISTS

The nearest countries to Gibraltar are Spain to the North, and Morocco to the South, in Europe and North Africa respectively. Morocco is on the other side of the strait, only 24 kilometres away.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

The land of Gibraltar itself is old, with the famous Rock made of 200 million-year-old Jurassic Limestone.

“We are a compact nation,” Bossino says. “You can walk everywhere, and there are heaps

As tourists’ interests have evolved, so has Gibraltar’s offering.

“We have expanded our product, invested more in our market and rebranded our national identity,” Bossino says.

“Before Covid, we used to see more visitors coming in coaches.

After Covid there has been a shift to more individual travel. People are more adventurous and would rather experience the destination on a personal level than in a coach with 50 other people.”

LEADING FEATURE | 23

GIBRALTAR TOURIST BOARD

“People are more comfortable with technology as well,” Santos adds. “We used to have more package holidays, where now people do their own research, and we have seen a lot of growth in online sales. Independent tourism has grown exponentially.”

That hunger for experience is what fuels modern tourism.

Travellers want to experience something new, and importantly,

share it through apps such as Instagram.

“They don’t necessarily want to lie on a beach all day, they want to have an experiential visit with the beach as a nice add-on,” Bossino says.

Social media, as much as tourists’ post-Covid hunger for experiences, is having a huge impact on the way tourism is marketed and sold.

“THEY DON’T NECESSARILY WANT TO LIE ON A BEACH ALL DAY, THEY WANT TO HAVE AN EXPERIENTIAL VISIT WITH THE BEACH AS A NICE ADD-ON.” “We have seen an interesting phenomenon recently with a local young man who has a PhD in history,” says Arias-Vasquez.

“He returned to Gibraltar and is creating historical posts on Facebook and Instagram on different heritage sites. He is developing a product from that to make something he can market, and we have involved him with the Tourist Board. He’s doing podcasts around Gibraltar to guide people through sites of historical value.”

Simultaneous to the work that brings people to the history, the Gibraltar Tourist Board is working to bring the country’s rich history to more people. Bossino points to a company the Tourist Board is working with that provides 3D scanning and imagining solutions. They can create extremely accurate 3D images of sites for people to view remotely. Some of these might be sites people want to look around before they visit, such as marriage registrar offices, others might be sites that sightseers are unable to visit in large numbers as they may be sensitive archaeological areas, such as Gorham’s Cave.

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GIBRALTAR TOURIST BOARD

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Gibraltar’s Source For Quality Fuels & Lubricants Providing reliable, efficient, and cost-effective fuel solutions that enable business & customers to thrive.

• Land Fuel Services • Marine Fuel Services • Aviation Fuel Services • Lubricants • OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE: To provide reliable, efficient, and cost-effective fuel solutions that enable our customers to thrive.

We pride ourselves on our commitment to safety, quality, and environmental responsibility, and we work tirelessly to exceed our customers’ expectations at every turn.

Gib Oil Limited, Western Arm, North Mole Road, Gibraltar Email: info@giboil.com • Tel: +350 200 03400

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www.giboil.com

GIB OIL LIMITED Gib Oil Limited was established in 2011, following the acquisition of Shell Company of Gibraltar Limited by World Fuel Services Corporation (now World Kinect Corporation).

World Kinect Corporation (NYSE: WKC), headquartered in Miami, is a global energy management company serving over 150,000 customers across the aviation, marine, and land transportation sectors. In addition to fuel services, World Kinect supplies natural gas and power in the United States and Europe, along with an expanding range of sustainability-focused products and services.

Since its founding, Gib Oil Limited has built a strong reputation as a trusted partner in Gibraltar, serving the land, marine, and aviation industries. It is the exclusive macro-distributor of Shell Marine Lubricants in Gibraltar, Spain, France, and Portugal. With the support of World Kinect Corporation, Gib Oil has forged strong relationships with a diverse portfolio of reputable suppliers, granting access to a wide range of supply points across Europe and Africa.

This robust supply network allows Gib Oil to source and deliver high-quality fuels and lubricants to meet the diverse needs of its customers. The company is continuously seeking ways to improve its offerings while upholding the highest HSSE (Health, Safety, Security, and Environment) and quality standards.

Recently, Gib Oil made a significant investment in the construction of a state-of-the-art fuel depot at North Mole, Western Arm. Once fully commissioned later this year, this new facility will expand the company’s onshore tank capacity and enhance its ability to provide a broader range of sustainable fuels and related products.

In December 2023, Gib Oil achieved ISCC EU Certification, positioning the company to store and supply bio and renewable fuels under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification as a trader with its own warehouse.

For more information about Gib Oil and its services, please visit www.giboil.com or contact us at info@giboil.com

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Efficiency and superior quality for all your construction needs.

Specialized solutions for construction.

Building Excellence Together JAMENA L.T.D. is a company whose main activity is the application of technologies and systems to solve the constructive needs posed by our customers, particularly with everything related to waterproofing, thermal insulation, reinforcement of structures, protection of concrete and all kinds of pavements.

JAMENA´s professionals have more than 20 years of experience in their technical specialties and they participate in training activities on the innovations that arise in their work areas.

Our work exceeds the quality standards that our brands apply to grant construction guarantees. Among these brands, Sika stands out, a multinational of recognized prestige for the solvency and quality of its products and systems.

Jamena Properties Ltd Flat 10, 18 Lancaster Rd, Gibraltar GX11 1AA PO Box 394 (Gibraltar) T: +350 225 00 551 +350 56 00 11 32 E: info@jamena-ltd.gi www.jamena-ltd.gi

Discover the rich history and breathtaking beauty of Gibraltar with Urban Adventure, a tour operator offering immersive walking tours through this iconic destination. Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory located at the southern tip of Spain, is steeped in history, from its strategic military significance to its vibrant cultural heritage. With Urban Adventure, you’ll explore the most popular tourist attractions, including the stunning Upper Rock Nature Reserve, the dramatic Mediterranean Steps, and the charming Old Town, where centuries-old architecture meets modern life. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a nature lover, or simply seeking a unique experience, Urban Adventure’s expert guides will lead you through Gibraltar’s hidden gems, revealing stories and sights that make this destination truly unforgettable. Book your tour today and embark on an unforgettable journey through the heart of Gibraltar!

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Email: urbanadventuresgibraltar@gmail.com Tel: +350 5600 11 32 / +350 5401 46 42

ARTEX At Artex, we make it easy to establish and run your insurance company, intermediary or MGA. Backed by the strength of a Fortune 500 organisation, we provide unrivalled expertise, along with the flexibility of both end-to-end and custom solutions designed to meet specific commercial requirements.

More than insurance managers, we’re an extension of your team. With a large local team in Gibraltar and strength in depth in this domicile, you can trust that all servicing is handled in-house by our team of experts. We have unparalleled access to the most comprehensive range of services, catering to all business requirements, and have established, long-standing relationships with local regulators.

Our nimble approach is designed to move at the speed of your needs without compromising quality or execution. We focus on leveraging innovative technologies to optimise our end-to-end service proposition, ensuring the highest quality of service and an enriched customer experience. Our technologies underpin the entire value chain to deliver modern, functionally rich solutions to support both our internal operations and emerging client demands.

With services including formation and licensing, actuarial, finance and accounting, regulatory compliance, corporate secretarial, directorship, risk management consulting, and more, we’re here to help you make empowered decisions with confidence, reduce your total cost of risk and improve your return on capital. At Artex, we believe in finding you a better way. Learn more at artexrisk.com

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“People can go to the interpretation centre and experience the cave as if they were in there,” Bossino says.

As well as all the history, natural beauty and experiences that Gibraltar can offer, it is also famous for its VAT-free shopping.

Gibraltar offers a wide variety of shops to choose from on Main Street and the surrounding area. This busy,

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yet pedestrian-friendly street runs almost the entire length of the city, from Casemates Square to Southport Gates.

Here you can buy clothes or locally produced products, while side streets lead into Irish Town and Engineer Lane where travellers can enjoy small shops situated within picturesque old buildings.

In these shops, you can find good prices on perfume, cosmetics, jewellery, tobacco and spirits, and consumers can find excellent deals on the biggest brand name sunglasses and watches. You can also find great deals on crystal and porcelain here, and it is a beloved destination for people seeking out unique works of art or locally made handicrafts.

Independent businesses are tightly packed, offering a vibrant and exciting retail experience for visitors

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GIBTELECOM Connectivity is at the heart of everything we do. Whether connecting with people, nature, or our surroundings, the links between them are key to succeeding in whatever it is we set out to achieve. As a business, connectivity is what Gibtelecom has used as a foundation through the years.

Looking back at history, from telegraphy to telephony through to mobile communications and high-speed internet, our focus has been on providing services which ensure that our customer’s personal and business requirements are covered when interacting with their loved ones or customers.

been managed service deployment which has been the hot topic, with Gibtelecom providing its’ expertise in deploying technology and infrastructure for customers, from network elements such as switching, routing and firewalls, to racking-andstacking of computing and storage arrays complete with secure hosting and connectivity. This allows businesses to concentrate on what their core values are and focus on what they truly do best, servicing their own customers.

Gibtelecom’s expansion has led to presence being established in multiple locations, including but not limited to:

However, there is more to Gibtelecom than might meet the eye. Many will know that Gibraltar has played host to global superstars in the world of iGaming, with many sportsbook operators and online casinos choosing Gibraltar as the jurisdiction from which they have run their businesses. As a result of this, Gibtelecom developed products and services which were key to these businesses succeeding in what they do. From high availability connectivity solutions, to international private circuits through to state-of-the-art data centres and cloud services from which they have been able to service their end customers.

• Argentina

• Madrid

• Brazil

• Malta

• Chile

• Marseille

• Colombia

• Mexico

• Curaçao

• Peru

• Dublin

• Singapore

• Gibraltar

• Uruguay

This journey into a more enterprise-centric service provision is now over two decades in and has seen Gibtelecom develop a substantial portfolio of services, well beyond what may be expected from a service provider in a territory the size of Gibraltar. That said, it has also paved the way for greater ambitions which have seen Gibtelecom grow on a Global scale.

• London

From investment in network assets which provide a Global Private Network spanning across the globe, to establishing data centres and cloud stack in international locations, Gibtelecom’s growth allows multi-national customers to rely on a one-stop-shop solution for their infrastructure requirements, whilst simultaneously streamlining fault reporting and resolution. Most recently, it has

There is also presence beyond these sites by means of network breakout which allow for connectivity solutions globally and beyond these locations through longestablished partnerships.

Gibtelecom is proud of its journey and the success to which it has contributed to businesses locally and internationally. The Company remains committed to continual expansion through adapting to its’ customers’ needs and is excited for what the future may hold for Gibraltar and beyond. www.gibtele.com

Octopus International Business Services Ltd is licensed by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission No: FSC 0827B | Suite 4.03.02 Eurotowers, Gibraltar

ADVICE ON SETTING UP IN GIBRALTAR INCLUDING: • Incorporation of Gibraltar Companies • Business Licence Applications • Registration with Employment Trading Board

• Registration with Tax Office • Assistance with ID card applications • Assistance with opening of bank accounts

TALK TO US TODAY www.octopus.gi |

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200 77779 |

info@octopus.gi

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that reflects the rich diversity of the country’s history and location. Visitors are invited to explore and shop around for the best deals, with most retailers accepting both sterling and euros.

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“FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE ATTRACTIVE TO WORK FROM, NOT JUST FROM A LIFESTYLE PERSPECTIVE BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE CORPORATE ENVIRONMENT WE PROVIDE.”

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MORE THAN A NICE PLACE TO VISIT

With all that Gibraltar has to offer, it is not surprising that many choose to stay. For them, it is fortunate that Gibraltar has more to offer than attractions and hospitality.

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“A lot of people come to Gibraltar, visit and love it and look for ways to come back and make it a home,” Arias-Vasquez says.

“From a business perspective, we are attractive to work from, not just from a lifestyle perspective but also because of the corporate environment we provide.”

Once again, this is a place where Gibraltar’s size plays to its advantage.

“Because everything is within close proximity,, we can get things done really quickly,” Arias-Vasquez adds. “It is a great choice of location to come and set up business.”

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Short Lets Gibraltar’s Finest Holiday & Short Term Rentals Chestertons proudly offers for short let:

WHAT WE OFFER GreenCode provides impartial advice on the sale, acquisition, and management of single buildings or portfolios, offering personalized services to maximize your Return on Investment.

SIMPLICITY We simplify property investments in Gibraltar and abroad. With over 15 years of experience and a vast local network, we offer expert guidance for all your investment needs.

ONE STOP SHOP

• • • •

Studios, 1, 2 & 3 bedroom apartments Variety of locations, styles, facilities and views WiFi & utility bills included Available from 3 nights up to 6 months

Choose your apartment now shortlets@chestertons.gi +350 200 40041 chestertons.gi

Our team of administrators, architects, and project managers serves as your single point of contact, guiding you through every stage from fund set-up to completion.

RISK MANAGEMENT GreenCode safeguards your capital with in-depth property assessments, ensuring no functional or operational issues before you invest.

BEYOND FOUR WALLS We consider all aspects of a property, including its surroundings and community, to help you find the best investment match.

WHY GIBRALTAR? Simple Fund Setup: Choose from various service providers tailored to your needs.

Speed to Market: Gibraltar’s regulators ensure no downtime once your fund is structured.

Tax Benefits: No capital gains, VAT, or withholding tax.

Fewer Requirements: No diversification rules or borrowing limits.

WHY GREENCODE? From pre-purchase surveys to managing construction projects, GreenCode supports you every step of the way.

+350 54018381 info@thegreen-code.com BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Clarity in Complexity.

In today’s dynamic business landscape, navigating uncertainty and achieving sustainable success requires a trusted advisor. Deloitte’s comprehensive range of audit, assurance and tax services empowers your business to thrive.

We offer deep industry expertise to address your unique challenges and opportunities with a collaborative approach that puts your business needs at the forefront.

Let’s make an impact that matters.

Contact us today to start the conversation: Tel: +350 200 41200

gibraltarinfo@deloitte.co.uk

Deloitte Limited is a company registered in Gibraltar with registration number 97704 and registered office at Floor 3, 120 Irish Town, Gibraltar.

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Alongside this, it helps that Gibraltar is a primarily Englishspeaking country. Although even that is a simplification of Gibraltar’s rich culture and heritage. The country’s official language is English, and its children are educated to the British education curriculum, sitting their GCSEs and A-levels as they would in mainland UK. But Spanish is widely spoken here, particularly the unusual, unofficial dialect called ‘Llanito’, which is a mixture of English, Spanish and some Italian words. As an English or Spanish speaker, “Llanito” might sound familiar, especially as speakers sometimes seem to switch languages midsentence. Often English words will be spoken with a Spanish intonation, and Gibraltarians will frequently speak standard Spanish when talking to Spanish speakers as well.

from Spanish, Genoese, Maltese, Moroccan, Indian and Portuguese backgrounds, as well as British settlers.

Together, these heritages have formed a diverse and multiethnic community.

Roman Catholicism is the most widely practised religion, but various

Christian denominations and other faiths including Judaism, Muslim, Hindu, Bahai and Jehovah’s Witnesses, are also common. This combination of a strong local identity and a mix of international influences is key to Gibraltar’s offering as a business destination.

“A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TO GIBRALTAR, VISIT AND LOVE IT AND LOOK FOR WAYS TO COME BACK AND MAKE IT A HOME.” This hybrid dialect reflects Gibraltar’s long history. In the early decades of the 19th century, Llanito used many Genoese words, with Spanish and English words being substituted into its lexicon as time went on. The country has also had a Jewish community for many years, and its influence can also be felt in the local language.

Over the centuries the country has been home to immigrants

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MH BLAND

F.M. Chartered Construction Services

Established in Gibraltar as a Port Agency in 1810, MH Bland has since broadened its horizons, making significant strides in both the marine and tourism sectors in which it operates. Once acknowledged as “an engine room of Gibraltar’s continued commercial success and resilience,” MH Bland remains committed to leading the way in the development of Gibraltar’s tourism industry. A prime example of this dedication is the complete rebuild and reimagination of the iconic Cable Car, which has been owned and operated by the company since its inception in 1966.

At F.M. CCS we strive to give clients a professional service which will benefit project delivery and give our clients the peace of mind that their interests are being properly looked after.

• Quantity Surveying • Project Management • Expert Witness & Insurance Loss Adjustments • Pre-Completion Snagging of Property • Property Condition Surveys • Reconstruction Cost Analysis for Insurance Purposes • Scanning of Properties for the Production of Drawings and Walk Through Videos for Estate Agents

MH Bland’s mission is to deliver a world-class experience that not only enhances the visitor experience but also, through increased capacity, allows tourists more time to explore the many other attractions Gibraltar has to offer. With a significant increase in capacity—from the current 260 passengers per hour to an impressive 1,150 passengers per hour—the new Cable Car will play a crucial role in meeting the growing demands of the cruise industry and cross-frontier visitors. As a key cruise destination, Gibraltar must evolve to accommodate the ever-larger vessels that now carry up to 6,000 passengers and make Gibraltar attractive to itinerary planners who see the number of tours they are able to sell as a determining factor.

For further information please visit our website: www.fmccs.gi

While Gibraltar’s transport infrastructure is limited, there are ample opportunities to enhance the overall visitor experience.

MH Bland welcomes the Government’s proposals to develop an environmentally friendly and improved transportation system for the Upper Rock. Together with the new Cable Car, these developments will significantly transform the Gibraltar experience for all visitors, ensuring that the Rock remains a premier destination on the global stage.

We are THE business centre in Gibraltar, we offer Hot desks, dedicated desk, 5 stand-alone offices and 1 shared office. We can now offer company formation and management. We can also help with:

Tel: (00350) 20071916 Mob: (00350) 56053000 Email: mail@fmccs.gi Suite 16, 1st Floor, Victoria House, 22-28 Main Street, Gibraltar

• Registration for Tax, Si, ETB etc.

• Application and processing of business licenses.

• Introductions to accountants, banks, estate agents etc.

MH Bland Chairman, Johnnie Gaggero, confirms, “we are eager to work with all stakeholders and embark on a new era of Gibraltar’s tourism, creating a product fit for the 21st century and beyond.”

• Contact us for a no obligation consultation.

www.mhbland.com

+350 200 66330 chris@gibraltarbusinesscentre.com

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Christopher Bourne 21/22 Victoria House 26 Main Street GIBRALTAR www.gibraltarbusinesscentre.com

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It is also an area that Gibraltar’s Tourist Board is looking to expand on in other ways.

“We want to expand the MICE sector,” Bossino points out.

“Meetings Incentives Conferences and Exhibitions.

We have a unique offering for small meetings, conferences and incentives because of the variety of things you can do that are just a hop away from any location.”

Gibraltar Tourist Board acts as a facilitator for buyers looking into the country as a potential MICE location. Although the Tourist

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GIBRALTAR TOURIST BOARD

WE HAVE A UNIQUE OFFERING FOR SMALL MEETINGS, CONFERENCES AND INCENTIVES BECAUSE OF THE VARIETY OF THINGS YOU CAN DO THAT ARE JUST A HOP AWAY FROM ANY LOCATION.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Board does not operate as a conference bureau, Destination Management Companies (DMC) or events organiser, the organisation is well-positioned to direct queries to relevant suppliers, or simply suggest which suppliers are best suited to buyers’ requirements.

They are also happy to talk about the many reasons that Gibraltar is the perfect destination for smallto-medium sized conferences or incentive trips, with its prime location at the ‘the meeting place of continents’ and the exceptional variety it can offer in

a contained, safe environment.

Once again, Gibraltar’s size proves to be a differentiator, with facilities and attractions all within the kind of easily accessible reach that makes drawing up travel itineraries so much easier.

The city’s cosmopolitan blend of modern and timeless, with so much of it navigable by foot, makes it an appealing destination for business trips, or indeed, for setting up your business’s new home. It is clear to see why the country is attracting such interest in business space.

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Taste the tradition, feel the history Visit us at our unique and historic restaurant Nestled in the heart of Gibraltar's old town, our restaurant invites you to dine amidst breathtaking historical architecture that tell stories of the past.

Relish the vibrant and aromatic dishes inspired by North Dfrican and @iddle ?astern traditions, all served in a venue brimming with character and charm.

+350 200 77021

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elkasbahgibraltar@gmail.com

@elkasbahgib

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EL KASBAH DISCOVER EL KASBAH: GIBRALTAR’S HISTORIC GEM & CULTURAL HUB Nestled in the heart of Gibraltar’s old town, our historic venue tells the story of the city’s rich past. Housed in a centuries-old building on the iconic Castle Street, El Kasbah retains its original brick ceilings and walls.

A closer look reveals fascinating details: different types of brickwork that showcase the various periods of Gibraltar’s history, from the Moorish era to the Spanish and British influences.

Our vibrant street art brings local history to life, with characters from Gustavo Bacarisas’ paintings, and depictions of the egg and bread sellers who once roamed the streets of this area of town.

At El Kasbah, we proudly serve North African cuisine, paying homage to the Arabic and Moroccan roots woven into the fabric of Gibraltar’s culture.

Our menu is a flavorful celebration of tradition, with something for everyone—whether you’re a meat lover, a vegan, a local, or a visitor.

El Kasbah is more than just a place to dine. Our space has hosted art workshops, acoustic performances, yoga classes, games clubs, and book clubs, creating a welcoming environment where people can come together to share and appreciate creativity.

Located along one of the main routes descending from the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, El Kasbah is the perfect spot to relax and recharge after a day of exploring. Whether you’re here to enjoy a meal, attend an event, or simply experience the unique atmosphere, El Kasbah invites you to become part of its community—a place where history, culture, and culinary delights meet.

GTCS offers licensed trust and company management services, backed by experienced professionals, serving Gibraltar based and international clients since 1968.

• Company Formation and Management • Trust and Estate Planning • Corporate Banking Services • Client Accounting Services • Yacht Registrations Regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission

E: info@gtcs.gi T: +350 20077750 www.GTCS.gi

GIBRALTAR INTERNATIONAL BANK Gibraltar is a remarkable example of how a small territory can achieve substantial economic success. Despite its size, Gibraltar consistently punches above its weight on the global economic stage, boasting a GDP of approximately £2.91 billion for the fiscal year 2023/2024. This thriving economy is driven by several key sectors, including E-Gaming and Financial Services, both of which have established themselves as major players on the international scene. These industries, among others, contribute significantly to Gibraltar’s robust economic performance, reinforcing its status as a dynamic and resilient jurisdiction.

Gibraltar International Bank plays a crucial role in this success story.

As a locally rooted institution, the Bank is deeply committed to supporting the growth and sustainability of Gibraltar’s economy. The Bank provides a comprehensive range of financial services tailored to meet the unique needs of businesses operating within the jurisdiction.

From facilitating day-to-day transactions to offering sophisticated financial solutions, Gibraltar International Bank ensures that local businesses have the resources and support they need to thrive. By doing so, the Bank not only contributes to the prosperity of individual enterprises but also fosters the continued growth and success of Gibraltar’s entire business community, ensuring that the Rock remains open to business opportunity.

Are you looking for

If you are looking to rent office space in Gibraltar then Montarik Serviced Offices are here to help.

www.gibintbank.gi

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“GIBRALTAR IS A CLASSIC PRODUCT, AND WE ARE MAKING IT RELEVANT TO THE MODERNDAY HOLIDAYMAKER. GIBRALTAR WILL ALWAYS FEEL LIKE A HOME AWAY FROM HOME.”

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When we speak with the Gibraltar Tourist Board, it is a couple of weeks away from a visit by the Business Traveller Association from the UK. This organisation’s members are responsible for 95% of corporate travel outside the UK, so Gibraltar is excited to show what it can provide as a venue for small meetings and conferences.

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GIBRALTAR TOURIST BOARD

But while interest in Gibraltar as a business travel destination is growing, the future for Gibraltar’s tourism sector alone is still an exciting one, with plans to expand and build on its success.

“Gibraltar will continue to increase its offering in the tourism sector, with lots of investment into our heritage sites to make them even more user-friendly,” Santos tells us.

“We are investing in our World War II tunnels, opening up a new

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interpretation centre. There is currently a huge renaissance for Gibraltar and interest in its past.

We are also seeing numbers increase in the cruising industry, and encouraging airlines to increase flights.”

As a holiday destination and a potential place to do business, Gibraltar has a long and proud history behind it. In promoting that heritage, the Gibraltar Tourist Board leads the way in the next stage of the country’s future.

Evolving, changing

and adapting over time to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world, and attracting new audiences, travellers and businesses. Gibraltar has made itself a truly timeless place.

“Gibraltar is a classic product, and we are making it relevant to the modern-day holidaymaker.

Gibraltar will always feel like a home away from home,” Santos shares proudly.

For more information, please visit: www.visigibraltar.gi

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ABB DATA CENTRE

AS A WORLD LEADER IN ELECTRIFICATION, ROBOTICS, MOTION, AUTOMATION AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, ABB’S PURPOSE IS TO ENABLE A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND RESOURCE-EFFICIENT FUTURE.

RELIABLE SOLUTIONS

FOR CONTINUOUS OPERATIONS PROJECT MANAGED BY: DECLAN JONES

Over the past decade, the world has undergone a transformative digital revolution. At the core of this transformation are data centres, processing and storing massive amounts of data every minute to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for information.

W

ith millions of customers relying on data centres for uninterrupted access to information, uptime is critical to data centre operations. At a time when the importance of data centres is continuously increasing, ABB’s centurylong electrification experience across the globe makes the company a trusted, reliable and proven technology partner.

As a data centre technology leaders, ABB provides innovative and sustainable solutions that provide reliable energy and crucial insights to enable mission critical intelligent operations. Spacesaving, time-saving, energysaving, cost-saving and infinitely scalable, ABB’s data centre power solutions keep clients’ operations running 24/7.

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Business Focus had the privilege of speaking to Danel Turk, Global Portfolio Manager for ABB Data Centers, about the company’s latest developments and its offering to help clients achieve the optimum uptime, as the pace of the energy transition increases.

ELECTRIFIED FOR THE FUTURE

Turk has worked at ABB for almost 20 years in various global roles focused on supporting new technologies and industries. Starting in product management, over the last five years he has been leading on new technologies and fast-growing segments for ABB including solar, eMobility, energy storage and data centres.

“It has been exciting to be part of new sectors which are developing fast, and to

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ABB DATA CENTRE

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Zero emission power for a new world In a world increasingly focused on sustainability and clean energy, AFC Energy stands out as a pioneer in hydrogen fuel cell technology. This UK-based company is making significant strides in delivering affordable, scalable, and sustainable energy solutions. With the global push towards net-zero carbon emissions, AFC Energy is at the forefront of a growing industry, helping to revolutionize power generation and energy storage systems through hydrogen fuel cell innovation.

AFC Energy Unit 71.4, Dunsfold Park Cranleigh Surrey GU6 8TB T: +44 (0)1483 276726 E: info@afcenergy.com www.afcenergy.com

AFC ENERGY POWERING THE FUTURE WITH CLEAN HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGY AFC Energy has emerged as a key player in the development of clean hydrogen technology. Founded in 2006 and based in the UK, AFC Energy specializes in hydrogen fuel cell generators, which are poised to revolutionize the global energy landscape. As the world shifts away from fossil fuels, hydrogen is being hailed as one of the most promising solutions for achieving a carbon-neutral future—and AFC Energy is at the forefront of this movement.

At the core of AFC Energy’s business is its hydrogen fuel cell technology, which converts hydrogen into electricity through a clean, efficient electrochemical process. Unlike traditional energy production methods, AFC Energy’s systems emit zero greenhouse gases, only producing water and heat as by-products. This positions the company as a key player in the global transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources.

AFC Energy’s fuel cells offer a compelling alternative to centralized energy grids, especially in remote or off-grid areas. In many regions, building out traditional grid infrastructure is cost-prohibitive or logistically challenging.

AFC Energy’s modular fuel cells, however, can be deployed on-site, providing localized power with minimal environmental impact.

These systems are already being integrated into various industries, including electric vehicle (EV) charging, data centers, construction, and maritime sectors. AFC Energy’s fuel cell generators are designed to be costeffective, scalable, and flexible, making them accessible to a wider range of applications. By combining renewable energy generation with hydrogen fuel cell technology, the company is helping to reduce the carbon footprint of EV infrastructure, a critical step in the fight against climate change.

ABB DATA CENTRE

support progress towards a more efficient and greener use of energy,” he says. “We are a forward-looking business, electrifying the world, with a strong focus on sustainability, something which is reflected in most of our products.”

He points out that after divesting some activities a few years ago, ABB has sharpened its focus on those areas where the company excels. “ABB is a technology leader in Electrification and Process Automation, our core business areas. The other two are Motion and Robotics & Discrete Automation. We cover almost everything to do with electrification and our solutions are developed to suit the needs of the American, European and Asian markets.”

COLLABORATION AND EXPANSION In 2023, AFC Energy announced a major breakthrough: the launch of its air cooled (S) and liquid cooled (S+) platforms, a next-generation hydrogen power solution aimed at decarbonizing the construction sector. AFC’s generators are capable of providing clean, off-grid power to construction sites, which are notorious for their reliance on diesel generators. They are highly modular, enabling customers to scale up or down depending on their energy needs. This innovation could significantly reduce carbon emissions in the building industry, one of the world’s largest contributors to climate change.

AFC Energy has established a number of high-profile partnerships that underline its growing influence in the hydrogen sector. One of the company’s landmark collaborations is with ABB, a global leader in electrification and automation. This partnership aims to integrate AFC Energy’s fuel cell technology into electric vehicle charging infrastructure, enabling rapid, grid-independent charging stations powered by hydrogen.

This innovation could play a significant role in overcoming one of the major challenges facing the widespread adoption of electric vehicles—charging infrastructure.

LOOKING AHEAD As the world moves toward more sustainable energy practices, AFC Energy is positioned to play a critical role in shaping the future of clean power. The global market for hydrogen energy is expected to grow exponentially in the coming decades, and AFC Energy’s cutting-edge fuel cell technology puts the company in a prime position to capitalize on this trend. www.afcenergy.com

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“Being a global player with a footprint in about 80 countries world-wide is something our customers really appreciate, and is also one of our competitive advantages.

Whenever our customers enter a new market, they can rely on our local business that has all the right elements in place the right code of conduct, the ethics as well as high standards.

This brings considerable value to them.”

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ABB DATA CENTRE

GROWING DEMAND

Turk explains that ABB’s electrification and control systems and solutions enable reliable grid connection and help data centre owners manage energy demand. “Modern data centre electrification relies on three main pillars: smart architecture and modularity; digital equipment; and sustainable growth. Through these, we can achieve the energy efficiency needed to scale up competitively in the age of energydemanding AI, while remaining environmentally responsible.”

ABB’s portfolio includes products and solutions that can help with all critical power elements – from substations to backup sources to cabling – to ensure uninterrupted and sustainable data centre operations. The company’s digital solutions enable continuous monitoring of the

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health of critical electrical assets to anticipate equipment failures that can cause outages.

Reflecting on current developments, Turk says that the data centre market is on the rise thanks to the continued growth of cloud service providers and artificial intelligence. To keep up with demand, centres are increasing exponentially in size, scale and capacity, while required by clients to be delivered within ever-shorter lead times.

“The speed of development is completely different than in other sectors.

Projects are getting bigger and time is getting shorter.

Compared to three years ago, for example, lead times have reduced by 50%. Internally, we work on that; externally, we work with customers as well as universities to explain and accommodate that development.”

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Integra Mission Critical (“Integra”) helps our customers build data centers fast! We have created a new industry-standard design for external infrastructure that will revolutionize the data center space. Integra combines construction and manufacturing into one business, being truly vertically integrated as we own our supply chain.

The construction wing of the business are industry professionals around the world who have come together to support some of the largest builds in the industry (1GW+). Our manufacturing wing brings our own equipment into our manufacturing facilities. We manufacture everything from medium voltage to the rack. Combined, we build turnkey data centers in 50% less time than industry standards, and we do so at competitive market rates.

As a combined construction and manufacturing business, our focus is on working with customers that are truly partners. We thrive when we leverage the expertise of our customers, and they leverage ours. We are in the business of helping our customers succeed in their business ventures and have been doing so for 15 years and counting!

INFO@INTEGRA-MC.COM

|

P. 214.842.6183

WWW.INTEGRA-MC.COM

ABB DATA CENTRE

READY FOR MARKET DEVELOPMENTS

To meet the demand, prefabricated modular solutions and pre-engineered modular solutions may be the answer.

ABB offers modular solutions that simplify execution and speed up deployment by up to 50%. The company invests early in innovation and most of its products are being developed to enable a more sustainable and resource-efficient future.

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“We take sustainability very seriously, both internally with our environmental measures and our net-zero aligned targets, but also in relation to our partners – we help our clients to meet their sustainability requirements and the new portfolio which is coming will continue to support that. We also work with suppliers to reduce their carbon footprint.

For example, we provide

suppliers with information on actions they can take to reduce their emissions, based on our own experiences across ABB.” He points out that as the business grows, the suppliers will grow as well. “The market forecast is really interesting for everybody. That definitely makes us think how we can support this development, making sure that our production capacity is up to date.”

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ABB DATA CENTRE

With a global footprint and more than 100 years of electrification experience, ABB is set to make the best of the rapid developments within the energy transition. “The North American market today represent almost half of global demand and Asia Pacific is growing the fastest.

From the UK to China to the United States, we have boots on the ground, longstanding

relationships and a deep knowledge of what’s required to navigate this rapidly changing environment,” affirms Turk.

“We talk with our major customers almost every day, to make sure that wherever they want to grow, we will support them. We have identified plans to capture new opportunities, and are ready to accommodate growth in the industry.”

“FROM THE UK TO CHINA TO THE UNITED STATES, WE HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIPS AND A DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT’S REQUIRED TO NAVIGATE THIS RAPIDLY CHANGING ENVIRONMENT.”

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EVERSPIN TECHNOLOGIES

EVERSPIN, THE WORLDWIDE LEADER IN DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, AND COMMERCIALLY SHIPPING DISCRETE AND EMBEDDED MAGNETORESISTIVE RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (MRAM), IS READY TO CAPTURE EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES.

A MEMORY FOR EXCELLENCE PROJECT MANAGED BY: ROBERT NAPIER SMITH

The company, headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, is the worldwide leader in the MRAM field. In 2008, Everspin was established after spinning out of Motorola/Freescale.

Since 2016, it has been publicly traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the “MRAM” ticker symbol.

E

verspin’s knowledge and experience in magnetic memory design, manufacture and delivery into relevant applications are unique within the semiconductor industry.

With an intellectual property portfolio of more than 650 active patents and applications, Everspin leads the market in developing magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) bit cells for applications including TMR Sensors, Embedded and Discrete non-volatile Memories.

“We have successfully commercialized two variations of the MRAM technology – Toggle MRAM, which is field switched, and Spin-Transfer Torque MRAM (STT-MRAM), which is current switched,” explains CEO Sanjeev Aggarwal.

“With this technology, we’ve been able to reach out to more than 2000 customers worldwide in various segments, including data centres, industrial applications, factory automation, transportation, gaming, medical equipment, as well as aerospace and defence.”

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“We have successfully licensed our MRAM technology for embedded, sensor and aerospace and defence applications, and will continue to commercialize our innovations.”

A NEW CHAPTER

Over the last few years, Everspin has experienced significant changes. From a loss-making business in 2021, the company was turned around under Sanjeev Aggarwal’s management, achieving profits over 13 quarters and almost tripling financial performance. Time to market was also significantly reduced, with six new products introduced since 2021.

The impressive achievement has not gone unnoticed.

“In January 2024, Everspin Technologies, Inc. had the opportunity to ring the bell at the Nasdaq Closing Bell Ceremony at the Nasdaq Market Site in New York, a much-appreciated milestone in which the entire executive team participated. Also, based on its recent performance,

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EVERSPIN TECHNOLOGIES

Sanjeev Aggarwal, CEO, Everspin Technologies.

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COMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY | 57

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EVERSPIN TECHNOLOGIES

Another strategic contract was signed with QuickLogic Corporation to provide Everspin’s innovative AgILYST MRAM technology, logic design, and back-end-ofline manufacturing services to advance the development and production of a Strategic Radiation Hardened (SRH) highreliability Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology.

ONE OF A KIND

we were added to the Russell 2000 Index in July 2024,” says Aggarwal.

Recent achievements also include a strategic award of $14.55M from the US government to develop a long-term plan to provide manufacturing services for the aerospace and defence segments. Under the award, Everspin, the only US domestic supplier of MRAM to the US government, will provide a plan to mitigate risks to its MRAM manufacturing supply chain.

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“WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY LICENSED OUR MRAM TECHNOLOGY FOR EMBEDDED, SENSOR AND AEROSPACE AND DEFENCE APPLICATIONS, AND WILL CONTINUE TO COMMERCIALIZE OUR INNOVATIONS.”

Everspin designs products that offer unmatched advantages. “In today’s data-driven landscape, businesses face the challenge of managing ever-growing amounts of information efficiently and reliably,” reflects Aggarwal.

“That’s why we launched the PERSYST brand—it’s more than just a memory solution. With PERSYST, we’re focused on delivering memory technology that boosts performance and scalability, so businesses can innovate without worrying about data bottlenecks,” he explains, adding that Everspin’s PERSYST 1 Gigabit STT-MRAM will be used in the next-generation IBM FlashCore Modules now in production.

“Our flagship product, the EMxxLX xSPI series, offers the highest performance on the market, making it a game changer for industries that rely on fast, secure, and dependable data access. This means fewer delays, better decision-making, and the ability to leverage data in real-time, all of which are crucial for staying competitive in today’s fast-paced business environment.

The focus is always on quality, he affirms. “We’ve had over 150 million units shipped with extremely high quality. It is not easy to enter the semiconductor market with an emerging technology product – it is critical that our parts are of the highest reliability.”

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EVERSPIN TECHNOLOGIES

He further explains that Magnetoresistive RAM technology uniquely offers high-speed, non-volatile memory with very high write cycle endurance. Most nonvolatile memories, such as Flash, will wear out after just a few thousand writes. Everspin offers its customers a persistent memory that can withstand the high workload of RAM products, simplifying system design and ensuring critical data protection in the event of power loss.

“Everybody wants data as fast as possible. That’s why we introduced the PERSYST line earlier this year, enabling reads and writes in nanoseconds. It is robust in harsh environments such as extreme temperatures and radiation exposure (deep space and LEO – a rapidly growing market). That’s the differentiator that Everspin brings to the table.”

THE HUMAN ASPECT

Aggarwal affirms that even the best of technologies would be nothing without people and says that Everspin strives to create an inclusive workplace environment at all levels of the organization.

Everspin enables its people to change roles and rise from within the ranks; the CEO himself is a good example. Starting as process integration manager, Aggarwal moved through the ranks, managing projects and departments, before ultimately becoming CEO. “There’s a lot of opportunity for people to grow with us and our high employee retention rate proves that our approach is working.

Almost 50% joined us in the Motorola days, so they’ve been dedicated to this technology for almost 25 years.”

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Everspin’s design team is approximately 25% of its 85-member staff supporting MRAM design for customers and its internal products.

“Everspin is a company that relies on innovation. We have a core group of people who have pioneered our MRAM technology and made it a commercial success.

We engage and sponsor university research, have our own R+D capability in-house, and maintain an entrepreneurial atmosphere to bring in the best talent.”

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EVERSPIN TECHNOLOGIES

“We use tier 1 foundry suppliers such as TSMC and GlobalFoundries to provide the quality and scale needed to support demanding customers.

And we would not be successful without the support of our tool vendors and suppliers such as Applied Materials, CanonAnelva, Class One, Nordiko Technical Services and others,” reflects Aggarwal.

STAYING AT THE CUTTING-EDGE

Speaking about recent developments, he points out that the market is driving increased electrification, power efficiency, and intelligence in all aspects of consumer and industrial electronics.

MRAM technology has the versatility to offer both performance and lower power because of the ability to store critical AI model data and record continuous parametric data, enabling AI processing systems to be deployed in remote, low-energy systems across the spectrum of connected industrial applications.

“We have continued to invest in the development of MRAM

products in more advanced technology nodes with new products being designed in 22nm and 16nm FinFet advanced process nodes, working with our foundry suppliers to ensure access to 300mm wafers to support the expansion of our product portfolio.”

“We hope to grow as a result of our effort to win new designs with our customers with our PERSYST products. We are also focused on bringing higher density products such as a 1Gb xSPI memory that brings an orders-of-magnitude improvement in write performance and endurance compared to older NOR Flash products, opening up a larger market for MRAM. “Finally, we are at the forefront of enabling new uses of our MRAM technology in high-performance logic (FPGA) and AI-enabled systems with our AgILYST distributed MRAM capability,” says Aggarwal.

“Going forward, we will strive to stay at the cutting edge of applications and to continue to bring value to our shareholders.”

As one would expect, the key suppliers in the semiconductor supply chain are critical to the company. “Our excellent quality reputation is upheld by partnering with our suppliers to ensure we build in quality at every step and provide a longterm, stable supply.”

“WE HAVE A CORE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE PIONEERED OUR MRAM TECHNOLOGY AND MADE IT A COMMERCIAL SUCCESS.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

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SEZNAM.CZ

SEZNAM.CZ

SEZNAM.CZ DATA CENTER HAS GROWN QUICKLY OVER THE LAST DECADE, OPERATING THE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR COMPANIES IN THE SEZNAM.CZ GROUP, THE CZECH INTERNET GIANT.

ESSENTIAL DATA SUPPORT PROJECT MANAGED BY: DECLAN JONES

Seznam.cz is a Czech technology and media company that offers more than 30 products and services including a search engine, free e-mail boxes, a catalogue of companies, online maps, a nationwide TV station, a streaming portal, and an online newspaper.

F

ounded in 1996 by Ivo Lukačovič, Seznam.cz has grown to become the only Latin-alphabet based full-text search service in the world that is beating Google in its own market: the Czech Republic.

The Seznam.cz homepage is the most visited website on the Czech internet, with 6.5 million real users visiting each month.

Seznam.cz, today employing over 2000 people and with revenues in excess of CZK 6 billion, is also a technology company. In 2014, Seznam.cz Data center, s.r.o. a subsidiary of Seznam.cz a.s., was founded with the aim of operating the physical infrastructure, i.e. the data centres, for companies in the Seznam.cz Group.

TOWARDS SELF-SUFFICIENCY

Vlastimil Pečínka, Managing Director, Seznam.cz

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Vlastimil Pečínka, Managing Director of Seznam.cz Data center, describes developments over the last decade: “Like many others we used to hire technical services from external providers, in our case from TTC and O2 Czech Republic, but eventually, after closely watching how data centre operation works and what we

would like to do differently, we decided to take a pro-active approach.”

“We reached an economic tipping point where it was worthwhile for us to run our own data centre, at our own expense. In terms of data centre services, we were one of the largest customers in the Czech Republic, and if you rent somewhere, of course you pay the owner his original investment and some margin.”

In 2015, the company’s Kokura data centre was opened in Prague, built in just over 10 months, and shortly after, the company decided on the production of its own servers.

“We had been dissatisfied for a long time with the policy of our hardware suppliers. They often try to sell you as much as possible and things like branding, support and more are included in the price,” Pečínka reflects.

“It made economic sense to produce our own servers that exactly match our needs,” he says, pointing out that switching to in-house server production immediately reduced CAPEX by 30% year-on-year. Today the

COMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY | 63

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64 | COMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

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ALTRON ALTRON, a.s. Genuine passion for technology and innovation.

Founded in 1991 by a group of enthusiastic engineers, ALTRON was born out of a deep passion for technology and to respond to the growing demand for solutions. Our company has flourished — fueled by the projects and challenges entrusted to us by our clients.

WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE? Our DNA is built on three core principles: 1. There’s always a solution. You just have to find it.

We don’t look for excuses; we seek solutions. We firmly believe that every problem has a solution. We were inspired by visionaries like Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, František Křižík, and others. We are proud and humbled to continue their legacy of innovation.

2. We deliver what we promise.

We don’t create solutions just for the sake of it. We’re committed to getting it right, even if it means reworking something multiple times until the best solution is found. Once we deliver, we ensure it is right. It’s common for our managers to roll up their sleeves and help their teams when challenges arise, ensuring that every problem is addressed collaboratively.

3. We always choose a path that is more beneficial for the customer, even if the way to it is longer or harder.

Listening and empathy are integral to our approach. While customers may not always know exactly what they want, they know what they need. Our job is to help define those needs together. This collaborative approach allows us to deliver innovative, one-of-a-kind solutions that set new benchmarks in the market. Solutions that are not only functional but also efficient from the customer’s perspective.

SEZNAM.CZ

company’s annual production of servers is around 2,000 items of hardware.

As the leasing agreement with O2 was coming to an end, establishing the company’s own data centre seemed the best way forward not only in terms of reducing operating costs but also in terms of reducing dependency on the physical infrastructure. As such, in 2023 the new ‘Nagoya’ facility was opened in Benátky nad Jizerou some 50 km north of Prague, an investment worth CZK 300 million.

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LEGRAND POWERING THE FUTURE OF DATA CENTERS For over three decades, Legrand has been a significant player in the data center industry. Legrand has consistently evolved, positioning itself at the cutting edge of technological advancement through continuous innovation and strategic growth.

In the past decade, Legrand has significantly expanded its capabilities through key acquisitions. This growth broadened brand‘s product portfolio and deepened its industry expertise, enabling it to offer comprehensive, state-ofthe-art solutions that meet the dynamic needs of modern data centers.

As businesses increasingly rely on Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Cloud Computing, and the Internet of Things, robust digital infrastructures have become crucial for economic growth. Legrand, enhanced by the expertise of industry leaders like Raritan, Server Technology, USystems, Starline, Zucchini, and Minkels, is uniquely positioned to address the critical challenges facing today’s data centers. Legrand focuses on maximizing energy efficiency, ensuring uninterrupted service continuity, implementing robust security measures, and providing flexibility to adapt to technological, regulatory, and usage changes.

Legrand’s commitment extends beyond product delivery. It offers comprehensive technical support throughout the entire lifecycle of data center projects, from initial design concepts to installation and ongoing operational maintenance. This end-to-end approach ensures that its clients receive not just products, but complete solutions tailored to their specific needs. With its wealth of experience, broad expertise, and innovative solutions, Legrand continues to shape the future of data center technology, driving efficiency, reliability, and sustainability in the digital age. www.legrand.cz

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This was a significant milestone. Opening the Nagoya facility offering up to 3MW for IT equipment and consisting of two halls that fit over 200 server racks allowed the company to exit one of two sites leased from O2.

FAST AND SUSTAINABLE

Nagoya was not the end of capacity expansion – in May 2024 the company commissioned a new building next to its existing Kokura in Prague. The new building, to be known as Kokura 3, with 1,200 m2 of space and a capacity of 2.4MW, shares space with the existing centre, but is essentially an independent new data centre.

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SEZNAM.CZ

The investment means that Seznam.cz now has three data centres – Osaka, Nagoya and Kokura. While Nagoya and Kokura belong to the Czech internet leader, Osaka is leased from O2 Czech Republic.

“Although Kokura 3 is part of the original data centre, it is a separate unit in terms of construction and technology,” says Vlastimil Pečínka. “ Here we have managed to introduce several innovations which do not exist in Nagoya, only a year old. A significant novelty is that we omit the UPS and batteries on one power feed line. In this way, we will fully rely on the redundancy of power supplies in the IT technology.”

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SEZNAM.CZ

“ALTHOUGH KOKURA 3 IS PART OF THE ORIGINAL DATA CENTRE, IT IS A SEPARATE UNIT IN TERMS OF CONSTRUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY.” Sustainability has always been an important part of the expansion strategy and the company, which traditionally names its data centres after Japanese cities, uses a number of options to

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operate the centres in a more ecological way. The centres have introduced photovoltaic on the roof to cover at least part of the consumption with renewable sources. Another innovation is the use of direct free-cooling for cooling the servers.

“Thanks to the large underground tank, we can use rainwater for cooling in summer. That means that cooling is provided with direct outdoor air channelled via filters and, if necessary, modified to the required humidity. This allows us to fully omit machine cooling and further decrease electricity consumption.”

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SEZNAM.CZ

SUFFICIENT FOR THE NEEDS

Pečínka acknowledges that whole Seznam.cz including Seznam Data centres covers the full stack from production of servers to the production of applications for its users. Last year the subsidiary company turned over around CZK 350 million and is set to fully focus on supporting its parent company in the future.

“We are unique in that we don’t operate externally, our sole customer is Seznam.cz.

This has several advantages – for example, unlike traditional data centres that rely on continuous operation, we make our developers have everything operable from at least two locations at the same time to have a backup should one data centre fail.”

The total power consumption of all the data centres is up to 6 MW for IT equipment. Of the total of over 13,000 servers about 10,000 have been produced inhouse. Approximately 550 racks are physically available in the data centres. Both the new data centres Kokura 3 and Nagoya are designed for an average power of up to 15 kW/rack, while old Kokura can handle an average of 6 kW/rack, says Pečínka.

“With the three data centres, our needs are saturated for now. Our next task is to look carefully at energy sources.

The future seems to be about decentralisation, i.e. location of energy sources at the point of consumption, and researching new types of energy resources, since photovoltaic has proved to be insufficient for our use” he reflects.

“Flexibility and decentralisation are the concepts that we are looking at in detail. Data centres are the place where energy is produced and stored. We are now running

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SEZNAM.CZ

a pilot energy project in our Kokura facility, using generators that start up to balance grid fluctuations, generating a new revenue stream that can cover the operation of the physical infrastructure.”

“While we have no immediate plans to open another data centre, if we establish that energy balancing is viable, then we may start thinking of building a third facility. That would make economic sense.

“WITH THE THREE DATA CENTRES, OUR NEEDS ARE SATURATED FOR NOW.”

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KNIGHTSBRIDGE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

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KNIGHTSBRIDGE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

KNIGHTSBRIDGE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAS BUILT A BUSINESS ON STRONG CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE PEOPLE IN THOSE RELATIONSHIPS CHANGE?

SUCCESS & SUCCESSION PROJECT MANAGED BY: DECLAN JONES

Knightsbridge Development Corporation is a multinational development management firm operating in North America, Latin America, the UK and the EU. It specialises in complex projects in urban centres that can range in value up to $1.3 billion, or £750 million. In all these projects, Knightsbridge Development Corporation is a leader in putting sustainability at the heart of its work. “We are huge proponents of sustainable development, which is the DNA of all of our projects,” Will Smith, CEO of Knightsbridge Development Corporation shares with us.

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I

t is this ability to balance complex, large scale projects with a sustainable development approach that has led to Knightsbridge Development Corporation being chosen to carry out the largest commercial development project in Canada, The Well, for its clients, RioCan and Allied Properties. At the same time, the development firm is currently working on Canada’s first supertall, mixed-use tower, based on a design from architects Fosters + Partners.

But beyond the company’s impressive capabilities to run multiple projects concurrently and sustainably, Knightsbridge is also the first-choice development partner because of the unique relationships it builds with its clients.

“KDC is a relationship-based company versus transactionbased, which means we are looking to build long-term relationships with our clients over many projects,” Smith tells us. “As a result, we view our clients as members of our oneteam approach, which aims to foster collaboration between all stakeholders.”

Close to 90% of Knightsbridge’s work is repeat business with clients that have grown to trust the developer. The length of these relationships goes beyond partnership, to the point where clients are practically part of the team.

“We get the clients involved, and this approach has all kinds of benefits for their business beyond the current project,” Smith says.

Knightsbridge will frequently embed a client’s project manager in their own team for the length of work, so that when the project ends its client not only gets the project they commissioned, but a project manager or director who is now skilled and experienced in a larger scale of project format than before.

“They come back much more excited about working for that company, and on future projects they can take a leadership role,” Smith says. “It does mean they may not need us for the next project, which might be smaller or less complex, and we are fine with that.”

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PEOPLE-BASED RELATIONSHIPS

MULTI-RESIDENTIAL . ICI . CLEAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS . SERVICE & MAINTENANCE . DATA COMMUNICATIONS

ONTARIO . BRITISH COLUMBIA . WASHINGTON

The key to strong inter-business relationships is to foster strong interpersonal relationships, and that means Knightsbridge Development Corporation has to invest heavily in the quality of its own people.

“We actively participate in summer student programs with Universities in an attempt to attract great talent early,” Smith says. “Then we invest in them through mentoring circles with the goal of hiring new graduates who we can shape into future leaders, embedding them in our corporate culture.”

Smith holds up Knightsbridge as a shining example of the success that comes with supporting diversity in the workplace. The company is a 50-50 mix of male and female team members, including C-Suite positions, and boasts cultural and lifestyle inclusion.

“We encourage our teams to be part of ‘Lunch and Learn’ presentations and the sharing and exchange of skills,” Smith says. “We are currently rolling out a new stock option plan as well as looking into the potential of the company moving to an employee-owned model.”

Knightsbridge’s investment in talent is not just about bringing in new blood, but also ensuring that there is a steady pipeline of experienced people to create a sustainable succession plan for the company.

“We have engaged external consultants, held management meetings to brainstorm, and had open discussions with the larger team as a whole,” Smith says. “Our goal is to create a legacy not for the past, but for the future of KDC, that will reward those who have and will continue to contribute to our success.”

www.ozzelectric.com

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KNIGHTSBRIDGE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

“WE GET THE CLIENTS INVOLVED, AND THIS APPROACH HAS ALL KINDS OF BENEFITS FOR THEIR BUSINESS BEYOND THE PROJECT.” For Knightsbridge, a welldeveloped succession plan comes with unique challenges.

As the company has built so much of its business on strong interpersonal relationships, Knightsbridge has to find a way to pass on those relationships, as well as the skills and expertise within the company.

“When it comes to our clients, we spend time getting to know and understand them,” Smith says. “In our mind, that is part of a true relationship versus transactional dynamic.”

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KNIGHTSBRIDGE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Unlike developers that work for a fee, staff the project themselves and then draw a line beneath it when they are done, Smith keeps in touch with clients after the project is complete.

“I know a fair bit about them by the end,” Smith says.

“We recently had a call with

an architectural firm in the US, and before we got down to business, I was asking about their son who was halfway through university.

He remembered that I remembered that, and that personal connection to clients and their people comes back on both sides.”

“WHEN IT COMES TO OUR CLIENTS, WE SPEND TIME GETTING TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THEM. IN OUR MIND, THAT IS PART OF A TRUE RELATIONSHIP VERSUS TRANSACTIONAL DYNAMIC.” This approach is something Smith wants to be interwoven into the way Knightsbridge does business today, and in the future with their succession strategy.

“The challenge right now is the company needs to have a new face at a presidential level, so the biggest part of the succession plan is actually

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KNIGHTSBRIDGE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

myself,” Smith admits. “We need to find someone with the same contacts, friends, colleagues and relationships in the industry. That is difficult because often people with those qualities will leave to start their own firms. We are looking to find our next future leader now because we know that we will have to invest time and resources into whoever we bring into the company to groom and mentor them.

That means getting them in front of as many people as possible, so even within that succession planning, the idea of relationships comes back.

That is our biggest challenge, and we don’t take that lightly.”

Beyond that succession plan, Knightsbridge Development Corporation intends to continue serving its existing markets and clients in line with a sustainable growth model, only taking on projects that align with the company’s values of ‘People, Planet, Projects’, in that order.

“We have managed to create a unique niche for ourselves, as the organisation that has delivered on the largest commercial development in Canada and is currently working on the first supertall mixed-use tower in Canada,” Smith says. “We are currently in the early planning stages of two mixed-use developments.

That is all based on the abilities and talents of the team. We are lucky to have those projects to our name for marketing purposes, but if it weren’t for the diversity of our team, it would not be possible.

It is the hard work and effort of all the people who work alongside me that make us a success.”

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MOELVEN LIMTRE

BY SUPPLYING FULLY ECO-FRIENDLY MATERIAL TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, NORWAY-BASED MOELVEN LIMTRE PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN DECARBONISING THIS TRADITIONAL SECTOR.

BUILDING THE SCANDINAVIAN WAY PROJECT MANAGED BY: DECLAN JONES

Moelven Limtre is a subsidiary of the Moelven Group, one of Scandinavia’s largest industrial groups making building products and systems for the construction industry. “We are located in Moelv, a little town about one and a half hours north of Oslo, positioned on major communication routes and close to the forests and sawmills which supply our raw material,” says CEO Rune Abrahamsen, adding that the facility currently employs about 125 people.

T

he company is Norway’s leading manufacturer of glued-laminated timber, commonly known as glulam, a fully eco-friendly and sustainable material, stronger and more rigid than solid timber due to the lamella effect.

Laminated timber beams can be used for everything from large industrial buildings to single family homes and as timber buildings are proven to capture carbon from the atmosphere, thus acting as carbon storage, their environmental credentials are undisputed.

LEADING THE WAY

“Our core business consists of the production of glulam beams for structural applications. We offer a wide range of standard dimensions for the construction market and also produce and install customized beams for both small and large projects,” says Abrahamsen.

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“What makes us successful is our expertise in production, installation and design of timber structures.

Utilizing CNC machinery for automated processing results in highly precise components.

We are also among the few manufacturers capable of producing impregnated glulam for outdoor use.”

The company can boast numerous prime examples of its material being used for a variety of construction projects.

“The 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer was a gamechanger for our company,” says Abrahamsen.

“We developed techniques for timber roof structures that span nearly 100 metres, despite the high snow loads in our climate. All major arenas for the Olympics were built using glulam structures from Moelven Limtre.”

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MOELVEN LIMTRE

Rune Abrahamsen, CEO, Moelven Limtre.

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“The sheer scale of the project again demonstrated the feasibility of successfully building large, complex timber structures. Our material has been used in similarly complex projects including airports and super-tall buildings and more is to come - we have just signed a contract for building the Stabæk Football team’s stadium in Oslo.”

THE HUMAN VALUE

Abrahamsen affirms that the company is continuously striving for enhancement – over the past few years, the philosophy of Lean Manufacturing has been adopted and a customized Manufacturing Execution System (MES) with AI capabilities is being developed to further improve operations.

Still, the bulk of the work relies on the capable hands of the company’s employees, he affirms.

“Since then, we have further refined these techniques, producing and installing hundreds of heavy-duty timber bridges and, in recent years, tall timber buildings. The timber structures of Mjøstårnet, the world’s tallest all-timber building, were completed in 2019 and were produced and installed by Moelven Limtre,” he says, noting that visitors from all over the globe came to see this project.

More recently, the company participated in building the new Elgiganten logistical centre in Jönköping in Sweden. Completed earlier in 2024 in collaboration with Limtre’s Swedish sister company Moelven Töreboda, the centre is the Nordic region’s largest warehouse and logistics facility.

The facility boasts high environmental standards, since the project is aimed at being environmentally certified according to BREEAM Excellent, and to WELL Core to ensure a healthy workplace.

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MOELVEN LIMTRE

“Each type of supplier plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and efficiency of our production processes. We have regular meetings with our suppliers where feedback can be given both ways, so that we can grow together into the future.”

SUPER STRONG AND VERSATILE

“Our people operate cranes, paint beams in a particular colour and install new brackets into wooden parts, and although AI is likely to take over some functions currently managed by our administrative personnel and enhance efficiency, it cannot replace the physical hands of our operators,” he says, noting that so far the notorious shortage of skilled labour plaguing most European manufacturers has not been an issue in Limtre.

“Our strong standing in the industry attracts a high number of applications for our various vacancies. We have a comprehensive recruitment process that starts broadly and

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narrows down candidates to ensure we select the best fit for our company.”

“Importantly, we also invest in our current employees by enhancing their skills and competencies.

We provide ongoing education and training for both operators and staff to ensure continuous improvement.”

Developing the company’s supplier network is also key, and Abrahamsen highlights the importance of establishing good, long-lasting partnerships for years to come. “Our glulam company’s success is significantly bolstered by the contributions of our diverse suppliers.”

So far, 2024 has been a disappointing year for European construction sector, & the overall market developments have clearly impacted Moelven Limtre as well. “Currently, the building market in Norway and Sweden is experiencing a downturn. Volumes are low across the sector, and we must strive to retain our market share. We know that there are ups and downs, but at the moment our main focus is making sure that we get enough work for our industry,” says Abrahamsen.

“In addition, the construction industry is traditionally conservative, with changes occurring only gradually.

Admittedly, in recent years, the increased focus on sustainability has driven a higher demand for wood solutions, primarily due to the carbon storage capabilities of growing trees, so we are looking to a brighter future.”

In this context, Moelven Limtre plans to increase capacity and to turn its production facility into a state-of-the-art factory. “The increasing demand for innovative timber solutions gives us a positive outlook on the future of our company. We are currently exploring new applications such as windmills, logistical buildings, wildlife passages, and tall timber buildings, and also looking at markets further afield.”

“Our products are super strong and very versatile. While we are not timber fanatics, we believe in solutions where timber plays a crucial role. So we may see hybrid constructions on a larger scale than what has been the norm until now,” he concludes.

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PlanET

PlanET

WHEN WE LAST SPOKE WITH PLANET THE COMPANY WAS JUST BEGINNING ITS EXPANSION IN THE AMERICAN MARKET. TODAY, HAVING SIGNIFICANTLY GROWN ITS PRESENCE IN THE REGION OVER THE LAST DECADE, THE FIRM IS STARTING TO THINK BIGGER.

SCALING UP PROJECT MANAGED BY: HAYDEN TURNER

It has been 26 years since Jörg Meyer zu Strohe and Hendrik Becker started designing and manufacturing biogas plants as part of their university program. This ultimately led to the foundation of PlanET. From there, the company evolved to become a biogas technology solutions provider for the treatment of various organics input streams across Europe, North and South America, and Southeast Asia.

PlanET has a world-class technology platform that transforms organic waste problems into solutions that help mitigate climate change.

Derek Hundert, President, PlanET North America.

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W

hen we last sat down with Derek Hundert, President of PlanET in North America, the company was on the verge of expanding its footprint in the US market, and a great deal has happened since then.

“2022 and 2023 were really strong growth years for our company, particularly in the United States where we were riding the strong interest of the dairy-to-renewable natural gas market,” Hundert says. “We expanded our staff in North America, and we opened our third North American office in Lucerne, Colorado. In 2021 the Colorado expansion was just an idea, but now it is a fully functioning Western US support centre for service and construction support personnel.

It is outfitted with a biological lab that has grown into a commercially viable operation with dozens of samples coming in every week for analysis.”

This growth in the United States has also propelled the company’s motivation. PlanET has undergone a phase of rapid development in the US, completing a landmark achievement of commissioning 12 brand-new plants in the space of 12 months.

“We are working on a lot of other plants while

simultaneously expanding the team and its breadth of knowledge,” Hundert says.

That PlanET has executed this accelerated expansion concurrently in multiple states demonstrates both the scalability of its core competencies and its capability to rapidly deploy capital assets.

“A common customer request has always been ‘Can you deploy this at scale?’” Hundert tells us. “We have become very adept at taking projects developed in independent circumstances and looking at how we can deploy these systems en masse.”

BUILDING THE TEAM

Completing 12 plants in the span of a year is an immense achievement, but it wouldn’t be possible unless PlanET had the people to support those projects. Recruitment has been a major part of the company’s strategy in recent years.

“One of the things we started with was recruitment and retention of talent,” Hundert says. “The US Renewable Natural Gas market was white hot for two or three years, creating a very competitive environment for recruitment. So, we focused on attracting and training talent without previous experience in the industry.”

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PlanET

PlanET has deployed a number of different methods to attract talent with the right core values and knowledge base; searching for people that have the best cultural fit for the company, then teaching and training the aptitudes needed for the job.

“Most people do not come with previous industry experience, so we looked for people who were a cultural fit, people who had that right team mentality,” Hundert explains. “But while we can teach those technical aptitudes, the training and onboarding of that many people in a rapid amount of time was a real challenge.”

“WE ARE NOT ONLY TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO BUILD THESE PLANTS, BUT HOW TO RUN THEM IN THE LONG TERM.”

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Onboarding new employees in such large quantities requires more than just having an experienced staff member to guide them. It’s also important to prevent a process that yields diminishing returns in the quality of the training. PlanET tackled these issues head-on and established the PlanET Academy effectively bringing on board the specific assets it needed to create a training and learning centre.

“The primary purpose of the Academy is to onboard our own staff with consistency and effectiveness,” Hundert tells us.

“That is at the core of what we are trying to do. We want reliable and repeatable results where everyone has access to the same resources and training.”

This means ensuring that everyone has a broad understanding of the work PlanET does, not just the specifics of their own area of expertise. Every employee is taught the basics of the biological and technical processes that PlanET works with, leading to more advanced courses for people who need more specific knowledge. That training is not limited to PlanET’s own staff either.

“Over the last two to three years the Academy has become more than an internal training tool. It has expanded to assist third-party operators with new and ongoing training as well as construction support training sessions. We are not only teaching people how to build these plants, but how to run them in the long term.”

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MOVING WITH THE CHANGES

While the renewable natural gas sector has seen a great deal of market growth in recent years, Hundert remains cautious about the future of the sector, ensuring the company will have the agility needed to prepare for what comes next.

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ENERGY & UTILITIES | 83

PlanET

“The industry has reached critical mass in the last three years and biogas plants are different from other renewable energy platforms. We need to focus not just on building these plants, but on how they are operated. Our current assets need to achieve results on a repeated basis and continue to do so for the next 20 years.”

Beyond biogas, the company is seeing expansion across its other markets. The manure sector has enjoyed rapid expansion in the US but has cooled recently due to an oversupply into the market.

PlanET is currently leveraging its broader array of expertise and technology into new areas that enable the processing of other organic residues and the mono-digestion of problematic organic waste streams.

“Food waste is a significant part of that,” Hundert says.

“We have a lot of experience here with organic feedstocks

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PlanET

“OUR AIM FOR THE FUTURE IS CENTERED AROUND NEW MARKETS FOR OUR TECHNOLOGY AND TACKLING PREVIOUSLY UNDERUTILISED ORGANIC RESIDUALS AND CONVERTING THEM INTO RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS, AND OTHER NEXT GENERATION ORGANIC BIOFUELS.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

and their conversion into biogas. Our aim for the future is centered around new markets for our technology and tackling previously underutilised organic residuals and converting them into Renewable Natural Gas, and other next generation organic biofuels.

We are working to expand the strata of organic inputs our plants can process and turning them into a larger strata of outputs, including green biofuels, carbon for sequestration or reuse and nutrient recovery.”

It is clear talking with Hundert that finding the technological solution is only half the battle.

“There is a lot of technology available, the challenge is to find a commercial and replicable purpose for that technology in the North American market,” Hundert says. “We want to drive a sustainable business case for their deployment that will lead to the adoption of new technologies at scale. There are a multitude of opportunities in this marketplace, and we are maintaining our diligence in terms of selecting the right ones to pursue. It is important for us to know when to say yes and when to say no to opportunities that don’t align with our core vision.”

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AMERICAN MISSION HOSPITAL

AFTER 125 YEARS OF PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE IN THE GCC, AMERICAN MISSION HOSPITAL IS WELL-POSITIONED TO DRIVE THE HEALTHCARE TRANSFORMATION OF THE FUTURE.

WHERE CARE & TECHNOLOGY MEET PROJECT MANAGED BY: DECLAN JONES

The American Mission Hospital is the oldest in the Gulf Cooperation Council region, and is the only not-for-profit hospital in this part of the world. The original hospital was established in 1902 by missionaries from the Reformed Church in America. It went on to operate as a private healthcare entity with branches in Kuwait, Basra (Iraq), and the city of Muscat.

[Opposite Page] Dr George Cheriyan, Corporate CEO and Chief Medical Officer, American Mission Hospital.

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F

rom its Bahrain base, the doctors and nurses regularly went on medical camps to Qatar, the Arabian mainland (now called Saudi Arabia), the Trucial States (Now called UAE), and to Kuwait.

Then oil was discovered in the region, decreasing the need for a charitable healthcare entity. This led to the closure of other branches of the hospital, leaving its final branch as the only functional hospital for the region of Bahrain for 125 years.

“The first thing that sets us completely apart is that we have been around for 125 years,” says Dr George Cheriyan, Corporate CEO and Chief Medical Officer of the hospital. “We have had a legacy in this part of the world for over a century. We have been witness to the Spanish Flu and the Covid pandemic. The reason we exist is to provide affordable care to the people of this region.”

As well as two global pandemics, the American Mission Hospital has seen many other changes come and go over the last one and a quarter century. The hospital has had to evolve to keep up with these changes.

“Over the last 125 years, the whole economy of this region has been transformed. From its humble beginnings as a charity mission hospital, we have had to keep up with the changes brought in by modernisation,” Cheriyan says. “From how the hospital was in the early 1900s, we have grown to operate out of five different locations in the kingdom of Bahrain. We have a presence in each of the Governates and we have opened a brand-new stateof-the-art hospital that will adapt and equip us with the very latest technology in the healthcare space.”

Modernisation does not just mean having the latest technology and equipment. It also means being willing to ask the big questions about what care means.

“People like to talk about quality, but what is quality exactly?” Cheriyan asks. “It is providing care, remaining customer or patient-orientated.

It means orienting ourselves around four key pillars. The first of those is affordability and cost.

Secondly, there is connectivity to the primary healthcare provider.

We need to make sure that all care is coordinated. Thirdly,

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AMERICAN MISSION HOSPITAL

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HEALTHCARE & PHARMACEUTICAL | 87

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there is communication between the healthcare provider and the patient. Last but not least, there is the importance of compassionate care. We see digitalisation as an essential tool for providing compassionate care, clear communication, well-connected care providers, and affordable care. This is how we seek to remain highly competitive in the sector.”

The key to applying this technology, Cheriyan explains, is the human touch.

“Humanising these digital tools is so important in the future delivery of healthcare,” he says.

“We understand this focus very well. We have found ways to stay connected to our patients while fulfilling their needs. When we hire and retain staff, we ensure they are fully trained in all the new technologies we bring in.”

But American Mission Hospital is also willing to look at the most fundamental assumptions of the healthcare sector to ensure it is expanding to our new definition of health. Delivering its holistic services as effectively as possible for the best outcomes, both in, and out of the hospital.

“We are focusing not just on the existing model of sickness care, but on the preservation of health,” Cheriyan tells us.

“Increasingly we are focusing on raising public awareness to keep them healthy. We want them to stay out of hospital, preserving their health for the future.”

COMBINING THE LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL

This care depends on American Mission Hospital’s people even more than its technology. The organisation has close to 1,000 employees. Nearly a third of those people are local Bahrain staff, while the rest come from all around the world. India, the Philippines, the UK and the US all contribute people to the hospital.

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AMERICAN MISSION HOSPITAL

“We have got about 30 nationalities that work with us,” Cheriyan shares.

American Mission Hospital understands the importance of taking care of its people. As Cheriyan points out, there is a global shortage of healthcare workers, and so the hospital values its people.

“We provide a greater sense of purpose for the staff that join us, so they understand the mission that we have,” Cheriyan points out. “Quality is paramount at the top and bottom ends of the organisation. We are not here for money; we are here for the quality of healthcare.”

American Mission Hospital does not just employ its staff, it is committed to their professional development.

Cheriyan is the first to point out that American Mission Hospital does not offer the highest pay scales, but it does provide a host of other benefits, tangible and intangible, that allow it to attract and retain staff.

“We give them opportunities to self-develop and achieve personal and professional goals. That is key in retaining our staff, and why we have people working with us who have been here for as much as 16 years,” Cheriyan says. “This is reflected in our value system, or as we call it, ‘The Four Ts’; Trust, Transparency, Teamwork, and Training. This is the most important factor in helping us to recruit and retain our staff.”

And the hospital will need those staff to fulfil its own ambitious plans. Cheriyan has overseen the launch of a new ten-year plan that has already been set in motion to deliver healthcare well into the future.

That plan is built on six pillars.

“The first pillar is our culture and values. We will never drift from the mission we have followed for 125 years,”

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Cheriyan says. “The second pillar is Person-Centred Care. Our primary focus is on patient needs. The third pillar is ‘training and development’ at staff and leadership levels.

The fourth is digitalisation and AI, which is already disrupting healthcare. We are making sure we utilise technology to help our patients. The fourth pillar is Teaching, Training and Research, which will help us in building and facilitating the building of centres of excellence for treating women and children. We are working on collaborations with major players in the healthcare sector. The sixth and final pillar is that of a sustainable notfor-profit business model that builds on collaborations such

as the ones with the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (RCSI) and Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore. And we are in the process of signing agreements with other partners that will allow us to scale up.

These plants will complement the vision of Bahrain as a whole for the rest of the decade ahead.

“Bahrain as a country has laid out a 2030 Vision, and we have that overarching vision to be a leader not just in Bahrain but in the whole region,” Cheriyan says. “We are introducing customer-centric training for our staff and collaborating with major healthcare players to create a platform to transform healthcare.”

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CRERAR HOTELS

WITH ITS UNIQUE NINE HOTELS IN THE MOST ICONIC LOCATIONS IN SCOTLAND, AND ONE IN THE LAKE DISTRICT, CRERAR HOTELS OFFERS AN AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE TO BE REMEMBERED.

BEYOND THE ORDINARY PROJECT MANAGED BY: NIK AHUJA

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CRERAR HOTELS

Crerar Hotels, a luxury hotel chain consisting of four- and five-star hotels and inns offers something special – from picturesque settings, indulgent spa treatments and leisure facilities, each hotel has its own personality reflecting its history and the essence of its location. Guests will be served by friendly staff with the utmost professionalism.

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CEO Chris Wayne-Wills explains that the company was founded as North British Trust Hotels Ltd in 1902 and changed its name to Crerar Hotel Group in 2012. In 2022, the group was sold by the Crerar family to an investment fund.

With more than 25 years of senior experience within the hospitality sector, Wayne-Wills himself joined the company nearly five years ago and led the Scottish hotel brand through Covid-19 and the successfully

reopening of all the Group’s hotels and inns following multiple lockdowns. He also recruited a new executive team to reposition the hotel group and secured significant investment.

“We are now a privatelyowned hotel group with nine hotels in Scotland and one in the Lake District. What distinguishes us throughout all of our hospitality is our focus on bringing the spirit of the region to life.”

HOSPITALITY & LEISURE | 91

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With Hotelfone, hotels are supported with reservation coverage without the overhead of in-house staffing, ensuring that no booking opportunity is ever missed. Whether it’s last-minute bookings, special requests, or complex reservations, Hotelfone’s team handles every call as though it’s the only one, creating a seamless and enjoyable experience for the caller. Not only does this drive higher booking conversions, but it also strengthens brand loyalty and guest confidence.

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FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

B EST E NJ OY E D R ESPONSI B LY

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CRERAR HOTELS

“We all worked hard during the pandemic, with a considerable investment made in turning all of our properties into either four- or five-star establishments. All that hard work culminated for us last year, when Crerar Hotels won the AA Small Hotel Group of the Year Award for 2023 and 2024. That achievement probably sums up the company in recent years.”

Chris Wayne-Wills, CEO, Crerar Hotels.

ESSENCE OF THE LOCATION

Wayne-Wills affirms that getting the sense of location through the type of hospitality that the company offers is a key part of the job. “Obviously, it’s things like local food and beverages but also the team and their local knowledge. When people come and stay with us, they often want to feel part of the local life.”

“At the Island of Mull, for example, they can visit a mussel farm, or even go out with a fisherman and pull North Atlantic lobsters out around the Treshnish Isles, which they can take back to hotel to be cooked for them. This type of hospitality really works for people.”

He further affirms that each of the hotels is unique and offers something else. “There are different reasons why people visit different hotels. For example, Golf View Hotel & Spa, Nairn on the coast from Inverness, in which we have invested heavily, is now very much the destination spa hotel.”

On the other hand, Fonab Castle Hotel in the heart of Highland Perthshire draws inspiration from its historic past, and offers the tranquillity of its breath-taking surroundings. A completely different experience again is on offer at The Glencoe Inn, sheltered among picturesque Scottish lochs and Munros, a natural meeting point and welcome resting place for hikers near the West Highland Way.

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HOSPITALITY & LEISURE | 93

CRERAR HOTELS

Guests that choose to stay at the traditional Balmoral Arms country inn in the heart of the Victorian village of Ballater will get a chance to taste the same bacon and sausages that the King is having, as the hotel uses the same local suppliers and services as the Balmoral Castle and Estate of the Royal family.

“WHAT DISTINGUISHES US THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR HOSPITALITY IS OUR FOCUS ON BRINGING THE SPIRIT OF THE REGION TO LIFE.”

Innholder in 2023 as the only Scottish-based hotelier to be awarded in that year. This year, he has received the CEO of the Year Award at the first Scottish Professional Awards, as the only CEO from the Scottish hospitality industry to be nominated.

RECOGNISED FOR EXCELLENCE

Using the time during the pandemic to invest in the property, to emerge fully upgraded, has clearly paid off. For the last financial year, the company recorded a 31% growth in turnover and a 30% gross profit increase.

“Especially 2023 felt very much like the culmination of years of work, as Crerar Hotels was awarded the title of ‘Small Hotel Group of the Year’ at the AA Hospitality Awards, in recognition of the hotel group’s repositioning and success in recent years – a proud achievement of the whole team.”

The individual hotels themselves have done very well within the Scottish Prestige Awards over the last three years - the Isle of Mull Hotel & Spa was voted Country Hotel of the Year for 2022 and 2023, while the 2024 award was scooped by the Loch Fyne Hotel & Spa. The Isle of Mull, into which the company has invested heavily, also won a World Traveler Award for the best spa hotel in Scotland. “Out of the top ten spa hotels in Scotland chosen by Conde Nast Traveler, three are operated by the Crerar Hotels Group,” says Wayne-Wills.

He himself has received awards several times for his outstanding leadership, including being awarded the prestigious title of Master

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CRERAR HOTELS

However, he insists that the recent achievements are the result of a joint effort.

“It’s all about the teams at the hotels. There’s only one of me and 600 of everybody else across the company. I have an exceptional executive team, I’ve got a brilliant group of general managers, and we very much are pulling in the same direction, very focused on what we’re trying to achieve. That’s what makes the difference.“

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CRERAR HOTELS

BEST TEAMS FOR THE BEST HOTELS

During the pandemic the company also reinforced its focus on human resources, launching an academy as well as Scotland’s first private spa apprenticeship. “We also launched an innovative range of benefits back in 2021 and are starting to pay bonuses for length of service, recognizing the commitment that people make to us. We look after our team and the team looks after our guests. That’s a big part of our philosophy. Clearly, the best teams are going to bring the best hotels to life to get the best results.”

With the focus on authenticity and location, sustainability is part of the equation. Crerar

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Hotels supports recycling and carbon measurement and works with the guests to minimize their impact. This translates into supporting local suppliers.

“Some of our suppliers have become true long-term partners. We don’t necessarily look for the cheapest price, we try to balance the quality versus the price, versus, in some cases, the types of companies that we work with. Our guests understand quality. They will

remember the quality, the way we made them feel, a lot longer than they remember the price involved.”

Despite the impressive achievements made over the last few years, Wayne-Wills affirms that there is always room for further improvement. “There are still projects that we want to invest in. So over the next year or so, we will be continuing to look at those opportunities as they come around.”

“WE LOOK AFTER OUR TEAM AND THE TEAM LOOKS AFTER OUR GUESTS. THAT’S A BIG PART OF OUR PHILOSOPHY. CLEARLY, THE BEST TEAMS ARE GOING TO BRING THE BEST HOTELS TO LIFE TO GET THE BEST RESULTS.” HOSPITALITY & LEISURE | 97

EXPERIENCE TURKS & CAICOS

CONSIDERED THE WORLD’S BEST KEPT TOURIST SECRET, THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS OFFER VISITORS AN EASY ESCAPE TO A SUNNY CLIMATE AND PRISTINE BEACHES WHILE ENJOYING THE HOSPITALITY AND CULTURE OF THE CARIBBEAN.

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EXPERIENCE TURKS & CAICOS

Considered the world’s best kept tourist secret, the Turks and Caicos Islands offer visitors an easy escape to a sunny climate and pristine beaches while enjoying the hospitality and culture of the Caribbean.

Long before Christopher Columbus set foot on the capital island of Grand Turk, the islands were inhabited for centuries by Taino and Lucayan people. In subsequent centuries, they were claimed by several European powers, with the British Empire eventually gaining control.

Jamaica won independence from Britain in 1962 and the Turks and Caicos Islands then became a British Crown colony and is today one of the British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean. It was not until the early 1980’s when Club Med Turkoise Resort opened that Providenciales – and Turks

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Condominium | Home & Villa | Land | New Development 649.946.4474 | info@tcsothebysrealty.com | turksandcaicossir.com Venture House, Grace Bay | Resort Locations: Grace Bay Club, Point Grace, and The Palms © 2024 Turks & Caicos Realty Ltd. All rights reserved. Each franchise is independently owned and operated.

SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY Turks & Caicos Sotheby’s International Realty stands as the premier real estate brokerage firm in the Turks & Caicos Islands specializing in luxury real estate. As the most dynamic luxury real estate brand in the region, Turks & Caicos Sotheby’s International Realty boasts a team of skilled agents with vast experience and comprehensive knowledge of the market. This in-depth knowledge enables our agents to effectively assist clients in realizing their real estate ownership and investment objectives. With our brand ‘Sotheby’s International Realty’ we are connected to a global network of exceptional agents and exclusive properties across 81 countries and territories and unparalleled access to luxury real estate worldwide. If you’re seeking a second home, an investment property, or a vacation rental, our agents can help navigate the complexities of the Turks & Caicos real estate market or connect you to a global agent to ensure that you make an informed decision.

Our company represents some of the most luxurious properties in the country, from the main island of Providenciales to the outer islands and private islands in the jurisdiction. Each island within the Turks & Caicos Islands’ archipelago offers its own distinct appeal, from gourmet dining and award-winning spas to secluded beaches and exclusive private villas, there is something to suit every taste and preference. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful escape or an active adventure, you can find it in Turks & Caicos Islands. To learn more about what each island has to offer, search the dedicated section of the Turks & Caicos Sotheby’s International Realty website or visit the Experience Turks & Caicos Tourist Board website

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for additional information. Explore diverse options and discover a home perfectly tailored to your lifestyle in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The Turks and Caicos Islands provide an unparalleled blend of relaxation and sophistication with visitors and residents alike enjoying world-class accommodations, luxurious resorts, and high-end spas, all delivered with exceptional service. The friendly and welcoming nature of the local communities adds to the charm of the islands, creating an atmosphere of warmth and hospitality that brings visitors back time and again. The laid-back Caribbean lifestyle is complemented by pristine sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, year-round sunny weather and a wealth of recreational activities. The Turks and Caicos tourism industry continually welcomes visitors drawing nearly one million travelers in the first half of 2024 with direct flights from most major cities in the US, Canada and the UK as well as private jet flights.

Turks & Caicos Sotheby’s International Realty is your trusted partner for all your real estate needs in this beautiful part of the Caribbean. Whether you’re searching for a luxurious vacation property, a sound investment opportunity, or simply a piece of paradise to call your own, the firm is well-equipped to guide you through the process. With a commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of the local market, our agents are ready to help you find the perfect property in the “Beautiful by Nature” Turks and Caicos Islands.

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EXPERIENCE TURKS & CAICOS

Today, the Turks and Caicos islands stand on the threshold of an exciting future, boasting the fastest growing economy in the Caribbean, coupled with strictly controlled development to protect the islands’ heritage.

With its zero-tax jurisdiction, the islands are becoming a leading international investment centre for the offshore investor.

and Caicos in general – started to become a viable tourist destination.

Since then, increasingly more development has taken shape, for the islands to now become recognized as one of the world’s premier beach destinations.

They boast an array of prestigious awards, including being voted the Caribbean’s Most Romantic Destination 2024 at the World Travel Awards, as well as Caribbean Leading Beach Destination 2024.

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“SUSTAINABILITY UNDERSCORES OUR DEDICATION TO PRESERVING AND ENHANCING OUR TOURISM ASSETS FOR THE WELL-BEING OF BOTH RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.”

GROWTH, SUSTAINABILITY, COMPETITIVENESS

The islands are promoted internationally by Experience Turks and Caicos, the Destination Marketing and Management Organisation of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“Established a year ago following the dissolution of the Tourist Board, our objective as the DMO is to market and promote the islands, a multiisland destination with 40 islands and cays.” says Minister of Tourism, the Hon, Josephine Connolly.

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EXPERIENCE TURKS & CAICOS Minister of Tourism, the Hon, Josephine Connolly.

She further explains that the company was founded on three fundamental principles: Inclusive Growth, Sustainability, and Competitiveness. “Inclusive Growth is at the core of our mission to ensure that all individuals in the Turks and Caicos Islands reap the benefits of the tourism sector. We are actively promoting the Turks

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and Caicos Islands as a diverse destination, urging our guests to explore all our islands to boost spending across the region and foster tourism growth while improving livelihoods.”

“Sustainability underscores our dedication to preserving and enhancing our tourism assets for the well-being of both residents and visitors.

Competitiveness highlights our capacity to implement a framework that ensures the continual enhancement of the quality of tourist services and attractions provided by all Turks and Caicos Islands tourism stakeholders.”

Promoting tourism goes hand in hand with ensuring that the essence of the islands is preserved. The Turks and Caicos Islands are a biodiversity hotspot with many endemic species, due to the conditions created by the oldest established salt-pan development in the Caribbean, in addition to being an important breeding area for seabirds. Due to this significance, the islands are on the United Kingdom’s tentative list for future UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

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Wymara Resort + Villas, Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands Reservations: 1.866.896.0305 | reservations@wymara.com | realestate@wymara.com | www.wymara.com

2024

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HANDLING THE CHALLENGE

Alvin Hegner, acting CEO and Co-Chair of the Board, admits that operating as a newly established company has its challenges. “The primary obstacle lies in constructing and overseeing the operations, enhancing the brand presence within the local communities, and restoring connections while safeguarding the destination’s reputation and brand in our target markets.”

To this end, the company has recruited skilled staff to carry out the tasks required in its inaugural year efficiently. “We actively seek out top talent from both local and regional sources to enhance Experience Turks and Caicos’s operations,” says Hegner.

“Our team includes individuals who previously worked for the tourist board and possess expertise in Marketing Intelligence, Strategic Development, and

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Product Development. We are committed to the professional growth of our employees by providing training sessions, retreats, and opportunities for continuous learning to develop their skills further.”

He further explains that in addition, the company has participated in community gatherings as well as in a

ATTRACTIVE INCENTIVES

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grassroots campaign to build its brand and convey its commitment to serving the local community. “We are also actively collaborating with travel advisors in our target markets through workshops and training sessions, in order to educate them about the Turks and Caicos Islands and our tourism offerings.”

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EXPERIENCE TURKS & CAICOS

A PROSPEROUS DESTINATION

Hegner affirms that as a Destination Marketing Organization, the company plays a crucial role in Product Development, with responsibilities ranging from creating and organizing unique visitor experiences on the island to collaborating with local communities to improve the current offerings.

“Our focus extends beyond just marketing, as we oversee all aspects of the destination.

We want to create a luxurious

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and prosperous destination for everyone: our visitors, developers, and the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

The company has ambitious plans for the future, aiming to become the premier DMO in the Caribbean. “We aspire to lead the way in Caribbean tourism by effectively curating and gathering data on multiple topics, including visitor spending habits, demographics, searching and booking timelines, and flight capacity

from key markets. We have now reached the point where we have the data to operate predictively.”

“As a SMART DMO, we strongly emphasize data collection to inform not only our strategies but also those of our partners. Our objective is to be the primary source of tourism data in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and we are actively engaging with various agencies in the region to achieve this goal.”

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EXPERIENCE TURKS & CAICOS

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HYDES BREWERY

HYDES BREWERY HAS A LONG HISTORY BEHIND IT, BUT ITS BEST YEARS STILL LIE AHEAD.

HOME BREW PROJECT MANAGED BY: DECLAN JONES

Hydes Brewery is a business with a fastidious commitment to quality in every aspect of its operations. Headquartered in Salford, its beers are brewed on-site at over 40 pubs across the Northwest of England and the North of Wales, to an exceptional standard matched by the exceptional level of service at the bar.

Hydes Brewery has set out to create a business that, just like a good pint, is perfect from the head down.

O

f course, a good pint is best when it comes with a good story, and Hydes Brewery certainly has one of those.

It is an independent, award winning, but above all, family run business, and has been since it was founded in 1863.

That was the year that brothers Alfred and Ralph Hyde acquired a small brewing concern from their grandfather Thomas Shaw, and began the Hydes brewing dynasty. The business has been passed down through the generations and outgrew its premises several times along the way. In 1899, with William Hyde now running the business, Hydes took up residence at the Queens Brewery site in Manchester. From there, William began acquiring public houses to distribute its beer through.

When William died, his sister

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Annie took over the business in 1916, and ran the business successfully for the next 56 years. By 1944 Hydes Alex had an excellent reputation across the Northwest of England, and was renamed Hydes Anvil Brewery to incorporate the family trademark.

Fast forward to 2012, and the Queens Brewery site that William had purchased finally closed, with the company moving to The Beer Studio, a new brewery at Media City UK, Salford. It has stayed at that site, continuing to innovate in kegging plants and the production of lagers and craft ales.

Today, Hydes Brewery is one of the only brewers in the UK to still produce seasonal cask ales alongside its traditional core range, and more recently craft ales and key keg.

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HYDES BREWERY

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Evolve’s solutions are powered by Mako Networks. Mako’s SD-WAN security gateway device was the first in the world to obtain level 1 PCI certification; this means that Evolve can provide businesses across many sectors with an end-to-end PCI-compliant solution.

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HYDES BREWERY

With 45 pubs, all of them managed by Hydes and 33 of them directly owned by the company, Hydes Brewery has a revenue of £39.3 million.

The company has continued to expand, and invested £3.8 million in developing its new pub, “The Harry Bestwick”, in 2023. But most importantly, it has achieved the highest customer/guest satisfaction in the pub industry in the whole of the UK.

A GREENER PINT

Established over 30 years ago, WHB construction are a small construction company within the leisure and commercial / shop fitting industry.

Including: fit & new builds.

WHB Construction Limited Turf House, 143 Water Street Radcliff, Manchester M26 3BJ United Kingdom Mob: +44 (0)7919 527210 Tel: +44 (0)844 251 1220 Email: phil@whbconstruction.co.uk

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Hydes Brewery has achieved this because for the last 161 years, it has been guided by a clear vision, seeking to deliver attractive environments, high quality products and the exceptional service that its customers are looking for.

It does this by focusing on the “four Ps”, its people, products, processes and pubs, but in the 21st century Hydes Brewery also seeks to distinguish itself by offering a more sustainable pint.

After over a century and a half in the business, Hydes know the important role that pubs play in communities, the lives of their customers, and the environment.

This is why Hydes Brewery works sustainably and responsibly to ensure it can protect the future of the business and the planet.

The brewery’s approach to sustainability has been defined by a key set of principles. It pays attention to the effects its activities have on the environment, local communities and its customers, while minimising the use of resources and generation of waste. It deploys reuse and recycling wherever appropriate, and whenever practical it prioritises buying products, services and resources from local suppliers, supporting the community it works in while reducing the environmental

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HYDES BREWERY

impact of long distance logistics.

This is all done in line with Hydes Brewery’s distinctly defined, communicated and well understood environmental responsibilities at every level of the organisation, supported by training where necessary.

A RECORD PERFORMANCE

As a standing testament to the fact that sustainable business policies can drive growth, rather than detract from it, Hydes Brewery has announced a record turnover for the financial year of 2023 to 2024. A record turnover might be considered relatively routine for a young company still in its initial growth phase, but with 161 years of history behind it, that is a record worth paying attention to. Its £39.3 million turnover is an improvement of £5.8 million on its £28.3 million turnover from 2022. Overall, pre-tax profits for the period rose from £2.3 million to £2.6million.

These results are the result of investment in a comprehensive series of refurbishments and impressive growth in its contract brewing sales. It is also due to the opening of a new landmark site in Heswall, on the Wirral Peninsula.

In a time where the only news we hear about pubs is about pubs closing, Hyde bucks this trend by opening new ones. This new pub, the Harry Beswick, was opened in November last year, and has already seen great success as it approaches its first anniversary of trading.

Before becoming a pub, the venue was a police station, and since Hyde took it over it has been named after a celebrated local architect. When it was acquired in 2022 it was the first site Hydes had purchased since 2015. From there the brewery went on to invest £3.6 million in refurbishing and extending the historic building.

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HYDES BREWERY

As well as opening this new landmark drinking establishment, Hydes Brewery has gone on to carry out major refurbishments at the Crown Inn and James Watts in Cheadle, The Vine Inn in Nantwich, the Abel Heywood in Manchester and the Mount Inn in Chester.

“Once again, Hydes has shown resilience, innovation, and customer loyalty, resulting in a record-breaking turnover for the second successive year,” said Adam Mayers, Managing Director of Hydes Brewery.

“This reflects the brewery’s commitment to delivering exceptional products and services and also highlights

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that investment in our pubs and our people remains a key priority.”

Mayers credits the results to the high standard Hydes’ pub estate has maintained, the quality refurbishments it has undertaken, and the expansion of its first freehold acquisition in over a decade. He also pointed out that brewery volumes have increased sharply and the company’s tenanted estate performing well.

As Mayers said, “The strong results recorded this year are a testament to the hard work of our entire team across every part of our business in both this and previous years.”

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INNSERVE LTD

INNSERVE SUPPLIES BUSINESSES ALL OVER THE UK WITH THE EQUIPMENT & SERVICE NECESSARY TO GET A DRINK INTO YOUR HAND.

SERVICE ON TAP PROJECT MANAGED BY: ALBERT RUSU

Innserve specialises in the supply, installation and maintenance of beer and soft drink dispensing systems. It operates as an independent outsource service provider, servicing over 80,000 licensed and non-licensed premises in every part of England, Scotland and Wales.

W

ith a team of over 350 maintenance and installation technicians at its disposal, Innserve has established itself as a major, nationwide service provider in the drinks dispensing field. Innserve’s purpose is to Keep Britain Pouring.

What has made Innserve such a leader in its sector is the wide range of services it has to offer. Whether clients want to make use of a single service in isolation, or its entire suite of support. Innserve can offer the capabilities and expertise they need to drive value whatever the client’s scope or requirements.

The solutions it provides are professional but flexible, able to adapt to the goals of the individual customer’s business needs and expectations.

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Innserve can provide the full package of drinks dispensing technical services, letting its customers reduce costs and downtime risks while delivering real value.

A CULTURE TO BE PART OF

When a customer walks into a pub or bar, they are looking for a number of things. Do they stock the drinks they want? Is the price reasonable? But most of all they are looking for that indefinable vibe, that sense of being a place you want to stay.

Similarly, while Innserve’s service offering and prices are competitive, its real differentiator is the company culture and values that define it. These values are a shared understanding of what Innserve stands for, and what matters to it as a business. This is the benchmark that shows

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INNSERVE LTD

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www.rlbs.ltd.uk

Beverage Dispense Equipment Solutions Rlbs manufacture and refurbish beer and soft drinks equipment with the highest level of customer communication and satisfaction.

We collaborate, providing economic and environmental advantages. We aid our partners to achieve optimisation.

Leaders in the manufacture of gas pressure reducing regulators to the beverage industry and champions for cask ale dispense equipment for over 30 years.

RLBS is your obvious choice for all your new and refurbished requirements.

RLBS Ltd Zenith House, Gresford Industrial Park, Wrexham, LL12 8LX, UK Telephone: +44 (0)1978 855 388 Email: sales@rlbs.ltd.uk Website and Online Store: www.rlbs.ltd.uk

RLBS LTD

Established in 1982, RLBS LTD operate from two facilities in the UK which include the head office and factory in Wrexham and a smaller site in Keighley.

Renowned throughout the industry for the quality manufacture and refurbishment of dispense equipment, including beverage gas pressure reducing valves for CO2 and mixed gas, dispense fonts, taps, and cask ale & cider hand-pulls aka traditional beer engines.

RLBS is a company on the rise, currently enjoying the most productive year in their history achieved through new product design most notably the new range of soft drinks gas regulators, events equipment, customer online shop and the ever-growing demand for refurbished equipment providing benefits both economically and environmentally.

Their combination of long-time market-leading knowledge and technical expertise drives constant exacting quality standards whilst delivering highperformance solutions to all their customers.

Alongside serving many of the UK’s most iconic brewing brands and equipment installation companies RLBS are an extremely proud partner to the highly respected service provider - Innserve Ltd. With over 25 years of close working partnership, this collaboration has enabled crucial developments and innovative advancements in the manufacturing of gas regulators, achieving significant milestones in industry standards. Through this tight cooperation, the service life of RLBS’s gas regulators in the field has been extended, allowing the regulatory code-ofpractice to increase from 5 years to 8 years for Innserve and its applicable customers.

This achievement showcases the reliability and quality of RLBS products, as well as the strength of their partnership with Innserve and in turn their customers.

Manufacture of beverage dispense columns for the UK, European and Global market.

Manufacture of the Heineken Smart-Dispense system and product range.

End to end solutions for the re-manufacture & manufacture of beverage dispense equipment.

All services provided for with our experienced in-house team.

Procurement & Supply chain management.

Brand enhancement & development.

Global Metal Finishers Limited Unit 1–5 Blakenhall Business Park, Moorfield Road, Blakenhall, Wolverhampton WV2 4QT, UK T: +44 (0)1902 311355 E: sales@globalmetalfinishers.co.uk www.globalmetalfinishers.com

The reference to partnership is due to the points already raised but also the stability Innserve provides to RLBS. Details such as respectful payment terms, on time payments, continuity of work, mutual respect and excellent communication lines all help towards a solid foundation for mutual benefit.

RLBS have been the proud recipient of the Innserve supplier of the year award and strive to achieve this accolade again.

Long-standing relationships like this reflect RLBS’s commitment to provide dependable, cutting-edge solutions for the whole drinks industry.

In recent years, RLBS has worked tirelessly to become the top choice for its customers and their Environmental Manifesto drives a shift towards an ecofriendlier beverage dispensing sector.

A key goal from this is to eliminate the use of fossil fuel-based plastic packaging by the end of 2024. Their aim is for the full packaging range to be available with environmentally friendly options, made from sugarcane or other sustainable alternatives.

In 2024, RLBS introduced the industry’s first 100% recycled plastic cellar board and batons which is well suited to cellar conditions. Traditionally made from melamine faced chipboard for use in pub/bar cellars. RLBS’s guarantee is any waste plastic generated via the refurbishment of equipment will be recycled and never find a route to landfill or incineration.

This initiative has already diverted 3.5 tonnes of plastic waste, earning praise from major customers for its durability, ease of maintenance, and environmental benefits.

RLBS welcomes your enquiry and looks forward to collaborating in the near future www.rlbs.ltd.uk

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Prime Lubricants Limited Distributors of Oil and Grease in Yorkshire.

Our main aim is to give local business the support both in competitive pricing and fast deliveries they need to help their businesses run smoothly and grow.

Prime Lubricants Limited Unit 13, Oakney Wood Avenue, Selby Business Park , Selby, North Yorkshire YO8 8FQ United Kingdom T: +44 (0)1757 706996 E: sales@primelubricants.co.uk www.primelubricants.co.uk

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INNSERVE LTD

Innserve how to approach its work and interactions with customers, colleagues and shareholders alike.

In doing this, Innserve follows a key set of values: delivering excellence, taking pride in care, driving for simplicity and being one big team.

It has been no mean feat for Innserve to forge those 400 technicians into a single team.

Working in the way they do, communication is key, with a culture that relies on mutual support to get the job done.

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INNSERVE LTD

CLEAN PIPELINES

Ultimately what Innserve is all about is getting drinks to the customer, and so it is a company that knows all about the importance of supply lines.

The company’s experienced procurement management team manages an efficient logistics network, liaising with suppliers as an established and trusted partner in the industry.

That team operates out of Innserves warehouse sites in Sunderland and Gateshead in the North East. Innserve

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then delivers that equipment in the most appropriate and cost effective way, including overnight delivery direct to technicians’ vans where necessary.

Innserve maintains those open lines of constant communication not only with

its staff but with its customers, managing stock levels and ensuring the smooth running of its businesses. This allows it to coordinate the fully integrated supply of drinks dispensers and associated equipment over such a large geographical area to businesses of every size.

“WHAT HAS MADE INNSERVE SUCH A LEADER IN ITS SECTOR IS THE WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES IT HAS TO OFFER.”

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Taps

Fonts

Tubing

Python

DISPENSE EQUIPMENT Cleaning equipment

EVERYTHING

ON TAP Couplers

Valpar Micro Matic

Spears

Get in touch

micro-matic.com

Coolers

Regulators

Porta Micro Matic

DEDICATED TO DRAFT QUALITY

MICRO MATIC When it comes to draft beverage dispensing, precision, quality, and reliability are pivotal. Micro Matic, a global leader in beverage dispensing equipment and solutions, offers everything you need from the keg to the glass to deliver flawless dispense to your customer every time.

Located in Northern Ireland, Valpar Micro Matic is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality tubing for the dispensing industry, and in England, in close collaboration, you will find Porta Micro Matic, a very dedicated design and innovation team within Towers and T-bars. Reaching out to the rest of Micro Matic – as a unity – both locations strive to achieve a strong, local and global presence.

At Micro Matic, we understand that a great draft system starts with the right equipment. We provide an extensive range of products designed to meet all your draft dispensing needs. Our coolers ensure your beverages are served at the perfect temperature, while our industry-leading spears and couplers, as well as regulators, guarantee a secure connection every time.

But that is not everything….

Our durable tubes and pythons maintain the ideal temperature and taste of your beverage. “It’s all about the correct tubing”, single or multi-layer, because good beer tastes better when served through excellent tubing. That is one of the secrets behind the success of Valpar Micro Matic. Our core business is the extrusion of excellent tubing and manufacture of quality python (an insulated bundle of tubing). We design solutions to meet the needs of our customers, using the newest technology within the field”. says John O’Neill, Managing Director.

At the same time POS equipment makes sure your brand seizes the attention of customers while dispensing your beverage the way it is supposed to. Located in Chorley, just north of Manchester, Porta Micro Matic specializes in manufacturing, design, engineering and sales. “Porta is a proud market leader in designing and developing towers and other drink dispense products for the global drinks dispense market since 1936”, says Andrew Brown, Managing Director.

Porta offers a wide variety of draught beer fonts, tap handles and lenses, where customers can customize their solution, which compliments the custom-designed solutions already offered by Micro Matic.

With Micro Matic, you are not just buying equipment; you are investing in the success of your beverage. A close collaboration with our customers, as well as our attention to quality and innovation, is paramount to our success, leading us to ship to over 60 countries throughout the world.

From equipment to solution, from keg to glass, Micro Matic is your one-stop shop for all dispense equipment.

Micro Matic, dedicated to draft quality. www.micro-matic.com

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INNSERVE LTD

RAISING THE STANDARD

One aspect of the drinks dispensing industry you may not have given a lot of thought to is its research and development arm. But Innserve also invests in pursuing new ways to drive quality and efficiency through its continual development and testing. Its commitment to research and development has enabled the design of new and innovative products for the entire drinks dispensing industry, increasing longevity and reducing maintenance requirements. The end result is that Innserve is able to drive down the total lifetime cost across its product range.

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The design process, from the conception of a new idea to the launch of a new product, is defined by constant dialogue with Innserve’s customers to make sure that it is designing and introducing products that solve problems for its customers, offering meaningful, sustainable and robust solutions.

To get the product to that point, Innserve employs a comprehensive testing and development centre at its head office in Tadcaster. This humidity and temperature controlled facility can precisely replicate typical trading conditions, creating an environment where new product ideas can be rigorously tested inhouse before going to market.

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INNSERVE LTD

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The Beverage Equipment Specialist Over 45 Years Experience

Accessories & Spares Fittings & Tubing Controls, Pumps & Motors Refrigeration Components Installation Materials & Fitting Kits multiplexbeverage.com customerservices@multiplexbev.com 0121 5012566

Refreshing the Experience

MULTIPLEX

HH POINT OF SALE

Multiplex is the leading European manufacturer and supplier of cooling and dispense equipment for the beverage industry. We are part of Welbilt, a global food service business, owned by The Ali Group.

Multiplex is based in the West Midlands, UK, designing and producing beer coolers, soda chillers and dispense equipment for the on-trade.

Our unrivalled knowledge has been gained by serving customers internationally for over 45 years, in over 50 countries. We sell our products directly in the UK and through a network of distributors and service partners across the world.

Quality is our number one driver, delivering the best-in-class equipment for the dispense of gold standard beverages. We have been manufacturing highly efficient and reliable beverage systems since 1976 providing dispense solutions to some of the most well-known companies in the beverage industry which include Innserve, pub groups, brewers and bottlers. Amongst others, our iconic products are the Vision beer coolers, the Icecore soda chillers and the Albi overcounter soft drinks dispensers.

Our equipment range covers all dispense profiles from low volume offices to high-volume fast-food restaurants. We continuously invest in technologies to develop and enhance our products with recognised results for low energy consumption and highly circular propositions.

Multiplex also offers a comprehensive range of ancillary equipment, spare parts and service materials. www.multiplexbeverage.com

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®

CRAFTING IMPACTFUL BRAND EXPERIENCES At HH Point of Sale, we are more than just a manufacturer—we are creators of impactful brand experiences. Specializing in innovative point-of-sale (POS) solutions, we work with leading brands to design and produce visually striking displays that captivate consumers and elevate brand presence.

Our expertise lies in crafting a wide range of POS products, including beer fonts, pods, tap handles, and large-scale installations that grab attention and leave a lasting impression. Whether it’s a bespoke display for a global beverage brand or a tailored solution for a retail environment, HH POS combines cutting-edge technology with deep industry knowledge to deliver excellence at every touchpoint.

One of our unique strengths is our end-to-end service. From initial concept development to design, prototyping, and full-scale production, we ensure every detail is perfectly executed. Our in-house capabilities include advanced plastic injection moulding and metal fabrication, allowing us to maintain full control over quality and precision.

We also understand the importance of sustainability and design our products with a focus on eco-friendly materials and processes, helping brands align with the growing demand for environmental responsibility.

At HH Point of Sale, we don’t just build displays—we build brand stories that resonate with consumers and drive sales. With our passion for innovation, craftsmanship, and attention to detail, we are the go-to partner for any brand looking to make a bold statement at the point of sale. #POSDesign #BrandExperience #HHPointOfSale #RetailMarketing #InnovativeSolutions

www.hhpointofsale.net

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INNSERVE LTD

The products Innserve is known for, such as the InnSave and InnClean, were all developed here, increasing equipment efficiency and minimising waste and environmental impact.

POS FOR THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY We offer a comprehensive range of both standard and customisable point of sale solutions for the beverage industry including Fonts, Taps, Tap Handles, Traditional as well as Digital Branding. All our products are designed to help our customers to achieve the maximum standout for their brands on the bar.

HH P.O.S. is committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products from conceptual design to production in the shortest possible time. We have enviable in-house design capabilities, but we are equally happy to work with external design agencies or brand owners as appropriate.

Contact: CN: NO. 5, Jiujiu industrial Road, Shatou community, Shajing Town, Bao’an District, Shenzhen, China 518104 Mobile: Ray +44 (0)7833 222241 / Julian +44 (0)7831 794059 Tel: UK +44 (0)800 246 5780 Tel: CN +86 0755 2902 0123 Email: mark@h-hplastic.com

www.hhpointofsale.net

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Once those products are out in the field, they are supported by a qualified team of over 350 technicians providing 365-daya-year support across mainland UK and the Highlands. That team is ready to anticipate and support all of Innserve’s customers’ needs in terms of maintenance, installation and project management, from line cleaning to new equipment evaluation. This full service offering means their customers can focus on the other elements of their business and increase profitability across the board.

Innserve’s experts bring with them a broad range of knowledge, maintained through annual training programmes. Its technicians are committed to customer service and will work to fix any technical issues on the first visit, getting customers’ businesses up and running again as quickly as possible.

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INNSERVE LTD

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INNSERVE LTD

Innserve also offers “Branded” technicians who can work on discrete projects or on an ongoing basis, and all are backed by their low-carbon, reliable van fleet.

SERVICE WITH A SMILE

Of course, the main thing people want from a pub is friendly and efficient service, and those venues are no different in what they look for in a drink dispenser supplier. Innserve has a highly trained customer service team equipped to provide live diagnosis and efficient liaisons for customers.

Innserve’s customer service

representatives are also based in Tadcaster, and are well trained and experienced in keeping downtime to a minimum for its customers while promoting efficient service.

Every year the team handles half a million calls, each of them automatically prioritised to the most appropriate and experienced team member.

The excellent service Innserve provides in turn enables its customers to provide that same level of service to their own customers, offering hospitality both in front of house and behind the scenes.

“ULTIMATELY WHAT INNSERVE IS ALL ABOUT IS GETTING DRINKS TO THE CUSTOMER, AND SO IT IS A COMPANY THAT KNOWS ALL ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPLY LINES.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

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MONTSERRAT TOURISM AUTHORITY

UNLIKE MOST TOURIST-PACKED DESTINATIONS, MONTSERRAT OFFERS SOMETHING SPECIAL – THE TRANQUIL AMBIENCE OF HOW THE CARIBBEAN USED TO BE.

PARADISE REGAINED PROJECT MANAGED BY: RASH UDDIN Montserrat, nicknamed “The Emerald Isle of the Caribbean”, both for its resemblance to coastal Ireland and for the Irish ancestry of many of its inhabitants. It is a British Overseas Territory located in the northern portion of the Lesser Antilles chain of the Caribbean.

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he relatively small island of approximately 40 square miles with a population of just over 4,000 boasts soaring peaks, rainforest-covered hillsides as well as crystal clear waters.

While it shares the Caribbean’s exposure to the hurricane belt and has a rich history shaped by volcanic activity, these natural elements add to its unique character, making it a resilient paradise that coexists with nature.

Rosetta West Gerald, CEO of the Montserrat Tourism Authority, explains that in 1995 the once dormant Soufrière Hills Volcano erupted for the first time in almost 400 years, dramatically altering life on the island. The eruptions devastated the southern part of the island including the capital Plymouth, which resulted in the migration of more than half of the island’s population to the UK, North America and other Caribbean islands.

The last eruption occurred in 2010, and since then, a lot has been done. “As a result of those volcanic activities, the island has grown with more land added – this new fertile land has become genuine real estate, that is fully utilized,” says Gerald.

“Montserrat is located only 20 minutes by air from Antigua and 1.5 hours by ferry. Following the eruptions, essential infrastructure was built including a new airport and a port facility.

Currently, improvements are being made to the port facility with the addition of a new pier to accommodate ships up to 187 m in length and a draught of 9 m. This upgrade is aimed at enhancing the docking capabilities, thus facilitating the arrival of more vessels to the island,” she added.

Gerald further acknowledges that the Authority has intensified promotion of its Remote Workers’ Stamp programme.

Montserrat introduced their digital nomad visa in January 2021 and interest has been rising, slowly but steadily, ever since.

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MONTSERRAT TOURISM AUTHORITY

Rosetta West Gerald, CEO, Montserrat Tourism Authority.

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MONTSERRAT TOURISM AUTHORITY

FOR A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TOURIST

Montserrat is governed by a locally elected Premier and Parliament. Born and raised in Montserrat, Gerald explains that the Tourism Authority is a recently established institutional body - it came into existence on 1st July 2024, following its transformation from a Tourism Division that previously operated under the Office of the Premier.

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“We have seven board members from different areas of the tourism sector, and we focus on product development, marketing and setting standards,”. “Unlike nightlife seekers, Montserrat attracts a different type of tourist. We promote eco-friendly tourism, and target those seeking soft adventures – hiking, biking, diving, snorkelling, turtle watching volcano viewing and birdwatching.”

The general objective of the Authority is to enhance the visitor experience and to make their stay as convenient and comfortable as possible. “We strive to improve facilities on some of our beaches: we have added toilet facilities to the main beaches and have installed picnic tables and barbecue grills, and we have upgraded some of our trails with new signage about the flora and fauna. Overall, we promote 8 trails from gentle to extreme slopes, with plans for additional trail and other upgrades in the coming months.”

The Tourism Authority also manages the Jack Boy Hill Viewing Facility, strategically positioned to view the volcano and surrounding environs including the abandoned airport and destroyed Eastern villages.

Tours into Plymouth, the buried city, are available but only with certified guides.

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MONTSERRAT TOURISM AUTHORITY

Gerald affirms that visitors can feel absolutely safe on the island – the Montserrat Volcano Observatory monitors all activity of the Soufrière Hills Volcano 24/7, and together with the University of East Anglia and partners, champions the Mountain A Glow project. This chronicles the history of the volcano and life in Montserrat before and after the eruptions, in addition to providing first-hand accounts from residents who lived through the experience.

KEEPING THE ESSENCE

After the eruptions grounded the tourism sector, visitor numbers started to climb slowly to reach 21,000 in 2019, only to fall back again during the pandemic. In 2023, the number of visitors reached 14,800. “We are basically starting from scratch again,” says Gerald, adding that the focus is on attracting high-end, quality visitors. “We want tourism to

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grow, but in a controlled way, so that the essence of Montserrat, its beauty and its environment, is not lost.”

To this end, the Authority launched an environmental awareness program in 2022 with the aim of informing the public about the importance of Montserrat’s unique environment and the benefits to be derived from it, especially from a tourism perspective. Another programme to be launched soon is the environmental stewardship programme, to help champion the cause for the environment, and to allow people to learn about the benefits of living in harmony with the environment while benefitting from it.

“We are working with the local community to help us promote Montserrat. We have launched special programmes for local stakeholders to learn more about the tourism industry, to see how tourism can benefit them, and to

improve their customer service skills. An example is the Culinary Skills Training Programme aimed not only at enhancing culinary skills in preparation and presentation, but also to inspire a new generation of local chefs, fostering a vibrant culinary scene that complements Montserrat’s unique tourism offerings.”

CELEBRATING PAST AND PRESENT

Montserrat is also an island of festivals and celebrations: in March, St Patrick’s festival is an Afro-Irish 10-day celebration of culture, history and food, paying homage to the residents’ past and all parts of their identity.

Montserrat is the only country outside of Ireland to celebrate St Patrick’s Day as a national holiday.

Montserrat is also one of just two Caribbean islands to host their last Carnival at the end of the year – Christmas Carnival,

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MONTSERRAT TOURISM AUTHORITY

as well as the first – it begins mid-December and ends on 1st January.

And throughout the year, there is a number of other festivals and events that the Tourism Authority promotes.

“We have just concluded Tourism Week 2024, a weeklong celebration at the end of September, filled with exciting activities that showcase the best of our island’s culture, heritage and natural beauty. The theme was tourism and peace, which tied into the theme for World Tourism Day ,” says Gerald.

“Next year, we are planning to do more by way of promoting Montserrat further afield, participating in trade events perhaps in the UK and the US. Due to its location in the hurricane belt Montserrat is not without its challenges, but given its beauty and its unique, tranquil environment, still offers a paradise experience.”

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PRAGUE CONVENTION BUREAU

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PRAGUE CONVENTION BUREAU

PRAGUE CONVENTION BUREAU, THE OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF PRAGUE IN THE CONGRESS INDUSTRY, AIMS TO MAKE THE CZECH REPUBLIC’S CAPITAL THE GO-TO VENUE FOR ANY ON-SITE, VIRTUAL OR HYBRID EVENT.

THE RIGHT DESTINATION PROJECT MANAGED BY: RASH UDDIN

A convention bureau is typically responsible for providing information regarding a location and for supporting event planners. The Prague Convention Bureau, a non-profit organisation established in 2008, is Prague’s official convention bureau, with a mission to strengthen positive awareness of the city of Prague as a convention and incentive destination, to increase revenue and stimulate economic growth for the municipality.

Roman Muška, Managing Director, Prague Convention Bureau.

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he Bureau works alongside the CzechTourism Agency and offers advice and support in acquiring components that will make any event memorable and successful, be it a conference, meeting, seminar, exhibition or sport or cultural event.

“Convention Bureaus operate in some form in all developed cities of the world, with the purpose of promoting those destinations for major international events,” says Managing Director Roman Muška.

“These Bureaus are often part of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) which in our case is Prague City Tourism. While they promote Prague as a suitable destination for mainstream tourism, we promote the city as a destination for meetings of professionals.

However, although we cooperate with our DMO, we are an independent entity.”

He further explains that there are 14 Convention Bureaus in the Czech Republic, and that Prague is one of the oldest and the most developed. This also sets its position. “Given

the scope of activities and the international nature of Prague, we don’t compete with the national Bureaus but with the most popular destinations from around the world.”

WHY PRAGUE?

Speaking about the role of the Convention Bureau, Roman Muška affirms that it is not event organisation but destination promotion. “The objective is to get an event to Prague, to make Prague win as a venue.

The actual organisation is, as a rule, bestowed upon a different entity, be it a global organiser or a company’s internal team.

Any such entity can, of course, rely on our support.”

“If we do organise an event, it has a very specific focus. For example, we invite selected organisers from around the world, or from specific markets, and show them what our destination has to offer in terms of facilities, infrastructure, services and similar.”

The most significant event of this nature that Prague Convention Bureaus has organised was the Annual Congress of the International

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Welcome to Výstaviště Praha (Prague Exhibition Grounds) Výstaviště is a 36-hectare complex with a long tradition and an attractive location near the city centre and Prague’s largest park, Stromovka.

It is a great place for events and leisure activities. Its advantages include its excellent public transport accessibility, parking opportunities and quiet location. More than 2 million visitors come here every year to enjoy cultural, social, sporting and company events.

The origins of Výstaviště date back to the year 1891 on the occasion of the General Land Centennial Exhibition. You can still find several buildings here that were built in that year, but also several more modern pavilions from the end of the 20th century. Almost all the venues are either currently being reconstructed or have recently undergone a complete renovation.

Výstaviště also provides a generous open-air space for up to 20,000 people in the lower part of the complex.

Výstaviště Praha a.s., Výstaviště 67, Praha 7, 170 00, Czech Republic

Elegance. Light. Space.

An exceptional atmosphere.

The event space of the 21st century with a historical backdrop.

Large Křižík Pavilion

Industrial Palace The dominant feature of Výstaviště is the Industrial Palace, which was also built in 1891 as a temporary exhibition pavilion. The first ever assembled steel structure combined with glass, which had no parallel in the Czech lands at the time, is still to this day a true architectural gem.

In 2008, the left wing of the palace burned down completely during a great fire. Since February 2022, with the media eagerly watching, the Palace has been undergoing a complete but sensitive reconstruction. When finished in 2026, the left wing will be presented with reference to its original industrial form, and the central hall and right wing will be complete renovated.

It will be an elegant, light and spacious event space of the 21st century with a historical backdrop and an exceptional atmosphere.

Terraces on the Křižík Pavilion roof.

Total covered area: 10,700m2 Area of right wing: 3600m2 Area of central hall: 1800m2 Area of left wing: 4500m2 The entrance area to the palace is a foyer with an area of 800m2

Křižík Pavilions

Industrial Palace Visualisation

In the lower part of the complex, you will find the four Křižík pavilions – two (B and E) are larger and two (C and D) are smaller.

They surround the famous Křižík Fountain and together form an outdoor amphitheatre with a capacity of up to 6000 people.

After a complete reconstruction, the Pavilions offer representative spaces equipped with modern technologies. They have a variable layout and are suitable for corporate, cultural and social events: conferences, concerts, exhibitions, trade fairs, and even several fashion shows have taken place here.

The brand new wooden terraces on the roofs of the Pavilions provide a further dimension to the events organised here. On an area of 7500 m2 you find seating areas with relaxation zones, bistros and beautiful views of the exhibition grounds.

Industrial Palace Visualisation

Small Křižík Pavilions: area 800m2, max. capacity 1000 persons.

Large Křižík Pavilions: area 1830m2, max. capacity 1750 persons.

Comprehensive darkening system, rigging system, air conditioning, barrier-free.

T: +420 725 186 961 • E: rent@navystavisti.cz • www.navystavisti.cz

Nová Spirála Exterior

Nová Spirála The originally panoramic circular cinema was rebuilt in 1991 into a theatre with a unique circular stage and an auditorium coiling around and around. And that’s what gave the theatre its name: Spirála. After the extensive floods in 2002, Spirála began to fall into decay without further investments and the building was even scheduled for demolition. Ultimately, however, thanks mainly to the initiative of the current Chairman of the Board of Directors of Výstaviště Praha, Prague City Hall decided in 2017 to preserve and reconstruct the theatre. And that is in the final countdown.

We are opening this renewed multi-genre stage at the beginning of October. Its programme will offer theatre, music, education and much more. There will also be special projects such as a light show connected with a new circus, mapping, projections and 3D visualisations, a combination of dance, music and art, but of course the premises will also be intended for rent for company parties and all kinds of private events, plus it will also be suitable for conferences and congresses The unique space has a capacity of up to 800 persons, and elevating circular stage and a new small hall of 265m2 for up to 250 persons.

Bohemia Pavilion Main Hall

Nová Spirála Interior

Bohemia Pavilion This Neo-Renaissance Pavilion is another original building from the year 1891. The Pavilion served for the presentation of the Plzeň brewery as the Petzold Restaurant, named after its first operator, a famous Prague restaurateur. The Pavilion recently underwent a complete reconstruction, which preserved it in almost its original condition, even though it has lost its authentic fittings and a number of details.

Bohemia Pavilion is now open for company events, smaller conferences, business breakfasts or gala dinners. Stones Catering Company provides excellent catering for the tenants.

Bohemia Pavilion Exterior

Main hall 157m2, bar 54m2 Max. capacity 200 persons Moravia & Silesia Lounges 48m2 for 30 persons each Outdoor terraces 1274m2

INCENTIVE TRAVEL AND UNIQUE GROUP EXPERIENCES To book your next adventure, please reach out to our sales team prgaz-rfp@andaz.com

andazprague.com

Congress and Convention Association, the global meetings industry network. The event, held in 2017, achieved record participation that has so far not been exceeded.

“Prague is a popular destination for these type of association events, with participation traditionally exceeding other destinations in terms of participant numbers.

The city has many advantages: location in the heart of Europe with direct flights to 170 destinations, cultural and historic heritage, a multitude of high-quality conference venues, excellent public transport. It is also compact and walkable, and one of the safest countries in the world.”

“Still, there are factors that could be improved, such as direct long-distance connections to North America and Asia and a fast rail connection from the city centre to the airport. The enhancements to the Prague Congress Centre also need to speed up.”

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“THE OBJECTIVE IS TO GET AN EVENT TO PRAGUE, TO MAKE PRAGUE WIN AS A VENUE.”

On the other hand, the Czech Republic boasts high environmental and sustainability credentials and Prague offers an attractive destination support package, while enjoying sound support from the City Council – for example, congress delegates can enjoy municipal transport free of charge.

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PRAGUE CONVENTION BUREAU

THE DESTINATION PACKAGE

Muška reflects that Prague Convention Bureau primarily targets global association congresses.

“The largest association congresses tend to be medical, but we target others as well. Our specialism lies in the research and active sales of the destination. As a rule, you need to secure an expert, a professional who is well known in the community, such as a renowned cardiologist, for example, if you hope to be a successful candidate for a congress.”

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“COMPETING FOR AN EVENT DESTINATION REALLY IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS COMPETING TO BE THE OLYMPIC GAMES HOST CITY.”

“Competing for an event destination really is pretty much the same as competing to be the Olympic Games host city.

You need a functioning local team, partners, to find spaces, accommodation, incentives from local councils... the whole package is then submitted, hoping to be selected as the winning destination,” he says.

Roman Muška himself has ample experience and knows the process inside out. For several years, he acted as a Board Member and Vice President of the Prague Convention Bureau on behalf of his employer, an event organiser that became a member of the Bureau. In 2016, he was offered to enhance the Prague Convention Bureau’s performance as its Managing Director and since then has led the organisation to grow in size and activities.

“In the pre-pandemic year of 2019 we reached a record number of conferences and congresses held in Prague, only to fall to the bottom during

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the pandemic. However, since 2022 we have been slowly growing again, hoping to catch up with our record year in 2024, winning more business for the coming years.”

REACHING FOR THE TOP

Interestingly, the pandemic has not ultimately changed the conference format, he reflects. “We were one of four destinations to set up a Hybrid City Alliance, believing this would be the future trend, but it has not happened. Requirements for hybrid conferences are minimal now. Personal meetings have continued to be the preferred choice.”

“Online contact clearly cannot replace the benefits of faceto-face meetings. After all, congresses and conferences are not only about transferring the content but, primarily, about informal networking.

This is something that cannot successfully be achieved online.”

Looking ahead, he says that Prague Convention Bureau will continue to work closely with its DMO to promote Prague as a premium destination, targeting high-standard business clients.

“A congress delegate spends 2-3 times more than the average tourist,” he notes.

“In line with the business trend, we would like to promote Prague as a modern, pulsing destination where changes happen. As a city suitable for investment, start-ups, headquarters of global corporations. In terms of completed association congresses, Prague currently ranks amongst the top five destinations. We want to be amongst the top three, and will strive to achieve this with the financial backing of the stakeholders,” he affirms in concluding.

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BILLI AUSTRALIA

SINCE BILLI AUSTRALIA WAS ACQUIRED BY STRIX, THE DEAL HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE SURPRISING DIFFERENCES AND SYNERGIES BETWEEN BOTH COMPANIES.

JUST YOUR CUP OF TEA PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID GARNER

You might not have heard of the Strix brand, and yet there are extremely good odds that one of its products is in your home, in your office, and anywhere you might go for a cup of coffee or tea.

“Once you work at Strix you can’t go anywhere – a shop, a hotel, a friend’s home, without looking at the kettle and checking out the Strix logo,” says Rachell Pallett, CCO of Strix Controls and Billi.

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S

trix is the world leader in the design, manufacture and supply of safety controls for kettles, as well as other complementary water temperature management components, appliances and water filtration products. Its products are so ubiquitous that Strix has manufactured one kettle control for every three people on the planet – with a few left over.

“In October, Strix Controls is celebrating the production of its 3 billionth control,” Pallett says proudly. “I’ve never worked for a business where so many products have been produced that have gone all around the world in that quantity.

Since 1982, 3 billion Strix kettle controls have been manufactured.”

But two years ago, Strix added another product to its repertoire with the acquisition of Billi, a recognised and reputable Australian brand in premium instant, filtered, boiling and chilled water systems for over 30 years. Much like Strix, Billi’s products are celebrated for their functionality, performance and contemporary aesthetics.

“They operate in different but related market segments, with Strix predominantly working in the kettle industry, while Billi offers hot, chilled and sparkling taps,” Pallett says.

“Both businesses are leading the way in the design, manufacture and supply of technology components and systems.”

Between them, Strix and Billi are offering different technologies to different market segments to serve different needs, and yet in many ways they are both addressing the same challenge.

“It is fascinating seeing all the different things that go into two different ways of solving the same problem – needing a cup of tea!” Pallett says. “It is telling that we are a good home for both business models.”

WHERE AESTHETICS MEETS INNOVATIONS

The crossover between Strix and Billi does not end with the fact that they are both trying to give you a decent cup of tea or coffee. Using different methods, technologies and routes to market, both companies represent the meeting of engineering and aesthetics.

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BILLI AUSTRALIA

Rachell Pallett, CCO, Strix Controls & Billi.

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BILLI AUSTRALIA

Proudly supporting Strix Group & Billi International since 2004 with quality precision sheetmetal to help create an outstanding Australian Made product.

Atco Engineering 21-27 Melrose Court Tullamarine, Victoria, Australia, 3043

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E: info@atcoengineering.com.au T: +61 3 9338 4419 www.atcoengieneering.com.au

“What sets Strix controls apart is the standard to which they are made, the quality of the materials they use and their design,” Pallett tells us.

“All three of these are critical in a product where water meets electricity because safety is paramount. We have been a leader in innovation to ensure we are not just delivering faster, quieter kettles but ones that pass all safety and approval standards. We maximise quality and minimise the risk of a product recall, which is the last thing you want for a small domestic appliance.”

Strix also goes as far as offering an industrial design service to its customers.

“We are not just about the technology,” Pallett says. “We can help our customers with appliance aesthetics and ensure their chosen design suits the optimum manufacturing process. There is a good degree of consultancy in our approach.”

Technology and aesthetics are also central to Billi’s work.

As Pallett says, “When the customer buys a Billi system, they often focus on tapware aesthetics and we have received awards for the design of our tapware for many years, but what drives performance is the technology under the bench.”

Billi provides the only under-bench unit for filtered water dispensing with water cooling technology.

Its designs necessitate a good understanding of how both water and heat move around.

“It is energy efficient, dissipating very little heat into the environment which means when you are installing one of these units you don’t have to cut unsightly venting grills or vents into your beautiful kitchen cabinetry,” Pallett points out. “Whether it is a high-

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BILLI AUSTRALIA

end residential kitchen or a commercial office environment, that ease of installation is important. It is also a much quieter system.”

Billi’s systems also offer sustainability benefits. If people in public buildings are getting clean, cold, and even sparkling water from the tap, it means they are not carrying plastic bottles around with them. This is part of why Billi has had GreenTag certification on these products since 2012.

“It is a unique recognition in this product category,” Pallett says. “That goes back to not just the principle of eliminating single-use plastic, but the way the whole system operates.”

Both Strix and Billi soon hope to achieve ISO14001 energy management certification, while Billi’s factory is 100% powered by renewable electricity.

A NEW PARTNERSHIP

But while Strix and Billi are both working in complementary areas, with similar goals and specialities, they are still different companies with different approaches, so when Strix acquired Billi there was still a process of integration to go through.

“We faced all the usual challenges, when a business is acquired and joins a group,” Pallett says. “We had different processes, different computer systems, different ways of reporting. But the thing that has really impressed me about Billi joining the Strix group is the similarities of the prevailing culture. Both companies have a lot of passion for the products they produce and the drive to innovate and provide good customer service. Both firms want to be the best and pursue sustainable business goals that existed in Billi before it joined the Strix Group. We fit very well.”

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The acquisition has gone well, with Billi currently preparing to launch a new multifunction mixer tap for under-bench units.

When we speak with Pallett, Billi is working with retail partners in Australia to upgrade their displays and show that tap off to the best of its abilities. This brings us to the big difference in Strix and Billi’s business models.

“Billi is selling complete systems that got through various channels to the residential market through various channels. We work with plumbers, merchants, facilities managers, public and private institutions,” Pallett says. “Strix

is selling kettle controls directly to manufacturers. But there is a huge amount of synergy in how we drive both these industries forward, how we innovate and strive to do things better, more conveniently and with more energy efficiency.”

Pallett is also the first to point out that Strix and Billi have been able to learn a lot from each other.

“How we make a kettle control is different to how we make a Billi system, but the crossover learning and processes give us a fantastic development roadmap for the future,” she says.

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CAVOTEC

David Pagels, CEO, Cavotec.

CAVOTEC

CAVOTEC, THE GLOBAL PROVIDER OF ELECTRIFICATION SYSTEMS DESIGNED TO DECARBONISE MARITIME & INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS, IS RIDING THE WAVE TOWARDS A GREENER PLANET.

THE GREEN WAY FORWARD PROJECT MANAGED BY: TYLER WARNER

Cavotec is a technology leader in designing and manufacturing automated connection and electrification systems, having pioneered several ground-breaking innovations that are now widely applied in ports and industrial applications around the world. The company boasts over five decades of expertise in the sector and is set to grow within the current megatrend of mitigating climate change.

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O

ver the years, we have built a strong position as a leading technology provider with a global presence, focusing heavily on sustainability,” says the Group’s CEO David Pagels.

“Our solutions have been developed to electrify ports and industrial applications such as heavy-duty vehicles and underground drilling rigs in the mining sector.”

He explains that the company provides solutions as well as service. “A significant asset for us is our large installed base in over 80 countries around the world, allowing us to establish solid relationships with our customers. We don’t walk away from our customers once we ship a product; we stand by our products during their lifetime.

Our local field service technicians provide support to our customers as and whenever needed.”

This support over the product lifecycle is a clear advantage and so are Cavotec’s environmental credentials.

“Supplying products that save the

environment has been our core business from the very beginning,” affirms Pagels.

GROUND-BREAKING INNOVATIONS

The company offers a range of solutions with shore power systems accounting for the largest product group, a technology that Cavotec pioneered in the 1980s. Shore power systems are the only solutions that cut emissions totally at berth. They enable the connection of ships in ports to onshore power supplies that provide electricity for onshore services, thus allowing diesel generators to be switched off.

Cavotec has remained at the forefront of delivering highly innovative shore power solutions and services with more systems installed around the world than any other provider.

For example, its PowerFit units represent a breakthrough in shore power technology, offering complete containerised solutions for high-voltage vessel connections, contributing to the decarbonisation of ports worldwide.

Cavotec also developed an automated mooring system - the MoorMaster - that

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reduces vessel mooring and release times, shortening idle time. Additionally, the active hydraulics stabilize moored ships in harsh weather conditions. The system also cuts the need for tugs, reducing direct emissions during ship mooring by over 90%.

MoorMaster is in use at a wide variety of applications all over the world including container handling, ferry applications, and bulk terminals.

ARISTONCAVI is one of the most important independent manufacturers of rubber insulated low voltage and medium voltage (up to 45kV) cables.

Founded in Brendola (Vicenza) in 1958 on an initial surface of 1.600 sqm, nowadays Aristoncavi has grown up to 43.000 sqm thanks to an expansion and reallocation of the manufacturer sites and warehouses.

Moreover, the company has achieved leading positions in some market segments for the special application, such as reeling (in particular for ports and industrial applications) and mining securing collaborations with some of the most important OEM and end users in these fields. The company is really active in developing solutions for green energy applications and fast recharge including cold ironing.

In the years since its founding Aristoncavi, with its wide production range and product customization capabilities, has contributed to the realization of important projects all over the world and ensured the maximum support to its customers also through the presence of its four foreign subsidiaries in Dubai, Shanghai, Santiago de Chile and Miami.

PRODUCTS: URSUS® (LV and MV) for reeling applications; URSUS® (LV and MV) for mining application; NSSHÖU cables.

HEADQUARTER Via L. Einaudi, 8 36040 - Brendola (VI), Italy T: +39 0444 749900 E: info@aristoncavi.com sales@aristoncavi.com

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www.aristoncavi.com

“SUPPLYING PRODUCTS THAT SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT HAS BEEN OUR CORE BUSINESS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.” Pagels highlights the most recent installation in Tangier, Morocco, where the MoorMaster system was initially deployed on 400 meters of new quay wall during the terminal’s phase two expansion in 2023. In August 2024, the system was extended to cover an additional 400 metres of quay, bringing the total to 45 MoorMaster units, as part of a phase three expansion.

On the other side of the globe, the MoorMaster System was inaugurated in June at the port of San Antonio – the largest multipurpose port in Chile. This significant milestone marks the first implementation of an automated mooring system in South America, setting a new standard for port technology in the region.

David Pagels says: “The inauguration of the MoorMaster system at DP World San Antonio is a landmark achievement for both Cavotec and the entire maritime industry in

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CAVOTEC

South America. This project demonstrates our commitment to delivering innovative and sustainable solutions that improve operational efficiency and environmental performance.”

ULTRA-FAST CHARGING

Cavotec’s innovations are not limited to the marine sector. In 2022 the company introduced a major breakthrough in industrial e-vehicle and e-vessel charging.

Its launched/operational ultrafast Megawatt Charging System (MCS) provides up to 3MW of power from a single connector, and is a turnkey DC charging solution with grid-to-inlet functionality.

The MCS has been designed for use with all kinds of heavy-duty vehicles used across multiple sectors, including agriculture, construction, mining; and with e-vessels such as ferries. With charging power of up to 4.5MW per connector, the system significantly reduces charging time and maximises uptime when compared to existing Combined Charging Systems (CCS).

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CAVOTEC

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CAVOTEC

Pagels acknowledges that Cavotec’s charging technology has proved a significant success in Australian mining sector. “We have developed and installed our first ultra-fast 3MW charging station that can charge a 240 tonnes battery-run mining truck in 30 minutes. This is a significant step towards sector decarbonisation, demonstrating that eventually all heavy-duty mining equipment could be run on electricity.”

He further points out that no achievement can be made in isolation. “Innovative technologies are not a one-man show. We are putting a lot of efforts in R&D but a successful product is always the result of cooperation with customers.

Of course, our suppliers play a similar part in this. We work very closely with our suppliers, strongly believing that one plus one becomes three. That’s just the way it is.”

RIDING THE WAVE

Pagels acknowledges that following the recent implementation of several change programmes to increase profitability and customer

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perception, Cavotec stands stronger than before, with order intake having increased by 11% in the second quarter of 2024.

“This is a reflection of a strong interest in our climate-friendly solutions, driven by customers’ need to decarbonise, as well as by new environmental regulations.”

Given recent market developments, the company is expanding its global operations.

In July this year, Cavotec inaugurated a new production facility in Chennai, India. “This new production facility marks an important milestone for Cavotec as we strengthen our presence in the region,” says Pagels. “The facility will enable us to serve the large and growing market in India and will also function as a supply chain hub supporting our operations across the globe.”

In concluding, he affirms that Cavotec’s prospects for the future are promising. “We have strong position, based on our efficient, leading solutions and a large installed base. This, together with clear strategic priorities, makes me confident in Cavotec’s continued ability to grow and create value.”

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SCHNEIDER GROUP

AS THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY IS NAVIGATING DIFFICULT TERRAIN, SCHNEIDER GROUP IS ADAPTING TO THRIVE.

COMBING MARVELLOUS PROJECT MANAGED BY: TREVOR GRETSINGER

It is over 100 years since Italian entrepreneur Giovanni Schneider moved to Australia in the aftermath of the Great War and saw the opportunity to start a business. He began by sourcing really fine wool to sell to mills in the UK and Italy, and this trade between Europe and Australia formed the foundation of what would become the Schneider Group.

O

ver a century has passed and things have come a long way since then,” says Laura Ros, CEO of Schneider Group.

Today Schneider Group is a trading and industrial company, buying wool from all over the world but primarily from Australia, New Zealand and South America. Schneider also processes that wool, combing it and turning it into sliver that is ready for spinning.

“This is done in three different mills located in Italy, Egypt, and Argentina,” Ros says. “We have important buying offices in Australia and New Zealand. We have also moved beyond wool to start working with other fibres.

We have a mill in Mongolia that works with cashmere, and we manage a vast land in the Argentinian Andes where we shear wild vicuna, subsequently processed in Italy.”

Indeed, Schneider has expanded to cover the entire supply chain of sourcing, with

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about 20 farms in Patagonia providing wool for processing in Argentina.

“We are also partnering with local nomadic herders and herders’ cooperatives in Mongolia, buying the best cashmere and supplying it to Europe,” Ros tells us.

QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

But while the scope of Schneider Group’s business has expanded, it has maintained its focus on quality.

“We have specialised in very fine wools, such as the ones consumed by the upper echelons of the European market,” Ros tells us. “We are talking about very precious fibres, so we need mills that can handle very fine fibres that are difficult to process. Our mill in Italy is able to process fibres that nobody else in the world can.”

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SCHNEIDER GROUP

Fine wool tops, precious slivers turned into yarn during the following spinning process.

Wool

Since 1810, N. Schlumberger acts as a major player in the wool fibers. From the carding to the spinning, N. Schlumberger develops and produces state-of-the-art machinery which allows you to obtain the highest quality possible from your material. More than 500 customers all over the world trust the reliability and quality of N. Schlumberger’s machines. Demand the best.

www.nsc-schlumberger.com Email: nsc@nsc.fr Tel: +33 3 89 74 41 41

N.SCHLUMBERGER Manufacturer of textile machinery and complete fibre-to-yarn lines, n. schlumberger is a global player in combing, recombing and spinning preparation in the field of long staple fibres and especially for the wool.

Partner of the textile industry, n.schlumberger applies its entire capacity of innovation and its seriousness to offer its customers the most automated, the most flexible and the most efficient solutions. With its elaborate installations and its modern production facilities, n.schlumberger can achieve its ambitions. The manufacturing process is continuously modernized: productive foundry, efficient mechanical workshop, heat treatment, painting and assembling. The greatest care is taken during manufacturing with a high precision control at all stages. This thoroughness is applied with the same attention when packing and dispatching the machines. The technicity, sturdiness and reliability are acknowledged and appreciated by all professionals.

Its historical 200 years of know-how allows n. schlumberger to provide its nearly 800 customers in 60 countries all around the world with the most efficient solutions in terms of quality and productivity.

Located in a historical birthplace of the textile industry in Guebwiller, France, the 20,000 m² shopfloor includes all the machining, heat treatment, sheet metal, paint and assembly workshops as well as its support services (logistics, methods, quality and shipping). With its 210 employees, n. schlumberger designs, manufactures, assembles, erects and provides the customer service for its machines. n.schlumberger’s strategy is based on a Human Resources policy that encourages initiative, teamwork and respect for others. n.schlumberger is a main machine supplier of the Schneider Group. www.nsc.schlumberger.com

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The head of G. Schneider Australia inspecting wool on an Authentico®® farm.

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SCHNEIDER GROUP

Wool is scoured using only biodegradable detergents prior to combing.

“WE HAVE SET UP AN INTEGRITY SCHEME PROGRAM CALLED AUTHENTICO®, WHICH WORKS WITH PARTICIPATING FARMS FROM THE MAIN MERINO WOOL-PRODUCING COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.”

A member of the Australian team valuing wool before the auction starts in Sydney.

Schneider Group pairs this quality in its products with its approach to sustainability.

“We have set up an integrity scheme program called Authentico®, which works with participating farms from the main merino wool-producing countries in the world,” Ros shares.

Farmers who take part in the integrity scheme answer a legally binding questionnaire about their

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“Our plants are run with extreme attention to chemicals.

Any water or energy we use is handled in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way,” Ros says. “We want our customers to know we not only guarantee sustainability at the farm level but at the industrial level, with robust digital traceability so they can be sure exactly what product they receive.”

Schneider Group has established itself as a firm that leads change, introducing new solutions at a global level that cover the whole supply chain from farmers to brands. It is a business model based on partnerships, positioning Schneider Group to leverage change across the entire industry.

THE MODERN TEXTILE SECTOR practises, and those answers are verified and the farms audited through a third party for standards of animal welfare and social and environmental responsibility. Wool from those mills is processed in Schneider’s own certified mills, maintaining a meticulous chain of custody for the wool that, thanks to the certifications in place, is treated only using detergents that are totally biodegradable.

Schneider has continued to pursue these priorities even as the textile industry has been undergoing a challenging transition. The Chinese textile industry has grown to absorb a huge proportion of the market.

“If you want the less valueadded production, move to China,” Ros says. “What is left in Europe and the West is a relatively small percentage of textile production, focused on the premium end of the market.”

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SCHNEIDER GROUP

G. Schneider Authentico® Brand Manager together with an Authentico grower in front of superfine wool just shorn.

Amazing superfine wool of about 12 microns, among the finest found in nature.

Where 20 years ago Europe had tens of mills, today there are only three mills left on the entire continent.

“We have gone through many challenges as the textile industry has changed,” Ros points out. “The profit margin has moved to the end of the supply chain, depleting the margin for farmers. So this strategy of focusing on sustainability and quality has been a way of differentiating ourselves and surviving the various crises that we have seen. We have the most solid sustainability proposal in the market, and that has been a tough job. We are working with growers and NGOs to raise the

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bar. The last 20 years have been at times traumatic for the European textile industry, but we are still alive and kicking.”

While the industry is simultaneously shrinking and shifting upmarket, it means the necessary skills to keep that industry going are ever more in demand.

“We hold that talent very dear,” Ros says. “Fortunately, the Schneider Group has always been a pleasant environment to work in. A lot of our workers, managers and managing directors have been with us for 25 to 35 years.

We had one member of our team who retired last year after being with us for over 40 years.”

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SCHNEIDER GROUP

Cashmere goats grazing freely on the Mongolian plateau.

For the industry to continue, however, it still needs a regular influx of young talent.

Propitiously, Schneider Group is investing in a solid pipeline of that talent.

“We constantly need to recruit motivated and interested young people into the industry,” Ros tells us. “We have a training and skill acquisition program. Human Resources are a key point for us because we know these skills are really hard to come by. We need to treasure them and grow them in-house. There is a very interesting Masters’ course in noble fibres created a number of years ago in Biella, Italy, a key centre for the wool industry. It is a post-graduate specialisation course that lasts a year and gives students an idea of the whole noble fibres supply chain, travelling around the world to see where wool and other precious animal fibres are grown, combed, spun, woven, knitted and turned into garments. Luckily we are seeing more and more young people coming out of university interested in this sector.”

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Buying and sorting cashmere fibre from Nomadic herders in the remote Mongolian highlands.

One of the things that is driving this interest in the sector among young people is a growing awareness of where our clothes come from and the impact that has on the world around us.

“Unfortunately, over the years the growth of fast and ultra-fast fashion has meant textile use has moved towards synthetic, fossil fuel-derived fibres,” Ros points out. “In the mass clothing industry, synthetic fibres have partially killed the natural fibre sector, which is a shame for the health of people and the planet.

Natural fibres, including animal and plant-derived fibres, are good for the body and health of

people. It is important to make sure the consumer knows the pros and cons.”

While the industry is changing, Schneider Group is taking a long term view of its own development and the development of the industry as a whole.

“We have acquired our own special niche, but we have to consider the challenges ahead,” Ros says. “Sustainability is becoming more and more important. We have moved on from animal welfare to how you treat the soil, and ensuring you leave the land in better shape than when you found it so the next generation can enjoy it.”

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STELLAR INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY

STELLAR INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY IS NOT YOUR STANDARD INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES SUPPLIER. THE COMPANY’S MISSION IS TO HELP CUSTOMERS INCREASE PROFITABILITY – NOT A VERBAL PROMISE BUT A DOCUMENTED FACT.

THE POWER OF CUSTOMER SERVICE PROJECT MANAGED BY: TYLER WARNER

Founded in 1988 by John Wiborg, the company CEO, Stellar has risen from being just one of 14,000 industrial supply suppliers in the highly fragmented American industrial distribution market to leading the way in customer support, the epitome of a mutually beneficial customer-supplier relationship.

L

ooking back, John Wiborg reflects that he always had a clear idea of what he wanted to do. “After a brief time of working in investment banking and mergers and acquisitions in New York City, I decided that this was not the right environment for me.

I wanted to be part of a team that would develop a growing business.”

“So, in 1988, I decided to return home to the Northwest and ventured into industrial distribution. I bought a poorly performing company in Seattle, and using my previous experience, turned the business around. From there we built the business.”

The company gained scale in 1998 and 2002 by two large acquisitions and continued on the growth path, geographically and in terms of capability. Just over the last

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few years, seven acquisitions have been completed, with the most recent one being achieved in July 2024, when USA Safety Supply Corporation based in Eagan, Minnesota joined Stellar.

Today, Stellar has 20 branches and 246 associates serving small, medium and large manufacturers across the United States, including major industrial players such as Boeing, Starlink and Tesla.

THE WINNING APPROACH

What truly differentiates Stellar from other industrial suppliers is its commitment to customer support. The company operates through five divisions, each with its own product and market specialists, who utilise their specific industry and product knowledge to help customers receive the best value, for the greatest profitability.

John Wiborg CEO, Stellar Industrial Supply.

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STELLAR INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY

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OSG’s A Brand

Advanced Performance Tooling Solutions for Any Application

A-Drills Drills designed for increased productivity in a variety of materials

A-Taps Taps and thread mills engineered to meet high demands in a wide range of applications

A-End Mills

End mills optimized for the most challenging applications

Scan for complete offering and availability!

osgtool.com | 800-837-2223

Quality, reliability, and satisfaction. Bring your A game with OSG’s A Brand!

OSG USA, INC. OSG’S VISION Shaping your dreams through world class innovative solutions for the manufacturing industry.

OSG’S MISSION We bring innovation and excellence to our customers through collaborative partnerships by providing the highest quality cutting tools and cold forming products.

OSG USA, Inc., a division of OSG Corporation, is a global leader in high quality cutting tools. Delivering innovation and excellence to our customers through collaborative partnerships by providing the highest quality cutting tools and cold forming products to a wide array of industries, including Automotive, Aerospace, Die/Mold, Energy, Dental, Fasteners and more.

CARBIDE TOOLING SOLUTIONS

We are proud to be equipped with some of the newest and latest manufacturing equipment for production, inspection and testing.

With a fleet of high technology equipment, we strive to continuously improve machining process and to respond quickly to evolving customer needs. OSG maintains absolute control over every aspect of its manufacturing capabilities. Products are produced in-house – from the production of tool material, creation of tool geometry, to the development of its own proprietary coatings – the 3 vital elements in the manufacturing of superior cutting tools.

With a large network which provides our production sites with accurate feedback about user requirements OSG can quickly design, develop, manufacture and deliver products that precisely meet those needs. All of our production and sales facilities are optimally located to serve our markets.

Our regrinding division uses original OSG manufacturing drawings for all regrinding processes. It also adheres to the OSG quality control manual and uses the same inspection equipment used by the manufacturing division during the inspection procedures.

OSG understands and anticipates the needs of the manufacturing industry, and is committed to providing manufacturers with cutting tools and solutions that deliver benefits of performance, reliability, and productivity. From the advanced performance of our A Brand cutting tools and our high performance PHOENIX® indexable tooling to our OSG branded items, you can count on OSG to get the job done right the first time. Pairing our extensive offering of quality cutting tools with our exceptional tailored service, OSG provides you with the cutting edge to shape your dreams into reality.

OSG USA, Inc. North American Headquarters 620 Stetson Ave. St. Charles, IL 60174 800-837-2223 customerservice@osgtool.com

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osgtool.com

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STELLAR INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY

“Each customer engagement is unique, and each division strives to address customer needs within their specific segment,” says Wiborg, noting that about two thirds of the business is manufacturing and machining, and the largest proportion of that is aerospace and defence-related manufacturing.

In this highly competitive environment, Stellar stands out in one particular aspect – its dedication to drive customer profit improvement through its extremely robust Documented Cost Savings Program, a simple yet elegant plan: a customer

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agrees to purchase a higher volume and a wider range of products when purchased through Stellar, but only once the company has proven that documented cost savings have been achieved for the customer.

“The Program provides mutual benefit for both parties.

In recognizing our vision to create “Ideal Customer-Supplier Partnerships” it enables us to act as advocates for our customers’ best interests. By implementing this Program, we aim to maximize profits and inventory turns.”

“We do this by supply-chain recommendations and product recommendations to improve their ability to drive a return on capital. So either improve profit

margin rates for them, or better cost structures, or even a lower piece price on the products. “ “We’ve helped customers create cost structures that allowed them to enter a whole new section of their market, generating a whole new revenue stream, and we have cases where customers have avoided fairly significant capital outlays because we made their existing lines more productive and efficient.”

In 2023 alone, Stellar and its partners combined to generate almost $19.5M million in customer-approved documented cost savings.

Over the life of the program, the amount achieved has been almost $200 million.

“EACH CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT IS UNIQUE, AND EACH DIVISION STRIVES TO ADDRESS CUSTOMER NEEDS WITHIN THEIR SPECIFIC SEGMENT.”

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STELLAR INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY

“Our value to industry in the United States, where we operate primarily, is to help customers improve their efficiency and improve their financial outcomes,” says Wiborg. “Why Stellar?

Because we, better than any other industrial distributor, improve financial performance consistently, year over year.

And we can prove it.”

playing defence was never an approach he supported.

As such, he was very clear that Stellar would do things differently from the others.

“I developed an acquisition pipeline during the pandemic and that played into our hands very well.”

“Our revenues increased by almost 160% compared to 2019. Of course, we would have not achieved this without our great team. The pandemic was an intense time but our strong company culture helped us to emerge as a better organization.”

THE STELLAR WAY

Wiborg is aware that a company is nothing without people who work towards a common goal as a cohesive team. “I believe that the one sustainable competitive advantage any company can have is its culture.

To this end, we have defined 26 fundamentals forming ‘the Stellar Way’, describing desired behaviour and bringing the company culture to life. Our fundamentals also helped us tremendously to sail through the pandemic.”

The pandemic was also the time when John Wiborg installed another human resource initiative called the Stellar Leadership Forum, a year-long program focused on retaining talent and developing leadership skills.

Through monthly workshops, structured reading assignments, and a mentorship program.

“We decided we really needed to find ways to come out of the pandemic as a lot better organization than we entered it, and the Stellar Leadership Forum is one of the work streams that I’m really proud of. It teaches about the pillars of leadership that we believe will serve our people well, whether they continue in our organization or not.”

Unlike many, Stellar looked at the pandemic as an opportunity, he further affirms, saying that

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STELLAR INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY

TIME FOR CONSOLIDATION

With the recent acquisitions, Stellar’s position seems stronger than ever, and now the company will focus on consolidating the gains over the last few years, says Wiborg. “We have some opportunities internally to get more efficient and to get more consistent. Buying companies adds complexity, so we need to simplify standard procedures.”

However, this does not mean the company will stand still. “We’re always looking for opportunities to bring more services and capabilities to our customers. We still have a fairly robust acquisition pipeline, so I expect us to be a substantially larger business in two or three years, after a period of consolidating our gains.”

“We are looking for good companies, with the right culture, bringing us either geographies or capabilities, improving the rates of profit for our customers and also bringing new ideas – we are always open to improvements!”

Looking back, Wiborg can be rightfully proud of Stellar’s achievements. “I started with a wish to work in a team to create something good for the long term. I’ve been blessed with having a great team of people, people who have been with us for a long time, and also new people coming in through acquisitions, who are contributing immediately.

That has been tremendously rewarding.”

“WE’RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING MORE SERVICES AND CAPABILITIES TO OUR CUSTOMERS.” 168 | MANUFACTURING

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ABRISO JIFFY

BELGIUM-HEADQUARTERED ABRISO JIFFY, THE MANUFACTURER OF PROTECTIVE PACKAGING & INSULATION MATERIALS, HAS BECOME A SUSTAINABILITY LEADER IN ITS FIELD.

SUSTAINABLE PROTECTION PROJECT MANAGED BY: LIAM PYWELL

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ABRISO JIFFY

Building on the experience of five decades, Abriso Jiffy is a leading European manufacturer of protective packaging and insulation, specialising in extruding polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) for technical foam solutions, profiles, foam products and bubbles, as well as flooring underlays, insulation boards, tube insulation and protective envelopes.

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W

ith 17 plants spread throughout Europe, Abriso Jiffy is the only company in its sector that has Europe-wide coverage, serving over 5,400 customers. The sheer scope of the operation, in terms both of products and of geographical coverage, is the company’s clear differentiator.

Founded in 1985, Abriso was a local business until the acquisition of Jiffy Packaging in

2019, which doubled the size of the business and significantly increasing the number of production sites. Since then, Abriso Jiffy has progressively replaced non-recyclable with recyclable plastics in its products. For example, in its protective packaging the company has increased the use of XPS and expanded PE instead of polyurethane/PIR.

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ABRISO JIFFY

Abriso Jiffy itself was acquired in mid-2021 by Quva, the investment vehicle of Belgian entrepreneur Pascal Vanhalst, who pushed for further expansion with a view to making Abriso Jiffy a truly European player.

Further acquisitions followed, the latest so far being of Sapronit, a French leader in foams for the packaging and building industries, and Novostrat, a Europe-leading manufacturer of sustainable polyethylene foam.

Both were completed in 2023.

“ABRISO JIFFY EMBRACES A CIRCULAR ECONOMY MODEL, ENSURING THAT ITS PRODUCTS HAVE A LIFE CYCLE THAT MINIMISES WASTE.” A TRUE SPECIALIST

Abriso Jiffy supplies products within several categories to a range of industries from packaging and building to medical and food. The protective packaging product range is historically the largest part of the business, accounting for 70% of total turnover, and includes a full spectrum of products for a wide variety of applications from foam, bubble and profiles to technical foam solutions and mailers.

However, the steepest growth is expected in the insulation product group, which offers both contact sound and thermal insulation to protect against sound, heat and cold.

With its full range of insulating products Abriso Jiffy already has a prominent position in the European building market, and

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ABRISO JIFFY

as good thermal insulation has a major impact on the energy efficiency of a building, demand for the company’s underlays is expected to further increase.

Abriso Jiffy’s products are designed to provide optimal results, reflecting customised designs that consider factors such as dimensions, materials, durability, and application specifics. This ensures that the final product seamlessly integrates into customers’ operations and processes, providing a competitive edge in their own respective markets.

THE GREEN APPROACH

All of Abriso Jiffy products placed on the market are recyclable - the company offers 100% recyclable foam, 100% recyclable bubble as well as 100% recyclable polylam and plank. Abriso Jiffy embraces a circular economy model, ensuring that its products have a life cycle that minimises waste.

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This commitment applies internally as well. The production sites have no waste as everything is reused or recycled. The scrap from the production process is used to create ‘granulates’ which are then used to make whole new bubbles, foams, profiles and countless other products. As such, Abriso Jiffy is achieving a remarkable 100% recycling rate for its production waste.

“Environmental responsibility is part of our core ethos. We continually strive to improve our processes to reduce energy consumption, emissions, and waste. Our values guide us in making choices that prioritise sustainability, both internally and in the products we offer to our customers,” claims the company.

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ABRISO JIFFY

“Beyond our own operations, we encourage eco-friendly practices among our partners, customers, and in the industry at large. We believe that fostering a culture of sustainability requires collaborative effort, and we actively engage with stakeholders to promote responsible choices.”

NEW ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS

In its unyielding commitment to sustainability, Abriso Jiffy is revolutionising the world of technical foam. Its latest achievements, RENEW POLYLAM and RENEW NOPAPLANK, represent ground-breaking milestones in eco-conscious production.

RENEW POLYLAM, created through foam layer lamination, incorporates up to 80% postconsumer materials, reducing waste and resource demand.

RENEW NOPAPLANK, a onelayer extruded polyethylene foam, also includes up to

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80% post-consumer recycled content. What’s more, both products are themselves 100% recyclable, closing the loop on sustainability.

Another example of sustainable action following the 100% recyclable worldfirst Jiffy Padded Bag, is the TAP Comebag® Brown Bubble Mailer made from environmentally friendly paper, featuring up to 100% recycled fibres, including 80% postconsumer waste paper. This choice significantly reduces the demand for virgin resources, curbing deforestation.

The list of eco-friendly products would not be complete without the iconic Ocean Green® product range – crafted entirely from recyclable materials and 100% recyclable, the products have excellent temperature resistance and can be used in a variety of climates and atmospheres.

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ABRISO JIFFY

FRUITFUL PARTNERSHIP

Just recently, Abriso Jiffy and BridgeInsight have revealed the Jiffy FlexiBag, a paper-based e-commerce solution that flexes to the size of the product being shipped, in an effort to eliminate unnecessary packaging and reduce waste.

The Jiffy FlexiBag features an expandable gusset, HeXpand, that stretches to accommodate the size of such products as shoe boxes. The partners anticipate that this feature will negate the need for oversized boxes and excess material to fill empty space, thus optimizing packaging designs and minimizing the amount of waste generated.

The pack also features honeycomb cushioning to protect the product in transit.

Additionally, Abriso Jiffy claims that the Jiffy FlexiBag combines its renowned drop strength and resistance with low environmental impact.

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“BEYOND OUR OWN OPERATIONS, WE ENCOURAGE ECO-FRIENDLY PRACTICES AMONG OUR PARTNERS, CUSTOMERS, AND IN THE INDUSTRY AT LARGE.”

In the future, Abriso Jiffy and BridgeInsight intend to continue their collaboration and develop a whole sustainability-minded packaging portfolio to meet the changing demands of the market.

This is fully in line with Abriso Jiffy’s strategy of continuous innovation.

By introducing new technologies, materials, and processes, the company is aiming to further reduce its environmental impact while maintaining the highest quality standards.

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ABRISO JIFFY

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HERBERT RETAIL

WE TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT HERBERT RETAIL, AND HOW THIS TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION PARTNER IS HELPING REVOLUTIONISE THE BRICKS AND MORTAR RETAIL ENVIRONMENT.

ON-LABEL PROJECT MANAGED BY: CAMERON BEAZER

It has been just over a year since we last spoke with Herbert Retail, a company that is transforming the modern retail environment from a foundation of 260 years of history. The firm was established to sell weighing scales to retailers – and in the 1900s you could have found its products in some of the earliest branches of Sainsbury’s.

A

s the company has evolved, it has grown beyond simply manufacturing and selling products. Herbert Retail as it exists today is a technology integrator that works with retailers to create value-added manufacturer solutions. With a combination of technical consultancy, middleware and design work, Herbert Retail has proven itself to be an essential partner for the retail industry through electronic labelling, checkout-free solutions and weighing technology.

When we last spoke with Herbert Retail, the firm was deploying a new electronic shelf-label solution. It was the first company to deploy such a solution estate-wide for Scotmid Co-op between October 21 and 22.

Electronic shelf labelling is one of those solutions that sounds so simple you wonder why it has not been done before. The system replaces paper tickets on shelves with an electronic readout networked with the point-of-sale

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system. It is a system that makes changing a price or implementing a new special offer the work of minutes, rather than hours of labour.

The electronic shelf label system introduces automatic price compliance between price tags and point-of-sale.

Promotions are rolled out automatically, rather than being dependent on staff.

“For a Retailer, I believe the knowledge that you can change prices across your estate in a matter of minutes, is operationally and promotionally extremely powerful,” Managing Director Claire Herbert told us last year.

THE “SHELF-LABEL PIXIES”

When we talk to Herbert again today, it sounds like the electronic shelfing system has been flying off the… well.

“The market is now starting to take off in a big way,” Herbert tells us. “Over the last year alone we have installed 2 million labels in at least 600 shops. It has been really, really, busy.”

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HERBERT RETAIL

Claire Herbert, Managing Director, Herbert Retail.

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“FOR A RETAILER, I BELIEVE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU CAN CHANGE PRICES ACROSS YOUR ESTATE IN A MATTER OF MINUTES, IS OPERATIONALLY AND PROMOTIONALLY EXTREMELY POWERFUL.” 180 | RETAIL

The growth of Herbert Retail has also meant learning some important lessons.

“We have now honed our processes in terms of the implementation of shelf labels,” says Herbert. “It is a slightly complex installation process.

You have to have the label in the right place, at the right time, and the stripping in the right position. We have honed our processes around that, so we are now very efficient, installing eight or nine stores a night.”

An expanding market means ever larger logistical and technical challenges, but Herbert Retail has been able to rise to that task.

“The biggest challenges have come out of dealing with that volume of logistical and project management requirements,” Herbert tells us. “We have got to cut the stripping to fit every different bay in the shop. You have to ensure everything gets to the

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HERBERT RETAIL

right place at the right time, and we have definitely improved on that. Our customers have started to describe us as the ‘shelf label pixies’, because we come in at night and everything is ready for the next day.”

CAPTURING VALUE

For 40 years Herbert Retail has been a retail technology integrator, and as a result of that it has established a network of engineers around the country to manage installations and post-installation requirements.

“They are putting and picking and dispatching,” Herbert tells us. “We have tightened our processes and introduced new technologies to track assets.”

As Herbert Retail’s processes have become more refined, the use case for electronic shelf labelling systems has become increasingly self-evident.

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HERBERT RETAIL

“The return on that investment is becoming more obvious,” Herbert says.

“Obviously labour saving is a big reason for implementing this. National minimum wage is increasing, there are labour shortages, and people want to change the shelves to help customers rather than increase prices to meet labour costs.”

Herbert Retail is already receiving feedback that its

products are generating profit margins through increased promotional accuracy alone.

“At the moment most retailers have no visibility on how much that actually happens,” says Herbert. “They don’t have access to that information, and often bigger stores do not even get around to putting on the promotion across all their stores. It is becoming more obvious that this is a platform for productivity enhancement.”

“OBVIOUSLY LABOUR SAVING IS A BIG REASON FOR IMPLEMENTING THIS. NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE IS INCREASING, THERE ARE LABOUR SHORTAGES, AND PEOPLE WANT TO CHANGE THE SHELVES TO HELP CUSTOMERS RATHER THAN INCREASE PRICES TO MEET LABOUR COSTS.”

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HERBERT RETAIL

As well as consistency on pricing and promotions, electronic shelf labelling is introducing new functionalities such as “Pick by Light” and “Put by Light” functions that will cause labels to flash, directing staff towards the products they need to take to fulfil online shopping orders, or towards the shelves they need to stack products onto.

As the technology continues to grow and develop, that functionality will only grow.

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HERBERT RETAIL

“I think electronic shelf labelling has a way to go in the UK, and we want to be the number one implementation partner for these products,” Herbert says. “Retailers want to be able to capture that value on an ongoing basis for the next ten years. That is why we provide post-installation replenishment, re-kitting and storage. We supply all the services around the product to capture the value of electronic shelf labels on an ongoing basis.”

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This ability to capture and enable value is what makes Herbert Retail far more than a simple technology supplier.

“We are an enabler of this technology,” Herbert says simply. “We are developing the ability to integrate these labels with camera technology to spot out-of-stock products, or enable payment through the shelf labels. The possibilities of these labels as a platform for productivity and user engagement are endless.”

“I THINK ELECTRONIC SHELF LABELLING HAS A WAY TO GO IN THE UK, AND WE WANT TO BE THE NUMBER ONE IMPLEMENTATION PARTNER FOR THESE PRODUCTS.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Herbert Retail - A leading Supplier of

Electronic Shelf Label Technology Herbert Retail is the most experienced endto-end supplier of ESLs in the UK - we have installed over 3 million labels into over 1000 Retail environments across the UK including Convenience Grocery, Speciality Retail and Farm Shops – and have existing integrations with many major POS providers. We take away the hassle - sourcing the labels, specifying the stripping, completing the installation – but also training your staff to create template designs and providing post-installation services such as label replenishment and warranty assessment.

Contact us to discuss how Herbert can help build your business case to allow your stores to benefit from ESLs - customer testimonials available!

Questions? Contact Jo on: jo.sherritt@herbertgroup.com +44 (0)7970 111281 www.herbert.co.uk

Real-world Benefits of using ESL: •

Labour saving – update prices at the click of a button with no staff intervention.

•

Make price changes easily and quickly.

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Accurate promotions – promotions start and finish on time.

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Software Integrations – available to allow development of functionality.

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Cost saving – no more printing paper and tearing tickets!

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Boost morale – frees up staff to help customers.

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Boost sustainability – less paper + easier to discount short-dated items.

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Modern stores – gives stores a tidy, modern and updated feel.

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