Issue No.94
DFDS SEAWAYS
SPECIAL FEATURE:
Adapting to unprecedented challenges in the logistics sector.
MODERN CONSTRUCTION
KOMPTECH
Waste & biomass handling technology for Greener Environment.
iLKE HOMES
OPEN HOUSE Exclusive interview with CEO Dave Sheridan, on selling a new concept in home construction.
AYJAY GROUP
Offering a turn-key approach to fully align with their customers' needs.
FATTAL HOTEL GROUP Turning things around for the hospitality industry after the pandemic.
SPACE STATION
Delivering standards of excellence, offering flexible storage hire solutions.
FEATURE YOUR BUSINESS
With a global readership of over 290,000, Business Focus Magazine is the perfect platform to place your business in front of our Senior Executive level audience.
CONTACT SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR:
TREVOR GRETSINGER | t.gretsinger@ceomediagroup.com
EDITOR’S NOTE
PROJECT MANAGERS ANDREW BOURKE a.bourke@ceomediagroup.com DEAN BROWN d.brown@ceomediagroup.com CHRIS CONWAY c.conway@ceomediagroup.com DAVID GARNER d.garner@ceomediagroup.com TIMOTHY GARWOOD t.garwood@ceomediagroup.com JOHN HOLLIMAN j.holliman@ceomediagroup.com MAX HUTCHINGS m.hutchings@ceomediagroup.com ROBERT NAPIER SMITH r.smith@ceomediagroup.com LIAM PYWELL l.pywell@ceomediagroup.com JOHN SMART j.smart@ceomediagroup.com ANDRZEJ SZANDOR a.szandor@ceomediagroup.com DAVID TAVERNOR d.tavernor@ceomediagroup.com HAYDEN TURNER h.turner@ceomediagroup.com RASH UDDIN r.uddin@ceomediagroup.com
DESIGN SCOTT ANDREWS design@ceomediagroup.com ADRIANA STROIA artwork@ceomediagroup.com
ACCOUNTS MIKE ASHER accounts@ceomediagroup.com
PRODUCTION KAMILA KAJTOCH production@ceomediagroup.com
EDITORIAL CHRIS FARNELL cfarnell@ceomediagroup.com JIM HUNTER editor@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 2022 CEO Media Group.
FOCUS ON
SOLUTIONS A big part of what is exciting about talking to the business leaders and innovators for Business Focus Magazine is finding out what is coming next. Not just pie-in-the-sky fantasies but actual solutions to real problems, and watching them develop from concepts to new products, to established parts of the mainstream.
W
e have had the privilege of watching that progression with the construction and manufacturing firm, ilke Homes. We first spoke with ilke Homes back in 2019, when off-site, modular construction was a pretty bold and experimental concept in the otherwise conservative construction space. Last year we spoke with them again to find they were still growing and succeeding, even throughout the pandemic, and when we talked with them again for this Business Focus issue, we found that their innovative approach was being rapidly accepted as a mainstream construction solution. We have taken a closer look at how innovation is transforming the construction sector in our lead feature this month, but it is far from the only place we are seeing cutting edge ideas in this issue. Perhaps the most iconic “living in the future” concept is the flying car, and we have spoken with Pal-V, who are developing just that. But this is no crackpot invention, it is a practical, regulation-compliant transport solution that allows long-distance, point-to-point transportation with only one vehicle. A different, but equally innovative approach to air travel can be seen through Hahn Air, a company that is transforming
much of the backroom admin for airline and chartered flights. In this issue, we have also seen how businesses are adapting to unprecedented times. The challenges facing the logistics sector are well-documented, and we learned some fascinating insights talking to Century Logistics and DFDS Seaways about how they have thrived in this environment. We also learned a lot speaking with the leaders from around the world within the Fattal Hotel Group, covering what the post-Covid hospitality sector might look like. Across all these companies, innovations from new products to new approaches are helping create the way we will do business tomorrow.
ON THE COVER ilke Homes Go to page 16.
Issue No.94
DFDS SEAWAYS
SPECIAL FEATURE:
Adapting to unprecedented challenges in the logistics sector.
MODERN CONSTRUCTION
KOMPTECH
Waste & biomass handling technology for Greener Environment.
iLKE HOMES
OPEN HOUSE Exclusive interview with CEO Dave Sheridan, on selling a new concept in home construction.
AYJAY GROUP
Offering a turn-key approach to fully align with their customers' needs.
FATTAL HOTEL GROUP Turning things around for the hospitality industry after the pandemic.
SPACE STATION
Delivering standards of excellence, offering flexible storage hire solutions.
EDITOR’S NOTE | 3
IN THIS ISSUE
8
13
16
36 42
8
EVENT
The Madrid Energy Conference, Madrid, Spain / 6th-8th April, 2022. Nexus for Latin American and European energy leaders to discuss energy transition solutions & clean energy advances,
NEWS
Modern Construction Back to the Future
LEADING ARTICLE ilke Homes Open House
16
AVIATION
Hahn Air Air Travel’s Hidden Champion PAL-V Taking the Car to the Skies
36
48
54
62 68
76
86 92
4 | CONTENTS
CONSTRUCTION
Nuaire Recognising 50 Years
CONSULTANCY
Oasis Group Protecting Your Data
ENERGY & UTILITIES
Achelous Energy Technology for Net Zero Komptech Technology for Greener Environment
ENGINEERING
Ayjay Group Trusted Expertise
FMCG
Buya Bamba Not Small Potatoes COLPEX Serving the Full Fish Oil Pipeline
BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
ISSUE NO. 94
168
172
54 96
Provet S.A. Not a Shaggy Dog Story
102
Ÿnsect Healthy and Sustainable
110 122
128 134
138
146
156 162
PACKAGING & PRINT Evanesce Green Packaging
TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS
Century Logistics Supporting Growth with Logistics
178
DFDS Seaways From Sea to Rail
184
Space Station In Safe Hands
196
Transimeksa Flexible, Sustainable Logistics
110
HEALTHCARE, HOTEL & LEISURE Fattal Hotel Group Good News for Hospitality MG Health A Pharmaceutical Future
MANUFACTURING
Haver & Boecker Synergy of Tradition and Innovation Siddall & Hilton Products Ltd New Blood
METALS & MACHINERY
Alumex Plc Gold Standard Aluminium
196
MINING
First Quantum Minerals A Quantum Leap
OIL & GAS
Perenco Unlocking Gabon’s Potential Petroserv A Facility for Qatar’s Needs
BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
CONTENTS | 5
Find your way out of a complex operating model.
Let’s talk. Operations Strategy | Digital | Cultural Engineering
Global io
- integrated operations experts.
globalio.com
EVENT OF THE MONTH
WHERE: MADRID, SPAIN / WHEN: APRIL 6TH - 8TH, 2022
THE MADRID ENERGY CONFERENCE 3RD EDITION
8 | EVENT OF THE MONTH
EVENT OF THE MONTH
The Madrid Energy Conference has become the nexus for Latin American and European energy leaders to discuss energy transition solutions and clean energy advances, as well as how to navigate challenges exacerbated by COVID-19, particularly in terms of finance and fiscal stability in Latin America.
O
ur ability to convene regional and global thought leaders and deliver cutting-edge content ensures that the Madrid Energy Conference 2022 will again provide the forum for the connections and productive discussions that translates into important investment between the regions.
www.madridenergyconference.com
EVENT OF THE MONTH | 9
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MODERN CONSTRUCTION
AS THE NEED FOR HOUSING CONTINUES TO GROW, THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IS MOVING INTO SOME INNOVATIVE NEW DIRECTIONS TO MEET IT.
THE NEW FACE OF CONSTRUCTION It has been said ad nauseam that the Covid-19 pandemic changed the way we do business, but in a lot of ways, the changes that it brought about were already on the cards pre-pandemic. Everyone has had to learn the art of the Zoom call and remote working, and that has brought on greater demand among workers for flexitime and clear division of on and off-duty hours, but these were all trends that were predicted or well on their way to happening in 2019.
S
imilar stories are appearing around the world. At the same time, we are living in an age where every new development has to be judged through the lens of its environmental impact, and construction can be a resourcehungry process. Houses are needed quickly, affordably, and without damaging the environment. 40% of carbon emissions and 60% of all waste in the UK comes from buildings, and new builds have a responsibility not only to address that but reduce the burden on retrofitting to make existing buildings compliant. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has given the construction industry only ten years to ensure all new buildings, not just homes, are Zero Carbon. The construction industry has responded with some inspiring solutions.
NEWS | 13
MODERN CONSTRUCTION
MADE-TO-ORDER
One solution that has had a lot of attention recently is the concept of off-site, modular construction. Houses are less “built” than “manufactured” in huge factories miles away from the final construction site, and then the components are transported to their final home and assembled. This is an approach that has really come into its own during the pandemic when the ability to work in a controlled space has been essential. “It’s been surreal really,” says David Sheridan, the CEO of modular construction company ilke Homes. “Because we’ve been in a factory and a semi-construction related environment we’ve just got on with things. We’ve been carrying out business as usual to a degree, growing the pipeline of the business and acquiring further investment.”
“WE HAVE TAKEN OUR DEVELOPMENT SIZES FROM TEN TO TWELVE UNITS AT A TIME, TO UP TO 100 UNITS.” 14 | NEWS
Indeed, in our profile of ilke Homes this issue, we learn how off-site, modular construction has been making the leap to the mainstream. “The biggest achievement is establishing the product and building the pipeline, moving from pilot schemes into mainstream schemes,” Sheridan tells us. “We have taken our development sizes from ten to twelve units at a time, to up to 100 units.” As well as allowing houses to be constructed affordably and safely, ilke Homes has also been investing in ways to make construction more sustainable. As standard, its homes already exceed regulations are expected to meet the significant uplift in standards expected this year. The firm has already shown that it can exceed the targets planned for 2025 thanks to a Zero Carbon Housing approach baked into the company’s DNA.
Indeed, the first homes ilke Homes ever designed and built boasted Zero Carbon energy performance, thanks to their high-performance building fabric and lack of fossil fuel dependency. ilke Homes has spent five years listening to its customers and researching and developing its designs to bring about the next generation of Zero Carbon Homes. Key advances in ilke’s manufacturing processes, robotics and AI-driven design, as well as reductions in key component costs, mean the company is now in a position to commit to exclusively creating Zero Carbon communities by 2030. The people living in ilke’s ZERO houses are expected to pay nothing for energy, saving nearly £1,000 a year on bills. Modular design is only one of the solutions the construction industry has been looking at, however.
MODERN CONSTRUCTION
PRINTING A HOME
Last Christmas Habitat for Humanity carried out the ribboncutting ceremony for a new family home in Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg, US. This would be a prestigious occasion at any time, but this house was special. The three-bedroom home with two full baths is the first-ever completed 3D printed Habitat house in the USA. The innovative house used concrete instead of the lumber to print the exterior walls, as part of a project that saw Habitat for Humanity partner with the 3D printing construction firm, Alquist. The project involved printing the 1,200 square foot building within 28 hours, a shocking four weeks faster than it would have taken to construct traditionally. As well as being notably faster, the use of concrete instead of lumber meant the house was an estimated 15% cheaper per square foot. Concrete is also better at retaining temperature, saving on heating and cooling costs, and is more resistant to tornado and hurricane damage. “What you see…is four years of blood, sweat and tears of figuring out how to make this happen,” Zachary Mannheimer, Founder and CEO of Alquist, said of the achievement. “Virginia is the leader in 3D printing home construction, hands down.”
Like every 3D printed home Alquist builds, this house had a 3D printer installed in its kitchen, alongside a computer file that allows the owner to print doorknobs, light switch covers and other replaceable parts themself. The technology has been developing at an incredible speed, as we found last year when we talked to a 3D printing construction firm, COBOD, and its founder Henrik Lund-Nielsen. “When it comes to speed the technology is there, but more advancement will come as we see improvements in terms of the material supply systems, pumps and mixers,” Lund-Nielsen told us. “To a certain extent the printer itself is ahead of the rest of the systems and now they’re going to catch up so we can execute at the printer’s speed.”
To provide some perspective on how quickly the technology is moving, COBOD’s first proofof-concept building, printed with its first printer, took two months to print in 2017. The firm’s second-generation printer built an exact replica of that building two years later in only 28 hours. Lund-Nielsen estimated that if COBOD were to attempt the exercise a third time, they could complete it within eight to ten hours, and achieving a build-time of five hours in the future isn’t unfeasible. Of course, no one solution is going to be a silver bullet, but with these techniques being continually refined and developed, it will be exciting to see what happens in the construction sector over the next decade.
NEWS | 15
ILKE HOMES
FOR FOUR YEARS ILKE HOMES HAS BEEN SELLING A NEW CONCEPT IN HOME CONSTRUCTION, AND THE MARKET IS FINALLY STARTING TO PAY ATTENTION.
OPEN HOUSE PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID GARNER
16X | LEADING FEATURE
BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
ILKE HOMES
ilke Homes offers a radical construction solution to the British market, working with local authorities, house builders, and developers to provide modular homes delivered with speed and quality to development sites. Since the company was founded in 2017 it has dedicated itself to the task of creating aspirational and accessible homes for a range of customers, tenures, and price points.
BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
B
usiness Focus Magazine has tracked the company’s journey over the last couple of years, as it has brought a bold new concept to Britain’s housing problems. Of course, since we last spoke to them things have been particularly eventful thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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ROCKWOOL - THE PERFECT FIT FOR MODULAR HOME CONSTRUCTION For hundreds of years buildings have been constructed ‘on-site’, using methods that have seen little in the way of evolution. Recent advances in offsite manufacturing capabilities, coupled with the huge shortage of affordable properties has driven investment and innovation in off-site construction. At a time when the industry as a whole is experiencing many new challenges, solutions are required to deal with the unique, yet critical issues that off-site manufacturers face. We understand how the market drives specification decisions, whilst third party certifications and important warranties are an essential part of any project. Our team recognises the questions surrounding longevity of build for offsite properties and the direct impact that this has on warranties such as NHBC, as well as insurances and mortgage acceptance for buyers. So that is why ROCKWOOL supports our offsite manufacturing partners throughout the complete process – from design to manufacture and installation. Tightly controlled offsite manufacturing environments have the potential to substantially reduce build times, while improving efficiency, health & safety, sustainability, and risk control. THE ROLE OF INSULATION While the lightweight nature of offsite structures makes the modules more efficient to transport, consideration is needed as to how these will perform thermally, acoustically, and when exposed to fire. Insulation in the walls, floors and roofs of off-site buildings can support in reducing the transfer of external noise into the internal environment. It is also fundamental in delivering energy efficient homes which create a comfortable living space for occupants. As with any method of construction, fire safety and longevity of performance are key design considerations. Whether using offsite build methods or traditional techniques, non-combustible insulation helps to support fire safe design, provides peace of mind for occupants, and may futureproof against further regulatory building safety changes. WHY ROCKWOOL INSULATION? • FIRE RESILIENCE – Euroclass A1 rated, non-combustible products which withstand temperatures of over 1,000°C. • THERMAL PROPERTIES – maintains optimum indoor temperatures year-round, keeping buildings warm during winter and cool in the summer • ACOUSTIC CAPABILITIES – dense, non-directional stone wool fibres trap sound waves and deaden vibration, considerably enhancing comfort by managing acoustic performance. • DURABILITY – keeps its shape and durability in all conditions; dimensional stability delivers maintenance savings as performance is unchanged in a building’s lifetime. WHY PARTNER WITH ROCKWOOL? ROCKWOOL is the world’s leading supplier of innovative stone wool products and systems, with 40 years’ experience in the UK construction industry. By collaborating with ROCKWOOL, partners have access to a breadth of expertise that can help enhance performance, improve efficiencies, and increase scale. By forging a close partnership, we will be able to better understand challenges and create solutions to improve processes. As a supply partner, ROCKWOOL: • Visits manufacturing facilities and carries out a full consultation, looking at criteria such as building performance requirements, regulations, supply chain and environmental considerations • Offers bespoke insulation products & services tailored to meet exact needs. • Identifies existing products suitable for panelised structures and volumetric modular builds. • Supports DfMA principles through providing tailored and cost-effective solutions that help prove the proposition.
No matter what stage the building process is at, the ROCKWOOL product and technical team is on hand to help develop products to meet exact performance specifications, reducing complexity and accelerating the manufacturing process. DESIGN AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT ROCKWOOL supports off-site partners with assessments and calculations that conform to industry standards, including: • FIRE DESIGN – identifying risks and proposing solutions for compliance with fire safety regulations. • U-VALUE CALCULATIONS – to ensure insulation solutions achieve the designed thermal performance. • CONDENSATION RISK ASSESSMENT – specialist analysis of construction details to mitigate performance issues associated with moisture. • ACOUSTIC MODELLING – ensuring the right level of insulation is used to perfect building acoustics. • BIM OBJECTS – accurate geometry and physical insulation characteristics to fit perfectly on application. • NBS CLAUSES – enabling architects, designers and manufacturers to work smarter and reduce risk. QUALITY ASSURANCE, CERTIFICATION & RESPONSIBLE SOURCING ROCKWOOL products and systems carry an extensive array of certification and approvals. These include: • • • •
CE MARKING BBA CERTIFICATION LPCB APPROVALS KEYMARK AND KITEMARK LICENCING
In addition to this product EPDs (environmental product declaration) produced in accordance to EN 15084 and ISO 14025 are also available. ROCKWOOL has a Quality Management System accredited to ISO 9001:20015, an Environmental Management System certified to 14001 and an Energy Management System accredited to ISO 50001. ROCKWOOL strives to be a responsible manufacturer, and so carry out significant supplier due diligence. Our supplier code of conduct sets out in detail the high expectations of our suppliers, who must sign up to our agreement as a prerequisite of doing business with us. SUSTAINABILITY AND RECYCLING Manufactured from volcanic rock, one of the most abundant raw materials on earth, not only is ROCKWOOL stone wool non-combustible, but it can be recycled back into new stone wool insulation products to support sustainability goals. ROCKWOOL takes its commitment to sustainability very seriously, through creating products that improve energy efficiency and that are made from natural, plentiful materials. We turn abundant raw materials and upcycled secondary materials into a range of long-lasting stone wool insulation products. ROCKWOOL UK applies lifecycle thinking and a circular economy approach to help reduce the environmental impacts of construction. We use an abundant material and engineer it to perform consistently for decades, whilst our solutions enhance the sustainability of the societies that use them. To learn more about the benefits of non-combustible stone wool insulation from ROCKWOOL, register with the Knowledge Hub. Visit rockwool.com/uk and search ‘Knowledge Hub’. ROCKWOOL has closely tailored both our product and service offering to support offsite manufacturing partners through every stage of the supply chain. We are proud to have supported ILKE HOMES with this approach.
www.ilkehomes.co.uk
ILKE HOMES
“During the first part of the pandemic we defaulted to government guidance around social distancing and PPE,” says Dave Sheridan, CEO of ilke Homes. “We took a lot of advice from specialists and worked very closely with our workers’ council. We made sure to bring the staff along with us and follow their guidance. We formed a strong relationship with the workforce, so that where measures needed to be relaxed or increased we responded accordingly. We took a common-sense approach, introducing more break periods to cut down on the number of people sharing this time together, and created worker cells and staggered shift times to avoid cross-contamination.” The approach worked, and despite the challenges, Sheridan is proud of how far the company has come. “It’s been surreal really,” says Sheridan. “Because we’ve been in a factory and a semi-construction related environment we’ve just got on with things. We have been carrying out business as usual to a degree, growing the pipeline of the business and acquiring further investment. It’s been a solid year and we’ve performed to plan.” While simply staying afloat during the pandemic is an achievement in itself, for ilke this has been a landmark year for other reasons. When we have spoken to Sheridan before the firm has been involved in exciting pilot schemes and trials, but this year ilke Homes took it to the next level. “The biggest achievement is establishing the product and building the pipeline, moving from pilot schemes into
BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
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ILKE HOMES
mainstream schemes,” Sheridan says. “We have taken our development sizes from ten to twelve units at a time, to up to 100 units.”
ENTERING THE MAINSTREAM
This achievement is the result of an 18-month long campaign, utilising a land-led strategy whereby the company’s frontend business team searched out land opportunities to demonstrate the quality of ilke Homes’ product.
22 | LEADING FEATURE
“WE HAVE TAKEN OUR DEVELOPMENT SIZES FROM TEN TO TWELVE UNITS AT A TIME, TO UP TO 100 UNITS.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
SUPPLIERS OF LIGHT GAUGE STEEL FRAMES TO
t. +44 (0)1944 710279 | e. sales@lgsf.co.uk | w. www.lgsf.co.uk BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
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SUPPLIERS OF LIGHT GAUGE STEEL FRAMES TO LGSF is proud to announce its continuing partnership with iLKE Homes, following the extension of their existing 5-year exclusive supply contract by a further 2 years. The extension provides iLKE Homes with security of supply, along with a solid backbone to the LGSF orderbook. LGSF is one of the largest producers of load bearing, light gauge steel sections, panels, and volumetric solutions for use in modular construction in the UK, and is known for providing high-quality products, first class design services and innovative solutions to complex building projects. LGSF and parent company, Modular Plantrooms Ltd, have been supplying modular manufacturers, building and M&E contractors and self-builders with both light gauge steel and hot rolled fabricated steel solutions for over 30 years. Recent large-scale investments involving innovative factory technology have delivered a significant increase in panel assembly capacity, bolstering the high rolling capability via a fleet of 12 frame rolling mills. Additionally, expansion into two further satellite assembly facilities, totalling over 85,000ft² of manufacturing space, has enhanced the organisation’s robust and flexible delivery capability to respond to the rapidly evolving dynamic requirements of construction customers, whilst also satisfying the requirements of modular manufacturing customers with higher volume standardised products.
Ian Cade, Technical Director at LGSF, explains the important role modular housing will play in alleviating the housing crisis in the UK. “The need for quality homes across the UK is driving the demand for modular housing. It’s the ideal solution as much of the production time takes place offsite, in a controlled environment, which delivers increased productivity and reduces pressure on tradespeople working onsite against the challenging British weather. Housing can be erected and completed in days rather than weeks or months normally required by traditional construction methods.
Our frames are built to the highest standards and offer exceptional strength to weight properties. The quality and huge choice of finishes available to the modular manufacturer means the final home can take on many different looks to blend in with the surroundings. Further to the mainstay semi-detached and terraced new modular housing, we have built Hotels, Student Accommodation, Victorian Town Houses, Georgian Terraces, Park Homes, traditional farmhouses and a range of garden offices. One of which resides in the shadow of York Minster.” STEEL FRAMES FROM LGSF FOR MODULAR • BS EN 1090 Exec 2 & 3 Factory Quality Control • ISO 9001: 2015 Quality Management System • Pre-galvanised S450 grade structural steel • Coated to G275 or G600 as required • Accurate and consistent build quality • Excellent buildability and rapid construction • Reliable supply for volume orders • NHBC System Certified • Design Life prediction in excess of 60 years* • Over 30 years’ experience in the modular marketplace
* Guidance via SCI ED022 suggests 250 years, providing over 4 times the minimum lifetime required by NHBC & other warranty providers
t. +44 (0)1944 710279 | e.|sales@lgsf.co.uk | w.| www.lgsf.co.uk t. +44 (0)1944 710279 e. sales@lgsf.co.uk w. www.lgsf.co.uk t. +44 (0)1944 710279 | e. sales@lgsf.co.uk | w. www.lgsf.co.uk X | LEADING FEATURE
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PIONEERING MODULAR CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY QUALITY IS OUR PRIORITY EXPERT SUPPORT FROM PROJECT DESIGN TO INSTALLATION The design and engineering team work with clients’ teams to produce the designs and technical drawings for the steel systems, delivering innovative solutions and often working to challenging briefs, such as restricted access to sites and extremely short build programmes. “The whole process is seamless thanks to the technical support and advice we receive from the team at LGSF, from design through to installation to handover.” Design Team Leader, Tingdene Offsite Leisure Accommodation. FUTURE PROOFING MODULAR BUILDING LGSF clients benefit from access to both cold formed steel and hot rolled steel manufacturing processes. Innovative solutions in steel are designed and manufactured under one roof. Pre-assembled panels created from CNC data produced steel sections are ideal for modular building manufacturers who rely on a regular supply of product to feed their assembly lines. The panels are built at one of LGSF’s assembly facilities and then delivered to the modular manufacturer to be volumised and for fit-out, or to contractors for site erection, accelerating the build phase onsite. Sites with limited storage can chose to have panels to be supplied in component packs for assembly on site.
LGSF STEEL FRAMES – QUALITY Project quality is central to LGSF manufacturing processes. Industry standard quality control procedures are applied to all projects and the organisation is fully accredited to ISO 9001:2015, alongside BS EN1090 Execution Classes 2 & 3. Further work is being undertaken to secure BOPAS accreditation, during Q2 this year, to provide further confidence for our clients and end users.
LGSF STEEL FRAMES – JUST IN TIME Project profitability is dependent on the reliable and consistent supply of materials and LGSF has invested extensively in technology, processes, and skilled operatives to ensure that clients receive high volume product, at speed, whilst benefiting from just-in-time manufacturing. Prepanellised and volumised steel frames are built at LGSF and then delivered to site. Clients can be assured that they will receive their frames onsite, on time, which means continuous manufacturing or construction can take place, keeping projects on schedule and to budget. During the building project at Hinkley Point Nuclear Power Station, quality accommodation was needed for site construction workers. LGSF supplied framing for 45 ‘Worker Hotels’, consisting of 27 modules in each, in just 47 weeks. 254,840 pieces of LGSF rolled sections were produced with an impressively low NCR ratio of 0.004%. “They (LGSF) have provided an excellent service throughout the project and their continued support has been a major factor in our success. We have no hesitation in confidently endorsing them as a professional, conscientious, solid and reliable supply chain partner.” Production Manager, Caledonian Modular.
LightGauge GaugeSteel SteelFraming Framing Light Unit 3, The Gateway, Dunslow Road, Eastfield, Scarborough, YO11 3UT, UK
Unit 3, The Gateway, Dunslow Road, Eastfield, Scarborough, YO11 3UT, UK
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ILKE HOMES
“WE HAVE ACADEMICS TRACKING THE PRODUCT FOR HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE. WE’VE WORKED HARD TO DEVELOP THE PRODUCT AND IMPROVE ASPECTS OF THE PRODUCT AND OUR PROCESSES.”
26 | LEADING FEATURE
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ILKE HOMES
“We gave people the confidence we could deliver, securing the land through our own team, and finding land deals that worked for our clients,” Sheridan explains. We have seen ilke Homes go from strength to strength, but since we last spoke the firm’s product has gone from a bold new idea to a proved, tried and true concept. “We have worked hard internally and through external messaging to show what we’re trying to achieve and what our model is,” Sheridan says. “We’ve employed specialist individuals with backgrounds in lean production and lean manufacturing to bridge the gap. We took a back-tobasics approach to identify what messaging works best to see if we are using the wrong language. We moved to a more direct team for delivery, cutting out the supply chain and sub-contractors. We now have the ilke way in delivering to the site.” All this messaging and communication is backed up by
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the fact that its actual products have been seen in action for quite some time by now. “We’ve had people living in the homes for a period of years to demonstrate how well it works,” Sheridan tells us. “We have academics tracking the product for health and environmental performance. We’ve worked hard to develop the product and improve aspects of the product and our processes.” However, as ilke Homes’ reputation and market grow, it still has challenges to overcome. “We face two big challenges. The first is the variable price of materials based on world markets - materials such as timber and steel,” Sheridan says. “We managed through that quite well. The other challenge has been the labour market. Nobody could have predicted we’d bounce back from Covid-19 as well as we have, but it has caused a blip in the labour market, making it difficult to find good quality people.”
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xcel IN ALL THINGS Established in 1997 Excel Laminating is an independent family run business, renowned for its service, technical innovation and excellence of product. Excel is the UK's leading supplier of raw, laminated and bonded sheet materials to the offsite construction industry. Excel is proud to supply a range of British Gypsum plasterboard products and accessories to ilke Homes and has been working in partnership with them since their inception in 2017. Working out of their modern 80,000 ft2 manufacturing facility in Hull, East Yorkshire, Excel prides itself on delivering high quality products with unrivalled levels of service and technical support; enabling its many customers in the offsite construction industry to reduce labour costs, eliminate waste and speed up production. Innovation and quality are at the heart of everything produced and supplied by Excel. So, whether its exterior cladding, pre-routed panels for underfloor heating or CNC cut plasterboard packed in construction order for bathroom POD manufacture. Customers of Excel will benefit from its proven track record for delivering excellence in all things.
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Engineered MEP solutions for the Offsite sector Designed, manufactured & assembled, tested, warrantied sub-assemblies, delivered line-side to the modular factory. Full end-to-end prefabricated solutions: • plumbing • drainage • ventilation • ducting
+44 (0) 1709 287677
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offsite@polypipe.com
www.polypipe.com
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ILKE HOMES
To overcome this challenge, ilke Homes has partnered with a specialist recruitment firm and extended its hand to local communities. “We’ve gone back to old fashioned hustle, advertising the business, reaching out to local communities, doing job fairs,” Sheridan tells us. “We have stayed on the front foot with recruiting strategies, creating high paid engineering roles in communities where manufacturing has died away.” Indeed, as ilke Homes expands, more talent than ever is needed to ensure it can meet production. “We’re ramping up production, so our approach has gone from a steady growth strategy to ramping up recruitment, creating 400 new jobs,” Sheridan tells us.
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ILKE HOMES
“OUR APPROACH HAS GONE FROM A STEADY GROWTH STRATEGY TO RAMPING UP RECRUITMENT, CREATING 400 NEW JOBS.” A BETTER HOME
But ilke Homes is not just manufacturing more, it is manufacturing better. The experience ilke has built up has given the company the knowledge it needs to improve its designs and materials even further. The design and aesthetic of ilke Homes’ builds have been improved, and Sheridan is even more confident in the quality of its products and the future of the business.
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Your project, our solution.
In the world of modular construction, timing and quality are everything. Using specialised expertise and refined manufacturing capabilities, Euramax Solutions is able to produce a range of products that can be transported and installed in pre-fabricated construction sites anywhere in the country. Learn how Euramax Solutions can help supply your next modular project.
Removing complexity from your supply chain, reducing cost in production and increasing productivity is what Euramax Solutions does every day for customers in the offsite manufacturing sector. ■ uPVC & aluminium windows & doors, entrance doors, French, sliding & bi-fold doors ■ Automotive approach to design, production & customer deliveries ■ Just in time deliveries arriving ready for installation ■ Faster, cleaner & safer work environment for your production lines
Ashroyd Business Park, Ashroyds Way, Platts Common, Barnsley, S74 9SB, UK +44 (0)330 1340290 info@euramaxuk.com
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www.euramaxuk.com
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EURAMAX SOLUTIONS: THE IDEAL SUPPLIER FOR THE MODULAR MARKET Working from a state-of-the-art 205,000 square foot facility in Barnsley, Euramax Solutions is a leading manufacturer of high-quality uPVC and aluminium windows and doors that are the perfect fit for modular construction. Originally specialising in the holiday home market, but increasingly dominant in the modular home sector, the company was this year acquired by Modular Group Investments (MGI) – a fast-growing group of componentry businesses supporting the UK’s offsite and modular construction manufacturing sectors. Following the acquisition of Euramax, MGI went on to acquire Barton Windows Limited, a 35-year-old aluminium fenestration business, and Rapid PVCu Systems Limited, a 12-year-old fenestration fabricator – the combination of which will enable modular housebuilders to access all the products they need. It’s a mix of stylish products matched with outstanding quality control and a seamless delivery process that’s made Euramax Solutions the ideal supplier for ilke Homes. Euramax Solutions Managing Director Nick Cowley comments: “Removing the complexity from supply chains, reducing production costs and increasing productivity is what we do every day for our clients in the modular construction sector, and we’ve been delighted to supply such a big name in this market with our products. “Euramax Solutions being acquired by MGI, followed by the subsequent acquisitions of Rapid PVCu Systems Limited and Barton Windows Limited will create integration, scale and diversification benefits across our fenestration business, providing a larger capacity to develop new products, and the chance to work closely with customers to become the ideal supplier for the modular market.” www.euramaxuk.com
The leading designer and manufacturer of modular truss solutions in the UK We are the approved designers and manufacturers of the patented Moduroof/ Moduloft System for ILKE HOMES, supplying them with truss kit packages for their factory and providing them with a full design backup for all their roof requirements. We are pleased to support Dave Sheridan and the Team at ILKE HOMES
0113 265 2655 sales@protechtimber.co.uk | protechtimber.co.uk
WETHERBY MODULAR HOMES INSTALLED AT HOME OF LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB The home of Liverpool Football Club is now home to a new modular development thanks to Wetherby Building Systems modular façade system, Your Housing Group and modular housing specialists, ilke Homes Ltd.
HOURS ASSEMBLE A FULL KITCHEN IN UNDER 2 HOURS
The new development, situated close to the Reds’ home ground in Anfield known as Rockfield Mews, saw seven two-bedroom new homes built inside ilke Homes’ factory and positioned into place by crane. The location of this project created an additional challenge due to it being positioned in an already built-up housing estate with narrow access roads. Because it was important to deliver the project with minimal disruption to local residents, a modular build was the ideal solution as this allowed all of the units to be completed at ilke Homes’ factory in North Yorkshire before being transported to the site. Wetherby’s modular façade systems have been specially designed for assembly in a factory-controlled environment and with a flexible approach to finish options, it means that this build complements the already existing community. The Wetherby modular brick slip system utilises a unique tongue and groove interlocking, high-density EPS insulation board to provide superior strength, high impact resistance and protection against water ingress. This modern method of construction allows for facade system to be installed in a factory setting with less waste than traditional construction and significantly reduces installation time and the need for skilled labour. For further information on the modular facade system, or any other products from Wetherby Building Systems, visit: WWW.WBS-LTD.CO.UK or call 01942 717100.
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KITCHENS DESIGNED TO COMPLIMENT MODULAR HOMES Symphony is proud to present Rubic kitchens. Designed by a team of experts to perfectly fit into pre-fabricated houses within a factory environment and provide a product that is quick and easy to install.
Find out more at 01226
446000 or enquiries@symphony-group.co.uk
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ILKE HOMES
“WE HAVE BUILT THIS PRODUCT OVER THREE YEARS. WE KNOW WHAT IS MANUFACTURABLE. WE HAVE IMPROVED THE DESIGN FOR EFFICIENCY OF PRODUCTION AND ACCORDING TO CLIENT PREFERENCES.”
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ILKE HOMES
“We’ve looked at where cracks occur just through natural movement, and improved the steel. We have launched our new range, taking feedback from clients about what they like and don’t like,” Sheridan says. “We have built this product over three years. We know what is manufacturable. We have improved the design for efficiency of production and according to client preferences.
Our products now feature an improved kitchen design, we have adjusted where the ground floor toilet is according to customer preferences, and the houses now feature larger windows for light.” With all that ilke Homes have achieved, you could be forgiven for forgetting that this is still a relatively young company and that this is only the beginning of its story.
“We’re going from start-up to scale-up,” Sheridan tells us. “We need to execute the production pipeline we have built. We are going from four modules a day to eight, then from eight modules to 16. The next step is to think about our second factory. That is still on the horizon, but we’re already putting our grey cells towards thinking about that.”
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HAHN AIR
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HAHN AIR
FROM TRAVEL AGENTS TO CORPORATIONS, HAHN AIR IS TAKING THE HEADACHES OUT OF FLIGHT ADMIN.
AIR TRAVEL’S HIDDEN CHAMPION PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID TAVERNOR
Hahn Air is the market leader in airline distribution, providing ticketing services to travel agents and distribution solutions to airlines. The company partners with over 350 airlines, making its network the largest in the world. Since it was founded just over 20 years ago, the company has made itself the hidden champion of the travel world. Its latest solution is now simplifying travel management processes for businesses running their own corporate shuttle flights.
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The Hahn Air hangar close to the company’s headquarters near Frankfurt, Germany.
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ahn Air’s latest solution is the HR-Shuttle Manager, a valuable tool for corporations which run corporate flights to shuttle employees between company locations, such as production sites or subsidiaries. By providing a complete package including the management, handling and distribution of company flights, Hahn Air allows these corporations to outsource their corporate shuttle business. “Usually, for technical reasons, corporate shuttle flights cannot be embedded into the corporate travel programme and are therefore separate entities. As a consequence, these flights have to be managed separately, causing additional complexity,
labour, and cost,” explains Phillip Collings, Director of Corporate Sales for Hahn Air. “Our product, HR-Shuttle Manager is a one-stop-solution that allows the corporate shuttle flights to be embedded in the standard travel management systems and processes. It saves time, money and resources, eliminates complexity and risk, and ensures full compliance. In addition, it provides added convenience for the corporate travellers as they can now enjoy amenities that are normally reserved for regular scheduled flights, such as seat maps, wait listing and online check-in.” While this solution has obvious appeal, corporations might be afraid that this would mean ending the longstanding
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HAHN AIR
Companies can outsource their corporate shuttle business to Hahn Air.
Alexander Proschka, Executive Vice President Commercial for Hahn Air.
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relationships they have with their travel management companies (TMCs). However, as Kimberley Long, Vice President Agency Distribution for Hahn Air points out, “The good news is that our solution does not require to terminate this relationship, but it seamlessly integrates with the corporate travel management processes. Even better, our solution makes work processes, booking procedures and reporting easier for the TMC partner. We also maintain close relationships with TMCs and know the importance of trust and reliability when it comes to business relationships. Benefitting the TMC is another asset of our solution.”
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HAHN AIR
A SMALL AIRLINE – A GIANT IN AIRLINE DISTRIBUTION
Known for its distribution services for airlines and ticketing services for travel agents, Hahn Air is for the first time presenting a product that is not initially targeting travel sellers or air carriers. With its latest offering, the company presents a solution for corporations running their own shuttle flights as well as for suppliers such as TMCs or air brokers who are providing matching services. “With our expertise in air travel systems and processes and our experience with the requirements from the airlines’ as well as the bookers’ side, we are the natural choice to offer this solution,” explains Alexander Proschka, Executive Vice President Commercial for Hahn Air. “Throughout the past 20 years, we developed an expertise for simplifying distribution processes as well as for implementing and streamlining distribution systems. Our track record speaks for itself: Our network today encompasses more than 350 airlines of any business model, from small regional carriers to large international carriers. In fact, our partner portfolio covers 40% of airline seat capacity worldwide. Our solutions enable these airlines to sell their flights through 100,000 travel agencies in 190 markets,” explains Proschka. “While these solutions are directed at airlines and travel agents only, travellers still enjoy many advantages because of our solutions. They can book countless additional routes and carriers via their travel agency or online travel platform that would not be available to them without Hahn Air. You can say that millions of people travel each year holding a Hahn Air ticket and are unaware that we facilitated their flight.”
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Phillip Collings, Director of Corporate Sales for Hahn Air.
Hahn Air has positioned itself to enable travel, connecting travel agents and airlines to make flights and payment options available to passengers that otherwise would not be possible. With a global reach and over 20 years’ experience, it is a strong and reliable partner for airlines and travel agents. “Through Hahn Air, we have gained access to new markets and a new source of incremental revenue,” says Bryan Koh, Divisional Vice President of E-Commerce and Distribution for Singapore Airlines.
“IT SAVES TIME, MONEY AND RESOURCES AND ELIMINATES RISK AND COMPLEXITY.” ANATOMY OF A GLOBAL TRAVEL SOLUTION
There is no denying Hahn Air’s reach today, but the company has surprisingly humble origins. In 1999, Hahn Air was a small airline operating regional flights in
Germany. Then it teamed up with a tour operator and entered the ticketing business. With this one step, Hahn Air opened the door to a unique idea that would allow airlines to expand the distribution reach for their tickets. “The innovative start-up carried the name of the airline, Hahn Air, and started with four employees. It rapidly grew to become the leading company for airline distribution services,” Proschka tells us. Today, the company has over 220 employees, partners with over 350 airlines and more than 100,000 travel agencies in 190 markets. But it has been a long journey. “The biggest challenge we faced was developing our unique business idea from a small, regional solution to a global distribution asset available to travel agents worldwide through the global systems they use to book and sell travel,” Proschka points out. Hahn Air was able to develop its proposition thanks to the combined expertise of its founding companies.
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HAHN AIR
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HAHN AIR
Kimberley Long, Vice President Agency Distribution for Hahn Air.
“The tour operator brought expertise in selling travel, the airline contributed knowhow of aviation processes and systems as well as a passion for aviation,” Proschka recalls. “Brought together, this was the perfect foundation to grow from a small start-up into a marketleading distribution giant in airline distribution. Along the way, we were fortunate to have a brilliant team of experts, many of whom are still with us and have been with Hahn Air for a long time already. We managed to build an excellent reputation and gained the trust of our business partners.” The company’s story also demonstrates its innovative mindset, as the first company to introduce free insolvency protection for all Hahn Air tickets. The add-on service
called Securtix guarantees passengers a refund if a flight is cancelled due to the bankruptcy of the operating partner carrier. Since the introduction of Securtix in 2010, more than 40 million insolvency-safe Hahn Air tickets have been issued. In 2012, Hahn Air introduced a solution that allowed airlines to completely outsource their indirect distribution to Hahn Air. In 2019, Hahn Air was the first airline to issue air tickets using blockchain-powered technology. That innovative mindset is also visible in Hahn Air’s latest offering, the HR-Shuttle Manager. Collings concludes “No company running corporate shuttle flights can afford to go without it as there are absolutely no risks and only benefits.”
“THROUGHOUT THE PAST 20 YEARS, WE DEVELOPED AN EXPERTISE FOR SIMPLIFYING DISTRIBUTION PROCESSES AS WELL AS FOR IMPLEMENTING AND STREAMLINING DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
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PAL-V
FOR DECADES THE FLYING CAR HAS BEEN THE ULTIMATE SYMBOL OF LIVING IN THE FUTURE, BUT PAL-V INTERNATIONAL IS BRINGING THAT FUTURE CLOSER THAN EVER BEFORE.
TAKING TO THE SKIES PROJECT MANAGED BY: ANDRZEJ SZANDOR
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PAL-V
Back to the Future, Blade Runner, the Jetsons for as long as people have been imagining the future, they have seen the logical next step in motor travel to be the Flying Car. But while nobody can deny that the concept sounds cool, would it actually be a practical vehicle to run?
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obert Dingemanse believes it would. “A flying car is a much better thing for mobility than a plane or helicopter. They go from a place you don’t to leave from to a place you don’t want to be and then have to get to your final destination with another form of transport altogether,” Dingemanse explains. “With a flying car, you can do the whole trip, with full flexibility,
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from any door to any door. Even small planes are predominantly for leisure, but to get anywhere you need three vehicles to get from door to door- you always land where there is nothing and have to travel to your destination, you leave them behind have to pick them up again and when the weather changes you are stuck. Flying cars take away all this hassle making them very useful
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Aviation Innovation Is Our Daily Business Proud Partner of
PAL-V
With the aerospace sector origin SII Netherlands strives to be an open and transparent partner in the engineering domain keeping in mind to support our customers with cost-effective solutions. www.sii-netherlands.nl
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For PAL-V we are supporting the vehicle development on-site on various domains.
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PAL-V
SII NETHERLANDS B.V. With the aerospace sector origin SII Netherlands strives to be an open and transparent partner in the engineering domain keeping in mind to support our customers with cost-effective solutions. For PAL-V we are supporting the vehicle development on-site on various domains. SII NETHERLANDS IS PART OF THE SII GROUP SII group was founded in 1979; the SII Group is a digital services company with an international dimension with a wide geographic coverage with 100 locations spread over 4 continents. FROM OUR HEADQUARTERS IN HAARLEM, THE NETHERLANDS SII Netherlands offers engineering services in different industries, e.g. aerospace, transportation, off-shore, defence, and many more, sub-divided in design & stress groups, project management, and aircraft certification. Each field is qualified by many years of experience. Besides on-site service at the customers’ location, we also offer the opportunity to off-load your work as a complete project to our head office. The engineering services are provided by competent professionals, working either as individual specialists or as participants in project teams. All projects are performed using the latest CAD / CAE tools like CATIA, NX, SolidWorks, and FEMAP. SII Netherlands has had a steady growth rate over the years and is constantly expanding its activities and provide expertise into different markets throughout Europe. Our hybrid positioning around technology consulting and engineering services, allows us to support large groups from all economic sectors, in the integration of new technologies and innovation management methods. Sii Netherlands B.V. Amsterdamse Vaart 268 2032 EK Haarlem The Netherlands info@sii-netherlands.nl
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www.sii-netherlands.nl
for mobility, with a dramatically bigger market than small planes and helicopters. Flying cars are a dream cherished for more than 100 years, and it has always been predicted as not a question of whether cars will fly but when. If we predict it for 100 years, it will come when the technology is mature enough.” Dingemanse knows what he is talking about, as CEO of PAL-V. PAL-V operates in the domain of advanced air mobility, looking at all-new ways of flying. It has made itself the world leader in the flydrive segment. “People refer to it as a flying car,” Dingemanse says. “But these days everything is referred to as a flying car. In the future we will be FlyDriving, we will have public transport in the form of an “Air taxis” to take you from station to station, there will be small vehicles bringing goods to rural areas. Aviation will have changed a lot.”
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PAL-V
ANATOMY OF A FLYING CAR
Of course, as Dingemanse says, there have been many vehicles built, most of which never get past the concept stage, which call themselves flying cars. What makes this any different? “It flies and drives!” Dingemanse points out gleefully. “Almost 90% of vehicles called flying cars these days only fly. You still have the hassle of requiring three modes of transportation to do your journey. The challenges technology-wise were to make something that flies become compact on the road. Our flying car flies like a gyroplane, which is very safe but also something that flies efficiently. It needs to not only fly but fold into a size that
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is acceptable and practical on the road. That is a big challenge. The other challenge in aviation is that when a vehicle is too heavy it does not fly. Its development required a lot of breakthroughs in weight engineering, 3d printed metals and more to build something light enough to fly and safe and compliant with all road and air regulations. The propellor needs to be effective, you need surface area, and you need to push through the centre of gravity. Therefore, planes are high on their wheels which isn’t good for their stability on the road.” The challenges facing anyone trying to bring a flying car to the market are not just technicalthey are also regulatory.
“You need to be certified to drive on the road and certified to fly, so from day one we have taken this as a starting point in our company,” Dingemanse says. “We built a vehicle that complies with existing regulations, which makes it very different from anything else in development. A company in the US, after 12 or 13 years of development, stopped operations because they could not get their design to comply with road regulations. The challenge is combining all the requirements of those two sets of rules.” PAL-V’s vehicles achieved road admittance for Europe in 2020, meaning they can now be driven all over Europe. The company started flight testing in 2012 and pursued nearly nine
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PAL-V
years of discussions with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to agree its set of requirements for certification. “Every plane has its own set of requirements created together with the regulatory body and then you have to prove you meet those requirements,” Dingemanse explains. “For a new platform, this takes even the most experienced manufacturers ten years.” For PAL-V this means 4,500 requirements for both road and air, and the company is now building production vehicles to prove compliance, not only in a single prototype but in vehicles built from a certified supply chain in a certified factory. Creating this is a huge effort as such and a long process. PAL-V is five or ten years ahead in this of its nearest competition.
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LEARNING TO FLY
Of course, on top of getting the vehicle approved for driving and flight, PAL-V also has to ensure there are drivers and pilots, “carflyers”, approved to operate the vehicle. Fortunately, you do not need to know how to pilot a fighter jet to figure out how PALV’s vehicle works. The vehicle’s design and controls are very similar to a gyroplane- one of the easiest and safest vehicles to fly. “Hardly anyone can learn to fly a helicopter, but I would say most people in the world can learn to fly a gyroplane,” Dingemanse says. “It takes about 45 hours of training to pass the training exams and be a real pilot.” PAL-V recently started to train the first customers at its FlyDrive academy in the Netherlands, the first in a network it will be rolling out worldwide.
Those graduating students will find the door opened to a whole new degree of freedom. One thing that Dingemanse is keen to point out is the sheer amount of infrastructure ready to support PAL-V’s vehicles. “People don’t know about the existing number of airstrips in Europe,” he says. “There are between 10,000 and 15,000. The UK alone has 4,000 airstrips. People do not know this outside the aviation world. They think ‘Where can I land?’ but there are fields everywhere. On top permission to take off from private property is also possible in most countries” Of course, in 2022 you cannot discuss air or road travel without also talking about sustainability, and PAL-V has ensured its vehicles are futureproofed for the environmental revolutions. “The way you take energy in a vehicle and change that into motion, there are different ways you can do that,” Dingemanse says. In cars, there is a change to batteries; for planes, that is not logical as batteries are 37 times heavier than petrol. For longrange, hydrogen or e-fuels make a lot more sense. We are preparing for all scenarios. Different applications have different requirements and different solutions in terms of general mobility. People think it will be one size fits all but that’s not logical.” Whichever solution turns out to be most practical, Dingemanse is confident that we are looking forward to an airborne future. “It will be a normal form of transportation in the future, it will still be a niche market in a very big market- the mobility market, reflecting trillions in value,” he says. “We will be one of the leaders in this sector with at least a five-or-ten-year head start.”
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NUAIRE
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NUAIRE
WE TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT NUAIRE, WHO RECENTLY CELEBRATED THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY, TO A WEALTH OF ACCOLADES AND RECOGNITION.
RECOGNISING 50 YEARS PROJECT MANAGED BY: DEAN BROWN
Nuaire offers ventilation solutions to the domestic, commercial and industrial construction sectors. From its home in South Wales, and its 18,000 square metre factory, Nuaire is able to manufacture an immense range of products, from bathroom fans to industrial-sized air handling units.
Wayne Glover, Managing Director, Nuaire.
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T
he company’s groundbreaking products have been sold to over 40 countries and used everywhere from houses to hotels to oil rigs and food processing plants. Indeed, it was the first fan manufacturer in the world to achieve the ISO9001 quality standard. When we last took a look at Nuaire, the company was coming out of the other end of a tough 2020 for the industry, with many construction projects having ground to a halt. Nevertheless, played a pivotal role in the battle against the pandemic, delivering indoor ventilation products to recovery units and hotels. Nuaire also used this downtime to invest in its product development, its people, its technology and its facilities. The company was building a foundation for its future. While we are just seeing the beginning of that future now, it is a time when the company can be forgiven for taking a moment to look back on its achievements. That history includes the introduction of industry-changing products, including its Positive Input
Ventilation units, and its recently launched product, Haven, a unique and innovative solution to deliver targeted, filtered air in shared spaces. The Haven Terminals were developed in response to the pandemic, to reduce the risk of spreading pathogens. It provides a robust solution to highly important workplace health and safety issues around indoor air quality. The product addresses many of the shortfalls of common air ventilation practices still in use today, ensuring each occupant of a communal space receives the correct amount of ventilation for their health, comfort, and wellbeing. Nuaire is now celebrating having reached five decades of providing the latest and highest quality ventilation products.
A HALF-CENTURY OF EXCELLENCE
The anniversary could not have come at a more auspicious time, directly following a period of expansion for the business, including the acquisition of a new site at Caerphilly early last year that adds new scale and capabilities to Nuaire’s operations.
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At SIC Ltd, we’ve been providing high quality electrical and mechanical manufacturing solutions to some of the worlds biggest brands and businesses for over 50 years.
The difference is excellence. Our expertise: • Cable Assemblies • Wiring Harnesses • Control Boxes • Panel Wiring • Sub Assemblies • Cable and Components • Full Machine Build
E: sales@sicltd.com
T: +44(0)1792 957009
www.sicltd.com
SIC LTD – MASTERS IN MANUFACTURING SIC is one of the UK’s leading and longest-established manufacturers of wiring harnesses, control boxes, electrical sub-assemblies and control panels. A proud supplier of Nuaire for over 15 years, both businesses have a shared passion for precision and excellence which makes the Nuaire partnership such a great fit. With clients spanning the HVAC, automotive, engineering, medical, industrial and leisure industries, SIC boasts one of the most comprehensive contract manufacturing and assembly services in the UK, covering all aspects of electrical and mechanical manufacture. Rigour and reliability are the watchwords for SIC, who routinely look for new ways to improve the manufacturing process to protect against slow turn-around times and stock holding costs. “Our USP is that we’re entirely solutions orientated,” explains Anthony Roberts, Managing Director. “We see it as our job to add value to our customers at every stage of the manufacturing process, so we’ll always aim to enhance and amplify with bespoke connectivity solutions that will improve product manufacture and onward serviceability.” SIC has worked with Nuaire for many years and is a supplier of choice for the market leading HVAC innovator. Anthony continues, “Nuaire’s product range is unique, as is their design-led ethos, so while their products have evolved during the course of our partnership, their relentless focus on quality has endured.” SIC is the international supply partner of choice to a growing portfolio of brands and business in both new and established markets such as leisure, security, telecoms, entertainment, automotive, rail, medical, and HVAC. For further information email: sales@sicltd.com or www.sicltd.com
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NUAIRE
Wayne Glover, Managing Director for Nuaire, said of the celebrations, “We’re extremely proud to be marking this momentous occasion this month. After all, marking fifty years in Caerphilly is no small feat, and during this time, Nuaire has been at the forefront of innovation in indoor air quality. We are committed to ongoing product development. I’ve been at the company for thirty years, and during that time, the company has grown beyond anticipation. “We couldn’t have reached this milestone without the support of our team, some of whom have been with us for five decades themselves. We pride ourselves on team retention, maintaining the family feeling throughout our company growth, and we’ve seen multiple generations join our team. I believe that it’s because we’re passionate about creating a workplace where people can develop, thrive, build friendships, and feel a part of something bigger. I want to thank our team, customers and partners for helping us to reach this golden anniversary. Here’s to the next fifty years.” Today Nuaire is made up of a team of almost 600 people across the planet, providing employment opportunities to the local communities around Caerphilly, and beyond. Indeed, the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the company was also the 50th anniversary of some of its employees, including Ken Holland, Gareth Owen and Michael Jones. Talking about his five decades at Nuaire, Ken Holland said, “Over the last fifty years, I’ve had the opportunity to grow in my role at Nuaire in the maintenance department. I’ve watched as the company continues to grow, to introduce
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new products and innovate in the indoor air quality sector, and I’m proud to have been a part of that. Although I don’t have plans to slow down any time soon will continue to be a part of the Nuaire team for some time yet.”
AWARD-WINNING PERFORMANCE
50 years of trading is not the only thing Nuaire celebrated last year. Over the previous 12 months, the company has also been recognised at two prestigious industry award ceremonies in the same month. The first such ceremony was the H & V News Awards, the industry’s largest and most established awards, now in its 27th year. The H & V News Awards recognise excellence across the building services sector.
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“WE COULDN’T HAVE REACHED THIS MILESTONE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF OUR TEAM, SOME OF WHOM HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR FIVE DECADES THEMSELVES. WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON TEAM RETENTION, MAINTAINING THE FAMILY FEELING THROUGHOUT OUR COMPANY GROWTH, AND WE’VE SEEN MULTIPLE GENERATIONS JOIN OUR TEAM.
At the glitzy award ceremony at the London Hilton, Nuaire walked away with the Commercial HVAC Product of the Year Award for its patent-applied-for Haven Terminals. Nuaire’s DrimasterECO-NOX product was also highly commended in the Domestic Product of the Year category. This award marks the third consecutive win for Nuaire, following its win for Hybrid (Air Movement Product of the Year Award 2020) and the Noxmaster (Air Movement Product of the Year Award 2019). This cements Nuaire’s position as a marketleading innovator and expert in global ventilation and air quality. Nuaire’s Head of Marketing, Jessica Cook said of the win, “We are so thrilled to receive this award. The win acknowledges our track record of being at the forefront of ventilation technology in launching innovative new products.” “We want to extend a huge thank you to the Nuaire team for their continued support and contribution to our success!” added Group Sales Director Stuart Smith. “In our 50th year as a business in Caerphilly, these acknowledgements couldn’t come at a more special time.” This win comes on top of Nuaire’s victory at the Insider Made in Wales award for Manufacturing Innovation, once again for its Haven Terminals. The Inside Made in Wales awards celebrate Welsh companies that have created their own products to help directly in the battle against Covid, as well as those which have responded to the challenges of the pandemic by changing their business practices. Nuaire is obviously proud of these awards, but they are merely the result of a core business approach Nuaire has built itself around since the 1970s. We look forward to seeing another 50 years of ventilation innovation.
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OASIS GROUP
BANKS, HEALTH SERVICES, BUSINESSES, JUST WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR IMPORTANT INFORMATION? OASIS GROUP KNOWS, BECAUSE IT HAS MADE ITS BUSINESS KEEPING THAT CLIENT DATA SAFE.
PROTECTING YOUR DATA PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN SMART
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OASIS GROUP
OASIS Group is a pan-European information management company covering a broad spectrum of services including scanning, digitalisation, cloud storage, business continuity, shredding and Business continuity / Disaster Recovery. The company is active across Belgium, Great Britain, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Poland and the Republic of Ireland.
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ounded in the late ‘90s, OASIS Group has grown through acquisition and commercially over the years, incrementally year-on-year. The firm has gone from strength to strength since the early 2000s to become the company we
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see today. It has done this by showing itself to be a reliable information management partner to its clients. “It’s security and clients’ knowledge that when they provide us with their data, they know it’s safe with us, and the
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“Let us find your perfect solution for warehouse, workplace and commercial environments.” • Multi-Tier Pallet Racking Dalvie Storage Systems Ltd Whether you’re looking for a bay of racking or a full-scale warehouse refurbishment - Dalvie Systems has you covered. Founded in 2000, Dalvie Systems (or Dalvie Storage Systems Ltd) provides thousands of workplace products to businesses across the UK. We can provide the best design and install fitout for your warehouse and office environments.
Dalvie Storage Systems Ltd 6 Newton Court, Westrand, Pendeford Business Park Wolverhampton, WV9 5HB Tel: 01902 783784 / Email: info@dalviesystems.co.uk
• Drive In Pallet Racking • Wide Aisle Pallet Racking • Double Deep Pallet Racking • Pallet Live Racking • Push Back Pallet Racking
www.dalviesystems.co.uk
DALVIE SYSTEMS: CELEBRATING 21 YEARS IN BUSINESS Established in 2000, Dalvie Storage Systems Limited specialises in the design, supply and installation of bespoke warehouse storage and handling solutions – from a bay of racking to full-scale warehouse fit outs. Dalvie Systems also supply and install office interiors, from space planning office environments, using an extensive range of partitioning, ceilings, and creative office furniture designs. We work closely with our customers to understand their individual project requirements before designing optimised solutions. These are manufactured by proven manufacturing partners and installed using a network of approved subcontract installers. We also offer ongoing rack inspections and rack repairs to ensure our customers health and safety requirements are satisfied. Dalvie Systems has built a strong reputation for providing a high-quality, professional service. This reputation is underpinned by its independently assessed ISO 9001 and Safe Contractor accreditations. Operating UK-wide, Dalvie Systems serves a wide range of sectors, including automotive, manufacturing, records management, logistics & distribution and retail. The company’s expertise and professionalism has enabled it to become a valued supplier to large, blue-chip names such as Oasis Records management, Jaguar Land Rover, Babcock, Sharps Bedrooms and Worcester Bosch. Dalvie Systems operates from centrally located premises in Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands region of the UK and offers a wide range of products and services, some of which are detailed below. • Pallet racking and shelving
• Mezzanine floors
• Warehouse fit outs & refurbishments • Industrial & office partioning • Temporary warehouse
• Office refurbishment & furniture
OASIS GROUP
ease of retrieval and continuity when they need to request data digitally or physically,” explains Conan Wade, Group Properties and Facilities Director for the firm. “That’s all most clients are looking for when they outsource information related storage. That’s why high street banks, hospitals and all those critical clients where information and its security and continuity are paramount, reach out to us. We provide an ISO accredited storage environment they’re more than happy with.” Indeed, while like many businesses OASIS Group has faced some significant challenges in this last couple of years, client retention has not been one of them. “We have a lot of clients who have been with us for a long time, with a lot of key clients in key business sectors,” Wade says. “We have quite a nice diversity among the sectors our clients operate in as well, which stood us very well during Covid. We are agile, flexible and able to meet the client’s needs.”
We specialise in providing large-scale bespoke industrial pallet racking and shelving solutions, including full warehouse fit outs and office refurbishments. We are also skilled in turnkey projects. To date these have included temperature-controlled deed rooms with gas-suppression fire systems, within a four-hour fire rated construction; in-rack mezzanines for multi-level picking; and a complete canteen refit, including kitchenware and furniture. The opportunity to work with Oasis records management started back in 2016/17 and since that time Dalvie systems has delivered many projects, including the flagship multi-tier installation at their site in Silverwood, Northern Ireland and other large installations such as the multitier pick solutions at Wellingborough, Newbridge in Scotland and in more recent times Thatcham. Even during these difficult times with Covid19, Dalvie have just completed a two tier fireproof vault complete with mobile shelving on 2 levels in Dublin, not too dissimilar to the vault installations in Thurrock and Thatcham. We are proud to be a preferred partner with Oasis and will continue to deliver high specification solutions for their business.
For more information visit: www.dalviesystems.co.uk.
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DATA WHEN (AND WHERE) YOU NEED IT
Of course, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected every aspect of business, and the need for people to work from home has made OASIS Group’s services particularly essential over the last two years.
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OASIS GROUP
“With Covid becoming a factor across all businesses, we saw a trend in the migration to the digital side of the business which is a long-established platform and client service offering that OASIS Group provide to Clients and the market.” Wade recalls. “We had to be flexible very quickly to provide those services to clients who may not have availed of to date. We have proven ourselves to be adept at pre-empting or reacting to the clients’ needs. In particular we expanded our digital offering for the HR Department of a UK healthcare trust supporting emergency services” Workers that could not work from home included hospital workers and pharmacists, but they too found OASIS Group’s services vital. “We had a lot of hospitals, but also pharmacists, needing to free up space in their facilities taken up by physical records,” Wade tells us. “You will have seen a lot of hospitals preparing emergency wards, which obviously saw the need for ambient storage environments
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and specialised storage environments for that client inventory in a very short space of time.” While it was a challenge, Wade also believes that doing this work gave OASIS Group’s Team Members an important insight into the value of their work. “It gave everyone an appreciation for the importance of the work that we are doing here,” he says. “These documents are critical to people’s lives.” Of course, the flexibility that allows OASIS Group to respond to these situations does not happen by accident. “We need to keep a certain amount of capacity available. It is always a fine balance,” Wade tells us. “You don’t want excessive space or excessive specialised storage environments lying idle. Within the team, we have the expertise ready and able to deliver on requests for our clients. We’re a lean structure on the real
estate side of the organisation. We leverage and work with a lot of trusted specialist partners who’ve proven invaluable over the last four years.” Wade also points out that it has been helped by the great relationships OASIS Group maintains with the landlords of its over 70 facilities in Europe. “My responsibility is to keep those relationships as harmonious as possible, working with those landlords to achieve flexibility on space where possible, certainly during Covid,” Wade says. “We worked closely with those landlords to provide rent re-gears where possible or lease extensions in lieu of rent reductions. That has strengthened our position to look at the long term.”
THE DIGITAL (& ANALOGUE) FUTURE
Covid may have accelerated the shift to a digital offering to compliment the physical, but that shift was already taking place long before the virus hit the scene.
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REB Storage Systems International is a highly experienced material handling systems integrator. REB provides engineering, design, products procurement, subcontractor management, install, and permitting support for many material handling system solutions. These systems can include selective rack, push back rack, pallet flow rack, carton flow rack, drive-in rack, drive-through rack, multi-level pick modules, and automation solutions.
info@rebstorage.com ■
www.rebstorage.com
+44 (0)1636 636 777
We provide consulting civil & structural engineering services for the UK’s leading records management suppliers as well as industrial, commercial & residential clients offering master-planning, client’s agent role, SUDS drainage solutions, industrial warehouse fit-outs & residential housing design.
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OASIS GROUP
“The biggest trend at the moment is the move to digitisation and information on demand, to have digital records at your fingertips,” Wade says. “We have our own multi award-winning Omnidox Suite providing digital access and there’s been a lot of progressive development work on the suite with new updated releases and other packages to enable and enhance the working-from home sector among our clients.” But while the switch to digital is widespread and inevitable, Wade points out that some of OASIS Group’s most important work will forever be around the printed page. “For certain clients, we also put in place deliveries of physical records to the clients working from home cohort where a digital record wasn’t appropriate,” he says. “In certain instances, a digital record is not accepted, and the physical record is essential.” Indeed, when a government body in Ireland was hit by a data breach earlier this year it left some hospitals, which had gone fully digital unable to access patient records. “In those cases, a paper record is absolutely essential and that was something we were able to help the hybrid hospitals with,” Wade says. “We have the physical records available at our at one of our locations while the scanned record is available on our platform for them to access, but because the hospitals’ IT was compromised, they couldn’t do that. Fortunately, we were agile enough to help access those records. And of course, our systems were independent of the data breach issue, so we were able to assist the client and support them through a trying time”
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Wade also points to the legal profession as a sector where the paper record is critical for mortgages, deeds and contracts. “There are many examples across the client range, dependent on those physical records,” he says. Whether it is in digital or physical formats, OASIS Group is planning to continue expanding its operations. “We’re a highly acquisitive organisation with many facilities across the European geographic region. We have a strategic goal to consolidate and improve our Real Estate profile over the coming years,” Wade says. “We want our facilities to be larger, more environmentally friendly and offer greater comfort for our team members.” Indeed, OASIS Group just signed an agreement for a new Records Centre facility located in Tilbury Docks with a capacity for 3 million standard storage boxes over 100,000 square feet. The warehouse is 21 metres in height and will be fitted with high-end environmental utilities including solar panels, electric vehicle charging, and rainwater harvesting. That is alongside a 23,000 square foot new European headquarters near Dublin airport that open shortly before COVID. “For 2022 we’re hitting the ground running among the OASIS Group Real Estate team,” Wade says. “We recruited an industry specialist construction programme director to deliver key group projects. Also, we upskilled and promoted two of our administration Team Members who migrated to the Real Estate team for specialist Real Estate support to the business. We have also added a group procurement manager who completes the team and sets us up for future expansion. OASIS Group’s future is in growth, both natural and via acquisition.”
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OASIS GROUP
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ACHELOUS ENERGY
ACHELOUS ENERGY HAS EMBARKED ON THE TASK OF BRINGING CLEAN ELECTRICITY TO REMOTE COMMUNITIES BY UTILISING ITS INNOVATIVE FLOATING TIDAL POWER SYSTEM, A SIMPLE YET ROBUST AND RELIABLE RIVER POWER PLANT.
TECHNOLOGY FOR NET ZERO PROJECT MANAGED BY: LIAM PYWELL
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ACHELOUS ENERGY
One of the main issues facing most existing renewable technologies is that the natural resources they draw on, such as wind or solar energy, are intermittent – this means power cannot be constantly created. Hydrokinetic, ‘run-of-river’ technology is different.
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chelous Energy’s innovative FITS technology uses the constant resource of flowing river water to power its vertical axis turbines. The device also incorporates a solar deck for photovoltaic power generation, making it unique in the river hydrokinetic market. Power conversion systems supplied by Danfoss Drives ensure that the FITS plant provides an accessible and consistent source of power. The FITS device is environmentally non-invasive. It requires no dams or large
infrastructure such as that required by traditional hydropower, and a fraction of the land needed by onshore solar and wind farms. The technology has been specifically designed as a scalable system, for platform sizes of 20kW all the way up to 500kW+. A key feature of the FITS plant design is that its two vertical-axis turbines can be tilted to 90º to raise them clear of the water so that the plant can be towed through the water just like any other vessel. This allows it to be easily moved to a new location on any river where electrical power is needed.
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ACHELOUS ENERGY
ST Advanced Composites (P) Ltd Lightweight structural solutions
Design | Manufacturing | Assembly of Integrated Composite Parts
ST Advanced Composites (P) Ltd is based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. We are solution provider and manufacturer of advanced composite material parts for Automotive, Renewable Energy, Aerospace & Defense. We also provide an end-to-end engineering solution to our customers.
Over the last four years, the company has been busy developing its pioneering hydrokinetic technology, with the support of a UK Innovate grant received in 2019. One of the company’s strengths is its very small core team of just 4 people, says James Diddams. “We specifically operate with a lean central team so that we can execute projects very cheaply. With our background in oil and gas, having executed 100-million-dollar projects in the past, we are confident that we have all the necessary knowledge, and the small team allows us the flexibility to bring in partners as well.”
Contact: Dr. Devendran Thirunavukarasu ST Advanced Composites Pvt Ltd, Chennai, Tamil Nadu – 600095, India T: +91 98407 57510 E: devendran.thiru@stadvancedcomposites.in www.stadvancedcomposites.in
Offshore Wind Energy! Connecting the ocean world to the sustainable solutions.
FIT FOR PURPOSE
Who is the company that came up with this pioneering and yet simple, cheap and robust concept? Achelous Energy, established in 2017, was set up by James Diddams and Tim Wood, who had worked together onshore and offshore for over a decade, first as engineers together in offices and shipyards around Southeast Asia, and later managing companies as senior directors. “We set up the company to address the issues of global warming, and renewable energy access throughout society,” says James. “We started off as a consultancy business but soon realised that there could be a cheap solution that tackled the issue of limited access to energy in remote communities. So, we decided to develop our own robust, scalable technology that would use the river as a constant source of baseload renewable power production.”
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James Diddams (top) & Tim Wood, Directors & Co-founders of Achelous Energy.
PILOT TESTING
The company is now reaching the final stages of fabrication for its first FITS power plant on the Hlaing river in Yangon, Myanmar. “We focused from the very beginning on south-east Asia, and chose Myanmar as a project area because some 58% of that country has no access to power,” James explains. The project has not been without its challenges, primarily brought on by Covid-19 restrictions and the military coup that occurred in the country following its recent election, but he affirms that, given the team’s experience with difficult circumstances in challenging regions, the obstacles have been handled well. “In terms of the technology itself, we have not faced any challenges yet, which is due to the design being so simple and robust. Saying that, the system has not been tested yet. This will happen in January next year, and we will call on our partners to assist us.” Scheduled for completion in late 2021, the whole power plant will be assembled, with the turbines integrated into
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ACHELOUS ENERGY
position and overall fit-out completed, by the end of December 2021. The unit will then be towed out to the Hlaing River. Once in the river, the FITS power plant will undergo a rigorous commissioning and testing programme to verify and validate the system performance against design prediction and scale model test data. “The power plant can be operated and maintained by anyone. Once active, the installation is autonomous, cloud-controlled, allowing us to monitor its performance and all its systems using IoT regardless of where it is located in the world,” says James, highlighting another of the system’s benefits.
GLOBAL POTENTIAL
The potential for power generation from rivers is truly global. The plan is that Achelous will assist in the setup, installation and operation of FITS projects until they are
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ACHELOUS ENERGY
“THE POWER PLANT CAN BE OPERATED AND MAINTAINED BY ANYONE. ONCE ACTIVE, THE INSTALLATION IS AUTONOMOUS, CLOUD-CONTROLLED, ALLOWING US TO MONITOR ITS PERFORMANCE AND ALL ITS SYSTEMS USING IOT REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT IS LOCATED IN THE WORLD.”
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sufficiently proven, at which point it will exit these projects through the sale. “The market is developing very rapidly and we have a number of projects in the pipeline in south-east Asia. At the moment we have a Memorandum of Understanding with Nepal for starting a pilot project there, and a Memorandum of Understanding in Bangladesh. We are also talking to New Zealand about potential project developments.” Closer to home, the company is also developing a project in the UK and has started surveying several Scottish rivers and approaching potential partners. “We are rapidly going to scale a number of projects in the next year. Following the completion of testing of our pilot projects
in Myanmar in early January, we will have all the data we need to optimise the power plants.” The company is now in the middle of a crowdfunding campaign, aiming to further advance the commercialisation pathway of its FITS technology. James Diddams says: “Despite a temporary respite during the Covid-19 pandemic, the IEA reports that global carbon emissions are set for their second-biggest increase in history by the end of this year. It is clear we cannot continue consuming fossil fuels as we have been doing since the industrial revolution. With support from investors who share our vision, our innovative ideas can help to revolutionise clean energy production and pave the way for Net Zero.”
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KOMPTECH
IN A WORLD WHERE SUSTAINABILITY IS BECOMING AN INTEGRAL PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE, KOMPTECH’S WASTE AND BIOMASS HANDLING TECHNOLOGY IS RECEIVING INCREASINGLY CLOSE ATTENTION.
TECHNOLOGY FOR GREENER ENVIRONMENT PROJECT MANAGED BY: RASH UDDIN
Austria-headquartered Komptech is a leading international technology supplier of machinery and systems for the mechanical and mechanical-biological treatment of solid waste and the processing of biomass as a renewable energy source.
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ext year will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the business,” says CEO Dr Heinz Leitner, explaining that the company was founded in1992, the year when the Austrian region of Styria became one of the first in Europe to introduce the separate collection of biodegradable waste. “That meant there were new material flows to be treated and the two company founders, engineers by profession, developed their first machine: the Topturn compost turner. This pioneering technology, with hardly any competitors at that time, allowed for rapid business expansion into new markets: first Germany, followed soon by Japan, and then by other countries.” Over the following years, the product portfolio was gradually extended to make Komptech a full-liner for waste processing. In 2008 the company ventured
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into processing biomass as a renewable energy source with the development of the Chippo series chippers, in 2011 adding the Axtor high-speed universal wood chippers. Today Komptech employs 750 people at its production sites in Austria, Germany and Slovenia and supplies over 3,000 customers in 70 countries around the world, with that number still growing. Komptech is part of Orasis Industries.
FULL LINE OF PRODUCTS
Komptech’s product range comprises over 30 different types of machines, covering the key steps in modern waste processing – shredding/chipping, separation, and biological treatment. The focus is always on innovative technology and solutions that ensure maximum customer benefit.
The Crambo is one of the best machines for shredding all types of wood and green cuttings.
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KOMPTECH
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Together we create a sustainable world. At LBS, we develop and produce excellent customised synthetic and rubber conveyor belts. Based on many years of experience and expertise, we help our strategic customers and others in the recycling industry to sustainably elevate their products to a higher level. One of our strategic partners is Komptech. Together we aim for the best process results, reliable continuity, optimal satisfaction and sustainability. All to ensure that they can deliver the best machines to their customers. Together we create a sustainable world.
LBS Conveyor Belts - Phileas Foggstraat 48, NL-7825 AL Emmen, The Netherlands www.lbs.cc • Email: info@lbs.cc • Tel: +31 (0)591 668220
LBS CONVEYOR BELTS - YOUR STRATEGIC PARTNER IN CONVEYOR BELTS LBS Conveyor Belts, located in the northeast of the Netherlands, is a young and dynamic company with a family culture. Since their foundation in 1993, they have achieved many successes together with their customers and created multiple high-quality products. LBS develops unique, customised synthetic and rubber conveyor belts using innovative machinery. These conveyor belts repeatedly support reliable, safe machines and production processes that can meet the demands of tomorrow. They focus not only on the recycling industry, but also on agriculture and the food industry. Within these sectors they deliver to machine builders, end users and service companies. Thanks to their quality, knowledge, co-creation and innovation, LBS can provide their customers with the best conveyor belts that contribute to sustainable and safe products. Mankind has been using tools for thousands of years in order to work more efficiently. With industrialisation and the development of machines, the growth of the human production capacity accelerated. Conveyor belts played an important role in this and are still an essential part of many production processes today. COMPLEXITY MAKES DETAILS MORE IMPORTANT Just like the production companies, the development of conveyor belts has continued to evolve. The technical complexity of machines and materials has increased so much in the last decade that choosing the right conveyor belt has become more challenging. How do you know which one is the best and what are the possibilities? In a professional production process, the smallest details can significantly influence productivity. How do you choose the optimal conveyor belt for your production process? Obviously, a conveyor belt for the recycling industry has very different requirements than those for the food industry. For LBS, every conveyor belt is different, because every production process is different. It is therefore very important for LBS to get to know their customers. ‘We can only create the best possible conveyor belt together with our customers,’ says Roelof Westerbeek, general manager at LBS. ‘Our specialists know the technical complexity of conveyor belts and materials. They combine their knowledge and experience with applications in various industries. They are happy to think along with their customers, even if the solution is completely new. While focussing strongly on specific details of a particular production process, they look for the best possible solution. This way, we create the optimal conveyor belt with our customers to improve their production performance.’
LBS: A HOUSEHOLD NAME FOR MACHINE BUILDERS IN THE RECYCLING INDUSTRY LBS has various international machine builders from the recycling industry among their customers. With these companies, which build complex machines that are being used worldwide, they look for solutions to sustainably separate waste. From mobile installations, such as shredders, screening and separation technologies, to stationary installations for compost and household waste processing, among other things. They also offer solutions for advanced sorting techniques based on magnetism and on optics, such as cameras and X-rays. In doing so, LBS feels it is very important to familiarise themselves not only with the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) itself, but also with the end user. ‘At LBS, we want to be a relevant partner who knows all the steps of co-creation: from the beginning to the process, all the way to the delivery. Reliability, continuity and consistently high quality are important values for us in our customer relationships,’ Roelof Westerbeek explains. HIGH-QUALITY CUSTOMISED CONVEYOR BELTS FOR VARIOUS APPLICATIONS When creating and producing their conveyor belts, LBS considers the developmental techniques of the specific machines in which the belts are integrated. This leads to beautiful innovations and co-creations by LBS and their customers for the development and delivery of the optimal conveyor belt. ‘As a result, we have built a formidable reputation in the past decades, including in the branch of mobile installations of various name-brands in the recycling industry. For this branch, we deliver several unique, highquality, own-brand products, such as Probelt® (rubber conveyor belts), Multicutter (cutting parts) and Hotcleat®. With our Hotcleat® technology, rubber accessories (cleats, profiles, etc.) are integrated into the conveyor belt through a unique vulcanisation process. This elevates the technical quality,’ says Eric Telgenkamp, sales manager at LBS. ‘More far-reaching solutions are also offered in the segment of advanced sorting techniques. For example, in the field of processing tolerances, but also general processing of synthetic and rubber conveyor belts. We take the sensitivity of these installations into account and pay close attention to the hidden technology behind a conveyor belt.’ All conveyor belts in the recycling industry are part of capital goods for the OEM’s customers. LBS therefore strives to deliver belts that are as optically pure as possible. This enables the OEM to provide their customers with even more beautiful installations, which allows us all to say: ‘together we create a sustainable world’.
LBS Conveyor Belts Phileas Foggstraat 48 NL-7825 AL Emmen The Netherlands Phone: +31 (0)591 668220 Email: info@lbs.cc Website: www.lbs.cc
KOMPTECH
Chief Technology Officer Dr Christian Oberwinkler says: “Our flagship product continues to be the Topturn compost turner but all of our products are equally important. What differentiates us from others is that we offer a full line, in other words, a complete solution for the whole process, not just a single machine. That is very important to us. With the range of our machines that include shredders and sorters, customers can process all their materials.” Dr Leitner adds that another special feature of Komptech is its international character: the company export ratio is nearly 95%, with customers all around the world. “Our biggest markets are the EU and UK, accounting for about 50% of total turnover, followed by North America with 20%. We have customers in Australia, Japan as well as in Africa, and are now focusing on expanding in south-east Asia and India. Our export markets are served by our partners, and solid, long-term business relationships are key to our success.” He affirms that Komptech is a premium brand offering the maximum performance of the highest efficiency and top quality. “Our products are not cheap but we are the best partner from a long-term perspective. We don’t just sell a machine but offer the best-inclass product support including consulting and after-sales service.”
INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT
Product development is a prime focus of the company’s investment, and new products and modifications are launched on a regular basis. Today, digitisation is one of the features that has enabled Komptech to be a forerunner in the sector.
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The mobile drum screen Nemus 620 combines proven technology for screening compost, biomass, soil, gravel and waste as well as user-friendly maintenance. “Digitisation is clearly one of our competitive advantages, and one of the most important differentiators. We embarked on the digital journey some five or six years ago and today each of our machines is always online, meaning that we can immediately help our partners and end-users as and when required.” This was clearly a great advantage during the pandemic, when Komptech was able to provide uninterrupted assistance and support to customers, despite the lockdowns in individual countries, entirely in line with the customer slogan “always at the customer’s side.” “Electrification is another big topic at the moment, with a view to launching machines with a reduced CO2 footprint,” acknowledges Dr Oberwinkler.
“Most of our shredders are already electric available, and a good example of our recent product development is the Terminator e-mobile, one of the most successful single-shaft shredders for all types of waste, including the most difficult materials.” Fermentation is another process that is becoming increasingly important, the most economically and ecologically viable treatment method for a range of organic waste, he says. Komptech offers the whole process chain including shredders, pulpers, screens, presses and further separation technologies as needed. Dr Leitner points out that biogas is yet another area where Komptech machines make a big difference. “Using the right shredding and separation technology, fuel mature enough
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KOMPTECH
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KOMPTECH
for the marketplace can be generated from food waste and green waste. Woody biomass, such as rootstocks, logs, and waste wood, is perfect as a renewable fuel for biomass plants. This way, companies previously operating in the disposal business can transform themselves into energy suppliers.”
SUSTAINABLE AT THE CORE
Futuristic design meets powerful hydraulics! The Topturn does not only look like a Transformer, it also combines high functionality with modern design.
He affirms that sustainability is key for Komptech. “We strive to be a zero-carbon company in 2021, and that includes employee mobility. A very ambitious target but one driven by our owners, the management team as well as the whole team of employees.” Dr Oberwinkler adds that the company is now preparing its customers for municipal solidwaste solutions. “Our field of business drives sustainability automatically. In operation, our equipment, be it for composting or fermentation saves much more CO2 than it generates. Electric machines also have
lower noise levels, which is an important factor when working in a residential environment.” Global megatrends indicate that Komptech’s technology will be in much demand in the future. Europe’s Green Deal and green policies promoted by the new administration in the US are directing nations into intensified environmental thinking. This will be needed given the global population growth trajectory, with new energy, food and water demands emerging particularly in Africa and Asia. “Given global developments, we expect organic growth of 7-8% per annum, further supported by potential acquisitions as well,” reflects Dr Leitner. “Despite the current supply-chain bottlenecks that are going to last for quite some time, the business is stable – with our teams and our great supply network we have been handling the supply constraints well. We can see great demand for our products worldwide, so expect another very successful year ahead.”
The highly efficient electric motor of Komptech’s e-mobile machines saves up to 70% of the energy costs for the same material throughput.
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AYJAY GROUP
WITH OVER 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SOLUTIONS COMPLETE WITH FULL PROJECT MANAGEMENT, AYJAY GROUP OFFERS A TURN-KEY APPROACH TO FULLY ALIGN WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS’ NEEDS.
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AYJAY GROUP
Ayjay Group are electrical and refrigeration engineering specialists, offering commercial and industrial customers a complete turn-key service, including design, installation, bespoke project management and ongoing maintenance support.
PROJECT MANAGED BY: TREVOR GRETSINGER
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ounded in 1996 by Andrew Hall and Jason Beament, the company has developed outstanding knowledge and experience in electrical engineering, becoming recognised for its ability to deliver projects while maintaining quality, flexibility and efficiency. “We started with the ethos of delivering excellent service and the business grew steadily,” says company Managing Director Andrew Hall. “We were in a niche business, and it was key for our development and our progression to bring in people
who would learn what we knew, and then for us to learn what they knew. To develop this shared knowledge was important in moving forward.” Andrew affirms that people, their wellbeing and development have always been the basis on which the business was founded; valuing the company’s staff continues to be one of the top priorities, demonstrated in part through re-investment into the employees and infrastructure. “Of course, customers are important but so are the staff. We look after our people, and they look after the business.”
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CB REFRIGERATION CB Refrigeration has been providing tailored refrigeration and air conditioning solutions since 1968. Since founding, we’ve always adapted to match the current industry direction. Our field-based engineering team is available to support businesses across South Wales, the Midlands, and the South-West, with installations nationwide. We are proud to be an affiliated business to Ayjay Group and have established a relationship that ensures excellence in engineering is achieved for every customer. Working collaboratively with Ayjay, we are able to provide specialist refrigeration and electrical engineering solutions.
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CB Refrigeration provide alternative, bespoke refrigeration and air conditioning solutions for our customers. When off the shelf solutions are not suitable, we will design and install a product that’s best for your business, through our in-house design services. Everything we do for you will be transparent and measurable to ensure a value driven service.
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Managing Director Tom Hannaby is now spearheading our drive towards a sustainable future, having recently announced that we’ll be challenging ourselves to achieve 65% of customers using ultra low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants by 2030.
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“With new regulations looking to phase out the use of high GWP refrigerants, we want our customers to be in the strongest position possible, both ethically and financially. This target will pave the way for us to provide sustainable solutions to our customers, allowing them to achieve net zero at a speed that suits them.” www.cbrefrigerationltd.co.uk
DALE ELECTRICAL SERVICES “My relationship with Ayjay Group spans more than 16 years. From starting out as an inexperienced 15-year-old apprentice, Andrew Hall and Jason Beament played pivotal roles in my development as an Electrical Engineer and provided me with a platform to launch my own business. Andy and Jason’s wealth of knowledge not just within electrical engineering but also business and enterprise, gave me the confidence to branch out and launch Dale Electrical Services. Thanks to the continued support of Ayjay Group, Dale Electrical Services has been able to grow and thrive.”
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“After six years of promising growth, Dale Electrical Services (DES) is now one of Caerphilly’s prominent electrical installation and maintenance contractors; providing a personable, premium level of service to our customers. We are approved NICEIC contractors and Part P Domestic Installers, so you can be confident that your property is in safe hands.”
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“With a growing team of skilled engineers, we are able to service both large commercial projects but also smaller, domestic properties. Our range of services includes, but not limited to; single & 3-phase installations, shop renovations, and LED lighting upgrades. We also offer a suite of security system solutions ranging from intruder alarms, CCTV, and security lighting.”
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“For young apprentices in South Wales looking to develop themselves within the electrical engineering industry, I couldn’t recommend Ayjay Group enough. The support offered by Andy and his team will ensure a consistent and personable level of development.” Dale Rogers, Dale Electrical Services www.daleelectrical.co.uk
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FLEXCOMM With the continuous advancements in technology, it’s important that your business has the right network infrastructure to match the network demands and provides flexibility. That’s where Flexcomm can help. Flexcomm delivers structured solutions in the form of copper, fibre, and Wi-Fi to industrial and commercial businesses across the UK, ensuring your structured cabling systems support you for the next 25 years. Flexcomm’s experienced engineers will carefully consider what solutions are best suited to your business, with a thorough top-down approach. This will ensure you business’s network solutions are future-proof and provide you with a solution for success. The Flexcomm team is on hand to offer expert engineering support, with 24/7 services available to ensure minimal disruption to your business.
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Flexcomm was founded in 2018 by Ayjay Group’s leadership team and Matthew Edwards, who holds more than 20 years’ experience in the industry. This partnership allows Flexcomm to offer a complete data and electrical installation solution.
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Company Directors Matthew Edwards and Simon Beament (who is also Operations Director at Ayjay Group) continue to grow the business and adapt to meet customer needs, forging plans to see the company establish itself as one of the leading network cabling installers across the UK.
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As the world adapts to a digitally led way of working, it’s important that your business is able to depend on a fast, reliable infrastructure to ensure full network functionality. Our engineers can advise and implement a solution that is bespoke to your business. www.flexcomm.co.uk
MENTALL MARKETING Mentall Marketing has been providing creative, brand and digital solutions to organisations across South Wales since 2018. Our team offers a personable and tailored service. Led by Director Jenna Blake, the business has a proven track record of producing vibrant, engaging materials for its customers. Mentall Marketing has been working closely with Ayjay Group since founding in 2018 and has since forged a strong relationship that has seen us collaborate on several key projects, including Ayjay’s current #AyjayChallenge25 campaign. The campaign has seen us support the Ayjay Group with various marketing solutions, including copywriting, photography, and digital.
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“The support and initial investment of Andrew Hall and Jason Beament (the founders of Ayjay Group) was invaluable to the business and provided a fantastic platform in which to launch. Having that guidance has helped drive us through these recent challenging years and enabled us to continue to provide our customers with the service and values that remain true to our initial vision.”
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Mentall Marketing is here to help bring your marketing ideas and ambitions to life. The team holds various industry qualifications, including CIM, Google and HubSpot. We have experience working across various industries and sectors, and our team is passionate about creating digital and print content of all shapes and sizes. Since founding, we have always looked to provide unique and creative packages for our customers. We want to be a part of your marketing journey, providing a full-circle solution to your internal and external marketing needs. www.mentallmarketing.co.uk
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AYJAY GROUP
Andrew Hall, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Ayjay Group.
This is reflected in the appointment of the company’s team of Directors, including Simon Beament, who joined the business as installation manager in 2003, progressing to Operations Director in 2008, followed by Craig Price, starting as an electrical apprentice in 2004, leading to Technical Director in 2018. Both have progressed within the company and now help provide leadership to company initiatives and further drive existing and future projects forward. Craig’s career, in particular, has covered a variety of positions within the company
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from electrical engineer, project manager and to his current position as company director and shareholder. “Craig started with us as a teenage apprentice and clearly had an ambition and drive to further his career, and we have supported him to achieve that. He is now contributing to the future direction of the business,” says Andrew.
VALUED SPECIALISTS
Speaking about the company’s core business, he admits that electrical engineering is the basis, but Ayjay is so much more than just an electrical
contractor. “Working directly with businesses and indirectly through strategic partners, we provide electrical design, installation and ongoing support through planned and reactive maintenance, offering a complete solution to meet our customers’ needs.”
“OF COURSE, CUSTOMERS ARE IMPORTANT BUT SO ARE THE STAFF. WE LOOK AFTER OUR PEOPLE, AND THEY LOOK AFTER THE BUSINESS.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
AYJAY GROUP
The company has the capability to deliver turn-key projects, from design conception through to completion, making sure that the customer has a dedicated project management team to ensure a transparent and seamless process. The range of services includes electrical, refrigeration, facility management, lightning/surge protection, data infrastructure and so much more. With energy efficiency and sustainability becoming ever more important in today’s business planning and policy processes, Ayjay Group strives to offer its clients various energy solutions to help reduce unnecessary costs and lower carbon emissions. “We offer packages that can be delivered as individual services or provide a complete quality solution. Our clients can take comfort in the knowledge that all our engineers are trained to the highest standard within their chosen disciplines and are led by an experienced team of project managers and directors who themselves are highly qualified electricians and engineers.”
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POWER-2GO Power-2GO are the UK’s main importer of the EcoFlow range of portable power stations. These allow you to take your power with you almost anywhere – whether for work or leisure. From lightweight punchy units of 600W through to industrial units with more than 2,400 Watts of continuous output. All units are ultra-rapid charging with advanced battery management systems that allow charging to 80% in one hour. Multi AC and DC outputs can be used simultaneously allowing you to charge all your tech or deliver serious power at roadside, the workplace or leisure. C
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EcoFlow’s products are currently the world’s fastest selling lithium battery products. We introduced them to the UK and can supply them next day from the UK’s largest warehouse of EcoFlow products – whilst providing UK based customer support. Power-2GO was formed by a group of South-Wales based entrepreneurs: Mervyn Ham, who has significant experience in the emerging mobile energy market, Andrew Hall and Jason Beament, co-founders of long-established electrical, facilities maintenance and refrigeration engineering solutions company Ayjay Group, and Chartered Accountant Chris Pearse. Mervyn Ham commented, “The portable power market is being disrupted. Lithium battery units are replacing polluting fossil fuel generators within industry, and UK based leisure breaks are much more enjoyable with portable power available. The pace of change is increasing in many areas of power provision. The move towards electric vehicle fleets, for example, creates “range-anxiety” for drivers. These sources need to be lightweight and rapid charging to allow consumers to respond quickly. It’s power to go.” www.power-2go.com
SEREN ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES Seren Electrical Supplies is a wholesaler based in Caerphilly South Wales, but operate and deliver nationally. Wherever your project, our professional delivery team will ensure your goods are delivered whenever, wherever you need it. ‘Seren’ work with a number of leading suppliers, enabling us to pass on a quality range of products and flexibility to our customers. Our expert customer service team provide guidance on the correct products or equipment required to deliver the perfect electrical installation project.
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Founded in 2010, Seren have developed a strong reputation for consistently providing high quality equipment, delivered with a personable approach. Originally founded with the investment and guidance of Andrew Hall and Jason Beament (co-founders of Ayjay Group), Managing Director Richard Shapley-Jones grew the company addressing a need for a bespoke, flexible service, accommodating the requirements of each customer. The support of Ayjay Group was key to Serens’ success and they continue to be a valued customer, seeing us work together as their chosen electrical product supplier for installation projects throughout the UK.
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Following a management buy-out in 2017 and full share purchase in 2020, Seren has preserved their core vision and continues to grow with the service values that remain at the heart of their ethos. Richard commented, “Seren was born of a shared vision for a high-quality electrical wholesaler that could deliver a bespoke service to exceed the customers’ expectations, with reliability and flexibility as standard. We are proud to have achieved this and continue to grow year on year.” www.serenelectrical.co.uk
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AYJAY GROUP
Passionate About Your Businesses Fire Safety FireRite provides industry-leading advice, training and technical expertise that is especially formulated to make our customers’ lives easier and safer. We can guide you through the processes, ensuring a fully compliant design, installation and ongoing monitoring. With over 20 years’ experience in fire safety regulations, at FireRite we provide innovative, effective and efficient solutions that are tailored to your particular environment.
Fire Risk Assessment
Active Fire Protection
Passive Fire Protection
02920 867 222
Service Support & Maintenance
sales@firerite.co.uk
EVERYTHING CORPORATE PRINT
www.dectek.co.uk 01443 841840 sales@dectek.co.uk
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THE ANNIVERSARY
2021 was an important milestone for Ayjay, as the company commemorated its 25th anniversary. A bitter-sweet achievement, says Andrew, sadly not experienced by the Group Managing Director and company co-founder Jason Beament, who built the business from scratch with Andrew, but succumbed to Covid-19 in December 2020. “On losing Jason, we poured all our emotion and energy into making sure the business continued in the manner it always had despite how hard this loss was. In January we achieved the best results in the company history, and Jason would have been proud,” he says.
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AYJAY GROUP
“A plaque was installed at Ayjay House and will serve as a reminder of the hard work, dedication and passion Jason instilled in the company and all its employees, and his legacy will remain with us going forward.” “Jason and I decided some time ago that when we got to our 25th anniversary there would be a great party to celebrate this achievement. Given the circumstances, it was not right to have a party. Instead, the whole team, every one of them, made a conscious decision to celebrate our anniversary by supporting a charitable cause.” Leading on from that the company officially launched its 12-month charity fundraising campaign, #AyjayChallenge25. This will see Ayjay colleagues raise vital funds for three charities close to the business, and also Jason: the RNLI, St David’s Hospice Care, and The Prince’s Trust.
A GROUP OF BUSINESSES
Today, Ayjay employ 35 people plus a number of specialised subcontract partners. With the capability to deliver solutions to industries that require specialist knowledge, Ayjay Group has developed two specific business divisions within the group - Ayjay Pharma which specialises in pharmaceutical temperaturecontrolled installations and Ayjay LSP, a provider of lightning & surge protection applications. Other businesses within the group include CB Refrigeration Ltd, which provide integrated and bespoke refrigeration and air-conditioning services, and Flexcomm who specialise in network and data cabling solutions. “Our model is setting up and working with businesses that can help to support us or where we can support them.
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AYJAY GROUP
We are looking at building not only on Ayjay but around it. We are growing organically with apprentices, engineers and staff members but it is not our intention to grow the business to such a level that we start to lose touch with the people who work here,” says Andrew. He points out that the company is constantly evolving, looking at new technologies in line with developments and changes in the market, such as those affecting future heating systems in homes, where gas boilers are set to be replaced
with low carbon heating systems, increasing electrical energy demands and the need for efficient controlling - an area where Ayjay has a proven track record of over a decade. “Through continuous training and staff development, investment in new technology, ongoing research and promotion of new energy-saving schemes, we are striving to improve our electrical energy services on a continuous basis, to provide the most energy-efficient solution. With the increasing worldwide focus on carbon reduction, it looks like Ayjay will be busy in the years to come,” concludes Andrew.
“OUR CLIENTS CAN TAKE COMFORT IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT ALL OUR ENGINEERS ARE TRAINED TO THE HIGHEST STANDARD WITHIN THEIR CHOSEN DISCIPLINES AND ARE LED BY AN EXPERIENCED TEAM OF PROJECT MANAGERS AND DIRECTORS WHO THEMSELVES ARE HIGHLY QUALIFIED ELECTRICIANS AND ENGINEERS.”
(L-R) Ayjay Group CoFounder Jason Beament, Co-Founder Andrew Hall and Operations Director Simon Beament.
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BUYA BAMBA
BUYA BAMBA EXISTS FOR ONE REASON: TO CONNECT ZAMBIA’S POTATO FARMERS WITH THE PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES WHO NEED THEIR CROPS.
NOT SMALL POTATOES PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN HOLLIMAN
Buya Bamba is a company that links farmers to the market. Run by two partners, Anthony Barker and Juri van Zyl, the firm was established in the late nineties to connect Zambian potato farmers with the restaurants and retail outlets that could use their produce. Today it has been going for just over 24 years, providing products for both the formal and informal agricultural sectors, including different seed varieties, packing and handling facilities, and logistics and distribution services.
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e help farmers with logistics, packing, cleaning, and preparing for the market,” says Managing Director, Anthony Barker. “Our unique selling point is providing farmers with access to the market. We let every single consumer, including takeaways, restaurants, corporate restaurants, supermarkets and the end-user access potatoes from the smaller farmers.” Buya Bamba works closely with farmers to make sure they have the right equipment and that they are getting their product to the end-user. The company has made itself a valuable ally to the farming community – an ally needed in a volatile economy.
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“Our biggest challenges are access to finance, access to investment, long-term sustainability and currency volatility,” Barker says. “We are looking for access to finance so that we can offer developments to the industry that it needs, such as a cold storage chain.” Supporting Farmers Of course, to provide those farmers with the support and access to the market they need, it is important that Buya Bamba knows its farmers well, and Barker values the relationships the company has built with its suppliers. “A lot of our farmers have been farming in Zambia for a long time. They understand that investing in Zambia
is a challenge in a longterm industry,” he says. “It’s very volatile and reactive to situations. We all understand that in this business sector you can spend a lot of time waiting for the elastic band to catch up with you.” While he is realistic about the challenges facing the sector, Barker is also hopeful. “I believe that there’s going to be more stability in times to come, and I think the future looks bright for Zambia at this point,” Barker tells us. “We’ve invested in that future as a company.” The key, Barker argues, is to show the farmer what is in it for them. “As in anything, you’ve got to find a return,” he explains. “If you are not doing a good enough job marketing and distributing the crop for the farmer, they don’t have an incentive to work with you. My job responsibility at the end of the day is to ensure there is a supply chain that gets farmers a return and that the percentages and return on their investment are worthwhile.”
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BUYA BAMBA
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Designers and Manufacturers Designers and Manufacturers for Food Processing and for Food Processing and Packaging Industry Packaging Industry
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Complete Frozen French Fry Line Complete Frozen French Fry Line
Complete Complete Frozen Frozen French French Fry Fry Line Line
Serving 5 continents' agro Serving 5 continents' agro industries since1973 with industries since1973 190 employees incl.28with engineers 190 employees incl.28 engineers Serving Worldwide Agro/Food Serving Worldwide Agro/Food Industries Over 80 Countries Industries Over 80 Countries
Makine A.Ş Makine A.Ş
Orhanlı Mah. Gülsüm Sok. No:8 Tuzla /İSTANBUL/TURKEY Orhanlı Mah. Gülsüm Sok. No:8 Tel: +90 (216) 394 41 89 Tuzla /İSTANBUL/TURKEY Fax: +90(216) (216)394 39441 4189 95 Tel: +90 email: bigtem@bigtem.com Fax: +90 (216) 394 41 95 email: bigtem@bigtem.com
www.bigtem.com www.bigtem.com
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12nd km XANTHI - EVLALO 231 Ruedela Garenne 92741 P.O 67 100 XANTHI Nanterre Cedex / FRANCE 12ndBox km576, XANTHI - EVLALO 231 Ruedela Garenne 92741 GREECE Tel: +33 1 56 63 77/ FRANCE 00 P.O Box 576, 67 100 XANTHI Nanterre Cedex Tel: +30 25410-94290, 94230 email: GREECE Tel: +33femia@femia.fr 1 56 63 77 00 Fax: +3025410-94290, 25410-9408094230 Tel: +30 email: femia@femia.fr email: bigtemhellas@bigtem.com Fax: +30 25410-94080 email: bigtemhellas@bigtem.com
BUYA BAMBA
Buya Bamba knows that there are many factors beyond its, or its farmers’ control, but it will help those farmers weather the most difficult circumstances. “We can’t control the mitigating factors that affect economies of scale, but we’ve shown growth every year and we’re making sure the farmer is getting a reasonable return,” says Barker. “The way we have done that is to make sure we are getting the right quality of crops. We’re working with the right companies and have access to the right information to make sure there’s a sustainable chain of supply.” Buya Bamba is able to give growers great opportunities. The company has found a market where it can show people what return it thinks farmers can get and has delivered that return reliably over the years. This is essential, as Buya Bamba knows its farmers rely on that return. “If you need to live day by day and you don’t have a large customer base, you need to sell enough to get food on the table, and then you need those customers to come tomorrow and buy another,” Barker points
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BUYA BAMBA
out. “Our model makes sure that those customers can come tomorrow and buy more, that farmers can rely on that, and we believe we provide this for our consumer base. So, from our point of view, we have taken the industry into a stable place in Africa. We’ve made a real difference.” Buya Bamba has opened up the market and made it accessible for all farmers while ensuring their product is readily available to consumers. The company has kept its supply in line with demand and population growth while keeping the confidence of producers. “We have a market, we’re growing the market, and we are a long-term, sustainable option,” says Barker. “We have the right plants, the right harvest, the right cold storage. We make sure we have stored products for the offseason. We have got a market for the whole industry.”
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“IF YOU NEED TO LIVE DAY BY DAY AND YOU DON’T HAVE A LARGE CUSTOMER BASE, YOU NEED TO SELL ENOUGH TO GET FOOD ON THE TABLE, AND THEN YOU NEED THOSE CUSTOMERS TO COME TOMORROW AND BUY ANOTHER.” A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK
While Buya Bamba has made a name for itself ensuring a sustainable supply of potatoes on which its farmers receive a good return until now it has neglected the value-added side of the business. However, recently, this has all changed
with the construction of a US$ 7 million chip factory in Zambia. Establishing funding for the facility has been a challenge, due to a common reluctance to invest in Zambia, but Buya Bamba’s persistence is paying off. “Unfortunately, in Zambia, we’ve struggled due to the reluctance to put money into Zambia,” Barker acknowledges. “Nevertheless, we have got partners involved in the French fry factory at a cost of 7 million USD, but the reason we built it is we have a readily available supply of raw materials to keep the factory sustainable, rather than transporting them to Europe or further afield. The products, and the business, stays in Zambia.”
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BUYA BAMBA
As well as adding value for the company, Barker also hopes the new facility will bring down imports. “We have the raw material to make the factory sustainable. For fast-food chains, chips are often imported into Zambia from South Africa or Belgium. We’re a landlocked country and there are issues around congestion,” Barker explains. “Chicken and chip franchises are doing well here. There is a huge demand for fast food; we’re finding, due to migration and population growth, people are picking up fast food when they cannot get home on time to make a meal. Frozen chips are net-imported
into Zambia, but we can support those businesses. Fast food is going to be quite a big move in Africa going forward.” Potatoes are not the only valuable resource that Zambia has going for it, however. “The people in Zambia are amazing,” Barker insists. “They’re really a very hardworking culture, and I’m very proud to work with them. I am Zambian myself and I am very proud to work with the Zambian people. We are providing options for people to buy and sell potatoes, providing for all walks of life. I love Zambia and will continue to invest here- this is my home.”
“WE ARE PROVIDING OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE TO BUY AND SELL POTATOES, PROVIDING FOR ALL WALKS OF LIFE. I LOVE ZAMBIA & WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST HERE- THIS IS MY HOME.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
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COLPEX
Milos Lazarevic, CEO, Colpex.
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COLPEX
COLPEX HAS MADE A NAME FOR ITSELF OPERATING ACROSS THE FISH OIL SUPPLY CHAIN.
SERVING THE FULL FISH OIL PIPELINE PROJECT MANAGED BY: DEAN BROWN
COLPEX is a Peruvian company that specialises in the fish oil industry. It was established in 1995 by three shareholders, all still actively involved in its everyday management. It has become an industry leader among Peruvian fish oil exporters, as well as a producer of semi-refined, fully refined and concentrated fish oils with a high level of Omega-3 fatty acids.
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ur company was founded by engineers and during its 25 years of existence has grown its production while offering high-quality products and added value,” Lazarevic tells us. “It is a joint logistics, production and export company that across runs three business units.” COLPEX is recognised as an important logistics operator for having a multi-buoy port terminal located in the port of Chimbote, dedicated to crude fish oil logistics and bulk shipments. It can serve tanker ships of 200m in length and has a 20,000MT tank farm storage capacity. Its refining and concentrating facility is located in Supe and that’s where semi-refined, fully refined and concentrated fish oils are produced, under strict HACCP and GMP standards, in compliance with strict quality controls and procedures.
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Last but not least, COLPEX has recently finished implementing a Hydrolysed Fish Protein Concentrates Facility; unique in its kind, that will produce fish protein isolates FPI and fish protein concentrates FPC, as well as crude fish oil, the latter as part of the raw material supply chain for its refinery.
A REFINED OPERATION
The company operates across two facilities in the Peruvian ports of Supe and Chimbote. The strategic locations of these facilities along the Peruvian coast allow for direct access and the best selection of raw materials - essential in COLPEX’s line of work. The first of those facilities is the Supe Refinery, established in 2009. Here COLPEX processes semi-refined, fully refined and concentrated fish
oils. This refinery boasts a specialised storage area for COLPEX’s raw material, crude fish oil, as well as production buildings where the refining and molecular distillation equipment are operated, and warehouses for supplies, packing material and, of course, the finished products. The Supe Refinery is a HACCP & GMP, MarineTrust, Friends of the Sea, MSC, and ISO 9001 certified facility. It is also compliant with the latest FDA Food Safety Modernisation Act requirements. It also has an in-house laboratory that has been equipped to fully analyse crude fish oils and finished products, guaranteeing quality control. “Our engineers have been able to build and design our facility and in 25 years we have implemented technology to the highest levels,” Lazarevic tells us. “That is why we are recognised as one of the most important refined fish oil producers.” Meanwhile, at one of Peru’s main fishing ports, Chimbote, you can find COLPEX’s port terminal. This terminal features
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nine tanks for the bulk storage of crude fish oil, with a total capacity of 20,000 MT. The terminal’s multi-buoy berth, located 2,000 meters from the shore, can receive ships with up to 40,000-metric tons of cargo capacity. It has an official customs warehouse, authorised by Peru’s national customs authority, and is a leaving off point for COLPEX and other local producers to load and export crude fish oil in bulk. This is also where COLPEX’s fleet of tank trucks used for ground transport can be found. Chimbote port terminal also features an in-house laboratory equipped with the full range of crude fish oil analysis tools and is GMP + Feed Safety Assurance, Marine Trust, and ISO 9001 certified.
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First-class technical expertise, exceptional lab capacities and broad product range
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Sustainable environmental footprint
Chimbote is also home to the newly built Hydrolysed Fish Protein Concentrates Facility, unique in its kind. This production unit will make fish protein isolates and fish protein concentrates from whole fish, as well as crude fish oil (an additional raw material supply for its Refining Unit), meeting a worldwide growing demand for the consumption of healthy foods with high protein content, as well as healthy fats of marine origin. “We are a family-owned business with shareholders directly involved in the company management,” Lazarevic explains. “I am the founder of the company and have been working as the CEO for 25 years. It means faster decision making, and that we can offer flexibility to meet our customers’ needs in an ever-changing environment. Our production solution is adapted to customers’ specific needs and requirements.”
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COLPEX
RAW TALENT
“Considering Peru is the world’s largest high Omega 3 content crude fish oil producer, our strategic location along its coastline guarantees superior finished product quality, thanks to the strategic control we have over the entire supply and production chain, from raw material collection to the finished product. Our refinery’s strategic location allows it to source crude fish oil as soon as it has been produced, reducing unnecessary manipulation and guaranteeing its freshness. And now, with our new Hydrolysed Fish Protein Concentrates Facility (starting production in December 2021), we will also produce our own crude fish oil, raw material that will be processed in our Refinery. This will allow us a unique control over the entire traceability and quality of our products and will grant us a vertical integration towards our raw material supply.” “A lot of companies face challenges around a lack of raw materials for production, which they source from overseas in places as far afield as Asia,” says Lazarevic. “When you are not in control of raw materials a lack of supply can mean you need to switch to more expensive options, and then the price absorbed by either the producer or customer, making it less profitable or less competitive.” COLPEX works hand-inhand with its customers to satisfy their needs and ensure production keeps up with sales. “Lately around the world, there is concern around disease, and this is leading to profound changes in lifestyle, including a worldwide increase in the consumption of healthy foods. This has been exacerbated in the time of Covid,” Lazarevic
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says. “COLPEX sees an opportunity here to contribute to good population health with healthy products for mass consumption based on a single species: Peruvian anchovy; that makes up for the largest fishery on the planet.” In this growing market scenario for healthy products, COLPEX sees an opportunity to contribute to the improvement of the population’s nutrition, and to develop healthy products for mass consumption that contain proteins, fats rich in Omega-3 and macronutrients, which are found in many marine species, among which the anchovy stands out, as a resource of important nutritional and sustainable value.
A MATTER OF LOGISTICS
COLPEX’s strategic location provides it with a very small logistical challenge in the supply of its raw materials, but the logistical challenge with end customers remains. COLPEX, as the owner of a pumping terminal in Chimbote, manages to partially reduce its logistic costs for bulk exports, and being Peru the largest producer of raw material, the
logistical impact on the raw material supply chain, in terms of time and cost is very small, which makes COLPEX more competitive in the sector as well as the market. “Our company has also adapted its production and lead times, in order to buffer the constantly increasing transit times,” explains Lazarevic. “This has been achieved by working hand in hand with our customers and translating their needs and feedback into our production and shipping schedules.” But while COLPEX’s facilities and technology are both extensive and maintained to the highest standard, Lazarevic is clear that its people are its most valuable resource. “We are a family-owned business, so we invest in personal development,” Lazarevic adds. “The goal of each arm of our production is to work as closely as possible with the community and do that as much as possible to develop our staff and train them in specific skills. This methodology has over time proved right as we have been able to build a strong and loyal team, a baseline for any business looking into the future.”
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PROVET S.A.
THIS ANIMAL CARE PRODUCT PRODUCER AND DISTRIBUTOR FIRM HAS SEEN ITS SHARE OF FINANCIAL PROBLEMS, BUT WITH A LITTLE INVESTMENT, THEY HAVE TURNED THEIR STORY AROUND TO BECOME AN INDUSTRY LEADER.
NOT A SHAGGY DOG STORY PROJECT MANAGED BY: DEAN BROWN
Provet launched in the Greek animal health market over 40 years ago, becoming a major player in the region as a producer and distributor of animal care products. With its own range of products and a portfolio that included brands from a range of global players, it was a market leader.
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anufacturing, trading and distributing veterinary medicinal products for livestock and small animals, as well as nutritional products for livestock and pet food and accessories for companion animals, the company’s portfolio is impressive. Thanks to Provet S.A.’s knowhow and its ability to manage its resources efficiently, it has become known as the benchmark for the veterinarian, the producer and the trader of the specialised distribution channel. With a customer-orientated mentality and a focus on achieving the best possible care and welfare for animals, Provet S.A. has amassed a portfolio of over 100 registered trademarks while exporting products over 30 countries around the world. However, while its offering and market position were strong, Provet also encountered obstacles. “For 10-15 years after the economic crisis meant it had to
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suspend some of its business,” explains Nikos Savinos, Chief Financial Officer of Provet S.A. “Despite the crisis, the company continued manufacturing operations until 2020, when the company was about to close the doors to operations. It had liquidity problems with the bank and could not support production.”
A WORTHY INVESTMENT
Fortunately, in November of 2020, an investment fund stepped in, achieving a courtapproved deal with Provet’s creditors and injecting new capital into the business, saving the company and allowing it to continue operations. “Production was uninterrupted and it took us back to growth from a position as a leader of the market that had previously been going bankrupt,” Savinos says. “I was hired around this time, alongside a new executive team.” This new executive team is made up of 5 people including an Investment Director who works as the CEO of the company (Mr.
Nikolay Chekalkin), the Vice Chairman (Mr. Sofoklis Rovis), a CFO (Mr. Nikos Savinos), a Commercial Director (Mr. Christos Mizikakis) and a Factory Director (Mr. Haris Lazaridis). “We have a team of five people who run the operations of the business with a strategic line given by the investment fund,” Savinos explains. “The investment company has a track record for investment in Greek business and has some great turnaround stories.” Despite the liquidity problems the company had run into, it is not hard to see why Provet S.A. was an appealing prospect for those investors. “First of all, we are famous for our production quality. We have many years of experience in the field. We have our own labs and we provide a lot of quality controls in order to have the best quality of raw materials for pharmaceuticals,” Savinos says. “We are also a European company which means we can produce for European countries in line with their regulations. We are very flexible, with a very fast response time to new orders and new clients compared to industry standards, and serve a lot of gaps in the market.”
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PROVET S.A.
Nikos Savinos, Chief Financial Officer of Provet S.A.
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Channels change, relationships stay
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PROVET S.A.
A FRESH START
From that starting point, Provet S.A. has laid out an ambitious business plan that will see it consolidate and expand its leading market position. “We are already one year into our business plan. The new investors will expand the company not just here but globally, cooperating with major players in the market,” Savinos tells us. “We are investigating and expanding into a lot of new markets around the world.” The new markets Provet is moving into are not just geographical, the company is also expanding its service offering. “We have developed new business units, we have a new testing lab providing lab services, as also new product lines in pet supplements and shampoos,” Savinos points out. “We offer blood exams for veterinarians, which has been very successful. We opened that this summer and it is certified to provide exams.” The benefits of this new offering are manifold, as Savinos explains, “It’s a new income stream and a good way to be in direct communication with our clients as well.” Provet S.A.’s resurgence is good news, not just for the company, but for the many people it employs and supports. “One of the goals in retaining the company was to keep employees’ positions within the company,” Savinos says. “There are approximately 80 employees and we have retained the majority of them.” Retaining Provet’s existing staff is only the beginning of the company’s ambitions, however. “Although the company had its problems, we still want to grow to be bigger than before,” Savinos says. “We have
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Nikolay Chekalkin, CEO of Provet S.A.
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created some management positions in the finance and sales department, most of the processes and structure are adjusted to improve the performance of the company.” As well as bringing in new staff, Provet is also looking at investing in the people it has. “The training we do now is based on the new tools we’ve developed for the sales team for manually ordering and communicating with clients,” says Savinos. “It takes the ordering process to digital for efficiency and speed. All these new things that we are producing we have specific training within our teams for. We’re also planning to do regular training inside the company around pharmaceuticals and animal health products.”
“THE NEW INVESTORS WILL EXPAND THE COMPANY NOT JUST HERE BUT GLOBALLY, COOPERATING WITH MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE MARKET. WE ARE INVESTIGATING AND EXPANDING INTO A LOT OF NEW MARKETS AROUND THE WORLD.” 100 | FMCG
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PROVET S.A.
This training is necessary because of the ongoing transformation in how the company does business. Provet is completely changing its approach, digitalising the whole company. “We are on the way to be a paperless company for invoicing and communication using the available tools, and we improve every day on this,” Savinos says proudly. “Our scope and vision for the future is to be a leader in the Balkan market, serving all countries around Greece but also acting as a global player. We are starting operations in Africa, and also, we are now proceeding to start operations in Russia and Latvia because our investment fund has investments there. We’ll expand globally and become a global player.”
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ŸNSECT
FUNCTIONAL, SUSTAINABLE AND FULL OF PROTEIN, VITAMINS AND FIBRE – THAT’S THE WORLD’S FIRST FOOD INGREDIENT RANGE DERIVED FROM INSECTS, BROUGHT TO THE MARKET BY ŸNSECT.
HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE PROJECT MANAGED BY: MAX HUTCHINGS
As the pace at which global markets evolve towards healthy eating accelerates, so do new trends pushed forward by companies researching and launching novel food concepts. One of these companies is Ÿnsect Netherlands, previously known as Protifarm, the global leader in the production of mealworm ingredients for food applications.
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ounded in 2015, the company offers planetfriendly food solutions, developed by the very best food scientists, engineers and experts from universities and research institutes. Together with an international team of passionate people and partners, Ÿnsect produces effective, nutritious, and functional ingredients derived from insects, for bakery, sports nutrition, pasta, meat alternatives, and more. Tom Mohrmann, Country Manager Ÿnsect Netherlands, who also leads the international division Ÿnsect Human Nutrition & Health, describes the company’s beginnings: “The business started with an idea to grow insects for human nutrition. This idea was implemented through the acquisition of a small insect farm in The Netherlands, which was, back then, the largest insect farm in Europe.”
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From ten different insect species grown at the farm, only one species of buffalo mealworm was chosen as the basis for future production, and technology was transformed from manual labour to industrial scale with the opening of a new, fully autonomous and robotised factory in 2018 – a major investment. “Scaling up the process has been the biggest challenge that we have faced – the combination of biology and automation is not easy, but this applies to the whole industry. However, we have managed to make it work.” Tom, with a background in the food industry, joined the company in 2017 and intensified the efforts on processing. “In principle, we started to produce sustainable ingredients for the food industry derived from insects. That is our core business in a nutshell. Today,
there are more insects in our high-tech factory in The Netherlands than people on this planet.” In 2021 the Dutch company Protifarm reached an important milestone when it was acquired by Ÿnsect, a French company that is the global leader in natural insect protein. “Both of our companies build on their knowledge and expertise in the area of production for feed and food, and joining forces gives us strength in both directions. Operating on a global level, we now work as one company, producing ingredients for feed, as well as for human nutrition.”
THE SUSTAINABLE MEAT ALTERNATIVE
“We are insect breeding and processing. During the process we unlock and transform the insects into recognisable food ingredients, adding technical functionality, so that the food industry can use them into recognisable products to satisfy everyday eating habits,” says Tom.
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ŸNSECT
SMART TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS TO ACCELERATE THE INSECT INDUSTRY VDL Insect Systems, part of VDL Groep, offers a complete range of modular and scalable solutions and services for each production phase and factory capacity size. Our goal is to provide insect growers innovative solutions to scale up their production to meet the growing demand for alternatives for the classic protein sources. By using the broad network and industry activities of VDL Groep we can actively contribute to the industrialization of the insect sector. VDL Groep, headquartered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, is an international industrial family business with 105 operating companies, spread throughout 19 countries, with around 15,000 employees.
www.vdlinsectsystems.com
STRENGTH THROUGH COOPERATION
VDL INSECT SYSTEMS “WE ARE HERE TO TRANSLATE CORE TECHNOLOGY INTO SMART TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS TO ACCELERATE THE INSECT INDUSTRY GROWTH” As global food demand is rising, our current forms of food production are facing major challenges. Whether in animal production or aquaculture, new protein sources, such as insects, are quickly becoming sustainable alternatives for the classic protein sources. To meet this demand, insect growers must be enabled to produce competitively and at a larger scale. VDL Insect Systems offers the technology and equipment to solve production challenges for the insect sector. Our solutions range from engineering support for upscaling, components and complete systems for feedstock reception, preparation, storage and transport, reproduction breeding, rearing and processing to end-products.
ŸNSECT
He points out that insects are by far the most efficient source of protein, and the process of rearing them is efficient. Ÿnsect multiplies this efficiency with every stacked layer by using the vertical farming method. This helps to produce more protein per square metre of land than protein sourced from dairy and even more protein than protein sourced from beef.
The broad network and industry activities of VDL contribute actively to the industrialization of the insect sector, by linking the insect production to the growing demand for sustainable proteins for the poultry, aquaculture, pet food and food industries. “STRENGTH THROUGH COOPERATION” VDL Insect Systems is part of VDL Groep. VDL Groep, headquartered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, is an international industrial family business with 105 operating companies, spread throughout 19 countries, with around 15,000 employees. The VDL companies break down into five divisions: Mobility, Science – Technology & Health, Energy & Sustainability, Infratech and Foodtech. VDL Groep innovates through a combination of craftsmanship, entrepreneurship and high-quality machinery. The group of companies combines the clout of a multinational with the flat organization and open, informal working atmosphere of a family business, where priority is given to growth opportunities and continuity. Strength through cooperation is the cornerstone of VDL Groep. VDL INSECT SYSTEMS APPROACH VDL Insect Systems can offer a complete range of products and services, ranging from feeding, breeding, rearing, climate and processing solutions, with focus on Black Soldier Flies, Mealworms and Lesser mealworms. Based on our modular and scalable approach, VDL Insect Systems provides solutions for each production phase and factory capacity size. By combining our knowledge of insects and experience in animal production, feed storage and preparation, food processing, polymers, packaging and climate control systems, we can provide solutions for any size of plant or provide OEM solutions according to specifications. www.vdlinsectsystems.com
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The Business Unit Ÿnsect Human Nutrition & Health markets the products under the AdalbaPro brand. This unique, sustainable, and minimally processed ingredient range offers solutions for meat replacement and protein fortification to add value and effectiveness to all kinds of formulations. “We produce extremely sustainable, high-quality ingredients. Our soluble protein is the best of both worlds: top quality and maximum sustainability,” Tom points out.
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ŸNSECT
Tom Mohrmann, General Manager, Ÿnsect Netherlands.
AdalbaPro products are already incorporated into several baked goods, sports nutrition, pasta and meat alternatives. As a high-quality animal protein, AdalbaPro contains all the essential amino acids as well as essential vitamins and minerals. The range is currently available in a textured form and as powders. Generally speaking, market penetration has not been as fast as desired, as a result of the concept being perhaps too novel for the traditionally thinking food market. Tom admits that although
people have been eating insects from the beginning of time, the idea of edible insects is relatively new to the modern consumer. The mindset of “insect-eating” is yet to be overcome. “I believe a new approach is needed, an approach that would regard insects the same way as traditional livestock. The key is to unlock the nutritive attributes and transform them into recognisable ingredients. That is what we are focusing on and what needs to be reinforced.”
“WE PRODUCE EXTREMELY SUSTAINABLE, HIGH-QUALITY INGREDIENTS. OUR SOLUBLE PROTEIN IS THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS: TOP QUALITY AND MAXIMUM SUSTAINABILITY.” 106 | FMCG
HELPING THE PLANET
“Overall, the response from the food industry has been positive, particularly to our texturised products. I believe that with the help of good partners in the ingredient industry we can offer them a very good solution and help them develop new concepts.” Tom affirms that the interest in new meat alternatives and new protein sources is global. At the moment, the company is recording growing demand in Europe and North America, with other regions, such as some Asian countries, following slowly. “AdalbaPro, our functional, nutritious, and sustainable ingredient range, helps to reduce our global footprint. We are enthusiastic about making
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JANSEN TECHNIEK MACHINE DESIGN, PROCESS OPTIMIZATION AND END-OF-LINE INSPECTION. Based in the Netherlands, Jansen Techniek develops and delivers processing solutions for the food industry in the Netherlands and abroad. A full-service company, we provide the sector with advice, engineering, construction, and ongoing service and support. We are active in many different sectors such as poultry, red meat, fish, meat alternatives, bakery, fruit and vegetables and newer sustainable sectors such as insect-based food produced by companies like Protifarm. TOTAL SOLUTIONS As well as optimizing existing production processes, we are often involved in new building projects, combining our expertise with our customers experience from day one. Together we determine the best lay-out for the new production line(s). Thanks to various partnerships with among others Marelec Food Technologies and Fortress Technology we offer complete production solutions for food processing companies. From extensive conveyor systems to the weighing, portioning and sorting of products. And from robotic operators to end-of-line systems such as metal detection and x-ray inspection. CUSTOM MACHINES, SATISFIED CUSTOMERS In addition to supplying standard machines, we love the challenge of engineering innovative custom solutions which save time and money and produce better products. That is what we do best. Our machines are characterized by their robust, no-nonsense, low-maintenance design and are built to comply to the strict hygiene requirements in the food industry. All though we love machines, we love people more. We do what we do for a customer’s satisfied smile, for a happy and healthy consumer and for a more sustainable food processing industry. JANSEN TECHNIEK, Putten, The Netherlands Email: sales@jansentechniek.nl
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www.jansencontrolsystems.com
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ŸNSECT
insects the meat of the future – compared to poultry, pork and beef our buffalo mealworms produce a tiny fraction of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. And our commitment to GHG reduction does not apply just to our own facility but extends to the entire supply chain. The key message is that with the vertical farming method that enables maximized productivity per square metre, using renewable energy and less water, fresh insect production has a dramatically lower general environmental impact than other traditional animal protein sources. This is an important aspect on which the company has based its further development, recently further supported by the merger with Ÿnsect. “Our two businesses are now going forward as one, to deliver our promise of supplying the world with sustainable ingredients for food and feed,” concludes Tom Mohrmann.
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ŸNSECT
FATTAL HOTEL GROUP
THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE BEEN PUNISHING FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, BUT AS FATTAL HOTEL GROUP SHOWS, THINGS COULD BE FINALLY TURNING AROUND.
GOOD NEWS FOR HOSPITALITY PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID TAVERNOR
The Fattal Hotel Group is a group of hotels active across Europe and Israel. The Group owns and manages 200 hotels spread over 20 countries, with major activity in Germany, as well as in the UK and Ireland, Israel, and the Netherlands.
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e started out as a hotel management company 22 years ago, moving very fast in Israel to become the largest hotel group in the country,” explains the Group CEO, David Fattal. “Then we started activities in Western Europe.” Across those 20 countries, four divisions and 200 branches, Fattal Hotels has stuck to a winning formula. “Our unique selling point is the warmth and attitude of our team towards our guests. As a group we often say hospitality is all about love,” Fattal tells us. “The hotel guests should feel the staff love them and appreciate them coming to our hotels. There is also the design and core of our hotels. We have a special breakfast at all of our
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hotels. Location-wise we are very centrally located in many cities around Europe.” That warmth is the result of a comprehensive programme of training and leadership across the company. “Once we started our operations in Europe, especially in Germany, we felt that we needed to create a group of people who would be future managers, and so created the Leonardo Academy,” says Daniel Roger, Managing Director of Fattal Hotels in Europe and the UK. “We looked for candidates in each hotel and picked up 75 colleagues to go through a two-year planned process, working in departments they weren’t accustomed to. It has been a major success.”
FATTAL HOTEL GROUP
Leonardo Royal St. Pauls, London, UK.
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Treat your guests with the Dead Sea experience Cosmetic formula Enriched with pure Dead Sea minerals Wonderful fragrance. Cost-effective Ensures reduced consumption and replacement Increased quality Lock-in system See through control panel Use it up to the last drop Drip-free system Ultimate design Elegant and classic design Mix & match Perfect harmony with your bathroom Caring for the environment Recycled & Recyclable dispenser Environmental friendly
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Eco-friendly line, recycled and recyclable paper sachets, accessories with added corn starch, and with a reduced carbon footprint
Contact us: sarah@seaofspa-amenities.com Tel: +972.52.522.3212
SEA OF SPA
FATTAL HOTEL GROUP
LEONARDO TURNS EVERY BATHROOM INTO A PAMPERING SPA EXPERIENCE Since they first emerged in the 1980s, boutique hotels have set a new benchmark for the hotel experience, refreshing the whole industry with new and innovative takes on what travelers want most: a custom-made, personalized adventure that appeals to a specific lifestyle. Today, the actual lodging has become a by-product of the experience. Added values like co-working spaces and pop-up shops leave little for our guests to miss back home. Gradually, all big international hotel chains have followed suit, establishing luxury boutique sub-brands in order to capitalize on the growth of the trendy hotel concept. Leonardo is a world leader, bringing the wonders of the dead sea to the hotels.
David Fattal, Chairman & Group CEO, Fattal Hotel Group.
AN INDUSTRY-WIDE PERSPECTIVE
Millions of people from all over the world keep returning to this ancient marvel, The Dead Sea, to cure various skin and hair ailments and indulge in its abundant, natural wonders. At an altitude of 413 meters below sea level, The Dead Sea boasts of as many as 26 minerals, 12 of which are unique only to this rare site, and cannot be found in any other of the world’s seas or oceans. As well as the ability of The Dead Sea salts to sterilize and clean the skin, its active minerals possess unique medical qualities. The Dead Sea minerals are world-renowned for their medicinal and therapeutic values and are consequently used to soothe, nourish, regenerate and revitalize skin cells and tissue. The SEA OF SPA hotel cosmetics are specially designed to complete the guest’s experience - a luxurious line, based on a prestigious cosmetic formula, enriched with pure Dead Sea minerals for pampered skin and hair. This high-end collection combines a stylish design, high fashion perfume, and unique ingredients, promising an unforgettable multi-sensory experience. www.seaofspa.com
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Being a company with such a wide spread of locations means that Fattal Hotel Group can offer a uniquely broad insight into the effect of the Covid pandemic on the hospitality industry for the last couple of years. “Managing the crisis for us meant talking to and reaching agreements with hotel landlords and then talking to all of our employees. We had the trust of our employees and management, we had an online platform to manage and contact our employees, and that was very important for us,” explains Yoram Biton, Managing Director of Fattal Hotels subsidiary, Leonardo Hotels. “Additionally, we took part in a union of business hoteliers and chains to create a lobby in Germany that was active in ensuring the best interests for the industry.” “In the UK and Ireland, we have seen a similar story. We have been utilising government support available to us in terms of
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business rate relief and using the furlough scheme,” agrees Jason Carruthers, Managing Director of Jurys Inns and Leonardo UK and Ireland. “Our guiding principle, as much as it was economically viable, was for hotels to remain open as much as they possibly could. We were supported by key pieces of businesses throughout the pandemic and were fortunate to have a number of hotels on the government’s quarantine programme.” Across the Fattal Hotel Group communication with its teams was imperative. In Germany, the company devised an in-house social media solution, later rolled out across the Group to keep its teams up to speed.
“OUR UNIQUE SELLING POINT IS THE WARMTH AND ATTITUDE OF OUR TEAM TOWARDS OUR GUESTS. AS A GROUP WE OFTEN SAY HOSPITALITY IS ALL ABOUT LOVE.” “We negotiated with landlords to improve our commercial terms. Our landlords, by and large, were very supportive, as we’re a strong tenant, and in line with reducing demand we reduced our operating costs and adapted our business constantly to lower occupancies and changing regulations,” Carruthers tells us. “We also constantly work with our suppliers to understand the issues they have and the cost pressures they’re under to continue supply throughout.” Those two qualities, communication and adaptability, would prove to be watchwords for making it through the pandemic.
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HENKELL FREIXENET SPARKLING TIMES: CELEBRATE LIFE WITH HENKELL FREIXENET True to the claim “Celebrate Life,” Henkell Freixenet is there to toast life’s big and small moments: as the world’s leading sparkling wine producer, the company offers sekt, cava, prosecco, champagne, and crémant from a single source - complemented by a diverse range of wines and spirits. The group has subsidiaries in 30 countries and exports its brands to more than 150 countries worldwide. The highest standards of quality and craftsmanship, coupled with market and brand expertise, make it the market leader in numerous countries for cava, sparkling wine, prosecco, wine or various types of spirits. The group includes brands such as Freixenet, Henkell, Mionetto Prosecco, Champagne Alfred Gratien, Gratien & Meyer Crémant, i heart WINES and Mangaroca Batida de Côco. A TOAST TO ELEGANCE WITH HENKELL Henkell stands for a world of elegance and cultivated sparkling wine enjoyment. As the most exported German sparkling wine brand, Henkell Trocken accompanies moments full of joie de vivre in over 100 countries worldwide. The elegant design, the sparkling dry taste as well as the constant product awards underline the high quality standards of the brand. As the inventor of the Piccolo, Henkell’s extensive range is complemented by a special Piccolo expertise. Henkell’s creations have held a firm place in the German and international sparkling wine landscape for over 160 years. SPANISH TEMPERAMENT AND PASSION WITH FREIXENET Freixenet embodies Spanish temperament and sparkling passion - always with a twinkle in its eye. The world’s largest cava and sparkling wine producer also stands for unique quality, and has done so since 1914. The success of the house with headquarters in Sant Sadurni near Barcelona, is based on its brand strength. Freixenet is one of the most emotional, modern and productive brands on the international sparkling wine market and, in keeping with its motto “Celebra la vida. A true guarantee of dry enjoyment, the Spanish premium cava Cordón Negro Brut from the tradition-rich house of Freixenet is characterized by its delicate bouquet of fine honey notes, fresh apple and ripe pear. The noble cava owes its unmistakable aroma to the fruity grapes from the important wine-growing region of Penedès in the significant black frosted bottle. LA DOLCE VITA WITH MIONETTO PROSECCO The Prosecco winery Mionetto S.p.A., founded in 1887 by Francesco Mionetto as a small family business in Valdobbiadene in the heart of the Veneto region, is now the world’s best-selling Prosecco brand according to the IWSR and is exported to over 70 countries around the world. A stylish companion to any aperitif is Mionetto Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut. Sparkling, it seduces with its scent of ripe apples and on the palate with notes of acacia blossoms and fine honey to toast. Mionetto Prosecco stylishly combines first-class taste and top quality with a unique design and exudes the relaxed southern attitude to life of the Italians - making it the epitome of Prosecco today. For rosé enthusiasts, there is the Mionetto Prosecco Rosé DOC: with its impressive pink peach blossom color, it announces a fruity bouquet with distinct notes of small red fruits and grapefruit. www.henkell-freixenet.com
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FATTAL HOTEL GROUP
Since 1887, Mionetto has inspired the Italian zest for life. Any time, any place, any occasion, share a touch of Italian style. With its light, crisp and refreshing flavor, Mionetto Prosecco turns every moment into ones that truly matter. BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
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FATTAL HOTEL GROUP
Leonardo Boutique Museum Hotel, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Since those early days of the pandemic a lot has changed, and the second half of last year saw many restrictions lift and trade improve, but at the end of last November, the industry faced a new setback in the form of the Omicron strain. “That knocked us back a few months,” Fattal says. “But the improvement was significant. November was a good month for us, the UK finished at 77% of our average earnings, Germany was over 60%, the Netherlands
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were at 60%, and Israel was at 75%. We were facing an upturn and improvement, but unfortunately, this was ruined by the new strain of Covid.”
A TIME FOR EXPANSION
Yet, despite these setbacks, Fattal Hotels still has plans to open up 1,800 more rooms by 2024 across multiple sites. “We believe in the tourism industry and the hotel industry. We think people will come back to normal life, even
compensating themselves with more vacations, conventions, and business trips, so we have to be ready for them,” Fattal insists. “We’re long-term players, we’re hoteliers, we really believe the industry will flourish in the very near future.” That said, Fattal Hotels knows that a long-term view means that recovery will not come right away.
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FATTAL HOTEL GROUP
“It will take a year-and-ahalf or two years for us to get back to 2019 figures. Tourism will be strong, leisure will be stronger, but it will be a little while before we see high numbers of corporate customers, exhibitions and conventions,” says Roger. “We are working very hard on plans for sustainability in our hotels.” Indeed, while restrictions are being lifted in many places, they are not all being lifted at the same time.
“Here in the Netherlands, we’re still in lockdown, one of the last countries in Europe to be so,” says Alexander Kluit, Managing Director of Apollo & Leonardo Hotels Benelux. “What we saw over the summer when business started getting back to normal, was enormous demand from the various segments. Q1 of this year is still very weak, but people want to travel, they want to meet. Q2 will show the first recovery.”
“WE THINK PEOPLE WILL COME BACK TO NORMAL LIFE, EVEN COMPENSATING THEMSELVES WITH MORE VACATIONS, CONVENTIONS, AND BUSINESS TRIPS, SO WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR THEM.” Restaurant at Leonardo Royal Alexanderplatz, Berlin, Germany
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FATTAL HOTEL GROUP
COCA-COLA EUROPACIFIC PARTNERS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH COCA-COLA EUROPACIFIC PARTNERS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH (CCEP DE), IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOTTLING AND DISTRIBUTION OF COCA-COLA BRANDED PRODUCTS THROUGHOUT GERMANY. WE ARE THE LARGEST GERMAN BEVERAGE COMPANY AND OFFER AROUND 60 DIFFERENT NONALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. CCEP DE IS PART OF COCA-COLA EUROPACIFIC PARTNERS (CCEP), ONE OF THE WORLD’S LEADING CONSUMER GOODS COMPANIES.
NYX Hotel Holborn, London, UK.
We are an international business which invests, employs, manufactures and distributes locally, maintaining a strong commitment to the economic and social well-being of our communities. In Germany, we have been producing soft drinks since 1929 - then as now locally. Our production plants are located in all regions of the country. With around 7,000 employees, we proudly serve 325,000 customer outlets in Germany. We offer around 60 different beverages in Germany: our popular classics Coca-Cola Original Taste, Fanta and Sprite as well as many other soft drinks but also mineral waters, spritzers, organic lemonades as well as energy drinks, tea and coffee. We offer low and no sugar options, while working to reduce the environmental impact of our manufacturing, distribution and packaging. We are convinced that business success and sustainability go hand in hand. We set ambitious goals and act to contribute to a better future through our brands and our business. Our sustainability strategy and all related activities are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. www.cocacolaep.com
CF GASTRO
‘Systematic freshness’ is the motto of CF Gastro GmbH & Co. KG. This group has been meeting the highest quality demands of its international customers since 1998. CF Gastro manages the nationwide sales of fresh fruit and vegetables centrally. In addition, it offers all the services of a central control system, far beyond just invoicing. Their expertise in fresh products in the temperature range from 2 to 7°C has grown with its range of produce, corresponding to the global trend towards vegetarian and vegan food. In 2008, the group crowned its core expertise with its very own premium brand napuro. Since then, the group’s premium range has been manufactured exclusively by certified European producers. napuro impresses with a wide variety of ready-to-cook, ready-cut foods that guarantee healthy, pure enjoyment and make work easier in any kitchen. This reduces staff requirements and makes it possible to calculate even more accurately. Distribution is implemented flexibly up to six days a week. Orders received by midday are processed directly and delivered fresh to kitchens nationwide the following day with unified product and quality standards. In addition, smooth processes are supported by an internal IT department and all interfaces necessary for the direct flow of data are guaranteed. Furthermore, every step is accompanied by central quality management, so that freshness is guaranteed from the field to the plate. With a network of more than 30 delivery partners in Germany, CF Gastro ensures that every single customer location can rely on an excellent delivery service. More than 5,000 strongly committed employees work together in the group to live up this claim. www.cfgastro.de
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THE POST-COVID WORLD
Kluit predicts that the tourism sector will recover before the business sector, but he also sees ways the industry can adapt. “What we did in Amsterdam is transform hotel rooms into working spaces,” he points out. “We also look at multi-flexible programmes for hotels where we can see different kinds of occupancies.” While the hotel industry as a whole is likely to change, it is also true that even in the best-case scenario, customer behaviour will be different postpandemic. “Behaviours will change. Customers need confidence that we’re Covid compliant and hygienic moving forward,” says Carruthers. “I don’t think that will change, and we operate larger properties than our competitors, with large bedrooms and lobbies and we’re able to offer larger spaces that are naturally socially distant. So, we offer a good solution for people, and have technological advances we put in place, like taking away the need to check-in by letting people check-in online and issuing a key when they get here.” Whatever the post-Covid world brings, the Fattal Hotel Group has spent the pandemic preparing for it.
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FATTAL HOTEL GROUP
The Midland Hotel, Manchester, UK
“We used Covid not to sit down and do nothing but to invest in our hotels, refurbish, upgrade, and invest in systems and people, ready for the moment when we can invite our guests in full back to the hotels,” says Kluit. “In the UK our five most prominent properties in the Group underwent full
renovations over the lockdown period,” Carruthers agrees. “We are unique in having carried out such extensive renovations to bring new products to the market at a time when people are just returning to hotels.” With more hotels opening even now, it is clear that Fattal Hotels believes in a bright future for the hospitality sector.
“WE ARE UNIQUE IN HAVING CARRIED OUT SUCH EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS TO BRING NEW PRODUCTS TO THE MARKET AT A TIME WHEN PEOPLE ARE JUST RETURNING TO HOTELS.”
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FATTAL HOTEL GROUP
The Bar at NYX Warsaw, Poland.
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MG HEALTH
MG HEALTH IS ALREADY LEADING THE WAY IN THE BURGEONING PHARMACEUTICAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY, AND IN DOING SO IS UPLIFTING THE COMMUNITIES OF LESOTHO.
A PHARMACEUTICAL FUTURE PROJECT MANAGED BY: CHRIS CONWAY MG Health started doing business in 2017. The company was issued its license that April and started construction of its facility near the village of Ha Marakabei later that year.
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e built it here because there’s no commercial farming around us. There’s adequate water from the nearby reservoir and a good power supply,” explains Andre Bothma, CEO of MG Health. “All our power is hydropower.” MG Health made its first exports into Israel in September 2020 and achieved GACP certification in April the same year. In March 2021 the company received confirmation of its EU GMP certification and had its first export into Germany in July later that year. When we speak to Bothma, MG Health is in the process of being certified for extracts that he is aiming to bring to market in the second quarter of 2022. Bothma is confident, due to the high quality of the crops that MG Health grows, and the unique location they are grown in. “Our product is grown 2,000 metres above sea level, in a low humidity, and because of that they don’t have any microbes
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on them,” Bothma says. “We export product into Israel and Germany, but it doesn’t have to be irradiated. When you irradiate cannabis plants, you eliminate a lot of the terpenes. So quality is our unique selling point.”
NAVIGATING REGULATORY CHALLENGES
While marijuana-based products are MG Health’s stock in trade, talking to Bothma it is clear that he sees the firm as more than another in the growing marijuana industry. “We are an established pharmaceutical company with a wide investor base,” Bothma says. “I’m not a user of cannabis. I do use the oil that we’ve developed for arthritis. Our organisation sees ourselves more as a pharmaceutical company producing cannabis products than a cannabis company.” Of course, recent years have offered pharmaceutical companies a new raft of challenges. “We’re dealing with narcotics, and this period of Covid-19 could not have come at a worse time for us,” Bothma admits. “We’re dealing with projects with Ministries of Health and
Home Offices and Departments of Health all around the world, and all these departments have been under tremendous strain with the coronavirus. That has been a challenge while seeking export permits and import permits, especially while people aren’t in their offices. But we’ve slowly overcome it.” Bothma admits that the crisis has slowed down MG Health’s progress, and put it a little behind schedule, but he remains optimistic. “It has taken more time,” he says. “We would have liked to have GMP accreditation in June of 2020, but we only got it in March 2021, it’s slowed down the expansion of the business. The important factor for our business is that we have the capability to scale up, but that is taking longer than expected purely because of the challenges around Covid-19.”
A-GRADE PEOPLE
As well as water and power, MG Health is also able to tap into another valuable resourceabundant at Ha Marakabeipeople. “There’s a small community of 2,000 people locally, and we employ 200 people from that village, a total of 300 people
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MG HEALTH
Andre Bothma, CEO of MG Health.
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10 Wigford Road, Masons Mill, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa +27(0)11 462 6274 info@troxsa.co.za www.troxsa.co.za
Breath easy!
TROX TECHNIK LTD
Preforma Box Plugs for exceptional propagation.
TROX has been the supplier of various HVAC components and products for the worldwide pharmaceutical industry for years; we are able to provide turnkey laboratories with fully automated HVAC control. The challenges experienced by medicinal cannabis producers are much the same as that of pharmaceutical facilities with similar certification requirements. These facilities require highly specialised HVAC equipment in order to maintain the stringent environmental control required for the growing, processing and packaging of their product; products TROX specialise in and are able to support any client with, be it in the hospital, pharmaceutical or medicinal cannabis fields. Medicinal cannabis crops are highly susceptible to cross contamination, mould, humidity and temperature fluctuations. To provide the perfect growing environment the air in such facilities needs to be filtered and accurately monitored and controlled for humidity and temperature at all times. Each stage of the process, growing, flowering, harvesting, drying, etc. have very different environmental requirements. Failing to provide your crops the ideal environment will directly influence your end product quality and ultimately the quantity of product the plants are able to provide; both influencing your turnover and profit. The products supplied by TROX for these very sensitive environments include the following:
Developing sustainable plant growing solutions together.
1. Air Handling Units, for the supply of conditioned air into critical areas. 2. Fresh Air Units, for the supply of fresh air into conditioned areas. 3. Various air filters including HEPA filters, necessary to filter the air, prevents cross contamination and to keep the air clean. 4. Air Diffusion products, to ensure the correct air flow patterns into critical areas. 5. Air flow dampers, for precision room differential pressure control and ease of commissioning. 6. Weather Louvers, to enable enough fresh air into an area, without rain ingress. www.troxsa.co.za
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Jiffy Preforma Box Plugs. Proven to be world class for propagation under wide ranging conditions.
www.jiffysa.co.za
jules@jiffysa.co.za
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TUNNEL QUIP Tunnel Quip is the proud provider of the state of the art MG Health processing facilities. The best-practice production plant was built from the ground up to completion by Tunnel Quip and is our flagship project to date. Tunnel Quip, based in KZN has been servicing the agricultural, horticultural and hydroponic sectors in South Africa and beyond for more than twenty years. Our cannabis greenhouses are built with the growing of the specific crop in mind. Features include being strong enough for blackout screens and high enough to accommodate lights and screens and much more. Our structures are fully braced, with wind support, side corridors and galvanised steel gutters for rain harvesting. Our strong relationships with our suppliers ensure that we have you covered with the right solutions no matter what your needs for your project, from building the structure, climate control and the best imported growing mediums. Tunnel Quip offers precise fertigation controls for your cannabis crop and each pump room is designed with your project in mind. Total control of fertiliser and irrigation, monitoring of soil moisture, temperature and RH ensures a good crop. All information is sent to your desktop computer for record keeping and easy control. We also specialise in agricultural sheeting, nursery supplies, hydroponic supplies, greenhouse tunnels of all sizes as well as accessories, pruning supplies and irrigation products. From novice to commercial, big or small operations, when it comes to all your growing needs – we’ve got you covered. www.tunnelquip.co.za
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MG HEALTH
across the company,” Bothma says. “We tapped into the South African pool of specialists and pharmacists and have taken young talent on board and developed them over the last four years.” For Bothma, this is absolutely a priority for ensuring the success of the company. “I really believe we are all about people and having the right team in place,” he argues. “When you’re constructing a building if you have an A-grade team and B-grade equipment you can still deliver an A-grade building. But with a B-grade team and A-grade equipment, you will still only get a B-grade building. We are the first company in our sector to get EU certification, and we put that down to our team being able to execute it.” Of course, finding that A-grade team is the trick. Bothma puts MG Health’s success down to luck, partly to good use of those local resources.
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MG HEALTH
“I believe we were just very lucky to find the right people at the time. We have found professionals who were, in turn, able to hire the right people under them,” Bothma points out. “Then we went to our local university in 2017, and we recruited from their top students, youngsters who were not able to find jobs, and inducted them into the company. We are very happy with the quality of people able to be here.” Having staff able to operate at this level is essential if MG Health is to become the global player it is working to be. “These people are really excellent,” Bothma says. “One of the important things we decided on when we set up this business is that we want to be exporting medicines to Europe, which means operating at the highest standards of quality. Our lab operates to one of the highest standards for cannabis in the world.” Of course, as well as drawing talent from the local community, MG Health also works to give back. “If you look at the village, we’ve employed over 200 people and they are the only people there who can read and write English as you and I can,” Bothma points out. “They do a two-hour exam when they are recruited. If they don’t get at least 50% on that exam we’ll still employ them but also educate them, with full-time teachers working on site.” MG Health is also working to improve the lifestyle of the village as a whole.
“When we started up, we did a detailed survey of every household and we got all the names, ages, and aspirations of the people who lived near us,” Bothma recalls. “From that, we realised we didn’t have enough toilets, and only half the village was electrified. We’ve upgraded the water system, we’ve built toilets, and we ensure all our staff are fed at work. We buy locally grown vegetables from local farmers. We’ve changed the way the village lives. It’s a completely different lifestyle there now.” While this is admirable progress, Bothma insists it is only the beginning. “What is important here is what this industry and our company can do for the future,” he tells us. “We are operating in a British protectorate that became independent in 1966, we are completely landlocked by South Africa and our biggest exports are diamonds, water to South Africa and textiles. The pharmaceutical industry can make a huge impact on the social and economic aspects of this country.” MG Health is well on the way to making that impact, with the company already ripe for expansion. “Currently we have more orders than we have production and we’re about to kick off another 10,000 square metres of the growth area, growing that to 15,000 square metres next year, and growing another 5,000 square metres a year after that,” Bothma says. “We are very excited. This is the industry really in its infancy.”
“I REALLY BELIEVE WE ARE ALL ABOUT PEOPLE AND HAVING THE RIGHT TEAM IN PLACE.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
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HAVER & BOECKER
The ROTO-PACKER® machine has revolutionized packing around the world with cement, and other bulk materials.
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HAVER & BOECKER
BUILDING ON A SOLID FAMILY TRADITION, HAVER & BOECKER HAS BECOME A GLOBAL INDUSTRY LEADER THANKS TO ITS INNOVATIVE SPIRIT & COSMOPOLITANISM.
SYNERGY OF TRADITION & INNOVATION PROJECT MANAGED BY: RASH UDDIN
Haver & Boecker is a family-run medium-sized company with its headquarters in Oelde, Westphalia; it stands on two pillars - its wire-weaving and machine factory divisions. Together with more than 50 subsidiaries and 150 representations around the world, the company is active on all five continents.
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Florian Festge, Managing Partner, Haver & Boecker.
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aver & Boecker owes its successful development to its innovative spirit and cosmopolitanism. Founded in 1887 as a wire-weaving mill, machine manufacturing began under the same roof in 1926. Today, Haver & Boecker is a technology leader and trendsetter for high-tech solutions for fabricated and transformed woven wire as well as specialized machinery and engineered plants and systems,” explains Managing Partner Florian Festge. With its worldwide network of branches & production facilities, the wire-weaving mill is one of the most important wire-weaving
companies internationally. The product programme includes thousands of different types of weaves, which are processed into technological wire cloth products. These products are used for screening and filtration by the chemical, plastics and automotive industries, in aerospace, electronics, industry and in analytical screening, food processing and architectural applications. With its 7 technology brands, the machinery division is an internationally recognized specialist when it comes to machines for processing, transporting, storing, mixing, filling, packaging, palletizing and loading of bulk materials. The focus of the machinery division is not limited just to engineered solutions but also extends to consultation and support to its customers throughout the entire life cycle of the project. “This holistic approach is absolutely unique in the market and we
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Solutions in Motion. www.airtec.de AIRTEC has been developing high-end pneumatic control technology since 1975. As a medium-sized family-owned business, customer service and flexibility are at the heart of AIRTEC’s business, be it at the two plants in Germany or the subsidiaries and service partners around the globe. In addition to a broad range of standard components, AIRTEC also delivers customized pneumatic solutions: Experienced engineers enable AIRTEC’s clients to create leaner, more efficient, and more economic manufacturing processes. AIRTEC calls this “Solutions in Motion”.
AIRTEC Pneumatic GmbH Westerbachstr. 7 | 61476 Kronberg | Deutschland
+49 (0) 6173 9562-0
info@airtec.de
WE LIVE HEAVY METAL
PARTNERSHIP WITH A FUTURE Over 20 years with PASSION!
NUFACTURING CONTRACT MA NGINEERING MECHANICAL E RUCTION PLANT CONST Becklonne Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG
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Original OEM spare parts from Haver & Boecker.
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HAVER & BOECKER
Bernhard Pagenkemper, CSO Machinery division, Haver & Boecker
call it PROCheck,” says the managing partner. “It consists of 8 segments designed to service a technological process in a similar to way to how we take care of our own bodies, mind and soul as human beings”.
IN LINE WITH INDUSTRY 4.0
“Extremely important in the development of H&B is its focus when it comes to designing complete systems and processes,” says Florian Festge. “While many competitors have simply amalgamated various products to somehow make them work together, H&B has taken a different route.” “A process designed by H&B makes no compromises”, he affirms. “Over decades, we
have carefully handpicked every single company which has joined our family of technology brands”. Unlike many competing organizations, H&B has not discarded its brand names, but has proudly maintained the shield of every company it acquired as a symbol of quality, while at the same time honouring the past performance and tradition of those who built the original name. He points out that like many companies in the industry, H&B is shaping its way into the new world of digitisation. In Germany, the term “Industry 4.0” as a symbol of the fourth industrial revolution refers to the Internet of Things (IoT). Machinery division’s CSO Bernhard Pagenkemper agrees: “Haver & Boecker was founded at the time of the first industrial revolution. So we were born to deal with essential changes in technology. Anyone who has been through the first three
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industrial revolutions can also calmly face the latest technical era. The biggest challenge in this endeavour lies in keeping the balance between honouring and benefitting from tradition, while at the same time maintaining a continuous start-up mentality.” “Therefore, H&B strives to identify the ideal flow for each customer and every project according to their products and their processes. H&B aims to reach every and any point of the customers’ universe in order to serve them with its technologies and services. This sets H&B apart from the crowd.”
RECOGNISED PERFORMANCE
Mr Festge affirms that to H&B no asset is bigger and more powerful than its team. That is why the company prides itself on educating and training young professionals through its indepth apprentice programme. In addition, the company offers
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HAVER & BOECKER
Haver Cement’s ‘Cement Plant of Tomorrow’ will blend naturally into its environment. It will be a part of our living space and day to day life
employees both part-time university courses and lifelong learning during their careers by means of the Haver Academy. “H&B is proud of the fact that it also succeeds in attracting very good young talent into the local subsidiaries. The high proportion of employees, often in exposed positions such as developers, designers, processors and salespeople with decades of experience within its ranks is remarkable. This mixture of men and women, both young and old, guarantees that the treasure of 134 years of experience and the urge for innovation enter into a fruitful, long-term symbiosis.” The importance of the human factor goes hand in hand with a focus on sustainability. Bernhard Pagenkemper says: “As a company that has been serving its customers since 1887 and is
now in its 5th generation, the concept of sustainability is very important to us. Serving some of the most CO2-intense industries such as cement and steel, H&B is aware of its responsibility. ‘Planet Blue’ is the umbrella campaign of H&B, designed to lead customer projects to either minimal environmental impact or towards maximum resource efficiency.” “Sustainability has not only become important for H&B with the burgeoning of general public interest. Several years ago, the market had already noticed that H&B promotes sustainability. For example, we received a sustainability award from one of the world’s leading cement manufacturers, Lafarge, as early as 2014, for technology for filling powder-type products into watertight PE bags.”
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Haver Chemicals make a significant contribution for shaping and forming the industry.
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HAVER & BOECKER
LEAVING A POSITIVE FOOTPRINT
The proximity and relationship with our customers guarantees success.
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Mr Festge affirms that as a fifth-generation company that has set many milestones in the industry, H&B is aware of its immense responsibility. “By this, we do not only mean the responsibility for economic success - this is an irrevocable part of a company. No, we want to help make the world we live in a better place,” he says. “We have a very clear vision for the future – to make a significant contribution to shaping and forming the industry; we believe in elevating the image of bulk products. The game is changing for our clients. The question is no longer how much product they can produce, but instead how efficiently it can be made.” “Today our customers expect far-sighted and sustainable solutions from us in order to grow their profitability, to drive their market share, to satisfy their employees, to improve their carbon footprint, and to comply with the future. Our job is to provide whatever tools they require in order to do so.” In concluding, Mr Festge points out that today Haver & Boecker is represented with its technologies in the key sectors of handling, preparation, stockpiling, packaging and shipping of raw materials. The daily lives of many people depend on the supply of these raw materials. “Studies predict that 10 billion people will be living on our planet in 2050. This population must be adequately supplied. And that is where we see our responsibility. We want to develop and provide technologies that make this mass supply even more efficient, sustainable, smarter and better. We owe this to our ‘Blue Planet’,” he concludes.
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SIDDALL & HILTON PRODUCTS LTD
SIDDALL & HILTON PRODUCTS LTD
LAST TIME WE SPOKE WITH SIDDALL & HILTON PRODUCTS, THEY HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT FINDING NEW TALENT, BUT TODAY THE COMPANY HAS BEEN REINVIGORATED WITH A NEW GENERATION.
NEW BLOOD PROJECT MANAGED BY: LIAM PYWELL
As the largest welded mesh manufacturing business in the UK, Siddall & Hilton Products Ltd is a well-established company with a history that can be traced back all the way to 1895. When we spoke to them last year the company was doing well and undergoing an exciting period of growth and reinvestment.
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Ian Thurley, CEO, Siddall & Hilton Products Ltd.
n terms of the business itself, it’s been a buoyant year,” says CEO, Ian Thurley. “We have had busy months particularly through the summer. July was a very strong month. At the half-year end we were significantly ahead of our budget targets in terms of profitability.” Of course, the year since then has brought its own challenges. “Obviously Covid has been a prominent cause of disruption,” says Thurley. “We’ve had a number of cases on the shop floor, particularly in the early part of 2021, and because people were using track and trace if one person came down ten people had to go and get tested. So, it was problematic through the first quarter of this year.”
However, it has also been a year of achievement and investment, such as the new machine the company installed and brought into operation in July. “That was not without difficulty in terms of installation,” Thurley admits. “The machine came from Austria, but the engineers had travel restrictions imposed on them. So, it was more difficult to bring the engineers in as promptly as we’d have liked because they had to quarantine.” However, despite the obstacles, by July the machine had gone live, with two operators trained up in its use, and it has been running on three shifts a day since the end of August. That brought some challenges of its own; moving staff from an existing machine caused it to suffer a temporary dip in performance whilst its new operators received intensive training.
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But as Thurley points out, “That means it has taken us longer to get where we want to be, but we’re turning a corner now and seeing improvements week-on-week.” Indeed, Thurley is quick to talk about the further investment Siddall & Hilton Products already has planned for 2022, including automating the payoff end of its new machine. “At the moment unloading the machine is a manual process and it’s a full-time job to keep up with the machine,” he says. “We will be automating the palletising and strapping process and we’ve recently given the go ahead to install a robotic system in March, built by a company based in Wakefield. It represents another £0.5m investment.”
Siddall & Hilton is also talking to EVG about refurbishing one of its old machines in 2022 will embark on a major redevelopment of its site. The office staff will move into temporary accommodation at the end of January so that work can start on phase 1. “We are removing the existing offices and replacing them with new facilities for employees, including changing and shower rooms, a new canteen, training rooms and meeting rooms,” Thurley tells us. “That will lead to our next phase, a redevelopment and extension of one of our two factory units on site.”
A NEW LEASE OF LIFE
When we last spoke to Thurley, his biggest concern was not the machinery, however, but the staff.
“The biggest challenge we face currently is the demographic of our workforce,” he told us. “We have an average age approaching 50 in our workforce, which means we need to be bringing the next generation onboard as a matter of some urgency.” Indeed, recruitment is not an area Siddall & Hilton Products has slept on since that conversation. “Recruiting new operators has been our biggest achievement,” Thurley says proudly. “The recruitment market is very tight now. We are recruiting people into an industry they are not familiar with, using a skillset unique to our industry and not readily available elsewhere. While we have seen a little bit of churn, the guys who have stuck with us are performing very well. Within a few months there’s little discernible difference in operating performance compared to our existing employees,” He credits this progress to the company’s new People and Culture Director, Sally Brady. “She has overhauled our recruitment process thoroughly. We’ve looked at the offering we’re putting out, going through jobs boards rather than the traditional agency route,” Thurley says. “We’re targeting areas where we know there is a pool of people with the right aptitude if not readily available skills.” It is an approach that has borne fruit, with the company bringing its staffing levels from 48 to 55 this year, and a new recruitment campaign set to start in January.
AN EYE ON THE FUTURE
When recruiting younger people today, there is one issue that is frequently at the forefront of their minds, and that is, how green is my new employer?
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SIDDALL & HILTON PRODUCTS LTD
Siddall & Hilton Products has certainly been making strides in this area, although the available technology still has a way to go to meet its needs. “When we’ve done the plans for the site development over the next few years, we’ve looked at bringing in green technologies,” Thurley says. “We have a large factory roof which is north-south facing, and the south facing panels of the roof would be ideal for solar panels. We’ve been quoted over a million pounds for panels with a 20-year life span, which can’t be recycled, and their performance will deteriorate.” Without government funding to support further development, Siddall & Hilton Products is taking a different approach, futureproofing itself. “We’re ensuring we’re ready for that technology once it is cost effective and generates sufficient power for our machinery,” Thurley says. “The new factory will be much better insulated, it will have more roof lights, so there will be more natural light available. We are significantly improving the thermal efficiency of the building. We’re doing what we can, but the technology isn’t quite there yet.” Not yet, but Thurley is optimistic about where Siddall & Hilton Products will go next. “The future of the company is very bright,” he says. “The financials are exceedingly strong. We have so far had a better year in 2021/22 than in 2020/21, and we are investing those profits back into the business. We are seeing more investment in machinery and in our people. In addition to recruiting more staff we’re also adding to the skills of our current employees.” Indeed, the factory is being completely reorganised, so that instead of machines being fitted
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in wherever there was space, as before, the entire facility has an efficient process flow-through. “It means less materials handling is required, giving us a lot of benefits in the future in terms of performance,” Thurley says. “We have been on a roll
since the first lockdown, busy and operational since June 2020. We are building a world class business operation here. It is a really vibrant company. Visitors say there’s a lot more energy on the shop floor than there was even two years ago.”
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ALUMEX PLC
ALUMEX IS SRI LANKA’S LEADING MANUFACTURER OF ALUMINIUM EXTRUSIONS AND PROFILES, WITH A COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THE INDUSTRY, REMAIN SUSTAINABLE.
GOLD STANDARD ALUMINIUM PROJECT MANAGED BY: TIMOTHY GARWOOD Alumex is Sri Lanka’s largest fully integrated manufacturer of aluminium extrusions and profiles. Since the company started commercial operations in 1988 it has been developed to operate across three manufacturing centres, with three extrusion lines, an anodizing line, three powder coating lines (one vertical) and an aluminium recycling plant. Through these facilities, Alumex produces products not only for its own brand but also for eight globally recognised proprietary brands around the world, with overseas customers in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Italy, and beyond.
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oday Alumex has 950 employees working in its factories and exports 25% of its production to overseas markets. “Our unique selling point is consistency in quality, flexibility in lead times and excellent customer service. We manufacture to the highest global standards,”
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explains Pramuk Dediwela, Managing Director of Alumex Plc. “There are a few other strengths we command in this business environment including valueadded services to our extrusions such as drilling, tapping, welding, fabrication, assembling, etc., the consistency in quality remains our number one differentiator. That’s why we are number one in Sri Lanka.”
SUSTAINABLE ALUMINIUM
A key aspect of Alumex’s strategy is its commitment to sustainability, a value it has inherited from its parent company, Sri Lanka’s largest diversified business conglomerate, Hayleys PLC. Within Alumex, that commitment is built around three key pillars. “The first of those pillars is ‘Creating a positive impact on people’,” says Dediwela. “We’re committed to employee engagement, including training and engagement around safety and wellbeing, as well as supporting local communities.”
The second pillar is concerned with Alumex’s duty to minimise the environmental impact of its factory operations. “This includes wastewater and energy management. We use all of our roof space. We have solar panels generating 5200 kWh of power per day,” Dediwela explains. “We use technological solutions for water retention. We always use green chemicals, and our aluminium is 50% recycled. We have our own recycling plant.” The third pillar reflects Alumex’s mission to grow its current business and take on new horizons to improve the lives of its stakeholders. The business allocates 2% of its annual profits to sustainable systems and resources and 2% to increasing employee productivity and building customer satisfaction. “We are investing in encouraging biodiversity and the rehabilitation of biodiversity by protecting local natural habitats,” Dediwela tells us.
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ALUMEX PLC
Pramuk Dediwela, Managing Director, Alumex Plc.
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MAKING THE CASE FOR QUALITY
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Alumex has also made a commitment to improving the market environment it operates in. The company has made a name for itself with high-quality products, using state-of-the-art technology and working with recognised and respected suppliers such as the chemical company, Italtecno. Unfortunately, not everyone in the market is competing on those terms. “Our biggest challenge is competing with non-standard, low-quality goods,” Dediwela admits. “Fighting these nonstandard products in the market and building customer awareness is the biggest challenge we face at the moment.”
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ALUMEX PLC
the first step on a long path of development and investment for Alumex’s staff. “Post recruitment, we have leadership development and training, development programmes for all employees in the factory who request it or who we find it necessary to train, including scholarship programmes for higher education,” Dediwela tells us. Alumex has a long and proud history training people in aluminium fabrication, with a training school programme that launched in 1998. This programme was conducted under the supervision of the National Apprenticeship Industrial Training Authority, making Alumex the first Sri Lankan organisation to start training on aluminium fabricators, free of charge.
To build that awareness, Alumex carries out a range of activities to spread education and build awareness in the market. “We are engaged in a variety of activities. For example, we educate customers through industry events and conferences, holding technical sessions in schools, training centres and universities,” says Dediwela. “We are promoting training in the development of aluminium synthesis to work on these challenges & help build our brand.” It is clear from our conversation that Dediwela is passionate about training across the industry, and as we talk about Alumex’s recruitment strategy we learn that recruitment is just
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ALUMEX PLC
“The scheme went on to be used by training authorities and educational institutes. It is an NVQ level three programme, and we continue that programme today and upgraded to NVQ level four. We have, on average, trained more than 3,000 candidates a year from 1998 to 2020.” says Dediwela. “This training is free of charge. With Covid-19 it had to stop, but we’ve restarted the programme. Due to restrictions, we conduct it online, but very soon we will bring candidates in to train on our product range as much as possible. It’s an ongoing programme. We’re training them to make a living. It’s one of the best programmes we have at the moment.” This is just one part of a comprehensive package of investment, support and rewards that Alumex offers its employees and customers. “We offer recreational facilities and programmes to run recreational activities and the best employee campaign monthly and yearly as well. Last year we distributed masks, and we gave each family one computer tablet per family to go online for homeschooling,” Dediwela explains. “We have all these activities going on with employees and annual and
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ALUMEX PLC
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monthly employee meetings every quarter. All the way from the senior to the junior level, these meetings help us understand our employees’ requirements. This is how we retain our highly skilled workforce.”
AN EXPANDING FUTURE
Alumex Plc has already achieved so much, building a sustainable foundation while investing in the industry’s skills base for generations to come, but for Dediwela this is only the beginning. “We are always expanding. Our last expansion happened in 2018, with the acquisition of an
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Italian state of the art extrusion press and vertical powder coating line for production expansion,” he tells us. “We’re currently upgrading our recycling plant with state-of-theart equipment. We are upgrading existing plants and are planning to expand both our local and export markets. Our goal is to attain almost double our current market share. We want to grow by 50% next year. We have various value-added services for filling outlets and construction sites, and we are expanding our capacities to meet the local and overseas market demand.” It is going to be fascinating to see where Alumex goes next.
“WE’RE COMMITTED TO EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING TRAINING AND ENGAGEMENT AROUND SAFETY AND WELLBEING, AS WELL AS SUPPORTING LOCAL COMMUNITIES.”
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FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS
FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS SHOWS HOW LOW-GRADE RESOURCES CAN BE TURNED INTO PROFITABLE OPERATIONS WHILE SUPPORTING LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
A QUANTUM LEAP PROJECT MANAGED BY: TREVOR GRETSINGER
First Quantum Minerals is a global copper company that produces copper in the form of concentrate, cathode and anode, but also has inventories of nickel, gold and cobalt. It has made its reputation operating long-life mines around the world and creating jobs for approximately 20,000 people across several countries.
W
e are listed in Toronto, but we have offices in Mauritania, Panama, Finland, Australia, and projects in Peru and Argentina,” Sean Egner, General Manager of First Quantum subsidiary, Kalumbila Minerals Limited, which operates the company’s Sentinel mining operation in Zambia. First Quantum Minerals is known for its “can do” attitude and the wealth of specialist technical, engineering, construction and operational knowledge its staff possess. This reservoir of talent allows the mining company to approach even complex mine and mineral processing plant projects. The company, and the individuals which make that company, have made it their goal to go one step beyond
other companies. 25 years into the company’s operations it has made itself one of the top ten producers of copper in the world and having done that First Quantum has set its sights on providing a tangible benefit from its work to investors, employees, and the communities that host its operations. It has been able to find that value even in places other mining businesses might pass over. “We’re a growth company,” Egner says simply. “We are active in our own construction projects. We do all the work in-house meaning we can make a success of low-grade projects that previously weren’t economically feasible. We have made profitable operations from the lowest grade mine in Zambia and the only copper mine in Panama.”
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ME ELECMETAL’S: CUSTOMIZED GRINDING MILL LINER SOLUTIONS There are many important factors that determine the performance of wear parts and liners in a grinding mill. Two key factors are their design and the materials they are made from. ME Elecmetal analyzes customer applications to determine the ideal combination of design and materials to achieve optimal wear performance and throughput in both high-impact and high-abrasion applications, whether it is a SAG, AG, ball, rod or tower mill. ME Elecmetal’s innovative liner designs and materials deliver proven, world class performance, while minimizing costly relines and downtime. ME Elecmetal wear parts are manufactured according to the highest quality standards using state-of-the-art technology and engineering, resulting in the most reliable, lowest ‘total cost of ownership’ solutions for customers. ME Elecmetal is always working on the next generation of alloys to increase wear performance and grinding efficiency. The company analyzes customer’s operating conditions, and production goals, cross references them with its global benchmarking database to develop optimized solutions. Then, the ME Elecmetal team works in step with customers to implement and validate the solution. ME Elecmetal offers a wide range of complementary services including condition monitoring to further improve efficiency and provide customers with real time information. We work closely with operations and plant maintenance teams to monitor wear performance and production rates, customizing each liner for the best possible performance. All variables are considered in this analysis — from the characteristics of the ore, to the customer’s operating strategies, to their production goals. ABOUT ME LONG TENG GRINDING MEDIA MELT Grinding Media is a joint venture between ME Elecmetal and Long Teng Special Steel Co., Ltd — two worldwide leaders in the production and manufacture of steel consumable parts for the mining industry. • Our facility in China is the world’s largest single-site grinding ball manufacturing plant by capacity: 500,000+ MT
• Our plant in Zambia is the most technologically advanced ball manufacturing facility in Africa, with over 100,000 MT installed capacity • State-of-the-art lab and testing capabilities with the world’s tallest drop ball machine ME LONG TENG ZAMBIA ME Long Teng Zambia (MELTZ) has created more than 130 local jobs in Zambia through direct hire — sixty through on-site contractors and many more through off-site contractors. MELTZ focuses on training the local staff to use the state-of-the-art machinery and technologies to produce the highest quality grinding media. MELTZ has enhanced economic growth in Zambia, and Kalumbila in particular, by providing various business opportunities to local Zambian companies, such as scrap metal and waste management services. • MELTZ is engaged with and involved in developing the Kalumbila local community through various Corporate Social Responsibility programs. • MELTZ donated shipping containers to local schools, hospitals, churches and Kalumbila District Office for storage of food and medical supplies in response to the November 2019 floods that left several families homeless • The organization donates safety boots to local contractors • MELTZ supports several local small-scale farmers by purchasing fruits and vegetables used in the company canteen • MELTZ financially and economically empowers local women by awarding women’s groups contracts www.me-elecmetal.com
BREAKING GROUNDS SAFELY! KASCCO LIMITED, is a large-scale mining contractor registered in Zambia as a limited liability company in the year 2005, specialised in: ∙ Mining Contract Works ∙ Bulk Earthworks ∙ Drill & Blast ∙ Exploration ∙ Civil Works ∙ General Construction ∙ Aggregate Crushing ∙ Transportation & Hire of Heavy Earth-moving Equipment KASCCO LIMITED provides services to major mining firms in Zambia: First Quantum Minerals Limited - Kansanshi & Kalumbila Minerals Limited, Zambia Barrick Gold Lumwana Mining Company - Lumwana Mine, Zambia KASCCO LIMITED P.O.BOX 110340, Solwezi Zambia T: +260 979 560 530 ∙ E: kasccozambia@gmail.com
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www.kasccozambia.com
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FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS
The Cobre Panama mining operation is First Quantum’s newest project, based in the Colon Province, 120km west of Panama City. The site boasts 3 billion tonnes of proven and probable reserves, making it one of the largest new mines opened anywhere in the last ten years. The production complex includes two open pits, a processing plant, two 150-megawatt power stations and a port. The facility is already operating at full capacity despite only starting commercial production in 2019, and 85Mtpa of ore is processed by Cobre Panama’s plant to produce over 300,000 tonnes of copper a year, as well as gold, silver and molybdenum. The Cobre Panama is going to employ 4,500 people, mainly Panamanians from local communities. State-of-the-art technology and infrastructure have been deployed at the site to extract copper with worldclass efficiency.
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First Quantum acquired an 80% equity interest in Minera Panamá, S.A. (“MPSA”), the Panamanian company that holds the Cobre Panama concession, as part of a corporate acquisition in 2013. This share was increased to 90% in November 2017. The site itself consists of several copper porphyry deposits, the most notable of which are Balboa, Botija,
Colina and Valle Grande. Cobre Panama is also home to smaller mineralised zones, including Brazo and Botija Abajo. Based on its evaluation of the resource, First Quantum expects Cobre Panama to enjoy a 34-year life-of-mine. Using a fleet of ultra-class electric shovels and ultra-class haul trucks, First Quantum is operating an open-pit mining operation. Four in-pit semi-
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FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS
mobile primary crushers feed two overland conveyors to the secondary crushers and main processing complex. The site’s three 28-megawatt SAG mills and four 16.5-megawatt ball mills are the largest installed anywhere in the world, except for those at First Quantum’s other site, Sentinel. It’s an impressive show, but the operation has also faced challenges. “We work in a diverse array of countries with different political requirements, and again we are working on lowgrade and greenfield projects,” Egner says. “In Panama, there is rainforest and a country that hasn’t seen mining before. There is no infrastructure, no electricity transmission, just an intake road to the site.” This is why Cobre Panama is powered by a 300-megawatt power generation plant located at the port. Egner is philosophical about First Quantum Minerals facing challenges such as this. “The mechanics of a project are that we have to provide the required infrastructure in one way or another,” he says simply. The same is true of the Sentinel open-pit copper mine, 150km west of Solwezi in the North-western Province of Zambia. This project is at the very forefront of mining technology, but in many ways, First Quantum was working from a blank slate when they initiated the project. “For the Sentinel Project in Zambia we had to bring in a lot of the infrastructure,” Egner says. “All of those powerlines needed to be brought in. We started line construction, built the initial houses for our employees to live in, and we have developed a detailed plan that gives us the capacity to grow the site.”
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FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS
Since 1984, we’ve consistently raised the bar on industry, safety & environmental standards. BME provides sustainable solutions and ongoing support that create value across the blasting cycle - for our partners, their workforce and the broader mining community. BME, together with Protea Mining Chemicals, forms the mining division within the Omnia Group. The Omnia Group is a JSE-listed diversified provider of specialised chemical products and services used in the mining, agriculture and chemicals sectors.
FOR EXPLOSIVES, THINK BME.
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www.bme.co.za
Sentinel has been constructed over four years starting in 2012. The project represents US$2.1 billion of investment – the largest infrastructure investment Zambia has made since the Kariba Dam was constructed in 1959. This is the project that boasts the largest steel-ball mills in the world, the only ones to compete with Cobre Panama’s facilities. Sentinel is also home to the world’s largest semi-mobile rope shovels. Sophisticated technology has become a hallmark of the project. Eventually, the capacity of the Sentinel site is expected to extend to approximately 65 million bulk cubic metres of ore and waste mined per annum. The site’s plant possesses enough capacity to treat 55 million tonnes of ore, producing 300,000 tonnes of copper every year. Once again drawing predominantly from the local population, First Quantum Minerals has employed more than 6,000 Zambian nationals to run the Sentinel operations. The site came into First Quantum’s ownership in 2010 when it acquired Kiwara plc, which had a controlling interest in the prospecting license for a region that included the deposit that would become known as Sentinel. Kiwara plc also gave First Quantum ownership over the Kawako nickel deposit, now known as Enterprise.
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FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS
Running both sites under the joint name, Trident, Sentinel and Enterprise will benefit from shared processing infrastructure and tailings facilities. Mining at Sentinel is carried out through conventional open-pit methods, using largescale electric face shovels and hydraulic excavators, supported by a fleet of ultra-class haul trucks. The site’s three electrically powered rope shovels each have a bucket capacity of 57 cubic metres, with electrical trolley assists to carry out waste haulage. Two secondary crushers are fed by overland conveyors and two mill trains each consisting of a 40-foot diameter 28-megawatt SAG mill twinned with a 44-foot long, 22-megawatt ball mill. Sentinel’s grinding mills are amongst the largest of their type operating anywhere in the world today. The process plant is capable of treating 55-million tonnes of copper ore per annum from the Sentinel mine, and also has a separate circuit with a capacity of 4 million tonnes per annum to process additional copper ore from Sentinel or nickel ore from the Enterprise project.
EXTRACTING VALUE AND TALENT
What makes each of these projects stands out is First Quantum’s ability to extract maximum value from sites that are not obvious sources of easy profits. “First Quantum is a lean business. Everyone is encouraged to do their jobs fully and with their own discretion,” Egner explains. “We have few overheads, our corporate offices are relatively small, and each has its own management and decision-making capabilities. We are actively involved in the design of our sites and have
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an entrepreneurial attitude so that everyone is invested in the business.” Of course, finding people with that entrepreneurial attitude is a challenge every bit as important as extracting valuable minerals from a new resource. “We have a small contingent of expatriate workers, then through the various levels of the business we train local people with an intent to promote,” Egner tells us. “We have inhouse training for day-to-day operating capabilities. We have virtual simulators to help people learn how to operate the machinery, and we have career development paths.” Rather than bringing people into the company expecting them to be fully formed, First Quantum sees its staff’s careers as an ongoing process of development. “We can take a school leaver from the local community with no tertiary education and show them a clear career development path, starting with a hands-on role in the pit which then builds to understanding the whole environment and how it all works together,” Egner says. “From there they progress to smaller auxiliary machines to do maintenance and infrastructure
support. We then escalate them to our small trucks, and they move sequentially through the different models of trucks. In a short time, they go from never having worked in a mine to being able to operate the whole fleet.” First Quantum Minerals also has a graduate programme, giving graduates a chance to work at various process points in the company’s operations. “We offer development experience in every area,” Egner tells us. “We also have internal review and training systems we use for talent development, including feedback sessions between the manager and subordinates every three or four months.” As well as feedback and internal training, First Quantum also offers bursary programmes where staff can elect to do further study, sponsored or partially sponsored by their employer.
GIVING BACK
As well as investing in its people, First Quantum Minerals also recognises its responsibility to invest in the communities that host its projects. “You’ve got to collaborate with local governments to get
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FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS
them to understand the project alongside the local community,” Egner says. “You need a social license to operate. People need to understand what we’re going to do and the benefits we will bring. For instance, with Sentinel a memorandum of understanding has been signed to protect the national forests around our mine site.” First Quantum Minerals recognises it has an obligation to be responsible in extracting resources, and its strategy on sustainability and social responsibility forms an intrinsic part of all its activities. People and communities are affected by First Quantum’s business activities, so the company takes seriously its duty to ensure those people and communities benefit. The mining company achieves this by providing opportunities that include employment, business development, education, training and long-term community investment. “Our community social responsibility programme is primarily focused on capacity building to encourage business and self-sustaining activity in these communities,” Egner tells us. “This is primarily so we don’t end up with an over-dependence from the community on our mine. Our sites have a relatively short life of mine, as soon all the mineral bodies will be depleted. So, we work with communities to create alternative revenue streams. We invest in activity around the construction industry, hospitability, a range of potential industries in collaboration with the government.” That responsibility to local communities is accompanied by a recognition that First Quantum Minerals consumes resources and has an impact on the broader global environment. With that recognition comes a
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responsibility to minimise and redress any harmful impacts while optimising the benefits it can have. Sound safety, environmental, and social management practices are built into every aspect of First Quantum’s business. The firm strives for continuous improvement in its environmental, safety and social management performance. It achieves this through a sustainable development strategy built across four pillars- economically viable investments, technically appropriate operations, environmentally sound practices, and socially responsible actions. This strategy is implemented through sound corporate governance
and the implementation of environmental management systems. However, it also turns out that the minerals First Quantum is mining will be playing an important role in ensuring a sustainable future. “We’re always looking for new projects and opportunities to expand. We are currently reviewing some new project work in Zambia. Then we plan for an expansion to our processing plant that will give it an additional 20 to 30 years of life,” says Egners. “First Quantum is going to keep on mining with a focus on copper and nickel for the renewables market. Those two minerals have significant uses in the renewables space.”
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PERENCO
WE LEARN HOW PERENCO IS INVESTING IN OPENING UP GABON’S OIL AND GAS SECTOR.
UNLOCKING GABON’S POTENTIAL PROJECT MANAGED BY: LIAM PYWELL
Perenco is an international, independent, oil and gas company that is present in fourteen countries around the globe. The firm employs 6,000 people and has been in production since 1992. Today the company’s operations are producing approximately 465,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, one-third of which is gas, two-thirds of which is oil. Perenco plays an important role in Central Africa where it has become a leading operator of oil and gas in Cameroon, Gabon, and the DRC.
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PERENCO
I
n Cameroon Perenco is operating the country’s only LNG plant, unique in the country, producing 1.2 million tons a year of LNG. But when we speak with Adrien Broche, Perenco Gabon General Manager, it is Gabon he is most excited to discuss.
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“In Gabon we are the largest oil and gas producer in the country, operating 50% of national production, reaching levels of 100,000 barrels of oil a day,” Broche tells us. “We are producing 40 million cubic metres a day of gas which we send to a 400-kilometre
pipeline network which we installed over the past few years. It allows us to provide gas for several powerplants. These powerplants fed by Perenco gas provide 100% of the electricity in Port Gentil and 70% of the electricity in Libreville.” Perenco is also providing gas to several other industries, including a beverage company, wood production companies, and other oil and gas producers that need gas for their operations. To do so significant investments have already been implemented. “We have invested already more than US$500 million in these gas installations since 2006,” Broche says. “It is a big investment, but it marks the start of our strategy to be a strong partner of the State of Gabon and to participate in the development of the country through the gas valorisation of resources in order to generate power.”
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BORETS THE BORETS DIFFERENCE Borets is a global leader in artificial lift engineering, manufacturing, sales, and servicing of electric submersible and horizontal pump systems (HPS). The company’s electrically driven technology, comprehensive service capabilities, and global expertise helps customers produce more oil or transfer more surface fluids by the most cost-effective means. Borets’ key product lines include electric submersible pumps (ESP), progressing cavity pumping systems, surface HPS, and permanent magnetic motors. The company has more than 7,000 employees worldwide and operates in 11 countries, providing exceptional equipment and services to international oil companies. A LONG HISTORY OF ENGINEERING INNOVATION Founded more than 120 years ago, Borets has been manufacturing ESPs since 1952. Today, with over 12,000 ESP systems fabricated annually, we are the largest global supplier of ESPs by volume.
CONSTRUCTION & MINING MACHINERY
Today, Borets operates as a major multinational company, integrating 2 Research and Development (R&D) centers, 10 manufacturing plants, and 23 service-support facilities globally that focus on designing, manufacturing, and servicing advanced downhole and surface pumping equipment. MAKING A DIFFERENCE WITH PERMANENT MAGNET MOTORS Borets was the first company in the world to commercialize the permanent magnet motor (PMM) for ESP downhole applications back in 2006. Since then, Borets has deployed more than 18,500 PMMs around the world serving a variety of ESP and PCP applications. Compared directly to an equivalent horsepower induction motor, PMMs have been shown to reduce power consumption by about 7 – 10 % at best efficiency point (BEP). Energy savings up to 20% or more are achievable using PMM-driven ESPs and vector control in the surface drive to optimize power consumption even under varying load conditions. In one example, power consumption analysis for 16 unconventional wells in the United States showed that Borets ESPs using permanent magnet motors consumed 46% less power than ESPs using induction motors. On a current global basis, Borets has approximately 6,100 PMMs operating. Using estimates of the average motor horsepower, the differential in power consumption between IMs and PMMs, and official* carbon conversion factors, these 6,100 + PMMs are estimated to eliminate more than 398,000 tons of CO2 emissions compared to their IM equivalents. That’s how Borets is making a difference. *EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator UNRIVALLED CAPACITY AND VERTICAL INTEGRATION Ten facilities located in five countries utilize the most advanced manufacturing technologies, methods, and innovative design solutions to provide customers a comprehensive range of pumping systems that meet the most demanding requirements. Borets is the world’s only true vertically integrated manufacturer of complete ESP systems resulting in an unrivalled ability to control all aspects of system quality and deliver technologically innovative artificial lift systems on a large scale in the most cost-efficient manner. On a monthly basis, Borets manufacturing is capable of outputting approximately: • 1000 motor sections (IM or PMM)
• 1000 motor seals
• 1 million cast pump stages
• 2500 pumps
• 700 gas separators
• 5 million feet of ESP cable
WE CAN HELP For help increasing production and reducing carbon footprint, contact a Borets expert or visit www.borets.com to learn more about the Borets difference.
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T: +241 07 42 58 15 • E: commercial@plmgabon.fr
www.plmgabon.fr
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PERENCO
The reason why this is such a hot sector for investment is the growing importance of the pivot to gas across the industry. “It all comes back to the gas revolution. This gas network is fed mainly by associated gas, gas coming from the oil production which was previously flared,” Broche explains. “We are installing several additional gas compressors to withstand more in 2022. Already we are producing 80,000 tons less CO2 per year, and we will double that quantity by 2023. It is a win-win operation because we will secure the gas required to feed the power plants and decrease our flare gas and CO2 emissions over the next 20 years. At the same time, the project of the first Gabon LPG plant will be inserted into this network, where we will extract the propane and the butane to
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produce domestic gas locally for the country: Gabonese butane for Gabon.”
LEADING THE WAY
As the key oil and gas producer in Gabon, Perenco enjoys a unique position, and it is one the company intends to leverage to great effect. “We believe strongly in our strategy. We have a long-term vision covering the next 20 years,” Broche says. “We have the techniques and the competency to maximise recovery in our field. We are able to table new ideas that will help develop this asset and modernise it, maximising this field’s potential. We believe that there is limitless potential in what already exists. Year after year we find new
Adrien Broche, General Manager, Perenco Gabon.
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PERENCO
ideas to optimise our oil and gas fields and stabilise and even increase our production in the country. That makes us special in Gabon.” In Cameroon, Perenco is producing 40,000 tons of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) a day, a success that has inspired the company’s newest investment in Gabon. Indeed, Perenco is the only company to locally develop and invest in the gas sector for Gabon and the local population. The next step for the company will be to establish local LPG production, bringing down the costly imports of LPG into the country. This work is done in close collaboration with the people, communities, and businesses of Gabon. “We are working with local companies. We have almost 3,000 people working across all of the fields, in our core business but also in all the services required to perform our operations (logistics, construction, catering, civil works, supply chain, …),” Broche tells us. “We are working with Gabonese companies and when required are helping them to develop their businesses. We have also started a significant training centre project that will be located on a barge that will go on our site to train our staff with an objective of 10,000 days of training per year.” Perenco also works to support local communities, ensuring that when its work is done and Perenco has moved on, the communities it leaves behind are still able to flourish. “We are launching an important project for local communities in a region located close to our installation,” Broche informs us. “This consists of a fish farm project that will generate 400 tons per
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year of fish. It’s early days for the project but the objective is that after the oil and gas production concludes there, we have something that will stay and support the community to be self-sufficient.”
NEW IDEAS
Perenco is driven forward by its constant need to innovate and modernise. “We are always finding new ideas, constantly redeveloping and modernising. We have the strong support of the Gabonese authorities which allows us to be where we are today,” Broche says. “It is very important to continue investing at this level right now and in the future.” While moving forward is an essential element of the Perenco strategy, Broche is quick to point out that the company will not disregard the old unnecessarily. “We consider that it’s better to renovate, modernise and redevelop than just dismantling, decommissioning, and rebuilding a new installation at the same location,” he explains.
“It’s better for the environment and allows us to increase the efficiency of our equipment.” After all these years in the industry, Perenco’s competency in terms of redevelopment is unmatched, supported by engineering expertise on-site and in our offices. Indeed, Broche already has a clear vision for the future of the company in Gabon. “Right now, we are finalising the acquisition of more fields in Gabon to redevelop them, for more drilling with better and more efficient installations. We will be focusing on that over the next five to ten years,” he says. “We will also operate and modernize the Onshore Terminal of Cap Lopez, which is the main oil storage facility in the country. We will play the role of the company that will aggregate the production and export it. We will continue to work with Gabonese authorities to consolidate the production of the country and provide more Gabonese gas for Gabon. We strongly believe in the gas production of Gabon.”
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PETROSERV
SINCE WE LAST LOOKED AT PETROSERV, THE COMPANY HAS INVESTED IN A STATE-OF-ART AUTOMATED FABRICATION FACILITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF QATAR’S ENERGY SECTOR.
AUTOMATION IN FABRICATION PROJECT MANAGED BY: ANDREW BOURKE
Since it was founded in 1978, Petroserv has offered a diverse range of engineering and construction services across three main industry sectors- Oil & Gas, Infrastructure Construction. Over the decades, the wholly-owned Qatari company has grown into a leading EPIC contractor for the State of Qatar, with an enviable and proven track record that includes a wide range of Qatari and international clients.
A
t the Petroserv Fabrication Facility, the company offers a production range that includes pipe spools, structural steel, storage tanks, ASME pressure vessels, engineered skid packages and heavy steel ducts and stacks. In all these productions, Petroserv makes real its vision to engineer and manufacture quality products, providing innovative solutions through relationships built on integrity and excellent service. The last time we looked at Petroserv we talked with the firm’s Oil and Gas Division Director, Tarek Malhas, it was clear he had big plans for the company’s development. Since then, Malhas has been working hard to make such vision a reality. However, while the company has been overcoming challenges,
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until recently and for the past 5 years, Qatar’s focus was preparing the country for the upcoming FIFA. “The company’s been growing and overcoming challenges in general over the last couple of years,” he tells us when we met him. “In Qatar, we have been getting ready for the World Cup, which entails substantial revamping of the country’s infrastructure in terms of roads, highways, bridges, transportation such as the metro system, and of course, stadiums, hotels and malls. So that slows down the oil and gas sector because most spending went in that direction, but now
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that the country is ready a year before the World Cup, all the oil and gas projects and substantial development in the oil & gas sector are rolling again. Qatar is exponentially increasing gas exports over the coming years, with a number of mega packages involving international and local companies to execute these projects.” When we profiled Malhas in 2019 he told us, “Over the next five years I’d like to place my business unit on a more advanced and competitive level. I want to make it one of the leaders in the oil and gas industry in Qatar.” Since then, Malhas has been taking steps to realise that vision through the construction of a brand new, benchmarking setting automated fabrication facility.
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PETROSERV
“There will be an oil and gas boom similar to the one that happened 15 years ago. That will be rolling out over the next couple of years to come, so in preparation for that, we’ve upped our game and done internal housekeeping, including building a brandnew state-of-the-art automated fabrication facility and plant operations,” Malhas tells us.
A FABRICATION FACILITY FOR THE 2020S
The new automated fabrication facility has been built at a central location with direct access to the highways network that provides the capability to deliver, in an optimal time period, to all the strategic industrial areas across Qatar. This facility is the end result of an epic quest for industryleading technology and techniques.
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“What we’ve done is a an achievement,” Malhas explains. “As a company, we have gone all around the world to look at the latest state-of-the-art production equipment and built a an automated, cuttingedge facility that produces all fabrication ranges for the oil and gas industry.” To deliver this facility, Petroserv has collaborated with automation solutions providers across the globe to create bespoke, one-stop fabrication solutions for automatic pipes spooling fabrication, automated cutting and drilling, and automatic recycling blasting for painting. The new facility comes in line with future demands of the energy sector in Qatar, as it has considerably expanded Petroserv’s fabrication capabilities with a capacity of up to 45,000 ID of pipe spools per month, and up to 3,000 tons of steel structure per month.
“WE’VE UPPED OUR GAME AND DONE SOME HOUSEKEEPING, INCLUDING BUILDING A BRAND-NEW STATE-OFTHE-ART FACILITY.” Construction of the facility has been in progress throughout the past 12 months and now ready for production. “We gathered all of these solutions under one roof to have a completely automated process of manufacture and application,” Malhas tells us. “Our greatest achievement is studying the requirements of the industry, selecting equipment from across the globe, acquiring it, then building and commissioning such facility.”
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The facility features a total shop floor of 25,000 square metres. That includes 8,000 square metres of indoor fabrication space, another 10,000 metres of outdoor fabrication space, 2,000 square metres given over to blasting and painting, and another 5,000 square metres of storage.
THE CASE FOR AUTOMATED FABRICATION
While the facility itself is an enormous achievement, making the case for such a huge investment was a project in and of itself. “We had to convince our management from the CEO to our shareholders to put down the necessary investment for
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PETROSERV
this plant,” Malhas recalls. “The next challenge was to get the banks to buy into it and fund the loan required to initiate it.” Once that case was made, deciding which equipment to source for the facility, and how to source it, was the next big step. “We negotiated a number of challenges in choosing the best approach to gather equipment from around the world and get it to work together in harmony from a technical perspective,” Malhas says. “Then we had to convince all stakeholders that, in getting ready for 2022 on wards, the business’s needs can’t be met except with a facility like this.” Making the case for the facility was a substantial amount of work, but Malhas was convinced of the necessity for the new factory. “It was pretty obvious that the old paradigm of working would not be able to cope with the requirements of the sector moving forward,” he insists. “We needed to cope far more effectively. This new plant reduced the amount of labour and the costs associated with it while ensuring consistency in the quality of production. We have to reach a certain capacity to produce a project and we cannot do that with older approaches. Automation ensures high capacity and consistency. It gives us the ability to work more than one shift with less crew on board and means we are not reliant on human skill but automated equipment, increasing the consistency of production.” Now with the facility fully underway, Malhas is clearly optimistic about Petroserv’s future. He tells us, “We expect to increase revenue substantially by laying these foundations.”
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EVANESCE
AS A SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY INNOVATOR, EVANESCE IS REVOLUTIONISING SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING WITH 100% COMPOSTABLE, COST-EFFECTIVE, PLANT-BASED SOLUTIONS.
GREEN PACKAGING PROJECT MANAGED BY: LIAM PYWELL
Canada-headquartered Evanesce is a pioneer in sustainable packaging that – unlike many competitive products – truly leaves a minimum footprint in the environment: under its two product lines, Evanesce Molded Starch and Evanesce Biopolymers, the company designs, develops and manufactures sustainable foodservice and packaging solutions that are certified compostable, commercially scalable and cost-competitive using the latest advancements in material science.
1
00% compostable, 100% plant-based, 100% costcompetitive - those are the characteristics that describe Evanesce’s products in a nutshell. Needless to say, this eco-friendly disposable food packaging is poised to disrupt the industry and make the company a force to reckon with in the fast-evolving sustainable materials market.
GAME-CHANGER
“Guided by the principles of the circular economy, our compostable foodservice and packaging solutions look and feel like their petroleum counterparts, but are 100% plant-based,” says the company founder and CEO Douglas Horne. He set up the company in 2016, acutely aware of the need to come up with not only sustainable
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but also economically viable solutions. With a career in finance and the Canadian government, Douglas witnessed first-hand how too great a focus is often put on noble but financially unviable aims. He says: “One thing that I learned when I was working in government offices was that often environmentally sound solutions do not consider the economic side of things, and create a significant cost to the consumer. However, it is really important to focus hard on economics, to make sure that a solution is not only sustainable but also cost-effective. These two aspects go hand-inhand, and our business has always reflected both of these requirements.”
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EVANESCE
EVANESCE
“OUR COMPOSTABLE FOODSERVICE AND PACKAGING SOLUTIONS LOOK AND FEEL LIKE THEIR PETROLEUM COUNTERPARTS, BUT ARE 100% PLANT-BASED.” Douglas has built several successful companies throughout his career and when he came across a group with fantastic technology, completely plantbased, he immediately saw the potential. “We acquired that technology in 2017, went through the process of commercialising it and getting it into full-scale production in 2021. We are now really excited about bringing this technology to the market,” he says.
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TWO PILLARS
While its patented moulded starch technology business is set to be applied in production in the coming months, Evanesce’s high-quality line of biopolymer food packaging products is already in the market under a joint venture with Minima, a company in Taiwan.
Made from renewable resources such as corn starch, the products are an affordable eco-friendly alternative that is lightweight and as strong as traditional plastic. Different starches may be used, such as tapioca, potato, and others. “The combination of the two lines gives us a very good portfolio of products, especially for the foodservice area. This includes compostable straws, cold drink cups, hot beverage cups, compostable cutlery, plates and others, basically replacing single-use plastics,” says Douglas. “As we use larger amounts of starch, we have much lower costs compared to other plant-based certified compostable products in the market. Another thing that is exciting about the technology is that it is not specific to any particular fibre or starch, we can use many different types and sources.This allows us to source locally, which again gives us a lower environmental footprint compared to our competitors.”
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EVANESCE
As the world increases focus on sustainability, demand for eco-friendly products is also increasing. Evanesce is set to accommodate this demand. In 2022, the company plans to launch its 100% compostable, 100% plant-based range of Evanesce® Moulded Starch products include meat trays, meal trays, food containers, cups and five-section meal trays. Compostability is a key aspect, Douglas affirms, as compostable packaging reduces landfill waste and contributes to healthy soil. However, the significance of this process is not necessarily recognised by key stakeholders. “It is necessary to increase the amount of composting infrastructure we have - that is a major task for the present and the future, and the only way forward. The governments currently spend hundreds of millions of dollars on recycling which just does not work as planned. The money should rather be spent on creating proper composting infrastructure, which would save money on a number of different levels,” he points out.
MAKING AN IMPACT
He confirms that the company is well on track with its plans, and financially secured. In October, Evanesce opened its first US production facility in South Carolina. With the launch, the company not only hits a milestone in its global expansion plans but also addresses the worldwide shortage of ecofriendly bioplastic products due to overseas shipping delays. Spread across 15,000 sq. ft, the new facility is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery that will produce eco-friendly foodservice products. The facility currently has the ability to produce millions of compostable straws per day.
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These straws are at par or cheaper than paper straws, offer significantly improved durability, and commercially compost within 90 days. “The opening of our first USbased manufacturing facility in South Carolina is an exciting milestone in our growth plan. Being adjacent to I-95, our facility allows us to seamlessly service North America,” said Douglas Horne. He reveals that the company is now in the process of commissioning its second facility in Las Vegas, which should be completed in the second quarter of 2022. “We are definitely set to expand, and we are continuing to advance this technology,
looking for new partnerships and developing the technology further to make sure that the solutions we provide are the best available,” he says. It is not only its unique technology that has enabled the company rapid growth but also its people, he further affirms. “Success is always about building a great team, and that’s what we have. We have some great supporters and shareholders in the company who believe in our future.” “At the end of 2022, we will be looking for a third facility in North America, striving to build strong partnerships and expand our portfolio. My team and I are excited about the future, and the impact that Evanesce will make.”
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CENTURY LOGISTICS
AT A TIME WHEN THE LOGISTICS SECTOR AS A WHOLE IS FACING A COMBINATION OF CHALLENGES, CENTURY LOGISTICS IS SEEING A PERIOD OF UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH.
SUPPORTING GROWTH WITH LOGISTICS PROJECT MANAGED BY: TREVOR GRETSINGER
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CENTURY LOGISTICS
Century Logistics is a family-owned business that has been trading for 24 years. In that time the company has built itself a reputation as a progressive logistics business, offering warehouse solutions with a range of added-value services.
O
f course, all logistics firms offer that,” admits Stuart Ager, Managing Director of Century Logistics. “But what makes us different is that most logistics firms basically only offer warehousing and transport, while we offer services from product repairs, Customer Services to Quality Assurance.”
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Having previously worked for DHL, Stuart joined Century Logistics just over four years ago, and in that time he has found much about the company to admire. “From a personal perspective, it’s a fantastic opportunity. I’ve worked for 20 years in logistics, and it is great being able to pick out the good bits of a corporate company and put them into an SME-type business like this,” Stuart says. “I’ve seen first-hand the difference we can make.” While the corporate strategies Stuart adapts to Century can help, he is also keen not to lose the people-orientated approach at the core of the business. “We partner with our customers, many of whom are
with us for over 15 years,” Stuart tells us. “Our unique selling point is the way we work with our customers, the service we can offer. We can provide pick-andpack, e-commerce, IT services. What makes us special is the solutions we provide and how we work in partnership with customers to simplify their lives.” This might sound like an awful lot of jargon and marketing spiel, but for Stuart, it means a lot more than that. “The fundamental difference is you can see these ideas practised in the workplace. The values are evident on the shop floor and that’s one of the key differences between us and larger logistics companies,” Stuart explains.
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A PERFECT STORM
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Of course, over the last couple of years logistics has been in the news more than perhaps ever before, with everything from Covid, to Brexit, to the Evergreen getting stuck in the Suez Canal. There is no shortage of challenges, but at the same time, Century Logistics’ customers are undergoing a period of incredible growth. “Our customers are growing at a fantastic rate. They’re growing so quickly that it presents a number of challenges and opportunities to adapt,” Stuart says. “If you think about the last two years, it has been a perfect storm. We have had Brexit, the pandemic, our company has faced challenges, but ones no different to everyone else. But we’ve got through that and made changes that we might not have made as quickly otherwise.” Those challenges are primarily around space. Century Logistics is aware that suppliers and customers alike are clearly finding it harder, and everyone is being squeezed by current conditions, so Century is adapting to that new environment. “Everything’s been accelerated,” Stuart tells us. “We had to make changes within a couple of weeks, laying out different shift patterns. Everything had to change overnight. We didn’t look at one or two things, we had to look at everything, staff, management, a top to bottom review.” The results have been positive, and Century Logistics is now on a far stronger footing. “We’ve got over everything, that’s the pleasing thing,” Stuart reflects. “We got through the most difficult two years we’ll ever face.”
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CENTURY LOGISTICS
LABOUR SHORTAGE? WHAT LABOUR SHORTAGE?
Of course, one of the leading stories around the logistics sector, and a common complaint from those doing business within it, has been the labour shortage. Stuart sees things differently, however. “Everyone in logistics will tell you that people are impossible to come by right now. That’s not true,” he says simply. “We’re still finding people and have employed 30-40 people so far since the start of the pandemic. Everyone thinks there’s a shortage of lorry drivers and people in the warehouse sector but we’re not finding that.” That is not to say that Century Logistics has been investing heavily in its recruitment processes recently. Far from it, as continuing growth makes recruitment a necessity.
Stuart Ager, Managing Director of Century Logistics.
“Our referral scheme has been popular. We’ve had a lot of recommendations. We use two or three key agency suppliers. Word of mouth is very powerful,” Stuart explains. “Pay is a factor, but we also offer a lot more, from free tea and coffee, to supporting people and making this an attractive place to work. We have had to put more resources into recruitment, increasing the headcount on our HR team. That would have happened anyway as we have had to grow the business, but maybe not as quickly. First and foremost,
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people are attracted by our name and reputation. That has enabled us to stay one step ahead of local competition.” The most powerful recruitment tool Century Logistics has at its disposal, however, is the positive experience of the company’s current employees. As Stuart explains, “We’ve worked very closely with our 200 employees. We had our Christmas party on Friday. We know everyone by name.” Century also offers a clear career path for new recruits, with the kind of long-term stability that is rare in today’s employment market.
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“We’ve looked at and used our succession plan. Our pipeline for the next 12 to 18 months has had to be ready much sooner,” Stuart admits. “We have implemented development and induction plans, mitigating that list, and working on the training and development side of the business. Whatever happens, we’re not compromising our training and development program.” At the same time, the challenges of the last two years have meant the responsibility Century Logistics has to its staff has been at an all-time high.
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CENTURY LOGISTICS
“We’ve had to work closer than ever together, whether it’s arranging transport to get people to work, or more oneto-one meetings,” points out Stuart. “Between 30 and 40% of our workforce are non-UK residents so they haven’t been home. So, you have to be closer because their problems don’t just stop when they come into work.” Overall, talking with Stuart, the thing that comes across most is his excitement for what is happening around the sector right now.
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“Our customers are in the middle of a sweet spot. Their businesses are growing faster than I’ve seen customers grow in 20 years of logistics. We’ve also got new start-ups coming into the UK,” Stuart says. “The key thing for us is to continue our own growth at a sensible rate, taking on more warehouse space, but also the right warehouse space. We want to support the growth in our customers and continue to develop our business, with 6 million square feet of new warehousing along the A14 corridor.”
Indeed, Century Logistics is more in demand than ever. “We’ve just taken on a 7,000-pallet warehouse, and it has been filled before the racking was up,” points out Stuart. “Up until the end of Q1 and into Q2 next year, that warehouse is filled. Which is great news, but it also means we need more space. We need to acquire that in harmony with the growth of our team because you can’t grow a business without people. We’ll continue doing what we do well while working to future-proof the company.”
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DFDS SEAWAYS
THE LOGISTICS SECTOR IS FACING UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES, BUT COMPANIES LIKE DFDS SEAWAYS ARE SHOWING HOW THE INDUSTRY CAN ADAPT.
FROM SEA TO RAIL PROJECT MANAGED BY: ROBERT NAPIER SMITH
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DFDS SEAWAYS
DFDS Seaways is part of Danish-based shipping and logistics company, the DFDS Group, which operates in over 20 countries and employs nearly 12,000 people. The UK branch of the Group boasts a logistics division, a passenger division, and last but not least, DFDS Seaways itself, which is responsible for moving and handling freight cargo coming and going to five different countries.
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e offer 35 liner sailings per week, sailing every day at the same time, so we have a lot of capacity,” points out Andrew Byrne, Managing Director of DFDS Seaways. “Our terminal covers 170 acres, making it one of the biggest terminals in the UK. If you look at our throughput by units DFDS Seaways would be the eighth biggest port in the UK if it was its own port.” DFDS Seaways has a significant geographic footprint, significant capacity, and capability. “We’ve been doing this in the UK for over 150 years, so we know what we’re doing,” Byrne adds.
LOGISTICS CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST CENTURY
Of course, lately, logistics has been in the news thanks to numerous challenges facing the sector. DFDS is a 24/7, 363 day a year operation, with cargo arriving at or leaving its terminal every 50 seconds, so when the Covid-19 pandemic hit it could not simply close down for the duration. Its staff were classed as key workers but track and trace or cases of infection could create huge problems in staffing and staff safety while DFDS was also handling resource challenges and keeping ships moving.
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DFDS SEAWAYS
www.rshgroup.co.uk RSH Group are a proud of our partnership with DFDS SEAWAYS.
We are a customer focused supplier of market leading industrial, personal protection equipment, corporate clothing and janitorial products: RSH Group (Head Office) Enterprise Works, 2 Hunsley Street, Sheffield S4 8DY e: sales@rshgroup.co.uk www.rshgroup.co.u k Tel: 0114 244 4592 Fax: 0114 244 6297 “Some ships are only in port for five hours, so that becomes difficult without the right amount of people,” Byrne says. These challenges were only compounded by complexities introduced by Brexit. “In terms of Brexit there are documentation challenges but we’re at the point where we believe we’re on top of that in terms of processes and customer knowledge,” Byrne reflects. “However, that issue still has a legacy of supply chain slow down and inefficiency. We need to create some resilience.” The issue is that DFDS Seaways used to move the vast majority of its cargo from the terminal on day one. It would arrive and be gone within 24 hours. “If the cargo wasn’t moved out on Day A it would go by Day B.
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Only 20% of the cargo was here more than 48 hours,” Byrne recalls. “Now customers can’t be sure that if the cargo arrives on Day A, that they will be able to deliver on Day A. So, they either slow the supply chain down or put more resources into the supply chain to keep it moving at the same speed but with more content. This means that today there is cargo that isn’t leaving until as late as Day E.” DFDS Seaways imports around 5,000 freight units a week, and the average dwelling time for those units used to be two days. That translates to DFDS’s terminal needing capacity for 10,000 days of occupancy. “Now they’re standing for three days, which means I need 15,000 days of occupancy and the terminal isn’t big enough,” Byrne says. “Our terminal is operating at over 100% capacity. We’ve more
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DFDS SEAWAYS
units on the quay than it can hold because things are moving slower.” The situation presents DFDS Seaways, and other logistics firms, with a strategic dilemma. The only way to resolve the capacity issue is to increase footprint. This will raise costs, and customers are already being hit by Brexit so may not react well to price increases. “Do we hold on tight and wait for things to get better, or do we assume this is the new status quo and act accordingly?” Byrne asks. “It’s been made more difficult because of the HGV driver shortage and Covid, which is why we started running the trains.”
A TICKET TO RIDE
DFDS Seaways has teamed up with iPort in Doncaster to run a trial train service until the end of Q1 this year and if there is an appetite for it the line will keep running.
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DFDS SEAWAYS
The move to rail freight might be a surprising one for a Seaways based division of the company, but it is a move that takes Byrne into familiar territory. “I worked in rail freight for 19 years before joining DFDS, so I have the knowledge and passion for the sector,” he says. “One of the issues was we were working out of the biggest port in the UK by tonnage, and the fourth by a number of units, but none of those units move by rail. Rail was only used for bulk or break-bulk products, so something we looked at doing was offering a train service for unitised cargo or cars.” It is not the first time the company has looked into rail.
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“We looked at trying to do this once before, two years ago, but there wasn’t an appetite among the customers then,” Byrne recalls. “What’s led us to do it this time is the HGV driver shortage which is threatening to undo years of development of slick and efficient just in time operations that rely on supply chains that operate equally as quickly and proficiently. The driver shortage is affecting our customers and so exacerbating the terminal space problem. With all that in mind, there is not a better time to provide a rail offering to complement the efficient logistics and transport operations which already successfully run out of the Port of Immingham.
“Rail continues to become popular as people look for ways to decarbonise, and we may develop a bespoke rail terminal,” Byrne says. “If we have up to four or five services a day we need some more significant facilities, so we are looking at land on or around the dock which we can develop for our rail operations.” Meanwhile, the company is still planning to grow its facilities, while also offering a wider range of services. “Last year we expanded our terminal by 20%, but even that isn’t sufficient anymore. So, we’re looking at how to deal with that and part of that is to continue to grow,” Byrne points out. “We need to develop more services and acquire more land. Next year we’re planning on moving a record amount of volume through the port.”
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SPACE STATION
DELIVERING STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE – THAT IS THE VISION OF SPACE STATION, A COMPANY THAT OFFERS FLEXIBLE STORAGE UNITS FOR BOTH SHORT- AND LONG-TERM HIRE.
IN SAFE HANDS PROJECT MANAGED BY: TREVOR GRETSINGER
Space Station has an interesting history, and to this day enjoys a bit of celebrity status related to its founder, the former McLaren Formula 1 team manager Alastair Caldwell, who set up the business way back in 1983. Starting as a cleaner at McLaren, his dream employer, Alastair Caldwell successfully progressed to the glory years of 1974-76 and his management of legendary racing driver James Hunt.
I
nspired by the innovative selfstorage facilities across the US, he decided to bring the business idea to the UK, making Space Station one of the UK’s earliest storage pioneers. Today, Space Station has over 5,000 self-storage units across 12 stores, and its position in the sector is firm, says CEO Kevin Prince, pointing out that last year the company reached a major milestone. “Following Alastair’s decision to step back, in 2020 the business was acquired by Heitman, a global real estate investment management firm, which owns 47 billion dollars’ worth of real estate around the world, with eight billion in selfstorage. With their excellent track record in the sector, Heitman was the best partner for us – the combination of their
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knowledge of the sector and the operational experience of myself and my team makes an excellent basis for further development.”
RIGHT PEOPLE, RIGHT SERVICE
The company currently has stores across London, Berkshire, Birmingham and the Midlands, and offers high-quality, secure storage units with 24/7 access across its sites. Space Station takes great pride in its facilities, investing and updating them regularly to make sure they’re as clean, secure and as convenient as possible. Under the new owner, Space Station is set to further enhance its capability and specific
Kevin Prince, CEO, Space Station.
SPACE STATION
KUBOID Kuboid are industry leaders, specialising in the design, manufacture and construction of self-storage facilities in the UK and across Europe. We have successfully worked with Space Station Self Storage on many installations, providing them with a wide range of services including site surveys, installation of mezzanines, stacker systems, lifts and partition systems. The team at Kuboid are proud of the achievements with Space Station and we look forward to continuing to support them on their exciting growth journey. Since our inception in 2005, our aim has always been to offer the best advice and deliver high-quality storage solutions that exceed expectations. We have an established team of experts, with specialised departments in Sales, Design, Build, Project Management, Marketing and Customer Service, who ensure that we add long-term value to our client’s facilities. From installing mezzanine floors to applying the final touches, our construction team work hard to ensure each facility meets our exceptionally high standards. Our team’s knowledge and experience allow us to realise our clients’ maximum lettable space and help them achieve the best return on their investment. We listen carefully to our clients requirements and are continually expanding and refining the range of services we offer. Our goal is to make the entry into the world of Self Storage as seamless as possible. As such, we have recently introduced our ‘Concept to Completion’ experience. This is essentially a full turnkey service whereby we manage and execute our client’s entire construction project, removing the need for them to liaise with multiple suppliers and provide a dedicated client side Kuboid Project Manager for the entire lifecycle of the project. No job is too large or too small. Whether you engage with us to construct a major facility or simply supply our bespoke range of steel partitions and doors to install yourself, Kuboid is the partner for you. We use only the highest quality materials in the construction of our unique storage systems to ensure that your facility looks its best - not just today, but for many years to come. Our range of products also include portable units and garage units to suit every client’s storage needs. Our popular external unit, Kubox, has been designed so our clients can make full use of their outdoor space and maximise their profitable area. We work hard as a team to stay on top of the latest technologies and services within this competitive and rapidly growing industry. Choosing a self-storage partner does not have to be challenging. We believe in what we do and we will partner with you on every step of the your journey. Our dedication, experience and focus on excellence will ensure we always deliver the best storage solutions for our clients.
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SPACE STATION
features, differentiating it from other self-storage providers. Kevin Prince says: “We aim to offer our customers a full, all-inclusive service to make everything as easy as possible. We’ll pick up your items directly from your door free of charge, and pack them into your unit for you. We even have an on-site store for packing supplies, with crates available for hire.” “We don’t devalue the brand by offering a lot of front-end discounts, which most of our competitors do, but offer added value instead. We offer a free removal service rather than just free storage. That is rather unique in the sector.” He also affirms that the company has always focused on providing the right type of service and finding the right solution for the customer’s problems. “People use selfstorage in case of an event, when something happens that needs fixing, and generally it is a stressful situation. So we function as stress busters. And this is what my teams are taught as a soft skill.”
“PEOPLE USE SELF-STORAGE IN CASE OF AN EVENT WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT NEEDS FIXING, AND GENERALLY IT IS A STRESSFUL SITUATION. SO WE FUNCTION AS STRESS BUSTERS.” Staff are extremely important for business success, he affirms, and the company makes sure that it picks its people well. “When we recruit people, we make sure that they are suited to the job role, and therefore more likely to be good at it. The effort that we put in recruiting the right staff makes us stand out. We consider our staff as family,
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SPACE STATION
and invest in their wellbeing, training and development to ensure they’re always able to deliver outstanding customer service.” During the challenging times of the pandemic, it was the staff and their safety that were the management’s first priority. The company did take advantage of the furlough scheme, says Mr
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Prince, but everybody that was furloughed had their wages topped up so no one lost any money. “The defining moment was when I told my staff we had to close the stores in 48 hours but we needed to keep running the business. We did not have laptops, but within 48 hours the business was operational. That took everybody’s efforts, and truly showed people’s commitment to the business.”
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34 YEARS EXPERIENCE
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EDG SECURITY LTD.
SPACE STATION
EDG Security Ltd. was founded in 2012 and quickly gained a reputation for quality and reliability, providing electronic Fire and Security systems and services to the Space Station estate since 2015. Having spent all his working career in the electronic Fire and Security industry, Director Richard Edginton decided there was a desperate need within the industry to provide a cost-effective, fast, reliable service (especially outside of normal working hours should a problem occur). We provide honest advice based upon 34 years of experience in the electronic Fire and Security industry, if we don’t believe you need something we’ll be totally honest and upfront. Our systems have a great reputation for reliability, and we partner with BT RedCARE, the UK’s original secure signaling provider, and CSL Dualcom, to offer the most secure resilient alarm signaling networks available today. Recognized by all major Police Forces and Insurers, our engineers are security vetted and carry Enhanced DBS check accreditation. We pride ourselves on quality and have worked on some pretty amazing projects in the last few years, including a well-known home for royalty in the heart of London, and the famous BBC’s DIY SOS The Big Build. We’ve recently partnered with Birmingham charity Wythall Animal Sanctuary providing them with electronic security systems and secure remote monitoring services, enabling them to concentrate their limited resources on what matters most, their rescues. Our engineers have a wealth of experience and every member of the EDG team takes great pride in what we do. www.edgsecurity.co.uk
3VEREST [EV-ER-EST] founded in 2015 and headquartered in London, UK serving the SME and healthcare sectors globally with a high performance and reliable fully managed cloud, enabling organisations to leverage all the benefits of a cloud operating model, without the burdensome operational or transformative investments required by other cloud providers. MISSION: To provide our valuable clients and partners with a cloud infrastructure platform that enables them to focus on what really matters – their organisation, people, and customers. DATA SOVERIGNITY: With dedicated regions in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, France, Italy, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, 3verest guarantee data sovereignty for customer data, by ensuring data is stored and processed within an 3verest ringfenced region, this is guaranteed by design. ACCREDITATED: 3verest is an ISO27001 and Cyber Essentials plus accredited organisation. 3verest is certified and connected to the NHS HSCN (Health and Social Care Network), enabling NHS and trusted private healthcare organisations to share data and information securely and privately. COST EFFECTIVE: 3verest believe in clear and easy pricing. No hourly, peak, or over usage charges enabling organisations to plan, budget and forecast their cloud and IT spends reliably, which can prove difficult (or impossible) with other cloud providers. SECURITY: 3verest is protected by industry leading cyber defences, encryption methods and a 24x7 global security team ensuring that the data of its customers and stakeholders is always safe. HOW?: Our people, experience, and expertise. Our global teams are diverse, comprised of innovators in cloud, experts in data governance and founders of global organisations. Together we are 3VEREST. www.3verest.com
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MARKET CHANGES
Going forward, Space Station strives not only to further enhance its services but also to promote its green agenda. Heitman themselves have committed to being carbon neutral by 2030 and Space Station has prioritised that objective. “We have set ourselves the target of halving our carbon footprint within three years, and we’re well on our way to achieving that Carbon Footprint Standard certification. Space Station uses wind and solar energy to power some of its sites and strives to use only 100% recycled packaging cardboard materials.”
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SPACE STATION
SPACE STATION USES WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY TO POWER SOME OF ITS SITES AND STRIVES TO USE ONLY 100% RECYCLED PACKAGING CARDBOARD MATERIALS.”
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While having aggressive expansion targets, Mr Prince emphasises that growth must be achieved in the right way, with the right values. “Being genuine is important in a business, and it has to come from me as the CEO. Then it can filter down, I believe. We are aware of our role for the community, and accept that giving back is important.
We also work for charities; everyone that works at Space Station can donate 1% of their paid work time to a charity of their choice.” Looking ahead, he reflects that the self-storage sector has always been strong and has stayed this way through the various crisis and difficult times, including the pandemic – the industry has seen growth in both revenue and
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TEMPLEWOOD RECRUITMENT LTD PEOPLE • PASSION • PARTNERING
Templewood Recruitment Ltd are a leading, independent recruitment consultancy, specialising in the supply of high calibre Temporary, Contract and Permanent staff within a range of industry sectors; including Professional Services, I.T and Health & Social Care amongst others. Using tried and tested, traditional recruitment processes, combined with the use of modern web technologies to increase speed and efficiencies; we are able to save our clients time and money, whilst maintaining the important human element throughout the recruitment supply chain.
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We have a successful track record of delivering ‘first time right’ recruitment solutions and assisting clients in selecting the ‘ideal’ candidates; not just simply filling roles. We ‘hand-hold’ our clients and candidates and navigate them through the recruitment journey in an ever-changing employment landscape, ensuring that the entire process is efficient, hassle-free and delivers over and above their expectations. Our success lies in helping our clients scale and achieve their people strategies and recruitment road maps, through effective staff attraction and employee retention. We believe in providing Recruitment solutions which you can depend upon and are designed to meet your specific needs, whilst delivering value and allowing your business to maintain a competitive edge. So, whether you are looking for a temporary worker to fill an unexpected absence in your team or seeking to fill a strategic permanent position to help elevate your business to the next level, feel free to get in touch with one of our versatile team; and… “Experience Certainty.” www.templewoodrecruitment.co.uk
Templewood Recruitment Ltd are a leading provider of Permanent, Contract & Temporary recruitment services across the UK and overseas. Being an approved Agency, our customers can be assured that we meet the highest industry standards and practices.
■ Accountancy & Finance ■ Administration & Business Support ■ Engineering & Manufacturing ■ Health & Social Care ■ Human Resources & Personnel ■ IT & Procurement ■ Sales & Marketing +44 (0)1628 902 475 info@templewoodrecruitment.co.uk
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occupancy, making it a highly attractive sector for investors. “The resilience of the sector is fantastic. There is always a customer. We pride ourselves on providing just the right type of service and our customers appreciate it. They generally stay longer with us than is the industry average.” With financial backing from its owners, Space Station is
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now looking to grow through trade acquisitions, warehouse development and new development. “We have done the market research and we are actively searching sites,” says Kevin Prince. “In fact, we’ve already had a very good pipeline. We believe that Space Station will become a significant player in due course, certainly in the UK.”
“WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON PROVIDING JUST THE RIGHT TYPE OF SERVICE AND OUR CUSTOMERS APPRECIATE IT. THEY GENERALLY STAY LONGER WITH US THAN IS THE INDUSTRY AVERAGE.”
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TRANSIMEKSA
DURING A TIME THAT HAS THROWN LIGHT ON THE ESSENTIAL ROLE LOGISTICS PLAYS IN KEEPING OUR ECONOMY RUNNING, COMPANIES LIKE TRANSIMEKSA HAVE PROVEN TO BE MORE VITAL THAN EVER.
FLEXIBLE, SUSTAINABLE LOGISTICS PROJECT MANAGED BY: ANDREW BOURKE
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TRANSIMEKSA
Since it was founded in 1994, Transimeksa has gone on to operate over 12 companies through the Transimeksa Group in European and Commonwealth Independent State countries, led by its head office in Vilnius, Lithuania, only 300km from the country’s main seaport of Lithuania, Klaipėda.
T
oday the company owns a fleet of 830 trucks and 1,070 trailers, which is still growing. The company’s warehouses cover 46,500 square metres of space across Vilnius and Vilnius International Airport. Transimeksa stands as a leading transport company in Lithuania.
The company boasts expertise in automotive transportation, and while its primary service is fulltruckload (FTL) and less-thantruckload (LTL) road transportation across Europe and CIS countries, Transimeksa also offers custom, excise and commercial warehousing, customs brokerage, multimodal solutions, project cargo, ADR transportation, and sea & air freight. To provide this range of services, Transimeksa has its own GDP dedicated reefer trailers for pharmaceuticals, food & beverages, hi-tech electronics, machinery & equipment, dangerous goods and oversized or heavy cargo.
Transimeksa boasts integrated ISO quality standards including certification for Environmental Management Systems, Occupational Health & Safety, and Quality Management Systems, as well as SQAS Training programmes for drivers, dispatchers, managers, efficient route planning and KPI monitoring, as well as maintaining a 24/7 vehicle and drivers’ inspection centre onsite. 28 years of experience in logistics have given Transimeksa and its people a true understanding of the value of careful and efficient cargo delivery for its customers.
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TRANSIMEKSA
THE VALUE OF FLEXIBILITY
Despite specialising in road transport, Transimeksa has shown itself to be equally adept at transporting loads by road, rail, ferry and plane, while also managing the customs process. Through its logistics terminals the firm stores and distributes goods across its target countries, including cargo that has special requirements for transport or storage. Whatever the needs of its customers, Transimeksa appreciates the value of flexibility in all its work, adapting to its customers’ business needs and finding them the perfect logistics solution. Transimeksa’s goal is to streamline and simplify every logistics process, allowing it to better serve its valued customers while meeting their deadlines.
This ability to adapt is not just limited to its customers’ needs, however, but also encompasses its ability to move with the values of the time. Transimeksa is a part of the United Nations Global Compact, a global initiative uniting companies that aim to adopt sustainable and socially responsible business practices. It is a pact founded on ten main principles, including anti-corruption, environmental protection, human rights, and fair labour. While adhering to these values, the Transimeksa team ensures it is always ready to provide customers with the information they need and help to find innovative, efficient solutions that those customers can rely on.
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GROWING POTENTIAL
While Transimeksa is already in a strong position, the company is still looking for ways to grow, provide a wider offering, and serve its customers better. This is why last year the firm expanded its fleet, adding five MAN semi-trailer trucks with specialised car carrier equipment to serve the high & heavy cargo segment. The new equipment is designed for transporting semi-trailer trucks, trucks, busses, agricultural and construction machinery. Since last June the new semi-trailer trucks have passed their trial period, driving over 200,000 km on European roads and successfully delivering almost 200 orders for regular customers in the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and France. This was only the start of Transimeksa’s fleet expansion, however, and in autumn it continued. Over the course of 2021 Transimeksa’s vehicle fleet increased by over 150 semitrailer trucks across various brands, as well as 170 Schmitz trailers. Transimeksa’s new semi-trailer trucks meet the Euro 6 emission standard, while its new trailers have been upgraded with the new Power Curtain, meaning short loading and unloading times, improved safety and better protection of freight against theft. This brings Transimeksa’s fleet up to a total of 830 semitrailer trucks, almost 90% of which meet the Euro 6 standard, with 70% of them being suitable to transport ADR freight including chemical substances and liquids. In total Transimeksa’s fleet now consists of 1,070 trailers, including 582 three-metre-high semi-trailers with MEGA lifting rooves. 50 of its trailers are refrigerated, and 60 are double-
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TRANSIMEKSA
deck box semi-trailers, while 30% of Transimeksa’s semitrailers can be lifted by crane and are suitable for intermodal freight transportation by railway. With an average age of only two-and-a-half years, Transimeksa’s fleet is practically brand new and able to provide the highest quality logistics service. But while its fleet is growing and being upgraded, and Transimeksa as a whole has undergone some big changes over the last 28 years, the company has still stayed true to its slogan: “A Pure and Simple Logistics Company”. In light of this slogan and the values it represents, Transimeksa has recently decided to revaluate its logo and update it to reflect what the company has achieved and what it is striving for in the future. Transimeksa has demonstrated it has the leading edge in flexibility, adapting to its customers’ needs and finding the best logistics solutions. It continues to refine and simplify
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logistics operations across the board, making the process easier for clients and themselves. These values are reflected in Transimeksa’s new logo design, which is simple and has fewer small details than the old logo. While the new design retains the colours and symbolism of its original logo, maintaining a tangible connection with the company’s heritage and the recognition that comes with it, it also shows how the company is ready for the future.
Changing branding can be a challenging process for a logistics company, especially one that has values of sustainability at the core of its vision. This is why the new logo and aesthetic for the company is being shown off in electronic formats, first and foremost. As Transimeksa’s fleet is renewed, the new logo will be phased in across its semi-trailer trucks, semi-trailers, and buildings, to be seen up and down the supply chain.
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