Business Focus Magazine - BFM 95

Issue No.95

SPECIAL FEATURE: AVIATION INDUSTRY BACK TO THE SKIES

DYCONEX AG

A competitive edge in high-end interconnect technology.

MODUBUILD

Building for the future of modular construction.

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

BEYOND A TRAVEL HUB Exclusive interview with Airport Director, Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge, on STL's dramatic transformation over the last decade.

Barloworld | Building for The Future | Dectek | Expertise in Print | Echandia | Going Green at Sea Menzies Aviation | A Partner You Can Trust | Swakop Uranium | Continued Investment

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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:

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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

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SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR TREVOR GRETSINGER t.gretsinger@ceomediagroup.com

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FOCUS ON RECOVERY With the possible exception of the hospitality industry, no industry has been hit as hard by the pandemic as the air travel sector, but as we see in our main feature this issue, it is a sector that is already building back bigger, better, and different. Indeed, with in-depth profiles of aircraft maintenance provider LOT AMS, landside and airside services provider Menzies Aviation, and St Louis Lambert International Airport, we are learning about every facet of an industry sector undergoing a quiet revolution.

O

f course, air travel is just one mode of transport we are investigating in this issue. We also take to the waves with Noatum Logistics, Ghana Ports & Harbours and Value Maritime BV, alongside a look at road-based supply chains with Aditro Logistics.

This issue is not just transport themed, however. We have expert coverage of the energy sector, with profiles of energy firms including Echandia, Wello Oy and Davis & Shirtliff. We are investigating the construction industry through conversations with Trencon Construction, Modubuild and PCL Construction, and discovering this sector is just as much home to innovation and change as the aerospace industry.

And that’s not to mention healthcare sector firms like Uquifa and Livinguard, manufacturing businesses like United Grinding, Prym Group and Vrancart, or engineering firms like Dyconex AG. It is rare to get through any conversation these days without some mention of the pandemic, but the message we

hear over and over again is that businesses are not just building back better than before, but building back differently, finding new solutions and preparing for a different kind of future.

It is a future where we will probably need roads, but that is only one of a variety of ways these businesses will get you where you want to be.

ON THE COVER

St Louis Lambert International Airport Go to page 16.

Issue No.95

DYCONEX AG

SPECIAL FEATURE:

A competitive edge in high-end interconnect technology.

AVIATION INDUSTRY BACK TO THE SKIES

MODUBUILD

Building for the future of modular construction.

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

BEYOND A TRAVEL HUB Exclusive interview with Airport Director, Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge, on STL's dramatic transformation over the last decade.

Barloworld | Building for The Future | Dectek | Expertise in Print | Echandia | Going Green at Sea Menzies Aviation | A Partner You Can Trust | Swakop Uranium | Continued Investment

EDITOR’S NOTE | 3

IN THIS ISSUE

8

13

16

42 46

54

16

EVENT

Industrial Valve Summit, Bergamo, Italy / 25th-26th May, 2022.

4th International exhibition and conference on valve and flow control technologies.

NEWS

Aviation Industry Back to the Skies

LEADING ARTICLE

St. Louis Lambert International Airport Beyond a Travel Hub

AVIATION

LOTAMS Aiming High Menzies Aviation A Partner You Can Trust

46 54

Modubuild Building for the Future

68

PCL Construction Unique Construction Solutions

74

Trencon Construction A Time to Build

78

ENERGY & UTILITIES Davis & Shirtliff Passing the Torch

84

Echandia Going Green at Sea

88

Stuart Turner Changing Tides

92

Wello Oy Wave of Ingenuity

96

4 | CONTENTS

CONSTRUCTION

ENGINEERING

Dyconex AG Smart Connections

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

ISSUE NO. 95

166 172

178 184

84 108

114 120

126 136

144 150

160

190 196

FMCG

Fine Hygienic Holding Life-Changing Products

PACKAGING & PRINT DecTek Expertise in Print

Vrancart Champion for the Circular Economy

SHIPPING, PORT & MARINE

Ghana Ports & Harbours Authority Gateway to Africa Value Maritime Capturing Carbon and Value

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS Aditro Logistics A Nordic Champion

Noatum Logistics Growth Beyond Covid

HEALTHCARE, HOTEL & LEISURE Livinguard Not Just a Mask

Uquifa Group Mexico Meeting Tomorrow’s Challenges

MANUFACTURING

166

Prym Group Five Reliable Centuries UNITED GRINDING North America Leading the way for the future of manufacturing

MINING

Barloworld Equipment Botswana Building For the Future Swakop Uranium Continued Investment

OIL & GAS

Gulf Marine Services The Oil and Gas Fleet

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190 CONTENTS | 5

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AVIATION INDUSTRY

THE AVIATION SECTOR WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST HIT BY THE COVID PANDEMIC, BUT AS PASSENGERS RETURN AND BUSINESS RECOVERS, THE INDUSTRY IS READY TO ADDRESS NEW CHALLENGES.

BACK TO THE SKIES Last month the airline, Emirates, resumed double daily services from Gatwick airport in response to soaring demand from passengers. Since the beginning of the year, bookings through Gatwick airport have more than doubled, and in response, Emirates has returned to offering twice-daily flights connecting the South of England with its growing global network.

E

mirates is rapidly restarting its operations at hubs across the UK as international travel restrictions are lifted around the world.

It also coincides with the reopening of Emirates’ lounge at Gatwick in January.

This news arrives at the same time as Airbus reports a record profit of 4.2 billion euros for last year, the first annual profit for the manufacturer since the spread of COVID-19 brought air travel down to levels not seen since before the advent of jet travel.

NEWS | 13

MODERN CONSTRUCTION

In 2021 Airbus delivered 611 commercial aircraft, a significant improvement on the 566 it delivered the year before.

With the delivery of 720 aircraft forecast for the rest of this year, that momentum is expected to continue.

“2021 was a year of transition, where our attention shifted from navigating the pandemic towards recovery and growth,” said Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus.

“We have seen a considerable uptick in demand for international travel in recent weeks, particularly from the Southeast and are pleased to be expanding our operations from Gatwick,” said Richard Jewsbury, Divisional Vice President at Emirates UK.

A HARD REBOOT

Nobody would deny that the aviation sector was one of the sectors hit hardest by the pandemic, but for that same reason, many working in the industry have found it an exciting time to be part of the business.

Philipp Joening became CEO of Menzies Aviation just months before the pandemic began, but as he tells us in our profile of the company in this issue, he could not have chosen a better time.

14 | NEWS

“It was a great moment, to use the challenge for restructuring the business, to rebalance and recalibrate the company,” Joening says. “Of course, we had to implement some drastic measures to survive but we have emerged in a better shape than before.”

Adrian Subocz, Logistics Director for LOT Aircraft Maintenance Services (LOT AMS), also profiled in this magazine, was put in charge of running the company’s warehousing and stores, and procurement only months before the pandemic.

He shares Joening’s optimism.

“This was not the easiest time, believe me, but we have handled the challenges well,” Subocz says. “Apart from our two major suppliers, Embraer and Boeing, we use a network of some 100 Polish companies, and the supply chain has remained robust.

We have implemented several internal measures and are set to continue towards our targets.”

Both LOT AMS and Menzies Aviation are now firmly focused on the post-pandemic future.

In 2021 Menzies launches its long-term growth strategy, centred on five

strategic priorities, optimising portfolio growth, targeted growth in emerging markets, focused margin improvement, customer orientation, and investing and developing its employees.

At the same time, our profile of St Louis Lamber International Airport covers a new partnership the airport has forged with the airline, Lufthansa, marking the first time in nearly twenty years that non-stop flights to continental Europe will depart from St Louis Lambert International Airport.

Frank Naeve, Vice President of Sales, Lufthansa Group Passenger Airlines for the Americas, has said of the deal, “Our mission is to connect people, cultures and economies, sustainably, and the launch of service from St Louis is the best example of our commitment to this mission.

The United States is our most important market outside of our European home markets and we are thrilled to commence service in this vibrant market, linking it to the Frankfurt hub, as we expand our network of gateways in the United States, connecting even more markets than before the pandemic.”

MODERN CONSTRUCTION

BIGGER AND BETTER

This theme of “bigger and better” than pre-pandemic times is a recurring theme in every sector of the industry.

LOT AMS is undergoing a major expansion, despite pandemic constraints.

The company has stayed true to its prepandemic strategy, reinforcing its position by investing further in modernisation and growing its capacity.

LOT AMS latest venture is a project to build one of the largest ultra-modern aircraft maintenance bases in Europe, at Rzeszów Jasionka Airport.

Construction on the base is set to start in the first half of this year, with the goal of eventually servicing narrow and wide-body aircraft from around the world. It is an investment that will create over a thousand new jobs across its hangars dedicated to servicing, repairing and even repainting aircraft. As well as creating jobs and capacity, the expansion will serve to prepare LOT AMS for what Subocz believes will be a period of growth for the industry.

“We are witnessing great changes in the industry, with the application of new materials such as carbon fibre, and further changes will come as a result of the increased focus on the environment and zero emissions,” Subocz says. “Therefore, we need to invest not only in technology but also in people, to be able to handle these changes. And that is exactly what we are doing.”

Joening shares this optimism, pointing out, “There are new opportunities everywhere around the globe both in

emerging as well as mature markets where we can grow with our customers. Some of these opportunities were ironically created by the pandemic as airlines are now outsourcing services that they had previously provided themselves.”

While the aviation sector is looking to rise to levels above even their pre-pandemic performance, however, that should not be seen as a straightforward return to normal. The industry is changing.

Menzies has set itself the goal

to be carbon-neutral by 2033, its 200th anniversary, and the company is investing in electric equipment while working with customers to reduce their carbon footprint.

As Subocz tells us, “We are witnessing great changes in the industry, with the application of new materials such as carbon fibre, and further changes will come because of the increased focus on the environment and zero emissions.

Therefore, we need to invest not only in technology but also in people, to be able to handle these changes. And that is exactly what we are doing.”

NEWS | 15

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

ST LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’S HISTORY GOES BACK TO THE VERY DAWN OF POWERED FLIGHT, BUT IT HAS AN EXCITING FUTURE AHEAD OF IT.

BEYOND A TRAVEL HUB 16 | LEADING FEATURE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

St Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) takes its name from Albert Bond Lambert, a prominent aviator, hot-air balloonist and early aviation benefactor who used to take off from the site where the airport sits today. It is also the airport where aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh worked as a flight instructor and served as the chief pilot for an important US mail service.

PROJECT MANAGED BY: RASH UDDIN BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

F

or almost as long as the flight has been within people’s grasp, STL has played a key role in enabling that flight.

Today, it is the 31st largest airport in the US, in 2019 serving 16 million passengers.

The site covers 3,675 acres of land, nearly 2,000 of which are inside the airport’s perimeter fence, home to the airport’s runway system and terminal,

LEADING FEATURE | 17

Confidence is the Product of Experience

CERTAIN Enabling the Complex Business of Airports for Over 30 Years We’re helping airports realize a bright vision of the future.

Our experts are working with innovators to deliver tomorrow’s most sa�sfying travel experiences.

Finance & Economics Concessions Planning and Management Market & Passenger Research

Information Systems Program Management Revenue Recovery

312.988.3360 | unison-ucg.com | Chicago, IL • St. Louis, MO • Laguna Hills, CA

Sponsored Content Airport Research Required for Operational Excellence

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By Firelli Pitters of Unison Consulting, Inc.

Airport market surveys are essential in understanding what consumers need and value so stakeholders can develop data-driven strategies and make informed decisions.

The impact of COVID-19 and subsequent variants on air travel has created a need for management to take immediate and ongoing action to address concerns about traveling. Government regulations are constantly evolving; thus, staying abreast of how these changes impact passengers and operations is critical for all airport stakeholders.

Survey research can uncover a wide variety of information vital to evaluating airport operations and determining short- and long-term business strategies. Information gathered from surveys informs airports about the variations in the profile of their user market, behavior patterns, satisfaction levels, needs, preferences, and operational challenges.

Survey data is important to help assess current conditions, develop terminal plans, create customer service initiatives, justify expenditures, identify opportunities to enhance revenue generation, and enhance overall satisfaction.

Insight into the airport market allows management to leverage opportunities to enhance service and revenues. Fortunately for airports and their business partners, developing solutions can be informed by supportive data. Statistical information an airport may already have on-hand, such as passenger traffic numbers, TSA processing numbers, parking usage, and concession transactions, can be used alongside quality survey data to evaluate current conditions, help predict future behavior, and identify opportunities to better serve customers.

As airport management contemplates conducting a market survey, there are two essential elements that are critical to the usefulness of the collected data.

Second, survey reports should be easy to understand and review, so practical and relevant decisions can be gleaned from the data.

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To address these needs, contact firellipitters@unison-ucg.com, or call 312.988.3360. Unison is the only airport consultancy that offers a mature market research discipline. Unlike a general market research firm that may be adept at collecting data, Unison deeply understands the role and application of survey data to airport planning and operations.

As a leading aviation consulting firm, Unison is eminently prepared to provide airports with superior research, analytical, strategic planning, and management services. Our aviation consulting expertise provides us with an unrivaled perspective with which to inform the planning of airport surveys and analysis of survey data, interpret research data output, and develop customized reporting solutions. This perspective ensures we will deliver meaningful, actionable data that will drive impactful strategies to consistently provide satisfactory and memorable guest experiences.

First, the survey process itself should be carefully executed. Further, survey data must be statistically sound and derive meaningful insights in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the airport market, assess satisfaction levels, and identify opportunities to enhance service.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

LEADING FEATURE | X

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

with another 1,600 beyond that, which development plans are underway for future opportunities.

“Our current largest carrier is Southwest Airlines; it garners 59% of the market share from STL. And our most recent announcement is that Lufthansa will start non-stop service to Frankfurt in June 2022” points out Airport Director, Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge. “One of our most valuable traits is that we sit right in the centre of the US, literally. When you think about the flow of flight activity from STL, getting anywhere in the country to the north, south, east or west is within an easy reach.

Our furthest point is 3.5 hours to the far north-western coast of the country.”

A TIME FOR TRANSFORMATION

By the latter half of the 20th century, STL was a significant large hub for Trans World Airlines across the late 80s and into the 90s. However, when Trans World was bought by American Airlines in 2001, St Louis Lambert International Airport would find itself dehubbed over the following six or seven years. By 2009 it was clear the airport needed a transformation.

Fortunately, HammNiebruegge was ideally positioned to be a catalyst for this change.

“I was with TWA, mostly based at STL, for many years and ultimately ran all of TWA’s North American operations,” she recalls.

“When I moved over to American Airlines after the merger my role was to support and integrate all the TWA airports into the American Airlines

20 | LEADING FEATURE

Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge, Airport Director, St. Louis Lambert International Airport.

network. Shortly thereafter I came back to running the St Louis operation for American Airlines and ultimately went through the arduous task of dehubbing it. I had the great opportunity to transition my career to the airport when Mayor Francis Slay appointed me in January 2010 as the Airport Director for STL and we’ve seen some amazing transformations.”

“I’ve now been here 12 years, so I’m on my third mayor!” she jokes. In the 70s and 80s, with so many different legacy carriers, a lot of mediumsized cities became hubs for these carriers. However, with the changes that came to the aviation industry and the consolidation of carriers things started to change in the ’90s and STL was really the first airport in the US that went through a dehubbing exercise. As airline consolidation took place, from approximately ten major carriers to three, it was a shock to the industry. After STL lost its hub status, the industry began to see this trend expand and numerous markets followed suit shortly thereafter.”

“OUR CURRENT LARGEST CARRIER IS SOUTHWEST AIRLINES; IT GARNERS 59% OF THE MARKET SHARE FROM STL. AND OUR MOST RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT IS THAT LUFTHANSA WILL START NON-STOP SERVICE TO FRANKFURT IN JUNE 2022” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

LEADING FEATURE | 21

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

explorestlouis.com

X | LEADING FEATURE

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ST. LOUIS REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL WELCOME TO THE HEART OF AMERICA! Join us in St. Louis and be transported from the norm. Experience the fresh, energetic vibe emanating throughout this vibrant riverfront city. And leave plenty of room for novelty and adventure while you’re at it. Whether enjoying live theater under the stars at Forest Park, sampling some authentic global food bites, or taking in a sporting event or two, St. Louis has you covered.

Think outside the box as do the more than 100 business leaders who make up the Regional Business Council, whose company members collectively employ more than 120,000 associates and generate more than $65 billion in annual revenue. Their collaborative work focuses on issues and results that impact our community’s business, philanthropic and civic affairs. Our world-ranked universities, our business districts that cater to bio, tech, agri-business and geo-spatial industries, as well as our healthcare and manufacturing sectors are leading the way through innovative research and discovery.

Our central location – 500 miles within one-third of the U.S. population and 1,500 miles within 90 percent of the population -- is a corporate game changer in terms availability, accessibility and connectivity that suits any global business needs. With extensive infrastructure within the four major transportation modes – air, river, road, and rail– St. Louis can readily manufacture and distribute products throughout the U.S. and the world.

The St. Louis region is served by five airports, two of the world’s largest rivers – the Mississippi and the Missouri – four interstate highways that put it at the nexus of north-south and east-west interstate systems, six Class 1 railroads

and a Metro Link light rail, as well as hundreds of miles of bike and pedestrianfriendly trails and greenways that serve as connectors knitting the city together as never before.

Work, play and life occur, literally, just a walk, bike ride or short drive away.

Its affordable cost of living, world-class cultural and recreational experiences – most of them free – expansive public and private educational opportunities, and award-winning cuisine that will satiate any global palate, is what makes St. Louis the epicenter of action.

It’s all here. Everything from intimate jazz and blues concerts, BBQ, and revitalized turn-of-the-century architecture to a 250,000-gallon aquarium, 200foot Wheel and one incredibly famous 630-foot Arch (located in the country’s only urban national park), awaits you. Sports fan can delight in the 11-time World Series Champion Baseball Cardinals, the NHL’s Stanley Cup Blues and the soon-be-unveiled St. Louis City SC’s MLS franchise that opens its inaugural 2023 season in a brand new soccer stadium. Sixty-five craft brewers, one infamous Budweiser brewery, cigar, whiskey, wine and dessert bars, restaurants that offer authentic dishes from all over the world, a one-of-a-kind repurposed playhouse museum for adults and kids alike that was voted No. 1 Family Attraction in the world, boutique hotels in renovated historic buildings, casinos, festivals and fountains. And so much more.

What are you waiting for? Depart from the norm. www.stlrbc.org / www.explorestlouis.com

PARTNERING WITH STL FOR 47 YEARS ATS built its roots at St. Louis Lambert International Airport. From ramp services to passenger services to fueling to lounge services and more, ATS is proud to call STL our first and longest airport partner. We look forward to continued collaboration and innovation with the visionary leadership of Director of Airports, Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

LEADING FEATURE | 23

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

As the first major airport to meet this fate, STL had an opportunity to lead the way in its transformation, showing other airports how to build back.

“We’ve done a fantastic job of reinventing ourselves.

We’ve stood out as a leader in trying to recover from a devastating blow,” HammNiebruegge recalls.

24 | LEADING FEATURE

The team’s resilience was demonstrated aptly when the airport was hit by another disaster.

“In 2011, on Good Friday, we were hit by an F4 Tornado, which saw national coverage that weekend. The tornado struck at 8:10 p.m. and took out an entire concourse, as well as the windows at our historic

front facade,” Hamm-Niebruegge says. “It was devastating, but we reopened the airport the next day. It stood out in the industry as an example of the strength of our team and the partnerships we have to pull together for this critical asset. Since then, our financial strength, our recent growth and that ability to recover are where we stand out.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

THE RIGHT STUFF

Hamm-Niebruegge puts that astonishing achievement down to the strong team STL is led by.

“I’m blessed with a great staff and together we transformed this airport from a really negative state financially and operationally to where we are today,” she points out. “By

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

2019 the transformation was highly recognized, and aside from COVID, we are on a great trajectory as we look to the future.”

The airport’s leadership team consists of three deputy directors that report to Hamm-Niebruegge, one with responsibilities in planning and engineering, one in operations

LEADING FEATURE | 25

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OHM CONCESSION GROUP A LETTER OF GRATITUDE Rhonda, as I contemplated this “editorial”, I realized that you have been an integral part of my life for the past 24 years.

In 1998, I was seventeen years old when I started working at Lambert St Louis International Airport; you were the Vice President of North American Operations for TWA. Deli Enterprises, which eventually became OHM Concession Group got its start that same year operating a Great American Bagel Bakery in Terminal 2. As you transitioned and grew with American Airlines at STL, so did we, adding several restaurants to our portfolio at the Airport.

Then in 2010 you became the Executive Director of the Airport, and I acquired the Deli Enterprises concessions business from my father and uncle and changed its name to OHM Concessions Group.

Twelve years later, you have become one of the most respected Airport Executive leaders in the industry while OHM has grown to become one of the industry’s most respected concessions operator. It’s clear that you are my good luck charm.

I was proud to attend the Women in Leadership session at the 2021 AXN Conference where you were a panelist. After that session, many people came up to me to say how impressed they were about your longstanding career at St Louis Lambert International Airport. They were surprised and impressed by your

over 39 years loyalty to STL. In fact, many never knew that you have spent your entire career at STL. That quiet confidence and commitment that you have, left an impression on me and many others.

I have always said that those not in our industry can never grasp the inordinate amount of responsibility that goes into operating business at an airport. Those of us in the industry never think about what it takes; 18+ hour days, 365 days a year, millions of people relying on us and our teams. Its not always perfect, however, knowing that we have leadership like you and the STL Airport support team, gives us confidence that we will be prepared to do what our passengers expect from us. Thank you for being a part of my life and thank you for your devotion to St Louis and our hometown Airport.

Milan Patel President & CEO OHM Concession Group 4482 Woodson Road, St Louis MO 63134

www.ohmconcessiongroup.com

Question the ordinary Imagine the extraordinary Create the enduring

WSP is proud of our combined heritage, history and partnership with the City of St. Louis and the St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL).

For more than 70 years, we have continuously operated in the City of St. Louis and we are honored to play a role in STL’s future.

Imagine what we can do for you.

Photo Credit: David Ackerman

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LEADING FEATURE | 27

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

28 | LEADING FEATURE

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ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

and maintenance and a CFO who handles the finances, leases and the business diversity office of the airport.

Together they have become a closely-knit team, committed to the airport.

“Between the four of us, the strength that everyone brings to the team is incredible,” HammNiebruegge says. “All of them could go to a number of locations and move into higher roles, but we have really bonded together to rebuild this airport and make this community proud of STL. Being a part of that is exciting and I know this team can do great things.”

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“I’M BLESSED WITH A GREAT STAFF AND TOGETHER WE TRANSFORMED THIS AIRPORT FROM A REALLY NEGATIVE STATE FINANCIALLY AND OPERATIONALLY TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.” A TRANSFORMED AIRPORT

From the beginning, the role of Hamm-Niebruegge and her team was to rebuild the former hub into an airport suitable for the 21st century, and one of the critical advantages the airport had was the partnerships it was able to build.

“That’s been my role. I have a great team with expertise in planning, operations and finance. What I bring to the table is building the trust of the community and growing our partnerships and really educating on the role we play in

LEADING FEATURE | 29

THANK YOU RHONDA K. HAMM-NIEBRUEGGE and the great team at St. Louis Lambert International Airport for your partnership with Hudson and our HG St. Louis Joint Venture Partners.

For more information about Hudson please visit us at wwww.hudsongroup.com or follow us at

/hudson-group

https://www.linkedin.com/ company/hudson-group

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LEADING FEATURE | 31

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

the regional economy,” HammNiebruegge explains.

“The airport has morphed itself into something we can all be proud of and it will continue to morph, so bringing the community along for that ride has been fun. We had to find partnerships that worked. We asked the community and our airline partners what they wanted.

Then our job was bringing those pieces together and putting us in the place we are today.”

European airlines have been more open to looking at mediumsized cities and putting together a regional package to show the commitment to making a European flight successful was critical. That led to our partnership with Lufthansa, and when we announced in late December the non-stop Frankfurt service it was a huge win for this airport and this region.

32 | LEADING FEATURE

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ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

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LEADING FEATURE | 33

Proud to serve the St. Louis community.

When St. Louis Lambert International Airport has needed innovative renovations ranging from terminal upgrades to a new fuel storage facility, we have proudly served as the on-call engineering team for more than 15 years. Our expedited design-build approach provides cost-efficient delivery for the region we call home. Learn about our aviation services at burnsmcd.com/STLaviation22.

BURNS & MCDONNELL COMMITTED TO ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’S EXCELLENCE A proud partner of St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Burns & McDonnell has served as the airport’s on-call engineering team for the past 15 years.

The full-service engineering, architecture, construction, environmental and consulting solutions firm has successfully completed hundreds of projects for the airport, with work ranging from innovative terminal renovations to incorporating airport upgrades for weary passengers.

Major projects over the years have included renovation of Terminal 1 in 2014 and providing program management and design-build services for the airport’s bulk fuel storage facility in 2021. Terminal renovations focused on improving efficiency of air-handling systems and central utilities such as steam boilers, chilled water, and temperature controls. The new fuel storage facility includes a maintenance and operations building, pipeline receipt filtration, three 24,000-barrel storage tanks, a hydrant pump system, a fire suppression system and an 11,000-foot-long transfer line.

In 2018, the firm supplied design-build services for a 2,600-square-foot, fullservice common-use club to form the Wingtips Common Use Lounge in Terminal 2. The space serves as a spot for passengers to escape the hectic chaos of the airport to relax, unwind and enjoy such amenities as complimentary food and drink, high-speed internet, quiet work zones and access to a conference room for prescheduled meetings.

Burns & McDonnell has a history of integrated partnership with St. Louis Lambert International Airport and remains committed to innovative projects bettering and supporting the facility well into the future. www.burnsmcd.com

34 | LEADING FEATURE

YOUR FACILITY. YOUR WAY.

Established in 2001, PBP is a building maintenance & facility services company offering a wide range of complex services across various industries. From high-level work in aviation to energy conservation and building operations, PBP has the experience to assist your facility on all levels. Every customized solution implements a work process designed to improve performance, increase efficiency, and reduce operating costs.

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BUILDING BRIDGES

The partnership with Lufthansa is a huge step for the airport, and the region as a whole, as it marks the first time in nearly two decades that non-stop flights to continental Europe will depart from St Louis Lambert International Airport.

The partnership will mean three non-stop flights per week flying from St Louis Lambert International Airport to Frankfurt as of June this year. Passengers have been able to choose from business, premium economy, and economy seating for the new route since tickets went on sale in December 2021.

36 | LEADING FEATURE

“By working with Lufthansa and bringing our regional partners together, we are now able to connect St Louis directly to the world. This is a major step forward for our region’s critical transportation infrastructure necessary to advance the goals of the STL 2030 Jobs Plan,” said Andrew C. Taylor, Executive Chairman of Enterprise Holdings Inc. and Founding Chair of Greater St Louis, Inc. Lufthansa has been equally excited by the deal, with Frank Naeve, Vice President of Sales, Lufthansa Group Passenger

Airlines for the Americas, saying of the partnership, “Our mission is to connect people, cultures and economies, sustainably, and the launch of service from St Louis is the best example of our commitment to this mission. The United States is our most important market outside of our European home markets and we are thrilled to commence service in this vibrant market, linking it to the Frankfurt hub, as we expand our network of gateways in the United States, connecting even more markets than before the pandemic.”

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

“BY WORKING WITH LUFTHANSA AND BRINGING OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS TOGETHER, WE ARE NOW ABLE TO CONNECT ST LOUIS DIRECTLY TO THE WORLD. THIS IS A MAJOR STEP FORWARD FOR OUR REGION’S CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY TO ADVANCE THE GOALS OF THE STL 2030 JOBS PLAN.”

The new flights are particularly important as until they were announced St Louis was the largest American market without non-stop service to Europe. There has not been a non-stop flight from St Louis to continental Europe since the TWA to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris in September 2001.

It is also significant because of the strong ties the St Louis region has with Germany, including the Seeds & Traits headquarters for the Crop Science division of Bayer, the KWS Gateway Research Center, the significant presence of MilliporeSigma, the life science business of Merck KGaA, and many others. Indeed, the new service has already proven popular with local businesses.

“Restoring non-stop international air service helps St Louis solidify our status as a truly global centre of innovation and commerce,” said Rodrigo

Santos, Chief Operating Officer for Bayer Crop Science, a division of Bayer AG, headquartered in Germany.

“We’re excited to more easily connect with people around the world, especially our Bayer colleagues travelling to and from Europe.”

Germany is not the only global location St Louis is building bridges to. The airport has also recently made an agreement with the airline, Spirit, to fly a direct service to Cancun, Mexico. St Louis already offers flights to several destinations into Mexico and the Caribbean, but Spirit has become the latest to announce additional service to Cancun. Last May the airline inaugurated its service from STL with four flights, and it has begun service to three more destinations since November.

The latest flights will depart at 6:30 am, daily, and provide a daily return flight that arrives at 2:03 pm.

LEADING FEATURE | 37

OUR SERVICE DELIVERY AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPROACH PROVIDE A COMPLETE END-TO-END SOLUTION. • PROJECT MANAGEMENT • FACILITY MANAGEMENT • EVENT MANAGEMENT • BUSINESS CONSULTING “Regency is proud to work with Director Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge and all her staff to make St. Louis Lambert International Airport a top US airport.” Charlie Brown, Owner. www.regencystl.com

REGENCY ENTERPRISES SERVICES Need Solutions from an Experienced Provider?

Regency Enterprises Services provides turnkey solutions, resources, and labor to support domestic and global clients in the private, public, and government sectors.

We are a decades-old company that offers a full line of services: • Facility Management • Project Management • Janitorial and Floor Care Services • Administrative & Human Resource Solutions • Solid Waste Management What would a true partner do for you?

Regency approaches service support with a partnership perspective: • Offering unbiased analyses of client challenges • Partnering to identify achievable solutions • Breaking solutions into attainable tasks Our project management approach allows us to quickly prioritize and logically order the work breakdown schedule, ensuring that the solution is accomplished in a timely and economical manner. This is why Regency has been so successful in consistently delivering superior, cost-effective, and value-added solutions for our client-partners.

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Our clients value our tailored approach to solve their facility needs because they appreciate our small-business culture, which allows us to be hands-on and closely involved. This added level of care and attention to detail enables us to go above and beyond to fulfill our clients’ needs.

Reach out today! info@RegencySTL.com or +1 314-301-9488. www.regencystl.com

38 | LEADING FEATURE

proud technology partner of

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Building Technologies that Connect & Protect since 1963 Tech Electronics is a technology services organizaaon headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri with a network of nine offices across the Midwest. We design, install, service, and maintain technologies that help our customers work smarter, feel safer, and collaborate more effeccvely.

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ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

St. Louis Connects to the World Nonstop service to Europe begins June 2022

With new nonstop flights to Frankfurt, Germany, it’s never been a better time to explore what makes the St. Louis metro the perfect place for innovative businesses to connect and grow.

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“Spirit Airlines continued growth at St Louis Lambert International is a great way to end this remarkable year,” said Hamm-Niebruegge of the new flights. “In March, the airline announced its arrival at STL, and today it flies to eight destinations. We are grateful to see Spirit’s commitment to this region.”

“We sincerely appreciate the warm welcome Spirit has received in St Louis, and we’re thrilled to continue investing in additional convenient, non-stop flights to fun destinations,” said Nick Bartolotta, Senior Director of Network Planning for Spirit Airlines.

Spirit now has several routes coming out of St Louis Lambert Airport, including Tampa, Orlando, Phoenix, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

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SETTING THE STAGE

“Now our next step is to start talking about what our facilities will look like over the next decade and how we continue to meet the needs of this community as we look to the future. Connecting traffic through STL and growing that

LEADING FEATURE | 39

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

40 | LEADING FEATURE

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ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

market will be a key factor for us. We currently are just finalizing the latest Master Plan which will be our guide as we move forward,” HammNiebruegge says. “This last year we’ve seen a lot of growth in our region in terms of business opportunities including tech, financial institutions, logistics, agriculture, plant sciences and others. We are seeing things take off in this community and that will be a great asset as we look to grow our airport.”

One additional area STL has seen growth is in distribution centres throughout our region and that has enabled our growth of air cargo. We have seen dramatic increases in our cargo tonnage and we also have been approved to handle live animal shipments through the USDA. We have seen a number of these shipments in 2021 and expect more to come in 2022. “We’ve seen more interest in livestock, produce and products moving through this region and we believe that growth will continue,” Hamm-Niebruegge says.

“When we think about what’s ahead, we see a lot of potential to grow from a passenger and a cargo standpoint and as we think about the future, we believe our stage is set!”

“WE SEE A LOT OF POTENTIAL TO GROW FROM A PASSENGER AND A CARGO STANDPOINT AND AS WE THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE, WE BELIEVE OUR STAGE IS SET!” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

LEADING FEATURE | 41

LOTAMS

POLISH LOTAMS, ONE OF THE LARGEST AND OLDEST MRO PROVIDERS IN CENTRAL EUROPE, IS PURSUING ITS VISION TO FURTHER ENHANCE ITS CAPABILITY.

AIMING HIGH

PROJECT MANAGED BY: ANDREW BOURKE 42 | AVIATION

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LOTAMS

Warsaw-headquartered LOTAMS boasts a rich and varied history that began nearly a hundred years ago and has made the company what it is today – a dynamically developing MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) company, providing its services to four of the world’s ten most prosperous airlines.

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T

he history of LOTAMS began in 1925 with the opening of the first technical base by Aerolot, and from 1929 until some ten years ago, the company was closely tied with LOT Polish Airlines.

2010 saw the most significant changes, as LOT separated its technical branch from the divisions, to form an independent body called LOT Aircraft Maintenance Services (LOTAMS).

Today, the company is a part of the state-owned Polish Aviation Group that combines five aviation-related businesses.

A significant milestone for the company came in 2012 when LOTAMS became Embraer’s Authorized Service Centre for all models of ERJ and EMB aircraft, as the only authorized centre of this type in central and eastern Europe, and one of just two on the European continent.

AVIATION | 43

LOTAMS

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

Adrian Subocz, Logistics Director, points out that the company is a competence centre for all E1 Embraer fleet, and plans to obtain certificates also for E2 regional jet, thus further expanding its capability.

He explains that the company provides line & base maintenance services for 9 types of airliners and cargo aircraft (Boeing 777, Boeing 787, Boeing 767, Boeing 737CL, Boeing 737NG, Boeing 737MAX, Embraer 170, Embraer 190, A320 CEO Family).

“We provide line maintenance in 8 airports in Poland annually conducting over 20,000 line maintenance tasks, and more than 100 base maintenance operations and nearly 20 aircraft painting operations in LOTAMS’ main base in Warsaw” he says.

“The latest technical inventions and techniques help to increase the efficiency and reduce Turn-Around-Time (TAT) service. This supports our general aim of achieving worldwide recognition in terms of quality and precision, in order to provide safety in-flight and on the ground.”

This objective is further supported by over 1,000 qualified and experienced aircraft mechanics, engineers, and other specialists in the technical professions. Mr Subocz himself, a technical university graduate, entered a career in aviation in 2008 at

Airbus Poland, following several years abroad. Joining LOTAMS two years ago, he was put in charge of two departments, running warehousing and stores, and procurement – just several months before the pandemic.

“This was not the easiest time, believe me, but we have handled the challenges well.

Apart from our two major suppliers, Embraer and Boeing, we use a network of some 100 Polish companies, and the supply chain has remained robust. We have implemented several internal measures and are set to continue towards our targets.”

TOWARDS MARKET LEADERSHIP Adrian Subocz, Logistics Director, LOTAMS.

Founded in 2013, Aerofab NDT is a leading manufacturer of Non-Destructive Test(NDT) equipment supporting the Aerospace industry.

Our customers include Boeing, Airbus, Lot AMS, Lufthansa, Qantas Airways, American Airlines, SpaceX, Blue Origin & the United States Air Force to name a few.

Our company specializes in the manufacturing of custom Eddy Current Probes, Ultrasonic Transducers, Calibration Standards & Composites.

We continue to be a leader in sourcing hard-to-find or obsolete NDT tooling & equipment specified in many Aircraft NTM procedures which include Boeing & Airbus.

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44 | AVIATION

Right now, LOTAMS is in the process of a major expansion.

Despite the constraints of the pandemic, the company has stayed firmly on track with its strategy to reinforce its position by further investing in modernisation and increased capacity.

The company is on a journey to build one of the largest ultramodern aircraft maintenance bases in Europe, at Rzeszów Jasionka Airport. “Construction is set to start in the middle of 2022, with a view to servicing narrow and wide-body aircraft from around the world there,” says Adrian Subocz.

Ultimately, the investment in total will create some 1,000 new jobs. The entire infrastructure will consist of three hangars for servicing and repairing aircraft and one dedicated hangar for the painting of planes.

LOTAMS will be able to perform simultaneous maintenance of 4 wide-body aircraft like the twin-engine

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LOTAMS

Boeing 787 Dreamliner, 5 narrow-body aircraft (e.g., the Boeing 737) or alternatively 15 narrow-body aircraft or up to 20 regional aircraft (e.g., the Embraer 195).

The location for this investment is not accidental, says Adrian Subocz. The Podkarpackie Aviation Cluster is being intensively developed, with many aviation companies, research centres, educational institutions, technical aviation schools and universities in the region.

“The investment, divided into three stages, will give us a boost to be a true leader in this part of the world. This will be supported by an increased focus on cost optimisation, improved efficiency and enhanced performance in a post-pandemic environment.”

THE HUMAN FORCE

The growing demand for technical services has shown the need to employ highly qualified specialists.

Skilled employees are one of LOTAMS’s strengths and the company is set to sustain and further develop this advantage, undertaking actions to improve the standard of staff training, as well as providing support for technical schools educating future mechanics.

“Investment in infrastructure and business development is one thing, but we also must make sure that we have enough people to fill the jobs in the new facility. Therefore, we cooperate very closely with the technical schools from all over Poland.”

“Our special “Become a highly qualified aircraft mechanic” programme provides opportunities for students to practice their skills with our support while giving us a chance to have access to

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

new talent,” acknowledges Mr Subocz, emphasising that for a company to have its own proprietary school programmes to develop future workforce is something unique in Poland.

This initiative will both help the company to staff the new 1,000 jobs available in the new facility in Rzeszów Jasionka Airport and also prepare the business for future market developments.

“We are witnessing great changes in the industry, with the application of new materials such as carbon fibre, and further changes will come as a result of the increased focus on the environment and zero emissions. Therefore, we need to invest not only in technology but also in people, to be able to handle these changes. And that is exactly what we are doing.”

AVIATION | 45

MENZIES AVIATION

WITH NEARLY TWO CENTURIES OF HISTORY BEHIND IT, MENZIES AVIATION HAS DEVELOPED INTO A CRITICAL PARTNER IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY, DELIVERING LOGISTICS SERVICES ACROSS SIX CONTINENTS.

A PARTNER YOU CAN TRUST PROJECT MANAGED BY: TIMOTHY GARWOOD Menzies Aviation offers landside and airside services tailored to its customers’ needs at more than 200 airport locations across six continents.

Following the years of the global pandemic that have crippled the aviation industry, the company – leaner, more flexible and agile – is now again in expansion mode, as recent developments show.

A

number of new contracts were won last year in different parts of the world, and in January 2022 the company announced that it has strengthened its presence in Latin America with new contracts in Mexico, where it now operates at 31 airports.

These contracts span the length and breadth of Mexico and have been signed with American Airlines, Aeroflot, Air Canada, Delta Air Lines, Flair Airlines, Frontier Airlines

46 | AVIATION

and TAG Airlines, reinforcing Menzies’ global footprint and cementing its position amongst the top three global players in this segment.

TO NEW HEIGHTS

Menzies has an impressive history. The Scottish business was founded in 1833, eighty-six years before the world’s first non-stop transatlantic flight,

by John Menzies, who opened a bookshop in Edinburgh, which was to become the only wholesale bookseller north of the border. The following generations of the family expanded the business into book distribution in line with new demands, securing major business growth.

It was only in the 1980s that the company entered aviation distribution and by the early 2000s, Menzies had begun consolidating the business, focusing on the fast-growing areas of cargo handling and passenger services. By 2017, as

a result of numerous acquisitions, the company became firmly established as a global player in cargo, fuelling and ground handling and the following year the aviation business became Menzies’ core activity.

“Today Menzies is an aviation logistics provider on a global scale, still headquartered in Edinburgh, and operating at 212 airports in 38 countries,” says CEO Philipp Joeinig. “We are integral to aviation and provide time-critical services in three core product lines – ground services, air cargo services and fuel services.

“Our target is to be the undisputed number one in the industry, moving from our current position of number two or three in the sector. We have the appetite and also the confidence to grow the business sustainably and responsibly. We are already one of the fastest-growing companies in the industry, and we want to continue that growth path in the coming years,” he affirms.

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MENZIES AVIATION

Philipp Joeinig, CEO, Menzies Avaition.

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AVIATION | 47

We keep your business moving.

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MENZIES AVIATION

THE CORE ASSET

Over the last few years, Philipp Joeinig, together with his team, have contributed significantly to the growth of the business. With an impressive career in aviation stretching back over two decades, he joined Menzies in 2019, when he was elected Chairman and later, CEO. Today, he is not only Menzies’ leader but also one of its biggest shareholders.

“This has been a dream come true for me, as I always wanted to be part of and lead this company,” he says. “The prospects are great. We are thinking in terms of decades, not years and there is so much more we can do as a company to move forward, to grow with our customers. To do so, we need to take great care of our biggest asset – our people.

At the end of the day, a company is a group of people. The key is to ensure that our people are fully aligned and motivated, working with passion and focused on reaching our goals.”

Menzies, with its 25,000 people working on all continents is a truly multi-cultural business where diversity is not just a word but a reality. It is a privilege and big responsibility to make sure that the company moves in the right direction to the benefit of its staff, Philipp says.

THE KEY IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE FULLY ALIGNED AND MOTIVATED, WORKING WITH PASSION AND FOCUSED ON REACHING OUR GOALS.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

AVIATION | 49

MENZIES AVIATION

“Communication is key, and this was further reinforced by the pandemic with its various restrictions and limitations.

We focused on improving communication with our employees on the frontline and rolled out Microsoft Teams to our stations to support employee engagement.”

“Training and development are aspects which are just as important. We make sure that everyone in the organisation is provided not only with technical and skills training but also with their personal growth path,” he affirms.

Last year Menzies won an HR award for its in-house Living Leadership programme.

50 | AVIATION

Nearly 1,000 of its employees have completed the course since 2019 and the company is planning to extend this to lower levels of management.

CHALLENGE TURNED OPPORTUNITY

Philipp, who joined the company in the months just before the pandemic, claims that he could not have chosen a better time. “It was a great moment, to use the challenge for restructuring the business, to rebalance and recalibrate the company. Of course, we had to implement some drastic measures to survive but we have emerged in a better shape than before.”

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MENZIES AVIATION

“WE ARE ALREADY ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING COMPANIES IN THE INDUSTRY, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE THAT GROWTH PATH IN THE COMING YEARS.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

In 2021, the company also launched its long-term growth strategy, which is centred on five strategic priorities – optimising portfolio growth; targeted growth in emerging markets; focused margin improvement; customer orientation; and investing and developing its employees.

“There are new opportunities everywhere around the globe both in emerging as well as mature markets where we can grow with our customers. Some of these opportunities were ironically created by the pandemic as airlines are now outsourcing services that they had previously provided themselves.”

AVIATION | 51

MENZIES AVIATION

And Menzies plans to provide these services in a sustainable manner: the company is set to be carbonneutral by 2033, the year of its 200th anniversary, and Philipp affirms that every investment the company does is done, as far as possible, in a sustainable manner, be it in electric equipment or working together with customers to reduce their carbon footprint.

In concluding, Philipp affirms that the next 12 years will be an exciting time: “We want to be the solution provider of choice for our customers, and to grow with our customers. We are determined to go for a bigger market share by the anniversary year, on our way to becoming the number one.”

52 | AVIATION

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Menzies Aviation is a leading global provider of time-critical air cargo services, fuel services & ground services at more than 200 airports in 38 countries. Safety is our number one priority.

Air cargo services We manage the global transportation of high-value & time-critical cargo. Decades of experience, supported by cost-effective and smart logistics solutions, means we are trusted to provide a reliable and secure service.

Fuel services We are the world’s largest independent provider of into-plane fuelling services & fuel farm management for oil companies, airports, airlines & other partners across the world.

Ground services Our team provides front-line airport services, both above & below the wing, ensuring passengers, crew & aircraft complete journeys efficiently & on schedule.

www.menziesaviation.com

MODUBUILD

OFF-SITE MANUFACTURING-BASED CONSTRUCTION IS A GROWING TREND, BUT WHEN YOU BRING THOSE TECHNIQUES TO THE BIOPHARMA AND DATA CENTRE SECTORS, THE CHALLENGES, AND STANDARDS, ARE GREATER THAN EVER.

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE PROJECT MANAGED BY: DEAN BROWN

Modubuild is a high-tech engineering, manufacturing and construction company headquartered in Kilkenny, Ireland.

The company works for clients in the biopharma and data centre sectors, delivering projects across multiple countries internationally.

W

e take complex, high-tech projects from concept to an operational facility,” explains Kevin Brennan, Managing Director of Modubuild. “In the traditional construction and engineering model, projects like these would need a design company, then a contractor, then a specialist contractor to bring it up to spec. We, however, can handle the design, engineering and construction of the entire facility inside our factory, which is the largest manufacturing facility of its kind in Europe.”

Modubuild has invested heavily in its 140,000 square foot, state-of-the-art factory in Castlecomer, Ireland. With significant investments in R&D, lean manufacturing and digitisation, the company leads the way in high tech volumetric modular construction.

54 | CONSTRUCTION

“At our facility, we install all of the architectural, mechanical, electrical, and process equipment while the client’s site is being prepared,” Brennan says. “Following inspections and testing we can ship the building in large modules and reassemble it on-site in a matter of days.”

Modubuild also has the ability to deliver projects internationally and has successfully delivered complex projects across eleven countries to date.

A HIGHER STANDARD

Modubuild not only offers drawing-board-to-building-site design and construction, and efficient off-site manufacturing, but provides it to some of the most demanding construction sectors out there. A large proportion of Modubuild’s work is in creating facilities for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, where there is no room for error.

Kevin Brennan, Managing Director of Modubuild.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

MODUBUILD

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CONSTRUCTION | 55

Cladding Coatings & Surface Repair Specialists.

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BDRs Ltd, Philipstown, Crossakiel, Kells, Co Meath, Ireland Tel: +353 (0)87 0666 549 • Email: info@bdrsltd.ie

• Environmental & Sustainable Coating Solutions • External Coating Solutions • Internal Coating Solutions • Cladding Repairs • Fire Door Repairs • Curtain Walling Repairs • Data Centre Repairs

www.bdrsltd.ie

BDRS LTD: INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION KELLS COMPANY RECOGNIZED FOR WORK ON DATA CENTRES ACROSS IRELAND AND EUROPE Kells-based BDRs Ltd - BDR specialist repair solutions – has been named All-Star International Cladding and Whitewall Repair Company 2021.

The recognition by the All-Ireland Business Foundation is in recognition of the company’s outstanding contribution to quality and standards in the data centre and manufacturing sector, according to the citation.

The Foundation continues: “Furthermore, we wish to recognize BDRs’ conduct in the areas of trust, commitment, performance and customer-centricity. BDRS Ltd is hereby included in the AIMF Register of Irish Business Excellence.”

BDR is now Leading the Irish and European market in specialized repairs in the Data centre and pharmaceutical sector.

Director, Eythan Kellett: “It is a privilege and a great achievement for all our team to have been recognised on an international level for our work. Recognition of this nature highlights our team’s dedication to ensuring trust, commitment and performance are at the forefront of what we do.

Modular construction is the future of fast-tracking hyperscale projects. We specialize in repairing external cladding and internal white walls which are the two main components in modular construction. BDR repairs all types of panels from all suppliers including Kingspan, Eurobond, Paroc etc.

Construction footfall on larger projects can range from 500-2500 operatives which makes it common for accidental damage to occur on newly installed fire doors, curtain walling and many other common components of industrial and commercial fit-outs.

We offer our clients a fast, cost-effective solution to repairing these issues on site.

With current lead times for new products running into months, accidental damage can cause major delays to the completion of projects. We have teams of highly skilled operatives working on-site to ensure any accidental damage or damage caused by transportation is rectified so as not to delay the handover of the project to the end client.“ WE BRANCHED INTO THE EUROPEAN MARKET IN EARLY 2020 By late 2022 we will be operating in more than 4 countries simultaneously. The current projects include data projects in Frankfurt, Germany, and Lulea in northern Sweden, and various sites across Ireland, while upcoming projects include centres in Copenhagen, Denmark; Rotterdam, Holland; Paris, France, and in the south of Sweden” GROWTH BDR works closely with companies such as Modubuild, AC Data, Crown Roofing and ACB Design and Construction to name a few. These companies are leading the field in both Ireland and Europe.

Working alongside such companies has allowed BDR to grow at a pace that reflects the demand from our clients. BDR has made a name for itself over the last few years. We are the company of quality, the company to call to get the project across the line and that is why we have developed such a trusting relationship with our clients.

BDR also operates nationwide in Ireland supplying industrial and commercial sectors with all types of cladding repairs and refurbishments from minor dent repairs to complete building resprays.

Other services provided by the company include: - Structural steel coatings (Fire resistant) - Antimicrobial coatings - Archaeological restoration - Sand/Soda/Vapour Blasting - Property maintenance programs BDR Specialist Repair Solutions is based in Kells Business Park and can be contacted on (087) 066 6549 or info@bdrsltd.ie Visit: www.bdrsltd.ie

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“Our clients are major multinational companies,” Brennan points out. “They operate in highly regulated environments, for example, biopharma clients are bringing new life-saving drugs to market.

Therefore quality, safety, schedule and certainty of outcome are of the utmost importance.”

These companies also demand a high speed-to-market, so the time from concept to the operational facility can be crucial, as we saw during the Covid pandemic’s rush for a vaccine.

“Our volumetric solutions mean we can deliver a facility, such as a vaccine laboratory, in seven-and-a-half months, where it would normally take as much as a year-and-a-half,” Brennan tells us.

Modubuild demonstrated this in 2020 when it delivered a biosafety vaccine facility for a leading global biopharma client.

Modubuild took the project from concept to operational facility in eight months, taking only nine days to reassemble the finished building on-site.

“WE CAN HANDLE THE DESIGN, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE ENTIRE FACILITY INSIDE OUR FACTORY, WHICH IS THE LARGEST MANUFACTURING FACILITY OF ITS KIND IN EUROPE.” The completed facility was named winner of the “Large Project of the Year” at the 2020 Pharma Industry Awards.

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MODUBUILD

As well as biopharma companies such as Amgen, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, MSD and others, Modubuild also serves many leading global data providers, a sector every bit as demanding as pharmaceuticals. Brennan led the company into this sector when noticed the need for a company that could deliver high-tech data centre systems quickly and in multiple locations throughout Northern Europe.

Soon Modubuild won its first large international contract, an €8 million data centre project in the Netherlands for a client Modubuild had previously supported in Ireland.

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The Netherlands has proven to be an auspicious market for the company, & Modubuild opened its own office in Amsterdam in January of 2019.

Both of these sectors have faced challenges in recent years, but Brennan regards these as opportunities to showcase Modubuild’s strengths.

“There have been challenges in sourcing people and materials, but we can offset those challenges by constructing projects off-site at our factory,” Brennan points out.

“That means we have control over the supply chain, and we don’t need to move people around as much as you would with traditional onsite projects.”

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A leading global engineering contractor Working in 19 countries worldwide, we deliver diverse, cutting edge projects for blue chip clients while taking care of our people. Enrich your work-life balance with a progressive employer and experience more than just your work every day.

joneseng.com

Gain the Advantage

ADVANTAGE ENGINEERING

Advantage Engineering is an engineering company with specialisation in precision stainless steel fabrication. The company provides high-quality products along with exceptional design and engineering services to companies across a range of sectors, including pharma, health, food, and hospitality. Advantage also specialises in fabrication for large-scale data centre fit-outs.

Chief Executive Niall Power believes that the key to a successful business is in really listening to what a client needs and providing customised solutions to make it happen on time and within budget. Niall founded Advantage Engineering in 2011 and the company works with clients that include GlaxoSmithKline, Bausch and Lomb, Sanofi, Du Puy, Creganna Medical, Microsoft, and Facebook.

Advantage products include Mesh Walls, Hot Aisle Containment, Clean Room Equipment, Utility Stations, Platform Structures, Street Furniture, Manholes and Drains, Shelters and Canopies, Steel doors and frames, Electrical Enclosures, Machine Components, Machine Covers, and Guards.

Advantage Engineering specialises in precision stainless steel fabrication, providing high-quality products to pharma, health, food & hospitality sectors. Advantage also specialises in large-scale data centre fit-outs.

The highly skilled and experienced team at Advantage is dedicated to delivering high-precision products and services. The company philosophy is to exceed clients’ expectations by supplying quality products and unbeatable customer service. By implementing lean initiatives with the personal touch, Advantage Engineering has a reputation for building strong business connections with every client. From large multinationals to SMEs, Advantage provides competitive professional support and services to help you develop your business for the future.

If you’d like to discuss your project with Niall and the team, please email: info@advantageengineering.net www.advantageengineering.net

Products include Mesh Walls, Utility Stations, Hot-Aisle Containment, Clean-Room Equipment, Platform Structures, Manholes, Street Furniture, Shelters, Drains, Canopies, Electrical Enclosures, Steel Doors, Frames, Machine Components, Conveyors, Covers & Guards.

Making the World More Silent, Safe & Healthy.

Our products: • Silencers • Ventilation sets • Special containers • Vibration insulation • Acoustic louvres • Acoustic cabins & walls • Acoustic doors & casings +353 51 841670

info@advantageengineering.net

www.advantageengineering.net

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T: +31 (0) 184 661 700 | E: info@alara-lukagro.com

www.alara-lukagro.com

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MODUBUILD

“THERE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGES IN SOURCING PEOPLE AND MATERIALS, BUT WE CAN OFFSET THOSE CHALLENGES BY CONSTRUCTING PROJECTS OFF-SITE AT OUR FACTORY.”

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MODUBUILD

BUILDING A CULTURE

Demand for Modubuild’s work is growing, and to meet it Modubuild has invested heavily in talent acquisition and development.

Over the last couple of years, the company has hired over 100 additional people, almost doubling its direct staff complement on top of its 350 indirect employees.

When a company grows that quickly it can easily lose the ways of working that made it a success in the first place, but Brennan has been adamant about preserving Modubuild’s culture as it grows.

“It’s always a challenge.

Culture is something everyone talks about, but we put a huge value on it,” he reflects. “It is a challenge, but it is something we hold very dearly. We not only have a factory and international reach, but we get on well with our people and have a culture of cooperation.”

One element of that culture he is keen to preserve is the diversity of the workforce, which is very multicultural with people from a range of backgrounds.

“It doesn’t matter where you come from, we have a very level playing field,” Brennan says.

Unusually, for a company in the engineering and construction sector, half of the company’s design and engineering staff are women.

“We didn’t set out to achieve that gender ratio, but during Women in Engineering Week, we did a headcount in our design and engineering department.

It turned out we had an almost perfect 50/50 split,” Brennan tells us. “We didn’t intentionally recruit with gender in mind, we only hired the people we felt were the best fit. We have always recruited with that mindset.”

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CPS CEILING LTD www.cpsceilings.co.uk

Established in 2011, CPS Ceiling Ltd. is a London-based contractor, specialising in all types of suspended ceilings, unistruts to structure, dry lining, modular white wall & service containments.

We possess a wealth of experience on numerous successful & well-known projects, in collaboration with various contractors & main contractors in UK & Europe.

We offer a supply & installation service, tailored to the specific needs & requirements of the client.

We take pride in ensuring we deliver the best overall service, with our works completed to a quality beyound the clients’ satisfaction.

CPS Ceiling Ltd.

33 Rosemead Avenue CR4 1EZ, Mitcham, London, UK

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Pawel Stachurski ps@cpsceiling.co.uk +44 7973 135846

Rafal Bochenko rb@cpsceiling.co.uk +44 7725 906103

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Innovative Floor & Wall Systems COMPLETE REFRIGERATION SOLUTIONS: • System Design • Cooling Calculations • Plant Selection • Supply & Installation • Commissioning • Validation & Training

We work with industry leaders in Pharma, Food Processing & Food Retail/Distribution.

Products & services: • Resin Flooring • Rapid Setting Polyurea Systems • High Performance Wall Systems • Surface Preparation & Concrete Repair • Car Park Renovations • CRC Linings

As Ireland’s leading installer of resin flooring & protective linings, McLoughlin Industrial Flooring Ltd. is proud of the association with Modubuild Modubuild.

With a skilled workforce & a large selection of specialist plant & equipment, we are ideally placed for all of your resin flooring installations.

Having built a multitude of project references across Ireland, the UK, and throughout Europe, our focus is on large industrial, pharmaceutical & IT installations. We have successfully delivered high-quality resin flooring applications with a vast number of multi-national pharma & IT service providers and look forward to working with Modubuild again.

T: +353 42 966 5460 • E: info@coolrite.ie

www.coolrite.ie

T: +353 (0) 45 880370 • E: info@mcloughlinltd.ie • www.mcloughlinltd.ie

COOLRITE The refrigeration industry in the EU has faced a serious challenge in recent years. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) have been used in almost all large-scale refrigeration applications for decades but now these HFCs are being gradually phased out and banned due to their environmental impact. The most eco-friendly alternative refrigerants are flammable hydrocarbons.

The challenge using hydrocarbon refrigerants is clear but if the systems are correctly designed, the risk of ignition is infinitesimally small.

Coolrite have been leading the charge with the use of natural hydrocarbon refrigerants in industrial and commercial applications. Coolrite delivered the first supermarket in Ireland to use exclusively hydrocarbon refrigerants in 2018 and have continued to roll out refrigeration systems using hydrocarbon refrigerants since. The danger of a fire with flammable hydrocarbon refrigerants is mitigated in several ways. The quantity of refrigerant is limited to a very small amount which is highly unlikely to reach a flammable concentration within the space that it is situated. The systems can be fitted with sensitive leak detection systems which will warn of a gas leak.

Equipment containing flammable refrigerant can be located outside the building and a liquid can be pumped to through a secondary circuit in the building to deliver cooling to the required device inside without bringing any hydrocarbons into the building.

Although hydrocarbon refrigerants present challenges, Coolrite have engineered hydrocarbon solutions for a wide array of refrigeration applications in recent years. These applications include: warehouse cold-rooms, retail display refrigeration, process cooling and more. www.coolrite.ie

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Over 200 years of experience combined with a modern outlook keeps Tennants at the forefront of the construction industry.

Tennants Building Products is Ireland’s largest independent distributor of dry lining, suspended ceilings, insulation and partition systems. With strategically located depots in Belfast, Dublin and Cork, we can provide a speedy supply service across the island of Ireland. In addition, we have Walls & Ceilings International Ltd., with depots in Alcester and Bristol providing quality drywall, insulation and plasterboard products to the UK market.

www.tennantsbp.com

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MODUBUILD

Given that the gender ratio of its staff is not part of any intentional hiring push, Brennan believes it might be the result of the company’s proximity to the technology and pharmaceutical sectors.

“We’re in construction and engineering, but when hiring we look to our clients in biopharma and technology, and what they do, rather than taking our hiring practices from traditional construction,” he says. “We put a heavy emphasis on the right person with the right attitude and the right skills.”

From Modubuild’s earliest days the company has forward invested heavily in its recruitment strategy, with a dedicated talent acquisition team. That has since grown into a learning and development department to retain talent, as well as attract it.

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One of the most important aspects of a construction project is strong foundations, and it is clear Brennan is ready to build on what the company has achieved so far.

“In the next five years, we want to continue to expand. We’re going to open another manufacturing facility elsewhere in Europe, in five years we’d expect to have close to 1,200 people, and we expect we’ll be working on two other continents, Asia and the United States,” Brennan tells us. “We’ve been on a strong growth trajectory for the last few years, we’re evolving. Not that long ago we would have been considered a small subcontractor doing small projects throughout Ireland, and we’ve pivoted to being seen as an industry leader in engineering off-site manufacturing.”

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MODUBUILD

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PCL CONSTRUCTION

PCL CONSTRUCTION IS ONE OF THE LARGEST INDEPENDENT GENERAL CONTRACTING COMPANIES IN CANADA. IN THIS ARTICLE, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR ROBERT CUTHBERTSON-BLACK TALKS ABOUT THE COMPANY’S HISTORY AND ITS PLANS FOR EXPANSION IN THE FUTURE.

UNIQUE CONSTRUCTION SOLUTIONS PROJECT MANAGED BY: TIMOTHY GARWOOD

When it comes to PCL Construction, Business Development Director Robert Cuthbertson-Black has a clear idea of how he sees the company “We are an employee-owned, very diverse construction service. Our projects cover almost every aspect from our built environment, from very small interior refurbishments to billion-dollar commercial or infrastructure projects.”

A

s an $8 billion company with over 4000 employees, this is not hyperbole. CuthbertsonBlack has a crucial role as part of this organisation. “My responsibilities range from research and developing in our marketplace, developing and maintaining client and partner relationships as well as developing proposals that meet our client’s needs.”

PROCESS IMPROVEMENT

PCL’s projects in recent years have included mining projects in Canada, the Rogers Place stadium in Alberta as well as the YYC Calgary International Airway Runway Development.

PCL Construction occupies an interesting space- while it is a company that has lasted over

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115 years and yet CuthbertsonBlack is passionate when he talks about the organisation’s dedication to process improvement, such as using drone technology “We work almost exclusively in digital models using BIM, including construction planning, finding Internet of Things applications to connect to our sites and our workforce in ways that reduce labour and increase efficiency.”

One example of this is using technology to showcase projects to potential clients without having to travel out for a face-to-face meeting or an on-site visit “I love being able to use my talent to show their proposed building in real-time over a virtual meeting across two continents. Being paperless is wonderful!”

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PCL CONSTRUCTION

Robert Cuthbertson-Black, Business Development Director, PCL Construction.

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PCL CONSTRUCTION

In recent times, this ability to improve processes and increase the efficiency of the organisation has been tested with the onset of COVID-19 and the inevitable disruption that has brought for companies across the world in recent years “Supply chain reliability and costs are the greatest concern, the pace of changes creates a lot more risk. We countered this by putting in new work practices, hygiene protocols and by bringing everyone on board with vaccinations and controls to reduce exposure and illness. It’s been effective and has minimised the impact on our business.”

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

When it comes to people working for his company, CuthbertsonBlack has a strong belief in what

he expects from people who work for PCL Construction and why the right mix is important for his group of employees “It’s about personality and attitude. Those are inherent to the person, whose skills and knowledge can be developed over time with opportunity and membership. It is a challenge to address difficult personalities and disruptive attitudes, as these can be disruptive to the team.”

“LOCALLY WE SUPPORT ORGANISATIONS THAT FOCUS ON DIVERSITY, EQUALITY, AND INCLUSION, SUCH AS WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION AND PRIDE WINNIPEG.” In 1927, Trotter & Morton began its journey as a plumbing and heating company with a pioneering spirit. We offer a unique integrated solution for our client—beginning with site preparation, advancing through all aspects of construction, and continuing after the build with ongoing maintenance.

We are here for the build and beyond.

VISIT TROTTERANDMORTON.COM OR CALL 403-255-7535

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PCL CONSTRUCTION

This ethos also extends to how the company approaches supporting community projects “As an employee-owned company, we have a range of community projects that we support. We want to make our communities better, like being a leading contributor to United Way. Locally we support organisations that focus on diversity, equality, and inclusion, such as Women in Construction and Pride Winnipeg.”

One of the major community projects that PCL Construction is involved in is the campaign to end homelessness “Whether we donate our time and resources to Habitat for Humanity or building shelters for homeless people, we support several organisations that are on the frontline for helping people that need it.”

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PCL CONSTRUCTION

A BETTER CLIENT EXPERIENCE

Cuthbertson-Black is keen to stress that PCL Construction is looking at more ways to work with clients, adjusting the process to suit them as much as possible “We offer alternate delivery models that include partnerships, financing, progressive development and program management.”

As the company begins to grow, Cuthbertson-Black also feels that their methods of close collaboration with their clients will grow to suit them as well “PCL will continue to grow into new territories and sectors as we learn what our clients need from us. We expect the construction industry to move further into the digital world and we hope to be leading that.”

One thing CuthbertsonBlack is wary of is how some people view projects and warns potential clients to be wary of approaching projects purely in terms of cost “Like many consumer items, there is a difference between the top and bottom of the market and the difference is in terms of schedule, overall quality and client experience.” A common misconception is that value for money equates to the lowest cost, something that can often prove disastrous if people attempt to cut costs and corners. This is something that PCL Construction does not believe in and wishes to counter as much as possible.

Cuthbertson-Black goes on to illustrate why it is better to collaborate with a higher-end partner that considers quality as well as cost “If your business runs in a time-sensitive world, a late project can be catastrophic.

A higher cost can bring you a better-trained team, more experience, processes that run

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PCL CONSTRUCTION

smoother, less risk and overall offer you a better working experience.” For CuthbertsonBlack, this goes back to their ethos in terms of being an employee-owned company, with a stake in wanting to provide the best possible service “Consider value for money in engaging a builder and the experience can be significant. In our company, our ‘run to the fire’ culture really does matter.”

In short, there seems to be a positive ethos driving the work behind Cuthbertson-Black and PCL Construction- what they are offering is not only the desire to work hard on construction projects and the wish to continue to grow and develop but also there seems to be the desire to show that they are a company that cares about its impact in terms of its culture, diversity and the legacy it leaves behind.

“IF YOUR BUSINESS RUNS IN A TIMESENSITIVE WORLD, A LATE PROJECT CAN BE CATASTROPHIC. A HIGHER COST CAN BRING YOU A BETTER-TRAINED TEAM, MORE EXPERIENCE, PROCESSES THAT RUN SMOOTHER, LESS RISK AND OVERALL OFFER YOU A BETTER WORKING EXPERIENCE.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

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TRENCON CONSTRUCTION

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TRENCON CONSTRUCTION

SOUTH AFRICA’S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IS A VOLATILE ENVIRONMENT AT THE MOMENT, WITH URGENT DEMAND IN SOME PLACES WHILE OTHER MARKETS SHRINK. TRENCON IS A COMPANY READY TO NAVIGATE THESE CHALLENGES.

A TIME TO BUILD PROJECT MANAGED BY: ANDREW BOURKE

Trencon services the commercial, industrial, and residential markets of South Africa. Its unique approach to doing business and ability to deliver projects of high complexity on time and within budget has made it the contractor of choice.

T

hat we are 100% black woman-owned is a distinguishing feature that gives us a unique competitive advantage but over the years we’ve developed a good reputation in the market thanks to our ability to deliver projects on time and of the highest quality,” says Yavani Singh-Ninan, Trencon’s CEO. Singh-Ninan has taken over the role of CEO from her father, Dino Singh, who passed away in July last year after shepherding the company for nearly 27 years. Singh-Ninan is continuing his legacy.

“Our flat management structure means we are very client-centric, tailoring our work to the needs of the client in innovative ways to deliver a quality end product,” she tells us.

That management structure, and the hands-on attitude of the company leadership, is a tradition that Singh-Ninan has continued as CEO.

Most of Trencon’s business is in the construction of office buildings, shopping centres, residential projects, schools, and hospitals.

“Our business and work continue to be in that area, but we also carry out community and civil engineering works,” says Toni Flavio, COO. “We will do anything with structural concrete.”

SHIFTING MARKETS

While Trencon is well established across each of its markets, the construction sector has been subject to new challenges and seismic shifts over the last couple of years.

“Our work in the commercial office building sector has slowed down due to Covid, so lately we have been involved with universities around student accommodation, and the renewable energy space,” says Singh-Ninan.

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“There is no more requirement for office space,” Flavio concurs. “People tend to work from home so the need for office space has really gone, and that’s a challenge because a huge chunk of our business was building office blocks. We have had to have a look at new markets. One is the renewable energy sector. We’re involved in solar projects, and gas-powered projects.”

As well as helping to fill the void left by the shift from officebased work, these projects can also help meet the pressing energy needs of South Africa.

“Our power stations are very inefficient at this point so it’s high time for renewable energy and we’re getting really involved in that at this time,” Flavio says.

“There’s a shortage of student accommodation,” Singh-Ninan adds. “Universities are desperate for student accommodation so that’s also an important market. We’re trying to grow our business in that space.”

“We’ve also seen huge demand from the government in the hospital building,” Flavio points out. “Tenders have come out and we responded to those as well.”

“We’ve just completed one of the biggest private hospitals in the country, our biggest project to date, finished on time to the best quality standards in the country,” Singh-Ninan tells us.

Flavio adds, “We’ve also diversified the way we work.

We do design and construction, appoint professional teams, and find solutions for customers.

We take part in public-private partnerships and participate in the full spectrum of construction contracts through from normal construction to design and build, PPPs and beyond.”

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TRENCON CONSTRUCTION

These public-private partnerships and governmentfunded projects are important, as a consistent issue for South Africa’s construction industry has been a lack of necessary infrastructure investment.

“We’ve been promised infrastructure spending for the last few years, so that’s been slow getting off the ground,” Flavio says. “There’s a lot of work that needs to happen in this country in water, schools, roads, etc. That all needs to happen and we’re gearing up for it.”

At the same time, as SinghNinan points out, the private sector is extremely competitive in terms of cost.

“It’s a low margin environment, we see a lot of undercutting by competitors,” Singh-Ninan says.

“As an industry, we need to grow and expand to take advantage of the larger projects that need to happen.”

Toni Flavio, COO, Trencon.

Yavani Singh-Ninan, CEO, Trencon.

BUILT ON RELATIONSHIPS

Trencon’s flat management structure means its leadership are in close contact not only with their customers but also their staff.

“We’ve been quite fortunate that many of our staff have been here for many years, and are very happy here,” Flavio says. “We’re close to our staff as well as our customers. We’ve invested in making sure the people that work at Trencon are happy working at Trencon.”

Indeed, word-of-mouth has proved a valuable recruitment tool for the company.

“We haven’t recruited any staff through agencies until now. Our senior personnel build relationships with individuals through previous projects, and we try to rely on relationships and word-of-mouth,” SinghNinan tells us. “Construction is a small industry, everyone knows

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each other. You really are as good as your last building.”

The construction industry has undergone tumultuous times recently, and there are more challenges ahead, but Trencon is a company ready to withstand those challenges.

“Over the last five or six years we’ve seen many of the major listed construction companies in this country not survive, and we’re proud to have climbed to take our position in the top tier of construction businesses in the last few years,” Flavio says. “We’re well respected to build or construct any size project in this country.”

“Given where we are in terms of the economy, it is important we respond to needs in terms of renewables, student accommodation, and hospitals.

But it is also important that we innovate and respond differently, think outside of the box, diversify, and look into the property development side as well as the construction side of the business,” SinghNinan concludes.

“We’re at a critical juncture for the business so it’s important to be innovative, cutting edge and distinguish ourselves from our competitors.”

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DAVIS & SHIRTLIFF

AS HE NEARS RETIREMENT, DAVIS & SHIRTLIFF’S GROUP CEO REFLECTS ON WHAT HE HAS LEARNED FROM HIS TIME WITH THE COMPANY & SHARES HIS EXCITEMENT FOR IT’S FUTURE.

PASSING THE TORCH PROJECT MANAGED BY: HAYDEN TURNER

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DAVIS & SHIRTLIFF

The Davis & Shirtliff Group is East Africa’s leading supplier of water and energy related equipment, first established by Eddie Davis and his partner, Dick Shirtliff in 1946. Dick sold his shares to Devji Shingadia in 1970 and after Eddie passed on in 1982, the firm was run by Shingadia and Eddie’s son, Alec Davis, who had joined in 1976.

David Gatende joined in 1986 and when Alec bought out Shingadia in 1990, the business began a new phase of being run professionally.

After working together for 14 years Alec appointed Gatende Deputy CEO, in 2000, and when he retired in 2016 to become Chairman, he made Gatende Group CEO. Together, Alec & Gatende have led the company for 32 years to become what it is today.

S

ince we last spoke with Gatende, like most companies, Davis & Shirtliff has had to navigate some unprecedented challenges.

“It’s been quite tumultuous. It has been a roller coaster with the different Covid variants coming one after the other,” Gatende tells us. “But the business has grown. In 2020 our revenues did not dip from 2019 despite it being the first year of Covid. Last year, at Group level we breached the $100 million threshold that has been a target for a number of years. We saw about 10% growth at the group level and 2022 has begun really well. We completed a new warehouse, a 10,000 square metre facility at

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Tatu City that now serves the whole region.”

But as we talk it also becomes clear the company is about to undergo another torch passing.

“We celebrated our 75th anniversary in 2021,” Gatende says. “We’ve had 21 years of very stable executive leadership. In May last year, our Managing Director of Kenya, Dr Mas Waweru, retired after 29 years in the company, and I will retire in May this year after 36 years.”

In light of this change of the guard, the company’s 75th anniversary celebrations were based around the theme “Davis & Shirtliff 3.0”. Davis & Shirtliff 1.0 marked the period from 1946 to 1990, that ended with Alec Davis buying out his

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Professional Power Manufacturer

www.zhicheng-champion.com Email: champion-aliao@hotmail.com

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DAVIS & SHIRTLIFF

DAVIS & SHIRTLIFF 3.0

David Gatende, CEO, Davis & Shirtliff Group.

partner, Shingadia, and giving Gatende a leading role within the company. This marked the beginning of Davis & Shirtliff 2.0.

“Alec Davis is a secondgeneration member of the founding Davis family, and I’d been with the business for four years when he bought out Shingadia. Together with three other executives, the five of us

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ran the business for ten years until about 2000 when the other three left the company. Alec and I promoted the next level of senior managers to executive level and for the last 21 years we have run Davis & Shirtliff with little change” Gatende recalls.

In 2016 Alec retired to chair the group and Gatende became the Group CEO a position he has held for the last six years.

Following Waweru’s retirement last year and Gatende’s this year, that age is coming to an end. But even now, Gatende is focusing on the next stage, D&S version 3.0.

“My successor has recently been announced and we have commenced a handover process,” Gatende says. “This year we plan to open ten new branches in Kenya, two in Tanzania, and one in Zambia. We are expanding into West Africa with a beachhead in Ghana, and we have just established a business in Somalia. We are also building a distribution centre in Lusaka, Zambia, where we’ve been for 20 years, that will serve DRC, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Botswana, Mozambique and Namibia. In the midst of all this expansion and succession, will be a focus on ESG.” Indeed, renewable energy is an area that Gatende is particularly enthused about.

“We’re in seven business segments and we are very well known in three of them, water pumps, swimming pools and borehole pumps,” he says. “What is very interesting is what’s happening in the other four sectors, solar, water treatment, generators, and irrigation.”

Davis & Shirtliff’s solar business is about to overtake the far more well-known water pumps sector of the company.

“So, the tail is beginning to wag the dog. From zero, the solar segment of the business has grown over the last 15 years and now contributes about 20 percent to revenue, about the same as our water pump business,” Gatende points out.

Clean energy is a growing market, but Davis & Shirtliff is also looking at the sector for its perspective of “putting purpose before profit”. Being a family

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business, this is a particularly important value, as seen in its recent and growing campaign, the #improvinglivesinitiative.

“Our purpose is to improve people’s lives by providing water and energy solutions across Africa,” Gatende explains. “We have solutions, particularly in solar, that have a profound impact on people’s lives. The cost of electricity is very high but living on the equator with 12 hours a day of free sun, most of the year we really should utilise this God-given resource more than we do.”

THE LESSONS OF 36 YEARS

Gatende’s excitement for where the company is going next is tangible, but he also knows it will be somebody else that takes it there. Other long-serving executives as well as the next generation of the Davis family are already in place to take up the mantle and take the firm to its hundredth birthday. As he prepares for retirement, Gatende is also looking back on what he has learned during his time as Davis & Shirtliff’s CEO.

Davis & Shirtliff Head Quarters & Industrial Area.

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“WE’RE IN SEVEN BUSINESS SEGMENTS AND WE ARE VERY WELL KNOWN IN THREE OF THEM, WATER PUMPS, SWIMMING POOLS AND BOREHOLE PUMPS.” “If Covid’s been good for anything, it is that it caused us to pause and reflect more. We are not travelling as much as we used to, many of us have lost family and friends to Covid and as I approach my retirement, I’m a lot more reflective,” he tells us. “When I joined the company, we had one business outlet, we all knew each

other, the rate of change was slow, the company was not very diverse – all the segments were smaller and some like solar and irrigation didn’t exist at all in the company.”

“One of my mentees asked if I’ve been going to work at the same place for all those years, and I have, but I haven’t been doing the same job,” he laughs. “The business has grown and grown and grown. We are now in eleven countries employing nearly 1,000 staff and one of the key lessons I have learned is that you have to plan big. We go through an annual planning cycle that is quite rigorous. We involve everyone in the company. Planning big has been an important part of the success of D&S 2.0. We’ve not

Tatu Distribution Warehouse.

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DAVIS & SHIRTLIFF

Davis & Shirtliff Management Team.

done everything we planned, but we achieved 70-80% of that because we aimed high.”

“The second lesson is the resilience and resourcefulness of our staff. I have just come back from Uganda, and it hit home how after we executives make decisions and then leave, our staff just get on with it. Our responsibility as executives, is to hire the right people, agree a plan of what needs to get done, give them the resources they require and then step aside and provide coaching and encouragement as needed. It is amazing and it boggles my mind when I think that we now operate from nearly 100 different sites, some of which are run by staff I’ve never met.

To be major players in the water and energy space and based in Africa today, I really feel that the world is our oyster. I’m stepping aside with great excitment for Davis & Shirtliff’s future and I’ve been telling my staff that I plan to hang around to see D&S at 100.

That’s only 25 years away and I hope to attend the celebrations at the young age of 85 years.”

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“WE ARE NOW IN ELEVEN COUNTRIES EMPLOYING NEARLY 1,000 STAFF AND ONE OF THE KEY LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT YOU HAVE TO PLAN BIG.” ENERGY & UTILITIES | 83

ECHANDIA

Magnus Eriksson, CEO and founder of Echandia.

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ECHANDIA

ECHANDIA IS DESIGNING THE BATTERY AND FUEL CELL SYSTEMS THAT WILL TRANSFORM THE WAY WE POWER MARITIME TRANSPORTATION AND TRAVEL.

GOING GREEN AT SEA PROJECT MANAGED BY: CHRIS CONWAY

Echandia is a market leader in designing high power batteries for the maritime industry, with a speciality in combined LTO batteries and fuel cell systems. It is a unique offering that has given the firm a clear strong leading position, providing zero-emission solutions for the maritime sector.

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W

e have the potential, in my opinion, to become a worldleading supplier of zeroemission solutions,” says Magnus Eriksson, CEO and founder of Echandia.

Echandia is particularly well-positioned given the transport sector as a whole is set to undergo an ecological transformation.

“There are many, many global initiatives ongoing in this transformation across all transportation systems, including shipping and maritime,” Eriksson says.

“The EU has launched a new climate proposal which we think will be a huge driver. It includes a tax redistribution system that for the first time includes shipping.

Previously ships have been tax-exempt, so ships would be tax-exempt for fossils fuel but taxed for electric.

So, this new system is a boon for electric. Biden has initiatives ongoing and there are activities in Asia, so it’s an interesting time and the transformation has only just started.”

While there is a global push throughout the transport sector, the maritime part of that push is one that has the furthest to go.

“There are only a few hundred electric ships worldwide, but the intention is to convert the whole global fleet to meet these future requirements. We’re at 1% so far, but I’ve seen some interesting statistics,” Eriksson says. “4% of ships being ordered today have a battery system on board, and in Norway all ships being ordered today have some kind of battery system on board. If the rest of the world follows their example, we will have a lot of work to do.”

Echandia is a relatively small business, with a main office and a fuel cell development plant.

Its customers are typically big global shipyard companies, and the company works closely with a selection of strategic suppliers.

“We supply one particular type of battery system called LTO. It’s the safest lithium battery chemistry available and the most renewable,” Eriksson explains. “We are the only company in the world with a type-approved LTO-battery system for maritime use and the only qualified provider of these high-power battery systems.”

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ECHANDIA

Echandia has established itself in this sector this year by securing the order for the world’s first emission-free highspeed catamaran.

“It is the fastest fuel cell driven passenger ferry in the world and we were chosen because of the excellent performance we can offer when combining these high-powered batteries and fuel cells,” Eriksson tells us.

“We have the most competitive combined offering in terms of performance and price and weight.”

DEVELOPING TOMORROW’S POWER SOURCES

Echandia is able to achieve and maintain this competitive position thanks to its strong research and development capability.

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ECHANDIA

“We have a very agile approach to product development. We continuously fine-tune and optimise our systems,” Eriksson says. “If we’re comparing battery solutions alone a customer can expect our solution to be 30-50% smaller than our competitors’ solutions. We offer smaller physical size, a smaller carbon footprint, and it’s less costly.”

That is possible because Echandia is constantly developing its product portfolio, increasing performance and reducing costs. That is only possible through Echandia’s superior levels of competence and market knowledge.

“The same goes on the fuel cell side of the business.

It is about world-leading competence, superior experience in developing these types of systems and holding a close ear to what the customer actually requires,” Eriksson says.

Indeed, as we talk with Eriksson it is clear there are already some exciting new market sectors the company is looking to engage.

“We’re opening up new market segments, particularly large ships requiring our battery solutions. We are also looking at special niche applications, such as in the navy space,” Eriksson says. “We are looking into adjacent markets like harbour infrastructure where batteries and fuel cells will play a role in port facilities. Also, land-based applications where we think our batteries will have a good fit.”

Zero-emission solutions for larger ships are a particularly knotty problem, with everything from hydrogen fuel to large kites being considered elsewhere in the industry. As Eriksson points out, it is not simply a question of building a bigger battery.

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“There are lots of hurdles to overcome, especially for large ocean-going ships. There is no current viable solution to operate a large ship fully with battery power,” he says. “So, we’re taking small steps to that goal, where ships entering into port can operate on electric propulsion with batteries but switch to conventional engines on the oceans. That’s an area where current technology has not yet reached the performance or capacity we are looking for. It is the technical development we will hopefully solve, because I think ultimately, going forward we will see a lot of biofuelbased solutions, or LNG-based solutions, but that is only one step on the way. At the moment we’re focusing on true zero-emission solutions, we don’t think biofuel is the long-term solution.”

PRESERVATION AND GROWTH

With that product development capability comes success, and with that success comes growth, but Eriksson is cautious about allowing the company to grow while preserving the agility and entrepreneurial spirit that are the source of Echandia’s success in the first place.

“During this type of scale-up or growth journey the challenge is to make sure all aspects of the business grow in a professional manner,” he says. “We are continuously recruiting the

right candidates to maintain an entrepreneurial spirit. There are more unknowns than knowns, so keeping that spirit as we grow into a more professional business is essential.”

“It’s more art than science,” Eriksson reflects. “There are no simple recipes. It means trying to stay on top of things, communicating our core values and the essence of the business culture and having that as a key topic when recruiting new talent.

It’s about branding, marketing, asking what we represent and what we want to represent going forward. It’s down to ‘soft values’, not just hard-core engineering skills, and combining that with personal character is the essence of it all.”

Looking forward, Eriksson is optimistic for the business, but he also takes the crucial role it can play in decarbonisation seriously.

“The next big goal is in 2030, which is the 55% CO2 reduction goal as laid out in the EU-directive Fit For 55, and from there the aim is getting to zero in 2050,” Eriksson says. “We’ve only just started this journey to safe zero emissions. So much is going to happen moving forward from now. Echandia has a key position in this marketplace and the opportunity to become a world-leading supplier of these types of zero-emission solutions.”

ENERGY & UTILITIES | 87

STUART TURNER

STUART TURNER HAS A LONG HISTORY BEHIND IT, BUT THE COMPANY IS ENTERING A WHOLE NEW ERA.

CHANGING TIDES PROJECT MANAGED BY: DEAN BROWN

Stuart Turner is a manufacturer of pump and water boosting solutions based in the UK. Since it was founded in 1906, the firm has earned an unprecedented reputation among its customers for product quality, reliability, innovation and customer service.

S

tuart Turner’s brands have been designed and developed specifically to provide its customers with a comprehensive range of solutions. Its offering includes everything from simple domestic shower pumps to large commercial and industrial-scale water boosting systems. But one thing all of these products have in common is that they have been engineered to benefit Stuart Turner’s customers.

Stuart Turner’s standard range of products is extensive and can satisfy the needs of many of its customers’ projects. However, sometimes more bespoke solutions are necessary, and when that’s the case, Stuart Turner’s unique design and manufacturing capabilities come into play.

These, combined with the company’s unrivalled technical expertise means it can also provide tailored solutions.

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In doing this Stuart Turner is following the vision of Sydney Marmaduke Stuart Turner, who incorporated the company over a century ago. That vision was to continually strive to be the best through technical excellence and innovation.

Since then, the company has built up a wealth of engineering experience, continuously investing in product innovation and its own manufacturing capabilities to make sure all of Stuart Turner’s products are designed and manufactured to the very highest standards of quality. They remain the most reliable products of their kind on the market today.

These products are manufactured in Stuart Turner’s state-of-the-art, purpose-built manufacturing facility, situated on the same site where Sydney Marmaduke Stuart Turner located the company’s original facility in Henley-on-Thames in 1917.

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STUART TURNER

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STUART TURNER

This site has seen Stuart Turner establish itself as a market leader in the UK and internationally with a reputation for high-quality products. It has been at the forefront of innovation throughout the company’s history, but it is still looking ahead.

AN INTERNATIONAL REACH

While the company has stayed true to its roots in Henleyon-Thames, over the last hundred years Stuart Turner has achieved recognition internationally as a leading provider in water boosting solutions. Around the world, the prestige of Stuart Turner’s British design, and the manufacturing company’s unprecedented reputation for quality and reliability have made it a sought-after name.

That reputation is the result of continual investment in design, engineering and manufacturing to stay at the forefront of technological and product innovation across a range of sectors. It is an ethos that generates products that offer the greatest value for money as the most efficient & reliable available.

On top of Stuart Turner’s continued commitment to research and development, the company is also renowned for its high level of customer service.

Stuart Turner boasts a highly trained team of technical experts, TechAssist, who are available to offer help and guidance on absolutely any aspect of product selection, installation and technical issues. This team is made up of experts in their field with a wealth of information on hand to support customers.

A CHANGING TIME

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Stuart Turner has a proud history behind it, but recently the company has entered a bold new era. The firm recently announced that it has completed a secondary management buyout with top-decile private equity firm Epiris, which will provide fresh investment to pursue the company’s ambitious growth plans while delivering an exit for a leading mid-market private equity firm, LDC. LDC has been backing Stuart Turner since September 2017, supporting the company through three complementary acquisitions intended to expand Stuart Turner’s offering of products and services.

Those acquisitions included a buyout of Mikrofill Systems, the UK’s leading mains-powered pressurisation unit and heating systems provider in March last year.

This acquisition followed Stuart Turner’s purchase of Fluid Water Solutions in 2019,

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STUART TURNER

and GAH Heating in 2018.

These acquisitions, combined with Stuart Turner’s continuing strong focus on new product development, have helped the company become a complete solutions provider in the pressurisation and hot water generation market across the domestic, commercial and industrial sectors.

In that period Stuart Turner’s revenue has grown by 66% from £24 million in 2017 to over £40 million this financial year, while the company’s staff has grown by over 125 individuals.

Now entering a new stage of development, Stuart Turner will be supported by Epiris as it seeks to broaden its offering and extend its geographic reach.

“Stuart Turner is a strong platform with a tremendous opportunity ahead, not only to become the leading provider of water-boosting solutions in the UK but also to take this expertise into international markets,” said

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Charles Elkington, a Partner at Epiris. “We look forward to working with Richard and his team to build on Stuart Turner’s rich heritage of product innovation and manufacturing excellence.”

Stuart Turner’s goal is to be a full water-boosting solutions provider not only in the UK but around the world.

“Our excellent reputation in the residential boosting market forms the foundation for our ambition within the commercial sector,” said Stuart Turner CEO, Richard Harden. “Our HVAC and commercial building services offering continues to grow at pace and is already gaining traction within the market.”

While LDC is moving on from Stuart Turner, Matt Newbold, an Investment Director with the firm, has only positive things to say about the company.

“Richard and the team at Stuart Turner are passionate about innovation and whilst the Stuart Turner name is steeped in British engineering heritage, it’s very much a forward-looking company and is recognised as a true innovator in the sector,” Newbold has said. “We’re proud to have been part of their growth journey these last four years, and we wish them every success for the future.”

It will be interesting to see where this takes Stuart Turner over the next hundred years.

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WELLO OY

HEIKKI PAAKKINEN HAS BEEN INVENTING SINCE HE WAS A TEENAGER, & NOW HIS INNOVATIONS ARE HELPING REVOLUTIONISE OCEAN WAVE ENERGY.

WAVE OF INGENUITY PROJECT MANAGED BY: LIAM PYWELL

Heikki Paakkinen has always been an inventor, and from an early age, he had a fascination with wave technology. “As a teenager, I started experimenting and building models and testing technology,” he tells us. “I learned and developed my own principles of how it should be done, encountering my own challenges and figuring out how to tackle them.”

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WELLO OY

L

ike most inventors, Paakkinen learned a lot of wrong ways to do something before he hit upon the right one.

“Most of these early ideas were not efficient,” he admits. “You can easily make things move back and forth, or even rotate, but making that happen efficiently is the issue.

You lose most of the energy in complicated solutions with lots of intermediate steps.”

As well as figuring out the intricacies of the mechanism itself, Paakkinen also had to take into account the environmental strains wave technology is placed under.

“Having this moving element in the water that is very challenging, complicated and expensive to construct,” he tells us. “So, my idea was to find a solution that encloses

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the technical part of the device inside, away from the seawater.”

THE EUREKA MOMENT

Paakkinen’s innovation helps in two different ways. It makes it easier and cheaper to build, and it improves the efficiency of the device because all the movement takes place in contact with air instead of seawater. As well as dealing with the problem of seawater, Paakkinen also wanted to create a device with movement that was based on rotation instead of the more traditional “back and forth” movement most wave generators use.

“I ruminated on these two elements and hit upon the idea of an asymmetric floating hull which moves in a specific way in the waves,” Paakkinen recalls. “It gyrates instead of rocking or pitching, so it has a rotational inclination. That then

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forces an eccentric mass inside the device to rotate, which turns the generator.”

Once he had the basic idea, Paakkinen’s next task was to refine it.

“I did experiments and testing and small-scale models and got it running,” he says. “Based on that I then started applying for the patent and establishing the company.”

That company was established 13 years ago and from the beginning, Paakkinen understood he was onto something big. He began looking for funding and gathering a team around himself.

FUNDING INNOVATION

Paakkinen was fortunate in that he was establishing his company in Finland- a country that has traditionally been friendly to technology start-ups.

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“The easiest phase for funding was in the beginningin Finland, it’s an environment very friendly to technology development,” Paakkinen tells us. “That made the early phases very easy. Then later on we had EU Funding and the Horizon funding programmes from the EU. Now we are in the phase of commercialising the product and we have a lot of customer contacts developing. We’re looking for investors to bring the company forward.”

Primarily, however, Wello Oy’s focus has remained on one area.

“We got everything running pretty fast and got good subsequent funding,” Paakkinen tells us. “Since then, our work has mainly been around technology development.”

As with the development of Paakkinen’s first invention, developing new technologies is not a process without its fallbacks and obstacles.

“There were setbacks and money used and spent and a lot of lessons learned in the experiment of trying to make this invention at full scale,” Paakkinen says. “We have failed several times and looked for better solutions.”

Indeed, Wello Oy has developed solutions to some of the central issues in wave energy which none of its rivals has managed to address.

“It’s a mindset thing- we’re always looking for a better solution and how to solve that challenge,” Paakkinen points out. “In the early phases of the company I started hiring people who were interested in technological development. We hired scientists and researchers so that the whole company in the early stages was based on innovation and problem solving and developing all these elements that were necessary for the technology.”

As well as developing the technology, Wello Oy has become efficient at putting its stamp on its innovations, applying 14 families of patents around the globe.

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WELLO OY

RELIABLE AS THE TIDES

With a lifetime of personal investment and research in the sector, it’s clear Paakkinen has a passion for wave energy and believes it can play an important role in the renewable energy mix.

“The issue with two of the very strong sources of renewables, solar and wind, is that the production levels vary a lot,” Paakkinen points out. “There are long periods without any production or generation. With solar power, production is only realistic for a third of the day, late evenings, night-time, and morning there is no production at all. Even then, it depends on weather, climate and location.”

As Paakkinen tells us, wind faces similar issues, with occasional peaks and long fallow periods, making renewable energy a challenging sector.

Waves, however, are there always. Waves store the wind energy and reveal it steadily.

“Wave energy as a source is much more stable than wind or solar. It’s pretty much constant, depending only on the location,” Paakkinen says. “We are able to generate almost constantly. If you have a share of wave energy in the renewable energy mix you don’t need that much backup power. In that sense wave energy is more valuable than these other renewables that have more variation in production.”

While it is clear Paakkinen is fascinated by the technical challenges in devising better wave power solutions, he never loses focus on the reason these innovations are necessary.

“The main reason for developing this technology is you are looking for solutions for clean energy, so its’ fascinating to figure out and develop something that utilises nature and the energies available there for energy production,” he says. “For me, it’s been a driving force, the dream

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of getting something for free! The constant energy flow in energy you can take advantage of! When you are developing something for such a purpose, you have to pay attention to every part of your solutions to ensure they are also environmentally friendly. That is a key part of the business.”

This is why Wello Oy’s devices have stopped using concrete ballast, instead pumping sediment from the seabed to weigh their devices in place.

“When the device’s lifetime is at the end you can just release

the ballast back into the sea!”

Paakkinen points out. “You can recycle everything.”

Paakkinen is positive that the company will grow fast over the very near future, with an extensive pipeline of projects, some aiming to tens and hundreds of megawatts of deployment. Wello Oy is a company whose time has arrived.

“We are in a very good position now there’s a lot of focus on energy and renewables,” Paakkinen concludes.

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DYCONEX AG

FOR 30 YEARS, DYCONEX HAS BEEN A WORLD LEADER IN ITS SECTOR, PROVIDING A COMPETITIVE EDGE TO ITS CLIENTS USING ITS HIGH-END INTERCONNECT EXPERTISE.

SMART CONNECTIONS

PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID TAVERNOR

Switzerland-based Dyconex AG is one of the world’s leading providers of miniaturised, highly complex and highly reliable solutions in the area of interconnect technology.

T

he company has its roots in a division within Oerlikon-Contraves that was founded in 1964 and became an independent business in 1991 as a result of a management buy-out. Today, Dyconex is part of the MST Group, a provider of innovative components and services for technologically advanced industries that demand miniaturisation, with operations in USA, Germany, Switzerland & Singapore.

Dyconex was one of the true circuit board pioneers and the inventor of several outstanding manufacturing and substrate technologies, boasting a well-earned reputation as a technology leader, providing leading-edge solutions in flex, rigid-flex and rigid ultra-HDI/ microvia circuit boards, LCP and chip packaging solutions tailor-made to specific customer requirements.

The company is an expert in ultra-fine structures, ultrathin base materials, thin-film technology, stacked and filled holes, biocompatible materials, embedded components, as well as

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the latest high-performance base materials. Its main market is the medical sector where it supplies substrates for pacemakers and defibrillators, neurostimulation and modulation devices as well as hearing aids; its solutions are also applied in a range of other industries as well.

As the company specialises in a very highend product, customer support throughout the product life cycle is part of the package.

From the early R&D phase until the product phase-out, this close cooperation ensures the best PCB solution: technically as well as financially.

THREE DECADES OF SUCCESS

Managing Director Dr Hubert Zimmermann summarises the company’s current position: “We are the world’s leading manufacturer of highly reliable, high quality and flexible PCBs for

Dr Hubert Zimmermann, Managing Director, Dyconex AG.

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DYCONEX AG

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Thank you and good luck!

Erne surface AG would like to express its sincere thanks for the highly professional and trustful cooperation with one of the leading companies in our industry. We are a little bit proud to have made a small contribution to the success of Dyconex AG as a partner supplier. We congratulate you on your 30th anniversary and wish you continued good business.

Solutions for your coating problems? We have them.

Erne surface AG – electroplating plants, chemicals, total concepts.

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Precise Solutions.

www.erneag.ch verkauf@erneag.ch

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MICROCONTACT MicroContact is a Swiss company in the field of services, testing technology, and automation for microelectronics. The family-owned company was founded in 1984 and is managed in the 2nd generation.

It draws on many years of broad experiences in the field of development and construction of test systems and industrial automation solutions with special knowledge in the integration of robots and vision systems, of fine pitch bed of nail adapters as well as a service provider for e-testing. The combination of these experiences is one of the most important strengths and is the key to many innovative solutions. Customers benefit in particular when they need customized fully or partially automated test systems.

MicroContact has always been specialized in contacting very small structures.

MicroContact’s test systems and fine pitch test adapters are capable to contact on assembled boards test points sizes as small as 0.1mm with a pitch of 0.25mm. Customers rely on solutions from MicroContact when they are in the progress of miniaturizing their products or increasing the density of test points.

Long-term supplier to Dyconex AG of: ■ Flexible laminates

■ Soldermask products

by ESPANEX

by Nippon Polytech Corp.

®

A standardized interface makes all machines compatible with any measurement technology. Customers either choose their preferred manufacturer of the measuring technology or benefit from one of MicroContact’s strong partnerships with several measuring technology providers.

As a service provider for the E-test of printed circuit boards, MicroContact has state-of-the-art test equipment consisting of several bed of nails and flying probe testers. MicroContact supports well-known and leading PCB manufacturers in performing quality control and providing testing knowledge.

Woogmorgen 12 | D-67292 Kirchheimbolanden | Germany pcbsalesde@holderstechnology.com

www.holderstechnology.com

www.microcontact.ch

ERNE SURFACE AG

PRECIOUS METALS FOR PROFESSIONALS

Since its foundation in 1936, Erne surface AG has offered a broad portfolio for surface treatment. This includes chemical processes, equipment, comprehensive consulting and services, and customeroriented production, warehousing and forwarding logistics.

Our specialists are familiar with the electroplating requirements of your industry, e.g. mechanical engineering, electronics and PCB production, watches and jewelry, medical technology, fittings, aerospace technology, and will find a solution tailored to your needs.

We use our connections to international partners to offer you a flexible delivery service - no matter if bulk or small quantities are involved. The further development and maintenance of our quality level through the ongoing optimization of offers, processes, operating resources and organization as well as the targeted further training of our employees is central to us.

■ Materials ■ Chemicals ■ Recycling Management

We provide high-quality materials of all precious metals, and take care of your valuable recycling & waste management.

SERVICES: ■ High purity & alloyed materials in solid & liquid forms ■ Sputtering targets ■ Plating salts & anodes ■ Highly-efficient recycling of solid & liquid residues Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru & Ir

We have clear demands on our quality standards. Rest assured: they are high.

Erne surface AG Industriestrasse 24 CH–8108 Dällikon ZH Switzerland Tel. +41 (0)43 411 74 74 verkauf@erneag.ch

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Put your trust in us.

www.erneag.ch

EC Edelmetalle + Chemie GmbH Eigentalstrasse 7 | CH-8309 Nuerensdorf | Switzerland T: +41 43 833 10 77 | E: info@edelmetallegmbh.ch

www.edelmetallegmbh.ch

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DYCONEX AG

the medical industry, especially for medical implants and medical imaging - mainly unltrasound.

However, our additional focus today is also on the packaging and bio-compatible substrates.

It is important to emphasise that technology innovation is key for us, a factor that drives our market leadership.”

“THE CONTINUOUS INNOVATION PROCESS IS PART OF THE COMPANY’S DNA AND IS BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE GUARANTOR OF THE ONGOING GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS OF THE COMPANY.” In 2021, the company achieved a significant milestone - 30 years of successful operations and growth. Over the three decades, Dyconex has continuously been at the forefront of developments in printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing and has repeatedly set important technological milestones, beginning with the introduction of high-reliability rigid-flex multilayer boards (DYCOflex®), and today including biocompatible interconnect solutions.

“The continuous innovation process is part of the company’s DNA and is both the driver and the guarantor of the ongoing global competitiveness of the company,” says Dr Zimmermann.

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DYCONEX AG

Ultra HDI Flex Printed Circuit Board

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Thommen-Furler Group is proud to supply chemicals and lubricants as well as to support Dyconex AG with analytical and waste management services!

Congratulation to your 30th anniversary!

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THOMMEN-FURLER AG Thommen-Furler AG was founded in 1923. In the course of the last 30 years, Thommen-Furler AG has become the Swiss market leader in chemical distribution and waste management services. Long-standing relationships with suppliers and partners, a broad portfolio of products and services, generously expanded sites and infrastructures, as well as efficient and fully integrated logistics by rail and road, make Thommen-Furler AG the preferred partner for Swiss industrial and commercial companies. The motivated, well-trained employees with a high level of quality awareness and clearly structured and managed processes meet even the highest and most demanding customer requirements.

THOMMEN-FURLER GROUP AT A GLANCE Owner-managed family business, over 13’000 customers, approx. CHF 230 million in sales, >400 employees, 8 operating sites, over 280’000 m2 of operating space, 170 of own transportation units on rail and road, 3 companyowned railway sidings, unique ChemCare® business model, based on the chemical distribution (supply), environmental technology (assist) and waste management services (recycle).

Specialised in micromaterial processing, InnoLas Solutions develops & produces high-precision laser applications for customers from the photovoltaic, electronics & semiconductor industry.

High-Speed Laser Systems ■ Laser processes: ■ Drilling ■ Depaneling ■ Scribing ■ Ablation ■ Fusion Cutting

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LINE OF PRODUCT: Industrial chemicals, chemical specialties, lubricants, products for surface treatment, cleaner and remover LINE OF SERVICES: Analytical services, waste management, and recycling services ChemCare® guarantees high customer benefit through an integrated range of high-quality products and services – a proven concept for more than 30 years!

Thommen-Furler AG, CH-3295 Rüti b. Büren, Switzerland T: +41 32 352 08 00 / E: info@thommen-furler.ch www.thommen-furler.ch

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InnoLas Solutions GmbH +49 89 8105 9168-1000 ■ info@innolas-solutions.com

www.innolas-solutions.com

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DYCONEX AG

Laser Handling Roboter

“In addition to all the technical developments, we are very proud of our employees, who permanently ensure enduring improvements. Our enormous investment efforts in the latest technologies and the ongoing outstanding commitment of our employees in the process and product development allow us to maintain our role as the forerunner in technology that we have been over the last three decades.”

UNHINDERED BY THE PANDEMIC

Printed Circuit Board for Medical Implant.

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Employing some 200 people, Dyconex operates from a single facility in Bassersdorf near Zurich, with a total floor space of more than 6,000 m2, of which 600 m2 is a Class 10,000 cleanroom.

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DYCONEX AG

From its Swiss headquarters, the company supplies customers on all continents, from Europe to North America and Australia.

Dr Zimmermann explains that business growth has continued during the pandemic, albeit not as significantly as had been expected.

“Uncertainty is the biggest challenge now; it is hard to drive the business forward without knowing what is coming in the next months and years.

Also, as our products are highly customised, we have suffered from the impossibility of meeting new clients face-toface, which is a necessity in our field of business. As a result, our customer base has not been expanded by any new clients over the last two years.”

He explains that as a highend PCB contract manufacturer, Dyconex works with each customer on an individual basis, and the product is developed in close cooperation with the customer’s engineers. This of course was hard to achieve during the lockdowns and with the various travel restrictions.

CONTINUED COMMITMENT

Despite the current challenges, Dyconex is set to grow from its base near Zurich, says Dr Zimmermann. “We need to have good access to talent and ours is a good location. Of course, it is not easy to get the right people, but we have good relationships with the university and technical institute, so we are fortunate in this respect.”

Since its establishment as an independent company 30 years ago, Dyconex has come a long way, becoming the top-selling Swiss printed circuit board manufacturer and the global market leader in the field of highly reliable flexible substrates for the MedTech industry. “We would certainly expand the business in terms of increased production capacities in the event that we won a large customer who would push for larger volumes,” affirms Dr Zimmermann.

“WE NEED TO HAVE GOOD ACCESS TO TALENT AND OURS IS A GOOD LOCATION. OF COURSE, IT IS NOT EASY TO GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE, BUT WE HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE UNIVERSITY AND TECHNICAL INSTITUTE, SO WE ARE FORTUNATE IN THIS RESPECT.” 104 | ENGINEERING

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DYCONEX AG

“THE COMMITMENT TO BE THE WORLD’S LEADING PROVIDER OF COMPLEX, ULTRA-DENSE AND HIGHLY RELIABLE INTERCONNECT SOLUTIONS WILL REMAIN AND WILL CARRY US INTO THE FUTURE.”

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DYCONEX AG

Speaking about the recent anniversary, he affirms that Dyconex is proud of its 30year history and its consistent development of leading-edge innovations. “We will further develop our base here in Switzerland, and would be ready to increase capacity in the event of winning a customer who would push for larger volumes.”

“The commitment to be the world’s leading provider of complex, ultra-dense and highly reliable interconnect solutions will remain and will carry us into the future,” he affirms in conclusion.

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“WE ARE WITNESSING GREAT CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRY, WITH THE APPLICATION OF NEW MATERIALS SUCH AS CARBON FIBRE, AND FURTHER CHANGES WILL COME AS A RESULT OF THE INCREASED FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND ZERO EMISSIONS.

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Your Flex Provider for Demanding Electronic Applications

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• Application and design support • Cost-effective solutions for high performance requirements

FINE HYGIENIC HOLDING

WE LEARN HOW FINE HYGIENIC HOLDING HAS BEEN WEATHERING THE CHALLENGES OF LAST YEAR WHILE INTRODUCING LIFE-CHANGING PRODUCTS TO MARKET.

LIFE-CHANGING PRODUCTS PROJECT MANAGED BY: DEAN BROWN

Fine Hygienic Holding is a company with a long, proud, and storied history dating back to 1958. The company was founded by a Palestinian refugee exiled to Jordan with only a dollar to his name. He began trading in paper, building a reputation for quality that would see the brand become the biggest consumer paper company in the region with an impressive portfolio of premium products.

H

owever, paper would not prove to be the company’s final destination. Over time, Fine Hygienic Holding launched off from its tissue paper line into becoming a wellness company, making products that improve the health of its consumers.

Of course, over the year since we last spoke with Fine Hygienic Holding, there has been no shortage of demand for wellness.

“Overall, last year has been good, but had its ups and downs, as everyone has in the Covid-era,” reflects James Michael Lafferty, the company’s CEO. “The impact of the pandemic on the consumer, on our organisation, has left a lasting impact. People have been losing jobs, putting all their purchases under a microscope.

Mental health has become a huge focus,

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particularly after everything that happened in the Olympic games. It is bringing attention to something that was previously taboo. Everything is gradually improving but we saw entire sectors of our business shut down- airlines, hotels, restaurants.”

Fortunately, Fine Hygienic Holding is no stranger to adapting to new times, and it has risen to meet the challenges of the last year.

“You manage costs. You have to deal with it. You lose a hotel; you find other sources of business. You keep an eye on cost management,” Lafferty explains. “We handled it all in a very straightforward way.

There are lots of different angles to come at it, but it will always come down to costs and new avenues of revenue, new markets, different ways to increase our revenue stream.”

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FINE HYGIENIC HOLDING

James Michael Lafferty, CEO, Fine Hygienic Holding.

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Company Overview Perfect Printing Press (PPP) was established in 1992, and specializes in producing high quality printed packaging materials and cartons. Equipped with state of the art machinery, PPP, one of the highest market-share producers of printed packaging and cartons in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, operates a modern facility staffed with highly experienced personnel.

The packages cater to a wide range of industries, from food products such as fast and frozen food, bag-in-box systems for teas and spices, and dry food, to non-food packaging including cigarettes, pharmaceuticals, tissue or detergent boxes, and cosmetics containers.

Additionally, the company supplies stationery products encompassing brochures and flyers, business cards, planners, door hangers, envelopes, letterhead, newsletters, postcards, posters, presentation folders, sales data sheets, stickers, labels and calendars. Aided by its strict quality codes and ISO procedures, PPP has over the past few years, developed export markets in the United Kingdom, UAE, Lebanon, Egypt, Palestine, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, while simultaneously establishing excellent relationships with highly reputable raw material suppliers worldwide.

PPP is a duplex board key supplier to Fine Hygienic Holding across the MENA region, in addition to its growing list of elite clients in Jordan, the region and abroad. PPP provides a complete solution for its customers, from design to delivery, with full privacy and confidentiality.

Contact Email: PPP@finehh.com Phone: +962 640 238 56 Address: Sahab- King Abdullah Ibn Al Hussain Industrial City.

P.O. Box 154 Amman 11118 Jordan

www.finehh.com

FINE HYGIENIC HOLDING

Indeed, Fine Hygienic Holding has been looking to expand its geographic footprint globally, entering new markets in Europe and Africa while being on the lookout for potential new business partners. The brand is expanding both across new commercial categories, and geographically.

However, as much as the company’s business performance has been admirable, when we talk to Lafferty it is clear that this is not what he is most excited about.

“Our biggest achievements have been in launching some breakthrough wellness products, including our Fine Guard line of disinfectant products that will disinfect your hands for 24 hours after only one application, versus a conventional disinfectant.

Continuous 24-hour protection,” Lafferty says. “It’s amazing stuff. We’re negotiating to spray footballs to keep them germ-free throughout the match. They will stay completely 99% germ-free throughout the game.”

CHOOSE

LONG-LASTING GERM

PROTECTION www.FineGuard.me

“OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE BEEN IN LAUNCHING SOME BREAKTHROUGH WELLNESS PRODUCTS, INCLUDING OUR FINE GUARD LINE OF DISINFECTANT PRODUCTS THAT WILL DISINFECT YOUR HANDS FOR 24 HOURS AFTER ONLY ONE APPLICATION.” As well as helping prevent the spread of disease, a hot button issue the world over, Fine Hygienic Holding is also releasing products that will directly impact and improve people’s quality of life.

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FINE HYGIENIC HOLDING

“We are offering a range of supplements based on state-of-the-art research and technology including the Motiva Neuro Booster, the only product clinically proven, peer-reviewed supplement proven to reverse the deterioration and improve the cognition of Alzheimer’s patients,” Lafferty says.

The Motiva Neuro Booster is a powerful combination of six food elements uncommon or even missing from the modern diet, including the potent acemannan from aloe vera.

With this unique blend of 100% natural ingredients, including nutrients, phytochemicals, and polysaccharides, the product has the highest levels of bioavailability and effectiveness.

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That effectiveness will make a huge difference to patients and their families.

Lafferty feels he has a personal stake in the good that this product will do, telling us, “It is an incredibly painful disease to watch. I’ve had it in my family.

This booster doesn’t bring the patient back to normal, but it improves cognitive function. It is amazing what a good day can do, customers are so pleased to just talk about memories with their dad.”

Approximately 44 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. The Neuro Booster is based on research from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine on how certain key nutrients can help the brain.

The study’s findings regarding Alzheimer’s Patients were nothing short of remarkable, demonstrating significant and sustained improvements in cognitive function and inflammatory status and a significant increase in the production of stem cells, which may lead to neuro-regeneration, as well as a correlation between cognitive and immune functioning.

“We offer a range of products that don’t just improve the company’s profits but improve humanity and the world’s health, leaving a positive mark,” Lafferty says proudly.

OPEN-SOURCE INNOVATION

Fine Hygienic Holding looks far and wide for research that may inspire the next big breakthrough.

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FINE HYGIENIC HOLDING

“We believe in open-source innovation. A pandemic doesn’t mean creative people aren’t thinking of new ideas and new technologies,” Lafferty points out.

“Fine Guard masks came through Switzerland, our Neuro Booster came from Florida, our Immuno Booster came from Holland. Three products, three countries, three entrepreneurs. There are lots of ideas out there. In any situation in the world today we are open to new ideas regardless of context.”

Fine Hygienic Holding’s role is to take those ideas and turn them into actionable, practical products that have a concrete benefit on the world.

“The big thing is wellness, innovation, bringing products that change the world’s health.

We’re very proud of our company,” Lafferty says. “We have the only proven treatment for Alzheimer’s. That is pretty amazing. That clinical study wasn’t in some local journal, it was in the global journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, so it’s a significant finding and very exciting.”

It is work that Lafferty is excited to build upon.

“I foresee continued growth, public listing, and becoming a truly global company,” Lafferty says.

“THE BIG THING IS WELLNESS, INNOVATION, BRINGING PRODUCTS THAT CHANGE THE WORLD’S HEALTH. WE’RE VERY PROUD OF OUR COMPANY.”

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FMCG | 113

LIVINGUARD

LIVINGUARD IS A SWISS-BASED HYGIENE TECHNOLOGY COMPANY WORKING ON A NEW METHOD OF MAKING MASKS AND OTHER PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT SAFER THROUGH REVOLUTIONARY, NON-BIOCIDAL DISINFECTING TREATMENTS

NOT JUST A MASK PROJECT MANAGED BY: DEAN BROWN

Around three years ago, people wearing protective masks were not often seen. After the outbreak of COVID-19, they have become mandatory in many environments. One company looking to further enhance the technology behind protective masks, gloves, functional apparel, other industrial and consumer hygiene products is Livinguard. Run by CEO Sanjeev Swamy, Livinguard is on a mission to protect the lives of 1 billion people by 2030.

W

ith 22 granted patents and over 200 patent applications in the pipeline (including “textiles with anti-microbial properties” and “disinfectant composition for textile and related substrates”), Swamy and the team at Livinguard are hard at work building a new development, standing out from their competitors with their innovative approach.

The reason this is important is due to issues with some masks people choose to protect themselves. As Swamy explains “Masks can still have the infection on them several days after they have been used.

Often chemical disinfectants such as chlorine are the only option.”

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Other methods can include using UV or light. However, the problem is that this doesn’t permanently disinfect the material involved.

He is also keen to stress “I am not against the use of chemical disinfectants, I just feel that they are excessively used.”

The difference with the Livinguard treatment is the use of a small electric charge, which can destroy 99.9 per cent of pathogens (microbes) such as viruses and bacteria. These include influenza and yellow fever viruses, SARS-CoV (including the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and its variants), tuberculosis, E. coli,

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LIVINGUARD

Sanjeev Swamy, CEO, Livinguard.

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LIVINGUARD

staphylococci and salmonella.

NNot only does the Livinguard Technology help to protect the consumer, but it also helps to reduce the risk of crosscontamination.

This process also means that items such as masks, shirts and gloves can be washable and reused.

SPREADING THE WORD

While it took time for people to get used to the idea of wearing masks, Swamy admits that further education is needed when it comes to being aware of using the right kind of mask and the importance of ensuring they are hygienic. “Education is an important part of what we have to do. The challenge is that we need people to understand and change their habits, as well as reducing resources and making our protection more sustainable.”

This is also important in terms of growing the business, as he goes on to explain “Using promotion and our website is one aspect of this in addition to building partnerships and more licensing agreements across the world.”

The company also faces some common misconceptions, as their products are referred to as a “cloth mask” which is not strictly true as Swamy refutes “Our masks provide the same level of protection as a surgical mask so it is wrong to simply call them a ‘cloth mask’.”

THE RIGHT STUFF

One key aspect to Livinguard’s progress as a hygiene technology company has been its success in attracting talent from around the world to develop its products. When

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We recently helped Livinguard, a Swiss company that has developed a proprietary hygiene technology to transform into a Direct to Consumer Hygiene brand using Shopify Plus & Third-Party Marketplaces to launch in 9 markets across North America, Europe, Middle East & Singapore, bringing millions of dollars in managed sales over the last 18 months.

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LIVINGUARD

Swamy talks of “cultural diversity” it is not in terms of representation or a boxticking exercise but in the practical sense of widening the scope of ideas that people can bring to the table. “For us, a culturally diverse company means finding innovative people from around the world.

However, it is not just about people with PhDs. While we want qualified people, we equally want people who are fired up when they are given a challenge.”

A global hygiene leader committed to sustainable causes, Livinguard has also been helping and empowering local communities in the face of the pandemic. As part of the Livinguard Cares campaign, local police forces, firefighters,

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shop owners, non-profit organisations and other frontline workers in Europe, Asia and the United States have been equipped for free with reusable Livinguard masks worth more than $150 million as a small gesture of gratitude for risking their health and being away from their loved ones.

This feeling of social responsibility is something that Swamy has previously attributed to his own childhood growing up in India “Having grown up and studied in India, the issues surrounding poverty and inequity were not foreign to me. After working for several years, gaining a foothold in the textile industry, I was finally in a position to contribute to do something about these issues. My real challenge was to use Livinguard to do good for the largest number of people, especially for those who need it the most.”

THE NEW NORMAL?

“OUR MASKS PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF PROTECTION AS A SURGICAL MASK SO IT IS WRONG TO SIMPLY CALL THEM A ‘CLOTH MASK’.”

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As evidenced by 22 patents and over 200 patents waiting to be granted, Livinguard is looking to the future and how to address the issues in both their industry and for the world as a whole. Swamy is excited by the possibilities for the future, offering a wide range of possible applications to various diverse industries.

This includes items such as Livinguard T-shirts, Polo shirts and a newly launched female hygiene pantyliner pad called Leaksafe.

This is also the reason why the business is looking to further its connections

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LIVINGUARD

“MY REAL CHALLENGE WAS TO USE LIVINGUARD TO DO GOOD FOR THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST.”

with other companies around the world, offering the Livinguard Technology as part of a licensing deal to various applications, including air filtration, cleaning wipes, medical scrubs and morealways with the aim of improving the health and well-being of consumers.

There has been a lot of talk in recent times about “the new normal” and how people will have to adapt to the presence of COVID-19 and potential future variants while at the same time being able to live and work with (hopefully) minimal interruption once infection rates go down.

As well as addressing our current reliance on disposable products is environmentally very damaging “roughly the equivalent of 36 million trees

that could have been planted”, the company is keen to stress the importance of developing environmentally conscious solutions in health, water purification, menstrual hygiene and more. Swamy believes that this reliance on disposable masks is a challenge that his business needs to address. “We face hurdles educating people on how this type of technology works. People are not used to high-performance reusable masks” Swamy admits.

It is fair to say that what we define as normal may well be very different from how we viewed the world three years ago. People will have different views on what normal may be but there is hope that the innovations behind the work of companies such as Livinguard could help contribute to making that normal a better one- for both humans and the planet.

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UQUIFA GROUP MEXICO

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UQUIFA GROUP MEXICO

ENSURING RIGHT FIRST TIME PRODUCT RELEASE AMIDST VOLATILITY IN GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS AND THE RISING REGULATORY EXPECTATIONS FROM A GMP MANUFACTURER OF PHARMACEUTICAL APIS ARE TWO OF THE CHALLENGES FACING UQUIFA MEXICO, BUT THE COMPANY IS MORE THAN READY TO ADDRESS THEM.

MEETING TOMORROW’S CHALLENGES

PROJECT MANAGED BY: ANDREW BOURKE

The Uquifa Group is a Barcelona- headquartered independent API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) business offering development and manufacturing capabilities to its global customer base across the USA, EU, Japan, and South America. The Uquifa Group, founded in 1936, today has two GMP API sites in Barcelona and one small scale GMP & large scale non-GMP site in Hungary, in addition to the Group´s Mexican operations.

I

ts foray in Mexico began through the acquisition of a local company Julian Laboratories which started its operations on a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility at Cuernavaca in 1972. Both the business and the facility were sold to Uquifa in 1997, starting the beginning of a lasting partnership.

“It is a Group that after so many changes right now is an independent company with headquarters in Barcelona, four plants like this, one in Hungary, two in Catalonia and this one in Mexico,” explains Miguel Angel

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Maceda, Managing Director at Uquifa Mexico. “We’ve been here for 49 years manufacturing APIs. Our only customers are the pharmaceutical industry.

We’re exporting APIs for the pharmaceutical industry to over 50 countries around the world, with markets in South Africa, China, Europe, USA and in Mexico we sell 7% of our total volume.”

At the plant in Mexico Uquifa is staffed by a team of 260 people, running the facility 24/7 over four shifts on production, quality control, and maintenance.

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“We are a very flexible operation here in Mexico,” Maceda explains. “We were at our highest volumes; we’re manufacturing 300 tons a year of just one API. We have another 17 APIs. We have found how to schedule these different APIs in two manufacturing plants across the year. We have achieved lead times of a matter of weeks, for the 3 main API’s manufacturing phases.”

These phases start using the specialised reactors that Uquifa plants have. Then, second phase is the filtration, using centrifuges. Final phase is the drying process, that converts wet API’s into powder, using different dryers technology.

“Innovation is part of our values, embedded in our DNA is the continuous improvement.

At Uquifa Mexico we have a Business Improvement Project.

Main objective is to optimize our processes to deliver our products on-time, fulfilling the quality specification,” Maceda tells us.

WE’RE EXPORTING APIS FOR THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY TO OVER 50 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, WITH MARKETS IN SOUTH AFRICA, CHINA, EUROPE, AND IN MEXICO WE SELL 7% OF OUR TOTAL VOLUME.” SUPPLYING DEMAND

While the technology and techniques Uquifa uses have allowed it to forge a prominent place in the market.

“Right now, our biggest challenge is the broken supply chain, like too many other

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UQUIFA GROUP MEXICO

industries,” Maceda says.

“Since a year ago we’ve seen the prices of raw materials and solvents increasing week on week. We imported 65% of our raw materials from different parts of the world but mainly from India and we’ve seen how ship freight rates have risen.”

Uquifa has investigated alternative options, but in the current economic climate, it can be difficult to find vessels for shipping, or even shipping containers.

“Right now, our challenge is to meet our production release plans while generating margins that will allow continuous investment,” Maceda says. “We have been discussing it with our customers, but in general they will not accept an increase in prices even as we show the reasons why it is happening. The vendors of raw materials have seen the same issue. This is our biggest challenge, maintaining continuity of the business through this perfect storm.”

In response to these difficult circumstances, Uquifa has relied on a culture of transparency and communication.

“Our leadership style and culture here in the company is very open and honest. All of our colleagues, 259 of them and myself, know what is happening,” Maceda tells us. “I share information every week about the demands of our customers, who have also been suffering from these raw material shortages and high prices. Every week we share our production plan, how to balance the challenges facing us and give the best service to our customers and financial impact.”

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UQUIFA GROUP MEXICO

That the company continues to receive purchase orders from its regular customers is a testament to the success of that strategy. Uquifa continued to be driven by its open honest communication culture and its constant effort to find improved ways of doing things through teamwork.

“We look for new opportunities every day, just trying to look at the better options,” Maceda says. “We encourage teamwork.

We’re executing several different projects right now, improving our processes and expediting the current & new products for more customers.”

READY FOR THE FUTURE

Of course, all the communication in the world will not help unless the people communicating have the necessary skills and attributes to help steer the company through these challenging times, and Maceda has taken this as an opportunity to look at the open positions within the company, and whether the roles are fit for purpose.

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“Things are changing so quickly, driven by the pandemic and right now we see the opportunity to review job descriptions,” he says. “We have included five different Lominger competencies for individual collaborators and nine for people leaders. One of them is communication, another is problem-solving, and customer trust and the last one that we have is related to the ethics and values of the person. We are looking for talent that has the same values as the company such as courage, respect, and transparency. We want the talent who has the kind of values that they can bring to the company.”

On top of that bedrock of values, there needs to be a foundation of technical competency.

Depending on the kind of role the candidate is applying for Uquifa looks to match or exceed those technical requirements, and Maceda is impressed at the level of commitment and knowledge young candidates are bringing to the job market right now.

“It is amazing how these young people have been dedicated to studying (some of them have a

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UQUIFA GROUP MEXICO

PhD) and practice at the labs and we have great talent not only in research and development but also in quality control, production and other sectors of the company,” Maceda says.

These new recruits will take Uquifa towards a bright future, propelled by the company’s mission to meet customer requirements and adapt to a changing economy.

“I think that the future of the company is the one that is about responding fast to customer requirements and remaining flexible,” Maceda says. “We want to be a company that can supply the different APIs that customers need fulfilling their quality specifications.”

Indeed, increasingly stringent standards are another challenge facing the pharmaceutical sector, but this is one challenge Maceda is excited to rise to.

“This is another part of the perfect storm,” he says. “Agencies around the world are raising the bar. Quality and environmental standards are continuously increasing. Our priority is plant readiness. Readiness not only for audits but also for safety emergencies, for having to change the production and the business plan. Right now, we’re reviewing the strategic planning every six months because we can’t plan for the long-term five years while things are changing almost every day.”

“WE ARE LOOKING FOR TALENT THAT HAS THE SAME VALUES AS THE COMPANY SUCH AS COURAGE, RESPECT, AND TRANSPARENCY.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

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PRYM GROUP

WE LEARN HOW THE PRYM GROUP HAS THRIVED FOR NEARLY 500 YEARS.

FIVE RELIABLE

CENTURIES PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID TAVERNOR

When we talk to companies about the challenges they have faced, they will sometimes tell us about recent trials, and sometimes they will talk about difficulties they have overcome within the last decade or so. But when we ask Dr Ansgar Nonn, the CEO of the Prym Group, about the challenges his company has overcome, he takes us back nearly 500 years. to the city of Aachen, in Germany.

T

he city was Catholic at the time, but Christian Prym and his family were not,” Nonn recalls. “After a few years, they threw him out of the city because he wasn’t Catholic, so that was one of the company’s first challenges.

He overcame this and moved to Stolberg, where we are now, and you can find copper, zinc, and other useful materials.”

In our conversation, it is clear that Nonn views Prym Group’s epic history, and its strong ties to its owner-family, as key parts of its identity.

“What characterises Prym for me is that it is close to 500 years old and has always been owned by the Prym family. That has an impact on the company culture and success factors,” Nonn explains.

“We have a diverse business model, with four divisions and the success factors of each division are very different.

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They are all, to some degree, selling small metal pieces, but for very different applications.”

The Prym Group is a large, mid-sized company, smaller than a huge conglomerate, but remains the oldest industrial family-owned company in Germany.

With an international reach and a staff of 3,500 people, the company has built well on its centurieslong legacy.

“If we were an automotive manufacturer, you would advertise our German engineering, although within our Group the engineering is not done in Germany alone anymore,but what comes with that is quality, reliability, technical innovation,” Nonn says.

“This is what the company stands for. These three attributes are something all four divisions of the company have in common.”

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PRYM GROUP

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HOLDS TOGETHER WHAT BELONGS TOGETHER. With Prym, one of Germany’s oldest family businesses, we are proud to have found a customer who appreciates our expertise. Electroplating Prym’s fasteners lets us show what we’ve learned over the course of our long and successful history.

We plate everything. Including press fasteners.

probas-plating.com

PROBAS.PLATING PROBAS.PLATING

PRYM GROUP PRYM GROUP

TRADITION AND INNOVATION GO HAND IN HAND

TRADITION AND INNOVATION GO HAND IN HAND When to premium electroplating technology, probas.plating is the Whenititcomes comes to premium electroplating technology, probas.plating top address southerninGermany.

Manager DanielManager Proba, together is the top inaddress southernGeneral Germany.

General Daniel with his team and selected supports the international market by Proba, together with hispartners, team and selected partners, supports offering galvanic coatings of a very special kind.

Since 2015, probas.plating, the international market by offering galvanic coatings of a very a 100 % subsidiary of the 35-year-old company Metallveredelung Daniel Proba, special kind. Since 2015, probas.plating, a 100 % subsidiary of the have been headquartered on 5,800 m2 in Böbingen/Rems, where technical 35-year-old Metallveredelung Daniel Proba, have been and decorativecompany coatings are realised in a spacious (1,400 m2) production area 2 headquartered on 5,800 m in Böbingen/Rems, where technical and featuring a fully-automated 45-metre electroplating line.

decorative coatings are realised in a spacious (1,400 m 2) production

Fully to theadiverse requirements45-metre of probas.plating customers, the areageared featuring fully-automated electroplating line. finishes are produced as individual items or in bulk. A wide variety of gold, nickel, and bronze coatings are on offer, with product window sizes of up to Fully geared to the diverse requirements of probas.plating 2000 x 1200 xthe 300finishes mm. State-of-the-art equipment, quality management customers, are produced as individual items or in in line with DIN EN ISO 9001:2015, and automated process monitoring safeguard bulk. A wide variety of gold, nickel, and bronze coatings are on the company’s high-quality standards.

offer, with product window sizes of up to 2000 x 1200 x 300 mm.

State-of-the-art equipment, management in line with DIN EN Individual pieces and small seriesquality can be manufactured separately, in variable ISO 9001:2015, andtoautomated monitoring geometries – tailored the respectiveprocess customer projects. safeguard the company’s high-quality standards.

probas.plating set new standards worldwide with a 16.0 transformer system that enables pieces customised made of gold-plated stainless steel in Individual andproducts small series can be manufactured separately, dimensions of 16,000 x 600 x 1,000 mm with a weight of up to 3,000 in variable geometries – tailored to the respective customerkg.

projects. innovative expertise and a passion for perfection, the company has Combining successfully positioned itself in both the yacht market and the art market, as probas.plating set new standards worldwide with a 16.0 well as in the semiconductor sector. These specialisations also promise future transformer enables customised products of goldgrowth – after system all, thesethat markets demand the very best in terms made of quality and plated stainless steel in dimensions of 16,000 x 600 x 1,000 mm excellence. with a weight of up to 3,000 kg.

Quality and excellence also set Prym apart. The company is known worldwide for its market-leading highexpertise standards for and handicraft items, the Combining innovative andsewing a passion for perfection, accessories for the clothing industry, materials andinsurface as well company has successfully positioned itself both technology, the yacht market as mechanical fastenersas andwell assemblies forsemiconductor the automotive and electronics and the art market, as in the sector.

These industries.

Above all, Prym are synonymous with outstanding press fasteners. specialisations also promise future growth – after all, these markets No wonder, since Prym invented these and has maintained high production demand the very best in terms of quality and excellence. quality throughout its 500-year history.

Quality andprobas.plating excellence also set Prym apart.this The company known Since 2021, have been supporting oldest Germanisfamily worldwide for its market-leading high standards for sewing and industry, creating the surface of the legendary brass press fasteners. “We handicraft items, accessories for the clothing industry, materials are incredibly pleased to have received the opportunity to take over parts of and surface technology, as well as mechanical and Prym’s production – and to now contribute to their longfasteners history of quality,” emphasises Proba, General Manager of probas.plating.

Yes, the famous assembliesDaniel for the automotive and electronics industries.

Above all, Prym fastener is nowwith beingoutstanding plated in Böbingen.

Prympress are synonymous press probas.plating fasteners. Noquickly wonder, took a significant Prym’s in this area, thanks to sinceover Prym inventedportion theseofand hasneeds maintained highmainly production innovative technology, flexible production and a rapid expansion of capacities. quality throughout its 500-year history.

The result? Consistent, extremely high quality – and the fulfilment of complex requirements.

“Prym offer excellent service providers and partners Since 2021, probas.plating havequality, been so supporting this oldest must always measure up. Thecreating fact that we makesofusthe proud and lets usbrass German family industry, thecan, surface legendary anticipate a very bright says Danielpleased Proba. “We are happy to serve press fasteners.

“Wefuture,” are incredibly to have received theas a high-performing, reliable partner for Prym. Especially as we are a relatively opportunity to take over parts of Prym’s production – and to now young company, it is a special honour for us to now be part of Prym’s success contribute to their long history of quality,” emphasises Daniel story.”

Proba, General Manager of probas.plating. Yes, the famous Prym press fastener is now being plated in Böbingen. probas.plating quickly took over a significant portion of Prym’s needs in this area, mainly thanks to innovative technology, flexible production and a rapid expansion of capacities. The result? Consistent, extremely high quality – and the fulfilment of complex requirements. “Prym offer excellent quality, so service providers and partners must always measure up. The fact that we can, makes us proud and lets us anticipate a very bright future,” says Daniel Proba. “We are happy to serve as a high-performing, reliable partner for Prym. Especially as we are a relatively young company, it is a special honour for us to now be part of Prym’s success story.”

www.probas-plating.com

www.probas-plating.com

TAKINGTHETHELONG-VIEW LONG-VIEW TAKING Another thing that has

not Another thing that has not changed throughout the changed throughout the company’s history is its owner’s company’s history is its owner’s commitment to the firm. commitment to the firm.

“Despite the fact we are “Despite the fact we are approaching 500-years-old approaching 500-years-old there is a strong owners’ there is a strong owners’ commitment to the company,” commitment to the company,” Nonn says. “Two-thirds of our Nonn says. “Two-thirds of our owners answer to the last owners answer to the last name Prym and have carried name of of Prym and have carried that commitment through every that commitment through every generation family.

Some generation of of thethe family.

Some our owners some of of our owners areare 18,18, some areare 80-something, they 80-something, butbut they areare all all committedto tothethecompany. company. committed Selling option.”

Selling is is notnot anan option.”

“WEHAVE HAVEAADIVERSE DIVERSE “WE BUSINESSMODEL, MODEL, BUSINESS WITHFOUR FOURDIVISIONS DIVISIONSAND AND WITH THESUCCESS SUCCESSFACTORS FACTORS THE EACHDIVISION DIVISIONARE AREVERY VERY OFOFEACH DIFFERENT. DIFFERENT.THEY THEYARE AREALL, ALL, TOTOSOME SOMEDEGREE, DEGREE,SELLING SELLING SMALL SMALLMETAL METALPIECES, PIECES,BUT BUT FOR FORVERY VERYDIFFERENT DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS.” APPLICATIONS.” This This means meansPrym Prymhashasa a uniquely long-term perspective uniquely long-term perspective to to itsits business strategy that youyou business strategy that might not find in more private might not find in more private equity-funded businesses. equity-funded businesses.

“This is about “This is aboutinvestment. investment.

I’ve I’ve worked workedforforcompanies companies where wherethethefirst firstquestion questionis is ‘What’s the payback?’ and if it ‘What’s the payback?’ and if it will take more than two years will take more than two years to pay off, they won’t follow it to pay off, they won’t follow it up,” Nonn tells us. “Here, the up,” Nonn tells us. “Here, the next question is ‘How does it next question is ‘How does it make us stronger?’ even if that make us stronger?’ even if that is over the next 100 years. We is over the next 100 years. We can do things that would be can do things that would be unpopular in a private equity unpopular in a private equity environment.” environment.”

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NEW CHALLENGES

The Prym Group’s long history has encompassed several pandemics, but the latest has still had an impact on the company.

“The Corona Pandemic has been a challenge in the automotive industry and the fashion industry, but we’ve recovered nicely from that,” Nonn says. “Six months ago, we also had a flood which caused 20 million euros damage, so we’re cleaning that up at the moment. I’m sure there will be more challenges in the future.

It’s more about how you deal with these challenges.”

Indeed, the flood proved to be an outstanding example of how Prym’s longstanding values have helped it to withstand the greatest challenges.

“Our culture as a mid-size, family-owned company is one of quick and decisive action.

When we had the flooding here, I was positively surprised by the engagement of the employees,” Nonn says. “If disaster strikes, then being a part of Prym and a member of the Prym Group brings out the best in people. They worked here day and night to clean out the mess. Our people have been quick, active and decisive, with a high commitment to the company.”

“AT THE END OF THE MONTH WHAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU IS YOUR PAYCHEQUE AND WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED.” 130 | MANUFACTURING

KNITPRO One of the larger players in the Hobby & Craft sector, KnitPro is one of the leading global manufacturers of Knitting Needles, Crochet Hooks, and Knitting Accessories. It has the widest range of products compared to any other brand and makes products using various new-age materials such as resin-infused densified FSC certified wood, carbon fiber, stainless steel, aluminium, etc. It is credited with introducing cutting-edge and novel products for the crafters in an industry where not much innovation was done for a long time as far as tools and accessories were concerned.

KnitPro has been privileged to provide knitting and crochet tools to the European, American, and other international markets for over 15 years. Its products are available in more than 70 countries and the company continues on its path of growth by continuing to offer exciting new products and introducing improved product features from time to time. KnitPro is a family-owned enterprise that supports more than 1,700 employees and is proud to be an inclusive company that supports the rights of all workers and contributes to the education of their families. A strong advocate of women’s fair wage employment, KnitPro’s factories are located in an eco-compliant facility in Jaipur, India, a 300-yearold historical city known for its palaces and colourful bazaars. Its products are marketed through an expansive distribution network across the globe with these being available in more than 80 countries worldwide.

KnitPro has a strategic association with some of the most prestigious companies in Germany, the USA, the UK, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Australia who are market leaders in their respective markets and constantly work with KnitPro to develop products. Continuing on its path, with a sharp focus on both organic and inorganic growth, KnitPro is poised to become one of the most influential names in the hobby industry with its mission to provide crafters with a range of innovative products that help bring cheer to the craft that they pursue so passionately. www.knitpro.eu

M + V CREATIV DISPLAY LTD M + V Creativ Display is based in Heinsberg, close to the Dutch border and conveniently located on the A46 motorway.

As a full-service provider, our company is well-acquainted with all aspects of modern and effective product presentation. We take on the ongoing challenge of our customers‘ increasing demands in terms of design and functionality. Since 1984, we have been serving nationally and internationally operating customers from a wide range of industries, such as consumer electronics, fashion, jewellery, haberdashery, and the tobacco industry.

Our portfolio comprises the development and production of individual sales displays, shop components, presentation displays, lightboxes, and a wide range of acrylic products.

Here, the production focuses on the materials steel, aluminium, and plastic.

These products are made “in-house” at the Heinsberg site, allowing for a high degree of flexibility with regard to delivery times and product adaptations.

Our philosophy is simple and clear: “Identify and meet the needs of our customers with an innovative and collaborative team.” M + V Creativ Display regards itself not only as a producer but above all as a partner.

For this reason, you as the customer accompany every phase of our joint project so that your wish and our product are harmonised and the best possible result is ultimately achieved.

M + V Creativ Display – the name says it all!

If you are seeking individual solutions in design and technology, we would be happy to be your competent partner. www.mv-displays.de

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y g r e n e e v i t a Cre our business for y

+ Light boxes

+ Presentation panels

+ Digital Signage

+ Sales displays

+ Shop-in-Shop

+ Shop fittings

www.mv-display.com BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

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PRYM GROUP

Prym Group Headquarters in Stolberg, Germany.

That commitment meant that Prym has been by far the fastest company in the region to recover from the flood.

Creating a time with that level of commitment does not happen by accident.

“We have a sophisticated professional selection process for key employees,” Nonn tells us. “Our CHRO, Malcolm Louth, for instance is British. Most of the people we hire, we don’t hire from within Germany. We have a sophisticated approach to selecting people.”

That process continues long past recruitment.

“We give feedback, developing a plan with our staff to let our people grow,” Nonn explains. “At the end of the month what matters most to you is your paycheque and what you’ve learned. Those are big motivators for people to join our company & stay with us.”

Looking to the future of Prym, attracting talent remains a strong motivator for the company.

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Prym Group Plant in Malaysia.

“IF DISASTER STRIKES, THEN BEING A PART OF PRYM AND A MEMBER OF THE PRYM GROUP BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE.”

As Nonn points out, “We’re not up there with companies like BMW, but we’re not the carpenter around the corner, so we position ourselves as a sustainable, responsible decision-maker because we’re international but family-owned, with the size to still make a difference personally.”

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PRYM GROUP

“MOST OF THE PEOPLE WE HIRE, WE DON’T HIRE FROM WITHIN GERMANY. WE HAVE A SOPHISTICATED APPROACH TO SELECTING PEOPLE.” GENERATIONS TO COME

With this team behind it, the Prym Group has big plans for the future.

The firm is actively recruiting as it expands, particularly through online channels such as LinkedIn.

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“We have a programme with 13-14 items on it to execute over the next few years,” says Nonn. “The focus is growth.

There are still spots on the map we don’t cover. The other big challenge is the change to online sales which will be a tremendous booster through the coronavirus pandemic.

That is a priority one two and three.”

Who knows where Prym will be in another 500 years, but Nonn is confident that the way the company is structured will ensure it continues for many more generations.

“The governance model is an attractive one. We have our owners, supervisory and professional external management, and no mix-up between them,” he tells us. “There are no owners among the management. The supervisory board is elected from the owners, but they are professionals from the outside world, and help pool the interests of the owners who are a diverse group. Some of them live off their dividend, some make their own living. A lot of family-owned companies are killed because the owners can’t agree on a direction, but this approach ensures the survival of the company.”

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Investment in the future.

The success of every company depends on its employees. We are looking for people with new ideas, vision, and the commitment it takes to transform this vision into successful products and services. We will appreciate you and your work.

With us, you can make the best possible use of your knowledge and build a successful future. We offer specialists and managers alike rewarding roles in Operations, Supply Chain, Logistics, Sales, Marketing, Finance and Technology and more. We create a work environment in which all our employees can demonstrate their full potential, driving innovations forward and delivering excellent performance. Add a new dimension to your career and become part of the Prym Group.

Benefits for employees

• •

Career Development

•

Work with Internationally Diverse Teams

• •

Contribute to Our Growth Agenda

The Opportunity to Make a Real Difference

Be an Active Part of Our Evolution

Follow our LinkedIn Page to hear more about our work, and of career opportunities as they arise.

William Prym Holding GmbH Zweifaller Straße 130 D-52224 Stolberg, Germany

www.prym-group.com

UNITED GRINDING NORTH AMERICA

Markus Stolmar, CEO & President, UNITED GRINDING North America.

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UNITED GRINDING NORTH AMERICA

UNITED GRINDING NORTH AMERICA REMAINS AT THE FOREFRONT OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES, INTRODUCING NEXT-GENERATION MACHINE TOOLS TO TACKLE THE CHALLENGES ARISING IN MANUFACTURING.

LEADING THE WAY FOR THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING PROJECT MANAGED BY: RASH UDDIN

With its eight company brands, the UNITED GRINDING Group is one of the world’s leading suppliers of precision machines for grinding, eroding, lasering, measuring as well as combination machining. We hear from Markus Stolmar, President and CEO of UNITED GRINDING North America on how the business is adapting to an evolving market.

T

he company supports its customers throughout the machine lifecycle, including equipment sales, installation, training, applications support, preventive and predictive maintenance, parts and repair services.

“While the UNITED GRINDING Group is headquartered in Bern, Switzerland, the UNITED GRINDING North America competence centre in Miamisburg, OH acts as the headquarters for the group’s operations on this continent” says Stolmar, explaining that in North America, the company’s competence centre is where machines are finalised for custom applications, training, application development, and manufacturing is done for rebuilt machines, machine tending and part handling automation cells.

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He further explains that the company is divided into three business divisions, or product technology groups, that support the eight brands of precision manufacturing technology. The Cylindrical product technology group represents STUDER, SCHAUDT, and MIKROSA. The Surface and Profile product technology group represents MÄGERLE, BLOHM, and JUNG and the Tool product technology group represents WALTER and EWAG. In addition, a competence center for additive manufacturing is operated under the IRPD brand in Switzerland.

The company’s customer base can include any type of business big or small, from a small job shop to a global multinational corporation, across a range of industries, from automotive and

aerospace to energy and general manufacturing. The wide portfolio ensures that business remains stable when demand for certain machines fluctuates.

“Some of our brands are over 100 years old, such as Fritz STUDER AG, MIKROSA & WALTER, and some are somewhat specialised in a certain grinding technology, such as MÄGERLE, BLOHM, and JUNG, the high precision surface and profile grinding specialists,” says Markus Stolmar, pointing out that high-quality precision grinding machines can achieve microscopic tolerances, helping shops meet customer needs even in the most precise and demanding industries, such as medical device manufacturing.

THE AGE OF DIGITISATION

Speaking of current market developments, he reflects that the global pandemic has further accentuated several trends that began a few years back digitisation, automation and a shortage of human resources in industries.

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Grinding fluids

synthetic intelligence in perfection SintoGrind – super high performance oils IonoGrind – multifunction erosion & grinding AquaTec – water miscible coolants

oelheld U.S., Inc. Phone: +1-847-531-8501 www.oelheld.com

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UNITED GRINDING NORTH AMERICA

OELHELD oelheld is constantly setting new standards in lubrication. Innovative product development, strengthened by our continuous quality control and comprehensive customer service, is the key to the success of our products.

High performance metalworking lubricants and coolants are our specialties.

With a wide selection of dielectrics for spark erosion, grinding oils, and water-miscible coolants for a variety of materials and applications. oelheld has earned a reputation for proven, unrivalled high-end metalworking fluids designed to meet the highest requirements.

The constantly growing need for increased productivity, cost efficiency, and optimal utilization of existing production capabilities make it necessary to continuously optimize all process influencing factors. The selection of the right fluid is particularly important, as it has a major influence on productivity, production costs, process stability, and ultimately the quality of the tools produced. Our R&D department and in close cooperation with leading machine tool manufacturers, designs products that fully meet and exceed the requirements of the market.

Our goal is to strengthen your competitiveness with our grinding fluids: Shorter processing times, less tool wear, and better surfaces. The highperformance grinding fluids resulting from our development work are available in different viscosities and additives to optimally meet or exceed every requirement. oelheld‘s grinding oils comply with the strictest chemical regulations in the world.

Benefit from our many years of experience and let us know your requirements.

Our experts will give you advice and support you in the selection of a suitable grinding oil on the way to greater productivity.

T: +1 847 531 8501 E: sales-us@oelheld.com

www.oelheld.com

EBBCO INC. Ebbco Inc. is a full-service design, build and manufacturing facility located in the New Baltimore, Michigan. Ebbco offers filtration systems designed specifically for United Grinding Machines.

These systems are designed to filter Carbide, HSS, Ceramics, Stainless and many more materials on Oil or Coolant applications. Ebbco offers several different options offering ½ micron clarity and tight temperature tolerances of ½ degree Fahrenheit. Systems such as the Evolution Series-Standard cartridge filter systems with temperature control or Evomatic Series- Backwash Filtration Systems for Carbide Application using oil and collecting carbide swarf into a bulk 55-gallon container, which can be serviced without interruption to the process.

Ebbco Filtration Systems can be custom designed to deliver 10 to 900 gallons per minute of temperature controlled clean fluid to the machine tool. Ranging from ½ micron to 50 microns as required by the operation.

Centralized Filter Systems are also available with complete redundancy, outdoor chillers to remove heat and noise from the facility, along with VFD filter and feed pumps, saving energy when limited machines are in operation.

24-hour monitoring to allow lights out operations and minimal maintenance is available as optional.

These systems can be custom fit to the customer’s specifications, along with technical support and quick service support if needed. Ebbco has a filtration system to fit your needs.

Please feel free to contact Ebbco Inc. to speak with an experienced application specialist to provide a turnkey solution for your shop.

Ebbco inc 51536 Industrial Drive New Baltimore, MI 48047 586-716-5151 | info@ebbcoinc.com | www.ebbcoinc.com

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

“This is a critical time in manufacturing – people are retiring at record rates, vacancies are going unfilled, new talent will need to be introduced into all areas of manufacturing organisations to keep things moving,” he says.

“The response to these developments is an increased focus on automation, enhanced training programmes, investments in the community, and introducing new, innovative technologies that simplify and shorten the learning curve, allowing new machine operators the chance to gain proficiency in a shorter time. UNITED GRINDING is participating in all of these activities.”

The company is constantly innovating to tackle customer and market problems with the most elegant technology, machines, and robots. Recently launched solutions include versaLoad™, a new automation cell, joining flexLoad™ in the line-up of machine tending and part handling automation solutions developed by UNITED GRINDING North America.

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UNITED GRINDING NORTH AMERICA

Developed for smaller shops with high-mix, lowvolume production, versaLoad represents a flexible, affordable, easy-to-move and even easierto-program collaborative robot to perform rote tasks and to free human workers to apply their talents to essential tasks.

The solution boosts productivity by simplifying grinding process automation. In addition, the simple robot-teaching interface and lower price-point make automation more accessible to manufacturers looking to install automation in their machine line-up.

CUSTOMER ORIENTED REVOLUTION

Markus Stolmar says: “The concept of Industry 4.0, i.e. connectivity to machines, is well known and widely applied. Now there is talk of Industry 5.0, the interaction of machines, focusing on touch screens, camera

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CYCLOTRON PRODUCTS, INC. Leaders in Filtration Systems

CUSTOM FILTER SOLUTIONS

“A true multi-talent.”

GRAVITY PAPER BEDS CYCLONIC SYSTEMS MAGNETIC SEPARATORS Serving the metal working industry for over 40 years.

Elizabeth Fischer Simon Stalder R&D Chemist Grinding Specialist Blaser Swisslube AG

OUTLAST | OUTPERFORM | OUTSTANDING 262.898.0710 info@cyclotronproducts.com www.cyclotronproducts.com

Our clear and odorless Blasogrind GTM 10 – one grinding oil for all major cutting tool materials.

Test us. It‘s worth it. blaser.com/blasogrindgtm10

RADIAC ABRASIVES Radiac Abrasives is your value-added partner in the metalworking industry. The core foundation of Radiac is built upon providing value-based innovative solutions to our customers. Radiac has earned recognition as an industry leader through our strong commitment to quality, diverse product portfolio, superior product performance and unmatched customer support. Our dedicated industry teams are focused on providing customers with comprehensive metalworking solutions.

STARTEC XP-P HIGH PERFORMANCE WHEEL PACK

CSS ULTRA

GENIS 2

STRATO ULTRA

To learn more about Radiac and our products, visit www.radiac.com or contact us at 800.851.1095 | sales@radiac.com

A TYROLIT Company www.radiac.com

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recognition, voice controls, all the features that the younger generation is so familiar with. We are now focussing on building a software architecture, including hardware design, with the prime purpose of making the operator’s life easier, more enjoyable, with intuitive controls.”

To this end, in October, the company unveiled globally at EMO, and to the North American market, “Customer-Oriented REvolution” – C.O.R.E., the nextgeneration technology that will simplify machine operation and so much more. Based on a new operating system that equips the machine with intelligence, C.O.R.E. helps to make production fit for the digital future.

Thanks to the uniform C.O.R.E. software architecture being implemented across all product technology groups, exchanging data between machines is easy, and communicating with thirdparty systems is also possible.

C.O.R.E. not only establishes the technical foundation for other IoT and data applications, but it also forms the basis of revolutionary yet uniform operation.

This uniform and intuitive operating philosophy reduces training time. The configurable, role-specific interface helps prevent errors and increases the efficiency and quality of programming. Information can be exchanged quickly and in real-time via the front camera and Bluetooth headset.

LEADING THE WAY

While digitisation makes processes simpler and more transparent, boosting machine and general production availability, and automation may tackle the increasing labour shortage, the human factor remains irreplaceable.

To this end, UNITED GRINDING has partnered with TITANS of CNC to develop

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UNITED GRINDING NORTH AMERICA

an online grinding academy, which is due out in spring 2022 and will grant unprecedented levels of access to training content and tutorials on how to grind parts and operate the company’s machinery.

“We have also started a scholarship programme for local, graduating high school seniors who are pursuing a path in manufacturing and/or engineering. We awarded four scholarships this spring, and look forward to helping more students next spring,” says Markus Stolmar.

In addition to these major, game-changing activities the company is engaging in, its brand companies, MÄGERLE, BLOHM, JUNG, STUDER, SCHAUDT, MIKROSA, WALTER, and EWAG continue to bring innovative new technologies and machine capabilities to the table to help UNITED GRINDING’s customers achieve better results than ever before.

Markus Stolmar’s leadership is seen as a critical factor in helping to drive this development.

Having led UNITED GRINDING North America as its CEO for two years now, he has been with the company for 21 years in various roles; with his wide-ranging knowledge and experience, he has been witnessing the shift in the industry first-hand.

“I am aware of the challenges that the industry is facing, and we are investing in finding solutions suitable for the next stage of development.

“UNITED GRINDING is set to be a manufacturing organisation that’s leading the way for the future of our industry,” he affirms.

“UNITED GRINDING IS SET TO BE A MANUFACTURING ORGANISATION THAT’S LEADING THE WAY FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR INDUSTRY” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

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BARLOWORLD EQUIPMENT BOTSWANA

IN THIS ARTICLE, WE LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF BARLOWORLD EQUIPMENT BOTSWANA, THEIR CURRENT OPERATIONS AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE PROJECT MANAGED BY: TREVOR GRETSINGER

On 30th October 2021, Barloworld Equipment Botswana officially celebrated its 57th anniversary as the country’s Caterpillar earthmoving dealer: a major milestone and one that reflects a rich history of private and public sector partnerships that have helped to shape the country’s mining and infrastructure landscape since 1964. In this article, we look at the history of this company, its current operations and plans for the future.

T

he first registered Barloworld Equipment entity in Botswana was known as Construction Equipment Supplier Company, established on 12th September 1964. Then in 1971, the name changed to Botswana Earthmoving Machinery Co (Bemco). The existing head office in Francistown was expanded to support major mining activity at Selebi-Phikwe and Orapa, which today remain key copper and nickel, and diamond centres, respectively.

Then in 1981, the head office relocated to Gaborone to provide support for Debswana’s newly established Jwaneng mine, which became fully operational in August 1982.

Bemco

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subsequently became Barlows Equipment, finally transitioning to become Barloworld Equipment Botswana. The current staff complement is around 260.

MINING

Mining remains the major contributor to Botswana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and from inception, Caterpillar machines have played their part in unlocking the value of existing and greenfield projects. The same is true for infrastructure programmes, with a large portion of Botswana’s original national road network post-independence in 1966 built by a succession of contractors using Cat equipment.

BARLOWORLD EQUIPMENT BOTSWANA

BLUE SULTURN MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL SPECIALISTS

SERVICES: • HEAVY PLANT MECHANICS & FIELD SERVICE • AIR CONDITIONING INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE • ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC INSTALLATIONS • COMPONENT REBUILD FACILITY • PLANT HIRE • SUPPLIES

www.bluesulturn.com • T: +267 588 39 82 • M: +267 750 86 809

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BARLOWORLD EQUIPMENT BOTSWANA

TRANSFORMING AFRICA THROUGH ENGINEERING

For manufacturers and end-users who need reliable maintenance as well as after-sales support, Lucient Engineering and Construction; builds, assembles, repairs, and maintains heavy-duty industrial plant and machinery.

T: +267 588 3833 Botswana | +27 13 010 1124 South Africa E: info@lucientengineering.com

www.lucientengineering.com

In terms of mining machine milestones, Botswana was the first country in Africa to receive delivery of the Cat 7495 electric rope shovel, which has an operating weight of approximately 1 388 000 kg and a payload capacity of 109 tonnes, making it a three-pass loading match for ultra-sized off-highway mining trucks. Three Cat 7495 units were commissioned at Jwaneng during 2012 for Debswana’s Cut 8 expansion project. (Jwaneng is the richest diamond mine in the world by value.)

Training to support these and other Cat units is a core focus at Barloworld Equipment to keep pace with the growing machine population.

Training takes place at the Gaborone branch.

This is combined with practical and theoretical components at Barloworld Equipment’s PJB Learning Academy in Isando, Johannesburg.

Barloworld Equipment, as an affiliated member of the Botswana Chamber of Mines (BCM), also works closely with the BCM on

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developing training programmes for industry through the BCM Technical Working Group (TWG).

Skills development prepares the way for expansion plans within Botswana’s mining industry, as well as the creation of the Small and Medium Enterprises needed to stimulate micro-economic growth.

Allied to this is Barloworld Equipment’s active involvement in Corporate Social Investment and community initiatives in Botswana.

These include the refurbishment at the Nata RAD Hostels that accommodates students from ZOI (Zone of Influence) Mosu, Mokubilo etc settlements/cattle posts. Barloworld Equipment is also a regular contributor to Debswana’s annual ‘General Managers’ Sponsored Walk’ at Orapa, which raises funds for underprivileged members of the community in the Boteti region.

Pierre Hill, the country manager for Barloworld Equipment Botswana has seen the company develop over the years “As I see it, my role is being

responsible for managing all keyholder interest and customer expectations as well as creating a sustainable business that can assist in the growth of the Botswana economy.”

STANDING OUT

When asked how Barloworld Equipment Botswana stands out from other companies in the construction and mining industries, Pierre feels they add more than their rivals “We are the dealers for CAT, a world-renowned brand.

This is achieved through enhancing our customer experience and offering tailor-made solutions to meet production requirements.”

This is something that he believes makes customers come back to Barloworld Equipment “When looking for a potential partner, customers should look for reliable partners and products, something that we provide.

One of the examples includes Debswana Diamond Company, which we have been trading with for over 50 years in Botswana.”

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BARLOWORLD EQUIPMENT BOTSWANA

As with a lot of companies, a major challenge that Barloworld Equipment faced was the onset of COVID and the disruption it created. This meant that their approach had to change and they needed to adapt, something that Pierre further outlines “COVID-19 had a big impact on our business.

It meant we had to look at what we were doing with regard to our operations. This meant changing our business model, having to diversify our revenue stream and be less dependent on one customer and commodity.”

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

Pierre is passionate when it comes to discussing how to spot talent and finding the best staff for the business and its growth “It is important that you look at the potential of the employees you have. To get the best from them, we develop individual development plans and implement a well-developed performance management system in building a high-performance organization.”

He also believes that Barloworld has a strong reputation for looking after its employees and it is something that needs to be maintained to provide a positive working atmosphere “Staff must be properly looked after and not taken for granted. Our company has a good reputation for this and we believe it is important that staff can achieve the ideal work/ life balance.”

This is further broken down on the company website with three key points that address employee satisfaction. The first is appreciation, making sure that staff feel that they are appreciated for the effort they put in. The second aspect of this is security, putting effort into understanding employees so that their personal and professional needs are fulfilled. Finally, there is a push toward creating a reward-based culture that encourages and

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inspires employees to push forward and motivates them to achieve more.

This commitment to improved quality of life also extends to community outreach projects, including the Nata RAD Hostel refurbishment project in Botswana to help enrich the lives of underprivileged children. The company is keen to find ways to improve their local community and has a specific process for it as Pierre explains “We have an established a CSI Committee that meets regularly every month, evaluating community projects in the local area and assessing how we can help to improve the life of the community we operate in, adding to our organisational mission of building nations. We are passionate about it and it is something that we will continue to do in order to see how we can provide for our local community more effectively.”

BUILDING A NEW FUTURE

The desire to maintain connections with the local community in Botswana does not end with charity or community service projects, even though these are important and have value. The company is developing a new head office in Gaborone, a statement that Pierre insists highlights their commitment to Botswana “We believe that investing in our new head office facility in Botswana was important, to show all our stakeholders that

our commitment to the local area is for the long term and not just for the short term. It is our objective to be here for another 57 years.”

Barloworld Equipment Botswana is also expanding their local footprint with the delivery of a new Caterpillar fleet to the T3 Motheo Copper Project in the Ghanzi district.

“We are very excited about this opportunity which is aligned to our key objective to diversify our revenue stream and customer base as well as their commitment to development in Botswana. On the company’s website, there is an indication of what their ethos is and the motivation behind their actions and how customers keep coming back to them “We’re doing it by driving customer satisfaction, by ensuring you always feel understood, valued and appreciated by our team… you’re dealing with the most reliable, accessible and safety conscious company and by making your experience as effortless as possible.”

In short, it feels like Barloworld wants to establish an ethos that goes beyond the equipment that they sell. The approach is commendable and hopefully, they will continue to provide a solid support for their local community in addition to the service that they provide for their customers. In the long term, here is hoping they can continue to build on this approach.

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SWAKOP URANIUM

COSTS ARE INCREASING, AND TALENT IS HARD TO SOURCE, BUT SWAKOP URANIUM IS OVERCOMING THESE CHALLENGES WITH A BOLD VISION TO INVEST IN NAMIBIA’S FUTURE.

CONTINUED INVESTMENT PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN HOLLIMAN

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SWAKOP URANIUM

Swakop Uranium is more than a company. It is a symbol of the partnership between the Namibian and Chinese governments to mine uranium for the production of clean energy. The business’s basic principle of “Safety First, Quality Foremost, Pursuing Excellence” place safety and sound environmental management above all else, and the entire Swakop Uranium family is aligned in living up to this principle. Providing work to over 1,600 permanent employees and roughly 1,000 other contractors, Swakop Uranium is the second-largest uranium producer in the world, a title the firm does not take lightly.

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W

e take pride in our diversity which we view as a unique competitive edge, similarly, our world-class infrastructure makes SU the best place to work, the best teaching ground for experts and the best learning ground for novices,” explains Qiu Bin, CEO of Swakop Uranium. “We value sound stakeholder relationships and strive to maintain a healthy two-way communication line with our people.”

Swakop Uranium takes pride in its brand slogan ‘More than mining’ and is committed to building an elite workforce that can contribute to socioeconomic development in Namibia. It aims to do this

while guided by the best practice standards of corporate governance.

“We are the largest single investment in Namibia’s recent economic history. This places a unique obligation on us as management and employees of this great company to achieve, in the shortest possible time, the aspirations of the shareholders, stakeholders and friends of this business. This is an obligation that we take very seriously,” Qiu explains. “Owing to the large size of the business, we are a melting pot of diversity in terms of culture but manage to work to the same golden thread of ‘Safety First, Quality Foremost, Pursuing Excellence’.”

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OUR SERVICES: • INFILL DRILLING • DEEP DIAMOND & RC EXPLORATION DRILLING • GRADE CONTROL • GEOTECH WORK Our fleet consists of 18 Diamond & RC track-, truck- & trailer-mounted drillrigs, supported by ancillary equipment, trucks, crew carriers & LDV’s.

A: 18 Kallie Roodt St., Northern Industrial Area, Windhoek, Namibia T: +264 61 306900 | M: +264 81 2612424 | E: rheeder@fdn.com.na

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SWAKOP URANIUM

FERRODRILL NAMIBIA (PTY) LTD Ferrodrill Namibia (Pty) Ltd, established in 2006, has since completed over 4 million meters in Southern African soil.

The projects included deep Diamond and RC exploration drilling, Infill drilling, Grade Control, Blasthole drilling, and Geotech work.

With more than 15 years of experience in all of the above principles, we pride ourselves in meeting the client’s expectations on delivering quality, safety, production & completed holes.

Apart from the numerous greenfield exploration projects we have completed, we have done substantial drill programs for the major mines in Namibia: Swakop Uranium - Husab, B2 GOLD - Otjikoto, Anglo Gold Ashanti / QKR - Navachab, Skorpion Zinc, Areva - Trekopje, Weatherly/ Ongopolo - Tschudi & Kombat.

Our workshops are utilised for off-site maintenance, refurbishing of equipment, and assembly of new rigs. Mobile workshops in a central location closer to drilling projects facilitate faster turnaround times.

The Head office is situated in Windhoek, Namibia.

Our fleet consists of 18 Diamond & RC track-, truck- & trailer-mounted drillrigs, supported by ancillary equipment, trucks, crew carriers & LDV’s.

Ferrodrill Namibia invests in the local communities where we work and employ locals as part of the process.

18 Kallie Roodt Street Northern Industrial Area Windhoek, Namibia

+264 61 306900 +264 81 2612424 rheeder@fdn.com.na

KOMATSU: YOUR TRUSTED PARTNER CREATING VALUE THROUGH MANUFACTURING AND TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION TO EMPOWER A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE WHERE PEOPLE, BUSINESS, AND OUR PLANET THRIVE TOGETHER. Komatsu is an industry-leading manufacturer and supplier of equipment, technologies and services for the construction and mining industries. Komatsu’s global service and distributor networks support customer operations, tapping into the power of data and technology to enhance safety and productivity while optimising performance.

Our commitment to creating a sustainable future is seen in a strong commitment to environmental best practice, with a continuous focus on reducing our environmental impact and our carbon footprint and is included in several world-leading sustainability indices.

Remaining true to our founding spirit, we also seek to play an active role in supporting the communities where we live and work. Komatsu employees regularly give back through volunteerism, community partnerships and educational support.

The first Komatsu machine in South Africa was sold in 1963. Since then, Komatsu’s footprint in Southern African has grown to include a network of 16 branches, 21 depots, and five dealerships across nine countries, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Madagascar and Malawi.

Komatsu Namibia Limited was established as a subsidiary of Komatsu Africa Holdings with the goal to become a trusted partner that could provide ongoing support to every customer in Namibia.

With 100 years of partnership, you can continue to rely on Komatsu quality, insights and service.

THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND MANUFACTURING INNOVATION, WE PARTNER WITH YOU TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS. www.komatsu.co.za

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Qiu Bin, CEO of Swakop Uranium.

Swakop Uranium has always enjoyed a different perspective from others in the mining industry, thanks to its 20 years life of mine forecast, meaning that the company takes a somewhat longer view of its investments, assets and people, as well as the value it adds to host communities.

“Our vision of growth is real, our intentions clear and actions aligned to the long life of mine ahead of us,” Qiu points out. “Given the uniqueness of mining and processing operations, we offer differentiating technical and managerial experience which prepares professionals to be globally competitive.”

Swakop Uranium’s development approach to SMEs has proved to be a boon to local businesses in the Erongo region and across Namibia. It has helped businesses build capacity and become competitive suppliers for Swakop Uranium and the mining sector in general. The company has also established itself as one that is able to withstand even tempestuous economic times.

“OUR VISION OF GROWTH IS REAL, OUR INTENTIONS CLEAR AND ACTIONS ALIGNED TO THE LONG LIFE OF MINE AHEAD OF US.” “We are relieved to see that the current market trend is positive but what is and has always been our unique selling point is the fact that we already have an off-taker for our product which has allowed us to operate at a time when industrial partners were going on care and maintenance,” Qiu says.

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RISING TO RISING COSTS

We have looked at Swakop Uranium before, and it has a proud track record, but it is also facing increasingly difficult times. Mining operations like Swakop Uranium’s depend on a reliable and economically priced water supply, and the lack of water supply has been an ongoing problem.

“It is by now common knowledge that Swakop Uranium continues to suffer significant financial losses in the last five years due to unavailability of water. This equally threatens future investment decisions on expansion projects currently being considered,” Qiu admits.

This is just one of the increasing costs of doing business. Swakop Uranium’s

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SWAKOP URANIUM

Husab mine is extremely costintensive due to the increased prices of reagents on the international market, increased freight charges, water and electricity, local inflation and potential government policy changes.

Qiu explains how Swakop Uranium has responded to these challenges.

“In the short-term, Swakop Uranium has engaged the relevant water suppliers for interim arrangements to improve water reliability,” he says.

“Moreover, we are currently looking into increasing water storage. Medium to Long-term, Swakop Uranium urgently seeks a reliable and economically priced water solution. Given our long life of mine and further investments planned for future expansion,

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water supply is at the core of our business sustainability. It’s against this background that we support the government’s plan to build a desalination plant.”

Swakop Uranium has also embarked on a cost optimisation exercise across the entire business. The company intends to implement more stringent cost controls and measures throughout this year.

As well as addressing costs, Swakop Uranium also needs to address the skills shortage in Namibia. An operation of this size requires qualified and skilled maintenance and processing engineers.

While Swakop Uranium has development plans in place, the skills gap manifests itself in productivity and cost challenges.

“GIVEN THE UNIQUENESS OF MINING AND PROCESSING OPERATIONS, WE OFFER DIFFERENTIATING TECHNICAL AND MANAGERIAL EXPERIENCE WHICH PREPARES PROFESSIONALS TO BE GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE.”

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Mine Tailings Operators (MTO) is a fully registered Namibian company specialising in the management, monitoring, construction, & development of all aspects of a TSF to accommodate total final tailings product from the main process & to recover maximum water for recycling to the main operation. Situated in a national park, compliance with national & global environmental rules is essential to fully comply in order to maintain a license to mine.

Being part of the biggest operational mine in Namibia since commissioning & supported by the holding company Cyclone Engineering Projects with 40 years’ experience in this field, MTO strives to further expand & become the preferred service provider of tailings storage in Namibia.

MINE TAILINGS OPERATORS (PTY) LTD t/a NAMCEP

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+264 (0) 811 224 966 | bertie@cyclones.co.za P.O. Box 4372 Swakopmund | Namibia www.cyclones.co.za | www.namcep.co.za

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SWAKOP URANIUM

“We will reinforce our internal development programs and provide opportunities to high-potential employees in the company,” explains Qiu. “Further, Swakop Uranium will continue to look at available skills in the SADC region as well as secondments from its shareholder companies to fill the skills gap.”

INVESTING IN NAMIBIA

We provide the following mining services in Namibia: • Assemble & Rebuild Mining Equipment • Mechanical & Electronics Fault-finding • Field Services & Maintenance (on-/off-site) • Plant Maintenance

Where Our Services Meet Your Desires.

T: +264 811 246 024 • E: info@digitsinvestmentscc.com

www.digitsinvestmentscc.com

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Swakop Uranium must overcome these challenges as the company represents China’s single largest direct investment in Africa. 96% of its workforce are Namibian citizens. In 2021, Swakop Uranium paid 1.53 billion Namibian dollars in tax, N$5.664 billion in local purchasing and N$1.123 billion in wages and salary.

Indeed, since 2015 Swakop Uranium has put many Namibians through tertiary education via its SU Bursary Scheme, affording Namibians who qualify for it an opportunity to study at reputable tertiary institutions.

In 2015, the company established the Swakop Uranium Foundation to conduct its CSR activities and it has invested in the five pillars of Swakop Uranium’s CSR initiatives over the years. Those pillars are community support, health and wellbeing, SME development and poverty alleviation, education and childhood development, and sound environmental management.

It is an investment that Qiu Bin intends to continue.

“In line with our growth path and to secure mining and processing production, Swakop Uranium has employed the long-term services of a mining contractor starting December 1st, 2021. This will provide an additional 250 Namibian jobs and secure mining production of over 100 million tonnes per

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annum (including owner mining) going forward,” he tells us.

“Barring the availability of water, Swakop Uranium is currently at an advanced stage of feasibility studies to explore the treatment of low-grade uranium ore by way of Heap Leach in tandem with the current tank leach operations.”

It is a project whose success will not only add to the value of the business but further increase the already impressive life of the mine. Indeed, Swakop Uranium continues to invest in its exploration drilling program to develop resources on and off its current mining license, looking for mineable reserves that will even further extend the current life of mine.

“Swakop uranium is at the forefront of mining and processing technology application to ensure safe and cost-effective business operations,” Qiu concludes.

“The large size of our business, increasing cost of production & our pursuit for excellence are good causes to leverage technology, especially given our proximity to the Chinese market.”

“THE LARGE SIZE OF OUR BUSINESS, INCREASING COST OF PRODUCTION AND OUR PURSUIT FOR EXCELLENCE ARE GOOD CAUSES TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN OUR PROXIMITY TO THE CHINESE MARKET.” 158 | MINING

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GULF MARINE SERVICES

WITH OVER 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, GULF MARINE SERVICES IS USING ITS STRONG TRACK RECORD TO PREPARE ITSELF FOR THE FUTURE.

THE OIL AND GAS FLEET PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN SMART

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GULF MARINE SERVICES

Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, for over 40 years Gulf Marine Services have been providing jack-up barges to the oil and gas markets. Add to that another ten years of experience operating in the offshore renewables sector in the North Sea, and the firm has a formidable wealth of experience to draw from.

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T

oday Gulf Marine Services operates a fleet of 13 small, medium and large vessels to support the maintenance of offshore infrastructure. Crewed

by Gulf Marine Services’ own people, these ships can carry out work to improve offshore production levels or provide maintenance to offshore platforms. The firm has also been signed by EPC contractors who want to make use of its ships’ high accommodation and large deck to carry out work, meaning that Gulf Marine Services has also entered the greenfield

construction sector by providing a platform for EPCs to execute their activities.

“The majority of our clients are ultimately the national oil companies, but in addition to that we work directly with major EPC contractors,” explains Andrew Robertson, CFO of Gulf Marine Services. “In terms of our business model, we get paid a day rate to allow the client to use the vessel, which we man and maintain.”

It is a niche market within the offshore support space, but one that has given the firm a stable foundation to work from.

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INTEGRATED ENGINEERING LLC

SUPPORTING YOUR BUSINESS WORLDWIDE

At FRONTIER INTEGRATED ENGINEERING, we are dedicated to providing technologically advanced, energy-efficient HVACR solutions in the marine, industrial, and oil & gas industries.

We are committed to delivering the greatest value for our customers through a total solution business model.

T: +971 2 555 2939 •

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www.fieuae.com

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GULF MARINE SERVICES

“Because we support more maintenance than exploration it gives a degree of stability to our business. A lot of our contracts take place over multiple years, so you can maintain overall high levels of utilisation,” Robertson says. “On top of that, we are the longest established operator of these assets in the world and one of the top two or three in terms of size.”

IN DEMAND

Gulf Marine Services is well established, but it is also working in a sector that is currently in very high demand, particularly in the Middle East.

“Because of the tightening market we’ve seen improvements on day rates.

Within the Middle East, the market’s total fleet consists of around 50 assets, and we own a quarter of that fleet,” Robertson points out. “The majority of those assets are now contracted for the first time in over five years. Supply and demand have moved to the point where there is not enough supply. We expect to continue to see that.”

Of course, while demand is high, the working environment has been a challenging one over the last couple of years.

“Covid has undoubtedly caused some operational and logistics issues when it comes to moving our crew around during quarantine, and we have to be thankful to our crew, who extended their rotations offshore, taking them away from family and friends for longer periods to let us continue to offer utilisation,” Robertson says. “That is easing as people are beginning to live more with the consequences of Covid. Border restrictions aren’t impacting us in the same way and quarantine periods are reduced, making our life a lot

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easier in terms of getting crew offshore and returning them to their homes.”

Even without the added pressures of the pandemic, Gulf Marine Service invests heavily in recruiting and building on new talent.

“The majority of our employees are offshore crew.

We have approximately 400 crew on our books. We are

a well-established, well-run organisation, which helps attract talent,” Robertson says. “We also encourage training crews, not just to marine standards but in excess of that, as certain clients have additional requirements.

We set up a training system five years ago with simulators for a jack-up barge, to let masters and chief engineers on our vessels demonstrate key competencies.”

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As well as navigating Covid, Robertson also points to emerging shifts across the global energy sector, although these are concerns that are not yet relevant in the Middle Eastern market where Gulf Marine Services operates.

“In terms of potential challenges going forward, there is the energy transition. Globally we are seeing a reluctance to invest in oil and gas,” Robertson says.

“Now frankly, we have not been impacted because most of our revenue is sourced in the Middle East, with the lowest production costs and the highest reserves.

Also, these projects are ultimately run by the government, so we do not have the pressures of oil and gas elsewhere. We have also

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been in the renewable sector for ten years. We have that access because of our experience and we’re increasing the assets we have in the renewable space.”

“THE MAJORITY OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE OFFSHORE CREW. WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 400 CREW ON OUR BOOKS. WE ARE A WELL-ESTABLISHED, WELL-RUN ORGANISATION, WHICH HELPS ATTRACT TALENT.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

GULF MARINE SERVICES

While everybody in the energy sector is keeping an eye on the rise in renewables, Robertson believes oil and gas will continue to make up the major part of Gulf Marine Service’s work for the foreseeable future.

“The majority of our assets are in the Middle East. If we were in West Africa, Asia or America, then we would be moving to renewables because it is harder to get new investment there,” Robertson tells us. “But half of our fleet is capable of supporting renewable wind operations, and we evaluate the opportunities

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as they are presented. It gets quite expensive to move vessels around the world all the time without a long-term strategic benefit. With high utilisation and long-term contracts, it is unlikely we will see a major transition soon.”

For the time being, Robertson is optimistic about Gulf Marine Services’ future and believes the company will do well to carry on how it has been going, but he can see the possibility of market consolidation just over the horizon.

“As it stands at the present, like many companies in our sector, our balance sheet in the near term doesn’t let us go out and look at new acquisitions,” Robertson concedes. “But over time we will be looking at the consolidation of a number of smaller players in our sector, or potentially acquiring new assets to grow the business in the long term.”

It will be interesting to see what form that new phase of the company will take.

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DECTEK

WITH OVER 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, DECTEK HAS BECOME A ONE-STOP-SHOP FOR CORPORATE PRINT SOLUTIONS, SERVING GLOBAL BRANDS IN THE UK AND BEYOND.

EXPERTISE IN PRINT

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DECTEK

Founded in 2001 by Managing Director Mike Beese, DecTek is a progressive, multi-award-winning specialist digital print manufacturer. Based in South Wales, the business is most well-known for the manufacture of resin-coated domed labels, however, the business now offers the full range of digital print capabilities and is relied on by many of the world’s leading brands across many different industries.

PROJECT MANAGED BY: CHRIS CONWAY

O

ver the two decades of its operation, the business has made remarkable progress. From its humble beginnings, DecTek has retained the same sense of vision and ambition that Mike Beese had when he decided to form the company from scratch, starting on his dining room table, with just a printer, a small doming set-up, a fax machine, and loads of energy.

“From the moment I made the decision to start, the business grew rapidly,” recalled Mike Beese. “Within a fortnight, I had recruited another staff member and within one month, I took on a production unit.

In the first year, we achieved £90,000 in turnover, the following year it was nearly five times as much, and the growth never stopped. We were constantly looking at different opportunities within the printing industry, looking for ways to accommodate the different customers’ requirements, fast and efficiently.”

TRUSTED PARTNER

He pointed out that digitisation was the critical factor. “I was able to remove tooling costs and reduce set up times as well as ramp up production.

The result: reduced prices and quicker delivery times to our customers.”

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M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

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AYJAY GROUP Based in Caerphilly, South Wales, Ayjay Group provides specialist electrical, facilities maintenance and refrigeration engineering solutions to industrial and commercial businesses across the UK. Our team of experienced engineers provide a complete turn-key service, from design, installation, bespoke project management and ongoing maintenance support. With more than 25 years’ experience supporting various business sectors including manufacturing, pharmaceutical, warehouse, distribution and hospitality, ‘Ayjay’ can adapt to create solutions that support each customer individually.

Founded in 1996 by Andrew Hall and Jason Beament, we celebrated our 25th year of trading in September 2021. Our growth and expansion has seen Ayjay’s team of engineers grow to more than 30, and work with a range of specialised trade subcontractors situated across the UK. Led by a board of three Directors, each bringing their own specialist knowledge to the business, ensuring excellence in engineering is achieved across all services delivered.

Our relationship with DecTek spans more than 15 years, and during this time we have developed a strong relationship which has seen us complete several installations, supporting their continued growth. Ayjay recently project managed work at DecTek’s new printing site with the construction of a new mezzanine floor, power data and LED lighting systems, the installation of CCTV, alarm and access control, and resin coated flooring.

Operations Director Simon Beament commented: “It has always been a pleasure to work with Mike and the DecTek team to support their expansion and innovative approach. We look forward to the next 15 years and supporting their vision.” www.ayjaygroup.co.uk

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Another driver was Mike’s own determination, he says, “I am highly motivated, very ambitious and enjoy working long hours; and I surrounded myself with like-minded people.

These people came onboard and grew with me.”

The fledgling business rapidly developed an enviable reputation for quality, service and value for money and soon came to the attention of a range of global blue-chip brands that saw the potential of domed marketing labels for enhancing and promoting their products and brand. From initially producing specialist labels, DecTek has expanded its product range to include packaging, PVC banners, small format print with special effect embellishments and name badges.

David Carter, Business Development Manager, summarised the company’s core business: “DecTek has a unique manufacturing capability.

By combining digital print with dynamic cutting and with specialist finishing we are able to work with a wide range of materials and produce a breath-taking array of printed products. A one-stop-shop for everything corporate print.”

“DURING TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY MOST BUSINESS OWNERS CHOOSE TO ‘STICK’ AND CONSOLIDATE. MY VIEW WAS THERE WOULD NEVER BE A BETTER TIME TO ‘TWIST’ AND GROW THE BUSINESS TO NEW HEIGHTS.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

DECTEK

He explains that DecTek owns and operates one of Europe’s largest doming laboratories and produces tens of millions of labels every year. It is trusted by global leading companies to maintain their brand integrity.

BUSINESS DIVERSIFICATION

The use of cutting-edge technology has been consistent throughout the growth of DecTek, with continued investment in state-of-the-art hardware and software. This has enabled the business to reduce costs and pass the benefits on to its customers.

About five years ago, DecTek started to look at opportunities to expand its product and services portfolio. Exploiting its expertise in printing, cutting and

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DECTEK

finishing to provide specialist corporate print services throughout the UK and into Europe. Additional capabilities were added including a multimaterial laser cutting suite.

Mike noted that the Covid lockdown afforded the business a unique opportunity to ‘take a step back’ and review its direction, assess new opportunities, and design a new business growth strategy. This resulted in the business investing over one million pounds in new equipment, significantly increasing production capacity, and promoting a new digital manufacturing process, supporting its growth aspirations.

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He reflected: “During times of uncertainty most business owners choose to ‘stick’ and consolidate. My view was there would never be a better time to ‘twist’ and grow the business to new heights.”

Of particular focus is the business’s new packaging and cardboard engineering department. “Digital printing and tool-less cutting enable us to produce short-run custom

packaging and point-of-sale items for our partners,” said Mike and continued: “It is desirable for businesses to order their print on demand rather than in bulk. Our dynamic manufacturing facilitates this trend.”

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

It is not just the financial performance, but also a consideration for the environment

“IT IS DESIRABLE FOR BUSINESSES TO ORDER THEIR PRINT ON DEMAND RATHER THAN IN BULK. OUR DYNAMIC MANUFACTURING FACILITATES THIS TREND.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

DECTEK

that is at the top of the company’s agenda, and DecTek today offers environmentally friendlier alternatives to their standard products. One such example is the price harmonisation between its plastic and metal name badge range.

“Aluminium is a highly sustainable material. It performs as well as plastic and is 100% recyclable. The fact is that over the next five years there will be a dramatic shift in attitude to environmentally harmful materials. COP26 brought this into sharp focus, and I think that there is finally a greater momentum to enforce this change,” noted Mike Beese.

Further reflecting on the future of the business, he affirmed that DecTek has active growth through its collaboration policy.

It welcomes entrepreneurs with creative ideas to partner with the business. In concept, DecTek invites entrepreneurs, printers looking to expand, marketing experts, creatives,

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and anyone else with a strong business idea to get involved.

This gives professionals with Adobe skills the opportunity to develop their own businesses with minimum risk and financial outlay. “They would gain an engaged manufacturing partner and we would gain access to sales and marketing expertise with new and established customer bases. A win-win,” enthused Mike.

Summarising the last two challenging years and their impact on the business he affirmed that every cloud has a silver lining: “You have to burn down some trees to grow new grass and that is how we have seen the past two years. Some businesses have gone under which is a tragedy.

However, for us, we have seen Covid-19 as a fortuitous twist of fate that has given us business clarity through the haze of the day-to-day. I am excited about the future. My only wish is that someone could invent the 9-day week and 36-hour day.”

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VRANCART GROUP

VRANCART, THE ROMANIAN PAPER AND CARDBOARD MANUFACTURER, IS INTENSIFYING ITS FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY AND PAPER WASTE MANAGEMENT.

CHAMPION FOR THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY PROJECT MANAGED BY: ANDREW BOURKE

With four decades of experience, Vrancart Group is one of the main players in Romania in the corrugated cardboard and tissue paper sector. The Group, listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, operates via its four companies: Vrancart SA, Rom Paper, Vrancart Recycling and Ecorep Group, all involved in the paper production and recycling circuit, promoting paper waste management.

T

he formerly state-owned company established in the 1970s was acquired by an investment fund in 1989, setting a new direction. However, the development was not without its hurdles, says Eduard Popolan, CEO of the company’s corrugated cardboard business unit: “When the current Managing Director, Mr Ionel Ciucioi, joined the company in 2014, he came into a lossmaking business. Only a year later, the financial performance had improved significantly, and the company has been in the black ever since, steadily increasing profits each year. The whole company culture and spirit have changed, and the basis for our present leading market position has been firmly established.”

Mr Popolan, who joined the company in 2018 after 15 years working for a multi-national group, Vrancart’s current competitor, further enhanced the drive by increasing focus on technical capability and environmental awareness.

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Speaking about recent developments, he says: “There are three elements that have inspired us to grow into one of the largest paper and cardboard producers in Romania - the trust of our partners; investments in high-performance equipment; and the teamwork of our dedicated staff across all our production plants.”

Close cooperation with the company’s trusted suppliers is also an important factor that has further enhanced Vrancart’s position. An example is a technical collaboration with Euroink Group, helping Vrancart to reach higher graphic printing levels.

“From the business point of view, our main advantage is a high degree of flexibility and fast decision-making. If we see a market opportunity, we make the investment quickly, something which takes much longer for a large international group.

VRANCART GROUP

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As such, we have been growing steadily in volume terms, heading towards Number One in the country, in line with Vrancart’s mission to be the most important recycler of cellulose fibre-based materials in Romania.”

FOUR PILLARS

The group companies are making the most of business synergies. Vrancart SA is the largest of the four, offering integrated services to bring packaging waste back to life, including collection, recycling, production and service.

The company operates via its three business units – a collection centre unit, managing 20 collecting points across Romania, specifically for paper and corrugated cardboard waste; a paper production unit with three paper plants; and a corrugated paper business unit.

The core products are corrugated paper made from cardboard waste; tissue paper from recycled materials and cellulose; cardboard and

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VRANCART GROUP

corrugated packaging materials.

The company also sells and services waste recycling equipment and is the only distributor in Romania of Kadant Paal and Presto technology used in the packaging sector.

Rom Paper, acquired in 2017

by Vrancart SA, is a major tissue paper processor in Romania, producing for private labels as well as selling its own brands nationally and internationally.

The most recent additions to the Group are Vrancart Recycling and Ecorep Group, both established in 2020 to further enhance Vrancart’s environmental focus. Vrancart Recycling was founded to expand the core business of the recyclable waste collection division within Vrancart SA, and

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Ecorep Group was set up with a view to helping the Group’s customers meet extended producer responsibility (OIREP).

The entire Vrancart Group today employs some 1,200 people across its various plants and offices and is looking at increasing staff numbers to strengthen its two newest businesses. “We are one of the top three largest players in our sector in the local market, and the only 100% Romanian company, with the two other being multinational corporations,” notes Mr Popolan.

GREEN INVESTMENT

The global shift towards a circular economy has increased in the past two years, in spite

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of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Vrancart is one of the companies that have expanded their core businesses in line with this development.

This strategy continues in 2021 through greenfield investment, amounting to a total of €17 million, in waste collection and recycling capacity. About half of this will be funded by a government grant.

The project will be placed in the new Vrancart Recycling company, with the aim of recycling plastic and wood, industrial ash and industrial waste – types of waste complementary to those currently recycled.

The new waste collection and recycling facility will be built in Adjud, on Vrancart’s industrial platform, within two years. It is expected to employ 164 people and have an annual turnover of €8.5 million, and is set to benefit especially from the synergies within the group,

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which owns, in addition to its production facilities, a network of collection centres in 17 cities.

According to Vrancart management, the investment will have a major impact on the local community by creating jobs, both within the production facility and for suppliers, and especially by increasing waste collection and processing capacity within the national recycling strategy, in line with European requirements.

“Vrancart is traditionally recognised as a paper and board maker but we are expanding the focus. The new facility

complements and expands the group’s activity in this field in which Vrancart already has indisputable expertise.

We appreciate the collaboration of the governmental authorities who, following the analysis of the financing request, decided to support this 100% Romanian project.”

The investment will further boost Vrancart’s already strong position in the domestic market, cementing its reputation as the operator of the largest national waste collection network, a leader in the paper industry, and a major contributor to the nation’s circular economy.

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GHANA PORTS & HARBOURS AUTHORITY

BETWEEN THE PANDEMIC AND GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, GHANA’S PORTS ARE SHOWING THE WAY TOWARDS A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR THE COUNTRY AND CONTINENT.

GATEWAY TO AFRICA PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN HOLLIMAN

The last few years have been a difficult period for the whole world and Ghana’s Ports and Harbours has been no exception, but the Ghana Ports & Harbours Authority has benefited from strong precautions and guidance.

W

e’ve been working with preventive protocols and the cooperation of stakeholders within the port community and our country,” says Michael Luguje, Director General for the Authority. “Within the port sector we’ve kept ports open and cargo moving safely. We’ve helped the economy keep going. So, we’ve done quite well on the whole.”

This is a recurring theme in our conversation with Luguje, that his priorities have been people’s safety, and the wellbeing of the economy.

“I think our biggest achievement is that we’ve been able to keep the entire port community safe from any major impact of the pandemic.

We kept the ports open for the Ghanaian economy and those of our neighbouring countries, keeping vessels sailing in and out,” he tells us proudly. “We’ve been very effective despite the pandemic. We’ve been able to facilitate ships’ crew change

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and ships are working with us successfully, keeping everyone safe and keeping the economy well-resourced through cargo inflow and outflow.”

Indeed, despite fears that cargo traffic would not meet its targets for the year, the Ports and Harbours Authority ended last year with its targets met.

“We’ve been able to keep ourselves healthy,” Luguje says.

POST-PANDEMIC PORTS

Aside from the Covid, Ghana Ports & Harbours Authority has faced other challenges, although eventually all of them have their roots in the pandemic.

“Our other challenges are all essentially related to the pandemic,” Luguje observes.

“It has brought in a new world order on how business is done. You have to restrict movement, slow down, follow all the necessary protocols.

The process of clearing vessels has to change and that has come with additional costs. Of

course, there is also the cost of providing additional support to the medical sector, the cost of investing in additional IT infrastructure to support working from home and dealing with more of our business online.”

Connected to the pandemic, countries all over the world have been seeing significant supply chain challenges.

“The supply of cargo containers slumped and all of a sudden, our shippers are having to pay twice or three times the freight cost to bring cargo into Ghana,” Luguje says.

“That became a major concern.

For us as a cargo port, steel prices have hiked. The cost of procuring cargo handling equipment is steep, and all of that together has been a major challenge. But we must continue to invest in the port to stay a step ahead of requirements. We are continuing to expand our ports.”

While Ghana Ports & Harbours Authority has plans to invest in the future of the country’s port infrastructure, it is also working hard to keep things going on a day-to-day basis.

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GHANA PORTS & HARBOURS AUTHORITY

Michael Luguje, Director General, Ghana Ports & Harbours Authority.

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GHANA PORTS & HARBOURS AUTHORITY

“Thankfully we are surviving on a daily basis adjusting to cope with the new circumstances, and gradually that will subside, and life will return to normal,” Luguje assures us. “We are finding innovation in terms of new ways of working because of the Covid.

Being able to do so comes with strategic planning, cutting costs, and reviewing existing works.”

“Even the shipping lines themselves are taking their own decisions on how to cope, offering support where there is need for multi-stakeholder collaborations so we can all prosper,” Luguje says. “We have also had very impressive support from the government of Ghana in this direction.”

THE PLACE TO BE

It is when we start talking about longer-term plans that Luguje becomes most animated. The Authority has big plans to continue to innovate in terms of improving its ways of working and cutting costs.

“We’ve been able to learn and adapt to the Covid impact, providing quality service and continuing to expand our port and improve on infrastructure,” he says. “We can now provide additional capacity in deeper berths for the bigger vessels coming in with various types of cargoes. Construction is a growing sector in Ghana, so, we have an increasing number of cement manufacturing companies building cement plants in Ghana.

As a result, plans are advanced to dredge and deepen the new dry bulk cargo berth in Tema Port to 12 metres to accommodate the bigger vessels. We’re also recording increasing volumes of sugar, wheat, and steel, whose importers are using bigger vessels to achieve economies of scale.”

Indeed, in Tema Port, the new Container Terminal 3 opened to business in July 2019.

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“It is a very modern terminal capable of accommodating the latest generation of container vessels. In the Port of Takoradi, we’ve already opened a new liquid bulk cargo terminal, while a modern dry bulk cargo terminal is under construction. We are also planning to develop a new modern oil and gas services terminal.

It’s an ambitious future,” Luguje says. “We need to make provision for any eventualities, and we’re keeping that knowledge at the forefront of our minds.”

One of the boldest new plans is to meet government requests for a tech-focused commercial port which will be constructed on a green field in the country’s eastern corridor in the town of Keta.

“We’re now preparing to conduct an economic environmental and social impact study that will be completed this year,” says Luguje.

“We also have the dry dock and shipyard which is a strong potential source of income that needs to be properly developed, and we’re looking to that.”

All of this is building on the great achievements the Port Authority has already made.

“Our flagship terminal, Terminal 3 with a 16-metre draught, is well known within the shipping community. We are the leading container hub in West Africa, handling the biggest container ships,” explains Luguje. “Anyone who wants to come into Africa, Ghana is the place to be. We’re positioning ourselves as the gateway for investment into the continent & the ports are well prepared to play our required role.”

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GHANA PORTS & HARBOURS AUTHORITY

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VALUE MARITIME

VALUE MARITIME

VALUE MARITIME’S TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS FOR CARBON TO NOT ONLY BE CLEANED AND CAPTURED BUT ALSO PUT TO GOOD USE.

CAPTURING CARBON & VALUE PROJECT MANAGED BY: LIAM PYWELL

Value Maritime was founded nearly five years ago by Christiaan Nijst and Maarten Lodewijks, friends of 15 years who combined their technical and commercial backgrounds to launch an exhaust cleaning system for smaller vessels, coasters and container feeders sailing around Europe.

T

he end result was the Filtree System, a CO₂ capture and storage solution with a plug-and-play concept made from standard modules and materials. The system can be installed quickly with only a few modifications to the ship, and modules can be exchanged and installed elsewhere with ease.

“We have 13 vessels equipped with our system, another five we’re building at the moment, and 15 in our order book,” Nijst tells us. “We’re growing fast, and while the coronavirus affected us quite a bit, resulting in a lot of orders being cancelled, it gave us time to develop our product, including a CO2 battery which we can use to easily remove CO2 from the exhaust and store it.”

Once these batteries are full, they can be taken to the end-users of CO2 such as

greenhouses, who will have the equipment to remove the CO2 and utilise it to enhance crop growth. This means those end users are not burning natural gas, so as well as reducing emissions the technology enables a direct CO2 saving.

It is a far more efficient system than some of the available alternatives.

“If you use land-based technology to capture CO2, you’re actually installing a complete chemical plant that uses a lot of energy,” Nijst says.

“We can efficiently capture that CO2 from the exhaust, store it, and integrate the release of CO2 for the end-user, reusing the CO2 in greenhouses, methanol and other products.

We don’t want to go the route of storing it underground because there are potential applications to reuse it in the right way.”

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It is new technology but already proven.

“We’ve shown we’re capable of doing that in a cost-efficient way, and that’s where we’re growing our business at the moment,” Nijst says. “We’ve evolved from a start-up in regular exhaust cleaning systems, to being ahead of our competitors with a working carbon capture and reuse technology, and building equipment for vessels.”

Value Maritime is capable of removing CO2 from a vessel in an easy, energy-efficient and cost-effective manner, and they are also the only ones capable of doing that. What’s more, this is proven, applied technology, not a pipe dream.

“We’re not carrying out studies or pilot schemes, we’re really doing it,” Nijst insists.

“By the end of the first quarter,

we’ll have six vessels sailing with the technology to remove CO2 from the vessel.”

“We face uncertainty around regulations but our system design is ahead of the legislation. There’s a healthy push to reduce CO2 but the regulations are not clear yet,” Nijst explains. “There’s a lot of talk about CO2 but in the end, you need to pay for the CO2 removed from the vessels. So, we designed our product to allow us to install equipment that has a good value proposition.”

Fortunately, these are precisely the challenges Value Maritime’s systems anticipated.

Ships with the system installed have the capability to bunker cheaper fuels and the option to remove CO2 from the system if the commercial environment is there to support it, but that environment is not defined and clear yet,” Nijst says. “We designed our

“BY THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER, WE’LL HAVE SIX VESSELS SAILING WITH THE TECHNOLOGY TO REMOVE CO2 FROM THE VESSEL.” A SUSTAINABLE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT

However, while the technology and its benefits are proven, the regulatory environment around this technology is still catching up with the latest developments.

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VALUE MARITIME

Maarten Lodewijks & Christiaan Nijst, Co-founders of Value Maritime. system to be able to deal with uncertainty and give the owner an easy choice to remove CO2, but only remove it when the market environment is there.”

The goal is to provide tools that will make the shipping industry more sustainable and more profitable.

“Our ambition is to provide the shipping industry with the tools for a clean, low environmental footprint. In the end, I don’t think the world will use less material in their day-to-day lives, and the shipping industry is the cleanest way to transport material from A to B,” says Nijst.

“By removing the CO2 and particle matter from the exhaust we can create a green shipping industry. The technology is not a silver bullet, and it does not apply to all vessels, but it will serve a large range of vessels and we’re happy we can support the majority of the shipping industry.”

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Nijst anticipates a future where CO2 has become a commodity, making the ability to remove and reuse it in the most efficient way a technology that will make a big impact.

ATTRACTED TO VALUES

Value Maritime’s mission has been attractive to customers, but it has also made it attractive to potential new recruits.

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“I hear a lot about companies having difficulties recruiting staff. For us it’s relatively easy,” Nijst points out. “People want to work at a company that has an environmental impact. Companies like Shell have trouble retaining people.

People don’t want to work for the biggest company anymore, they want to work where they can make a positive impact. As

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VALUE MARITIME

such we have only just started posting vacancies because we have had enough people knocking on our door, which is a luxury, but now we are growing fast and looking for the best talent we can find.”

It is not something that Nijst takes for granted.

“Having a team dedicated to making a positive impact will attract other talent as well,” he says. “The people are the real asset of the company.”

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In terms of where that company goes next, Nijst has a clear vision, taking Value Maritime beyond supplying cleaning equipment, to becoming an actual commodity company.

“We will also become a CO2 company,” Nijst says. “We’re developing the technology now to capture and reuse CO2 in the most efficient way. The route we believe in is the methanol route.

Maersk is investing heavily in converting ships to run on

methanol, and if you combine that with a filter to remove the CO2 and bring it back to the methanol production facility, you can create a circular economy.

Then you are running your ship with zero emissions and only using the methanol with carbon as a transport medium. We are developing technology to be incorporated into methanal production, transforming from a traditional scrubber company into a longer-term solution for shipping.”

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ADITRO LOGISTICS

Per Zandrén, CEO of Aditro Logistics.

ADITRO LOGISTICS

WITH CLOSE PARTNERSHIPS AND A DRIVE TOWARDS GROWTH, ADITRO LOGISTICS HAS MADE A NAME FOR ITSELF IN THE NORDIC LOGISTICS SECTOR.

A NORDIC CHAMPION PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID TAVERNOR

Aditro Logistics is a tech driven end-toend logistics and fulfilment provider for business specializing in e-commerce, retail and FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) who has shown a rapid growth on the Swedish logistics market. The secret behind the success lies in a digital transformation of the company, in combination with specialist expertise in several areas of the logistics industry acquired through many, long and close partnerships with its market-leading customers. The company’s continued development has seen it become an active participant in trade networks and a collaborator both in research and with branch organisations, in its quest to further strengthen the company and its customers.

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his is why Aditro Logistics has become one of the largest 3PL companies in the Nordic countries, offering a broad service portfolio in stock management, logistics, supply chain management, transport procurement, staffing and consulting. The company boasts nearly 300,000 square metres of storage space at its logistics centres in Stockholm, Jönköping, Borås, Kopstad and Nykvarn, but this is only the beginning of what it has to offer.

Aditro Logistics was founded more than 20 years ago, and in 2020 it was acquired by the Finnish postal service company, the Posti Group. Today Aditro operates as a fully owned, yet fully independent business unit within the Posti Group, employing more than 1,500 people across Sweden and Norway, with a turnover of 125 million euros last year. The firm is active across e-commerce, retail and FMCGs through four business areas, including transport services such as customs handling, staffing, thirdparty logistics, and fourthparty logistics.

“We are a one-stop-shop,” says Per Zandrén, CEO of Aditro Logistics. “We can offer all of those four business areas as an integrated solution or separately as individual services. That’s a unique selling point.”

As well as offering a diverse array of services, Aditro is also unique in the way that it offers them.

“There is our digital and automated agenda,” Zandrén points out. “We have invested heavily in digitalisation and automation for our customers’ benefit.”

AGE OF E-COMMERCE

Those automated solutions have turned out to be critical in responding to a rapid rise in customer demand recently.

Out of all the sectors Aditro Logistics has been operating in over the last 20 years, none has seen growth like the e-commerce sector over the last two years.

“We have been in e-commerce through our major b2b customers.

Obviously, the volume has gone up tremendously over the last two years,” Zandrén says. “To meet the growing volumes we have, in close cooperation with our

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS | 191

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ADITRO LOGISTICS

customer Cervera, invested in an Autostore that will be going live in May 2022.”

The explosion across the e-commerce sector has presented Aditro Logistics with two challenges. The first of these challenges is the sheer volume of orders that need processing.

“One challenge is the volume in itself. We need to be able to ramp up the volumes very quickly to get the orders out on time,” Zandrén explains.

As well as meeting the demand for orders as it rises, the task of tracking and keeping records of the amount of data this gives rise to is a challenge in itself. Once again Aditro’s investments in automation and digitalization has proven to be a vital tool here.

“The broader range of Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) is another challenge,” Zandrén says. “The number of units is growing, and a manual solution becomes inefficient at a certain point.

Then you need to move to automated solutions.”

Automation is part of a suite of solutions including greater capacity, and more feet on the warehouse floor.

“We’ve invested in more capacity, automated elevators, and we’ve employed more people & increased operational efficiency,” Zandrén tells us.

PEOPLE-POWERED AUTOMATION

With automation playing a key role in Aditro Logistics’ evolution, the company needs to develop the specialised skills its workers will need to thrive in that environment.

“We have, through our Logtech Hub, launched a development spearhead into the automated and digital world and through that check-up we’re getting information on the market, and are the front of log tech development,” Zandrén says.

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Aditro has also started the Aditro Academy, with its own training programme.

The Academy features a one-year training programme, run every year, as well as an internal development programme to give staff the chance to improve their skills while opening up the opportunities that will encourage them to stay with the company.

“We are a growing company.

We have ambitions to double our size in the next two to three years.

We expect that growth to come from e-commerce, retail, and fast-moving consumer goods,” Zandrén says. “We see growth in those three segments, and we’re trying to develop the whole industry. That will be the future.

We intend to be the leading company focused on these three segments with a clear digital and automation agenda.”

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GROWING POSSIBILITIES

That growth is set to continue, with Aditro recently acquiring “VeddestaGruppen” in a deal that concluded on the 31st of January.

“Acquisitions is an important part of our strategy,” Zandrén says. “Our strategy is to grow organically and through acquisition, and this new acquisition is perfectly aligned with that strategy.”

Aditro’s approach to acquisition is two-pronged, addressing two different ways that buying smaller companies can help Aditro meet its growth targets.

“There are two types of acquisition we engage in. One is to grow in line with our core offering, as we see with our automated solutions,” Zandrén tells us. “We will buy companies that have capabilities which fit in with our targets and needs, and also companies which provide valueadded services which we want to develop further for our customers across logistics and marketing.

Those kinds of acquisitions really broaden our portfolio. The other type of acquisition is to look into companies in order to acquire technology. These could be smaller companies, but with a software or technological edge, such as a digital product that complements our strategy.”

The goal, Zandrén tells us, is for Aditro Logistics to expand its offering to customers, but only in ways that ultimately serve its core business.

“We will still maintain our focus on logistics, but be able to even further support our customers, especially in e-commerce but also across all of our market segments with further interfaces and information flow,” says Zandrén.

“Information will be key, with data that leads to market intelligence, which we can offer our customers more of, but we will still be within the logistics industry at our core.”

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NOATUM LOGISTICS

SINCE WE LAST SPOKE WITH NOATUM LOGISTICS, THE FIRM HAS INVESTED HEAVILY IN ITS FACILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY, ADAPTING TO SERVE THE RAPIDLY GROWING E-COMMERCE SECTOR.

GROWTH BEYOND COVID PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN HOLLIMAN

Noatum Logistics is a leading supply chain 3PL supplier, providing international transport, project shipment, logistics and customs brokerages across 28 countries. The firm boasts 2,600 specialised professionals and is positioned among the top 50 freight forwarders worldwide, forming part of the leading maritime logistics and port services company, Noatum Maritime.

W

hen we last looked at Noatum Logistics the company was at the beginning a period of a great investment, but also barely a month into the first lockdown of the pandemic. Noatum Logistics has been through a lot since then.

“We’ve been managing things through the Covid pandemic, and with Brexit happening in that period as well it has been quite a challenge managing existing operations,” explains Steve Hicks, Managing Director of Noatum Logistics. “In February 2020 we broke ground on the new warehouse just as the pandemic started, so we had big plans but keeping that on track has been a feat.”

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Like many businesses, the pandemic drove Noatum Logistics to reassess every aspect of its business, and Noatum considered shutting down the plans to build a new warehouse.

“It was a time for a reevaluation of our investment,” Hicks says. “I think the result of that re-evaluation is that it has re-enforced why we were doing this expansion. Not going through with it would have been a mistake for the business.

The pandemic has accelerated e-commerce growth by another five years, and we’ve been ahead of the game in that because we were already setting things up.

The market in building new warehouses exploded over the last six-to-nine months.”

NOATUM LOGISTICS

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Insight & Clarity

BS Handling Systems:

Delivering the right solution for your warehouse At BS Handling, our close knit design and engineering team has an outstanding track record of delivering innovative projects for e-commerce, retail or 3PL companies.

Whether it’s a large, complex turnkey solution or a small conveyor or storage system, we can handle it.

Our detailed planning and project management skills enable us to design and install multifaceted logistics and materials handling projects, on time and in budget.

So, if you’re looking for the right solution to a challenging logistics project or a straightforward installation, pick up the phone or drop us an email:

T: +44 116 289 4958 E: enquiries@bshandlingsystems.com www.bshandlingsystems.com

Conveyors | Sortation Solutions | Garment Handling Systems | Racking, Shelving & Mezzanine Floors

BS HANDLING SYSTEMS BS Handling Systems is a Leicester-based company supplying modern sortation, conveyor, warehouse, and storage solutions. As a fullservice provider, BS Handling Systems offers complete turnkey project management including design, supply, manufacture, and installation, from small-sized projects to multi-million £ fully integrated systems.

With a wealth of experience in the logistics, sortation, and automation environment, BS Handling Systems has installed many integrated conveyor and sortation systems. These projects have either been standalone or alongside pallet racking, shelving, garment handling systems, and mezzanine floor solutions.

Recent projects have seen BS Handling Systems complete installations for a variety of clients across industry sectors including e-commerce giants, 3PLs, fashion retailers, and the automotive industry. The Leicester-based company has produced installations across the United Kingdom as well as Europe, Dubai, and the Middle East.

The company’s key account management strategy ensures contact continuity for every contract and project, from start to completion.

With multiple engineering teams on the road throughout the UK, BS Handling Systems is able to back up installations with first-class servicing and call-out cover, giving clients complete peace of mind.

In addition to the UK, BS Handling System has also extended its service contract offerings to Europe as well as Dubai (remote).

A Continually Evolving Company BS Handling Systems has recently sealed an additional product partnership with Wise Robotics to offer flexible and scalable warehouse automation solutions to help make businesses more efficient.

The cutting-edge robotics solutions can be streamlined into existing infrastructures. Controlled by smart business intelligence software, these solutions optimise warehouse and manufacturing operations, speed up fulfillment, and meet the demands of customers now and in the future.

In 2020, BS Handling Systems completed work on its new head office in Leicester featuring modern offices as well as an engineering facility that provides space for product manufacturing, testing, development, and demonstrations.

The new offices also feature a beehive, designed and made by the BS Handling Systems team, using recycled wood from the office refurbishment project. The initiative is to house and protect an organic colony of bees to support the bee population and ecosystem.

As a forward-thinking and employee-focused company, BS Handling Systems has created a meditation room at the new office site. This is to support the well-being of employees and to promote a healthy work and life balance. The meditation room is part of BS Handling Systems’ dedication to its social and environmental responsibilities.

In addition to the new head office, BS Handling has launched a new facilities management service provision to its client base. The company is now offering reactive/pre-planned maintenance and cleaning services with full 24/7 customer support across all industry and public sectors. www.bshandlingsystems.com

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NOATUM LOGISTICS

Indeed, looking back now Hicks sees the completion of Noatum’s new warehouse as the company’s greatest achievement of the last twelve months.

“Our biggest achievement has been getting the ePoint warehouse built. We had a lot of Covid challenges, but we got the keys handed over in December 2020 and managed to complete it on time and on budget. That was a great achievement,” Hicks recalls. “We went into a sevenmonth programme to complete all the work inside- it was like doing up a new house. We had a huge area, a quarter of a million square feet of a mezzanine. We were fitting conveyors, having warehouse management systems designed and installed.”

“PEOPLE WILL NEED MORE WAREHOUSE SPACE AND ARE GOING TO NEED STILL MORE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AS E-COMMERCE CONTINUES TO GROW.” No sooner was work on the warehouse complete than the space was in demand by Noatum Logistics’ customers.

“We went live with our first customer in July, and we were planning to go live this year with one customer in February and one in March. The demand from our existing customers has been far greater than anticipated and ePoint’s proximity to London and its eCommerce capability has proven to be a massive draw for new customers,” Hicks says.

REDUCING THE RISK

Facilities had to be prepared and running smoothly ready for these customers, as Hicks is keenly aware that changing warehouse provider is a huge and even risky step for a business.

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NOATUM LOGISTICS

“For customers, moving warehouse is a major business decision and a big risk. Most of our customers are in retail, so it’s an area that has always needed investment,” Hicks says. “If you go back, the shops were shut last year for the first four or five months of last year, so when we were saying we were opening in July they were worried about disrupting their supply chain.”

To reassure customers that Noatum Logistics could not only manage this changeover without disruption but could provide benefits to its customers, it pointed to the readiness of its facilities and the value-added service it could provide.

“They could see where we were at, and they were running out of space,” Hicks says. “In the retail marketplace today a lot of the work they do is through e-commerce, and you need a warehouse for that. We offer that alongside a lot of value-added services that would have been done in the shop previously.”

Through 2021 ePoint has been increasingly integrated with Noatum Logistics’ supply chain management platform, which means that customers now have a calendar of inbound stock,

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with merchandise scanned into stock on arrival, for immediate visibility and availability on their web sales platforms. Purchases on customers’ websites trigger inventory adjustments, pick lists, courier labels and the confirmation customer email, which incorporates links to initiate Noatum’s returns process.

“And now it’s all about how we continue building on that,” explains Hicks. “People will need more warehouse space and are going to need still more over the next couple of years as

e-commerce continues to grow.

We have a competitive offering and are financially more attractive to the customers as well.”

THE POST-COVID MARKETPLACE

E-commerce is not the only sector that has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The labour marketplace as a whole has seen enormous shifts following the pandemic and Brexit.

“The cost-of-labour has gone up. When you look at the number of job vacancies, it is phenomenal,” Hicks acknowledges.

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NOATUM LOGISTICS

“That is due to Covid, but is also Brexit related.

You used to have a lot of Europeans who’d come here to work who have gone back to their own country and it is more difficult for them to come back here. It has been probably our biggest challenge, and this will force us into further automation in the coming years.”

Noatum Logistics has responded with competitive pay, but Hicks points out that financial incentives alone will not solve the market challenges.

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“Obviously, market rates have gone up, so we have been paying more, but we are also using softer methods from an HR perspective to make the environment suitable. It’s not just about the money,” Hicks insists. “We try to understand what works for the employees and how we can improve their lot with bus services to help people get to and from the station at the end of shifts.

We make their lives more enjoyable while they’re working for us.”

Recent times have been challenging across the board, but by continuing to invest prudently at a time where many businesses were looking to cut expenses wherever possible, Noatum has placed itself in a strong position for the future.

“Going back to 2020, it was a challenging year. Businesses were battening down the hatches. We didn’t do much investment but what we did has paid dividends,” Hicks tells us. “And now it’s all about how we continue to build on those foundations. So, if I look at where we are, we’ve built the new warehouse, we put in the mezzanine. The warehouse is about 80% full, so we have about 20% of our space available. To get us further in the warehouse sector we’re extending the mezzanine and putting in an automated autostore. This is a cubed storage solution that will give us the capacity for more customers in the warehouse. That is where our next investment stage is heading.”

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