Business Focus Magazine - Issue No.116

Issue No.116

PORT OF HUENEME

SPECIAL FEATURE:

Unique solutions to the challenges of global supply chain.

CHRISTMAS DINNER YET-TO-COME

REEF CLEANING SOLUTIONS

Lessons to teach in how to run a business.

AFRICA IMPROVED FOODS

FIGHTING MALNUTRITION Exclusive interview with CEO Ramesh Moochikal, on aspiring to improve lives on the African continent through access to nutritious foods.

AZULE ENERGY

Combining the assets and workforces of BP and Eni in Angola.

MICROSTEP

At the cutting edge of factory automation across Sub-Saharan Africa.

REPROFLEX3

High-quality, sustainable packaging that makes an impact.

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

PROJECT MANAGERS

CAMERON BEAZER c.beazer@ceomediagroup.com ANDREW BOURKE a.bourke@ceomediagroup.com DEAN BROWN d.brown@ceomediagroup.com SPIKE CHALKLEY s.chalkley@ceomediagroup.com DAVID GARNER d.garner@ceomediagroup.com TIMOTHY GARWOOD t.garwood@ceomediagroup.com DAVID HAYVIS d.hayvis@ceomediagroup.com

EDITOR’S NOTE

FOCUS ON

CONSUMERISM

JOHN HOLLIMAN j.holliman@ceomediagroup.com VIKTOR HUNTINGTON v.huntington@ceomediagroup.com AMANDA JONES a.jones@ceomediagroup.com DECLAN JONES d.jones@ceomediagroup.com JOSH MALIN j.malin@ceomediagroup.com ROBERT NAPIER SMITH r.smith@ceomediagroup.com LIAM PYWELL l.pywell@ceomediagroup.com JAKE REEMAN j.reeman@ceomediagroup.com HAYDEN TURNER h.turner@ceomediagroup.com RASH UDDIN r.uddin@ceomediagroup.com

DESIGN

SCOTT ANDREWS design@ceomediagroup.com

ACCOUNTS

MIKE ASHER accounts@ceomediagroup.com

PRODUCTION

KAMILA KAJTOCH production@ceomediagroup.com

EDITORIAL

CHRIS FARNELL cfarnell@ceomediagroup.com

SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR

TREVOR GRETSINGER t.gretsinger@ceomediagroup.com

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

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

Redistribution or reproduction of any content is prohibited. © Copyright 2023 CEO Media Group.

Merry Christmas! It has taken a whole twelve months, but we are nearly here once again. So, as we crack open the mince pies and the Baileys, it seems like a great time to dive straight into the food industry!

O

ur lead feature this month is a look at how the food sector is evolving, from food to packaging, from ready meals to eating out, from luxury whiskeys to cereals to combat infant malnutrition.

That feature is supported by indepth interviews with leaders from Forty Creek, Lewis Pies, What’s Cooking Deeside UK and Africa Improved Foods. We also look at bottlers and food packaging firms ALPLA Group and Reproflex 3, as well as pharmaceutical packaging firm PharmaPac UK. But that is not all we have for Christmas. We have boats, planes, and automobiles.

We are interviewing Intrepid Powerboats, Air Niugini and Tow-Trust Towbars to cover all those bases. You have got to have a set of building blocks, so let us introduce you to the construction firms Al Ryum, Hoffman Green Cement, and Legendre UK. If you want to know what the future has in store for Santa’s workshop, we are talking to Micro Step FactorySmart about the latest manufacturing automation solutions. And we might not know how to get all those presents around the world in one night, but we have some other logistics sector insights in the form of our interviews

with Port of Hueneme, the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) and Van Oord.

We have even brought you a tree, thanks to Miro Forestry.

And when it is all over, our profile of Reef Cleaning Solutions is there when you are ready to clear away the turkey and take down the decorations.

There are even profiles of healthcare companies including Joint Medical Store and Northx Biologics – for when the holiday is over and you start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions.

But maybe that is a matter for the next issue.

ON THE COVER

Africa Improved Foods Go to page 16

Issue No.116

PORT OF HUENEME

SPECIAL FEATURE:

Unique solutions to the challenges of global supply chain.

CHRISTMAS DINNER YET-TO-COME

REEF CLEANING SOLUTIONS

Lessons to teach in how to run a business.

AFRICA IMPROVED FOODS

FIGHTING MALNUTRITION Exclusive interview with CEO Ramesh Moochikal, on aspiring to improve lives on the African continent through access to nutritious foods.

AZULE ENERGY

Combining the assets and workforces of BP and Eni in Angola.

MICROSTEP

At the cutting edge of factory automation across Sub-Saharan Africa.

REPROFLEX3

High-quality, sustainable packaging that makes an impact.

EDITOR’S NOTE | 3

IN THIS ISSUE

8

13

16

24 32

36

EVENT

London PropTech Show ExCel London, UK 27th - 28th February 2024 Where the property market and technology converges to explore the intersection of innovation and real estate.

NEWS

Food Industry Christmas Dinner Yet-to-Come

LEADING FEATURE

Africa Improved Foods Fighting Malnutrition on the Continent

AUTOMATION

MicroStep At the Cutting Edge MTorres Group Advanced Automation for Smooth Operations

AVIATION, AEROSPACE & DEFENCE

16 CONSTRUCTION

Air Niugini Soaring to New Heights

56

42

Empower Airport Systems Lighting the Way to Safety

62

Hoffmann Green Cement Cementing a Green Future

46

Queen Beatrix International Airport Bigger and Greener

68

Legendre UK Building Sustainable Living

52

Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport New Leadership, Continuing Vision

74

Miro Forestry & Timber Products Planting a Future

80 88

42 4 | CONTENTS

94 100

Al Ryum Group Changing the Landscape

ENERGY & UTILITIES

Azule Energy Supporting Angola’s Energy Sector Reef Cleaning Solutions Back to School

FMCG

Forty Creek Canadian Whisky Redefined Lewis Pies Pie in the Sky

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

56

ISSUE NO. 116

140

MLG Oz All Under One Roof

144

Orica Innovation Mine

150

104 104

108 114

120 126

132

136

What’s Cooking? Deeside UK A New Cuisine

HEALTHCARE, HOTEL & LEISURE Joint Medical Store Safe and Sound

NorthX A New Kind of Biologics Company

PACKAGING & PRINT ALPLA Lightning in a Bottle

154

Reproflex3 Craftsmen of Packaging

160

PharmaPac UK A Partner of Choice for Healthcare Products

164

SHIPPING, PORT & MARINE Intrepid Powerboats The Intrepid Approach

168

NextGeo Going Deeper, Sailing Further

174

Port of Hueneme A Port with a Story

184

Van Oord Building Foundations for Maritime Future

190

West Africa Container Terminal The New Old Terminal

MANUFACTURING

Kuehne Chemical Company Chemical Bonds Tow-Trust Towbars From Zero to Hero

METALS & MACHINERY

Kloeckner Metals Corporation Crossing Borders

MINING

Goldsource Mines The Eagle Has Landed

164 CONTENTS | 5

BUILDING BETTER INTO EVERYTHING WE DO At CEMEX we believe in building, and building a better future for everyone. A future we can be proud to leave to our children, and our grandchildren.

A future where the needs of the built environment are balanced with a firm set of commitments to the natural environment. We strive to build better into everything we do, through better thinking, better solutions, better service and ultimately a better future for everyone. That is why our company vision is to be the best.

Building a better future.

www.cemex.com

EVENT OF THE MONTH

LONDON PROPTECH SHOW 2024

NAVIGATE THE FUTURE OF REAL ESTATE WHEN: 27TH -28TH FEBRUARY 2024 / WHERE: EXCEL LONDON, UK

Building on the tremendous success of the inaugural edition, The 2nd Annual London PropTech Show will once again provide an incredible experience over the course of 2 days, where real estate professionals, tech enthusiasts and top companies will converge to explore the intersection of innovation and real estate.

T

op notch product demonstrations from hundreds of exhibitors, unrivalled content from world class speakers will provide attendees a hands on experience on what real estate is going to look like in coming years. London PropTech Show will provide participants ample networking opportunities with influential ministries and leading professionals from Residential, Co-working Spaces, IoT, AR & VR, Smart Buildings, Fractional Investing, Construction Technologies, Building Materials, Fintech, AI, Retail, Logistics, Electrification Infrastructure, Professional Services, and other key sectors, all under one roof.

www.proptechshow.com

8 | EVENT OF THE MONTH

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

EVENT OF THE MONTH

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

EVENT OF THE MONTH | 9

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

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

All the ingredients for a partnership that delivers

5

TH

FOOD INDUSTRY

THE FESTIVE SEASON THROWS A SPOTLIGHT ON THE FOOD INDUSTRY, AND HOW IT IS TRANSFORMING.

Christmas Day is when even the most dedicated workers are supposed to have a day off. There has been a whole novel written on the subject. But the run-up to Christmas? That is the busiest time of the year. In many industries, the run-up to the Holiday Season is when the year is made or broken.

T

he food industry in particular is placed under a magnifying glass by the festive season. Supply chain issues become supply chain emergencies.

An industrial dispute between the British Meat Processors Association and the Veterinary Service Animal Health Group and the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance can cause a shortage of the pigs-in-blankets that are an essential part of any Christmas table.

It also puts prices under the spotlight – a 6% rise in turkey prices at Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose was worthy of headlines this year.

But what the Holiday season calls for most of all is the new, much like the food industry as a whole.

“You have familiar comforts that will always remain popularthose nostalgic foodie favourites

will always be features on core menus,” says Sally Anglesea, Marketing Executive at What’s Cooking in our profile this issue.

“But you also need the trends, what is exciting, what is new.

World flavours and new styles of eating. Social and experiential eating are hugely popular right now.”

WHISKEY AND A PIE

Almost as iconic as the Christmas dinner itself is the annual offering to Santa – a glass of whiskey, a mince pie, and of course a carrot for Rudolph. But each of these items is a microcosm of the push for innovation within the food industry.

In an interview this issue, whisky maker of the decade and Canadian whisky distillery and master blender of the year, Forty Creek, tells us about the ways they are innovating in the industry.

NEWS | 13

FOOD INDUSTRY

“Just last year, we introduced a fresh look through our redesigned packaging, a reflection of this spirit of innovation and our perpetual pursuit of excellence,” Bill Ashburn, Forty Creek’s Master Blender. “This updated design serves as a symbol of our commitment to sharing premium, exceptionally smooth whisky crafted in the heart of the Niagara region with whisky enthusiasts worldwide.”

At Forty Creek, innovation is not just about finding an edge in the market. It is what they come to work for.

“Innovation is what keeps me interested,” Ashburn says. “It’s what makes me get up in the morning. Innovation gives us all our inspiration and our drive to continue. It also separates us from the rest.”

But innovation is about more than the next new product.

Lewis Pies is a family-run company that has been around since 1936.

“He started in one van, driving around to local shops and with three or four pies and a pasty, and that’s largely how the business looked,” says Wilf Lewis, CEO of Lewis Pies, when he tells us about his grandfather who founded the business.

Wilf Lewis has not always worked for the family firm, however. He used to work in software, and he has brought some of that tech firm sensibility back to the pie company.

“We have built a software platform within the business that gives us a huge amount of

14 | NEWS

data to cost-efficiently deliver information to the customer,” Lewis says. “I wanted to make my team directly accountable to the customer. When you place an order with Amazon you get a lot of information- what you have paid, confirmation when the seller has the order, when they pick it pack and where it is on the road. That is incredibly powerful.”

A TIME FOR FAMILIES

Of course, Christmas is not just about the food, but who you are enjoying the food with. One of the big ways the food sector has changed in recent years is the way that we use it to relate to each other.

“There is a desire to be socially connected, with a different approach to what that looks like,” says Anglesea.

With the pandemic, lockdown, and social distancing, people are hungry for social contact but are coming to it with a new set of expectations.

“The industry has been significantly affected by our lack of human interaction,” Anglesea tells us. “We were forced into isolation, and there are two sides to that. One side is practical- during COVID-19, QR code ordering was introduced because it had to be. It was the route the industry found to function while staff were unable to physically engage with customers.”

It was a tool that customers and staff have adopted quickly and enthusiastically.

“It’s a style of ordering and eating people really enjoy,” Anglesea points out.

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FOOD INDUSTRY

points out Andrew Hewitson, Group CEO of Reproflex 3 is a profile this issue. “Get it wrong and everything becomes less efficient. At the same time, we can put high-definition screening in the process so the image clarity and, obviously, the quality of the image, the definition improves. There are all sorts of little tricks that we can apply.”

But perhaps most important, Christmas is a time for giving and for charity. One of the very special companies we profile in this issue is Africa Improved Food, a company dedicated to combating malnutrition in Africa. But innovation is as important here as anywhere else.

Africa Improved Foods tells us about their new, redesigned commercial portfolio of fortified cereals, the Nootri range. It is designed to offer high-quality, nutritious food options to a wider consumer base at affordable prices, and marketability is as crucial here as it is for high-end whiskey brands.

“If you want to combat malnutrition, food has to be something that people like to eat. It can’t just be a standard porridge ‘pour water and eat it’,” says Ramesh Moochikal, Chief Executive Officer. “That would become very mundane.

We are working on a variety of formulae so that every country will have a bunch of locally suited products.”

WRAPPING THE PRESENTS

The other part of Christmas that nobody can forget is the wrapping, and in the food sector the “wrapping” is just as fast-paced as the rest of the industry. Customers want their food to look good, but not to cost the Earth in any sense of the word.

“Sustainability is a leading market trend and our solutions can make a huge impact on our customers’ sustainability targets – we are responsible for producing the first physical image of the packaging. If we get it right, the printer has a chance to run his press faster, with less energy, with less manpower, and at lower cost,”

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NEWS | 15

AFRICA IMPROVED FOODS

AFRICA IMPROVED FOODS HAS SET ITSELF NO MEAN FEAT: THE COMPANY ASPIRES TO IMPROVE LIVES ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT THROUGH ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOODS.

FIGHTING MALNUTRITION ON THE CONTINENT PROJECT MANAGED BY: DEAN BROWN

Africa Improved Foods (AIF) is a joint-venture enterprise, established in 2016, to help people in Rwanda and the wider region achieve their full potential through improved access to nutritious, locally sourced foods.

[Opposite Page] Ramesh Moochikal, CEO, Africa Improved Foods.

16 | LEADING FEATURE

A

s chronic malnutrition, especially during a child’s early years, often results in irreversible mental and physical damage including stunting, finding ways to address this challenge in Africa has become the mission of AIF. Rwanda was identified as the pilot country for the business model of AIF, where the company was established as Public Private Partnership (PPP) between a number of international stakeholders as well as the Rwandan government. Since then, AIF has become a leading manufacturer in Africa of high-quality fortified blended foods, primarily for pregnant women and babies.

However, the company’s impact is much larger – as a unique feature, AIF has implemented a model to source raw materials locally where possible, which allows smallholder farmers to sell their maize on the cob, immediately

after harvest, which decreases harvest losses and improves overall quality.

SUPPORTED TO GROW

“AIF has created a whole value chain for a solution that is not just accessible for all, but also scalable and sustainable,” says Ramesh Moochikal, Chief Executive Officer who joined the company recently with a clear mission to spread the successful model across Africa.

A senior global leader with three decades of financial and operating acumen on the African continent, he possesses wide-ranging experience in starting up, growing and leading agri and food sector businesses in developing and frontier markets, as well as a deep knowledge of the local environment.

He noted that credit must be given to the government of Rwanda, who have been very

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AFRICA IMPROVED FOODS

RIFT VALLEY PRODUCTS

RIFTRaw VALLEY Cotton, OilsPRODUCTS and Cakes Raw Cotton, Oils and Cakes

We believe in growing the cotton culture together.

Panda Pamba Pamoja

Cotton Ginning Out grower contract cotton farming, providing agricultural inputs and training to cotton farmers. Modern cotton ginning facilities.

Oil Milling Manufacturing vegetable oils since 1957. Physical processing of oil seeds, producing refined cooking oils and high protein cakes.

Trading Selling of East African produced cotton lint, oil seed cakes and meals.

pamba@rvpcotton.com

www.rvpcotton.com

+254 733 966 605

360° Logistics

Setting the standard in logistics for Tanzania and beyond.

WE ARE EXPERTS IN: Import & Export, Air, Ocean, Rail & Road Transit, Customs Clearance as well as Warehousing and Last-mile Distribution.

TOPMAX TANZANIA LIMITED DIPLOMAT House 4th Floor Mkwepu/ Kaluta Street P. o Box 79667, Dar-Es-Salaam

18 | LEADING FEATURE

E: info@topmax.co.tz T: +255 788 225 565

supportive to the business, and are fully dedicated to combating malnutrition in the country.

“The amount of support the local government has provided for us to succeed is truly commendable. I have not seen this level of support, to our company as well as to the farming communities in terms of investment, anywhere else in Africa,” he noted, adding that the supportive business environment has wider implications.

“First, it shows that any further capital that we wish to invest in the country is safe. Importantly, the favourable conditions allow us to invite global and diverse talent with the confidence that if they come here, they will definitely want to stay here.”

www.topmax.co.tz

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

AFRICA IMPROVED FOODS

CLEAR IMPACT

Ramesh Moochikal explains that AIF today processes around 65,000 tonnes of maize and soya per year and is now the largest grain buyer in the country. From an economic perspective, AIF has created $1 billion in net incremental value added across the East Africa region and created more than 500 direct jobs. Additionally, AIF sources from a total of 90,000 smallholder farmers and hence directly improves rural lives and livelihoods.

AIF’s product range encompasses relief products and commercial products.

The relief products are for institutional buyers such as the government of Rwanda and the World Food Programme (WFP) for use in public distribution programs for populations in vulnerable health, social, environmental, and financial situations.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

LEADING FEATURE | 19

AFRICA IMPROVED FOODS

In partnership with the government of Rwanda, AIF distributes its Shisha Kibondo range, a nutritious complementary porridge, freeof-charge to Rwandan mothers and infants. AIF is one of the two global manufacturers, and the sole producer in Africa, of the Super Cereal Plus series, a WFP recipe of nutritious cereal combination made from grains. WFP distributes this to vulnerable communities in Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.

“IF YOU WANT TO COMBAT MALNUTRITION, FOOD HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO EAT.”

20 | LEADING FEATURE

The impact AIF has already achieved is impressive.

“Following our intervention, stunting rates have dropped by double digits, as proven by an independent study conducted by the Clinton Health Initiative and the University of Chicago,” Moochikal stated.

A GAME CHANGER

In May 2023, AIF introduced a new, redesigned commercial portfolio of fortified cereals,

the Nootri range. This new line includes Nootri Baby, specifically designed for infants aged 6 to 36 months, and Nootri All Family, for kids and family.

The Nootri range has been designed to offer high-quality, nutritious food options to a wider consumer base at affordable prices. The product is packaged in small sachets to ensure affordability for households with low to medium incomes.

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AFRICA IMPROVED FOODS

“Nootri for babies is a true game changer and, in many ways, superior to expensive imported products from major brand. Made from carefully selected, locally produced grains with the least aflatoxin levels and minimum gluten content, the product offers the highest quality nutrition at affordable prices,” said Moochikal.

Initially launched in Rwanda and Kenya, AIF plans to expand its market presence to Ethiopia and the EAC, aligned to the company’s ambitious plans to combat malnutrition across the Africa.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

LEADING FEATURE | 21

AFRICA IMPROVED FOODS

Speaking about the wider reach, Ramesh Moochikal affirmed that AIF’s products will always be country specific. “If you want to combat malnutrition, food has to be something that people like to eat. It cannot just be a standard porridge ‘pour water and eat it’. That would become very mundane. We are working on a variety of formulae so that every country will have a bunch of locally suited products.”

WIDE AFRICAN FOOTPRINT

Ramesh Moochikal affirmed that his dedication to this good cause is shared by his young and highly qualified team. “What brought me here is the deeply disturbing numbers of stunting that threatens generations of innocent Africans. Whenever I

22 | LEADING FEATURE

speak to my team, it is clear that they are not here just for the job, but they really believe in the cause that we are working for.

They are committed to supporting the founders’ mandate and expand our footprint across Africa, to battle malnutrition on a continental scale.”

The company is now finalising its strategic plan of expanding its business model further, first to Ethiopia, followed by two more countries within the next five years. “Given the size of the African continent, it will take three or four generations of leaders for the full vision of the highly committed shareholders to be delivered. But if we give enough momentum to this business over the next five to seven years, then we are well on our way.”

“Today, we impact about 2 million lives per day. We are certain that in five years’ time, we will be impacting over 10 million lives per day. Though the primary metric of our performance is impact, we will thrive as a financial entity by strengthening our offering of high-quality, affordable, nutritious food to the less fortunate. Growing our geographic footprint through clinical execution and the unstinting support of long-term investors is our strategy,” he concluded.

“WE ARE CERTAIN THAT IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME, WE WILL BE IMPACTING OVER 10 MILLION LIVES PER DAY.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

MICROSTEP

THE CUTTING EDGE MICROSTEP, A PROVIDER OF COST-EFFECTIVE CUTTING SOLUTIONS FOR CLIENTS’ MANUFACTURING PROCESSES, HAS ALSO BECOME A LEADER IN FACTORY AUTOMATION ACROSS SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA.

PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID HAYVIS

MicroStep is not a typical cutting machine supplier. The company is headquartered in Gauteng, some 20 km from Johannesburg and aims at enabling its clients’ factories to produce their products or parts in-house at lower cost while optimising their production output.

[Opposite page] Ludwig Oellermann, Managing Director, MicroStep.

24 | AUTOMATION

M

anaging Director Ludwig Oellermann explains that the company supplies CNC machines equipped with plasma, fibre laser, oxyfuel, waterjet and routing technologies and also develops and supplies advanced control systems for machine tools and CAM software with custom modules for various applications.

Mr Oellermann, who is of German origin and whose forefathers came to the country as farmers, explains that ‘machinery’ has played a prominent part in his own family history. With a grandfather who was a blacksmith, and other family members in trade, he believes it is crucial to know where we have come from, to be able to understand where we are going.

THE SMART FACTORY

And Mr Oellermann seems to understand that well. With wideranging managerial experience

in the cutting tool industry, he became the Managing Director of MicroStep, a specialist in advanced metal cutting technology, in 2014, expanding and growing the brand in southern Africa, and moving the business to provide a wider solution to help factory owners achieve improved performance.

“While people installing CNC cutting equipment experience a huge increase in efficiency on the machine, previous bottlenecks in other parts of the process tend to remain. Thus, they are not able to efficiently use the benefits of the CNC equipment and spread those benefits throughout the whole of the company value chain.”

To address this issue MicroStep South Africa, came up with a new solution FactorySmart, a concept that provides a comprehensive machinery and process automation solution for fabrication factories across South Africa. FactorySmart is a

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MICROSTEP

HYPERTHERM ASSOCIATES: ENSURE GROWTH AND PROTECT PROFITABILITY THROUGH DIGITALIZATION Smart factory introduction Digital technologies are reshaping business models and fostering innovation through data analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence. To remain competitive, manufacturers are applying combinations of modern technologies to create a hyperflexible, self-adapting manufacturing capability called a smart factory.

Remote monitoring and maintenance: Technicians can remotely monitor plasma cutting machines in smart factories, diagnose issues, and perform maintenance tasks. This reduces downtime and ensures that the machines operate at peak efficiency.

The role of smart factories Smart factories are crucial to industrial manufacturing for efficiency, datadriven decision making, quality control, reduced downtime, energy efficiency, workforce transformation, and supply chain integration.

Hypertherm Associates is your digital transformation partner Even if you’re starting your journey toward digital transformation, we’re ready to help support your goals with solutions that leverage connected technologies. Whether it’s faster troubleshooting, improved productivity, reduced operating costs, or easier access to training, Hypertherm Associates will meet you where you are with scalable solutions that grow with you.

Driving innovation and competitive advantage Companies that embrace smart manufacturing gain a competitive advantage by responding to market changes faster, offering customized products, and meeting customer demand more effectively. They use insights from continuous data collection and analysis in smart factories to develop new products and processes, driving innovation.

Spotlight: X-Definition® plasma technology and smart factory Expand your capabilities and achieve your business objectives by unlocking the potential of your connected factory with advanced digital transformation solutions. We equipped our Hypertherm XPR® with X-Definition plasma technology―the world’s most significant advance in plasma―to boost productivity and significantly reduce operating costs.

Plasma cutting significantly benefits from smart factory technologies Integrating plasma cutting into a smart factory environment enhances efficiency, quality, and overall productivity while reducing operational costs and downtime.

Key plasma benefits: Automation: Smart factories use automation and robotics to handle various tasks, including material handling and cutting. Plasma-cutting machines can be integrated into these automated systems, allowing precise and efficient cutting without constant human intervention.

Data analytics: Smart factories collect and analyze data from sensors and machines. In plasma cutting, data analytics can help optimize cutting parameters, detect real-time issues, and predict maintenance needs, improving productivity and reducing downtime.

Process monitoring: Sensors and cameras in a smart factory can monitor the plasma cutting process in real time. Any deviations or defects can be immediately identified, leading to quick adjustments and ensuring highquality cuts.

Inventory management: Smart factories can track raw materials and finished products using RFID tags or other tracking technologies. This helps manage inventory levels efficiently, ensuring plasma cutting machines have the necessary materials. This reduces delays and minimizes waste.

Supply chain integration: Smart factory connectivity allows for real-time demand forecasting, order management, and efficient coordination with suppliers and customers, which can optimize the production process for plasma cutting.

Energy efficiency: Smart factories prioritize energy efficiency. Plasma cutting machines can be programmed to operate during off-peak energy hours, reducing operational costs.

Quality control: Through machine learning and AI algorithms, smart factories can continuously improve quality control in plasma cutting by identifying patterns and trends in production data.

Working with our EDGE® Connect CNC system, Hypertherm XPR helps you realize the power of digital transformation • Helps manage complex workflows • Provides easier resource planning • Connects different operation roles and functions • Offers IIoT 4.0-readiness • Provides uninterrupted access to data streams • Automates routine tasks • Improves asset management • Reduces errors and unplanned shutdowns • Assists in maintenance management • Standardizes machine data for software platforms • Delivers a configurable user interface and connects remotely Conclusion Smart factories are pivotal in modern industrial manufacturing because they enhance efficiency, quality, flexibility, and competitiveness while enabling better decision making and sustainability.

Let’s connect Getting started on your digital transformation journey doesn’t have to be complex or cost prohibitive. Email the experts at Hypertherm Associates for a solution that meets your needs today while preparing you for growth tomorrow.

Please email us at marketing.emea@hypertherm.com Visit us at hypertherm.com

MICROSTEP

However, there is one important component that stands above the best software and the highest level of automation, Oellermann points out - the people. “Within the corporate world, you will often hear that ‘people are the most important asset’. I disagree.

An asset is something that generates an income, so thinking of people in this context is limiting. People are not an asset; they are the organisation.

Without people, no organisation would exist.”

He reflects that this mind shift brought him to apply the principles of ‘2 Second Lean’

by Paul Akers, a book on a lean leadership and culture, to help his customers to start thinking differently, to consider how to implement lean manufacturing principles from the bottom up.

one-stop shop for all the clients’ automation needs, whether they need cutting, bending, or welding machinery, solar power, automation software or factory robotics, all with a view to achieving optimal efficiency and productivity.

While MicroStep cutting machines are made in Slovakia, FactorySmart has numerous joint ventures that supply the software, robotic integration applications, solar power systems and other parts of the overall solutions.

Ludwig Oellermann explains that installing the latest CNC software and processing machinery with seamless integration into the client’s total value chain ensures a fully operational and optimised factory process. To further

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future-proof the factory, the company offers solar energy solutions that are not only installed but are also financed

by FactorySmart.

“We strive to combine all aspects of the clients’ factory’s operations, from machinery and robotics to software and energy sources, to provide them with comprehensive solutions that will guarantee the success of their factory.”

PEOPLE AT THE CORE

FactorySmart also provides financial support to companies with local banks, and promotes the rent-to-own option, a flexible and accessible pathway to acquiring cutting-edge technology that remains up to date while retaining working capital.

AUTOMATION | 29

MICROSTEP

“At each factory, we start by looking at individual workstations, and identify what is needed from the ground onwards. And only then do we install the machinery - the CNC laser cutting machines, robotic welding equipment and laser hand welding equipment. In this way, we can achieve a lasting effect throughout the value chain.”

THE RIGHT MINDSET

He affirms that pushing FactorySmart and the 2 Second Lean principles has resulted in numerous success stories. Just in South Africa the company has some 110 technology installations. “Our drive is to

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MICROSTEP

assist companies to grow much more dynamically in terms of manufacturing. In Africa, many businesses still use hand tools and opportunities for modern technology are plentiful in the whole Sub-Saharan region. We are now looking at Namibia, a country with a strong economy and rapid development, we have projects in Botswana and Zimbabwe. We have also installed technology in Uganda.”

Ludwig Oellermann believes that success is about the mindset. “South Africa has a lot of challenges. In this challenging environment we strive, as their solution partner, to help companies automate and optimise, demonstrating that no matter what the circumstances you will find yourself in, you can still grow. Therefore, I again highlight the ‘2 Second Lean’ principles that help people to

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implement the philosophy of lean manufacturing from bottom up.”

“That is also what we are going to push in the future. We have set targets for the next three to four years and we seem to be well on track. The overall plan is to expand our customer base in the Sub-Saharan region, assisting companies to grow with reference to lean manufacturing. That is my drive as well.”

“It’s not easy but it is exciting.

As in the famous ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’, we would like to be a bit of a beacon of hope in southern Africa, showing that first-class automation solutions can make a difference. However, this cannot be achieved in isolation, it must be a team effort. It is the people who drive the whole process.”

AUTOMATION | 31

MTORRES GROUP

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MTORRES GROUP

MTORRES GROUP, THE SUPPLIER OF SOLUTIONS FOR THE AUTOMATION OF HIGHLY COMPLEX INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES, OFFERS VALUABLE INNOVATIONS TO REDUCE THEIR CLIENTS’ CARBON FOOTPRINT.

ADVANCED AUTOMATION FOR SMOOTH OPERATIONS PROJECT MANAGED BY: TIMOTHY GARWOOD

MTorres, established in 1975 in northern Spain, has grown into a widely recognised group that designs, builds, and installs automation equipment used in factories around the world. The company’s clients primarily operate in two sectors: aerospace and paper processing.

Juan Albeniz, CEO, MTorres Group.

M

Torres’s aerospace product range covers many of the processes that are needed to fabricate aircraft parts, such as fuselage or wing panels, and the equipment and tooling needed to assemble these parts into a final product, the plane.

The company’s paperprocessing equipment can be found in many production lines that automatically print, laminate, fold or cut paper to make packaging products like corrugated board or liquid aseptic packaging, i.e., paper-based products used in everyday life.

The group, which today employs over 400 people, remains a family business. Now in the hands of the second generation of the Torres family, its headquarters continue to be near Pamplona in northern Spain with production and service centres

located in Murcia in southern Spain as well as in Germany, the US and Brazil.

DRIVEN BY INNOVATION

“Our core expertise lies in hightech automation equipment deployed in production processes where speed and quality of the solutions are the name of the game,” says company CEO Juan Albeniz.

“All of our machines are made to order, supplied primarily to global companies such as Airbus, Boeing and TetraPak, to name just a few among many, who need state-of-the-art solutions incorporating the latest available technology. Sometimes they even work with us in the early stages on technology that is not yet available.”

Albeniz affirms that MTorres is a business that is innovation driven, which is one of its key competitive advantages.

“Innovation has been in our DNA from the very beginning,

AUTOMATION | 33

HIGH-POWER SPINDLES PERFECT ROTATION.

Founded in 1939, FISCHER AG Präzisionsspindeln stands since over 80 years worldwide for Swiss innovation, quality and high-tech products.

Aerospace is a key market for FISCHER, using our wide range of high power and high torque spindles for aluminum, titanium and composite machining.

We are present at five locations worldwide (Switzerland, Germany, USA, Shanghai and Taiwan) and can be your local partner for professional service and repairs of spindles.

FISCHER AG Präzisionsspindeln Ernst Fischer-Weg 5, 3360 Herzogenbuchsee info-fch@fischerspindle.com fischerspindle.com/en

34 | AUTOMATION

when Manuel Torres, who sadly passed away in 2020, founded the company nearly fifty years ago. Manuel was a phenomenal character: inventor, entrepreneur, incredibly curious, relentless and convinced that he could help solve the industry’s toughest problems, which – in many cases – he did.” That ethos is still present in the company.

Human capital is another differentiator. “Engineering and design form a substantial part of the business and it is our people that make the difference. I am absolutely convinced that we have the best team in the industry,” he affirms.

CUSTOMERS’ CHOICE

“We are also highly customerfocused. In our two industries, customers collaborate with suppliers in a way that’s way beyond transactional: they know they can count on us not only in terms of project execution but also in product development, taking on new technological challenges.”

Similar approach is applied to MTorres’s own supply chain, and solid partnerships with innovative, reliable companies, such as, for example, FISCHER AG Präzisionsspindeln, the Swiss innovator of rotation technology, are the basis of MTorres’s solid market position.

Juan Albeniz points out that here are many achievements made over the years that the company can be proud of, including many industry-first products and systems and over 180 industrial patents.

But ultimately, the greatest achievement is the overwhelming confidence of customers, which has made MTorres number one in most of its markets.

“When you walk around major factories producing or assembling aeroplane structural parts, which are arguably some

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MTORRES GROUP

of the most sophisticated and demanding factories in any sector of industry, you will see not one but many MTorres logos on the machines. The positive customer feedback translates into an extremely high rate of repeat,” he says. “There is no better achievement than the trust of your customers.”

ENHANCING MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

Reflecting on current market tends, he affirms that sustainability is the biggest driver and game changer, affecting both of the company’s sectors profoundly, as well as MTorres’s own operation where substantial investment has been made, for example, in energy savings.

But the company’s innovative thinking has a wider reach.

“In the paper industry we help our customers transition from plastics-based or plasticsheavy solutions to paper-based solutions. And in aerospace, the quest for more sustainable solutions, be it higher fuelefficiency, alternative fuels like hydrogen, all-electric aircraft, is arguably THE most important innovation driver. Here again, we can offer valuable improvements,

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such as equipment to fabricate carbon-fibre composite parts.”

Significant success has already been achieved. Last year, MTorres won the JEC Composites Innovation Awards within the Innovative Infusion Airframe Manufacturing System (IIAMS) Clean Sky project that simplifies the manufacturing process of composite components and has been developed in conjunction with Airbus.

The project opens up a new future for composite materials processes adding several benefits from process simplification and flexibility to cost, energy and weight savings in the final parts, together with the creation of fast implementation and deep optimization of all the stages, demonstrating how the manufacturing processes of the future will be shaped.

SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS

Operating in a cyclic environment, MTorres experienced several difficult years but survived in a robust shape, ready to soar with reviving demand. Juan Albeniz says: “There have been two factors that helped us offset the hard times: first, the paper

equipment sector remained resilient and second, importantly, we were able to retain core talent.”

“Now the challenge will be to have the capability to meet the skyrocketing demand. In sectors that are historically cyclic, growth and investment need to be managed smartly and carefully, to sustain flexibility. We now focus on investing in talent acquisition as well as R&D to further improve our products, to make them faster, better, more efficient.”

In concluding, he affirms that the outlook for the next 12 to 18 months is highly positive. “We remain extremely committed to our customers and will strive to maintain our unyielding standards of quality and delivery, the factors that have helped MTorres achieve its string position in global markets.”

AUTOMATION | 35

AIR NIUGINI

AIR NIUGINI LIMITED, THE NATIONAL AIRLINE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA, IS MODERNISING ITS FLEET TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF TRADE AND TOURISM IN THE COUNTRY.

SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS PROJECT MANAGED BY: SPIKE CHALKLEY

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AIR NIUGINI

With its main hub located in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, the country’s national airline is entering a new stage in its development, as it is set to implement its ambitious 15-year plan to upgrade and expand its fleet, with a view to improving efficiency, reliability and allowing new international routes to be added.

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W

ithin the fleet modernisation programme, the company will acquire a total 13 new aircraft (11 Airbus A220 narrow body jets and 2 Boeing 787 Dreamliner wide body jets) at a cost of K2.55 billion ($0.68 billion). This will help Air Niugini to evolve from being an operator of secondhand domestic aircraft into a serious regional player.

In November the company announced its ground-breaking agreement with Airbus to purchase six A220-100s, followed by three A220-300s and two A220-100s from thirdparty lessors. From 2025, the

Airbus A220 jets are set to replace Air Niugini’s current fleet of Fokker 100/70s and Boeing 737s on domestic and regional international routes.

HISTORIC MILESTONE

The Airbus A220 is a gamechanging addition to the Air Niugini fleet, with each aircraft valued at about A$63 million ($41 million). They will primarily serve domestic routes while offering the flexibility to operate new regional international routes and enabling the carrier to fly from capital Port Moresby to new destinations across the Asia-Pacific region.

AVIATION, AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | 37

Choose a variety of flavours without compromising.

WH INDUSTRIES LTD Wholesale and supply shop

Taste the Made in Italy Manufacturer of Plastic Flexible Packaging and biodegradable plastic.

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Port Moresby Office

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AN ISO 9001 : 2015 CERTIFIED COMPANY AN ISO 9001 : 2015 CERTIFIED COMPANY HEAD OFFICE : Sec.451, Lot 07, Cameron Road, Gordons, NCD, PNG HEAD OFFICE : Sec.451, Lot 07, Cameron Road, Gordons, NCD, PNG Contact Details (Printing Division ) Contact Details ( Apparel Division )

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Supreme Industries Limited is a leading Indenting, Wholesale & Distribution company of Papua New Guinea.

• Printing & photo copy papers • Toners & cartridges • Stationery & office supply • Home & office furniture • Footwear & safety wear • Kitchenware & housewares • Household appliances • Health & beauty • Food & dry grocery E: sales@silpng.com T: +675 3236000 www.silpng.com

“This milestone in our airline’s history will enhance trade and tourism in Papua New Guinea,” said Acting CEO Gary Seddon.

“The new aircraft will offer the highest levels of comfort for our passengers, while also ensuring a significant reduction in fuel consumption and emissions when compared to the aircraft they will replace.”

To further enhance operational efficiency and safety, Air Niugini has chosen a flight-planning support system from Airbus subsidiary NAVBLUE, called N-Flight Planning (N-FP). This solution will optimise fuel consumption, time management, and operational costs while ensuring overall safety and compliance.

AN ISO 9001 : 2015 CERTIFIED COMPANY AN ISO 9001 : 2015 CERTIFIED COMPANY

PRINTING PRINTING

SAFETY SUPPLIES SAFETY SUPPLIES

SOURCING SOURCING

YOUR PARTNER IN PNG YOUR PARTNER IN PNG

formed in September 1972 when the country was still under Australian rule and their skies dominated by Australian airlines. Air Niugini took to the skies a year later, in 1973.

Since then the airline, based at Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby, has become a symbol of Papua New Guinea’s progress, helping to

create a more unified nation, linking scattered communities throughout the country and local business with each other.

The company also connects Papua New Guinea to the world, with direct international flights to destinations including Singapore, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Australia, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji.

PIVOTAL ROLE

The fleet update coincides with Air Niugini’s 50th anniversary, adding significance to the occasion. The idea of creating a single national airline for Papua New Guinea was

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AVIATION, AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | 39

AIR NIUGINI

After five decades of operation, Air Niugini continues to play a crucial role in Papua New Guinea’s economy and basic transport needs. Today the airline operates a domestic network from Port Moresby and Lae, as well as international services in Asia, Oceania, and Australia, with more routes to be added.

SAFE AND EFFICIENT

2023 has been a year of major changes for the company.

In March, Gary Sedon was appointed as Acting CEO of Papua New Guinea’s national airline, having been appointed to its board in May 2022. Prior to joining Air Niugini, Gary was Chief Operating Officer for Kumul Consolidated Holdings, the

40 | AVIATION, AEROSPACE & DEFENCE

holding company for all PNG’s state-owned enterprises. He has also held senior managerial roles with other major PNGbased companies, such as Digicel, Steamships and Hertz Car Rental.

Gary and his team are committed to progressing the aggressive fleet replacement programme that is set to support the airline’s priority of safety first.

Commenting on the agreement with Airbus, he said: “It’s a momentous event in Air Niugini’s history. This is the first time for the company to purchase brand new regional jets. We are moving from analogue to digital. The Fokker jet aircraft have done their part for the last 25 years and it’s time to replace them with a game-changing aircraft.”

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AIR NIUGINI

The A220 is the most modern airliner in its size category, carrying between 100 and 150 passengers on flights of up to 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km). Depending on cabin configuration, the A220-100 serves the 100-135 seat market, while the larger A220-300 is perfectly tailored for the 120150 seat market.

The aircraft is powered by Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation GTF™ engines. Offering 25% lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, the A220 also has the largest cabin, seats and windows in its class, ensuring superior comfort. As with all Airbus aircraft, the A220 is already able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation

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Fuel (SAF). Airbus aims for all its aircraft to be capable of operating with 100% SAF by 2030.

THE HUMAN CAPITAL

Airbus, through its learning subsidiary, Airbus Beyond, has also finalised a commitment to support the development of Air Niugini’s human capital, with the aim of equipping Air Niugini’s middle management with the expertise required for the next phase of its development.

Over the next three years, Airbus Beyond will deliver specialised training courses at Airbus’s Campus in Singapore.

The programmes are designed to nurture future talents in crucial areas such as airline operations, planning and

sustainability, ensuring Air Niugini will have a skilled and agile workforce capable of navigating the evolving landscape of the global aviation sector.

Enhanced human capacity, together with the new generation planes, will increase the airline’s revenue growth while cost savings can be passed on to passengers in the form of reduced airfares. The investment in the modernisation programme will build a robust airline, with both expanded reach and service levels that puts safety first, and will position Air Niugini to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of air travel in Papua New Guinea.

AVIATION, AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | 41

EMPOWER AIRPORT SYSTEMS

WITH DECADES OF WORLDWIDE EXPERIENCE, EMPOWER AIRPORT SYSTEMS, A PROVIDER OF INDUSTRY-LEADING AIRFIELD POWER, CONTROL AND LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT SERVICE TO KEEP AIRPORTS SAFE.

LIGHTING THE WAY TO SAFETY PROJECT MANAGED BY: RASH UDDIN

Nothing is more important to the aviation industry than safety, and the importance of Airfield Lighting Control & Monitoring Systems (ALCMS] for the safe management of air traffic cannot be overstated. An ALCMS simplifies the control and monitoring of lighted visual aids and as such plays a crucial role in guiding pilots during take-off, landing and taxiing.

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EMPOWER AIRPORT SYSTEMS

N

owadays, commercial airports use state-ofthe-art technologies in order to safely and optimally control the increasingly complex operating procedures of the airport. Airfield Lighting Control & Monitoring Systems used on runways, taxiway and stop bars are deployed over most of the airports around the world, and today are managing more, increasingly

complex, operations on the airfield. Operational concepts, such as Runway Status Lights and Follow-the-Greens, are examples of how complex system interactions are slowly becoming the norm.

The experts at Ontariobased Empower Airport Systems understand the critical importance of providing truly exceptional customer service and outstanding solutions, and are committed to working responsibly to adapt to challenges that may arise.

POWERED AND SAFE

The company offers a range of products and services, readily available as and when needed.

Empower’s line of Constant Current Regulators (CCR) and Circuit Selector Switches (CSS)

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utilises proven and recognizable components that have been providing more than 15 years of reliable service at airports around the globe.

At the same time, the company has further enhanced the designs to ensure truly scalable and future-proof solutions as airfield lighting needs have continued to evolve. Available in both ‘Standalone’ and ‘Switchgear’ form factors, Empower’s power solutions provide options that fit all design requirements.

The company’s customised, highly reliable and cost-effective and site-maintainable products include Constant Current Regulators that utilise proven and recognizable components, as well as Intelligent Airfield Control and Monitoring Systems – based on Empower’s

AVIATION, AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | 43

airfield lighting independently on runways, taxiways and at central de-icing facilities, traffic controllers have a higher degree of control over aircraft movements while at the same time reducing the potential for incidents.

Within its Airfield Ground Lighting (AGL/AFL) range, clients can choose from a wide selection of Approach Lighting, Guidance Signs and Runway/Taxiway Edge Lighting. And last but not least, leveraging advances in LED light technology and advanced driver design, Empower offers a robust, reliable and easily installed solution to high mast and apron floodlighting. The company also provides spare parts for all the products in its portfolio.

Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) – that are fully customizable and maintainable by airport staff, aimed at providing an airfield lighting control solution for airfields of all sizes.

In addition to ALCMS, Empower offers an Individual Lamp Control and Monitoring System (ILCMS) that compliments new installations and legacy systems alike. These systems have grown to become a selfevident commodity for visual guidance in modern ground traffic management systems as one of the key elements of Advanced-Surface Movement Guidance Control.

FULL COMPLIANCE

With Empower’s Individual Lamp Control & Monitoring System solution, airports can reduce overall costs and experience and achieve vast improvements in the number of aircraft movements with a higher degree of safety. Having the ability to control segments of

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EMPOWER AIRPORT SYSTEMS

Customers can be certain that Empower provides only the best products and services, says the company management. “The FAA has recently published a letter stating that only OEM components can be used when modifying FAA-Certified Systems. This has created fear and uncertainty in the industry with some ALCMS suppliers falsely claiming they are the only ones qualified to provide replacement parts and service. As a qualified parts and service provider, Empower uses only OEM replacement parts maintaining full compliance with the FAA letter.”

WIDER SUPPORT

Trusted by numerous airports across North America for its responsive technical expertise, Empower offers a wide range of support options catering to airports of all sizes. Whether set up on an annual contract agreement or on an as-needed basis, remote and site-based service and support options allow airports to maximize their safety and performance while minimizing the impact on operations.

As former senior members and associates of Liberty Airport Systems, the staff at Empower pride themselves on their depth of knowledge and ability to service and support legacy equipment, extending its useful life well into the future. The use of off-the-shelf hardware and software as a published design goal by Liberty to protect airports from unforeseen

supplier changes allows Empower to continue to leverage its business relationships to provide the same high-quality OEM components.

The company also provides Site Test & Inspection Service as proper equipment maintenance is critical to ensuring maximum airfield safety and reliability. “To help operate at peak performance and within allowable specifications, Empower’s Test & Inspection Service provides a comprehensive assessment of all installed airfield lighting power and control equipment.

Empower’s team specialises in identifying and resolving potential issues before they have an opportunity to negatively impact airport operations,” says the company.

UNRIVALLED IN INDUSTRY

In addition to their own line of power and control equipment, Empower has specialized knowledge and experience in troubleshooting and maintaining equipment from other legacy OEM’s including Liberty Airport Systems and Westinghouse/ Hughey and Phillips/Honeywell.

With decades of field experience between them, the Empower team’s ability to provide responsive, thorough and reliable service is unrivalled in the industry.

Having worked at hundreds of airports spanning the globe, its team has proven its ability to adapt to the unique challenges that each airport presents, with outstanding results.

“EMPOWER’S TEAM SPECIALISES IN IDENTIFYING AND RESOLVING POTENTIAL ISSUES BEFORE THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT AIRPORT OPERATIONS.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

AVIATION, AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | 45

QUEEN BEATRIX INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

AS QUEEN BEATRIX’S PATH TO 2030 CONTINUES, IT IS BECOMING MORE SUSTAINABLE, AND MORE HIGH-TECH THAN EVER BEFORE.

BIGGER & GREENER PROJECT MANAGED BY: DEAN BROWN Queen Beatrix International Airport is based in Oranjestad, Aruba, where it serves as Aruba’s gateway to the United States, Canada, the rest of the Caribbean, and countries across the northern coast of South America, as well as some parts of Europe – particularly the Netherlands. Indeed, the airport is in fact named after the Queen who reigned in the Netherlands until her abdication in 2013.

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A

s well as providing a gateway for passengers to and from Aruba, the airport also provides United States border preclearance facilities and a terminal for private aircraft which opened in 2007.

Since its foundation, the airport has served as the home of Aruba Airlines, and its fleet of three Airbus A320 family aircraft and two Bombardier CRJ200s.

Over the last few years, we have charted Queen Beatrix International Airport’s journey towards the Gateway 2030 project, an ambitious overhaul of the entire facility.

“It is a major expansion and modernisation of the airport.

It is driven by the tremendous growth we have had in the previous 15 years,” James Fazio, CEO of Aruba Airport Authority N.V., has told us in previous interviews. “We have a US preclearance facility here and it was designed, again, 20 years ago and does not represent the convenience it really should. In some ways, we are operating two different airports, one for

US-bound traffic and one for non-US-bound traffic. That is not very efficient, so we are working towards a single airport concept that uses technology to improve the passenger experience and expand the check-in area and shopping facilities.”

Gateway 2030 has not had the smoothest of rides, as the airport has had to navigate challenges such as ongoing macroeconomic concerns and the ramifications of a global pandemic, but progress has continued. The airport has contracted firms such as Amsterdam-based design and consultancy organisation, Arcadis, for its contract management and technical supervision services. Arcadis has been working to redevelop and expand the airport in line with growing passenger numbers at the same time as building a more modern space for them to work in.

As airport CEO Joost Meijs has said, “It is very exciting for Aruba Airport to be one step closer to the ground-breaking of the Gateway 2030 project. We

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QUEEN BEATRIX INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

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AVIATION, AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | 47

Earthworks

Rubber Removal Asphalt

Parking Lots

Utilities

Paving

Recycling

Aviation

Concrete

Breaking Grounds!

Barcadera 122, Aruba +297 585 3007 info@alboaruba.com www.awmaruba.com

N.V. ARUBAANSE WEGENBOUW MAATSCHAPPIJ (AWM) N.V. Arubaanse Wegenbouw Maatschappij, locally known as AWM, is since 1961 Aruba’s well known and leading infrastructure company specialized in infrastructural works in every sense of the word!

As a partner of Aruba Airport Authority N.V. for more than 20 years, we are proud of our successful cooperation. This long lasting partnership is based on core values such as trust, reliability, quality and respect. AWM supplies Aruba Airport Authorities with high quality services in the field of asphalt, concrete and civil works with our privately owned asphalt plant, heavy equipment , transportation and own supply of raw materials.

Projects successfully executed at the International Airport Reina Beatrix by AWM can be summarized as air- and landside projects during day and/or night time in accordance with the highest Airport Safety Standards: • Runway expansion

• GSE Stands

• Resurfacing of taxi- and runway

• Parking lots

• Resurfacing apron

• Sewer systems

• Supply & Install Fuel hydrant system

• Storm water systems

• Flood lights and Agnis papa installation

• Paver works

• Electrical duct banks

• AGL Installation

• Install new and refurbishment of concrete hard stands • Apply Markings in 2K and waterborne paints • Runway Rubber removal with our Nilfisk Advance Cyclone 4006 • General excavation- and trenching works AWM is a proud member of the ABC Project Venture that is currently responsible for the execution of Phase 1A of the Gateway 2030 Expansion Project. www.awmaruba.com

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QUEEN BEATRIX INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

are glad that Arcadis is going to support the accountable AAA project and programme team who are responsible for leading this ambitious extension of our airport facilities. Their ample experience in this field will be relied on to successfully complete the airport’s expansion and modernisation project.”

Ultimately, the Gateway 2030 project will settle for nothing less than transforming Queen

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Beatrix International Airport into one of the largest and most efficient airports in the region. But more than that, it is also working to be one of the region’s most sustainable airports.

GREENER SKIES

One of the biggest steps Queen Beatrix International Airport has taken since we last looked at it is that it has become the first air terminal in the world to receive

Green Globe sustainability certification.

Green Globe certification is one of the leading programmes of its kind in the world. It requires those it certifies to apply and live up to the highest international standards in sustainability.

Green Globe has audited and certified organisations and businesses across the global tourism sector, from hotels to conference centres to cruise ships in approximately 80 countries.

The Aruba Airport Authority, the body responsible for managing Queen Beatrix International Airport, has been pursuing this certification since 2021. It has systematically addressed many measures to quantify, reduce, optimise, and offset the emissions associated with its operations, until 2022 when the airport chose to undergo an independent assurance audit to review its performance.

The airport has implemented several initiatives to reduce energy consumption, manage waste, report greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce the airport’s environmental impact while optimising operations.

Auditing and evaluation processes have yielded positive results, and Queen Beatrix is now the first airport in the world to be certified in this way.

“As a busy tourism spot, the Aruba Airport Authority has set the benchmark for the Caribbean aviation industry,” said Birte Pelayo, CEO of Gleen Globe. “Airport operations can contribute greatly to reducing emissions through innovations on the ground and support better flight planning.”

“The efforts of the Aruba Airport Authority and the airport community over the past years to make our operations more

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QUEEN BEATRIX INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

sustainable have paid off in achieving this prestigious certification,” said Angeline Flemming, the agency’s Director of Health, Safety and Sustainability.

A GROWING NETWORK

But Queen Beatrix International Airport is not only becoming greener, it is becoming more modern, utilising the very latest cutting-edge technology to create a seamless passenger experience. The airport is making use of verifiable digital credential technology, implemented by air transport IT provider, SITA, and data solutions firm, Indicio, working alongside the Aruba Tourism Authority.

“The world of travel is becoming increasingly interconnected, where passengers are expected to share their identity each step of the way,” said Jeremy Springall, SVP of SITA AT BORDERS. “Governments, airlines, and

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airports are increasingly seeing the benefit of a digital credential, which streamlines the identification process and still allows the passenger to better control their data using a medium they prefer: their mobile device. Working with Aruba and Indicio, we are excited to be leading the way to making digital travel a reality.”

With this new technology in place, travellers to Aruba will be able to fulfil government immigration requirements before they board their flight, with invisible, background processes confirming passengers’ ‘ready-to-fly’ status behind the scenes.

“As a Caribbean destination with one of the highest return rates, Aruba continually strives to implement innovative technology in an effort to deliver an exceptional travel experience from the moment travellers leave their homes,” said Ronella Croes, CEO of the Aruba Tourism Authority.

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QUEEN BEATRIX INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

“Through the Aruba Happy One Pass programme, travelling to and from Aruba has never been easier. We are thrilled to offer our guests a more streamlined process, showcasing Aruba’s innovation in the tourism industry.”

Under the new system, as passengers arrive at Queen Beatrix International Airport, they can apply for their travel authorisation through a new, simplified process that cuts

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out the manual data entry from travel documents that travel traditionally involves.

Passengers will be given a Digital Travel Credential, allowing them to consent to share relevant data directly with multiple entities along their journey from a digital wallet.

2030 is still seven years away.

But this shift towards a greener, more digital airport gives us an idea of what that vision might look like.

“THE WORLD OF TRAVEL IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY INTERCONNECTED, WHERE PASSENGERS ARE EXPECTED TO SHARE THEIR IDENTITY EACH STEP OF THE WAY.”

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ROGUE VALLEY INTERNATIONAL-MEDFORD AIRPORT

WE RETURN TO THE ROGUE VALLEY INTERNATIONAL-MEDFORD AIRPORT TO LEARN ABOUT ITS NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM, ITS NEW VISION, AND ITS CONTINUING PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.

NEW LEADERSHIP, CONTINUING VISION PROJECT MANAGED BY: RASH UDDIN It has been just over a year since we looked at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR), situated near Oregon’s central business district of Medford, just north of the I-5/Highway 62 interchange. The airport covers 938 acres and caters to the Southern Oregon and Northern California regions, as well as the residents of Jackson County. In 2018, the Airport carried out over 43,000 aircraft operations and served over a million passengers. Since then, the airport has survived a global pandemic and has undergone other changes too – including a change in director.

[Opposite Page] Amber Judd, Airport Director of Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport.

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J

erry Brienza, who we spoke to last year, moved on in December, to be replaced

by Amber Judd.

“We have had a great year here at the airport, our passenger numbers are strong, holding steady just below 2022 numbers,” Judd points out. “Just like every other small hub airport in the entire country, we have lost some flight frequency, but we have not lost any destinations and although we have fewer flights, we are serving larger aircraft.

Our load factors are great, & the airlines are happy, which makes us happy.”

When Amber Judd stepped into her role as the Director of Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport, she planned to continue the airport’s growth in the postCovid era.

“My vision for the airport is to build infrastructure, both on the air and land side of the airport, setting ourselves up for growth & development now and in the future,” Judd tells us. “I want to grow our non-airfield-related revenues. We have 938 acres, so we are managing that space, making a good portion of it available for development, and always looking at new ideas to increase revenue from those sources, as well as our upcoming terminal expansion.”

TEAM BUILDING

But from square one, Judd knew that to put that plan into action she would need the right team around her. Putting that team together is what she calls her greatest achievement since she became director.

“For me, the biggest achievement has been putting together a wonderful upper management team,” says Judd.

“I have a team committed to the airport and its future. Anyone who has managed a large business knows that it is the team underneath you that determines your success.”

While the management team is important, Judd also emphasises the contribution of people at every single level of the organisation.

“I would really like to mention the incredible people we have at the airport,” Judd insists. “We have dedicated, hard-working people, and I want them to know how valued they are and how important they are to our community and the success of our airport. Without each one of them, we could not do what we do.”

Of course, this was not achieved overnight, and Amber Judd is hardly the new kid on the block.

“I was involved in the airport for a while, most recently as the Director of Finance and

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AVIATION, AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | 53

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Administration, and after years of planning we have started getting shovels in the ground,” she says.

“We are building a large general aviation apron for private planes, and phase one of that project is nearly complete. We have already had lots of interest from people who want to build hangars there.”

This apron has been accompanied by the ongoing construction of a heavy aircraft apron which we can tell Judd is particularly excited about.

“This project will play a huge role in our regional firefighting efforts,” she says. “We currently only have room for one very large air tanker (VLAT) here. After construction is complete, we will have room for four VLATs, and I am very excited to grow that side of the airfield for both cargo and firefighting purposes.”

A big priority for anyone in the aviation industry right now is unsurprisingly, sustainability.

Like many airports, Rogue Valley is investing heavily in building a greener future for itself.

“At this point that means building the electrical capacity in the right parts of the airport,” Judd points out. “We are working on that now, developing the right amount of electrical capacity will be hugely beneficial for our plans going forward.”

This capacity has included the building of extensive solar facilities.

“We have great sunshine all year round and we take advantage of that with solar canopies in our parking lot,” Judd says. “We are also putting more efficient HVAC systems in place, and with all our projects, we are focusing on how we can best build sustainability & reduce our impact on the environment.”

ADAPTING

But while Judd has big plans, she is also realistic about the challenges in the airport’s future, and how to adapt to them.

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ROGUE VALLEY INTERNATIONAL-MEDFORD AIRPORT

“Staffing issues in air traffic control towers are a big challenge across the country,” Judd says. “The costs of our projects, largely due to inflation, have gone through the roof. We are managing to get projects done, and where necessary reduce the scope of those projects in ways that

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make sense. We will find a way to complete these projects with the funding we have available. I come from a finance background originally, and that has definitely helped here.”

Putting that background to use, Judd has big plans for Rogue Valley’s growth –plans that were partly in place before Covid, but which can move forward now the airport has recovered.

“We are back up to preCovid levels and I expect us to grow further,” Judd says. “We have a wonderful airport in a beautiful part of the country.

The Rogue Valley is beautiful, with a wonderful climate, strong potential, hundreds of wineries, and Oregon’s only natural park, Crater Lake.”

With the opening of the new Rogue X Sports Complex on the horizon, Judd is excited to see what new sporting events will

soon be coming to the region and what that may mean for the Airport.

“We want to get that infrastructure in place, airside and landside, with charging stations for electric vehicles, and for electric aircraft too as their popularity rises,” she says.

And while Jerry Brienza has left, his legacy continues.

“Jerry had a great idea for an education centre for aviation jobs, and although it was just an idea when he left, I am trying to move that idea forward and put the necessary infrastructure in place. We are extending taxi lanes to the northwest of our property to the space identified for that centre. We are going to get everything in place, then find a partner in the community to build and operate that centre which will benefit the entire region.”

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AL RYUM GROUP

FROM A SMALL LANDSCAPING COMPANY TO AN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTOR, AL RYUM HAS BEEN ON AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY.

CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOSH MALIN

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AL RYUM GROUP

When Al Ryum was established in Abu Dhabi in the late 1980s, it was a pioneer. It had entered a market where there simply were no commercial landscaping countries - after all, it was a city in a desert. But Al Ryum was a company created with a vision – a vision to turn Abu Dhabi into a garden city.

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T

he founder of the company wanted to create a desert oasis as a whole country,” says Rafael Khanoyan, Al Ryum’s CEO. “That is why Abu Dhabi is so green today. He wanted to provide roads and parks, and that has expanded into all the other Emirates. We have planted millions of trees.”

While today Al Ryum has the experience and the capacity to take on the really big projects, it needed to start somewhere.

“When our founders started the business, they started doing small projects,” Khanoyan tells us. “We would do a road, a park, some playground equipment, and over the years the projects became bigger.”

If a business is good at one thing, it is only a matter of time before customers want it to do other things, and that has provided Al Ryum with a path to growth.

“Our ambitions and creativity grew, and those projects became large,” Khanoyan says. “We added the capability to provide infrastructure, drainage, toilet blocks, and small buildings.”

The company started diversifying and establishing its own infrastructure and buildings departments. Over time it became a total solution provider that clients could depend on.

In the Abu Dhabi market, there had never been a full-service landscaping provider before, but now that was what Al Ryum was offering.

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PLAYING THE FIELD

Today, Al Ryum offers everything from golf courses to theme parks.

“That we can offer a turnkey solution has been a unique selling point,” Khanoyan points out. “We can handle the full scope of a project, managing it in-house, but the other advantage we have is that unlike most of our competitors, our owners are involved in every project down to the site level. We operate the company like a family, retaining our qualified staff. Our reputation in the market stands as a company that is involved in every little detail of a project, to always deliver.”

That attention to detail is combined with an unrivalled versatility that allows Al Ryum to expand or reduce the scope of its work very quickly. It is experienced with everything from mega projects to minor landscaping jobs.

“WE CAN HANDLE THE FULL SCOPE OF A PROJECT, MANAGING IT IN-HOUSE, BUT THE OTHER ADVANTAGE WE HAVE IS THAT UNLIKE MOST OF OUR COMPETITORS, OUR OWNERS ARE INVOLVED IN EVERY PROJECT DOWN TO THE SITE LEVEL.” But Khanoyan is clear that Al Ryum as it exists today is far more than a landscaping company.

“We are a general contractor,” he says. “Landscaping is still one of our largest business

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AL RYUM GROUP

segments, but over the last 15 years we have started competing for contracts on desalination plants, specialised buildings, and of course, theme parks.”

But with a wider playing field comes greater competition, and Khanoyan is the first to point out that the market is competitive.

“Obviously competition is very high, a lot of new companies have entered the market, and companies that have been established for quite a long time are now competing with companies trying to make a name for themselves,” Khanoyan says.

As well as new names entering the sector, Al Ryum also has to deal with a smaller volume of products on the table right now.

“The size of our overhead is substantial, but the volume of projects has not been there for the last five to seven years,” Khanoyan says. “However, that is changing, which is very positive for the sector. Covid was a challenge for everybody, but we engaged that as a good opportunity for companies like ours to take a step back and reevaluate our structure and efficiency while still finding ways to be profitable.”

THE INDUSTRY’S TRAINING GROUND

Whatever is happening in the market, and however the business itself evolves, Khanoyan believes it all comes down to quality.

“The trick is to deliver a highquality product,” he says. “That is what we are known for. We provide quality while turning a profit.”

It is a kind of virtuous circle.

Al Ryum is known for quality, and being known for quality attracted talent to Al Ryum.

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AL RYUM GROUP

“That is where our reputation and the history of the company comes into play,” says Khanoyan. “Al Rym became a brand name in the market.”

To understand Al Ryum’s reputation for talent, one need only look at the people running its competition.

“Our competitors all have people in senior management roles who have worked at Al Ryum at one time or another,”

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Khanoyan laughs. “Our clients often tell us that Al Ryum is a university. All of our competitors’ management were here at one time or another in their career.”

It is a reputation that attracts staff who want to be part of the journey Al Ryum is on. With projects in Africa, Iraq, and Jordan as well as the Emirates themselves, Al Ryum is an appealing prospect for people who share its vision.

“We want global expansion, and we are targeting international markets.

We are expanding out of the construction industry to become a developer, not just in the UAE but also in Europe and the United States,” Khanoyan says. “Our vision is to go with the trend to build a brand as a sustainable partner and incorporate the latest green technology into our business.”

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AL RYUM GROUP

There are times, Khanoyan tells us, when recruits have chosen Al Ryum over potential employers who offer to pay more, simply because of the value Al Ryum offers in experience.

“We are a very transparent company, I deal personally with our team all the way down to labour,” Khanoyan says. “There is not a bureaucracy. I always tell everyone the office boy can become the CEO and take my role! And ultimately, that is the plan. Our site engineers have become general managers.”

The next generation of managers will face new challenges, but Khanoyan is already preparing for them, particularly, in the search for the generation of talent after that.

“Youth do not want to be in the construction industry anymore. Social media has promoted so many other, more attractive lifestyles,” Khanoyan says. “We have got to show the next generation the opportunities we have to offer. This can be the most stressful industry in the world, but we have also got to show them the best of the industry.

Success is not just about money but seeing a project you have been sweating over day and night come to fruition.

When they inaugurate that building, that accomplishment is success itself. We have delivered projects people thought we could not, and that feeling is worth more than any money.”

“SUCCESS IS NOT JUST ABOUT MONEY BUT SEEING A PROJECT YOU HAVE BEEN SWEATING OVER DAY AND NIGHT COME TO FRUITION. WHEN THEY INAUGURATE THAT BUILDING, THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT IS SUCCESS ITSELF. “ BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

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HOFFMANN GREEN CEMENT

HOFFMANN GREEN CEMENT HAS TRIGGERED A CEMENT REVOLUTION BY CHANGING THE COMPOSITION OF THE MOST WIDELY USED MAN-MADE MATERIAL ON THE PLANET.

CEMENTING A GREEN FUTURE PROJECT MANAGED BY: SPIKE CHALKLEY

The story of Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies started with a meeting in 2014 between two men with complementary skills who shared the same ambition: to help the construction industry become more environmentally friendly.

D

avid Hoffmann, an experienced scientist, and Julien Blanchard, a true entrepreneur, set out to develop and manufacture new-generation cements on an industrial scale.

Together with their dedicated team, they invented a genuine technological breakthrough based on the modification of the composition of cement and the creation of a cold manufacturing process, 0% clinker and low energy consumption, making their business a leading and unique player in the cement market, which had not changed for 200 years.

INDUSTRY GAME CHANGER

Business Focus spoke to Thomas Atkinson, Head of International Affairs, about the remarkable progress the company has made and the impact its ‘green’ cement will have on the construction industry.

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He explained that in 2022, Hoffmann Green Cement became the first clinker-free cement in the world to be validated under ATEx Case A by the CSTB, and the company is now the first European cement manufacturer to be 100% in line with Europe’s Green Taxonomy.

“Cement is responsible for 8% of carbon emissions worldwide, and of this 8% around 85% is due to the clinker factor. Given its environmental implications, our clinker-free cement has generated considerable interest.”

The company currently offers four types of its clinker-free cement, each offering unique benefits. For example, its new product marketed as H-UKR cement reduces the carbon footprint of cement by a factor of 5, with the same or better performance. H-UKR cement is manufactured mainly from industrial by-products, in

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STATE-OF-THE-ART MULTICHAMBER SILOS FOR STORAGE, MIXING AND DISTRIBUTION THE TECHNOLOGY PARTNER OF HOFFMANN GREEN CEMENT TECHNOLOGIES

HOFFMANN GREEN CEMENT

particular from steelworks slag, in order to preserve natural resources. According to the company, H-UKR is the only available low-carbon cement on the European market that achieves the structural requirements of traditional clinker concrete.

“However, the actual application does not come without serious hurdles,” noted Atkinson, pointing out that in this conservative industry, the traditional cement lobby is strong. “All the norms and standards are based on concrete made of traditional clinker-based cement, so this makes it difficult for our products to be accepted on a wide scale.”

“The norms were written, understandably, by clinker producers and are based on composition, not on performance. This will have to change, and we are intensively working on this, lobbying both at the industrial and EU levels.”

Thomas Atkinson, Head of International Affairs, Hoffmann Green Cement.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

However, distinct progress is already being made, as the focus on environmentally friendly technologies increases. Atkinson stated that Hoffmann’s concrete has already been certified in France and the company is set to expand internationally, following a clearly defined strategy. “The first step is to arrange distribution agreements to test the product in the markets. Ultimately, the main goal is to get partners to license the technology so that they can produce cement locally.”

Several distribution contracts have already been signed, including the very recent structuring partnership with

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HOFFMANN GREEN CEMENT

POINT.P, a brand of SaintGobain Building Distribution France to distribute Hoffmann’s clinker-free H-UKR cement to the concrete mixing plants and precast factories of POINT.P. In the UK, Hoffmann Green supplies Cemblend with its H-IONA, H-UKR and H-EVA clinker-free decarbonated cements for distribution to its customers in the UK and Ireland.

This exclusive distribution agreement with volume commitments initially runs until the end of 2023 and is a first step towards the signature of a licencing agreement which could see Cemblend build and

operate a production unit similar to Hoffmann Green’s second production site (H2), and then produce and market Hoffmann cements in the UK. In terms of the actual licencing agreements, a milestone success was reached in September 2023: Hoffmann Green signed its first, 22-year exclusive licencing agreement in Saudi Arabia with the Shurfah Group to fund, construct and operate Hoffmann Green production units in Saudi Arabia. In early 2025, the first clinker-free cement factory, modelled after the H2 vertical model, will be operated in Saudi Arabia.

UNIQUE IN THE WORLD

What is Hoffmann’s H2 vertical model? This is another game changer that the company has introduced with regard to the production process. Looking back, the company’s first 4.0 production site H1 which was inaugurated in the Vendée region in France in 2018, was already one of a kind – with no kiln nor chimney, it produces no waste and is based on an automated industrial production process.

Hoffmann Green’s second H2 facility, the world’s first vertical cement plant, was inaugurated in May 2023. Built in less than 24 months and made entirely with H-UKR clinker-free concrete,

A 17 housing appatrments bloc fully made with H UKR cement, by our Swiss construction partner MAULINI in Geneva.

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HOFFMANN GREEN CEMENT

this new production model is an example of innovative, forwardlooking thinking, ‘a feat of civil engineering’ to quote the company.

A vertical structure limits the physical footprint and also makes it possible to use gravity (as opposed to conveyor belts) to optimize the production process and make it less energy consuming. The installation of 12 solar trackers makes the plant over 50% self-sufficient in energy.

The plant has been designed to be adapted and replicated throughout France and the world.

CATALYST OF CARBON TRANSITION

Thomas Atkinson confirmed that Hoffmann’s third manufacturing facility, located at Dunkirk Major Sea Port, is planned to be operational in 2026, enabling Hoffmann Green to reach a production capacity of 550,000 tonnes of cement per year by 2026, which would represent 3% of the French market.

“There are other types of alternatives to replace the traditional carbon-heavy products in the construction industry but most of these technologies are in the start-up phase. Our products are ready and immediately available.

That’s a major advantage.”

“The key task now is to convince all the players in the construction industry to move to other types of technologies, a mammoth task, given the industry’s conservatism.

Still, times do seem to be changing, albeit slowly.”

He affirmed that interest in Hoffmann’s technology is increasing around the world, accentuated by the increased push for sustainable, energyefficient solutions and pressure on construction players to use more low-carbon cements. In this context, the company is well positioned to reach its targets, in both France and the international markets.

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LEGENDRE UK

GROUPE LEGENDRE HAS BROUGHT A REFRESHING FRENCH ELEMENT TO THE UK CONSTRUCTION SECTOR – ITS FOCUS ON QUALITY, SUSTAINABILITY AND YOUNG TALENT DEVELOPMENT IS SET TO GENERATE TANGIBLE BENEFITS FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS.

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LEGENDRE UK

Groupe Legendre, a family-owned business founded in 1946, and a major player in the construction, real estate, and energy sectors in France, has now diversified its activities and expanded its geographical coverage.

PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID HAYVIS BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

E

stablished as a threeman business in northern France seven decades ago, the company has grown into a multi-national group with 2,500 direct employees and a € 1 billion turnover. Legendre continues to be a familyowned business and is now run by Vincent Legendre, the grandson of the founder, who has also pushed forward the international expansion.

The UK was the first overseas country in which the Group set up a firm footing in 2016. Managing Director of Legendre UK, Thomas Vandecasteele, says: “The view was to bring French technical craftsmanship to the UK construction sector and, on the other hand, to learn from local practices and standards, to enable us to expand further into new markets, for example India, Singapore and Hong-Kong.”

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LEGENDRE UK

Thomas Vandecasteele, Managing Director, Legendre UK.

To this end, Legendre UK strives to attract people from leading universities and is already enjoying success.

The company now employs 7 graduates from UK’s top universities who work as site managers, intended to progress, relatively quickly, to project managers. Bringing this top talent to construction is one of the ways in which the skills level in the industry can be improved, says Vandecasteele.

“What also sets us apart from local competitors is our technical know-how. Historically, France has always had a very strong contracting business and as such, the technical abilities of French contractors are very good. Groupe Legendre has an engineering department which is 100 people strong. That’s more than even the largest contracting businesses in the UK have.”

EXPERT IN ITS NICHE

Vandecasteele further explains that Legendre works within a niche of medium-sized projects worth € 20 to 40 million, filling the gap between large players working on € 100-millionplus construction projects and smaller contractors capable of handling those on a much smaller scale. “We would potentially consider larger projects as well but not at the expense of smaller ones.

Small projects are an excellent training ground for younger staff members and we at Legendre have always invested in our young employees and their development.”

While Legendre UK does not specialise in any particular construction sector, its UK activities are equally divided between residential and office development.

BRINGING A FRESH PERSPECTIVE

He reflects that while the UK construction sector is more advanced than mainland Europe in terms of the ‘product’, for example, the development of the build-to-rent (BTR) and co-living segments, it somewhat lags behind in terms of innovation and complex construction methodologies.

Another difference lies in human resources. “Unlike in Europe, where the construction professions are well recognised and regarded with respect, in the UK, they have a rather negative reputation and are not something bright young people aspire to. Builders in the UK hire self-employed labour, whereas in Europe they employ people directly, creating loyalty and pride in completed projects. A focus on quality is something we would like to bring to the UK market,” he says.

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LEGENDRE UK

The company’s first residential build project was a new mixeduse scheme on Dockley Road, London. The project consisted of the demolition of the existing industrial units (completed under a separate contract) to be replaced with 111 residential apartments on 9 floors including storage, retail, restaurant, and café premises. Completed in 2022, the project was a milestone in Legendre’s corporate life as its first investment in the UK, consolidating a long-term vision for the London property market.

Another successful project was the refurbishment of an 11-storey office block including two basement levels, located in the heart of the City of London. The building received a BREEAM accreditation and is targeting Fitwell and Wiredscore accreditations.

“Refurbishment of existing buildings is a hot trend in the UK as a result of a new set of regulations requiring office buildings to meet strict criteria from 2030 onwards. In London alone, this presents a great opportunity as there are many office buildings in need of upgrades to meet those new standards. And refurbishing office buildings in Central London tends to be technically complex – so this development plays quite nicely to our strengths,” says Vandecasteele, affirming that the company is open to other types of construction projects as well.”

PUSHING FOR SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

Over its short existence in the UK market, Legendre can rightfully be proud of its growing presence, but Vandecasteele affirms that the management aspires to an achievement of a different sort. “We wish to help improve the contractor-

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LEGENDRE UK

developer relationship in the UK. These relationships tend to be hostile, and the industry is suffering from a lack of trust.”

“Legendre promotes full transparency and openness key values of the Group. We also invest in our projects alongside our clients, and thus share the same interest and goal – to complete the project on time, within budget and to a high standard of quality.”

He points out that as a contractor, Legendre has no direct influence on a project’s sustainability credentials, but its financial involvement allows the company to insist on environmentally friendly materials, to reduce a project’s carbon footprint. “We can bear the increased cost of eco-friendly materials, e.g., low-carbon concrete. This is Legendre’s commitment to the environment.

The Group transfers 20-25% of its net profit to a special investment fund that is specifically used

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for subsidising environmentally friendly buildings.”

An increased focus on refurbishment projects is another way how Legendre promotes sustainability.

“In the construction industry, the most carbon-efficient action is to refrain from demolishing buildings, since just the structural elements account for 60% of CO2 emissions. Keeping the frame means a significant reduction in emissions.”

In conclusion, he reflects that despite the economic downturn, a serious shortage of labour as well as political instability in the UK, Legendre UK is looking to the future with reserved optimism. “We do want to grow in the UK, gradually evolving into a developer and investor.

As such, we will be able to secure our pipeline, to influence decisions. To this end, we are set to strengthen our presence in the UK, and to invest in our development.”

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MIRO FORESTRY & TIMBER PRODUCTS

MIRO FORESTRY & TIMBER PRODUCTS, THE UK-HEADQUARTERED PLYWOOD MANUFACTURER WITH ITS OWN FSC™ CERTIFIED FOREST PLANTATIONS AND PLY MILLS IN WEST AFRICA, HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARDS ITS VISION SINCE WE SPOKE TO THE COMPANY THREE YEARS AGO.

PLANTING A FUTURE PROJECT MANAGED BY: ANDREW BOURKE

Established in 2010, Miro Forestry has developed into a progressive and fast-growing supplier of plywood, edge-glued panels, CCAtreated poles, and related forest products to clients in West Africa and around the world, using its own raw material from its own, sustainably managed tree plantations. Over the last few years, Miro has established more new forest areas, on previously degraded land, than any other company on the African continent.

W

e are a vertically integrated plywood manufacturing company, planting, growing and harvesting trees in order to manufacture sustainable plywood and other timber products. We therefore have total control over our supply chain from seed to tree and then from log to finished timber product,” says Andrew Collins, the company CEO.

EXPANDED OPERATION

We spoke to him in 2020, just at the onset of the global pandemic, when the company was ready to build up its industrial capacities, having successfully planted and developed the plantation for over 10 years. The aim then, as it is now, was to produce a strong and steady flow of wood to be converted into higher valueadded products such as plywood and poles for customers around the world.

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Over those three years, the company has made impressive progress. In 2021, its 30,000m 3 per annum output plywood factory in Ghana was commissioned, followed by a 100,000 pole per annum CCA treatment plant commissioned in Sierra Leone.

In 2022, the company began the construction of a 60,000m 3 per annum output plywood factory in Sierra Leone to be commissioned in December this year and has expanded its Ghana plywood factory also to 60,000m 3 output. Staff numbers have risen to over 3,000, to be increased further when the Sierra Leone plant starts operation.

Collins affirms that the plantations remain the core of the business. “We continue to maintain our sustainable plantations of 20,000 hectares across Ghana and Sierra Leone. The plantations are now mature, so we are harvesting

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In several countries the Company has already installed many Plants of sizes ranging from 30CBM/Day to 150CBM/Day within committed time and budget.

Our Turnkey project services includes: • Plant Sizing & Prepare list of Equipment • Design of Equipment • Plant Layout & Site Plan • Electrical System Design, Supply, Installation & Commissioning • Heating Fluid Pipeline Design, Supply and Installation, • Provide Civil Engineering design & assist Civil Contractor • Supply of the complete steel Building • Plant & Machineries Supply, Installation & Commissioning • Technology Transfer • Manpower training For MIRO FORESTRY LIMITED, we have designed state of the Art Veneer & Plywood Mills based on Plantation Timber for their plywood plants of about 110CBM & 200CBM/ Day production capacity in Ghana & Sierra Leone. The Plants are suitable to Produce different kinds of Commercial Plywood & Laminated Plywood. We wish them all success in all their Ventures.

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MIRO FORESTRY & TIMBER PRODUCTS

and replanting, with a focus on having factories available to process the resultant wood-flows into finished timber products. In both countries, these factories are located centrally to our plantations, so our logistics costs are highly competitive while securing a low environmental footprint.”

VERTICAL SUSTAINABILITY

He points out that the principles of sustainability are applied not just to the plantation but also to the plywood production. “We have biomass boilers utilising our waste wood, we have solar panels on the roof of the factory.

For the next factory that we are developing now, we are finalising plans for installing a biomass combined heat and power plant.

The fact that our processing plants are close to the timber source means burning less fuel transporting the logs to the mills.”

“WE ARE A VERTICALLY INTEGRATED PLYWOOD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, PLANTING, GROWING AND HARVESTING TREES IN ORDER TO MANUFACTURE SUSTAINABLE PLYWOOD AND OTHER TIMBER PRODUCTS.” As a major employer in Ghana and Sierra Leone, the company aims to have a significant economic impact in the areas in which it operates through employment, community development and local procurement of supplies and infrastructure. Miro’s community

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MIRO FORESTRY & TIMBER PRODUCTS

development strategy includes education, access to clean water and alternative livelihood programmes but Collins affirms that Miro’s mission for community development is to help communities help themselves through the economic independence the company brings, by providing employment in the local area.

“The main benefit is providing liquidity. Previously, in these rural areas where we operate, there was very little formal employment, with barter trade in place and little cash availability.

As a significant employer, we have aided the development of a cash-based society to emerge, leading to a greater array of jobs and prosperity, transforming the local environment.”

“We have also been creating roads in the plantation in order to manage the forests, and those roads are often used by communities. This means better access to the market as well as access to medical care,

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which was limited in the past.

In this context, it is not only the individual CSR projects that we implement but the overall economic impact on the region that is most appreciated.”

LONG-TERM VISION

Miro Forestry has by now supplied 30,000m3 of quality plywood to high-profile customers based in Europe, the UK, the United States, the Middle East, as well as West and North Africa. “Our product is Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, we meet all ISO standards, and have all the sustainability certifications, which is a very attractive proposition as there is a shortage of sustainable timber on the market. We also promote economic and social development in the countries in which we operate, and customers increasingly like the story behind our production.”

Despite its growth, the company has not been spared

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MIRO FORESTRY & TIMBER PRODUCTS

the effects of rising inflation, resulting in a large decrease in construction activities on a global scale, and decreased demand for all building material products.

“We are faced with quite depressed market conditions at the moment, compared to the buoyant market which occurred during the pandemic. Nevertheless, we are continuing to win market share.”

Collins affirms that the recent expansion has been planned all along, irrespective of market fluctuations. “We can’t respond quickly to market ups and downs because it takes seven years to grow a tree. Even if the markets decreased, we would still be expanding. We build the

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forests on the long-term demand trends, and therefore regardless of how timber markets fluctuate over short-term horizons.”

As such, further industrial plywood manufacturing expansion is planned to match the scale of the forests developed by the company. As a result, Miro will more than quadruple its capacity over the next decade. This growth will be in line with Miro’s plans to safeguard areas of natural and indigenous forest, in order to protect flora and fauna and promote biodiversity.

This concept of sustainable forest management ensures a corporate contribution to the country, its people, the environment, and the future.

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AZULE ENERGY

COMBINING THE ASSETS AND WORKFORCES OF BP AND ENI IN ANGOLA, AZULE ENERGY IS A NEW STANDALONE INTEGRATED ENERGY COMPANY THAT IS COMMITTED TO SHAPING THE FUTURE OF ENERGY IN THE COUNTRY.

SUPPORTING ANGOLA’S ENERGY SECTOR Azule Energy, a company owned 50:50 by bp and Eni through consolidation of their Angolan assets, only started its operations in August 2022 but has ambitious plans for the future.

PROJECT MANAGED BY: TREVOR GRETSINGER

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O

ur mission at Azule Energy is clear - to ensure resilient energy production through a diversified portfolio that encompasses producing oil and gas in combination with the implementation of decarbonisation technologies and the development of renewable sources. We believe

that a balanced energy mix is crucial to meet the demands of today while safeguarding the needs of tomorrow while supporting a transition that has to be just and sustainable,” declared CEO Adriano Mongini in his keynote address at Africa Oil Week in October 2023.

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AZULE ENERGY

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FPSO AGOGO Leading the way to a

Zero Emissions FPSO FPSO Agogo is regarded as an industry leading project in terms of low emission design and implementation.

Closed Flare and Hydrocarbon Blanketing | Combined Cycle Power Generation Carbon Capture and Storage | Electrification | Seawater Turbine Generator

Yinson Production is one of the largest independent FPSO leasing companies globally, driven by its excellent project management team, industry-leading safety and uptime performance and leadership position in sustainable FPSO design.

Yinson Production's Zero Emission FPSO Concept is paving the way for the decarbonisation of the FPSO industry and aligns with Yinson Group’s Climate Goals to be carbon neutral by 2030 and net zero by 2050. www.yinson.com

YINSON PRODUCTION FPSO AGOGO, LEADING THE WAY TO A ZERO EMISSIONS FPSO. Yinson Production is committed towards long-term sustainability through the implementation of emission reduction technologies. With these in place, we aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and net zero by 2050.

One of the most exciting developments on this journey is FPSO Agogo, which is currently under construction for Azule Energy’s operated Block 15/06 offshore Angola.

The FPSO will be equipped with advanced emissions-reducing technologies and sustainable energy solutions. It will also feature the world’s first postcombustion CO2 capture plant installed on an offshore facility.

1) Hydrocarbon blanketing eliminates carbon emissions from the cargo storage system. Traditional FPSO designs incorporate a conventional open flare system for topsides facilities and an open venting arrangement for cargo storage tanks.

It maintains a non-explosive atmosphere within the cargo storage system and offers redundancy of the inert gas system. It enhances oil & gas production by recovering and recycling of hydrocarbon vapors from the cargo tanks.

2) A Combined Heat and Power application, also known as a Co-generation system, involves the recovery of thermal energy that would otherwise be wasted. It generates both electricity and thermal energy more efficiently than if they were produced separately.

It uses a gas turbine to drive an electrical power generator and recovers waste heat from the turbine exhaust via the Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) to generate steam. The steam produced by waste heat is routed through a steam turbine to generate supplemental electricity. A combined-cycle power generation is one of the most energy-efficient system configurations.

How does energy autonomy make the world more sustainable?

The better the question. The better the answer.

The better the world works.

Ernst & Young Angola, Lda Presidente Business Center, Largo 17 Setembro nº3 - 3º piso - sala 341, Luanda, Angola Office: +244 227 280 461/2/3/4 ey.ao@pt.ey.com www.ey.com

© 2023 EY. All Rights Reserved.

These 5 technologies are Closed flare and Hydrocarbon Blanketing of Cargo tanks, Combined Cycle Power Generation, Carbon Capture and Storage, Electrification and Seawater Turbine Generator.

3) The FPSO Agogo is also equipped with a Carbon Capture pilot plant. CO2 will be captured from the flue gas of the Gas Turbine Generators with the possibilities for sequestration, instead of being released to the atmosphere.

The CO2 capture plant will be used as a demonstration unit in a floating environment to assess technology readiness and gain operational know-how.

4) The FPSO Agogo utilises VFDs (variable frequency drives) for main rotating equipment and cargo offloading pumps. VFDs offer many advantages, such as fine process control, and advance regulation, resulting in the most efficient allocation of resources when needed. The electrification of processes on board the FPSO Agogo ensure optimal energy savings and minimal wastage of energy.

5) Yinson Production has partnered with Framo to equip the FPSO Agogo with hydroelectric seawater turbines. Seawater is gathered for processes onboard the FPSO. After which, it is discharged back into the sea. During this process, the kinetic energy of the moving water is used to operate the Sea Water Turbine Generator, thus producing extra electric power for the FPSO. “Yinson Production is excited to be part of the Agogo development and to support the Angolan energy sector going forward. With 30 years of experience as a FPSO provider, Yinson Production takes pride in designing, constructing, and operating what will be our most advanced FPSO. The FPSO Agogo represents a new area of design to minimize the CO2 emissions. Our highly experienced team is working diligently to create a benchmark FPSO design, setting the pace for the entire industry to follow. Simultaneously, this is a fast-track development where we are fully committed to supporting our valued client Azule Energy in aligning with their sustainability and safety objectives. “– Per Dyberg, Project Director, Yinson Production – FPSO Agogo Project. www.yinson.com/offshore-production/

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AZULE ENERGY

PORTFOLIO

Angola’s offshore and onshore oil producing, and exploration locations are segregated into defined areas or licensed ‘blocks’. Azule Energy has exploration and production activities in 20 licensed blocks.

“From these twenty licenses, the last one was added to our portfolio just in August. We are an operator of eleven blocks - three are producing blocks, and eight are in the exploration phase. In total we hold an estimate of two billion barrels of oil equivalent net resources,” explained Mongini, affirming that exploration is a crucial component of Azule, and the backbone of the company’s growth strategy.

Azule’s blocks include oil and gas production and the New Gas Consortium, Angola’s first nonassociated gas project. Azule also participates in Angola LNG JV and Solenova, a solar JV with Sonangol developing Caraculo’s photovoltaic project.

Mongini noted that Azule Energy is an operator of some of the most important and exciting development projects in the

“Our shareholders, bp and Eni, have proudly supported Africa and Angola’s energy sector for many decades. After over one year as a standalone company, Azule Energy continues the legacy of delivering safe, responsible, and cost-efficient oil and gas, being a dedicated partner in Angola’s journey towards sustainable energy development.”

Adriano Mongini, the very first CEO of Azule Energy, joined Eni in 1988 and counts

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more than 20 years of experience in managerial roles at Eni, both at the headquarters and in different affiliates, among which he was appointed Executive Vice-President of different upstream regional organizations and Deputy Chief Operations Officer for the upstream. In the very recent past, he covered the position of Eni’s Regional Manager for Europe and the Americas before moving to Angola in 2022.

Adriano Mongini, CEO, Azule Energy.

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AZULE ENERGY

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region and is planning to invest over three billion dollars equity in the next two years alone to execute them.

“Starting with oil, our current major development project is the Agogo Integrated West Hub, which includes the development of both Agogo and Ndungu fields with an overall volume of around 500 million barrels of recoverable reserves.

Agogo will be operational from mid-2026 set to reach peak production of 175,000 barrels per day in the same year.”

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AZULE ENERGY

KEY ROLE IN ENERGY TRANSITION

Mongini further affirmed that Azule is also looking to be a protagonist in the energy transition, in which gas will undoubtedly play a major role.

To this end, the company is the operator of the New Gas Consortium development project, with Sonangol P&P, Chevron and Total. The project includes the development and production of gas from two offshore platforms, an onshore gas processing plant and a connection to the Angola LNG plant, with an expected production rate of four billion cubic meters of gas per year.

The New Gas Consortium is the first of its kind in Angola.

Historically, gas has been captured as a by-product of oil extraction (associated gas).

The NGC is different in that it specifically targets to develop and produce non-associated gas located in the offshore gas fields to supply Angola LNG, thereby enhancing the nation’s gas export capability. The project is expected to start production in 2026 and includes an investment of around USD 2.2 billion.

Azule is also actively investing in a low-carbon energy mix, said Mongini. “Our partnership in Solenova, a fifty-fifty company of Azule and Angola’s National Oil Company Sonangol, earlier this year inaugurated the first phase of Caraculo’s photovoltaic plant.

The first twenty-five megawatts of solar energy are already supplying energy to Angola´s southern region and a second phase of another twenty-five megawatts is being planned.’

“We place our people and the country we operate in at the centre of what we do.”

“We are committed to promoting the sustainable development of communities in Angola, investing with our partners an average of $10 million per year in social projects in the fields of clean energy and water supply, education, health, economic development, and demining. We believe that by working together with local communities, we can create sustainable and long-lasting benefits for our stakeholders.”

The company also has a robust decarbonisation plan in place aiming to reduce up to 40% of its total GHG emissions by 2030, including zero routine flare by 2024. “The pillar of our plan includes flare down and methane emission reductions goals, improvement and streamlining of our operation processes, carbon offsets initiatives and production

of energy from renewable sources.”

In conclusion, Mongini expressed his pride in what Azule Energy has accomplished in its first year of operations as an independent energy company and his gratitude to the company employees and all stakeholders for their unconditional support.

“Our journey is just at the beginning of developing the full potential of the company.

Azule’s potential in Angola is a source of great pride and responsibility for us and we are committed to developing the opportunities in a responsible and sustainable manner. Our growing focus on natural gas and renewable energy will help to ensure that we remain at the forefront of the energy industry for years to come.

We are dedicated to making a difference, not just for ourselves but for the future of Angola and for the region.”

FOR THE REGION AND ITS PEOPLE

In his key address, Mongini acknowledged that Azule’s commitment to HSE, sustainability, and community development is non-negotiable.

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REEF CLEANING SOLUTIONS

IN ITS WORK KEEPING EDUCATIONAL PREMISES CLEAN, REEF CLEANING SOLUTIONS HAS A FEW LESSONS TO TEACH ABOUT HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS.

BACK TO SCHOOL PROJECT MANAGED BY: JAKE REEMAN

Not many people take part in work experience while at college expecting it to lead to a whole career, but for Marcus Gray that is precisely what happened. While there, he caught the attention of the firm’s director Chris Gilbey.

F

rom college, Marcus attended the University of Hertfordshire and spent time in the US at the College of Charleston studying business and economics. In his last year, he did some business development work with Chris Gilbey and Samantha Osborne’s recently formed company, Reef Cleaning Solutions.

“From that, they offered me a job after I graduated, and by that point I had a year’s experience working for Reef part-time,” Marcus says.

Marcus had been busy building up a strong foundation experience, starting his own website design company, and from the outset he was clear his ambition was to run a business.

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“That showed through to Operations Director Samantha and Managing Director Chris and has led to where we are now as businesses, with myself and our Commercial Director George Osborne making significant strategic decisions,” Marcus says.

Today, Marcus serves as Reef Cleaning Solutions’ Regional Director following previous roles in Account Management.

Reef is a contract cleaning company that focuses on the education sector, cleaning schools and colleges as well as residential and commercial premises.

The firm was established ten years ago in 2013, founded by Chris and Samantha, experienced professionals within the cleaning industry with over 35 years of experience behind them.

“They made the decision after working for large national and multi-national companies to start their own business and build from the ground up based on an ethos that put people first to deliver an excellent and

personable service,” Marcus tells us. “Today the company employs around 650 people, and we have ambitions of delivering sustainable growth that will result in employing in excess of 1000 people across London, the Home Counties, Cambridgeshire, and the Midlands.”

IN A CLASS OF THEIR OWN

From the outset, Reef decided to focus on the education sector as its core business, a sector the firm’s founders identified as a great opportunity to build their business around.

“By having a portfolio heavily weighted towards educational environments, we have been able to learn and fully understand the requirements of these and in doing so we have been able to offer clients a rewarding balance between service delivery and return on investment. Furthermore, cleaning in these environments is always going to be required, it is publicly funded and to a large degree recession-proof,” Marcus explains.

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REEF CLEANING SOLUTIONS

Marcus Gray, Regional Director, Reef Cleaning Solutions.

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“Our unique selling point has always been that we are personable and approachable,” Marcus says. “I am very keen on building professional and accommodating relationships.

We structure our management around each of our contracts with proximity in mind. It gives Managers time to get on with and be more personable with our clients. This has been fundamental in helping us establish a wellregarded reputation within the industry.

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Those relationships are critical in the post-pandemic era, a time for readjustment across

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The pandemic is a perfect example of the robustness of Reef’s business model.

“Overnight, the economy shut down,” Marcus says.

“Had our portfolio been as heavily weighted towards the commercial sector; it is likely that we would not be in the same position we are today. Schools, however, stayed open and had budgets and funding remain in place to continue operating and paying contractors like us. Fortunately, we continued to have fantastic support from a key partner of ours, Nilfisk, during this time.

In practice, the pandemic meant a great deal more work for Reef, as schools needed to continue operating, and in an environment where cleanliness and sanitisation was a higher priority than ever before.

Reef has been able to establish itself as a leading player in the education sector thanks to the strong interpersonal relationships it has been able to build.

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a wide range of sectors – the cleaning and education sectors especially.

“We have had a pandemic, which has resulted in more work, but we also face much higher expectations from clients,” says Marcus. “Across all sectors, more resources are required, and expectations have increased. However, within the education sector, public budgets remain relatively stagnant and inflationary pressures have resulted in budget implications”.

In navigating those new needs, expectations and limits, the interpersonal relationships that Reef’s management has built are more essential than ever.

“We feel in a position where we can have open and honest discussions with our clients, and this is pivotal in agreeing the expectations and delivery of service” Marcus tells us. “We can talk about what the client would like to achieve and tailor our specifications accordingly on how to reach this. We can go even further by assessing different ways of cleaning, such as innovations in AI robotics and chemical free cleaning technologies. We’re fortunate to have fantastic partners supporting us in this area, in particular Nilfisk and Avica.

FINDING CLEANERS

Clients are not the only ones with shifting expectations.

The labour market has also undergone a major shift.

“Following the official departure of the UK from the European Union, there have been fundamental changes in the macroeconomic landscape, in particular the labour market,” Marcus points out. “So, we have far more recruitment and retention campaigns taking place in an effort to staff our sites.”

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Finding reliable and consistent staff remains one of Reef Cleaning Solutions’ key priorities.

“We get approximately 80% of our staff recruited through online channels, with the rest made up of referrals through existing staff members,” Marcus points out. “More recently we have been in touch with charities and businesses in the north that specialise in helping people get back into work following periods of unemployment.”

It is not enough to recruit good staff, however. It is also essential to retain good talent and staff that go the extra mile.

“Having Managers visit their sites and recognises good work where it is done,” says Marcus.

“We encourage wage rates in line with the Living Wage Foundation.

We also offer workplaces that engage in a good team ethic and employee morale, with ad hoc ‘Cleaner of the Month’ awards that recognise good work by

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then area managers,” Marcus tells us. “There is room and scope for progress. If you do a good job, it is recognised, and those individuals will always be considered for roles that are available, both at our contracted locations and at Head Office.”

Indeed, when we speak to Marcus, he is preparing for the next step in his own career development.

“I came into the business five years ago in 2018,” he says. “Three years ago, George Osborne came on-board, and we were both eager to drive the business forward with the goal being to take on more significant roles within the business in the future. We are now at a stage where we are making key strategic decisions and are now putting in place plans to agree on sustainable growth processes for the future. We want to do this while building our brand within the sector and staying loyal to our key principles. The idea is that next year we will take on further responsibility, with George running our sales and finance teams based at Head Office and me leading the operations side of the business.”

individuals, giving them a card and voucher to say thank you.”

The business is weighted heavily towards the cleaners on the ground, but just as Marcus was recognised as a potential talent early in his career, the company management remains alert for people who would benefit from development.

“If we take a look at our current management structure, 30% of our managers have been successfully promoted internally, from being cleaners who have become supervisors, who have become area supervisors and

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Reef Cleaning Solutions is a contract cleaning company that also provides supplementary specialist and support services. We are a regional provider covering London, the home counties, and the midlands. We strive to deliver an excellent service, developing a personal partnership that transcends amongst our staff and clients.

Providing contract cleaning services to schools, offices, warehouses, communal developments and more, get in touch for a free site survey and quote today.

It all starts with a chat…

Say Hello: 01480 470110 Start a conversation: enquiries@reef-cleaning.co.uk www.reef-cleaning.co.uk

FORTY CREEK

FORTY CREEK, THE AWARD-WINNING CANADIAN WHISKY FAVOURITE FROM THE NIAGARA REGION, HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATIONAL SUCCESS STORY, SIGNIFICANTLY SHAPED BY THE COMPANY’S MASTER BLENDER, BILL ASHBURN.

CANADIAN WHISKY REDEFINED PROJECT MANAGED BY: AMANDA JONES

Forty Creek is a Canadian whisky, founded independently in 1992, when John Hall bought Rieder Distillery from its founder, renamed the distillery ‘Forty Creek’ and changed the focus from fruit spirits to whisky. Interestingly, compared to whisky production in other parts of the world, Canadian whisky has benefited from less rigid regulation. This freedom to play with the ingredient profile of mash bills, the variety of barrel types used for ageing as well as the master blending of finished whiskies is what sets Canadian whisky apart.

T

his is something that Bill Ashburn, Forty Creek’s Master Blender, can speak about with passion, as a person who has carved out a new path for Canadian whisky.

In 2000, Forty Creek’s most awarded whisky, Barrel Select, was launched, preparing the ground for business expansion.

In 2007, the first of a series of Forty Creek Annual Limited Releases were launched, which are limited-edition expressions that vary with each lot. In 2012, Forty Creek Copper

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Bold (formerly Copper Pot) and Forty Creek Creams were introduced.

In 2014, as the fastest-growing player in Canadian whisky, Forty Creek was acquired by Campari Group, the world’s sixth-largest spirit holding group. With the acquisition came a new path for innovation and excellence, widely recognised when Forty Creek was named Whisky Maker of the Decade at the 2020 Canadian Whisky Awards, solidifying its reputation for changing the game in Canadian whisky.

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FORTY CREEK

Bill Ashbourn, Forty Creek’s Master Blender.

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We raise the bar to create glass packaging with a high-end look and feel to take spirits to a new level. O-I’s glass packaging provides quality, functionality and versatility for any of your distilled spirit offerings. Glass is beautiful, versatile, pure and completely recyclable, making it the perfect packaging material for brands to present their carefully crafted spirits. It allows brands to deliver the high demand for shelf appeal and product positioning, making that consumer connection even more impactful.

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Business Focus had the pleasure of interviewing Bill Ashburn, who has been the pivotal person behind Forty Creek’s success and growing reputation. He himself first arrived at the Rieder Distillery in 1987 and has been an integral part of the brand’s development and growth ever since.

BILL, WHAT MADE YOU JOIN THE COMPANY IN THE FIRST PLACE?

After graduating from college, I started to work in the wine industry which, in Canada, is quite large and unique with a lot of flavoured wines being produced, at least at that time.

The winery I worked for started to work with Rieder Distillery and I got intrigued by the distillation process. Moving to distilled spirits was a natural evolution for me. That was over 36 years ago now and I am still here. I think I found my niche.

WHAT IS THE REASON BEHIND THE BRAND NAME? WHY FORTY CREEK?

Our distillery is in Grimsby, in the Niagara region of Canada.

We take our name from the 40 Mile Creek, which runs through the centre of the town of Grimsby and was named that way because it is 40 miles from Niagara Falls. That is the way all the creeks were named in this area when it was first settled way back in the 1700s. We decided that would be a great name for a whisky distillery.

COULD YOU BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE EVOLUTION OF FORTY CREEK OVER THE YEARS AS A BRAND?

Back in the early 1990s Canadian whisky was in decline.

We entered the Canadian whisky market at a time when everyone else was ignoring it. And we came with a new

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way of approaching Canadian whisky that was lighter and fresher. That spirit of innovation continues to this day.

Just last year, we introduced a fresh look through our redesigned packaging, a reflection of this spirit of innovation and our perpetual pursuit of excellence. This updated design serves as a symbol of our commitment to sharing premium, exceptionally smooth whisky crafted in the heart of the Niagara region with whisky enthusiasts worldwide.

Since then, we have leaned into our strong ties to the Niagara region which has influenced our latest release, Cherrywood Reserve, an homage to the Niagara fruit belt and the source of more than 90% of Ontario’s tender fruit crop.

WHY IS INNOVATION IMPORTANT TO FORTY CREEK?

From my own personal perspective, innovation is what keeps me interested.

It is what makes me get up in the morning. Innovation gives us all our inspiration and our drive to continue. It also separates us from the rest. Today we are viewed as an innovator within the marketplace. Our goal now is not only to continue growing in Canada with our existing and innovative products but now also to expand internationally.

APART FROM THE FOCUS ON INNOVATION, ARE THERE ANY UNIQUE FEATURES OF FORTY CREEK THAT DISTINGUISH THE COMPANY FROM ITS COMPETITORS? I think what makes our products and our company unique are the people who work here. We have a lot of

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FORTY CREEK

very passionate people, people who have been here a long time. We are all focused on the same goal, always striving to do better.

We are also forming partnerships with nontraditional companies within the whisky sector; we have formed partnerships with iconic Canadian brands like Balzac’s Coffee Roasters and Kotn Supply to support our recent campaigns for Forty Creek Butter Tart and Forty Creek Original Cream. We are trying to reach out beyond the alcoholic beverage industry, and that has been very successful.

We have also recently introduced the Niagara Whisky Guild, where whisky fans have the opportunity to explore the world of whisky at our Forty Creek Distillery. For select periods throughout the year, we curate three-course offerings, providing the public with a chance to engage in a handson exploration that fosters a profound understanding of whisky. We truly enjoy finding ways to educate consumers about the world of whisky.

ARE THERE ANY ACHIEVEMENTS THAT YOU ARE SPECIFICALLY PROUD OF?

We have been very successful with our whiskies not only in the marketplace but also in whisky competitions. In 2020, we were named Whisky Maker of the Decade at the Canadian Whisky Awards, and that is a pretty big achievement.

Last summer at the World Whisky Masters competition in the UK, our Barrel Select whisky, one of the original Forty Creek whiskies launched, was awarded a gold medal. A product that has been in the market for over 23 years and still winning gold medals at international competitions is quite special.

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Our latest releases, Forty Creek Cherrywood Reserve and Forty Creek Butter Tart Cream have also received gold and silver medals, respectively, from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE BRAND’S MOST RECENT LAUNCHES, FORTY CREEK BUTTER TART AND FORTY CREEK CHERRYWOOD RESERVE?

Cherrywood Reserve was inspired by its surroundings, the Niagara Region, which is home to one of Canada’s most treasured fruit belts. It is also the home of Forty Creek and the source of more than 90% of Ontario’s tender fruit crop, including the sweet and sour cherries. Embodying the bountiful Niagara Region, Forty Creek Cherrywood Reserve is steeped with kiln-dried Cherrywood staves to extract the natural flavours of this unique wood, harmoniously complementing the liquid’s own white pepper, warm spice, tart cherry, and vanilla finish.

Forty Creek Butter Tart is a cream liquor inspired by Canada’s most iconic dessert, the butter tart, meant to have a taste reminiscent of the classic Canadian delicacy. So far it has been performing extremely well for us.

WHAT ARE THE BRAND’S LONG-TERM PLANS?

Our plans are to continue to innovate. We are trying all kinds of different things that either have not been done in whisky or have been done so long ago that no one remembers. I enjoy looking at historical documents on whisky and whisky techniques as inspiration for the future.

I am always working with the rest of the Campari team on new blends and techniques to potentially introduce in future years. Our goal is to continue leading the way in the Canadian whisky landscape by creating exceptional expressions that captivate whisky enthusiasts and expand the brand’s reach.

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LEWIS PIES

WE LEARN HOW A LONGSTANDING FAMILY BUSINESS LEARNED SOME LESSONS FROM THE SOFTWARE INDUSTRY.

PIE IN THE SKY PROJECT MANAGED BY: AMANDA JONES

Wilf Lewis did not set out to run the family pastry business. He had built himself a successful career working for a software company providing applications to the real estate sector, and was all set to build on that.

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ut then family considerations entered the picture. “I could see my dad was struggling to manage the business. So, I talked to him and decided to come & give him a hand,” Lewis tells us. “My dad ran the business in a very old-school, autocratic way. There was no management structure. He did a lot of things

himself, from engineering to buying, and spreading yourself that thin makes it difficult to run a business effectively.”

A FAMILY SAGA

The business was Lewis Pies, a family-run company that has been around since 1936, when it was founded by Wilf Lewis’s grandfather.

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LEWIS PIES

“He started the business in a very small property in the Sandfields, Swansea,” Lewis recalls. “He started in one van, driving around to local shops and with three or four pies and a pasty, and that’s largely how the business looked.”

Lewis’s grandfather was not the only one with the entrepreneurial spirit, soon the whole family was getting in on the action.

“My nan was quite entrepreneurial as well, which was unusual at the time,” Lewis says. “They ran quite a popular café for the hip kids. We had the first jukebox in Swansea!

My dad very much grew up in

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a business family with lots of brothers and sisters. It was a very busy business environment. My granddad had stayed home from the war and got involved in all sorts of things, such as buying fat and selling it in the local market.

Of all of these, the bakery and the café were the businesses that stuck, and my dad was raised in that environment.”

When Lewis’s father was 15, he left school and got to work.

“He was one of three brothers, and he took a lead as the more entrepreneurial of the three, working with my granddad in the family business,” Lewis says. “It was still a very local business, but

he expanded it, drove it forward to three different sites, the third of which we’re still at today.”

This took place at the peak of the “van” age.

“Everyone had a milkman and a pie man and a potato man, and my dad was running vans across South Wales and Bristol serving chip shops and that type of business,” Lewis says.

From there, Lewis Pies expanded into wholesale operations, working with larger contractors and some retailers, delivering to supermarkets out of the back of a van.

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LEWIS PIES

“That world has very much changed now,” Lewis points out.

And so, in 2013, Wilf Lewis returned to the fold to help modernise the business. But things did not go exactly how he expected.

DIFFERENT WORLDS

Moving from real estate software to pastry was a big adjustment.

“They are two very different worlds. The margins are very different. When you sell pies, they are more of a commodity than software, so you make much less money,” Lewis explains.

“You are also dealing with very different types of people.

In software, you create an environment that people want to work in. Like British Airways or Virgin, we wanted to create an environment with lots of social

PALLET MANUFACTURER & CORRUGATED BOX SPECIALIST Proud to be associated to Wilf Lewis and wish continued success to Lewis Pies in the future.

Pontrilas Group Packaging Ltd Troserch Road, Llangennech Camarthenshire SA14 8DZ United Kingdom

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Tel: +44 (0)1554 823100 +44 (0)7977 936090 E: sales@pgppallets.co.uk www.pgppallets.co.uk

nights, an X-box in the office, bean bags etc. Manufacturing is very different. People want to earn a buck and get home as soon as they can.”

Still, while the businesses were different, Lewis had a lot to offer when he returned to the family business. The business was struggling, it had a lot of debt, and there were real concerns about whether the business could continue.

“There were a lot of things wrong with the culture, and a lot for me to take on board,” Lewis says. “Working with a family business is a huge challenge, it can be hard on relationships with your family and loved ones. You still see your parents as parents, but then you are working with them.”

If Lewis’s father thought he was going to join the company to sit in a corner and type on a computer, he was mistaken.

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LEWIS PIES

In his previous career, Lewis had studied lean management, including Kaizen, the Japanese model of efficiency he wanted to bring to Lewis Pies. But even then, he did not consider this a long-term career change.

“Initially I thought I would be here for two or three years, then move back to software,” Lewis says.

THE UPPER CRUST

Currently, Lewis has seen his company’s products selling into a range of markets, with some exciting potential ones on the horizon.

“We are working a lot with premium products. We have premium pies we sell online to a diverse range of customers, premium contracts for selling into pubs and online, as well as value products for large contracts,” Lewis says. “We also sell into wholesale businesses, larger volume buyers. Airline is a sector we are working hard on developing, with some good contracts there.”

For Lewis, the key to all of these markets is going to be consistency, ensuring the product you sell is the one customers expect.

“Something that we have worked very hard on for the last ten years is delivering a consistent product. We are breaking down what we do and making it more reliable across the board.”

This is where Lewis’s history in the software industry has come in useful.

“We have built a software platform within the business that gives us a huge amount of data to cost-efficiently deliver information to the customer,” Lewis says. “I wanted to make my team directly accountable to the customer. When you place an order with Amazon you get a lot of information- what you

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have paid, confirmation when the seller has the order, when they pick it pack and where it is on the road. That is incredibly powerful.”

Lewis wants to provide similar transparency to his customers. When we speak to him the company has 80% of this functionality in place.

The goal is for customers to know when Lewis Pies has received an order, when the production manager has put it in the production queue, and when it is produced and baked, including photos.

“I want them to know when it’s packed and on the back of a wagon,” Lewis says.

That data is useful to the business as well.

“If I run a square cheese pasty, sometimes you can

run 6,000 pasties in an hour, sometimes you can run 5,500, and sometimes you can run 7,500,” Lewis explains. “But if I know that on average, we are running 6,000 parties an hour I can cost on that basis, give the customer an accurate price and know what my margins will be. Managing waste is a great example. Some products generate more waste, so I can tell the customer that and they understand why I’m charging what I’m charging.”

Lewis’s goal is to make all of this information available through one portal rather than ten different pieces of software.

When that is achieved, maybe he will go back to the software business. But it is just as likely he will find more to do at Lewis Pies.

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WHAT’S COOKING DEESIDE UK

KK FINE FOODS HAS BECOME WHAT’S COOKING DEESIDE UK, BUT THIS IS ONLY PART OF THE EXCITING TRANSFORMATION HAPPENING ACROSS THE COMPANY, AND THE INDUSTRY.

A NEW CUISINE PROJECT MANAGED BY: AMANDA JONES

In 1987 a woman named Leyla Edwards founded a food company from her own kitchen, built on the idea of providing delicious, home-cooked food. That business grew to become KK Fine Foods.

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hen you’ve got someone like Leyla, who’s an incredibly passionate person, it affects the entire outlook of the business,” said Samir Edwards, Channel Director for Industry & Foodservice of the company when we spoke to him in 2020.

Of course, since 2020 a great deal has happened. We have seen the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and a widespread cost-of-living crisis.

“It has been tough for the whole business, our supply chain, our sales team, and our customers,” admits Sally Anglesea, Marketing Manager at the firm, when we meet her now. “But we have overcome these challenges and continue to do so through the strong relationships we have across our supply chain, logistics providers and customers.”

It has also been a time of transformation for the company formerly known as KK Fine Foods.

When we come to speak to revisit

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the company, it is now known as What’s Cooking? Deeside UK, part of the international What’s Cooking Group.

“We have all embraced that change of identity,” Anglesea says. “Of course, that has brought its own challenges. As a company established in 1987, we have a loyal customer base and a reputation we have built over many years.”

The priority during this transition has been to preserve the relationships that have carried KK Fine Foods this far.

“It can be jarring when there is a name change, and there can be a fear with rebranding that a company’s principles and ethos might change too,” Anglesea points out. “Customers trust in us and our quality, so we have managed to assure our customers that the only things that will change are our name and branding. Our high-quality” What has not changed is that What’s Cooking Deeside UK specialises in quality frozen food.

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WHAT’S COOKING DEESIDE UK

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WHAT’S COOKING DEESIDE UK

GREENING YOUR EATS Ravenscroft & Thackeray Fine Foods

Quality & Service a Tradition since 1989

Supplier of chilled, frozen and ambient foods.

We supply a wide range of cheeses, creams and butters to What’s Cooking.

Simon Ravenscroft Managing Director

T: 01745 818900 M: 07775 672888 E: simon.ravenscroft@rtff.co.uk Cranswick House Colomendy Industrial Estate Denbigh Denbighshire LL16 5TA

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Worldwide issues over the last few years have hugely disrupted the huge industry as a whole, and it has taken effort and focus to overcome those challenges.

The company’s new identity is, in part, an effort to address those challenges.

“We wanted to refresh our image and importantly we wanted to do that with sustainability in the spotlight,” Anglesea points out. “Our colour palette is very green. We want it to reflect our mission to work as a sustainable business.”

To unite it under a single company brand, the parent company adopted the What’s Cooking? brand, and as a collective the international Group is working towards one mission of sustainability and quality food across all territories and products.

“We want to keep sustainability and innovation at the heart of what we do,” Anglesea explains.

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WHAT’S COOKING DEESIDE UK

“Health of self and health of planet are closely connected and awareness of both is more prevalent now than ever before.

As a company, we want to champion the health of the world we live in, in the hope that the smaller changes we make will ultimately help to impact bigger ones.”

This push for sustainability includes the reduction of singleuse plastics across the business, while increasingly drawing on recycled materials. The company is reducing internal waste and working with charities to achieve its goals. The company also has high standards of animal welfare for the pieces of meats What’s Cooking? buys for its tasty savoury and ready meal products. But at the same time, it is introducing plant-based alternatives.

“The overall objective for the What’s Cooking Group is to become 15% plant-based, but here at Deeside we are already at that level,” Anglesea says. “‘We are proud to produce an innovative array of both vegan and vegetarian dishes that appeal to a broad audience.”

It is an attitude reflected in What’s Cooking?’s motto, “Day by day, Cooking up a better world.”

“That highlights what we are trying to do here,” Anglesea says.

It was a tool that was quickly and enthusiastically adopted by customers and staff alike.

“It’s a style of ordering and eating people really enjoy,” Anglesea points out. “It has been translated to food halls where you find so many different cuisines and everyone can order something different on their phone, with no splitting the bill. If you go to a food hall with your friends and one is adventurous and another is picky, there is something for everyone.”

There is more to it than that, however. After a year of isolation, people are hungry for more than food.

“There is a desire to be socially connected, with a different approach to what that looks like,” says Anglesea.

Meeting that hunger for social connection and high-quality food is What’s Cooking?’s ongoing mission.

“Here at the Deeside subsidiary, we are committed to producing high-quality luxury ready meals and more,” Anglesea says. “Innovation is at the heart of what we do. We are working closely with our customers to create dishes and elevate menus in ways that complement our brand and are tailored towards our target customers.”

Anglesea herself has overseen the company’s marketing department as it has worked to stay connected with food trends and consumer behaviour, staying connected with the world around it. But in the food industry, there has always been a line to walk.

“You have familiar comforts that will always remain popularthose nostalgic foodie favourites will always be features on core menus,” says Anglesea. “But you also need the trends, what is exciting, what is new. World flavours and new styles of eating.

Social and experiential eating are hugely popular right now.”

In our conversation, we have learned how What’s Cooking? is operating in a challenging, volatile, but exciting market.

“There is never a dull day at What’s Cooking Deeside UK,” Anglesea says. “Food is a conversation-starter; it connects us and is often the focus point for social occasions and events. I’m proud to work somewhere that champions this and uses it as a platform to support the health of our planet, through sustainable sourcing, plastic reduction and reduced meat consumption. The foodie future looks bright here at What’s Cooking? - and certainly very green!”

A NEW KIND OF DINING

A heightened awareness of health and sustainability is only one of the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The industry has been significantly affected by our lack of human interaction,” Anglesea tells us. “We were forced into isolation, and there are two sides to that. One side is practicalduring COVID-19, QR code ordering was introduced because it had to be. It was the route the industry found to function while staff were unable to physically engage with customers.”

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JOINT MEDICAL STORE

JOINT MEDICAL STORE PROVIDES UGANDA WITH THE SUPPLY CHAIN INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY TO GET PHARMACEUTICALS TO PATIENTS WHO NEED THEM.

SAFE AND SOUND PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN HOLLIMAN

Joint Medical Store is a private medical not-for-profit NGO established in 1979, as a wholesale warehouse provider formed by the Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau (UCMB) and the Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau (UPMB), with four branches and two distribution centres in the country. For 44 years the organisation has pursued its mandate across four key areas.

[Opposite Page] Dr Bildard Baguma, Executive Director of Joint Medical Store.

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he first of these is in the procurement of warehousing and distribution facilities for pharmaceuticals and health supplies. Joint Medical Store supplies these to facilities for private not-for-profits and the government. The organisation also procures, installs, and maintains medical equipment across Uganda’s network of medical facilities, and sometimes beyond. It is also responsible for supplying buildings that can be used by health facilities across Uganda.

Finally, it provides procurement, warehousing, and distribution to its development partners, helping it manage the whole supply chain.

“We take commodities, house them and help to provide them to the population free of charge,” says Dr Bildard Baguma, Executive Director of Joint Medical Store.

But recently Joint Medical Store has added a fifth string to its bow, in the form of a private company called Joint

Healthcare. It has brought Joint Medical Store into the manufacturing sector for health and commodities.

“We have an understanding with the Ministry of Health to provide these services,” Baguma tells us. “We are focused on ensuring that we provide highquality products. Our job is not to look for the cheapest, but for the highest quality so that we can serve the people we sell to with the highest standards that they require.”

THE RIGHT PRODUCT, AT THE RIGHT PRICE

With decades of experience in the fields of procurement, warehousing and distribution within the healthcare sector, Joint Medical Store has developed a wealth of competence across the field. It can not only provide commodities for distribution but also provide services through these facilities, supporting the healthcare organisations they serve up to and including financing.

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Akacia Medical & Healthcare Group through its subsidiaries is recognised for innovation and excellence. It is not surprising that the healthcare industry puts its trust in our products every day. With over 100 products in our stable, we are influencing and improving patient care and outcomes with our medical devices, surgical products, and diagnostic solutions. We are best known for our integrated solutions in general surgery, gynaecology, urology, respiratory, medical and surgical.

WORLD CLASS PRODUCTS THAT MEET REAL NEEDS

GENERAL MEDICAL We develop and supply our customers with products that protect patient safety and promote recovery. Our broad range of general medical products are segmented into our niche focus areas, including general medical, custom packs and trays, speciality products and equipment. From surgical gloves, suction devices, tubing, wound drains, to ICU breathing circuits, respiratory equipment, catheters, syringes, disposable textile, needles, and more – we have over 60 quality products available.

DIAGNOSTICS

SURGICAL

Our diagnostic products help provide accurate medical information so that doctors can make faster, more informed treatment decisions, that are in the best interests of the patients we serve. Our niche diagnostic portfolio includes pioneering technology divided into the areas of POCT, quality, lab line and general. From diabetes, to cardiac, hematology, blood grouping, immunoassay, ESR, proficiency materials, software and more – with our quality products we have the power to shift the healthcare paradigm from reactive to proactive.

Our high quality absorbable and non-absorbable Clinisut sutures are used in hospitals around the world and are manufactured using laser-drilled needles. This provides the best needle/suture combinations for easier passage through tissue, reducing tissue damage and ensuring a less traumatic patient experience.

We manufacture 13 different material types, offering a wide selection of needle choices.

www.akaciamedical.co.za

JOINT MEDICAL STORE

“So many products have come into the country that have not been through the right channels,” Baguma points out.

“Challenges such as antibiotic resistance are made more difficult when people cannot differentiate between what is a genuine product, and what is not,” explains Baguma.

“OUR JOB IS NOT TO LOOK FOR THE CHEAPEST, BUT FOR THE HIGHEST QUALITY SO THAT WE CAN SERVE THE PEOPLE WE SELL TO WITH THE HIGHEST STANDARDS THAT THEY REQUIRE.” “We can provide products on credit for up to 90 days so that healthcare organisations can do their work efficiently and plan better for the commodities they need,” says Baguma.

This has proved to be essential because health financing is possibly the biggest challenge facing the Ugandan healthcare sector right now.

“Most health financing is an out-of-pocket system, and this creates difficulties in facilities being able to provide the products patients need, when they need them,” Baguma says.

“We try to provide facilities with financing for our products so that they can pay over time.”

But Joint Medical Store’s priority is not just ensuring that healthcare facilities can pay for products. It is also about ensuring that they receive products of the right quality, which is an ever-more complex challenge in this day and age.

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JOINT MEDICAL STORE

This is an area where Joint Medical Store focuses a lot of its work, creating an elaborate quality management system that ensures products come from the right source, meeting specific requirements and documentation.

“For somebody to be prequalified to supply these products, we must carry out audits of where they are sourcing materials and ensure that all the products we bring in are tested,” Baguma tells us. “We have a mandate to ensure the quality of products, so use our own quality testing and quality control to test the products we bring in and supply to our customers.”

A MATTER OF STORAGE

But even when the sourcing and quality of the product have been confirmed, those products need to be stored under exacting conditions.

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JOINT MEDICAL STORE

Joint Medical Store’s quality management system continues through the warehousing and distribution of the products.

Temperature, humidity, and many other factors are continuously tested and observed to make sure products reach the patient in the optimal condition.

“The availability of adequate, pharmaceutical-grade warehousing and storage is a big challenge,” Baguma insists.

“If you do not have your own warehouses, it is difficult to find ones that reach the appropriate standards.”

Joint Medical Store, as its name implies, owns its own warehouses in Kampala and other regions where the organisation has a presence.

JMS has five warehouses spread throughout Uganda with space for 13,100 pallets, including 237 square metres of

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cold chain. The company is now constructing a warehouse for a further 10,000 pallets, which will be launched in early 2024.

“But when those are not sufficient, we look for warehousing with the right certification and quality control systems, ensuring our products are not compromised,” Baguma says.

MAINTAINING EXCELLENCE

When it comes to products, and how those products are stored, Joint Medical Store is unyielding in its approach to quality, but there is one more crucial ingredient to ensuring Uganda’s healthcare sector can rely on it.

That ingredient is its people.

“We recruit from the talent pool available within the country, primarily,” Baguma says. “We ensure people have the right qualifications and competencies to do their job.”

Maintaining the level of standards and qualification among Joint Medical Store’s 232 staff is done through Joint Medical Store’s “Centre of Excellence”.

“It is a gatekeeping system we use in-house in the recruitment and training of our staff,” Baguma points out. “We recruit staff and train them properly on the handling of all the medical products they have to work with, instilling in them the necessary competencies to work here. We then provide ongoing training to ensure they continue to build the necessary skills.”

It is clear that Joint Medical Store is a company working to the very highest standards, but while we are talking with Baguma it is clear that he is excited about something. He is talking to us at a pivotal moment in the organisation’s history.

For the first time, Joint Medical Store is moving into the manufacturing sector.

“We have entered into manufacturing. That is our vision for the future,” Baguma tells us. “We believe manufacturing quality products is crucial for the future of this country.”

At the same time, the organisation is advancing its digitalisation agenda, building a seamless interaction with its customers and the people they serve.

“Patients will no longer have to walk to the chemist,” Baguma says. “They can make the order and have it delivered at home.

We are also looking at providing add-on services, for instance, to the facilities where we provide equipment.”

In our conversation with Joint Medical Store, the recurring theme is the incredibly high standards the company maintains, and in that spirit, the best way to ensure a job is done right is to do it themselves.

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NORTHX BIOLOGICS

NORTHX, A LEADING DEVELOPMENT AND MANUFACTURING ORGANISATION WITH FOCUS ON ADVANCED BIOLOGICS, HAS EXPANDED ITS OFFERING THROUGH A RECENT ACQUISITION, SIGNIFICANTLY BOOSTING ITS MARKET POSITION.

A NEW KIND OF BIOLOGICS COMPANY PROJECT MANAGED BY: CAMERON BEAZER

NorthX Biologics is an established provider of process development and manufacturing services with expertise in the biologics used in vaccines, gene therapy and other advanced applications. Headquartered in Matfors in central Sweden, the company has been manufacturing biologics to GMP since 1992, with a proven track record of converting early-stage processes into manufacturing processes suitable for clinical applications and on into commercialization.

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n 2021 NorthX was designated a national innovation hub for advanced therapies and vaccines, with the ambition to become a leading cell and gene therapy manufacturer and partner for innovative drug development companies.

EXPANDED CAPABILITY

In summer 2023, the business entered a new stage that will significantly enhance its position not only in the Nordics but also further afield – in July, the company completed the acquisition of a biologics manufacturing unit from Valneva, the French biotech company specialising in developing and commercializing vaccines.

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As stated in the company’s press release, the acquisition includes the transfer of a multipurpose facility situated in the Stockholm life sciences cluster.

With expertise in mammalian expression systems and viral vectors, the capabilities complement those of NorthX’s existing business of advanced microbial-based manufacturing of proteins and plasmid DNA, enabling the company to offer comprehensive services to a wider range of clients.

As a result of the merger of the two companies, NorthX has also acquired a new CEO, Dr Janet Hoogstraate, previously the Managing Director of Valneva Sweden.

A distinguished

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NORTHX BIOLOGICS

Dr Janet Hoogstraate, CEO, NorthX Biologics.

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The non-proprietary approach makes it possible to use existing equipment as these vessels operate with your Process Control Systems (PCS).

The open architecture ensures no need for changing suppliers to be able to connect the CerCell vessel to tubing set, bags etc. CerCell is not bound to specific brands within the normal market and can operate with all major suppliers, allowing actual control of their vessel configuration.

When we say customized, we mean it. Everything can be changed to specifically fit end user’s needs and many more options including: • Impeller, type, number, and size.

• Aeration. All types for drill hole sparger, ring sparger and microsparger from 1 to 250 micro placed vertical or horizontal.

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• Exhaust from simple sterile filters to gas coolers in different sizes and foam bottles again in different sizes.

• Use your own sensors or we deliver them as single use solutions fitting your PCS perfectly in your total control. www.cercell.com

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NORTHX BIOLOGICS

leader in the biopharmaceutical sector, Hoogstraate holds a PhD in Biopharmaceutical Sciences and has worked in the pharmaceutical industry since 1995, in research and all phases of development as well as in local and global leadership positions.

“THE INNOVATION HUB REPRESENTS OUR DEDICATION TO DRIVING INNOVATION AND PROGRESS IN THE FIELD OF BIOPHARMACEUTICALS.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

She says that the acquisition has pushed NorthX to a new level. “The company can now draw not only on its extensive experience in GMP and nonGMP manufacturing that has led to offering a broad range of services within the biotech world but now also on the newly acquired capabilities, as NorthX moves more into cell and gene therapy applications.”

INNOVATION HUB

The expanded capability was shortly followed by another milestone that will further enhance NorthX’s position.

In September, the company officially inaugurated its stateof-the-art Innovation Hub at its Matfors facility. With a focus on manufacturing advanced biologics including vaccine,

cell and gene therapies, the hub, co-funded by the Swedish Government, supplements NorthX’s existing expertise in plasmid and protein manufacturing by adding mRNA services, reinforcing the company’s position as a comprehensive solution provider in the biopharmaceutical industry.

“The innovation hub represents our dedication to driving innovation and progress in the field of biopharmaceuticals,” said Janet Hoogstraate. “It stands as a testament to the collaborative efforts of NorthX and the Swedish government, as well as our ongoing commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions to our partners and clients for bringing new therapies to patients.”

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NORTHX BIOLOGICS

“We will now have a different business model that will include partnership with academic groups, solidifying NorthX’s commitment to advancing lifechanging therapies. Our offering is now matching the progress in biotech and enabling us to meet the sector’s evolving needs.”

SOCIAL ASPECT

She further points out that in a market populated with many large and small players, what distinguishes NorthX is its ability to build strong and long-lasting relationships with its customers, fully understanding their needs, based on its excellent scientific and technical skills.

Hoogstraate acknowledges that the company’s ethos reflects the environmentally conscious and supportive environment that exists in the Nordics. “Sweden has good educational programmes so we don’t struggle with getting and retaining the required skills. As a company, we are also actively participating in promoting education, both at secondary schools and within more advanced programmes at universities.”

Internally, NorthX strives to implement its sustainabilityrelated initiatives including energy-saving measures and the reduction of singleuse materials wherever possible. “The social aspect of sustainability is also very important to us, be it education, training and care of our own employees or giving back to the community, to enable further development of people and improving their chances in life. This is an inexpensive but highly rewarding way to improve people’s lives, and this in return improves our own lives. It’s a true win-win scenario.”

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PARTNER OF CHOICE

Speaking about market developments, Hoogstraate points out that medicine is becoming more personalised, with a focus on individual therapies. This will bring new challenges as well as opportunities.

“Personalised medicine is definitely something that will change the industry, raising the need to decrease the cost of manufacturing. That is the trend, and we all have to adapt to it.”

With its two state-of-the-art facilities NorthX is well placed to face the challenge, and with a growing focus on newer technologies for viral vectors and cell and gene therapies, the company aspires to be the partner of choice for the biotech sector.

“My major goal is to solidify our position in the Nordics, the market where a lot of innovations are happening, and to create a strong presence. In the longer term,

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NORTHX BIOLOGICS

we would aspire to achieve a global reach, expanding further into Europe and the United States. With full support from our owners, we can work with biotech in a different way, building longterm relationships with global clients.”

In concluding, she highlights the important of committed, driven and happy employees, the basis of any successful organisation. “People are our most important resource and I’m going to focus not only on management but on leadership.

People must feel valued and rewarded, and the people aspect is the key to achieving success in the long term. I want to make people proud of working for NorthX Biologics and to take responsibility for its development. That is one of my key tasks.”

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KUEHNE CHEMICAL COMPANY

WE LEARN HOW A CENTURY-OLD FAMILY BUSINESS IS CONTINUING TO EVOLVE INTO THE FUTURE.

CHEMICAL BONDS PROJECT MANAGED BY: AMANDA JONES

Kuehne Chemical Company is a 100-year-old family business in the commodity chemicals market, specialising in making bleach. But its work is about interpersonal chemistry as much as any other kind.

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KUEHNE CHEMICAL COMPANY

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e are a people-centric company,” says Zach Kuehne. “Where a lot of companies in the commodity chemical businesses focus on being competitive through low costs, we invest in our people to create a strong environment and community within the company. We talk about the three dimensions of happiness in our Human Resources department - physical wellbeing, emotional health, and financial health. Given how much time our staff spend at

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the company, we feel we have a duty to help across all three dimensions.”

That does not mean Kuehne does not compete on the lowcost side of the market, 85% of its business is in that sector, but it is always backed up by excellent customer service and a reliable supply chain.

“Our strategy is to stay somewhat regional and local in the Northeastern and MidAtlantic regions,” Kuehne tells us. “When one of our facilities needs to experience an outage,

we can seamlessly bring products in from other facilities.

That surety of supply is critical to our customers, especially in sectors such as the drinking water industry.”

Kuehne’s facilities not only have overlapping spheres of influence but also the flexibility to switch their output between two different bleach production methods, acting as a double insurance against difficulties in the supply chain.

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KUEHNE CHEMICAL COMPANY

“We also own our own transportation business, so we can schedule and deliver loads as and when we need to,” Kuehne says. “It means customers can call us on phone lines that are manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week and we can respond quickly to their needs.”

Of course, an occupational hazard of any low-cost sector is that customers will come and go depending on the vagaries of the market.

“Due to the exceptional quality of our product and our unparalleled customer service, customers typically return, often feeling a sense of relief when they do,” Kuehne says.

A FAMILY RECIPE

Competing on cost is an occupational hazard, and competing on service gives

Kuehne the edge it needs, but neither selling point is worth anything without the quality of the product to back it up.

Fortunately, Kuehne Chemical Company has no concerns on that front.

“We have a propriety process for our own concentrated bleach,” Kuehne tells us. “My father was an engineer, he designed, tested, and built out a process to make a more concentrated bleach. That is a big deal in today’s industry, especially with the strain on transportation. We can provide bleach at a concentration of 22% by volume, compared to 15% for most bleach.”

The higher the concentration of bleach, the less you need to transport. This provides several environmental benefits, such as reduced traffic due to fewer

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122 | MANUFACTURING

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required trucks, resulting in a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. However, there are reasons why not everybody adopts this approach.

“DUE TO THE EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY OF OUR PRODUCT AND OUR UNPARALLELED CUSTOMER SERVICE, CUSTOMERS TYPICALLY RETURN, OFTEN FEELING A SENSE OF RELIEF WHEN THEY DO.” It comes down to salt. “When the available chlorine level reaches 22%, salt begins to precipitate out of the solution, carrying impurities that would otherwise cause the bleach to degrade faster. The higher the concentration, the more salt precipitates out. It then re-forms into crystals,” Kuehne explains.

“Our proprietary process enables us to recover and reuse this excess salt, contributing to a more sustainable production process.

As of now, we can produce bleach at concentrations of up to 30% by volume, while recovering a significant percentage of the salt we use.

This results in a purer form of bleach that is also more stable.

We are continuously making adjustments and improvements, aiming to produce bleach with even higher percentages of available chlorine, further enhancing the sustainability of our production process.”

That the method was devised

by Zach Kuehne’s father tells you everything you need to know about Kuehne Chemical Company, which at heart is a family business.

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KUEHNE CHEMICAL COMPANY

immediate challenges and nimble responsiveness to changing circumstances.”

Indeed, it is precisely the family nature of the business that has driven its peoplecentric approach.

The importance of people to Kuehne Chemical Company, and the importance of Kuehne Chemical Company to its people, is never far from Kuehne’s mind.

“It has been an emphasis of mine since I became president,” he says. “We have been building an HR team that invests in people. That has always been a focus. For 100 years we have said that people are our greatest asset.

The machines do not run themselves.”

This is about more than money and training programmes.

Every year Kuehne offers its staff Christmas parties, laser tag and paintball tournaments, and golfing events so staff can get to know each other out of work.

“My grandfather founded the business out of his basement in Jersey City. He was making bleach in a bathtub essentially, which he sold as local laundry detergent,” Kuehne says. “My dad was an MIT-educated engineer who was instrumental in building up the business. I grew up in North Carolina and came into the business later in life after acquiring a business degree.”

A FAMILY BUSINESS

Zach Kuehne’s journey into the company has been an interesting one after growing up away from the family firm’s operations. He first became involved in the company’s operations fifteen years after his father passed away.

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During the fifteen years before joining the company there was not a Kuehne family member involved in the dayto-day operations,” Kuehne says. “Operating a company from a distance offers a unique perspective, allowing for a broader strategic focus and a bird’s-eye view of the business landscape. However, it also means being removed from the intricacies and nuances of day-to-day operations. It is a shift from overseeing from a distance to being intricately woven into the fabric of daily operations, requiring a different set of skills and a heightened sense of accountability. This hands-on approach demands a keen awareness of the

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KUEHNE CHEMICAL COMPANY

“We also looked at pay rates.

Drivers are extremely in demand, so we created a three-tier system with apprentices, journeymen, and master drivers,” Kuehne says. “We have revamped our performance review process over the last couple of years, building a culture of continuous improvement across the entire business.”

That improvement is set to keep going for the next 100 years. Kuehne tells us of plans to invest in the company’s facilities, and he has established

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a five-year strategic vision that includes a standard template for each of its facilities. He is also looking at new technologies such as hydrogen capture, which will help build the business, but also ensure it is having a positive environmental impact.

As Kuehne says, “If I could summarise our future, we are focusing on what we can control. We are investing in facilities, investing in people, and investing in the environment they work in.”

“IF I COULD SUMMARISE OUR FUTURE, WE ARE FOCUSING ON WHAT WE CAN CONTROL. WE ARE INVESTING IN FACILITIES, INVESTING IN PEOPLE, AND INVESTING IN THE ENVIRONMENT THEY WORK IN.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Good Enough Isn’t Good Enough Just because something works doesn't mean it can't be improved.

Redefining Industry Standards

Concentrated Low-Salt Bleach A Superior Product

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TOW-TRUST TOWBARS

TOW-TRUST TOWBARS, THE UK’S PREMIUM TOW BAR BRAND, STARTED FROM SCRATCH TO BECOME THE UK MARKET LEADER IN ITS SECTOR. CEO TOM MILLER TELLS THE FASCINATING STORY OF HIS FAMILY BUSINESS FROM BOTTOM TO TOP.

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TOW-TRUST TOWBARS

Tow-Trust Towbars Ltd (TT) are the UK’s largest manufacturer of tow bars, rear under-run protection devices (PRO-TECT), rear access solution steps (PRO-STEP) and towing accessories.

Based in Atherstone, Warwickshire, the company has deliberately positioned itself at the premium end of the market – sourcing the finest quality steel and using the latest technology in its design, testing and manufacturing processes, in order to supply the highest quality products.

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F

ew would assume that today’s highly successful company started from humble beginnings. Tom Miller describes the early days of the business: “My parents founded the company in 1991 with the objective of paying off their mortgage and feeding our family. I was six years old then and remember travelling with them to find the right premises.

So, you may say that I have been in the business since day one.”

The small workshop with a handful of people gradually grew, the results of his parents structured, sensible approach.

After a couple of years they moved to Carlyon Road Industrial estate, the same estate they are on today, and

every year or two they would try to acquire another unit on the estate growing Tow-Trust and laying the foundations of a sound business.

Tom and his brother Alan Miller, now the sales director, took over the reins five years ago, and continued to develop the company further. Following significant investment, a ‘super plant’ in Atherstone was born, a state-of-the-art production facility employing the latest technology, setting out the path for further business growth.

“Never in our wildest dreams would we, and our parents, have imagined TT being the UK’s largest tow bar manufacturer, but we are incredibly proud of what we have achieved,” muses Tom, adding that the company’s

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TOW-TRUST TOWBARS

customer base today consists of 1000 plus companies including top industry names such as RAC, Elddis Motorhomes, Balfour Beatty and others.

THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

So, what was behind such prominent success?

Tom highlights several aspects that pushed the company to the fore. “TT is a family-owned company. There is pride and passion in what we do, and it shows. Also, we are absolutely focused on quality. Quality of the materials, quality of the working environment, quality of the machinery, quality of the training programmes, quality in the way we treat our customer base.”

Tom Miller, CEO, Tow-Trust Towbars.

“Another key differentiator is the level of service. We know our customers by name; we do not consider them just an account number on a revenue stream. We take time to speak to them, to get to know them.

The high level of customer service is what my parents built this company on, and that is going to continue.”

“This ethos is unparalleled, and that’s what makes TT different, that’s why we have grown. Too many companies focus on spreadsheets, and forecasts and profit margins, forgetting the core purpose of a business. Yes, we have got a good product. But a good product is only a good product if you can sell. Without a customer base, you have nothing.”

TOP QUALITY, TOP RELIABILITY

The demands of a tow bar are relatively simple – it needs to be safe, fit well, look good, and do the job it was intended for.

However, attention to detail makes all the difference, says Tom. “In today’s market where

money is tight and competition is high, it turns out that quality is still a word that means something.”

“We use material that is superior to that used by competitors, we use the longest lasting paint finish in the industry, we try to make sure that our packaging is of the highest grade we can possibly afford. The bottom line is that we end up with is the best quality, the longest lasting product in the industry. And customers recognise that.”

“We are also striving to make our packaging 100% recyclable in line with our sustainability target. Sustainability is a big topic for us, and we are making sure that we’re at the forefront of it – from energy consumption to fuels for our vehicles, and we are also looking at sustainability measures at our customers and suppliers.”

Environmental considerations are also reflected in the current facility expansion that includes advanced energy-saving machines achieving higher output. The plan is also to

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TOW-TRUST TOWBARS

increase warehouse capacity and add a new two-storey large office block, including training suites, conference rooms and a canteen, to enhance organic business growth.

UNHINDERED BY THE CHALLENGE

And growth is definitely on the agenda. Despite the industry downturn, TT has recorded 11% growth in the last 12 months and continues to increase staff numbers. “To find good quality engineers is currently my biggest challenge,” admits Tom. However, that challenge is being addressed, he affirms.

“I’m going to create a blueprint, something like the old-fashioned apprenticeship, but purely based around Tow-Trust Towbars. A sort of ‘school of excellence of tow bar manufacture’. We have already recruited some young employees and are now creating a structured training system for them.”

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TOW-TRUST TOWBARS

“I hope that in five years’ time, we will have a new, fresh team here, brought through the training programme. They may not stay with me forever, but I will have provided them with skills that will set them up for life.

I feel this is my responsibility as a business owner.”

He plans to get schools on board, to invite young people to do work experience at TowTrust, followed by a possible apprenticeship. “I’m confident this blueprint will help to create the next generation of engineers. At which, as a country, we have failed. We have become a nation of warehouses and I want to help change that.”

SENSIBLE FUTURE

Asked about the company’s plans for the future, Tom affirms that stability is the key. “The sensible, well-managed growth that my parents initiated will continue to be our way into the future,” he says, affirming the focus is now on implementing the facility expansion, due to be completed in early 2025.

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After that, new opportunities will be explored. “Could we push for more business internationally? Yes. However, at this point in time, my objective is to stabilise the business following the steep growth we have experienced over the last few years. And only when I am confident that all is in place will we push again. If we go international, we will do it right and we will

succeed. But it doesn’t happen overnight.”

With such a clear plan and dedication, Tom is set to further grow the company his parents set up with humble ambitions. “My parents come to the factory now, walk around and are fascinated how TT has developed into this incredible, successful company. We are really proud of what we have achieved.”

“WE USE MATERIAL THAT IS SUPERIOR TO THAT USED BY COMPETITORS, WE USE THE LONGEST LASTING PAINT FINISH IN THE INDUSTRY, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PACKAGING IS OF THE HIGHEST GRADE WE CAN POSSIBLY AFFORD.” MANUFACTURING | 131

KLOECKNER METALS CORPORATION

132 | METAL & MACHINERY

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KLOECKNER METALS CORPORATION

SINCE WE LAST LOOKED AT KLOECKNER METALS CORPORATION, THEY HAVE BEEN INVESTING HEAVILY IN THEIR EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING.

CROSSING BORDERS PROJECT MANAGED BY: HAYDEN TURNER

As one of the largest steel service centres in North America, Kloeckner Metals Corporation provides supply chain solutions to all the industry segments and consumer bases that use steel, as well as other metals. It sits between the metal producer and the ultimate end-user of the product, providing a range of supply chain value-added services.

Those services are supported by a network of supply chain partners which the company can turn to when its clients have needs Kloeckner’s internal capabilities cannot meet.

B

ut with a national footprint of over 43 locations across the US and Mexico, Kloeckner has already equipped itself to handle the more complex end of the market.

It is just over a year since we last spoke with Kloeckner Metals Corporation, and the company has been busy in the meantime. With ambitions for greater capabilities, a bigger geographical footprint, and a presence in the renewables and e-mobility markets, Kloeckner has used the time since we last looked at it to invest heavily, starting with its equipment.

METAL AND ROLL

Among those investments is the recent acquisition of an exciting new piece of equipment at the company’s Santa Fe Springs, California location. Kloeckner has purchased a four-roll MCB Davi rolling machine that is

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capable of rolling metal plate up to 3-3/8” at 120” wide. The state-of-the-art equipment gives Kloeckner’s Santa Fe facility access to advanced technology and improved performance. It is the perfect tool to streamline Kloeckner’s production processes.

Plate rolling is fundamental to the metal fabrication industry, used for bending and shaping sheets or plates of metal to achieve the desired shape.

Wherever you find curved, cylindrical, or conical metal components, plate rolling has likely been used.

This new MCB DAVI rolling machine can handle a huge variety of metal materials, from steel to stainless steel, to aluminium, and other alloys, with plate thicknesses ranging from 3/16” up to 4-5/16”, depending on the material’s properties and type.

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KLOECKNER METALS CORPORATION

Kloeckner will use this equipment to offer its clients more efficient and costeffective solutions to meet their production needs. With its 6,500 tons of bending power, the device will prove a real game changer, but it is far from the only investment Kloeckner has made.

LETTING IN THE SUN

As well as acquiring new equipment, Kloeckner Metals Corporation has recently acquired an entire company as part of its expanding commitment to sustainability in the North American market.

It has bought Sol Components, a leading provider of end-to-end structural solar solutions for the commercial and utility solar sectors. It has a strategic

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move which demonstrates the pivotal role Kloeckner plans to play in advancing sustainability and positioning the company to help transform the United States into a more renewablecentric energy economy.

“We extend a heartfelt welcome to the talented and experienced Sol Components team, whose immediate contribution will elevate our portfolio of high-valueadded products and services.

This strategic acquisition underscores Kloeckner’s unwavering commitment to being your partner in shaping a sustainable tomorrow,” John Ganem, CEO of Kloeckner Metals Corporation, has said of the purchase.

It is all part of Kloeckner’s “Leveraging Strengths” strategy, in which sustainability

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plays a key part.

Sol Components’ design and engineering expertise means that the company is poised to build integrated, efficient, and sustainable supply chain solutions for the solar market.

A GREATER FOOTPRINT

While expanding its capabilities, Kloeckner has also been growing its geographic footprint with the acquisition of National Material of Mexico, an essential milestone in the company’s North American expansion.

National Material of Mexico is a leading independent service centre and materials supplier that serves North America’s automotive and industrial end markets, with ten facilities situated throughout Mexico.

The deal provides Kloeckner with its deep expertise in the service centre business, as well as a powerful growth platform.

The combined presence of Kloeckner and National Material of Mexico creates a force of 2,600 employees across 56 sites.

“With National Material of Mexico, we have found the ideal complement for the future progress of Kloeckner Metals Corporation,” Ganem has said. “We look forward to working with the strong team at National Material of Mexico and are convinced that we will continue our success story in the North American market as a combined company.”

The acquisition of NMM enables KMC to significantly expand its footprint in Mexico and increase its presence where the key automotive and industrial customers are located.

The high complementarity of regional presence, customer segments and NMM’s major footprint

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KLOECKNER METALS CORPORATION

within the automotive sector make the transaction a perfect fit for both companies.

“The closing of this transaction marks an important milestone on our way to implementing our corporate strategy ’Klöckner & Co 2025: Leveraging Strengths’,” remarked Guido Kerkhoff, CEO of Kloeckner Metals Corporation’s parent company, Klöckner & Co SE. “As a result, we will further strengthen our position as a leading distributor of steel and metal products and as a steel service company in North America in the long term.

From now on, our customers will benefit from an even larger product and service portfolio.”

The prospects for Kloeckner across North America are exciting. With a broad presence across the USA and Mexico, the company is positioned to continue expanding its presence and product offering. The company will develop its existing relationships thanks to the crossselling capabilities Kloeckner and National Material of Mexico can provide.

The acquisition also provides Kloeckner with better access to electrical steel for the growing renewable energy sector and the rising demand for electric vehicles in North America. With National Materials of Mexico’s highly experienced management team on board, it and the Kloeckner Metals Corporation brand are moving forward into a bright and promising future. It will be interesting to see where that takes them the next time, we check on their progress.

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GOLDSOURCE MINES

GOLDSOURCE MINES

WE RETURN TO GOLDSOURCE MINES TO LEARN ABOUT THE EXCITING PROGRESS IT IS MAKING AT ITS EAGLE MOUNTAIN PROJECT.

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It is two years since we last checked in on Goldsource Mines, a Canadian exploration and development company that targets high-quality exploration assets in jurisdictions with a well-defined mining code.

T

he management has a strong, established track record in the field of phased development plans, and Goldsource leverages that reputation and experience to focus on assets that offer a growing resource scale with opportunities for production and capex scalability. Goldsource targets projects with these attributes precisely because they enhance the possibilities for project development that is timely and generates good shareholder returns.

Since we last spoke with Goldsource the company has been busy, recently giving an extensive update on its engineering and exploration activities at the Eagle Mountain Gold Project in Guyana, South America.

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The project is located roughly 7 kilometres to the south of Mahdia Township, a central mining location with a population of 3,000 people, itself approximately 325 kilometres from Georgetown by road or commercial air. Mahdia’s local economy is dominated by small-scale mining activity. The town’s population provides an able and skilled workforce as well as a variety of mechanical shops whose craftspeople are familiar with mining. It is also the capital of Potaro Region 8, and so offers a local hospital, school, shops, and a paved airstrip for local mining projects.

The Eagle Mountain Project is reachable from this township through a network of unpaved roads and tracks. At the project itself, Goldsource supports its field activities with a 65-man exploration camp and offices.

It is a valuable site, which boasts two gold deposits, Eagle Mountain and Salbora, alongside several other potential exploration targets.

These structurally controlled deposits are affected by a zone of saprolitic weathering that is up to 50 metres thick, with gold

mineralization starting at the surface in soft saprolite rock and extending into the fresh rock beneath.

For 2023 Goldsource Mines has established a work program that includes engineering activities that target the delivery of a Preliminary Economic Assessment alongside generative exploration and drilling activities to test new targets that fall under the Eagle Mountain Prospecting License.

Goldsource has seen good progress through these activities, as reflected in the results it announced for the fourth quarter of 2023. The company has completed $2.7 million in equity financing, leaving its balance sheet in a far stronger position not long after Goldsource has undergone an extensive review of geological data.

Goldsource has collaborated with geological consults to review this data, heralding its return to a period of greater exploration activity.

The company has big plans in place as it moves forward, including more generative work and drilling, as well as testing new and existing targets for future mining operations.

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GOLDSOURCE MINES

CONTINUED ENGINEERING

Goldsource Mining has put in place a low-capex intensity phased development plan for the Eagle Mountain Project that has been divided into several key phases. The first phase of that project, which will take place over roughly seven years, will involve shallow, low strip ratio open pits for saprolite resources, including a processing plant design that will take advantage of the beneficial characteristics of saprolite, such as low power requirements and higher levels of metallurgical recovery.

From there Goldsource will enter the second phase, which optimisation studies are already in progress for. This phase will look at the potential development of select higher-

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grade fresh rock resources beneath the saprolite, building on phase one’s timing and production scale to make the most of the infrastructure already in place.

“Mineral resources at Eagle Mountain are distinctly shallow, starting at surface. This and a significant soft-rock saprolite component, much of which does not require drilling and blasting, has the potential to translate to lower-than-average capital and operating cost intensities vis-à-vis conventional hard rock operations of a similar grade,” Steve Parsons, CEO of Goldsource, has said. “Our stated objective has been to leverage the benefits of the saprolite. This will be reflected in our phased development approach for Eagle Mountain giving initial priority to the saprolite mineralization followed by an expansion into fresh rock resources.”

To pursue these next stages of the Eagle Mountain project, Goldsource is working with

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GOLDSOURCE MINES

Consultants Canada Ltd to prepare the Preliminary Economic Assessment, as well as metallurgical engineering consultants Soutex Inc. to assist with the design of its process plant. Goldsource has chosen these firms to work with because of their significant design and operational expertise in saprolite mining and phased development plans.

of the PL. Soca is one such area that has benefited from increased knowledge of the mineralization genesis, styles and alteration.”

It seems that everywhere we look at the Eagle Mountain

Project, prospects are hopeful.

It will be interesting to see how those prospects have grown if we return in another two years.

Goldsource Mines’s future looks like it is going to be as good as gold.

“MINERAL RESOURCES AT EAGLE MOUNTAIN ARE DISTINCTLY SHALLOW, STARTING AT SURFACE.”

EXPLORING POSSIBILITIES

As well as planning out the engineering work that will bring Eagle Mountain into production, Goldsource is also exploring new possibilities.

The company has expanded its generative exploration program, adding new potential targets to an already exciting pipeline of locations where Goldsource has exploration agreements in place.

By working with independent geological consultants, the firm has recently finished a multimonth review of all geological data, including site visits that allowed Goldsource to enhance its exploration models for prospects.

Looking forward, Goldsource is planning to test new concepts with generative techniques and core drilling.

“The comprehensive geological review completed in recent months, with significant input from industry experts, has enhanced the team’s exploration model for the various styles of mineralization at the Project,” said Kevin Pickett, Chief Geologist of Goldsource.

“Importantly, advancements confirm the current mineral resource model while also providing key information with respect to the geological genesis, which will enhance exploration targeting, notably in underexplored areas

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MLG OZ

WE LEARN HOW A FOUNDER-LED BUSINESS IS LEADING THE WAY FOR MINE SITE AND SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS.

ALL UNDER ONE ROOF PROJECT MANAGED BY: JAKE REEMAN

Murray Leahy was born into a farming family, but at an early age that family moved to the goldfields. From the beginning, Leahy was interested in business, leaving school to work at his parents’ company and becoming skilled in machinery operation before taking up an opportunity to work with his father at his newly founded business, MLG Oz, and eventually Leahy bought his father out.

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MLG OZ

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hese experiences instilled in young Leahy the values that would come to determine MLG Oz, a company founded to deliver innovative mine site and supply chain solutions from concept to commercialisation.

In Australia, MLG Oz has built itself a reputation for delivering end-to-end services throughout the entire lifecycle of a project, making it an invaluable ally to the mining and civil infrastructure industries of Australia.

The company was founded in 2002 in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. In the beginning, MLG Oz primarily focused on hauling silica for Australian multinational mining company BHP. Soon after that it achieved

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its first large contract with Barrick Gold and has gone on to grow 100% every year since 2009. From these humble beginnings, the company has grown into a publicly listed firm on the Australian Stock Exchange, employing over 1,000 people across its 34 sites in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Its clients include some of the country’s most prominent resource companies across the gold, iron ore, nickel, and base metals sectors.

With a fleet of roughly 1,050 heavy vehicles and supply equipment, MLG Oz can offer those clients an integrated service offering not quite like anything else in the industry.

BRINGING VALUE

This capacity is fuelled by an unwavering dedication to not only meeting but exceeding clients’ expectations.

That dedication has formed the foundation of the firm’s success over the last 21 years. It is encoded in a code of conduct that Leahy calls simply, “Our Way of Doing Business,” and it draws on the company’s guiding values of Integrity, Respect, Equality and Responsibility.

Breaking that down, MLG believes that every incident and injury is preventable, and that all its workers have the right to go home safely at the end of the day. It is encoded in the respect that MLG shows its customers and employees and the belief that people perform best when they are empowered, accountable and recognised.

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Your Problems, Our Solutions ILD and Sinopec bring a premium product range and a superior technical package to the Australian mining industry. Offering grounded on delivering value, performance, and excellent customer service.

ILD supplies many of Australia’s premier mining and transport companies – yours should be next.

But perhaps surprisingly the company does not expect perfection. Instead, it recognises the occasions when it does not get things quite right as an opportunity to learn from its mistakes. This is an important part of MLG’s journey towards excellence in customer service delivery.

In all cases, this is informed by a commitment to acting ethically and within the law, seeing that its customers’ success will fuel MLG’s own journey.

THE FULL SERVICE

E: customer.service@ilddirect.com T: +61 1300 558 939 sinopeconline.com.au www.ilddirect.com

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When Leahy’s father established MLG Oz, it was with a singular vision in mind. There was a crossover between the civil & construction, bulk haulage & site services, crushing & screening, and open pit mining & construction materials sectors, and Leahy’s father foresaw that a business could do well by leveraging those synergies.

That ability to offer all these services, including the construction materials necessary to carry them out, under one roof, made MLG Oz stand out from the competition.

In the company’s civil and construction division, MLG specialises in a broad range of services for mining companies across Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Making the most of the firm’s multi-disciplinary approach, its operations here are supported by project managers, supervisors, and experienced plant operators, all collaborating to deliver cost-effective and operationally efficient solutions for clients.

The firm has generated a wealth of experience in bulk earthworks, the construction of water dams, pipeline builds and scour pits, and clearing and topsoil stripping operations.

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MLG OZ

It is also able to offer site rehabilitation and mechanical seeding, the construction of haul roads, and other civil works including the concrete necessary to build them.

On top of construction, MLG also provides maintenance for roads including grading, watering, and signage installation.

But as well as the handson work of construction and maintenance, MLG also boasts design capabilities for drainage culverts, floodways and bunds.

And that is only one sector of the business. In the bulk haulage and site services arm of the company, MLG can offer a full end-to-end solution that incorporates mine site haulage, crusher feeds, road maintenance, vehicle maintenance, machine and labour hire and rehabilitation work.

This firm’s all-encompassing offering provides on-site operational mine site solutions, working with its clients to support the delivery of production plans while coordinating logistics services in line with production forecasts.

The company’s modern fleet of prime movers and trailers enables the transport of large volumes of material through safe, efficient, innovative solutions with minimal downtime.

MLG’s capabilities also include a range of crushing and screening solutions, again utilising its modern and extensive fleet of track-mounted and ancillary equipment. The firm can provide primary, secondary, and tertiary crushing services, blast hole stemming production, fixed plant turnkey solutions, concrete aggregate production and runof-mine management, among others, as well as mobile, trackmounted crushing and screening plants.

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All these capabilities come into play with MLG’s specialised mining contract solutions for open pit mines, run by a dedicated in-house mining team with specialised fit-for-purpose equipment. These capabilities are not just for outsourcing – MLG owns and operates its own strategically located quarries positioned close to key mining hubs, allowing the firm to source, produce and supply construction materials to the mining and civil construction sectors.

With the expertise, equipment, and resources, MLG can deliver mine planning and design, drill and blast services, ore extraction and removal, dewatering services and reclamation and rehabilitation services.

THE PARTNER YOU NEED

Across all these business sectors, MLG is an invaluable ally because it can outsource its risks where other providers cannot, looking for the best way to direct capital. These capabilities have seen the firm recently extend its ongoing project with Ora Banda Mining for another two years and be awarded a five-year contract from Westgold Resources this September.

But in all of this, MLG Oz’s most valuable asset remains its people, with the in-depth and diverse expertise they bring with them. The story MLG is the story of Leahy offering those people the opportunity to flourish.

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ORICA

ORICA IS PROVIDING THE TOOLS FOR A GREENER, AND MORE DIGITAL MINING INDUSTRY.

INNOVATION MINE PROJECT MANAGED BY: DEAN BROWN

Orica has gone by many names in its nearly 150 years of history. It started out as a 19th-century explosives supplier to the Victorian goldfields of Australia, growing to become one of the world’s leading providers of mining and infrastructure solutions. Today, as well as producing and supplying explosives and blasting systems, Orica offers mining chemicals and geotechnical monitoring that relies on cutting-edge digital solutions. With a comprehensive range of services, Orica is making a concerted effort to create a mining industry that is not only modern but sustainable.

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o achieve that, Orica draws on the expertise of a community of more than 12,000 engineers, technologists, scientists, and business specialists, including its in-house team of more than 200 scientists, engineers, and technologists. That also includes operators and on-site support crew who work with customers across the surface and underground mining, quarry, construction and oil and gas operations.

In all of these operations, Orica’s pioneering spirit and commitment to collaboration and innovation take it to the latest and best possible solutions to modern mining challenges. The company has technology centres in Australia, the USA, Canada, Sweden, Germany, and Singapore, as well as its world-renowned Centre for Innovation and Collaboration in Chile. With each

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of these centres of excellence focusing on a different area of technology and research, Orica can supply a full suite of leading technological solutions.

This is why, this September, Orica was recognised as the Most Innovative Large Company in the Agriculture, Mining and Utilities category for Avatel™ in the 2023 Australian Financial Review and Inventium’s Most Innovative Companies List.

The award was given following an assessment by the consulting firm Inventium and a panel of industry experts, in a list published by the Australian Financial Review (AFR) and Boss Magazine.

FRUITS OF COLLABORATION

Part of the reason Orica has been awarded this prestigious title is the work it has done alongside equipment manufacturing firm Epiroc to develop Avatel™, a solution which combines the

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BIAZZI S.A.

ORICA

BIAZZI provides processes, technologies and plants for Explosives, Nitro aromatics, and Hydrogenation. In these areas, BIAZZI is a world leader as a result of know-how, expertise and extensive experience.

HISTORY BIAZZI is a highly specialized engineering and technology company founded in 1936 by Dr. Mario Biazzi, a renowned specialist in explosives.

From inception, BIAZZI was active in technologies for the manufacture of explosives. In 1946, BIAZZI designed and constructed its first industrial plant for the Nitration of aromatic compounds. In 1992, BIAZZI entered the field of liquid phase catalytic Hydrogenation, a chemical synthesis process, utilized across the range of plastic, pharmaceutical, food, and specialities chemical industries.

EXPLOSIVES: The start of an ongoing success story BIAZZI is the global leader in the Nitro-glycerine field. Today more than half of worldwide Nitro-glycerine production, spread over 5 continents, utilizes BIAZZI Technology. BIAZZI has built more than 250 plants for explosives manufacture and in this area has built extensive know-how in all aspects related to the Nitration process. This knowledge is well complimented by strong expertise in product handling, safe design, and an outstanding safety record. BIAZZI continually invests in R&D to increase the safety and efficiency of the Nitration technology offering.

BIAZZI capably delivers safe and efficient processes and plants for the manufacture of: Nitro-glycerine, PETN, RDX, HMX, DEGDN, TEGDN, PGDN, BTTN, TMETN and other explosives.

NITOAROMATICS Leveraging Nitration expertise, in the 1940’s BIAZZI expanded process development efforts to additional products requiring a Nitration step. BIAZZI built its first Nitro aromatic plant to produce Dinitrotoluene (DNT) in 1946.

During more than 60 years in design, engineering, delivery and operation of Nitro aromatic manufacturing plants, Biazzi built extensive and unique capability. In 2016, BIAZZI established its largest unit with capacity to manufacture 360,000 tons of DNT per year. To date more than 50 Biazzi Nitro aromatic manufacturing plants have been constructed worldwide.

most advanced explosives technology available to create levels of control, precision and above all, safety in underground blasting that were previously unattainable in the industry.

This is not simply a new product or technique, but something that has the potential to completely change the way the underground mining industry works at the development face.

The service received its first complete, official commencement at Newcrest’s Cadia Valley Operations in New South Wales earlier this year. It is a tool that has the potential to make a real positive impact on the lives of the workers who are most directly involved in the development environment.

HYDROGENATION and other GAS/LIQUID REACTIONS Based on decades of successful experience in the design and the construction of equipment for production of Explosives and Nitroaromatics, in 1992 BIAZZI launched the Hydrogenation division. Since 1992 BIAZZI has built more than 70 Hydrogenation plants for customers worldwide.

Biazzi Hydrogenation technology is well suited to a wide range of applications, from chemical manufacturing to food, fragrance, and pharmaceutical production.

The BIAZZI High Performance Reactor (BHPR) System is a unique reactor system specially and successfully developed by Biazzi engineers to overcome the limitations encountered in hydrogenation reactions.

A notable strength of BIAZZI is the ability to scale up laboratory Hydrogenation results to any size industrial scale reactor based on a few weeks’ laboratory evaluation and data gathering. Process scale-up guarantees are given based on tests executed in the Biazzi test centre utilizing raw materials provided by the client.

BIAZZI offers everything from Key-Equipment (the reactor and filter system) and basic engineering, up to and including turn-key SKID mounted units for Hydrogenation, including implementations for batch and continuous operations.

As a Process provider, BIAZZI delivers a basic engineering package, together with the key equipment, which enables BIAZZI to provide full process guarantees. www.biazzi.com

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“The industry faces substantial challenges in obtaining safe access to challenging orebodies due to the increasing demand for critical minerals,” said Angus Melbourne, Orica’s Chief Technology Officer. “Our collaboration with Epiroc and our customers positions Avatel™ to fulfil our joint aspiration to develop blasting solutions that prioritise safety and productivity. By harnessing technology, integrating into workflows, we are paving the way for a safer, productive, and more responsible mining industry towards our net-zero ambition.”

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ORICA

A GREENER BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Orica’s focus on innovation is not just for innovation itself.

It is about using technology to create a greener, more sustainable mining sector. It is an approach that has led Orica to eliminate a quarter of a million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from its Kooragang Island manufacturing facility by deploying tertiary catalyst abatement technology.

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The company has installed three tertiary abatement reactors at the facility, eliminating a fifth of the plant’s carbon dioxide equivalent emissions between November 2022 and August this year.

In real terms, that translates to a 95% reduction in nitrous oxide emissions, relative to 2019 levels, for every tonne of nitric acid produced at the facility for the mining, agriculture, health, and food industries.

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ORICA

THE DIGITAL FRONTIER

“This is another proud and critical milestone in Orica’s decarbonisation journey and ambition to achieve net zero emissions by latest 2050,” said Germán Morales, Orica Group’s Executive and President for Australia Pacific. “We are accelerating action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions today, ensuring a sustainable future for our manufacturing facilities and supporting customers in achieving their sustainability goals. We are already seeing the benefit of this technology at our Kooragang Island facility, with an annual estimated reduction of 500,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. Now, as we continue our decarbonisation efforts, we will focus on installing the same proven technology at our Yarwun facility.”

The efforts are crucial precisely because Orica’s Kooragang Island facility is one of New South Wales’s largest industrial gas users. Roughly 10 to 15% of the total New South Wales gas output goes through that facility a year.

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From here, Orica is committed to reducing its site-based emissions by using renewable hydrogen as a feedstock. The goal is to continue reducing its Scope 1 emissions while producing low-carbon ammonia for the export market and freeing up the supply of gas for the domestic household market.

At the same time, Orica is partnering with Origin Energy on the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub to deliver a commercialscale renewable hydrogen supply chain for the Newcastle industrial and port zone.

“We are deeply committed to continuing support for our customers by future-proofing our regional manufacturing, jobs and economies,” Morales says. “As we progress plans to develop the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub, by leveraging our unique location, existing operations, experience and end markets, we will not only address some of our most material greenhouse gas emissions but also create future markets for Orica while supporting our customers as the world transitions.”

The other area where Orica is making crucial technological progress is on the digital side of the business. Most recently the company has launched its new BlastIQ™ Underground technology, an integrated digital solution for improving underground blasting performance.

The platform has been developed by Orica Digital Solutions to provide quality control alongside improved drill and blast productivity. It is a way to efficiently the entire blasting process, from planning to postblast analysis, with a suite of userfriendly reporting, analytics, and information management tools.

“Orica is continually growing its digital offerings for customers to align with the swift digital transformation across the industry,” said Orica’s Vice President of Digital Solutions, Rajkumar Mathiravedu.

“Our software ensures that every blast is executed precisely, and the desired outcomes are achieved.

This level of accuracy translates into significant cost savings and improved resource utilisation for our customers. To better cater to our customers, we are amassing a digital technology portfolio that complements our core blasting technologies such as 4D Underground, WebGen, and Avatel.”

These tools are essential in response to the ground demand for critical minerals, and data and insights provided by tools like BlastIQ™ Underground are key to meeting that demand.

They are also a valuable asset for reducing the environmental footprint of mining operations, minimising ground vibrations, air overpressure and environmental impact thanks to precision drilling and blasting capabilities.

With these tools, Orica is a valuable ally for the mining industry.

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ALPLA

ALPLA IS A PIONEERING COMPANY IN THE PACKAGING INDUSTRY PROVIDING SOLUTIONS FOR A SAFE, AFFORDABLE, & SUSTAINABLE LIVING WORLDWIDE, UPLIFTED BY A DIVERSE & WELL-TRAINED TEAM.

LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN HOLLIMAN The ALPLA Group is the world leader in the field of innovative production and recycling packaging solutions. The family-owned business has 190 sites across almost 50 countries around the world. This proximity to its international customer base has allowed the company to waive much of its transportation costs while remaining responsive to its customers’ needs.

[Opposite Page] Javier Delgado, ALPLA’s Regional Managing Director for Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey.

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e can provide a onestop shop for our customers,” explains Javier Delgado, Regional Managing Director for Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey.

“Customers can get the product from us, the plastic bottles and cap, but then we can label it, sleeve it, fill it, and close it.

Upstream we can manufacture the mould, design the products, and offer modelling and sketches. Downstream, we can work from within the customers’ own facilities, avoiding secondary packaging and transportation costs and filling for them at their own premises.”

These solutions are providing a unique way to ALPLA’s customers around the globe, and in the African, Middle Eastern and Turkish markets, we can see that model at its best.

In this region, the company is present in nine countries, with a turnover of half a billion dollars. The firm has 18 facilities, including 14 of its own plants and four lines in-house at its customers’ premises.

“Food and beverages make up approximately 60% of our business,” Delgado says. “Soft drinks, juice, and water bottles.

The second biggest segment is home care, followed by personal care, and then we have four more segments - dairy, pharmaceutical, oil and lubricant and agrochemicals. These are the seven segments where we operate in our region.”

Those customers include global accounts such as CocaCola, Pepsi, Unilever, and P&G as well as local accounts, such as Refriango, and to serve them ALPLA AMET employs 2,500 people.

“We are pioneering, customerorientated, and with 68 years of experience built around one main pillar – our employees,” Delgado tells us.

A PIPELINE OF TALENT

Of course, ensuring a sure and steady supply of employees of the right calibre is a challenge in itself.

“The pillars of our 2026 strategy include one named ‘Horizon 10’, the goal of becoming a 10-billion-euro business by 2025, and one named ‘Talent Powerhouse’, which is linked to our employees,” Delgado says.

“Finally, our third pillar is ‘Family Corporation,’ a new structure for the business that will combine

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ALPLA

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Celebrating 32 years

OF PACKAGING MANUFACTURING AND SUPPLY TO INDUSTRY. Wave Paper specialises in the Design, Development and Manufacturing of Industrial Packaging solutions.

WAVE PAPER (PTY) LTD T: +27 (0)31 705 3344 / E: andrew@wavepaper.co.za

www.wavepaper.co.za

the best aspects of being a family-owned business and a listed corporation.”

In many ways, that second pillar is the most important. The company needs an ongoing pipeline of fresh talent that can develop and grow within the company. The international ALPLA Group as a whole has an apprenticeship scheme running across several countries, in collaboration with local governments and providing

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recognised accreditation to students in the fields of mechatronics and plastics.

An Austrian accreditation will always complement the local one (dual accreditation).

“We recruit students every year for a course that is both practical and theoretical,” Delgado explains.

“After three years 95% of the students continue within the organisation, while others take their qualification elsewhere.”

In the region (particularly in South Africa), next year ALPLA intends to hire 12 more students again. After continuing this way for three years in a row, the company will have a rolling stock of 36 apprentices undergoing its course at a time.

“We offer them this dual apprenticeship but pay them a salary while they study with us,” Delgado points out.

It is a model that ALPLA has replicated across five or six countries, and Delgado tells us the plan is to double that over the next three years, then continue to do so in pace with the company’s growth. However, these apprenticeships are only the beginning of a lifelong process of constant training for its existing employees, both onsite and externally.

“This training is connected with our corporate offices in Austria, so exposure to travel and different cultures is available to our staff from a technician level upwards,” Delgado says. “We have learning centres in every country where we are training people from the shop floor onwards.”

It has created a powerful and diverse team.

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ALPLA

“One of the parts of my responsibility that I most enjoy is the opportunity to work in a multicultural environment,” Delgado tells us. “It gives us the chance to deal with different cultures, genders, religions, and ages. This is what makes our region unique in the ALPLA world, among any companies. It makes us strong and makes me proud to work here.”

A VALUABLE ALLY

Nurturing that pipeline of expertise is more important than ever in the challenging times the industry and its customers have been facing lately, particularly in the Africa, Middle East, and Turkey region.

“The biggest challenges we are facing today are the geopolitical environment, and especially in our region,” Delgado says. “We are currently seeing the Gaza War, and there are often concerns about Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen, or Syria.”

ALPLA must also navigate currency fluctuations in the region, including ongoing devaluation that has been occurring at an increased rate in recent times.

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“That is a big challenge because our products are being purchased by consumers, and whenever purchase power from consumers drops that impacts our customers, and then our own bottom line,” Delgado points out. “So, we work closely with customers, especially in volatile environments. The tightening of finances for suppliers and customers is greater than ever.

We need to pay attention to our contracts to ensure we are substantially covered for the short to mid-term span.”

CONTINUING TO PIONEER

The AMET region is still one of the youngest regions in ALPLA’s portfolio. The company has only had a geographic footprint here since 2014, starting with South Africa. Delgado himself was one of the first employees from the firm to position himself here.

“I started our first plant in South Africa, and today the entire AMET region is considered one of the fastest growing in the ALPLA system,” Delgado points out. “Our performance nearly matches that of the US and Asia Pacific branches of the company.

So, the pace of growth we are expecting over the next decade is high.”

The firm has a wide experienced but a young senior management team, and a leadership team of eight people based in the UAE (Dubai), Turkey, South Africa as well as at ALPLA’s HQ in Austria.

“It is a dynamic, fast-growing region,” Delgado says. “We will continue to grow our existing plants in our existing countries, while continuously working to find new countries to expand into through greenfield, brownfield and clients’ in-house plants.”

“I STARTED OUR FIRST PLANT IN SOUTH AFRICA, AND TODAY THE ENTIRE AMET REGION IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING IN THE ALPLA SYSTEM.”

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REPROFLEX3

NORTHUMBERLAND-BASED REPROFLEX3 HAS GROWN INTO A GLOBAL FLEXOGRAPHIC SOLUTIONS AGENCY, PROVIDING CLIENTS WITH HIGH-QUALITY, SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING THAT MAKES AN IMPACT.

CRAFTSMEN OF

PACKAGING PROJECT MANAGED BY: JAKE REEMAN

Reproflex3, today the most acclaimed company in its sector within the UK, has been providing brands with its flexographic solutions for over 25 years, leveraging its combination of vast technical-print experience and the latest digital technologies.

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e engineer or reengineer packaging digital artwork colour separations into an optimised configuration that delivers the highest quality print whilst having a significant positive impact on our client’s bottom line through production efficiencies,” says Group CEO Andrew Hewitson, describing the core business. “We do this inside the flexographic printing process, a process which is growing and is predicted to continue to do so for many years to come.”

Andrew has been working in the industry since he left school at 16, when he joined a local pre-press company that has moved to become part of the largest print company in the world. That experience clearly shaped his future – in 1996 he and business partner Trevor Lowes, both time-served prepress professionals, founded the company with a single agenda: to manufacture the best printing plate in the world.

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“I still have a lot of passion about delivering the highest possible quality and researching and developing the technologies that you can’t buy off the shelf and including a little bit of our magic. By doing that, we have proven to customers that we can make a difference inside their business.”

He explains that the company’s strategy has been to work closely with its clients, understanding their problems and challenges and coming up with solutions. While this approach has not changed over the years, what has changed is the size of the company – Reproflex3 now has a global footprint with head offices based in the UK, UAE, India, and New Zealand, leveraging the experience and know-how of the advanced UK market.

“We are able to interact inside the market at higher levels in regions where the knowledge is not as developed,” says Andrew, adding that the differentiator is, Andrew Hewitson, Group CEO, Reproflex3.

REPROFLEX3

first and foremost, the inherent knowledge of how the process works. “The second thing is communication and the level of service. We work closely with our customers with an onsite presence and support so that they get the very best out of our tools.”

“EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, EVERY CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR CUSTOMERS, IS ABOUT ELEVATING THEIR POSITION, AS OPPOSED TO OURS.” IMPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT

a winning Partnership for a new wave of UHD flexo print

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Reproflex3 provides a large variety of products, with its customer base including major brands such as Mars, Unilever, and others. Its multiawarded VORTEX solution, a revolutionary corrugated screening technology, is a game changer for printing presses – it enhances print quality, reduces dot gain, and optimises ink coverage, resulting in vivid and consistent packaging designs where small runs as well as larger volumes of production can be equally catered for. “The solution delivers a significant amount of value for our client partners, including cost efficiency and sustainability benefits.”

“Sustainability is a leading market trend and our solutions can make a huge impact on our customers’ sustainability targets – we are responsible for producing the first physical image of the packaging. If we get it right, the printer has a chance to run his press faster, with less energy, with less manpower, and at lower cost.

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REPROFLEX3

Get it wrong and everything becomes less efficient. At the same time, we can put highdefinition screening in the process so the image clarity and, obviously, the quality of the image, the definition improves.

There are all sorts of little tricks that we can apply.”

He further reflects that Reproflex3 positions itself as a ‘hero helper’. “The market is like a Hollywood blockbuster.

Everyone wants to be the hero, but the reality is that it has to be the customer. Everything that we do, every conversation that we have with our customers, is about elevating their position, as opposed to ours. That applies to sustainability as well – everything we do is about how we can achieve improvements for our customers.”

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REPROFLEX3

EXPANDED CAPABILITY

As a ‘hero helper’ the company has been progressively growing both in the UK and abroad. In recent years it has established exclusive technical partnerships with like-minded, independent pre-press outfits Z Due, based in Italy and Pacificolor, which serves the North American market, making Reproflex3 print technologies accessible to local brands and providing greater synergy for global brands.

During the pandemic, Reproflex3 also completed an acquisition in New Zealand, and to strengthen its European business, in August the company announced the acquisition of ANF Ltd, which is set to support

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Reproflex3’s expansion inside the European corrugated packaging sector by increasing its production capabilities as well as growing its presence in the pharmaceutical sector.

“ANF’s capabilities are similar to us but they perform in different markets, so this will be a nice addition to our business. On the other hand, we can provide them with more exposure worldwide. By adding ANF’s capabilities and pre-press plate technologies to our portfolio of businesses, we can provide customers with an even higher level of service and expertise as we combine the assets and strengths of both businesses.”

“ANF’S CAPABILITIES ARE SIMILAR TO US BUT THEY PERFORM IN DIFFERENT MARKETS, SO THIS WILL BE A NICE ADDITION TO OUR BUSINESS. ON THE OTHER HAND, WE CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH MORE EXPOSURE WORLDWIDE.”

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REPROFLEX3

Speaking about general market developments, he notes that commercial sustainability is a topic that a lot of companies will have to address, as substantial realignment is expected in the market. Still, he believes Reproflex3 has the right business model and to do the right thing at the right time has been built into the company’s DNA from the beginning.

“Reproflex3 has a great outlook in terms of what we can achieve in the next three to five years. We have always grown when the challenges have been there. The flexographic market is probably one of the fastest growing packaging markets and that drives us too. I cannot really see how our growth acceleration will slow. Quite the contrary - more acquisitions will follow, since we plan to triple our turnover over the next 3 to 5 years.”

One challenge that Reproflex3 is facing is that of scaling up. “The word is out that Reproflex3 can make a difference to the clients’ bottom line. Clients big and small are engaging with us and whilst this is a great position to be in, we are determined to maintain our DNA, to be a service provider.

To ensure our clients have the full support and integration that delivers a significant upside by working with R3 Global.”

THE RIGHT BUSINESS MODEL

“We are identifying many processes and positions that need upgrading for the journey ahead. Then we need to recruit the right people to drive the business forward. At the moment, we have a great team, they are performing really well through this transition, and they give a lot of positive energy that is reflected in the business.”

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PHARMAPAC UK

PHARMAPAC UK CONTINUES TO INVEST IN FURTHER DEVELOPMENT TO REMAIN AT THE LEADING EDGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND PROCESSES IN THE MEDICAL SECTOR.

A PARTNER OF CHOICE

FOR HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS PROJECT MANAGED BY: VIKTOR HUNTINGTON

PharmaPac is a Contract Manufacturing Organisation (CMO) that focuses on the manufacture and packaging of a variety of drug delivery systems to the highest quality standards.

The company was incorporated in 1996 by three directors who previously worked together at Bristol Myers Squibb, and who were later joined by other ex-colleagues, some of whom are still working at PharmaPac today.

O

ver the years, the company has expanded significantly to become a significant turnkey solution provider to support the unique requirements for some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical, consumer healthcare and veterinary companies. At the company’s purpose-built facility, solids, semi-solids, liquids, and powders are filled into a diverse range of packaging using stateof-the-art machinery.

Managing Director Gareth Lewis describes the core business: “We have significant experience gained in bringing

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products to market in the pharmaceutical, consumer healthcare, veterinary and nutraceutical industries, which we can use to help customers design manufacturing, filling and packing processes. We can create custom manufacturing and filling lines, identify, source and validate new processes and equipment for a whole range of new projects.”

He further affirms that PharmaPac’s reputation for excellent service and exemplary quality standards has enabled the company to win new contracts and retain existing

business with significant global companies. “Some of these relationships have been in place for over 20 years. And new customers who see our facility and meet our people can feel confident that their brand is safe at PharmaPac, and that their product will be available to patients and consumers at the right time and the right cost.”

CONTINUED INVESTMENT

With a broad range of equipment, PharmaPac can meet the needs of any customer and offer a fast, efficient, and cost-effective solution for their packaging needs. For customers designing novel medical products using alternative liquids, solids, semisolids, and powders PharmaPac can help create pioneering packing lines given its extensive experience.

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PHARMAPAC UK

COMPLETE PACKAGING LINES

CAM & our UK Aftersales Service centre Carmichael Engineering are proud to have supported Pharmapac with the supply and service of packaging machinery for over 20 years.

CAM manufacture individual machines and complete lines for primary, secondary and end-of-line packing for Pharmaceuticals & other sectors.

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A recent example has been the introduction of serialisation to its lines, following government directives to prevent falsified medicines or counterfeit drugs. By individually printing each carton, followed by a verification check, a unique 2D code, each consumer unit creates an individual pack, thereby creating an end-toend Track and Trace process which enables awareness of the physical location of a particular product within a supply chain at any point in time. It also allows recording of historical data regarding product movement and time spent at each stage, as well as packaging information.

The company has always invested in expanding its portfolio, says Lewis. “In 2021 hot-mix liquid manufacturing was added, followed in 2022 by an automated liquid filling line for bottles. Towards the end of 2022 PharmaPac re-configured a packaging area with a new clean room for primary filling of powder into sachets and automatic cartonning.”

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Another significant investment was made as a result of a major contract awarded to PharmaPac early in 2023, to undertake blister packaging and cartonning of a licensed soft gel product.

The high-speed fully integrated automated blister line should be in full production by the end of 2023, supplying commercial stock.

“Through this investment in high-speed blistering capability, PharmaPac is well suited to providing low-cost and highquality blistered products to the market,” says Lewis, noting that the continued investment by PharmaPac in modern equipment means that the company can continue to meet the needs of any customer and offer a fast, flexible, and adaptable solution.

CLOSE ENGAGEMENT WITH CUSTOMERS

He further reflects that the last few years have demonstrated the benefits that CMOs have brought to the delivery of a continued supply of pharmaceutical goods and services for clients.

“The closer engagement of customers with CMOs has become firmly established as a permanent and essential part of business planning. CMOs have confronted and overcome a host of challenges for clients, from material/logistics shortages and supply chain disruption as well as staffing issues and have delivered solutions in a difficult trading climate.”

“Over the last few years, we have seen robust growth in the collaborative development of

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PHARMAPAC UK

that will take town’s water and convert it into purified water required for the manufacturing of creams and gels. Consequently, we will also be installing a steam generation unit and additional manufacturing vessels, plus an automatic tube filler with cartonner to support this project,” says Lewis.

In line with these developments, the company is looking to significantly increase staff numbers and is open to present its facility to the public.

“PharmaPac always welcomes on-site visitors, including potential customers, suppliers, as well as future employees,” affirms Gareth Lewis.

Summarising the outlook for the future, he affirms that growth is a key driver for the business, and that PharmaPac continually looks to invest in new equipment and processes. “Projects have been identified that will require several million pounds of investment over the next few years to ensure we stay at the forefront, maintaining the quality and consistency that our customers expect.” effective substitutions. We are working with our customers and suppliers to ensure that patient needs are met and are constantly reviewing packaging base materials that are more readily available and which are potentially suitable for meeting the product specification and needs of the brand owners.”

Lewis also affirms that as a key contractor to the pharmaceutical and healthcare market it is imperative that PharmaPac demonstrates its corporate and social responsibility to all its customers. “We ensure our procedures and policies are always up to date and are regularly audited on site

by Sedex. A recent audit

by Ecovadis has resulted in

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PharmaPac receiving a bronze award for sustainability which we are extremely proud of.”

PROMISING PROSPECTS

Speaking about the company’s plans for the future, Lewis affirms that PharmaPac aspires to become a significant global contract manufacturer for healthcare products by continuing to provide an exceptional service. “We will be supporting our customers to design new solutions, reduce costs, and increase speed to market for global pharmaceutical, medical device, consumer healthcare, nutraceutical and veterinary companies.”

To this end, more investment is planned. “As a result of a new contract, PharmaPac will be investing in a purification plant

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INTREPID POWERBOATS

INTREPID POWERBOATS HAS A LIFETIME OF INNOVATION BEHIND IT AND CONTINUES TO PUSH FORWARD, LED BY A FORMER LINE WORKER FROM ITS OWN SHIPYARDS.

THE INTREPID APPROACH PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID HAYVIS Often you can judge a business by its customers. If it is a top-of-theline business, the odds are you will recognise the names of the companies it sells to. With Intrepid Powerboats, you will recognise the names of the people it sells to.

Names like Enrique Iglesias, Larry Silverstein, and Gloria Estefan. These are all people who have taken to the waves in an Intrepid Powerboat.

Ken Clinton, President, Intrepid Powerboats.

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ur clientele wants the best and expects the best,” says Ken Clinton, Intrepid’s President.

Intrepid’s range includes 12 different models of smaller boat that are continually being upgraded, refreshed, and given new configurations, but that is only the beginning of the customisation options that Intrepid can provide.

“If you come in and ask for a 41 Valour, we sit down and pick everything with you from the hull side paint colour to the pillows,” Clinton explains. “It’s not like going to a parking lot where they offer you a choice between the red one or the blue one.”

Intrepid is known for boats in the 30-to-51-foot range, although when we speak to Clinton the firm is in the middle of designing its new 64-foot flagship. To ensure Intrepid keeps offering the choice and quality that its customers expect, Intrepid is constantly innovating, but it is innovation with a long history behind it.

A HISTORY OF THE NEW

Intrepid came onto the market in 1983 and quickly built a reputation for innovation.

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“We have created more innovations that the industry has followed than any other manufacturer that I know,” Clinton says.

As an example, Clinton points to the dive door you will find on almost all boats now. Intrepid were the first to introduce that in 1994. Intrepid were the first boat makers to introduce a 35-inch shaft outboard, manufacturing it themselves after Yamaha said there was no market for it. Yamaha has since introduced 35-inch shaft outboards.

The list goes on. The first boat maker to put a gyro in an outboard boat? Intrepid. The first to have a bow thruster? The first with a head compartment inside the centre console? The first to do forward seating with actuating electric backrests? At this point, there are no prizes for guessing the answer.

Intrepid were also the first to paint their engines to match the boat – a controversial move that received pushback from engine manufacturers.

“Every engine manufacturer was telling me I couldn’t do that,” Clinton remembers.

“Funnily enough they all paint them white now too.”

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INTREPID POWERBOATS

INTREPID POWERBOATS

The trend continues, as today Intrepid are the only company to make boats with a hi-low actuating helm.

“But someone will copy that soon,” Clinton assures us.

This latest innovation is borne of a desire to bring ergonomics into boat building.

“That is one thing we’re not very good at in the marine industry,” Clinton points out. “So, I work very hard at that. I came up with the electric actuating system so that the push of a button raises the whole section four inches for the helmsman if they are shorter.”

THE HANDMADE TOUCH

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But this is not innovation for its own sake. Intrepid sells itself on the quality of its customer service as much as the range of new options it can provide, and to Clinton, these are two sides of the same coin.

“We are leading the industry, but we are also leading it in terms of customer service,” Clinton says. “If you go online and ask around, people will tell you there is nobody better in the industry. We answer the phone on Christmas day. We know it is important we take care of our customers and provide the quality we are known for. We are the Rolls Royce of the marine industry.”

These priorities - innovation, quality, and customer service are baked into Intrepid’s origins.

When Intrepid was new on the market, it needed to find a niche.

It quickly found one very few were competing for.

“When you drag a boat behind a mega yacht, it is the most punishing ride a boat can have,” says Clinton. “Most manufacturers try it, and their boat gets destroyed. They cannot cover the warranty. So, as a small company, we said ‘We’ll take any market share we can get’.”

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INTREPID POWERBOATS

Intrepid’s solution was simple – overbuild everything until it could take all the punishment the waves could throw at it.

“We have that same philosophy today,” Clinton says.

Intrepid hand glasses every stringer and bulkhead. The boats include fibreglass parts in shapes designed for robustness and function over ease of manufacture.

“The tricky part about that is you have to pull the parts out of the mould by hand,” Clinton says. “We pull the mould itself apart in pieces, like the shell on a hardboiled egg to get at the part inside.”

The result is a boat made up of magnificently shaped parts, so why do all boatbuilders not use these techniques?

“Because it’s so labourintensive they don’t want to take that hit to their margins,” Clinton tells us. “We are willing to sacrifice margin for quality.”

For Clinton, this is an informed choice. He has been with Intrepid for 33 years, and he started with the company as a handson craftsperson. Two months after that, he was the lead on station one, overseeing the prepping of the hulls, the decks, the fuel tanks, and plumbing.

He moved up the ranks through line supervisor, plant manager, VP of manufacturing, then COO, until he became president of the company in 2009.

But he has not forgotten his days on the line and considers it a key competitive advantage.

“I am one of few presidents who is a hands-on boat builder,” Clinton says. “I don’t ask employees to do anything I have not done, and in design sessions with customers I know exactly what we can and cannot do.”

These days, however, the challenge is finding people who are willing to do the work that Clinton started out doing.

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“A lot of people do not want to work with their hands anymore, so seeking out the people who do is a huge challenge,” Clinton says. “That is what we want- true craftspeople, not just staff on an assembly line. We are enticing people to build something they can take pride in.”

Clinton is continuing to build something he can take pride in, with Intrepid’s new owners, MarineMax, supporting the creation of a new yacht division for Intrepid. Plans are in place for a bigger facility to build larger boats.

“Our customer base has grown. We have gone from 47-foot sports boats to 51-foot

or 64-feet. Once they grow outside of our overall length, customers are forced to go to a different brand, and they quickly find they miss our level of quality,” Clinton says. “So, there is pressure to build bigger boats with the customer.”

Our interview ends there.

Clinton is getting ready to fly out the next day to the facility where they are designing Intrepid’s new 51-foot Panacea model.

“I’m going to spend the week with my team just working on the design,” Clinton says. “That model is a major part of the future. That, and to continue innovating.”

SHIPPING, PORT & MARINE | 167

NEXTGEO

NEXT GEOSOLUTIONS (NEXTGEO) IS AN INTERNATIONAL MARINE GEOSCIENCE AND OFFSHORE CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT SERVICE PROVIDER OPERATING PRIMARILY IN THE ENERGY SECTOR, WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON RENEWABLES.

GOING DEEPER, SAILING FURTHER PROJECT MANAGED BY: CAMERON BEAZER

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NEXTGEO

As part of the Marnavi Group – the largest Italian ship-owner operating globally in the offshore industry – NextGeo combines the knowledge, expertise, and resources of teams and individuals with over 30 years of success in the marine and offshore industry.

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E

stablished in late 2014, NextGeo is recognised as a leading player in its field, providing highquality, cost-efficient solutions covering the entire life cycles of assets and projects, from their initial conception at design stage, through engineering, installation, inspection, and maintenance, up to decommissioning.

Headquartered in Naples, the company has been growing substantially, with a second operational base

now established in Norwich, United Kingdom. In 2020, to support a vast offshore wind farm development plan in the eastern sector of the North Sea, NextGeo established a new base in the Netherlands.

GROWING REACH

The range of NextGeo’s services spans from specialised consultancy to marine geophysical, geotechnical, environmental, and archaeological surveying, and from UXO survey, removal,

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Providing highly skilled offshore personnel.

DMP Since 2019, we have been proud to provide unwavering support to Next Geo Solutions as one of DMPS most Valued clients, across a range of projects. Our partnership has been characterised by a deep commitment to excellence and a shared vision for success. Through our collaborative efforts, we have consistently delivered exceptional results, leveraging our expertise and resources to meet Next Geo Solutions’ unique project requirements.

We have a proven track record working with Next Geo soultions providing individuals, teams and equipment to support with following projects , Transatlantic Pipeline, Eastern Link, Baltic Pipelay, HoHe See / Albatros, IFA2, as well as a number of geotechnical projects.

DMP Renewable Consultancy Experts in handpicked submarine cable handling teams.

First-hand experience in supplying teams to match the needs and skills of each individual client.

DMP Renewable Consultancy Ltd is a reputable and experienced recruitment business , that focuses on the renewable sector . With a strong emphasis on professionalism and friendliness, they have developed their expertise through extensive experience in the industry.

Hand Picked All our teams are hand picked based on skills and experience prior to being assigned to a contract.

Skilled Our personnel are highly skilled, highly qualified and competent.

Professional We carry out all aspects of our work with professionalism and safety at the forefront of everything we do.

Roles provided are as follows, Client representative, OIMS, Superintendents, Deck Foremans, riggers, Winch Operators and Orange Peel Grab Operators. We have also supported with Welding and fabrication during mobilisation and de mobilisation of vessels, Including all aspects of fabrication welding and weld testing.

Equipment We Hire Fully fitted & certified 20” offshore containers/ rigging lofts & cable handling equipment ISO offshore container (BS EN ISO 10855-1 and DNV 2 7-1 certified). www.dmprenewableconsultancy.com

We are Ashtead Technology Through our three service lines – survey & robotics, mechanical solutions and asset integrity – we provide specialist equipment, advanced technologies and services to support our customers’ offshore energy projects

Industry Experienced Our recruitment business has been developed through extensive experience in the renewable sector.

T: +44 (0)7939 263151 E: enquiries@dmprenewableconsultancy.com

www.dmprenewableconsultancy.com

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ashtead-technology.com

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SHORE MONITORING & RESEARCH SHORE is an internationally operating coastal surveying and consultancy company with extensive expertise in various survey techniques, specialized in the nearshore, tidal and onshore domain. Since 2009, we have been providing our services to governments, research institutions, engineering firms, and contractors for coastal rehabilitation, resilience and flooding projects. We monitor extensive lengths of coastlines worldwide and are now making our way into the renewable and offshore wind industry.

We provide our offshore operating partners with the full range of data services and survey platforms, enabling them to extend their offshore scopes into the challenging nearshore, tidal and onshore areas. It is our unique ability to offer both sea-based and land-based survey solutions under the same roof. We combine these solutions seamlessly to provide integral datasets.

With a fleet of nearshore and tidal vessels, as well as compact and readily deployable vessels, we have achieved a track record of successful data acquisition along coastlines and oceans across the globe. Vessels are outfitted with cutting-edge survey sensors, ensuring data collection aligns precisely with our clients’ stringent quality criteria. And, as an accredited UAV operator, SHORE conducts onshore surveys independently, allowing us the agility to promptly address ad-hoc survey requests.

We thrive in the most demanding coastal environments worldwide, offering versatile survey solutions. This is made possible by our dedicated team of talented, passionate, and highly skilled individuals working within an inspiring and collaborative environment. Our objective is to become the preferred partner for addressing data-related challenges along coastlines, whether on land or at sea: Think Data, Think SHORE. www.shoremonitoring.nl

THINK DATA THINK SHORE Shore Monitoring & Research connects the onshore world with the offshore world, with ease and unmatched flexibility. Fully equipped and experienced in surveying and consultancy in coastal waters and shores worldwide.

• Hydrographic, geophysical, UXO, met-ocean and topographical data services • From onshore to offshore • Anywhere in the world

CONTACT US! info@shoremonitoring.nl

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www.shoremonitoring.nl

SHIPPING, PORT & MARINE | 171

NEXTGEO

VALUED PARTNERS

and relocation to offshore construction support services, to assisting customers across all phases of their projects.

As a Marnavi Group company, NextGeo has access to the entire Marnavi offshore fleet, which is composed of fourteen vessels, most of which are DP1 and DP2, well-proven, hispec offshore support ships.

NextGeo directly operates the newest, largest, most advanced, and highest spec multi-purpose support vessels, namely MPSV Ievoli Amber, MPSV Ievoli Cobalt, MPSV Ievoli Blue and the flagship, MPSV Ievoli Ivory.

In addition, in 2020 NextGeo purchased and now operates directly the latest jewel in its crown: the MPSV NG Worker.

NextGeo is committed to innovation. The implementation of programmes in research and technology transfer are key activities of NextGeo’s core business. The company is a member of the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program, which supports companies in accelerating economic growth and promoting social progress through innovation-driven entrepreneurship.

The partners are international operators who form multidisciplinary teams engaged in a learning journey that lasts, on average, two years during which MIT researchers

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are engaged in building and implementing a customised growth strategy to improve the ecosystems in which the different partners operate.

NextGeo also holds a share of the Italian and European patent for the ‘Acoustic Wave Detection System at Sea’ for both civil and military applications, developed in collaboration with other Italian companies.

Its commitment to sustainability development according to the main pillars – economic, environmental, and social – is reflected in setting applicable Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in line with the objectives set by the United Nations (UN) under the 2030 Agenda defined as a ‘blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.’

“NEXTGEO’S DEDICATED PROJECT TEAM IS PROUD TO HAVE WORKED ALONGSIDE TENNET FOR OVER TWO YEARS TO ACHIEVE THIS INCREDIBLE MILESTONE DURING ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING PERIODS THE INDUSTRY HAS FACED IN RECENT YEARS.”

Over the years of its existence, the company has been involved in major energy infrastructure projects in the EMEA region.

In 2021, NextGeo was asked to survey the West section of the Tyrrhenian Link power project

by Terna, the company that manages the Italian national high and extra-high voltage transmission grid.

The Tyrrhenian Link is a new electricity corridor in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, which will connect Sicily with Sardinia and the Italian peninsula via a double underwater cable system, divided in two sections: EAST LINK from Sicily to Campania and WEST LINK from Sicily to Sardinia.

Once completed, the West Link, 471km long and 2120m below sea level, will be the deepest submarine power cable in the world, breaking the current record of 1600m still held by Terna with the SAPEI Link between Sardinia and the Italian peninsula.

Giovanni Ranieri, NextGeo CEO, said that the company was particularly excited about this assignment. “We were proud of the trust bestowed upon us by Terna for it is giving our company the chance to contribute to the technological and economic development of Southern Italy.”

On the other side of the European continent, in 2022, NextGeo completed offshore cable route surveys in the Dutch North Sea in support of TenneT’s and the Dutch government’s program to increase offshore wind capacity by 2030.

“More than 37,000 hectares of high-quality survey data have been acquired employing both geophysical and geotechnical

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NEXTGEO

techniques, utilising six offshore vessels, six nearshore vessels, and three tidal vessels,” NextGeo’s management said.

“Our dedicated project team is proud to have worked alongside TenneT for over two years to achieve this incredible milestone during one of the most challenging periods the industry has faced in recent years. This project has been NextGeo’s first experience with TenneT TSO B.V. and sets an excellent precedent for what we expect to be a long and fruitful relationship.”

SAFE AND GROWING

Internally, the company has recently completed an achievement of a different kind as it successfully secured NEN Safety Culture Ladder – Step 3 certification by LRQA (Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance), a milestone in leading tiersubcontracting companies’ health and safety standards.

This accreditation complements NextGeo’s array of ISO QHSE standards granted by DNV since 2016.

The Safety Culture Ladder identifies the current development phase of a company and promotes the continuous and sustainable improvement of occupational safety awareness, resulting in safe working practices. Leaders in the infrastructure sector are increasingly including the Safety Culture Ladder as a selection criterion in the contract award process.

NextGeo CEO Giovanni Ranieri commented: “We are all very proud of this new achievement. It has been thought-provoking with a lot of high-level findings identified in terms of performance, communication, recording and

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sharing, but also the perception across the group of NextGeo as a family.”

The company has exciting projects lined up for the next few years and is also looking at adding new services to

complement its existing offering, as it is driven to constant development and committed to always go that extra mile. Fully in line with its mantra ‘Going deeper, Sailing further’.

“IT HAS BEEN THOUGHT-PROVOKING WITH A LOT OF HIGH-LEVEL FINDINGS IDENTIFIED IN TERMS OF PERFORMANCE, COMMUNICATION, RECORDING AND SHARING, BUT ALSO THE PERCEPTION ACROSS THE GROUP OF NEXTGEO AS A FAMILY.” LE MILESTONE DURING ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING PERIODS THE INDUSTRY HAS FACED IN RECENT YEARS.”

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PORT OF HUENEME

WITH A UNIQUE HISTORY, AND A UNIQUE FORM OF GOVERNANCE, THE PORT OF HUENEME IS OFFERING UNIQUE SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGES OF THE MODERN GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN.

A PORT WITH A STORY

PROJECT MANAGED BY: TIM GARWOOD The Port of Hueneme is a deepwater port located about an hour north of Los Angeles Long Beach. “It is a prime location in terms of geography and trade lanes,” points out Kristin Decas, CEO and Director of the Port.

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P

erhaps the first thing people notice about Hueneme is its unique name, a Spanish pronunciation of the original Chumash word, Wene’mu.

“Wene’mu broadly means ‘resting-place’ or ‘half-way place’ receiving this name as the Chumash would gather here

to rest and prepare for the long canoe voyage to trade with the tribes on the Channel Islands.”

Decas says.

A UNIQUE ARRANGEMENT

So, to say that the port has a long history is an understatement.

Travelling much further forward in time, the port as it exists

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PORT OF HUENEME

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BEST BEST & KRIEGER LLP (BBK) Best Best & Krieger LLP (BBK) attorneys have provided more than 10 years of legal counsel to the Port of Hueneme. The firm has worked tirelessly to assist the Port’s pursuit of opportunities and growth to bring products and resources to support communities throughout Ventura County. It is a pivotal and important Port providing access to goods and services to the State of California, nationally and internationally. The Port of Hueneme is also considered one of the nation’s top six automobile ports and a gateway to transport produce harvested in California and subsequently distributed worldwide.

BBK attorneys have extensive experience working with public agencies that both serve and operate side-by-side with the private sector. This experience has provided BBK with the knowledge and resources to serve the Port of Hueneme on matters including the identification, confirmation and implementation of funding through advocacy, public finance and publicprivate partnerships.

With much of the Port of Hueneme’s operations reliant on transportation, BBK attorneys have worked diligently to develop and implement collaborative solutions to promote efficient utilization of alternative construction delivery methods, and funding through grants, the New Markets Tax Credits initiative and federal programs provided by the Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Transportation.

Helping Ports Thrive

BBK attorneys are also proud to advise the Port on environmental and water review, permitting and compliance issues, involving NEPA and CEQA processes, the Clean Water Act, the California Coastal Act, and the Endangered Species Act. www.bbklaw.com

Providing counsel on the modernization of the Port of Hueneme: • Generated $7 billion in trade business • Advanced and improved infrastructure • Created 500 jobs • Introduced shore-side electrical power • Distributed over one million pounds of fresh produce to low income communities

A leader in Technology Construction and Design Datastew designs and builds complex technology projects that require high attention to detail. We serve both public and private sectors with a focus on physical security and IT outsourcing projects.

bbklaw.com Datastew LLC T. +1 (972) 370-5880 E. info@datastew.com www.datastew.com

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PORTS AMERICA IN PORT HUENEME: DRIVING GLOBAL CONNECTIONS

covering all coasts

Ports America, recognized as one of the country’s preeminent marine terminal operators running operations in over 33 ports and 70 locations. At the Port of Hueneme, Ports America’s contributions stand as a testament to the company’s commitment to excellence, efficiency, and economic growth.

Nestled on California’s southern coastline, the Port of Hueneme’s strategic location combined with Ports America’s unparalleled operational efficiency reinforces Ventura County’s success as a bustling gateway for global trade.

Ports America’s integration of cutting-edge technology, environmental sustainability efforts, and forward-thinking approach all work to support the work being done to minimize carbon footprints and optimize throughput.

Such innovations are crucial in today’s globalized commerce ecosystem, where streamlined operations are essential to economic vitality.

Ports America’s operations at the Port of Hueneme are not just about moving cargo. They’re about fostering community connections, creating employment opportunities, and fueling local economies. With every piece of cargo that passes through, Ports America ensures that the benefits seep through to local businesses, contractors, and workers.

Globally connected. locally invested.

Operations in over 33 ports and 70 locations.

319 Ponoma Street Port Hueneme, CA 93041 Casey Dexter | 805.271.4222 |

casey.dexter@portsamerica.com

Zero Emission Advisors

We’re Here To Guide The Way...

Transformational Change Is Possible Our mission is to accelerate the deployment of zero-emission technology & infrastructure throughout the globe. We do this by providing world class planning, program & project management services.

Master Planning Design & Engineering Program & Project Management Grant Winning & Funding

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The synergy between Ports America and the Port of Hueneme underscores the perfect blend of location and operational expertise. As we look towards a future of increasing global commerce, it’s partnerships like these that will determine how efficiently, responsibly, and beneficially we can navigate the waves of international trade. www.portsamerica.com

ZERO EMISSION ADVISORS (ZEA) Zero Emission Advisors (ZEA) is an industry leading consultancy specializing in the deployment of zero emission technologies and infrastructure in the medium- and heavy-duty space. ZEA provides master planning, engineering, design, grant writing and project development services to its clients in the public and private sector. With a special focus on hard-to-reach markets, the ZEA team has been an integral part of several world’s first hydrogen deployments in the commercial maritime and port segments, including marine propulsion, hydrogen heavy-duty fueling and shore power power systems.

Over the past two years, ZEA has been working closely with the Port of Hueneme on a California Energy Commission funded project to chart a path to zero emission operations. This energy blueprint takes an in-depth look at equipment, infrastructure, the regulatory landscape, available technologies and integrates input from a broad range of stakeholders. Firm partner Jorden Kemper had this to say: “Transitioning our economy off of fossil fuels presents a lot of risks to navigate, but also significant opportunities for innovation and modernization of our infrastructure. To realize these benefits we have to not only consider environmental and public health impacts, but also the commercial implications these decisions can have on our communities. Changing how we power interconnected global economies is definitely a daunting task but there are viable paths forward if we approach the problem with intellectual honesty, transparency and a collaborative mindset. Commercial ports will be central to this effort as they are the beating hearts of our economic and logistics systems.” www.zeroemissionadvisors.com

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PORT OF HUENEME

“We have a wonderful relationship with our stevedore companies,” Decas says.

It is an arrangement that requires special oversight and legal knowledge, which is why the Port of Hueneme requires expert legal support in the form of Saul Ewing LLC, a federal maritime attorney.

“We have to have ironclad contracts with customers and Saul Ewing supports us in that with any operational questions that come up, and they do a stellar job,” Decas tells us.

Kristin Decas, CEO and Director, Port of Hueneme.

today was founded with private money in 1937, following a disagreement over how a port in the area should be financed.

It has led to a unique form of governance for the port.

“We are set up very differently,” Decas tells us. “Most ports are owned by the State and built with public funds. We are set up as a special district by the State of California, with five elected commissioners.”

The Port of Hueneme is a collaboration between the public sector, with its elected officials, and private businesses such as the stevedoring firms the port makes use of, such as SSA Pacific Inc. and Ports America Stevedoring, PacRo and Ceres Terminals.

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Looking forward to the next 35 years and beyond!

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PORT OF HUENEME

The Port’s unique position means it also needs to make use of Best Best & Krieger, as general counsel.

“We are a public agency built with private money, and although all our revenue streams are from customers, we have to adhere to robust public laws to be open and transparent,” Decas points out.

The five elected commissioners that oversee the port were also responsible for hiring Decas herself in 2012, which was a

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historic moment in its own right – although it has to be said Decas’s career is replete with historic moments. She is the first woman to have run the Port of New Bedford, the first woman to assume her position of the Port Hueneme and one of the first women to Chair the American Association Port Authority in its 108-year history.

“I found the ports sector was a great place for me. I have been in the industry for so long, but there are still moments in a

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meeting where I will notice I am the only woman in the room,” she says. “But I have been brought up by males in the industry, but what I will say to women, is that you don’t get the job if you don’t apply.”

Decas achieved her current position when she was one of 60 applicants, and the only woman.

GOING GREEN

Changing gender roles are not the only transition that the Port of Hueneme is part of. The port has seen a great deal of investment to become a greener and more sustainable facility. Most recently the Port received $80 million in funding from Governor Gavin Newsom for social and economic equity projects. It is a historic sum, but only the latest in a long line of investments in the sustainability and social benefits of the Port.

“We have received $33 million in State grants, $55 million in Federal grants and we have port-related projects outside the gate worth $28 million,” Decas tells us. “We also have other grants in play, such as $10.4 million from the transformation commission to help electrify our infrastructure and $5 million from the Volkswagen settlement.”

In pursuing a greener, lower emission port, the Port of Hueneme applied for and was awarded a California Energy Commission (CEC) funded grant to study how the Port could reach a zero-emission future, called a ZE Blueprint. To conduct the detailed technical work for this project the Port hired Zero Emission Advisors LLC. “They have been our lead in building our ZE blueprint and actually, the CEC grant was put together by ZEA and the Clean Air Coalition was also part of the plan,” Decas recalls.

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Marine Certification in 2017,” Decas tells us. “Green Marine tracks multiple performance indicators across several environmental criteria, and we are scoring really well.”

FOLLOWING THE DATA

As the Port’s ability to decarbonise its operations is dependent on installing clean energy infrastructure, planning for this future infrastructure is essential. However, we must also acknowledge the significant local improvements in air quality enabled by the investments the Port of Hueneme has already made in zero-emission infrastructure.

“We have reduced diesel particulate matter from ships at berth by greater than 80% while growing the port cargo throughput by nearly 80%,” Decas says. “At the same time, Tesla has given us battery packs to buy power off-peak, and use it when our ships plug in, lessening pressure on the local power grid.”

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These kinds of programs and much more have contributed to the Port of Hueneme receiving high scores from the Green Marine Certification, a thirdparty external sustainability verification program.

Green Marine Certification is predicated on going above and beyond mere legal compliance with environmental regulations and requires an organisation to improve year-on-year as its performance requirements evolve.

“In 2012 we adopted an environmental framework for guiding and tracking our work with water quality, emissions, energy, and climate change, and then we tied those components to Green

As well as building a more environmentally sustainable port, Hueneme is also preparing for the other crisis businesses have been navigating recently – global supply chain bottlenecks.

“Supply chain congestion was a big conversation with the Federal Government, and we realised data could play a key role in strategic programming and flag future issues,” Decas points out. “The government put money into data projects for five container ports in the State of California.”

Hueneme was one of those ports.

“They are building a more robust port operating system at the national level,” Decas says “IT and security firm, Datastew is helping us with that project, but they have also been solid for us from a cyber security standpoint.”

The Port has also collaborated closely with FedEx to avoid future logistical bottlenecks, supported by firms such as T&T Truck and OST Crane Service.

“Once cargo gets to its first point of rest T&T have cranes on-site and handle the loading of cargo onto trucks to take it out to the market,” Decas points out. “They supported the UCM operation for FedEx and provided the trucking component so that FedEx could deliver their 53’ intermodal containers here.

Together we helped some big companies that could otherwise have been stuck in line in Los Angeles.”

When there is next a crisis in the supply chain, the Port of Hueneme will be there to meet it.

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www.portofh.org

VAN OORD

VAN OORD, THE INTERNATIONAL CONTRACTOR SPECIALISING IN DREDGING, MARINE ENGINEERING, & OFFSHORE PROJECTS, IS HELPING TO CREATE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE WORLD OF TOMORROW.

BUILDING FOUNDATIONS FOR MARITIME FUTURE PROJECT MANAGED BY: HAYDEN TURNER

As the growing world population needs more space and the demand for energy continuously rises, as world trade requires more and better port facilities, and climate change is threatening coastal areas, strong companies are needed to address these challenges for future generations.

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O

ne such company is Van Oord - a Dutchbased, independent family business, recognised for its clear leadership, longterm vision, and sound financial position. ‘Marine ingenuity’ is what sets Van Oord apart, says the company. Its 150year legacy, combined with its extensive existence in global projects, has made Van Oord what it is today: a passionate, smart, shrewd, international marine contractor that provides innovative solutions for worldwide maritime challenges, both now and in the future.

Today Van Oord is one of the biggest marine engineering companies in the world, with expertise in dredging, marine construction, and offshore infrastructure. Headquartered in Rotterdam, the company has been active on a global scale since the late 19th century. Van Oord dredged the Suez Canal, extended the port of Surabaya,

and built the Palm Islands in Dubai and the Gemini offshore wind park – projects that have put the company on the map worldwide.

More recently, the company has participated in constructing one of the largest offshore wind farms in the Netherlands, Borssele III and IV. In recognition of its earlier achievement, Van Oord was also awarded the contract to construct The World, an archipelago of more than 300 artificial islands in the shape of a map of the world in Dubai.

LEADING THE ENERGY TRANSITION

Focus on innovation has always been Van Oord’s strength and the company has continuously invested in new technologies in order to increase cost efficiency and reduce its environmental footprint.

Recent examples include three new LNG dredging vessels.

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VAN OORD

In June 2022, Van Oord’s first LNG trailing suction hopper dredger, Vox Ariane, was ceremonially brought into service, to be joined by her two sister ships, the Vox Apolonia, and the Vox Alexia, in 2023.

The introduction of the three vessels has been regarded by the maritime community as ‘a trailblazer for international standards aimed at minimising climate and environmental impact within the available technological capabilities.’

The company is currently building a new offshore wind installation vessel that can run on green methanol, a carbonneutral fuel, as Van Oord sees methanol as one of the safest and most practical fuels to use in the future and as a credible path to net zero starting in 2050.

Investment in a wide range of offshore installation vessels to offshore wind farms is a good example of how the company is leading the way in the energy transition. These efforts are

clearly appreciated by major stakeholders – in April 2023, the company announced that it had become the preferred supplier for the transport and installation of foundations for the 1.6-GW Nordseecluster wind project in the German North Sea, a joint venture between RWE and Northland Power.

For this project, Van Oord will be using their new offshore installation vessel Boreas, currently still under construction, which will install 44 foundations in 2025 and the remaining 60 in 2027. The vessel has been designed for transport and installation of next-generation larger foundations and turbines at offshore wind farms. In the future, it will be able to run on methanol, which should reduce the vessel’s carbon footprint by nearly 80%.

CHALLENGE WELL MANAGED

Although the last few years have been challenging for the Dutch marine contractor, the company has capitalised on its strong foundations and global track record. From an operational

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and financial perspective, 2022 was a growth and recovery year for Van Oord, as stated in its Annual Report.

The complex project portfolio was under control and Van Oord ended the year with a wellfilled order book and a positive outlook from the markets.

“2022 proved to be one of the most turbulent years in Van Oord’s 154-year history,” said Pieter van Oord, CEO. “Market conditions and operational

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challenges demanded that we pull out all the stops, with the aim of ensuring recovery and a positive result.”

“Globally, markets reacted in various ways, ranging from stagnation to recession but this also led to growth opportunities.

Demand in the offshore wind market increased exponentially.

There is also a growing demand for sustainable solutions for climate change and coast protection.”

“VAN OORD IS INVESTING: IN INNOVATION, IN SUSTAINABLE EQUIPMENT, IN ITS PEOPLE, AND IN THE FUTURE.”

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VAN OORD

He further affirmed that recent and current challenges have not hindered the company’s investment plans. “Van Oord is investing – in innovation, in sustainable equipment, in its people, and in the future. Our entire committed investment programme is worth more than €800 million, this being part of a total investment programme of €2 billion in sustainable vessels this decade.”

POSITIVE OUTLOOK

And Van Oord is becoming more sustainable. Two more hybrid water injection vessels were ordered in 2022. The company has also launched its second cable-layer, the Calypso, equipped with two cable carousels, making it suitable for laying HVDC (high-voltage direct current) cables. These cables will play an important role particularly for offshore wind farms that are further away from the coast.

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“With our Sustainable Earth Actions (S.E.A.) programme, we are setting Science Based Targets initiative targets in 2023 for 2030, and we are working towards net-zero emissions by 2050. For example, on all our new vessels, we are investing in the latest technology which will (eventually) be able to be powered by the fuels of the future, such as methanol, ammonia, biofuels, and hydrogen,” said the CEO. In concluding, he stated that the company takes a positive view of what lies ahead.

“Market conditions are favourable, and Van Oord has made a timely decision to invest substantially in new and sustainable equipment.

We are also growing. At the end of 2022, we were directly employing over 5,200 people worldwide, and expect the number to further increase in 2023.”

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WEST AFRICA CONTAINER TERMINAL

WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT WEST AFRICA CONTAINER TERMINAL FOLLOWING AN EXCITING PERIOD OF UPGRADE AND EXPANSION.

THE NEW OLD TERMINAL

PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN HOLLIMAN

West Africa Container Terminal is an 800-person facility located in the oil and gas-free zone in Rivers State, in the Southern part of Nigeria. The facility is owned by APM Terminals, in the ports and terminals division of the Maersk Group and was established to build on Maersk’s long history in the region.

H

owever, when the facility was established in the year 2000, it was by a relatively small team doing setup to handle Maersk ships in the Eastern part of Nigeria.

“This used to be a swampland.

We have created something from nothing to a facility with 800 people working for us and a lot more indirectly,” says Syed Naved uz Zafar, West Africa Container Terminal’s Managing Director.

Since then, West Africa Container Terminal’s journey has been one of technological advancement and expansion, with its most ambitious upgrade to date nearing completion this year.

“Around 85% of our project is complete,” Zafar informs us.

The project constitutes an expansion of our terminal, and major civil works, including a brand-new workshop, a brand-

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new warehouse, and ongoing maintenance and repairs to its building. It has involved the construction of a cold chain facility with a capacity for 600 reefer containers, stacked together with an independent power supply. A new gate has been established for trucks coming to the facility.

The upgrade has seen the installation of new, specialised equipment that has seen West Africa Container Terminal transform from a vessel terminal alone, to a full logistics terminal with five shore cranes. The terminal’s stack yard has been converted to house 20 rubbertyred gantry cranes (RTGs), and the modern facility boasts a fleet of 16 new terminal trucks and forklifts.

This has also involved technological upgrades, including improved IT security, and a new fibre optic network to

WEST AFRICA CONTAINER TERMINAL

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VITA CONSTRUCTION LTD. We are honoured to have been the principal contractor and continuous major contributor in achieving another remarkable opening for The West Africa Container Terminal at Onne Port – Port Harcourt - Nigeria.

Vita Construction has successfully completed the construction of the new administration building, workshop and facilities. Incorporating high-end quality finishes and details for the interior and exterior needs of the project. Vita Construction was also responsible for the Entrance and Exit gates and their security systems as well as for the internal lighting and complete security system of the administration building (CCTV, Access Control, Turnstiles, IT system, Public Address & Fire Alarm).

The opening ceremony took place in September 2023 whereby the APM Terminals Regional Managing Director for Africa and Europe, Igor van den Essen together with all the Vita Construction and WACT project teams celebrated this milestone following a presentation of awards for our commitment to the Onne Terminal Upgrade Project.

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WEST AFRICA CONTAINER TERMINAL

support West Africa Container Terminal’s mainframe software.

A brand new CCT control has also been set up, based on the latest technology.

THE NEW TERMINAL ON TOP OF THE OLD

“IT security and access control are an important and critical element to any top-notch security set-up,” Zafar explains.

“This was the scope of our project.”

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The upgrades to the facility have been so all-encompassing and comprehensive that they amount to the creation of an entirely new terminal.

“To really be honest with you I said to my colleagues we have created a new terminal on top of an old terminal,” Zafar says. “Our old terminal was outdated, and we wanted to really modernise it. With a $112 million investment in equipment and IT security, it is almost a brand-new terminal.”

Even when we speak to Zafar, the work is still ongoing, with a few final, smaller parts of the project nearing completion. By the end of this year, Zafar is planning to have the outgate completed.

A PLACE FOR PEOPLE

But this project is not just about providing new hardware, but about creating a positive and productive work environment.

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“We have done so much on the hardware side, but we also need to provide a great place of work for our people, so we set up a new office building and its surroundings,” Zafar tells us. “I told my colleagues when I took over in 2021. Even with all this hardware, to deliver what we are aiming to deliver, our vision to become the preferred gateway to east Nigeria, we need one component- the people. That is where I am really proud of what we have accomplished.”

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It was accomplished thanks to very hard work to ensure the right people, trained with the capability and capacity to match West Africa Container Terminal’s top-of-the-line hardware.

“That’s when the magic happens,” Zafar says simply.

“I am proud we got the right people on board and invested heavily in training and development and investing in our people.”

To put this in perspective, you must bear in mind that this

recruitment drive took place in 2021, during the post-Covid period.

“There were a lot of layovers and slowdowns, but we continued to expand and grow,” Zafar recalls. “We went on to employ almost 100 new people to operate the new equipment we were installing. With our new shore cranes, we employed people from local communities, some of whom did not even know how to drive a car.”

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WEST AFRICA CONTAINER TERMINAL

West Africa Container Terminal sent these new recruits abroad to train while hiring a still bigger batch of over 50 people to operate its new RTGs. Training these people would still prove a challenge in the post-pandemic work, however.

“It was sophisticated equipment, but it was difficult for people to travel out because of COVID,” Zafar says. “So, we brought specialised trainers in from Denmark to stay with us for an extended period & train our people.”

West Africa Container Terminal was able to create employment, train and develop its people and create an environment of high productivity and waste elimination. The response from customers to this transformation and change has been a source of pride for Zafar.

“This is a tangible manifestation of the purpose that our group believes in,” he says.

With the hardware part of the project complete, Zafar is now focusing on the next part of the process. This is the process of partnering with trade and business to extract the value from all the investments the facility has made.

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“How can we add value to our thousands of customers and clients? How can we give them a superior level of service?” Zafar asks.

The answer, Zafar proposes, is to become an integrated logistics service provider that can improve the entire supply chain.

“We are in a much stronger position now to be a solid partner for our customers, the economy and the country,” Zafar points out. “It allows us to offer a differentiated high level of service to clients.”

However, as Zafar looks forward to the potential partnerships West Africa Container Terminal has in its future, he also wants to draw attention to the partnerships the facility is founded on.

“Looked at holistically, this facility represents an incredible success story of public-private partnership,” Zafar says. “What is unique about this terminal and this business is that when we were established in 2000 there was no market here. The western point in Lagos was the region’s centre for logistics, and it suffered from congestion and bottleneck issues. We created an alternative.”

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