BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE BFM 83

Issue No.83

CROWN VAN GELDER

Sustainable Sugar beet paper suitable for food packaging.

SPECIAL FEATURE: SHIPPING & LOGISTICS TECHNOLOGY

CAMPBELL SHIPPING & CAMPBELL BULK

Competent in shipping & willing to share expertise.

IAMGOLD ESSAKANE SA Exploring Burkina Faso's largest known gold deposit.

BREADTALK GROUP

BRINGING ASIAN TASTES TO THE WORLD Exclusive interview with Group Chief Operating Officer Cheng William on how BreadTalk’s heritage, creativity and culture are creating distinctly Asian flavours.

CLINIGEN

Providing access to innovative and difficult to source medicines.

T H E

M A G A Z I N E

W I T H

I N S I G H T

FEATURE YOUR BUSINESS CONTACT SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR TREVOR GRETSINGER t.gretsinger@ceomediagroup.com

EDITOR’S NOTE

PROJECT MANAGERS ANDREW BOURKE a.bourke@ceomediagroup.com DEAN BROWN d.brown@ceomediagroup.com DAVID GARNER d.garner@ceomediagroup.com TIMOTHY GARWOOD t.garwood@ceomediagroup.com JOHN HOLLIMAN j.holliman@ceomediagroup.com MAX HUTCHINGS m.hutchings@ceomediagroup.com MALVERN KANDEMWA m.kandemwa@ceomediagroup.com CONNOR LOVE c.love@ceomediagroup.com GLEN NEWTON g.newton@ceomediagroup.com LEE PHOENIX l.phoenix@ceomediagroup.com GARY SMITH g.smith@ceomediagroup.com NEIL STOWE n.stowe@ceomediagroup.com DAVID TAVERNOR d.tavernor@ceomediagroup.com HAYDEN TURNER h.turner@ceomediagroup.com JAMIE WAITE j.waite@ceomediagroup.com

DESIGN SCOTT ANDREWS design@ceomediagroup.com ADRIANA STROIA artwork@ceomediagroup.com

ACCOUNTS MIKE ASHER accounts@ceomediagroup.com

PRODUCTION KAMILA KAJTOCH production@ceomediagroup.com

EDITORIAL CHRIS FARNELL cfarnell@ceomediagroup.com JIM HUNTER editor@ceomediagroup.com

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

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

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

Redistribution or reproduction of any content is prohibited. © Copyright 2021 CEO Media Group.

FOCUS ON

SUPPLY CHAIN We have said so before, but 2020 was a real lesson in just how important shipping, logistics and the supply chain are to every sector of the business world. Today these sectors face not only the ongoing difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also new political challenges across borders, and the ever-looming risks of climate change. To rise to meet these challenges the sector must remain at the forefront of innovation.

T

his is why this issue we have looked at the importance of technology in the shipping and logistics sectors in a feature informed by our interviews with Meridian Port Services Ltd, Campbell Shipping and Rolfson Oil, which are also each featured in this magazine. Also, within the transport space, we have had an interesting chat with Zambia Airports Corporation, discussing some of the challenges facing the air travel sector, but also the potential Zambia has as a transport hub.

Moving onto something completely different, a highlight of this issue is our profile of the mouth-watering BreadTalk Group. This article is a fascinating look at how heritage and innovation can work handin-hand, but we warn you, you will feel hungry afterwards.

The mining industry is another big focus in this issue, with profiles of mining operations including Swakop Uranium, British Lithium, MAG Silver Corp, IAMGOLD Corporation Essakane S.A, and Brazilian Nickel. Each of these companies is mining different mineral products in different parts of the world, but each

of those products is in some way essential to the smooth running of the modern worldand in the case of Brazilian Nickel and British Lithium, the world to come as battery power and electrification become increasingly important.

And of course, once those materials are mined, they need to be processed and moved to manufacturing sites where they become the products we need. Dig deep enough, and everything continues to come back to logistics.

ON THE COVER

BREADTALK GROUP Go to page 16.

Issue No.83

CROWN VAN GELDER

Sustainable Sugar beet paper suitable for food packaging.

SPECIAL FEATURE: SHIPPING & LOGISTICS TECHNOLOGY

CAMPBELL SHIPPING & CAMPBELL BULK Competent in shipping & willing to share expertise.

IAMGOLD ESSAKANE SA Exploring Burkina Faso's largest known gold deposit.

BREADTALK GROUP

BRINGING ASIAN TASTES TO THE WORLD Exclusive interview with Group Chief Operating Officer Cheng William on how BreadTalk’s heritage, creativity and culture are creating distinctly Asian flavours.

CLINIGEN

Providing access to innovative and difficult to source medicines.

3

IN THIS ISSUE

8

13

16

28

34

40

46

EVENT

OMC Mediterranean Conference & Exhibition 28th - 30th September 2021 - Ravenn, Italy Leading event in the region for energy insights with particular emphasis on the upstream sector

NEWS

Shipping & Logistics Technology Keeping Logistics on the Cutting Edge

LEADING ARTICLE

8 16

BreadTalk Group Pte Ltd Bringing Asian Tastes to the World

AUTOMOTIVE

Kässbohrer Spirit of Enginuity

AVIATION

Zambia Airports Returning to the Air

COMMUNICATION & TECHNOLOGY MTN Sudan Unlocking Sudan’s Potential

50

CONSTRUCTION

64

Consolidated Contractor’s Company Building a New Future

28

68

Clinigen The Right Medicine at the Right Time Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals PLC Serving Africa’s Health Needs

MANUFACTURING

British American Tobacco Kenya A New Future for Tobacco

74

Crown Van Gelder Changing the World of Paper

86

FGV Holdings Berhad Advancing the New Horizon

92

Siddal & Hilton Products Ltd. Meshing Together

100

4 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

HEALTHCARE, HOTEL & LEISURE

WHS Plastics A Matter of Distribution

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

ISSUE NO.83

MINING

108

Brazilian Nickel Nickel for Tomorrow’s Demand

114

British Lithium Powering the Electric Transformation

120

IAMGOLD Essakane SA Gold Standards

128

MAG Silver Corporation A Once in a Lifetime Resource

134

Swakop Uranium More Than Mining

140

OIL & GAS

Bandera Oil Tools Built on Great Service

144

BelemaOil Producing Ltd. Changing the Narrative

150

Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname N.V. Supporting Suriname Through Discovery

156

Strohm Power & Flow

50

162 162

168

190

AGI Glaspac Glass Packaging for a Sustainable Economy

SHIPPING, PORT & MARINE

Campbell Shipping & Campbell Bulk The Complete Shipping Solution

178

Manson Construction Busilding a New Kind of Hopper Dredge

184

Meridian Port Services Limited The Hub of New Africa

190

Van Oord Marine Ingenuity at Its Best

196

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

PACKAGING

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS

Rolfson Oil Grit, Resilience and Determination

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 5

Find your way out of a complex operating model.

Let’s talk.

Operations Strategy | Digital | Cultural Engineering

Global io

- integrated operations experts.

globalio.com

EVENT OF THE MONTH

8 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

EVENT OF THE MONTH

THE LEADING EVENT IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION FOR ENERGY INSIGHTS WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON THE UPSTREAM SECTOR.

OFFSHORE MEDITERRANEAN

CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION EVENT: OMC MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION WHERE: RAVENNA, ITALY / WHEN: 28TH-30TH SEPTEMBER 2021

T

he new OMC “Rethinking energy together, alliances for a sustainable energy future” In over 25 years the Offshore Mediterranean Conference and Exhibition of Ravenna has grown into the leading event in the Mediterranean region for energy insights with particular emphasis on the upstream sector.

In more recent years the growing public awareness about climate change has boosted the oil& gas industry towards a low carbon energy mix.

They are massively investing in Innovation that will be the key to start re-positioning energy, moving towards carbon neutrality and gas valorization practices while developing clean energy sources to deliver solutions for a sustainable lowemission future.

Creating long term value and embracing the energy transition as an opportunity to grow in times of great uncertainty is a very crucial challenge.

There is no single solution, but a set of paths to be built and tested together. This is

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

why the OMC event will invest on creating alliances, focusing more and more on partnerships between energy operators, contractors, institutions and consumers.

In this new scenario OMC is strongly committed to expanding the event horizon with a holistic perspective, enlarging the boundaries of its activities, including different sources of energy and with a more diversified energy player selection.

Our ambition is to give new impetus to the event, as we consider it as the ideal place for discussion about synergistic development strategies to connect the Northern and the Southern rims of the Mediterranean, as well a catalyst for collaboration in order to convey a positioning of the industry towards common objectives.

www.omc.it

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 9

lead wıth the leader Today, Internet is in our pockets; our virtual and real worlds are coming together. LTE offers you great potential to deliver a superior mobile broadband experience to your customers, but the stakes are high. Success in LTE means getting to market quickly, with services that offer subscribers more than what they have today, as cost efficiently as possible. With 60 live commercial LTE networks on all continents and about 50% of all smartphone traffic on LTE running through our networks, we have what it takes to support you.

ericsson.com/unplug

SHIPPING & LOGISTICS TECHNOLOGY

AS LOGISTICS BECOMES EVER-MORE VITAL, THE CHALLENGES FACING IT GROW MORE DIFFICULT, AND TECHNOLOGY BECOMES AN EVEN MORE ESSENTIAL TOOL.

KEEPING LOGISTICS ON THE CUTTING EDGE Over the last year, we have seen more than ever why logistics and shipping are critical components of the global economy. Challenges that affect this industry have ripple effects that reach out to every aspect of the business. This is why it’s more important than ever for the sector to invest in and make use of the latest ideas, technologies and tools to ensure our global supply chains continue to run smoothly.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 13

SHIPPING & LOGISTICS TECHNOLOGY

A

s we enter the 2020s proper, around the world logistics organisations are developing new solutions that will transform the sector over the next decade.

AUTONOMOUS SHIPPING

Automation is going to be a key part of the technological revolution in all forms of logistics, at every level of the shipping process from inventory to tracking, but perhaps one of the most dramatic examples is the new initiative the British Ports Association (BPA) launched last year into exploring the implications of autonomous shipping for UK ports.

The initiative involved the creation of a new Autonomous Shipping in Ports Network that last year opened a call for evidence from the maritime community on what ports should be preparing for to receive autonomous ships.

“The prospect of seeing autonomous ships in UK ports is definitely on the horizon but there will be much to do to prepare ourselves,” said Richard Ballantyne, Chief Executive of BPA last year. “This includes the consideration for port and marine operations, regulatory frameworks, infrastructure and receptions facilities, land to vessel communications and vessel safety.”

It’s early days for autonomous shipping, but across the maritime sector, many ports are already considering the actions they should take to ensure their ports are ready and able to accommodate the next generation’s shipping solutions.

“This will be an ongoing initiative for the BPA but initially we are inviting evidence from a cross-section of maritime sector organisations,” said Ballantyne.

“This will be in relation to issues that they see specific to ports and harbours moving forward into autonomous maritime operations. It will also help us to support and participate in various government initiatives in the UK such as Maritime 2050, the work of the Maritime Skills Commission and other innovation, sustainability and infrastructure projects.”

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS

Businesses within the logistics and shipping sectors are already launching their own solutions. We can see this at LOC, a subsidiary of the AqualisBraemar LOC Group, which has launched a new digital solution to enhancing the safety of marine operations at ports and harbours.

Based on a digitised training library developed for portbased ship pilots, this service will create a structure allowing for the retention of pilots’ experience while reducing the risk of marine operations. The tool features functions such as a 360-degree aerial view for pilot operations using drone technology.

LOC’s platform will not only reduce risk, but allow for knowledge retention and peer learning, improve pilots’ vision in restricted manoeuvring areas to create better situational awareness, and enhance the ability to track CBD from junior pilot upwards, helping to maintain skills and on-going competence assessments.

It’s a solution that has been developed by combining realworld expertise around marine assurance and risk with digital capabilities. It demonstrates that these solutions can’t simply be the result of blue-sky thinking, they need practical, on the ground experience in port management and pilotage operations to create a solution that’s fit for purpose.

As Clive Sheard, Ports & Shipyards Consultant, LOC Australia, has said, “The development of this service is in response to the industry recognising the increased risk profile of marine operations in ports. As a Group, we are ideally placed to be able to find solutions to these problems.”

“WE’RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE, WAYS TO MOVE THE GOODS AND INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY.” BUILDING A NEW TOOLBOX

In every part of the shipping and logistics industries companies like these are working to find new ways of doing this.

As Mohamed Samara, CEO of Meridian Port Services tells us in this issue, “We’re constantly looking for ways to improve, ways to move the goods and invest in technology.”

He explains, “Today we don’t have a man looking at the containers checking the condition of the containers, we have highdefinition cameras, scanning it from the outside. We have optical character recognition to read the containers.”

Captain Rajesh Dhadwal, the Managing Director and CEO of Campbell Shipping, also

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

explains how IT solutions are becoming an ever-more critical part of any shipping business.

As Dhadwal says, “We have therefore migrated to MARIAPPS, an award-winning IT solution to form a backbone to all our ship management functions. In addition, we are working with an IT company to develop electronic recordkeeping to replace all manual paperwork. The digitalization provides feasibility to convert data to a business intelligence rather than lying dormant on paper records.”

“In the last couple of years, a lot of companies, including Rolfson, have put money and resources into bringing their operating platforms up to speed,” explains Patrick Malley, COO of Rolfson Oil. “Rolfson Oil has worked hard to change from low-tech operating systems to real-time, innovative systems that all communicate on the back end.”

As Malley points out, in the face of the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been more important than ever to make use of the latest technological solutions, and that means more

than learning how to conduct Zoom calls.

“COVID-19 has affected everyone. Oil was one of the hardest-hit business sectors,” says Chris Frain, Rolfson Oil’s CEO. “We consolidated facilities, re-worked the entire IT platform, including communication with every remote piece of equipment, and trained our employees.”

However, while these solutions are invaluable to the logistics and shipping sectors, implementing them can be a challenge, especially when working from locations that lack the infrastructure to support them.

“Technical support is always a challenge in an emerging market,” Samara admits. “Ghana is a market where technical support can be difficult to come by. If you’re in Hamburg it’s all right outside your door, Siemens is around the corner, but in our case, we’re far away from good support when it comes to technical help or spare parts.”

While the logistics sector might need technology, ultimately, technology still depends on strong logistics.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 15

BREADTALK GROUP PTE LTD

WE LEARN HOW BREADTALK’S HERITAGE, CREATIVITY AND CULTURE ARE CREATING DISTINCTLY ASIAN FLAVOURS TO SHARE WITH THE WHOLE WORLD.

BRINGING ASIAN TASTES TO THE WORLD PROJECT MANAGED BY: GARY SMITH BreadTalk started out as a boutique bakery store in the year 2000, becoming renowned for the way it revolutionised the culture of bread consumption into a lifestyle, a fashion-boutique experience that was unheard of when the business was founded.

W

e had many firsts back then. Our first store was a novel, modern and expressive store concept and broke through the clutter,” explains Cheng William, Group Chief Operating Officer for the BreadTalk Group. “It featured our 360-degree ground-toceiling glass where you can look

16 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BREADTALK GROUP PTE LTD

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 17

TATE PROJECTS

Delivering quality services that exceed expectations.

TRANSCENDING DREAMS INTO REALITY

Tate Projects creates the ideal ambience in commercial and residential spaces, offering quality renovation services from architectural consultations, interior design to construction and furnishing.

Moving towards the Direction of being accepted as the foremost specialist in the hospitality, retail and leisure industry.

We give our assurance of service excellence and offer the best investment value for our clients where each and every project, big or small, is undertaken wholeheartedly with our total involvement.

With a combined experience of over 60 years in customized carpentry and interior fittings, Tate Interior strives to work closely with renowned designers, clients and business owners for an in-depth understanding of each and every project undertaken. This in turn, provides a surreal satisfaction to our clients through our service excellence of providing high quality workmanship, ensuring proper execution of deliveries and handovers in a timely manner.

We are capable in adapting quickly to new challenges and market trends, to innovate and actualize ideas for functionality, costeffective and aesthetics balance and finally, to stay constant in our unsurpassed workmanship while remaining competitive.

“Tate Interior is a leading Interior Fit-Out & Refurbishment Specialist having built a strong reputation for its reliability and providing top-notch services for clients in the hospitality, retail and leisure industry. Our Company specializes in full carpentry works, interior fixtures and custom furniture.

We are dedicated to provide the highest level of quality work-manship through competitiveness and competency.” - Richer Neo & Freddie Lai

FITTING OUT SERVICES - Tiling & Flooring - Partition & Ceiling Works - Plumbing & Gas Works - Aircon & Mechanical Ventilation - Carpentry - Mechanical & Electrical Works - Seamless Project Management Services -

TATE PROJECTS PTE LTD 23 Kim Chuan Terrace Singapore 537043

Email: service@tateprojects.com.sg Tel: +65 62588108 www.tateprojects.com.sg

TATE PROJECTS PTE LTD

BREADTALK GROUP PTE LTD

Established in 1980, Tate Projects Pte Ltd began humbly as an interior contract business managed by Mr Richer Neo. Today, Tate Projects Pte Ltd is a trusted name backed by proven records of accomplishments and expertise for having successfully completed various projects for reputed organisations. The company is a privately owned construction and interior fit out specialist with a dedicated workforce comprising highly skilled craftsmen, technical and management staff.

Our works span many of the notable projects for the BreadTalk Group, Food Republic, Din Tai Fung and its subsidiaries.

Tate Projects Pte Ltd has newly acquired its own office premises and factory at 23 Kim Chuan Terrace. With a floor area of 1,673 sq m, our factory is fully equipped with the hi-tech equipment and machinery. We have been able to fabricate and produce customised furniture for organisations.

With experience of about 50 years, in interior and carpentry works, Tate Projects Pte Ltd strives to work closely with our clients and reputed consultants and designers for each project. This, in turn, has provided great satisfaction to our clients through our service excellence of providing quality workmanship, ensuring careful planning and proper execution and timely completion of the projects.

At Tate Projects Pte Ltd, we value our clients’ expectations and our ability to continuously deliver projects on time has earned us the trust from satisfied customers throughout the past decades. We are equipped with safe, modern and well-maintained equipment, and fully committed to observing the required practices to maintain high standards.

We are capable of adapting quickly to the new challenges and market trends.

We has been able to incorporate our years’ of experience in providing premier interior works and services into the innovative application of information technology, progressive project planning and management, enabling us to meet even the most stringent of quality and safety standards.

Tate Projects Pte Ltd is focused on creating lasting value for our clients, improving quality and safety standards on every project, and maximising opportunities for our employees to achieve their career potential. These values have fuelled the company’s growth consistently through the years and we continue to do so.

In our efforts to continuously to forge ahead, we seek to introduce innovative new building solutions and broaden our skills through strategic joint-venture partnerships with our counterparts both local and overseas. This has seen us emerge in recent years from being a principal player for the BreadTalk Group.

VISION, MISSION & VALUES Our vision determines our destination; our mission defines who we are; and our core values provide us guidance in executing our endeavours.

OUR VISION Moving towards the direction being accepted as the leading specialist in the hospitality, food & beverage industry, retail and leisure industries.

OUR MISSION We give our assurance of the service excellence and offer the best investment value for our valued clients with commitment to deliver excellent and quality products and works with integrity by our competent and responsible staff.

OUR VALUES Safety, Integrity, Quality, Teamwork, Innovation, Growth Tate Projects Pte Ltd believes in doing well with the perfect blend of capability and sophistication and creativity. Projects are delivered on time and with no compromise on quality because the experienced staff at Tate Projects Pte Ltd share the commitment to constantly endeavour to exceed our clients’ expectation.

We have achieved sustained expansion and progress and will continue to seek out new growth opportunities. We are confident that we will achieve continued growth and be ever ready to embrace the changes that the future may bring. www.tateprojects.com.sg

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Since its debut 20 years ago, the Flosss continues to be BreadTalk’s trademark, encapsulating the brand’s innovation and creative spirit. into our kitchen, with a visual performance of our chefs at work. Before, kitchens were closed-door but we opened up to demonstrate that our baked goods were made fresh onpremises. For many customers, it was their first up close view into the magic of bread making.”

This combination – a reinvention of a traditional sunset trade using cuttingedge innovation and creativity, would prove to be BreadTalk’s trademark across the next 20 years. The brand quickly became synonymous with its signature pork floss buns. Pork floss buns are soft buns topped with BreadTalk’s own houserecipe of egg cream and pork floss – a popular snack in many parts of Asia made by drying and shredding pork.

“We even came up with creative and fun names to our breads – each representing a personality. The floss bun was named ‘FLOSSS’ with an additional ‘s’ to indicate the voluminous floss topping on the bun. It also looks like a sleeping ‘zzz’ bun with the ‘s’ shredded dried meat. Cheng tells us “The Flosss proved to be a big hit with its unique taste and texture. At the peak of its

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 19

BREADTALK GROUP PTE LTD

Toast Box brings the traditional Nanyang breakfast into the modern era for families of different generations to enjoy together.

20 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BREADTALK GROUP PTE LTD

popularity, we were selling one Flosss every 10 seconds.”

TASTES FOR EVERY PALATE

But while the Flosss can be called BreadTalk’s signature dish, it’s far from the limit of its offerings. The company boasts no fewer than 15 food and beverage concepts, spread across Singapore and into overseas markets.

These concepts include Toast Box, which Cheng calls one of BreadTalk’s more creative concepts.

Opened in 2003, Toast Box modernises the traditional Nanyang breakfast experience of coffee (kopi), toast and soft boiled eggs sprinkled with pepper and a splash of light soy sauce for a younger audience.

The brand has since steadily grown and its popularity transcends generations – from young to old.

Then there is the Food Republic, a food atrium brand that provides a modern take on the feel and culture of Singapore’s bustling street food markets operated by independent food stall owners.

Last year, this hawker culture in Singapore was added to the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, proving its significance as a treasured culture. Food Republic brings together these independent food stall owners and recreated a casual food dining space by designing a unique interior concept and ambience.

One of its more prominent interior concepts mimics the famed Hakka walled village representing a large multifamily communal living structure that is designed to be easily defensible. In re-creating this cultural architect, BreadTalk’s designers found second-hand pieces that would otherwise have been thrown away,

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Through rescuing and restoring second-hand architectural pieces, Food Republic architects created a unique Hakka Village ambience for diners to enjoy a unique dining experience.

shipped them over from China and various cities to create this unique ambience.

“We have also managed the famed Taiwanese restaurant chain, Din Tai Fung which is known for its award-winning Xiao Long Bao (steamed pork dumplings). Widely acclaimed by even some A-list Hollywood celebrities and government officials, the Group brought the brand into the United Kingdom in 2018 with a branch in Covent Garden,” Cheng tells us.

“WE HAVE DEVELOPED STRONG RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TEAMS WITH AWARD-WINNING CHEFS TO STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE.”

Today BreadTalk’s global presence amounts to over 900 outlets in 15 markets internationally across its bakery, restaurant and food atrium businesses. It employs over 5,000 staff across 15 food and beverage brands, with their bakeries alone offering close to 800 outlets. Its reputation has grown to the point where it is the only bakery brand to have ever won several global awards including the prestigious World Retailers Award.

“I would say our unique selling point is the diverse and creative portfolio of food and beverage brands we offer, that appeal from the mass to the mass affluent,” Cheng explains. “Singapore is known to be a food paradise as it’s a melting pot of different cultures.

Even though it has a population of only 5.8 million people, we

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 21

LEADER IN QUALITY CLEANING

Environmental cleaning services • Commercial Properties • Residential Properties • Industrial Properties • Medical Facilities • Conservancy Cleaning • Event Cleaning • Stewarding • Façade cleaning Waste management services • Waste collection & disposal • Open Top Containers haulage & disposal • Compactor haulage & disposal • Recycling Services

Our general cleaning works are provided in a wide range of venues including retail and office premises, and private residential premises, while basic janitorial services are provided for premises including the public access areas in town councils, a sports stadium, medical centres, commercial buildings, schools and common areas of private and public residential premises.

Eng Leng Contractors Pte Ltd A member of Hygiea Group Limited | 6 Tagore Drive #B1-02, Singapore 787623 | T: +65 6250 4328 |

Established in 1883, Fraser and Neave, Limited (F&N) has been quenching the thirst of generations of consumers and is today a leading player in the food and beverage arena in Singapore and Malaysia.

Committed to meeting the health and wellness needs of consumers in the region and across the world, F&N is driven by its overarching philosophy of Pure Enjoyment, Pure Goodness. F&N has built a wide and exciting portfolio of beverage and food products with a strong emphasis on healthy enjoyment. Brands under the F&N umbrella include 100PLUS, F&N Ice Mountain, F&N Seasons, Coco Life, F&N Sparkling Drinks, F&N Fruit Tree Fresh, F&N Magnolia, F&N NutriSoy, F&N NutriWell, F&N aLive, F&N Canned Milk and Farmhouse.

Many of the F&N brands are market leaders in their respective categories.

In recognition of the high quality and safety standards of F&N products and their distinctive marketing, the company has been conferred many awards and accolades such as HACCP accreditation since 2003 for F&N Foods and Superbrands gold recognition. F&N’s established networks and strategic partnerships provide the company with the impetus to continually innovate and expand its portfolio of brands while strengthening its capabilities across the region.

For enquiries: Telephone: +65 6210 8120 Email: fsorder@fnnfoods.com

22 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

www.fnnfoods.com

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

www.pilcon.com.sg

P.I.L. Consortium Pte Ltd started in 2003 by Mr Ivan Chia to provide international freight forwarding and Consolidation. After seventeen years, today it has grown into one of Singapore’s leading Logistics management service provider and a highly regarded Food & Beverages total supply chain provider, covering a wide range of local and international clienteles.

P.I.L. Consortium’s services are categorised into the following segments : Cold Chain Management – Services ranges from international shipping, local distribution , cold room and ambient temperature warehousing as well as relevant authorities documentation certification.

International Freight forwarding & Project Handling – Services including door to door delivery, Heavy lift and special cargo handling, cargo consolidation, Inventory management, packing and other value added services.

Chemical Logistics – Supply and leasing of IBC and shipping services.

Chartering – Vessel, Barges and LCT charters for dedicated and time sensitive cargo.

P.I.L. Consortium Pte Ltd, 2 Sims Close, #02-07, Gemini@Sims, Singapore 387298

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

T: +65 67434424

E: info@pilcon.com.sg

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 23

Egg Story is a brand under Eggriculture Foods Ltd, a company listed on Hong Kong GEM for pasteurised egg products. Egg Story reflects the vision of Eggriculture to become a responsible producer of high-quality egg products which prioritizes food safety.

Egg Story Pasteurized Fresh Eggs and range of pasteurized egg products are produced at N&N Agriculture located at Lim Chu Kang area in Singapore. We are a high-tech, ecofriendly, bio-secured farm and home to about 170,000 chicks and more than half a million hens which produce about 350,000 fresh eggs daily.

At N&N, we are focused on delivering distinctive product quality, food safety and value. Our full range of fresh eggs and pasteurized egg products are freshly produced and delivered daily. They are also healthier with lower cholesterol and 100% hormones and antibiotics free. A specially-formulated hen’s diet comprising natural corn, soya and multi-grains that are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals ensures that our eggs offer quality nutrition at great value.

N&N Agriculture Pte Ltd A: 1, Lim Chu Kang Lane 9A, Singapore 718845.

P: +65 67929745 E: enquiries@eggstory.com.sg www.eggstory.com.sg

have approximately 346,000 food and beverage companies including food manufacturing and food retail services stores in Singapore so you can imagine the competitiveness of the landscape we operate in.”

At the same time, BreadTalk has also become a ubiquitous presence in Singaporean’s life, as Cheng tells us, “You can’t venture out anywhere without seeing one of BreadTalk Group’s food and beverage concepts.

We are strategic in the locations we choose to operate our businesses, dominating in small and large shopping malls with high footfall including those in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

In the overseas franchise market we have strong partners to ensure we’re represented.

For example, our franchise partner in Indonesia has been operating our brand since 2003, growing to manage nearly 200 BreadTalk stores today.”

As well as being a familiar part of the lives of its customers, BreadTalk thrives because it

24 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BREADTALK GROUP PTE LTD

always has something new to excite them.

“We have developed strong Research and Development teams and to stay ahead of the curve, we will support them in international competitions where we now have a group of internationally award-winning chefs,” Cheng says.

BreadTalk doesn’t only rely on its own talent either. The Group will go where the talent is in an effort to bring the best ideas to its customers. Cheng tells us, “We cross-collaborated with several renowned and awardwinning chefs that hail from leading bakery markets such as Japan and Taiwan. We’re internationalised. Whilst cross collaborations are common now, it was not in the past but we broke the norm and went the extra mile to bring their awardwinning pieces to our customers, making it easily available and accessible to them.”

“One of them is Masterchef Wu Pao-chun, best known for winning the 2010 Bakery Master competition in Paris,” Cheng recalls. “We entered into a joint venture with his bakery brand ‘Wu Pao Chun’ and opened its first flagship store out of Taiwan in both China and Singapore in 2019. It was the first time the brand expanded its foray into the overseas market. His awardwinning signature - lychee rose and red wine longan breads are a sell-out. Where one used to be able to get his breads only in Taiwan, they can now get them in both Singapore and China too.”

However, what makes BreadTalk truly unique is that they combine these bold new ideas with a real respect and desire to preserve what has gone before.

“In line with our portfolio we’ve embarked on joint ventures to reinforce our brand’s identity to preserve local food and

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

beverage heritage and culture,” explains Cheng. “One brand that we’re proud of preserving dates back to World War 2, and we are very proud that we have allowed that to carry on.”

This brand is the Chinese pastry shop, Thye Moh Chan. The pastry shop has been with the same family for three generations over 78 years, but when the family had no successor to take over the business, BreadTalk stepped in to inherit the brand and modernise it into what it is today, while still preserving its cultural heritage by having their

bakes handcrafted to a large extent.

“We decided to acquire these brands to preserve their heritage, it’s part of our business,” Cheng says. “Recently, we also entered another joint venture with a renowned fish soup brand which has roots dating back to the 1980s. The brand is known for focusing on a clean and light soup that enhances the flavours of the fresh fish slices, something unique to the Teochew style of fish soup and we look forward to bringing this to a wider audience too”

“WE BELIEVE IN EDUCATION AS A SOCIAL LEVELLER. SO WE PROVIDED MONETARY REWARDS TO SUPPORT STAFF WHOSE CHILDREN ACHIEVE EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS.”

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the BreadTalk group continues to innovate, launching new brands such as Butter Bean.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 25

BREADTALK GROUP PTE LTD

A RECIPE FOR TALENT

It’s impossible to talk about the food and beverage sector in 2021 without acknowledging the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and for BreadTalk Group, its headquarters in Singapore was one of the earliest places to feel the impact of COVID-19.

“A crisis can also be an opportunity for innovation. Our global R and D teams did not stop creating new products,” Cheng says. “In fact, in August last year we decided to push ahead with a new BreadTalk concept that was planned preCOVID times and also launched 2 new brand concepts - Butter Bean and Charlie Tea, created in a time of uncertainty.”

Butter Bean levels up Toast Box’s twist on the Nanyang kopi and toast breakfast with an even more modern rendition of the concept for younger audiences.

“The consumer mindset across generations differ so we need to continuously evolve to remain relevant and stay ahead,” Cheng says. “BreadTalk has also introduced a new bubble tea brand in the form of Charlie Tea, which combines bubble tea with a bakery concept and a unique interior design aesthetic. The crisis taught us that adversity sharpens our strategies and offers opportunities.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic has presented new challenges, Cheng acknowledges old challenges still remain.

“A perpetual challenge for the local food and beverage sector is the difficulty in acquiring talent. We have seen recent reports by the Restaurant Association saying that there are thousands of positions in the restaurant sector, but no takers. Food and beverage jobs were never popular in Singapore due to the long working hours and

26 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

shift work,” he explains. “Our solution to this is to implement and promote ourselves as a lifestyle brand reinventing the food and beverage rules. We took a leaf from the US by creating a staff lounge with nap pods. We also have trainers to help staff upgrade skills.”

As well as finding talent, BreadTalk also emphasises how to get its people to bring their A-game to work.

“All our employees join the company with different passions and individual competencies but what’s most important is how the company can make the best out of it, by finding people who align with our unique values,” explains Bryden Toh, Senior Vice President Human Resources and Learning & Development at BreadTalk. “Internally we have various training schemes and opportunities, and our diverse business portfolio offers crossdeployment opportunities where staff can be deployed to other brands to learn different business operations.

Our geographical coverage provides cross-territorial learning where we have seconded our staff to other countries as well.”

BreadTalk is host to a range of brands and concepts, each with their own unique identity, but there is a shared culture across the entire Group that makes it an appealing home for its staff.

“The first thing I was introduced to when I joined the company was that it places creativity, innovation and differentiation in the highest regard,” says Joanne Wong, BreadTalk Group’s Brand Director. “And the sum of all three values is what has kept the company going on. We constantly look for creativity, innovation and how to make ourselves different in the things we do.”

In 2017, BreadTalk clinched its 3rd “Brand of the Year” award at the World Branding Awards (London). BreadTalk Founder and Group Chairman, Dr George Quek, receiving the prestige award.

Cheng William, Group Chief Operating Officer for the BreadTalk Group

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

78-year-old Teochew pastry brand Thye Moh Chan is famous for its handmade Tau Sar Piah.

BREADTALK GROUP PTE LTD

That sense of “Fun!” comes not only from the creativity in BreadTalk’s work, but the close relationships between the staff.

“The company feels like family,” Wong says. “We are very engaged. We have a very opendoor-open –communication policy and whilst our leaders command respect, we can also speak to them without being intimidated and this transcends across different levels and even countries. We form many friendships within the company.

In difficult times, we still come together. We like to say we’re in the F&B business, but really, we are in the people business and that is reflected in the way we provide service to our customers.”

This is why, even when the Group was facing hard times last year, Toh insisted on continuing the company’s bursary programme for employees.

“We believe in education as a social leveller,” Wong says. “So we provided monetary rewards to support staff whose children achieve exceptional results.”

WHERE HERITAGE MEETS INNOVATIONS

BreadTalk has also offered support to local arts and culture, becoming a celebrated patron of the arts for its contributions.

“BreadTalk thrives on creativity and innovation,” Wong says. “The preservation of food culture and heritage is extremely important to us so that there is continuity and longevity to these brands. It

BreadTalk staff are strongly supported in their personal and professional growth, through training schemes & opportunities.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

makes our work and mission even more meaningful.”

Indeed, throughout our conversation with BreadTalk, it’s this thread connecting Singapore and Asia’s traditional food heritage to the latest and most creative innovations that seem to be the defining element of BreadTalk’s identity.

“Planning for the future, all of our winning formulas need constant reinvention. We will continue to stay creative and innovative – one that we have demonstrated over the last 20 years while on a mission to preserve food heritage and bringing cross-cultural food experiences around the world, leveraging on tomorrow’s technologies to continue to push the envelope,” Cheng says.

“We also continue to explore various ways we can reduce our carbon footprint and food waste by ingraining ourselves with sustainable partners to build a better environment for the generations to come.”

“We believe that the strong culture and values we’ve built over the years can be taken through to the next 20, 40, even 100 years,” Cheng agrees.

“Building a people-led business that is creative, innovative and differentiating ourselves from other food and beverage brands.”

“It’s a new Asia we are embracing, a harmony of deeply rooted Asian cultures with global influence,” Wong adds.

“It’s an appetite we want to build for the world.”

“IT’S A NEW ASIA WE ARE EMBRACING, A HARMONY OF DEEPLY ROOTED ASIAN CULTURES WITH GLOBAL INFLUENCE. IT’S AN APPETITE WE WANT TO BUILD FOR THE WORLD.” BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 27

KÄSSBOHRER

AS A LEADING TRAILER MANUFACTURER, KÄSSBOHRER DEVELOPS THE HIGHEST-QUALITY SEMI-TRAILERS TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF INNOVATION.

SPIRIT OF ENGINUITY PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID TAVERNOR

“Enginuity”, a portmanteau of engineering and ingenuity, defines what Kässbohrer is about. Kässbohrer develops vehicles and services for customers in over 55 countries, boasting the widest product range in Europe with eleven different product groups, including Curtainsider, Platform, Container Chassis, Swap Body, Reefer, Box, Silo, Tanker, Low-Bed and Tipper semi-trailers and Special Vehicles, as well as more than 1,000 different products.

F

or more than 125 years, generations of transport companies have associated Kässbohrer with innovations and the latest technology in vehicle construction Kässbohrer’s innovations have been rewarded by the sector’s prestigious Trailer Innovation Awards. Ranging from Chassis to Smart Trailer, from Safety to Component, Kässbohrer’s range of innovation parallels its competence in designing and manufacturing the widest product range in Europe.

In recent years, that innovation has seen the company recognised in the “Safety” category of the Trailer Innovation 2017 Awards with its Safety Bitumen Tanker K.STS F 32 and the “Chassis” category in the Trailer Innovation 2019 Award with its Multifunctional Container Chassis K.SHG AVMH. In Trailer Innovation 2021 Awards, Kässbohrer

28 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

proudly is the winner in the category “Component” with its Multifunctional rear underrun protection device RUPD-5K1, which has taken the second place in the category “Body” with first and only 45 ft. Coil Swap Body K.SWAU CC and has taken the second place in the category “Smart Trailer” with K-ADAS, Kässbohrer Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

Across Kässbohrer’s four production facilities in three countries, respectively Goch and Ulm, in Germany, Tula in Russia and Adapazari, Kässbohrer offers Europe’s widest product range to serve all logistics sectors in 55 countries. “’Enginuity’, engineering excellence and a customercentric approach allow us to not only to expertly manufacture the widest product range but develop products that offer increased capacity, advanced safety as well as easiest serviceability,” states İffet Türken, Kässbohrer Board

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

KÄSSBOHRER

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 29

KÄSSBOHRER

Member. “A selection from our widest product range showcases these traits, including the first and only 45 ft coil Swap Body, award-winning Container Chassis vehicles for the transportation of all kinds of containers, a modular aluminium Tipper offering robustness as well as the lowest maintenance cost, a steel Tipper that is 1 ton more than a conventional 2 axle tipper semitrailer, a Low-Bed vehicle with the lowest ground clearance, the reliable and durable Silo series and Tanker vehicles for the transportation of dangerous goods, food and waste.”

With its complete construction range with platforms, tippers, silos and tankers, and transport-specific low-bed vehicles, Kässbohrer provides a full service for customers who need to address more than one transport need in their operations.

“Our complete intermodal product range for environmentallyfriendly intermodal transportation with the lightest swap body in the market K.SWAU CL, the first and only 45-foot coil swap body K.SWAU CC, newly introduced

30 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

silo container K. CON S 40 and award-winning multifunctional container chassis K.SHG AVMH offers the complete solution set for intermodal companies,” says Türken.

SYNONYMOUS WITH INNOVATION

From the beginning, Kässbohrer’s name has been synonymous with innovation, with R&D activities and investments forming a core part of their business culture.

“Kässbohrer is the inventor of the kingpin that changed the course of trailer building in 1931, is the manufacturer of the first low-bed with 12-ton capacity in 1934 and the first tank semi-trailer in the early ‘30s,” says Türken. “As a result of its heritage full of inventions, research and development and finding new ways of doing business continue to be top priorities for Kässbohrer.”

Kässbohrer works on new concepts and new ways of doing business according to industry dynamics within a wide ecosystem full of long-term, reputable stakeholders. There is intensive communication

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

KÄSSBOHRER

with these stakeholders to increase creativity and prepare Kässbohrer for the rapidly changing business environment.

One of those changes came in April 2019 when the European Parliament voted to cut carbon dioxide emissions from new trucks by 30% as of 2030, compared to 2019 levels.

This new European regulation includes an interim target of a 15% cut in CO2 emissions from new heavy-goods vehicles sold in 2025 compared to 2019 levels.

“It is obvious that we will be witnessing grand changes in the weight and dimensions of trailers, accompanied by new aerodynamic structures and smart loading possibilities. This begins today, but will span over the next decade,” says Türken. “This also requires collaboration among representatives of authorities, policymakers, logistics, and industry who can advise and help guide the process of defining the recommendations that will be developed within Europe.”

Talking with Türken a recurring theme is that after 125 years is that Kässbohrer is looking forward to the next 125 years.

“In this regard, we are proud to be a part of the European Commission-backed Aeroflex Project to generate the next generation of road vehicles with the aim of reducing emissions,” Türken says. “At Kässbohrer, we would like to emphasise the importance of collaboration and communication since considerable efforts are required from all the stakeholders in order to reduce CO2 emissions.”

BRINGING ON THE DIGITAL AGE

Of course, the biggest challenge businesses have faced in 2020 has been the pandemic, and Kässbohrer rapidly adapted, continuing its R&D investments and introducing 22 new vehicles to the sector.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 31

KÄSSBOHRER

During the pandemic, Kässbohrer’s resilience has enabled the company to continue its operations, its innovative character empowering the company to develop new vehicles and services to meet customer needs with reliable and efficient solutions. The company has made particular use of digitalization.

“Kässbohrer’s first priority has been the health and safety of its employees, all precautions according to World Health Organisation and Health ministries were taken

and implemented immediately,” Türken says. “As a result, Kässbohrer’s production in its four locations and its supply to the transport industry never stopped. Kässbohrer’s vehicle delivery, spare parts business, customer service, breakdown service, sales and other departments continued to offer the best service to its customers.”

Indeed, production and supply chain operations remained undisrupted thanks to Kässbohrer’s resilience and meticulous adherence to hygiene rules. But also

as a result of the company’s successful adaptation to digitalization.

“Firstly we have digitally upgraded our after-sales network of 590 service locations. In April, we upgraded our after-sales network pages to include the real-time opening hours and status of all our after-sales networks for the convenience of planning for our customers’ repair and maintenance,” says Türken.

More than that, Kässbohrer has leveraged digital tools to keep its customers informed

“TOWARDS THE NEXT 125 YEARS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER THE HIGHEST QUALITY VEHICLES AND SERVICES WITH OUR RESILIENCE, ADAPTATION AND INNOVATIVE CHARACTER.”

32 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

KÄSSBOHRER

about the company’s latest development.

“To sustain its communication with its customers, Kässbohrer launched K-Talks webinar series where expert team members presented selections from its fine product range as well as the launch vehicles during this series in September,” says Türken.

They have also found a way to overcome people’s inability to visit tradeshows and networking events.

“We have brought the 6 Hall virtual exhibition online. At

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

the online virtual exhibition, Kässbohrer presents five productspecific halls, respectively for general cargo range, construction range, dangerous goods range, silo range and launch vehicles that are recently introduced to the sector,” Türken tells us proudly. “Kässbohrer also displays a special hall for Trailer Innovation 2021 winner and nominee vehicles. Kässbohrer’s virtual fair is still online and viewable through our website.”

This sort of innovative activity is indicative of Kässbohrer’s approach to the future.

“Towards the next 125 years, we will continue to offer the highest quality vehicles and services with our resilience, adaptation and innovative character,” says Türken. “Radical changes in vehicle and transportation concepts will impact many areas and we need to manage intensive collaboration with our customers and with all our stakeholders.

Intensive collaboration with customers and all-embracing partnerships can provide the best solutions for a long-term innovation and technology strategy.”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 33

ZAMBIA AIRPORTS CORPORATION LIMITED

ZAMBIA AIRPORTS CORPORATION LIMITED SAW ITS AIRPORT EXPANSIONS AND REDEVELOPMENTS SLOWED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, BUT THEY ARE ALREADY LOOKING TO RETURN TO THE SKIES BIGGER AND BETTER THAN BEFORE.

RETURNING TO THE AIR PROJECT MANAGED BY: GARY SMITH

Zambia Airports Corporation Limited has been operating the country’s airports for over 30 years, ever since it was established by an Act of Government in 1989. The 100% government-owned company commenced operations on the 11th of September that year with a remit covering the operation, maintenance and development of Zambia’s four international airports and aerodrome. These airports are Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, (formerly Lusaka International Airport), Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport (formerly Livingstone International Airport), Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (formerly Ndola International Airport), and Mfuwe International Airport. Each of them caters to the whole spectrum of business sectors, as well as tourists and all key sectors in the aviation industry.

T

he corporation provides work for 804 staff, with a turnover of $60 million.

But talking to the corporation’s Director of Airport Services, Azzaam Bvulani, it’s clear that Zambia Airports Corporation Limited puts its value in quality, not quantity.

“The key qualities that make our airports stand out are their safety and security,” Bvulani tells us. “In 2018 Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport won the best safety award in Africa. In 2019 we were also

34 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

awarded on the effectiveness of the implementation of security measures. We’re well above the African average and measure well against a number of global benchmarks. In terms of the airport service quality, we stand out in terms of courtesy and helpfulness because we have made high levels of customer service a key organisational objective.”

On top of the world-class levels of service, Zambia Airports Corporation Limited’s facilities offer, they are also

emblematic of the diversity that makes Zambia the place it is today.

“Our staff come from a rich African culture which celebrates the diversity of the 72 ethnic groups which live in Zambia, as well as those from our neighbouring countries,” Bvulani says proudly.

Bvulani brings a wealth of experience to his role with a career that spans everything from engineering to finance.

“I’m an engineer by training.

I studied in the UK and also undertook a graduate qualification in accounting,” he explains.

Bvulani has two MBAs, one in strategy, business transformation and the use of technology and the other in banking and finance. His career has spanned the sectors of management consultancy, integrated facilities management, ICT, business and investment, and now aviation.

This wide cross-section of knowledge has proved essential, especially given the ambitious development and expansion projects Zambia’s airports are undertaking.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

ZAMBIA AIRPORTS CORPORATION LIMITED

Azzaam Bvulani, Director of Airport Services, Zambia Airports Corporation Limited.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 35

ZAMBIA AIRPORTS CORPORATION LIMITED

SPREADING ITS WINGS

Currently, Zambia Airports Corporation Limited is investing in several major upgrade projects. The first of these was for the terminal building at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport, which was completed and commissioned in 2016. This was only the start of a much wider programme of expansion and refurbishment, however.

“We’ve rehabilitated the facilities and runways and we’re in the process of developing, through the administrative department of public infrastructure, a greenfield airport with the capacity for 1 million passengers,” Bvulani points out. “It will be an international airport that also covers the domestic market, a

NEI Investments Ltd is ready to partner with you today and provide you with the best services.

NEI Investments Ltd is an Engineering company engaged in refurbishing, construction, repair and maintenance services, installation and commissioning of Capital plant for the energy conversion and material handling industries. Industries Served include power generation, Sugar/ food processing and mining. The company represents world-renowned brands both in manufacturing and after sales service.

In our world today, the decision you make can cost you a lot but, when you partner with the right people you will enjoy value for your money.

We have skilled and qualified staff to carry out repairs & maintenance of the following: • Boilers

• Pressure Vessels and pipelines

• High & Low Voltage Switch Gear

• Protection and control circuits

• Transformers (inc. Oil filtration & regeneration) We also manufacture & supply high quality energy saving LED lights of different wattages.

NEI Investments Limited 32 Kalungwishi Street, Nkana East PO Box 23410, Kitwe, Zambia Tel: +260 212 227472 Email: sales@nei-investments.com www.nei-investments.com

36 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

ZAMBIA AIRPORTS CORPORATION LIMITED

greenfield opportunity which will be launched sometime in 2021.”

At the same time, the corporation is carrying out an extensive upgrade at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport including a dedicated international terminal, cargo facilities, a transit hotel, standalone hotel and a major upgrade to the existing infrastructure.

These facilities will be launched in 2021.

“It will build the airport’s capacity for domestic and international travellers to over 6 million,” Bvulani says proudly.

This level of investment is necessary, as the region has undergone a great deal of growth over the last few years.

“We have grown faster relatively than the region at large in terms of passenger numbers,” Bvulani observes.

“We have taken a long-term view with regards to the strategic perspective. We’ve invested in projects for the future in order to develop the country as an aviation hub within the region.”

Indeed, Bvulani explains that Zambia’s airports have had lots of interest from major carriers, both those currently flying out of those airports looking to expand their operations and others which are considering operating out of those airports in the future as part of Zambia’s air service development strategic plan.

But the plan has encountered a significant obstacle this year, in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Covid has had a negative impact.

Some international airports were closed during the months of April, May and June during which we had very little traffic and the international aviation market was pretty much closed,” Bvulani says.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 37

ZAMBIA AIRPORTS CORPORATION LIMITED

Air travel is opening up again, but the goverment of Zambia is taking extra precautions to ensure that travelling is safe, instituting a number of measures in line with guidelines developed by Zambia Airports Corporation Limited alongside the Ministry of Health, Zambia Civil Aviation Authority and other organisations.

The procedures to protect the travelling public include serious health screening such as temperature checks on all arriving and departing passengers, hand sanitising and masking up, restricting access to terminal buildings and an enhanced check-in and security processes.

“From a work environment perspective, we also implemented rotation among our staff and continuity measures to manage any potential outbreak within our organisation,” Bvulani points out.

Bvulani and Zambia Airports Corporation Limited are already looking to the opportunities that lie beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

38 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

“THE CORPORATION HAS GOT AMBITIOUS PLANS IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING THE AVIATION AND NONAVIATION SECTORS OF THE BUSINESS.”

“The corporation has got ambitious plans in terms of developing the aviation and nonaviation sectors of the business,” Bvulani confides. “We hope to generate at least 20% of our revenue coming out of nonaviation-based services and that requires significant investment.”

The COVID-19, has, if anything, proven the resilience of the corporation.

“We are proud that we have successfully continued as a selfsustaining business, especially given the impact of COVID-19 in reducing our income to below

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

ZAMBIA AIRPORTS CORPORATION LIMITED

10% of our typical figures, and the relatively slow uptake and increase of passenger and aircraft activities to recover to pre-COVID levels,” Bvulani says. “We’re facing restrictions regarding our ability to generate the finance to fund our continued expansion. That is the biggest challenge, working with stakeholders to reduce our operating costs and optimise

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

the investment that we need to keep up with international standards and requirements.”

Bvulani expects Zambia’s airports to reach 55% of preCOVID traffic levels in the next 12-18 months and already almost all the airlines that were previously operating out of their airports have returned. Airlines are operating at reduced frequencies but capacity is

expected to grow and pricing to be revised downwards to preCOVID levels.

“We also expect more operators to start flying to Zambia, such as the new Zambia Airways that will commence in the next three to six months,” Bvulani tells us. “Expectations are high for 2021 with significant infrastructure projects as well as significant upgrades.”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 39

MTN SUDAN

SUDAN IS A COUNTRY THAT HAS ENDURED A GREAT DEAL OF HARDSHIP, BUT AS MTN SUDAN SHOWS US, THERE IS ALSO A HUGE AMOUNT OF POTENTIAL HERE.

UNLOCKING SUDAN’S POTENTIAL PROJECT MANAGED BY: TREVOR GRETSINGER MTN Group Limited, formerly M-Cell, is a South African multinational mobile telecommunications company, operating in 21 African, European and Asian countries.

M

alik K I Melamu is the CEO of the Middle East and North Africa region, and he counts MTN Sudan as one of its success stories.

“We’ve been here since 2006, building a GSM operation slowly but surely,” Melamu tells us. “I arrived here in 2016 when the company had been operating for ten years. This November we launched our celebration of 15 years in Sudan.”

MTN Sudan is the second operator in Sudan with a market share of 37% of the traditional communication and data sectors. The company has also evolved digital and fintech operations alongside an enterprise business unit offering communication solutions for large business operators. The

40 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

company boasts a network deployment of around 2,400 sites across Sudan. However, Melamu insists that there is still more work to do.

“Sudan at the moment enjoys mobile penetration levels of approximately 74%, so one of the big challenges is to get as many people as possible to have access to the internet,” he says.

“We’re providing data services through 2G but also 3G, and we have our 4G deployment growing really, really fast. The big challenge is obviously how to get more access to data to implement. We’re at about 35% and we hope to have 42% penetration next year.”

STEPPING IN TO HELP

MTN Sudan’s priorities aren’t confined to opening up internet access to as many people as possible, however.

“We’re self-governed and are known as an honest operator because we have a very tough risk management and

compliance system,” Melamu points out. “It’s given us a good name in the country along with our strong corporate social responsibility offering.”

MTN’s CSR work has included an initiative the company funded to assist the prevention of unnecessary blindness.

“It requires only a very small surgical intervention,” Melamu says. “We’ve so far driven 143,000 such operations in Sudan.”

This is just one of MTN Sudan’s projects, however. The company has performed a pivotal role in flood relief and is helping to prop up the inadequate medical infrastructure in the country in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

Melamu tells us, “Last week we launched a new initiative to set up telemedicine with our data network. So doctors in isolation can remotely assist doctors on-site in various hospitals. I’m very proud that we’re known as such a caring company.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

MTN SUDAN

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 41

Breathtaking Luxury Step into the 5 stars Al Salam Hotel Khartoum, Ideally located just a few minutes away from Khartoum International Airport via the stretch of Africa Road, a short drive to Downtown Khartoum, and a walking distance from Afra Mall. Al Salam Hotel Khartoum is perfectly situated for both business and leisure. Experience a unique blend the traditional Sudanese hospitality.

The hotel epitomizes the exceptional hospitality in Sudan, featuring 233 rooms and suites elegantly designed with the comfort of the guests in mind. Supported by an excellent array of services and fitted with the latest sophisticated equipment.

Al Salam Hotel is outfitted with a variety of facilities making it the perfect place both for business and leisure. The hotel offers two distinctive food and beverage venues including Nuba Restaurant and City Café. In addition to, gifts shop, business center and a selection of meeting spaces, boardrooms, a ballroom, all with a pre-function area, suitable for all kinds of occasions and meetings.

Al Salam Health & Fitness Club offers you a fully equipped gym, outdoor swimming pool, steam and sauna rooms, in addition to a variety of massages to choose from.

At Al Salam Hotel your comfort comes first.

Special Needs At Al Salam Hotel, we anticipate your needs and place utmost importance in ensuring the safety and comfort of every guest. Our hotel has been thoughtfully laid out to ensure easy reach and several members of our team have undergone training to take care of the requirements of our special needs guests.

General Hotel Features • Valet parking provided

HOTEL FACILITIES:

• Service animals are permitted

• Al Salam Health & Fitness Club

• Accessible route from hotel entrance to accessible guest rooms

• Salam Club Lounge

• Evacuation wheel chairs

• Business Center with professional secretarial support • 2 Food and Beverage outlets

Accessible Areas

• Wireless internet connection in all rooms, suites and public areas

• Business Centre and Salam Club Lounge

• Laundry and dry cleaning facilities

• Restaurants

• Doctor on call

• Meeting room and ballroom

• Car limousine rental & Valet parking • Multilingual employees

Accessible Room Features • Wheelchair accessible doors

PLEASE NOTE that Credit cards cannot be used as a method of payment in Sudan.

• Lowered access for room amenities and mini bar items • Flashing light for alarm

Al Salam Hotel, Africa Road, Khartoum, Sudan Tel: +249 187 007 777 Fax: +249 187 007 788 Email: info@alsalamhotel.com / reservation@alsalamhotel.com www.alsalamhotel.com

• Audible emergency alarm • Grab bar for toilet (Only in the public area) • Staff proficient in sign language

Secure VSAT services, whenever & wherever you need them.

A Strong VSAT services provider, comprising highly experienced local/regional integration and development professionals who have an enviable reputation in design, delivery, support and maintenance of Innovative VSAT Solutions • 3 Satellites covering Ka, C and Ku bands • 24/7 NOC services from our Khartoum Teleport • Local and Regional coverage serving North, East and West Africa

Our Services: • Telecom/Enterprise Backhauling • Rural Coverage Sites.

• Earth Observation & Imaging • Internet Connectivity • TV/Radio Channels Broadcasting • VoIP Services • VSAT Sites Integration • VSAT Managed Services • Consultancy Services

Sudasat, Building #40/9, Omak St, Riyadh, Khartoum, Sudan | Tel: +249 18 321 6860 | Email: info@sudasat.net | www.sudasat.net

MTN SUDAN

Malik K I Melamu, CEO, MTN Sudan.

BRINGING DATA TO SUDAN

Another arena where MTN is making great progress is in building Sudan’s nascent fintech market.

“We are pioneers in Sudan, driving fintech. The MTN Group has a fintech operation in 16 of its 21 countries. Mobile money is a big driver, offering participation in the formal economy to the unbanked so they can make digital payments,” Melamu explains. “In Sudan, we’re at the cusp of a full-blown mobile money launch thanks to twoto-three years of pushing from MTN Sudan. That is an area we are very proud of.”

The perception in the market is that MTN Sudan offers the best data internet quality in the country, is a pioneer in driving internet quality, fintech and other mobile services, and has very rigorous compliance.

But working in Sudan also brings unique challenges with it.

44 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

“There are phenomenal challenges around the economy.

Sudan is a country with hyperinflation,” Melamu says.

“When I arrived in Sudan in 2016 the inflation rate was 17%, the following year the inflation rate was 35%, then 62%, and right now the inflation rate 119%, while in October the inflation rate was 212%. I arrived in the market with the Sudanese pound trading at eight or nine Sudanese pounds to the dollar. As I speak to you today there are 270 Sudanese pounds to the dollar.”

Sudan is in the top five countries in the world in terms of inflation rates, while at the same time it is in the bottom five in terms of data price per gigabyte. It’s a challenging position for a Sudanese data provider to be in.

“I’ve spent this time driving organic growth to keep the business afloat and behind all of those challenges we are still a self-funding operation,” Melamu says. “But the biggest challenge is that economic instability.

Sudan faces sanctions, although it looks like they may be lifted to allow us to trade in the world economic space and access international donor funding. We have a transitional government, a combination of military and civilian, from different backgrounds, with different views, so getting decisions from the government during this transition is a challenge.”

While economically and politically Sudan may present challenges to businesses, Melamu is quick to point out that this is not the whole story.

“The business has grown phenomenally from an operational perspective. The potential in the country is massive,” he insists.

Melamu points to a combination of tariff reviews and a growing subscriber base

that have allowed the company to grow its prepaid revenue from 2016 to the present by over 600%.

“Sudan is a market rich in potential,” Melamu says. “We run a very tight ship with a constant eye on the budget and macro-economics. We’ve managed to be self-funding. I won’t lie, I’m a very tired CEO, but I think the potential in the market is phenomenal.”

One area where Sundan offers a wealth of resources is in its human capital.

“I’ve now worked outside South Africa since 2005, in eight different African countries and I will say the basic skills in engineering and IT found in Sudan, the basic competencies are the best I’ve seen in any African country,” Melamu says.

“There is a strong tradition of maths and science in schools, we churn out huge numbers of engineers and information technology specialists despite having been closed off from the world. We’re blessed with some of the best fundamental skills you’ll find.”

This is why, despite the challenges facing Sudan, Melamu is extremely optimistic about the country’s future.

“The future is outstanding. We still have a journey to get the internet into as many hands as possible. Last year we came up with a smartphone with a cost of $20, so it’s becoming more accessible,” Melamu says. “It’s very cheap by any standards but still out of reach of the majority of people when people are earning less than two dollars a day. In 2019 MTN launched the first African created messaging app Ayoba! which two days ago was voted app of the year in the Africa Digital Awards.

It’s an app where you don’t necessarily have to be on a data bundle to use it, and so opens

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

MTN SUDAN

up access to a lot of customers here. Sudan has been a country that has been a pariah in the world because of sanctions and political challenges, but as a foreigner working on the inside, I think Sudan is just about to come alive. It’s just about to open up to the world.

Over the coming years it will be a place offering a lot of growth, excitement, returns, surprises and creativity.”

“MOBILE MONEY IS A BIG DRIVER, OFFERING PARTICIPATION IN THE FORMAL ECONOMY TO THE UNBANKED SO THEY CAN MAKE DIGITAL PAYMENTS.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 45

CONSOLIDATED CONTRACTORS COMPANY

AS THE LARGEST CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IN THE MIDDLE EAST, CONSOLIDATED CONTRACTORS COMPANY HAS MODIFIED ITS BUSINESS MODEL TO PREPARE FOR THE POST-COVID MARKET CONDITIONS.

BUILDING A NEW FUTURE PROJECT MANAGED BY: LEE PHOENIX

46 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

CONSOLIDATED CONTRACTORS COMPANY

Sidra Medical & Research Centre, Qatar.

Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) ranks amongst the top 25 international contractors, with offices and projects in over 40 countries. With its origins going back to 1952, the company has developed into a market leader with its hallmark on prestigious, multi-billion construction projects in the region and beyond.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

“W

e have been partners to governments and private players to help complete complex construction projects of strategic importance,” says Samer Khoury, CCC’s Chairman and son of the founder.

Recent highlights include participation in a $10 billion project for lines 1 and 2 of the Riyadh metro network that will form part of the six-line metro system running for a total length of 176 kilometres across the city and include 85 stations; as well as participation in the construction of the Midfield Terminal Complex (MTC) at Abu Dhabi airport.

This world-class building was designed to accommodate up to 27 million passengers annually in order to meet the future needs of one of the fastestgrowing airports in the world.

The construction contract for this landmark project worth $3 billion was signed between Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) and the TAV-CCC-Arabtec Joint Venture.

But it has not been all about profit and growth. CCC’s solid sustainability strategy and focus on green construction has become a corporate and economic advantage with proven business cases and a heightened

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 47

CONSOLIDATED CONTRACTORS COMPANY

sense of responsibility. The many environmental industry awards CCC has won reflect its longterm commitment to embedding sustainability into all aspects of its work.

Mr Khoury explains that sustainability, together with CSR, are key aspects of the business, and environmental aspects are reflected in most of the company’s projects. Just recently, CCC has been given an award for its work on the Msheireb Station, the cornerstone of Doha Metro in Qatar, receiving two prestigious Green Building certifications: LEED Gold and GSAS 5 Stars.

Another remarkable project that the company completed, the Palestinian Museum in the town of Birzeit, north of Jerusalem, opened in 2016, received the highest LEED certification in the Middle East.

Dubai Mall, Dubai. One of the Biggest Malls in the World under the Burj Khalifa SkyScraper.

Since 1976, Target LLC has been successfully delivering projects to its clients. Our services include Civil and MEP contracting, and also earthworks, fabrication, joinery, and interior fit-out works. Our track record has cemented our position as one of the leading contracting companies in Oman.

TARGET LLC, LLC, Al Taameer St, Ghala Industrial Area, Sultanate of Oman Tel: +968 24 505970 Email: target@target-llc.com

48 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

www.target-llc.com

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

CONSOLIDATED CONTRACTORS COMPANY

CCC has also won awards for its Ghazeer gas field project in Oman, completed ahead of time. Although the project was expected to begin production in early 2021, the first gas from the field has been delivered four and a half months early.

“For delivering this major project ahead of schedule, CCC received a letter of thanks from Oman’s Minister of Oil as well as the company management, and at the same time collected two awards - for Quality and Safety, having recorded approximately 19.6 million man-hours without a lost-time injury,” says Mr Khoury.

CHANGING THE GAME

Still, he admits that despite its impressive footing, the company has not escaped the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is now important to analyse the changes in the construction industry to make sure that the sector is better prepared for similar scenarios in the future.

“While the construction sector has been less affected than others, scars from Covid-19 run deep. At the beginning of 2020, CCC was involved in hundreds of construction projects in some 40 countries, but basically, in 2020 our business has been cut by half compared to last year - from a $4 billion turnover down to $2 billion, and from 140,000 people worldwide down to 70,000.”

“The bottom line is that most jobs have been significantly delayed. As clients now push for completion, we need to work with all the safety regulations, and, to increase safety further, have introduced a number of our own additional rules and safety procedures. For example, we have installed cameras at site entrances that also measure the personnel’s temperature, and provided flu jabs for everyone.”

“Many of our projects are strategic governmental projects and CCC will deliver these projects in accordance with the new safety guidelines protecting all stakeholders during these difficult times.”

Travel restrictions and supply chain disruption have also made construction companies look closer to home, Mr Khoury points out.

While most companies used to procure materials from abroad, mostly from Europe and China now they are looking at alternative sources.

“We have to look local. Maybe we will not be able to secure the very best quality, but at least supply will not be affected.

The projects just need to get finished with what is available locally, so that the investment is not lost or delayed.”

LEANER AND MORE RESILIENT Mega Reservoirs, Qatar.

Largest drinking water storage tank in the world.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

On the social front, the company has faced the Covid-19 challenge upfront - recognizing the significance of diagnostic testing, CCC recently donated

60,000 testing kits to assist with the COVID-19 screening necessities in Palestine, Jordan, Egypt and Kazakhstan.

Additionally, in Lebanon, CCC donated 5 ventilators to the Ministry of Health to support the most pressing needs of local hospitals, and 4 ventilators to Palestinian hospitals located near refugee camps to benefit vulnerable sections of society.

Also, the company handed over to the authorities some construction camp facilities to assist with the quarantine needs of suspected Covid-19 cases.

Mr Khoury affirms that the company is well aware of the key role its people play in both handling the coronavirus and keeping the business going.

“CCC core family values and principles define the framework of our global operations, and our commitment to growth is firmly linked to our commitment to our employees’ continuous development and rewarding careers. Because we are a family-owned company, we have very special relationships with all of our employees. Their loyalty and their skills are core to our progression, and their safety in these difficult times continues to be of paramount importance to us.”

Looking ahead, contractors including CCC have been rethinking and re-evaluating their internal processes, to make sure they are best adapted to the “new normal”. “We all wish to prevent the situation that happened this year – a 50% drop in revenue is just scary,” notes Mr Khoury. “After much consideration, we have somewhat restructured the company to make it leaner and more efficient. This is not only to offset the impact of the coronavirus but also to increase its competitiveness in the future.”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 49

Shaun Chilton, CEO, Clinigen.

CLINIGEN

CLINIGEN, A GLOBAL PHARMACEUTICAL AND SERVICES COMPANY, PROVIDES ACCESS TO MORE INNOVATIVE AND DIFFICULT TO GET HOLD OF MEDICINES, IN MORE COUNTRIES, FOR MORE PATIENTS THAN ANY OTHER COMPANY.

THE RIGHT MEDICINE AT THE RIGHT TIME PROJECT MANAGED BY: ANDREW BOURKE

Clinigen’s mission is to deliver the right medicine to the right patient at the right time operating in three areas of global medicine supply: clinical trials, unlicensed and licensed medicines.

T

he company was formed in 2010 through the merger of Keats Healthcare, Clinigen Healthcare and Clinigen, and since then has grown progressively through organic growth supplemented by a number of corporate and product acquisitions in various parts of the world. Starting with only 30 people ten years ago, today the business employs a workforce of over 1,200 worldwide, with hubs in Europe, the US, Africa and the Far East.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Following several acquisitions over the last few years, Clinigen is now the market leader in the supply of drugs for clinical trials and the distribution of unlicensed pharmaceuticals.

The company has most of the world’s top 25 pharma companies in its customer base, and exclusive supply arrangements for more than 100 drugs.

“Operating in a complex regulatory environment, we are the only company to globally manage access to medicine across all three routes worldwide - clinical trials, unlicensed and licensed medicines,” says CEO Shaun Chilton. “We delivered medicines to 135 different countries last year. We don’t just help make medicines available,

we get them to the people who need them.”

ACCESS TO SAFE MEDICINES

The company provides access to its own and other pharmaceutical companies’ products, whether to meet unmet medical needs or for use in clinical trials. This includes providing access to medicines that have received regulatory approval, but may not be available in a specific patient’s own country (‘unlicensed’ medicines).

“The expression ‘unlicensed medicine’ is starting to appear more often now, and it is important that people understand what it means, and increasingly, why it is important.

The term unlicensed medicine

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 51

■ ■ ■ ■

Digital Infrastructure, Operations & Service Management Digital Business & Programme Recovery Services Digital Programme & Product Management Digital Enablement, Optimisation & Transformation

Nothing stands still in today’s ever changing business landscape.

If you’re not leading, you are simply following.

At Step5 when the world zigs, we zag - putting our best foot forward and leading from the front. We realise our client’s ambitions, keeping them at the cutting edge. We see the bigger picture when others can’t, recognising that whilst every problem is different, every problem is there to be solved.

Our clients and our teams are all individual pieces of the jigsaw, each as important as the next. When they come together, working in collaboration, we solve problems and make it happen. Because we don’t just believe in the power of dreams, we believe in making those dreams a reality.

We work with leading FTSE 100 businesses, with central government and public sector organisations to scope, build, deliver or recover large scale transformational projects, on time and to budget.

We are Step5 and together we can.

a TXM Group company

Take your next step and speak to us today:

t: 0845 606 8766 e: hello@step5group.com w: step5group.com

STEP5 GROUP: THE EXPERTS IN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION STEP5 IS A UK HEADQUARTERED TRANSFORMATION CONSULTANCY, WORKING WITH LEADING FTSE 100 BUSINESSES, WITH CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANISATIONS TO SCOPE, BUILD, DELIVER OR RECOVER LARGE-SCALE TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS, ON TIME AND TO BUDGET. BLUE CHIP CLIENTS AND GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS With clients including Clinigen, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Sopra Steria, Experian and BNP Paribas Personal Finance UK, Step5 brings together a wealth of experience, spanning the last 30 years, from architecture and design, to programme management and service management, and has delivered some of the most challenging programmes in both the public and private sector.

AGILE AND EXPERIENCED With more than 70 staff deployed at any one time across the UK, Step5’s teams are highly experienced, flexible and agile and come handpicked from leading public and private sector organisations providing outstanding project skills and an innate understanding of Service Management. The result is unmatched diversity balanced by absolute unity of purpose. Every project team is carefully put together for their breadth of experience and sectoral insight, realising their clients’ ambitions, keeping them at the cutting edge, whatever business they offer.

ACCOUNTABLE AND INTEGRATED Unlike most large-scale consultancies, Step5’s size and flexibility enables them to form strong, proactive relationships with their clients. This bond, combined with unique agility, equips them with the necessary skill-set to not only find the solutions but deliver them too. This means no standing on the sidelines finger pointing, rather Step5 is both accountable and responsible for delivering the required outcomes.

AS A RESULTS STEP5 HAS HELPED CUSTOMERS TO BID, WIN AND DELIVER MAJOR TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMMES WITH A TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE IN EXCESS OF £1 BILLION, INCLUDING: • Olympics - London 2012: Members of the Step5 team ran the programme management and delivery of all telecommunications for the London 2012 Olympics. Joining a team of over 1,200 people to ensure one of the most successful global events in recent times ran smoothly.

• Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy: The merging of two key Government departments, The Department of Energy and Climate Change and The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills saw the creation of a single entity: The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. With their extensive experience in Central Government, Step5 was asked to deliver an integrated solution for HR, Finance, Procurement and Payroll; a task they achieved in 3 months.

• BNP Paribas Personal Finance UK: Over an 18-month period, Step5 played a central role in securing BNP Paribas Personal Finance UK’s entry into the £32 billion UK motor finance market. Working closely with the client, they successfully implemented an industry-leading digital platform capable of competing with some of the largest and most established competitors in the automotive market.

• Retail Environments: Step5 recovered a large-scale integration of front-end retail, logistics and back-end financial systems, including changing the financial point of record, for one of the top UK supermarket retailers. By working at every level of the organisation, from the executive board to walking the floor, Step5 was able to take full responsibility of the programme delivery; restructuring teams and working directly with suppliers to recover and deliver the programme successfully.

• B2B Services: Providing the best outcomes for the client whilst keeping to strict timeframes is a common challenge faced by members of Step5. Finding this balance led to the development and delivery of one B2B customer’s transformation programme which moved their Customer Service interface to an online service. This included managing all aspects of the programme, from end customer engagement workshops, business change models, requirements definition, IT architecture, IT delivery and deployment to training and implantation. The first phase of this process was delivered in just 8 weeks with significant additional functionality delivered 12 weeks later.

• Cloud Migration at Scale: Recently, Step5 successfully programme managed the delivery for a client migration from On-Prem Infrastructure to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) — one of the biggest migrations in the world.

Clients of Step5 can expect a bespoke service as Step5 is well aware that no two business are alike. As each vision and end-goal is unique, so is the puzzle that requires solving. To ensure the most cost and time efficient service, Step5 teams provide the appropriate best-in-class talent for the job to embed within the client’s organisation, remaining agile and flexible to the changing business needs.

Partnership is a core Step5 value. However, it is recognised that this can only be achieved through trust and assured delivery; each of which is held in equal esteem. With a strong delivery focus, Step5 operates across management structures from the Boardroom, where they establish the strategic context, business ambition and delivery challenges, to their consultants working with, and within, delivery teams across the organisation.

Identifying blockages, highlighting opportunity, setting out a plan of action and the tangibles of implementation are woven into their proven delivery frameworks. Tried and tested methodologies, combined with strong philosophies and unmatched experience allow Step5 to resolve issues and to embed new ways of working into clients’ programmes, teams or service organisations.

TODAY, STEP5 RAISES THE BAR AND SETS THE STANDARD, OFFERING BUSINESSES A NEW WAY TO REALISE THEIR CAPABILITIES, OVERCOME CHALLENGES AND BE FIT FOR THE FUTURE.

www.step5group.com

CLINIGEN

does not mean that the drug is unsafe, nothing could be further from the truth,” says Shaun Chilton.

“What it means is that that the medicine that a physician or a pharmacist wants has not been approved commercially, i.e. has not been given a marketing authorisation, in other words a ‘license’ somewhere - yet! The regulatory pathway to obtain a marketing authorisation for a medicine is complex and expensive and sometimes, because there just aren’t

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

enough patients or for other reasons, the company that owns the medicine does not wish to pursue and keep a licence in a given country, the cost of which is significant.”

He points out that in all likelihood, even the most popular, widely used medicines will have a licence in only about 30 countries. “That means that in the vast majority of markets the medicine is technically unlicensed but it is an important, effective and safe treatment and so that does

not mean that people don’t want it. In today’s increasingly connected world, physicians and even patients are pushing to get access to medicines that are available elsewhere. That is what we do. We are probably the only company that can do this globally.”

“OPERATING IN A COMPLEX REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, WE ARE THE ONLY COMPANY TO GLOBALLY MANAGE ACCESS TO MEDICINE ACROSS ALL THREE ROUTES WORLDWIDE - CLINICAL TRIALS, UNLICENSED AND LICENSED MEDICINES.” BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 55

AT 3D IFS WE SPECIALISE IN EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND WEALTH MANAGEMENT We have enjoyed working with Clinigen and Shaun in particular for the last five years.

This has been an exciting time for both us and Clinigen. We look forward to continuing to support the Company and their employees for many years to come. We continually adapt the Employee Benefits Programme to cater for the rapid growth of Clinigen as a business and wish Shaun and the Company continued success in 2021 and for many years to come.

Jon Isaacs MD

3difs, Unit 1 Elm Court, Meriden Business Park Copse Drive, Coventry CV5 9RG United Kingdom

Email: jenny@3difs.com Phone: +44 (0)1676 525 390 Web: www.3difs.com

3DIFS At 3Difs we are proud of our Chartered Status whether it is bespoke Personal Financial Advice or detailed relevant Employee Benefits Programmes that we deliver for our clients. Chartered Financial Planner status is regulated by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). It is awarded based on the organisations being competent, knowledgeable and ethical in their dealings. We go above and beyond the minimum standards required to act as Financial Advisers.

As the CII say, Chartered status is the “gold standard for firms of financial planners.”

It is equally important to us that we give all our clients value for money, especially in the times we find ourselves in at present. On the Wealth management side of our business we are passionate about helping you to achieve your goals. We don’t have a ‘one size fits all’ instead we tailor a bespoke solution for each and every client. Wealth creation and importantly preservation are at the heart of our recommendations. We offer advice on pensions, investments and our aim is to legitimately reduce client’s tax bills wherever possible by mitigating income tax as well as capital gains tax and ultimately inheritance tax.

At the heart of every successful business is an effective Employee Benefits Strategy that seeks to balance the differing needs of employees with an employer’s desire to attract, motivate, retain and reward the best employees as cost effectively as possible. As a business you want to ensure that your costs are controlled and valued, and that your Employee Benefits Programmes are appreciated.

At 3Difs, we are dedicated to providing, support and solutions by offering innovative and customised solutions. Our expertise, commitment and skilled workforce enable us to be at the forefront in design, implementation and management of Employee Benefits Programmes. In addition, our reputation of building strong relationships is second-to-none and we pride ourselves on the specialised and tailored service we provide. We provide Pensions, Group Income and Group Life Protection as well as Private Medical schemes. We also offer ‘one to one’ advice for employees on their existing benefits from previous employments.

Freight Trusted to deliver on time and in temperature Tek Freight specialises in the GDP transport of temperature-controlled Pharmaceuticals throughout the UK and Continental Europe.

Our fleet of GPS tracked dual temp vehicles are some of the most technologically advanced on the road today.

• Same-day and next-day delivery across Europe • GDP compliant • Door-to-door cold chain control (-30°c to +29°c) • 24/7 temperature and location tracking

www.tekfreight.co.uk

TEK Freight Email: info@tekfreight.co.uk Tel: 01926 484454

We advise clients with Mobile employees to help businesses make substantial cost savings by introducing cost effective travel and subsistence payments.

Mobile employees cover different categories of employees such as: • Site-based workers • Engineers, maintenance workers and lorry drivers; • Outside Sales staff • Employees who work a substantial time away from their office.

Introducing new travel and subsistence arrangements can be beneficial to both employees and the business providing they are introduced correctly.

Any such arrangement must meet HMRC guidelines.

Substantial savings can be made in excess of £1000 per mobile employee per annum.

3Difs offer a cost effective arrangement that ensures that businesses and their employees can benefit from significant savings safe in the knowledge that the robust processes and associated audit trails meet all HMRC requirements.

3Difs has introduced the arrangement to many different size organisations from those with 30 employees up to those with several thousand employees.

Omobono helps Clinigen be at their best in a connected world. We help companies tell their stories better, deliver to their customers better, and operate and perform better.

Visit omobono.com/businessfocus

www.3difs.com

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 57

CLINIGEN

“ON ONE LEVEL, WE HAVE TO LOOK AFTER THE SAFETY OF OUR PEOPLE AND THAT WILL BE AN ON-GOING PROCESS IN OUR WAREHOUSES, HUBS AND OFFICES. ON THE OTHER, WE ARE DESIGNED TO HELP IN THIS SCENARIO.”

SPECIALTY DRUGS

In recent years Clinigen has spent tens of millions building up its own portfolio. One of the more recent additions was the metastatic melanoma drug Proleukin, that the company believes has promising potential.

“Proleukin is a good example of what we try to do. It is an older drug, first launched in the US in 1991 to help the immune system by boosting its natural defences against cancer. 30 years on, the drug is still valuable, used and active; it has a very interesting mechanism of action and thus a number of potentially different uses,” explains Mr Chilton.

“We are known for acquiring these older, but still very much in demand drugs, particularly from large pharmaceutical companies that tend to focus

58 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

on developing and launching newer products. Proleukin has a lot of life left, and an extra potential use for autoimmune diseases, so that could be quite exciting in the next three to four years.”

Being a pharmaceuticals supplier, surely Covid-19 must have brought an unexpected challenge? Shaun Chilton says: “On one level, we have to look after the safety of our people and that will be an on-going process in our warehouses, hubs and offices. On the other, we are designed to help in this scenario.”

“We are involved actively in helping to distribute some of the newer medicines that are coming forward to deal with some aspects of Covid-19.

To this end, we have also recently signed an agreement

with Synairgen to launch a Managed Access Program for Synairgen’s inhaled formulation of interferon beta (IFN-beta), SNG001, in the UK and the EU for the treatment of hospitalised Covid-19 patients.”

“We are working with a number of companies who have products being tested against

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

CLINIGEN

Covid-19 and are very pleased to be working with Synairgen to make this highly promising Covid-19 treatment available internationally.

The early study results demonstrate that SNG001 may have a vital role in helping hospitalised patients recover more quickly from the disease.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 59

Underpinning business transformations through delivery of technology solutions. eAppSys is a highly successful Oracle solution provider that works across all industry sectors.

As an Oracle partner we keep abreast of the latest offerings ensuring that solutions we provide are current and relevant.

Our quality of service ensures customer satisfaction.

We work in partnership with customers. Success of their projects ensures our success.

Our flexible delivery model ensures that work is carried out in the right location. From implementations to a few business critical reports or a new integration - we deliver.

Our customers are our focus. We help our customers protect their investment, extend their capabilities and evolve their business by ensuring the technology is implemented effectively.

Eappsys Limited 69-75 Boston House, Boston Manor Rd, TW8 MAGAZINE 9JJ United Kingdom 12Brentford | BUSINESS FOCUS

Tel: +44 (0)2088 478615 / +44 (0)7939 260630 Email: info@eappsys.com.

Web: www.eappsys.com BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

CLINIGEN

MANAGED GROWTH

Asked about other potential challenges that the business is facing, Shaun Chilton says: “I think we are no different from any other company that is growing very quickly, as we have done consistently, in our combination of organic growth and acquisitions. Ultimately, it is about controlling this growth and effectively interconnecting things that we add on.”

“It is also about people - to keep high-calibre people, we need to keep them happy, give them development opportunities and a sense of purpose. We can certainly give both - we spend a lot of money on training and development and what we do is genuine - we save lives.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 61

CLINIGEN

He further points out that although Clinigen does not physically manufacture anything, sustainability is high on the agenda, as for any public company. The company is working with partners to encourage them to use novel packaging materials and has set up hubs in various parts of the worlds to reduce travel time and source and distribute drugs locally as much as possible Speaking about further development, Mr Chilton reflects that in the immediate future, the company will look at consolidating the business, improving the synergies and interconnecting the acquired capabilities. “Further ahead, we would look at further expansion, adding both products and capability to the business.

That’s the strategy for the medium term.”

“FURTHER AHEAD, WE WOULD LOOK AT FURTHER EXPANSION, ADDING BOTH PRODUCTS & CAPABILITY TO THE BUSINESS. THAT’S THE STRATEGY FOR THE MEDIUM TERM.”

62 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

CLINIGEN

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 63

NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC

WE LEARN HOW NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS IS WIDENING ITS OFFERING TO MEET THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF ITS CUSTOMERS.

SERVING AFRICA’S HEALTH NEEDS PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN HOLLIMAN

Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc came into being as the result of the Mazi Sam I. Ohuabunwa led management-buy-out of the 60% equity Pfizer New York’s holding in Pfizer Products Plc. The company had already been operating in Nigeria for 40 years year manufacturing, marketing and distributing pharmaceutical and veterinary products under the Pfizer brand including tablets, capsules, ointments, creams, powders, injectables, and oral liquid forms.

D

uring those first 40 years, the company that would become Neimeth established Nigeria’s first pharmaceutical manufacturing plant, although sadly that was destroyed during the Nigerian civil war. Undeterred, in 1976 the company established the most modern pharmaceutical plant in the West African subregion at Oregun, Lagos.

64 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

Today Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals is focused on manufacturing essential family medicines, having become a trusted name in the area.

“We supply to the Nigerian and West African markets,” explains Matthew Azoji, Managing Director and CEO of Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals.

“Today our vision is to be the most innovative healthcare

provider out of Africa. We want to expand our business to the entire African market.”

That innovation is the touchstone of Neimeth’s business.

“We put a lot of emphasis on the healthcare needs of Nigeria and Africa as a whole,” Azoji says. “We focus on quality and deliver to the market at affordable prices. Our core focus is innovation and quality medicines and that has won us the trust of the average Nigerian family.”

A FOCUS ON CORE NEEDS

Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals’ innovation isn’t simply a directionless quest for the new, however.

Its research and development are heavily targeted on

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 65

NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC

the challenges that face its customers in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

“One of the ways we focus on innovation is we pay attention to medicines that meet the core needs of Nigerians and Africans,” Azoji tells us. “We cooperate with universities and research institutions looking for ways to bring the outcomes of their research to market. One illness, sickle cell disorder, is a major problem in Nigeria that affects 6% of the population, many of them children. It’s a major disruption to the normal life of people who are affected.

So years back research came in from a Nigerian university that had developed evidence a seed grown in Nigeria can produce materials that will effectively control sickle cell disease. They developed this product and the

Medicine Regulatory Authority and Food Administration and Control has certified that product. It is effectively being used now to control sickle cell disease. That’s just one very good outcome of our innovation.”

This isn’t the only area where Neimeth has been making breakthroughs. Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a long-term medical condition that predominantly affects black patients.

“We have locally developed medical formulations for Hypertension, directly addressing the specific needs of the black population. We’re building on that too, aiming to do much more in that area,” Azoji explains. “Whatever challenge you’re facing, you need to find a new and more effective way of dealing with it.”

Matthew Azoji, Managing Director & CEO of Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals.

GETTING INVOLVED

0700 7768 4387

66 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

Of course, to maintain this level of innovation and achieve the results Neimeth has achieved, it needs a rich pool of talent to draw on, and Azoji is committed to bringing in that talent.

“It’s not an easy task. We try to monitor the job market and see what trends are relevant in the industry, and also create a work environment that enables us to build effective teams,” he says. “We want to make each employee enjoy the work environment while at the same time staying productive and meeting the challenges of the business. The employees are stakeholders, and we’re working to see shareholders and employees all get value from what they put into the company.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC

The staff are driven by Neimeth’s core values, which include “Customer Delight”, “Leadership”, “Innovation”, “Community”, “Integrity”, “Teamwork” and “God Consciousness”.

The pharmaceutical manufacturer has set itself the mission to promote healthy, confident living and be the leading healthcare provider out of Africa.

But more than that, Neimeth is working to contribute to the communities it works alongside.

“Neimeth is driven by our core values. Innovation is one of our core values, alongside teamwork, leadership, and god consciousness,” Azoji explains.

“Community is also one of those core values. We invest a lot in supporting the communities in which we work.”

Neimeth’s research into the issue of Hypertension, and its efforts to raise awareness of the condition, has been part of that.

“Hypertension doesn’t announce itself, being aware of it is the beginning of dealing with it. So we have a campaign to fight against Hypertension, which we’ve called ‘Fight the Good Fight Against Hypertension’, or ‘FTGFAHT’,” Azoji tells us.” It is a project that’s been going for many years. We employ so many professionals to give free blood pressure checks on an ongoing basis in local communities. People receive free treatment for Hypertension and can go to their own clinicians to manage it. It’s an ongoing process providing free checks for blood pressure with support. That’s one of the major projects we have as a community.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

On top of this, Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals supports three medical missions, sending people into communities to give free medical treatment and supporting a number of organisations that run similar projects.

A NEW KIND OF COMPANY

Indeed, driven by Neimeth’s efforts to help and support local communities, the company has expanded its remit, moving away from its position as a pure pharmaceutical company into something far more encompassing.

“We’re now calling ourselves a healthcare company, not just a pharmaceutical company,” Azoji says. “We’re looking at the areas where we can improve the healthcare of individuals such as antiseptics, cleaning, foods like soup, and looking into personal care products. We’re also expanding into the nutrition and healthcare of animals. We’re looking into products that will benefit Africans. We are going to be the leading innovative healthcare provider out of Africa, that is our vision. We want to go from being a good company to a great company.”

“WE HAVE LOCALLY DEVELOPED MEDICAL FORMULATIONS FOR HYPERTENSION, DIRECTLY ADDRESSING THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE BLACK POPULATION.”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 67

BAT KENYA

BAT KENYA, THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN EAST AFRICA, IS CHANGING DIRECTION TO MEET EVOLVING CONSUMER PREFERENCES.

A NEW FUTURE FOR TOBACCO PROJECT MANAGED BY: TREVOR GRETSINGER With the growing focus on healthy living, the tobacco market is moving towards new categories of nicotine products.

The novel nicotine categories include vapour and tobacco heating devices as well as oral nicotine pouches. They are typically either smoke or tobacco-free, and there is growing consensus amongst public health institutes around the world, such as the US FDA, that they can offer lower risks than traditional cigarettes.

T

his is also the direction British American Tobacco Kenya plc (BAT Kenya), part of the British American Tobacco Group (BAT Group), a leading multi-category consumer goods business, is now taking.

“BAT has a long history and rich heritage in Kenya,” said Ms Beverley SpencerObatoyinbo, BAT Kenya’s outgoing Managing Director, “The

68 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

company’s roots go back to 1907 and BAT has been listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange since 1969. Over the years, the company has evolved into one of East Africa’s leading consumer goods companies.

We are amongst the large multi-national manufacturers in East Africa that have played a long-standing part in Kenya’s economic growth.”

Traditionally, the company’s core business has been the production of a range of highquality, traditional tobacco products, including cigarettes (combustible products) and cut– rag tobacco (semi-processed tobacco). These have been made for the local market as well as export markets across eastern, central and southern Africa.

NEW DIRECTION

However, the tobacco world is changing. An unprecedented confluence of technology, societal change and public health awareness has created a unique opportunity to provide

consumers with new categories of potentially reduced-risk products.

“The BAT group recognised a long time ago that significant research was needed into developing potentially reduced risk products to lead the business away from combustible tobacco products.

To this end, we have invested some GBP 2.5 billion to come up with new categories of nicotine products that have the potential to pose significantly lower risks than combustible cigarettes for smokers who switch to using them exclusively,” said Beverley Spencer-Obatoyinbo.

These efforts have resulted in a significant landmark, a new state-of-the-art factory in Nairobi worth $ 25 million for the production of a new product called LYFT, BAT’s tobacco-free modern oral nicotine pouch, which the company believes is likely to be the lowest risk product in the BAT Group’s portfolio – a portfolio that already contain e-cigarettes, which Public Health England

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Ms Beverley Spencer-Obatoyinbo, BAT Kenya’s out-going Managing Director.

Processing, dust collection & odour control equipment for the food & tobacco industries.

Griffin Cardwell in the UK and USA have engineering and manufacturing capabilities that cover the worldwide tobacco market. With installations in over 100 countries, Griffin Cardwell provides customers with world class experience in solutions for all sections of tobacco processing including GLT, PMD, SMD, Odour Control and tobacco product beetle infestation.

Griffin Cardwell Limited 87 Fleet Rd, Fleet, Hampshire, GU51 3PJ, UK | TEL: +44 1252 365500

www.griffincardwell.com

APOLLO TOURS & TRAVEL LTD. G4S is a leading global integrated security company, specializing in the provision of security products and solutions.

Manned Security Services • Professional guarding services • Secure Journey Management • Receptionist Services • Event Security • Canine Unit • Risk Management & Consultancy Courier Services • Overnight services • Rider services • Same day • Bank services • One hour express service • Dedicated services • Messenger and delivery services • Mail room services • Packing and removals • Warehousing logistics

Securing Your World

70 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

Cash Services • CIT • ATM replenishment and reconciliation • Central Cash Management (Note Sorting and Vaulting) • Deposita • Teller Srvices • Cross Border repartriation • Pay Parades • Event cash management Technology Services • Alarm Response and Monitoring • Intruder Detection Systems • CCTV Surveillance Systems • Access Control Systems • Fleet Management G4S Kenya Limited Witu Road, off Lusaka Rd. P.O. Box 30242, G.P.O. Nairobi 00100.

Tel: +254 20 6982000 / 2999 Mobile: 0732172000, 0711042000 Email: info@ke.g4s.com www.g4s.co.ke

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BAT KENYA

MIC Global Risks (Insurance Brokers) Limited is a leading provider of corporate insurance advisory, broking and risk management services. Our key services: • Offering innovative insurance solutions to address the ever evolving nature of risk.

• Provision of corporate insurance broking and advisory services across all sectors and industries including medical / employee benefit solutions.

• Risk management support and claims management services to our clients.

Our Mission: To create and deliver risk solutions and services which make our clients more successful.

Our Vision: To be the number one choice in every market we serve.

MIC Global Risks (Insurance Brokers) Limited is proud to be associated with British American Tobacco Kenya Plc. (“BAT”) and we look forward to delivering many more years of dedicated service to BAT. MIC Global Risks (Insurance Brokers) Limited Approved Representatives of MARSH (Kenya & Tanzania only) 6th Fl, 9 West, Ring Rd Parklands, P.O. Box 14680-00800, Nairobi, Kenya 5th Fl, Redstone House, Bugolobi, P.O. Box 35524, Kampala, Uganda 8th Fl, Amani Place, Ohio St, P.O. Box 10936, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Kenya +254 20 2745 000 | Uganda +256 792 444425 | Tanzania +255 22 2120431 enquiries@micglobalrisks.com www.micglobalrisks.com

ARK CONSTRUCTION LTD P.O. Box 21073 – 00100, Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: +254 (0)721 734 720 975 Email: info@arkconstruction.co.ke Website: www.arkconstruction.co.ke • Building construction & associated civil works • Office & Shop fit out • Metal & timber fabrication • General renovation works • Landscaping

We are proud to be associated with BAT Kenya Plc as the Main Contractor.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BAT Kenya’s world class cigarette factory in Nairobi is a manufacturing hub for the BAT Group-exporting more than 60 percent of its output to over 11 countries in Africa.

considers to be at least 95% less harmful than traditional cigarettes.

“We set our sights on growing our existing contribution to His Excellency, the President’s Big 4 Agenda for Kenya, even further. The new facility was set up within 14 months and completed in 2020, the year of COVID-19. The factory was set up completely digitally, with no technicians and experts coming in, to the highest standards.

Given the circumstances, it was a remarkable achievement – a testament to the quality of our talent and what is possible if you embrace technology,” said Ms Spencer-Obatoyinbo.

“The factory will increase our manufacturing and export footprint, create more jobs, and meet the needs of Kenyan consumers for greater choice, more innovation and potentially less risk.

Ms Spencer-Obatoyinbo points to the increasing number of endorsements from public health authorities around the globe as being vital for encouraging smokers to make the switch from cigarettes. In the UK, for example, incidences of adult and youth smoking are now at record lows. A recent paper, funded by the NGO, Cancer Research UK

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 71

BAT KENYA

and published in a scientific journal, credited the availability of e-cigarettes in the UK for an additional 50,000 – 70,000 smokers successfully quitting each year.

“This, together with the tobacco harm reduction success stories from other countries like Sweden, is why we believe so firmly that oral nicotine pouches have the potential to contribute to a reduction in the projected health burden associated with smoking in Kenya, when supported by

the right regulatory and fiscal environment.

“As the shape of the tobacco industry changes, it is critical that regulators develop appropriate regulatory frameworks and product standards that maximise, not eliminate the Tobacco Harm Reduction potential of this new category.”

BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION

Ms Beverley SpencerObatoyinbo, who has been with BAT for many years and has worked various countries,

Left to Right: Beverley Spencer-Obatoyinbo MD & Philemon Kipkemoi FD Tree planting at BAT Kenya Head office on Likoni Rd, Nairobi. Kenya’s ESG agenda drives a robust afforestation programme recording over 54 million trees since 1978.

72 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BAT KENYA

BAT Kenya’s Engineering Manager Kennedy Wafukho (Left) showcases BAT’s new oral nicotine factory to officials from the Kenya Manufacturers Association at the Company’s manufacturing hub in Nairobi’s Industrial Area. came to Kenya four years ago with a clear vision. Under her management, the business has undergone significant transformation, focusing on what BAT has to offer to its Kenyan and East African stakeholders going forwards, as opposed to its long-established history in these markets.

This has been reflected in a new strategy redefining the company’s approach to the east African markets, and preempting the BAT Group’s newly evolved corporate purpose that it announced in the middle of last year: to deliver a “Better Tomorrow” for the Group’s stakeholders.

The talent and sustainability agendas were also top priorities.

It was critical to make sure that employees, the backbone of the business, were able to cope with the accelerated changes, and to build new capabilities in the digital space, attracting people from slightly different sectors to support the new products.

The company also worked hard to change the mix of people in

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

the business, promoting gender and age diversity.

Sustainability is not a topic which is new to the company - BAT Kenya operates a sustainable business and invests in various initiatives to reduce the impacts of its business and to contribute to the development and protection of the communities and ecosystems in which it operates.

The company drives various programmes in sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation, including afforestation activities, through which it has recorded over 50 million surviving trees planted since 1978.

From a manufacturing sustainability perspective, BAT is also considered to be one of the best sites in Kenya with industry leading energy and water consumption savings, and a zero landfill policy which has been in place for several years.

Kenya’s manufacturing industry is an emotive topic for Ms Spencer-Obatoyinbo. Since being appointed to the Board of the Kenyan Association of Manufacturers (KAM) , she has become more vocal than ever in her support for manufacturing, championing the fight against regulatory complexity and overreach, which she feels

continue to hold the industry back from fulfilling its potential.

DEVELOPING THE POTENTIAL

Beverley Spencer-Obatoyinbo is now stepping down from her role, but the results of her 4-years at the helm of BAT Kenya and the wider East African business are impressive. “I am happy with what we have achieved in BAT Kenya, but of course progress does not stop here.”

She is mindful that several challenges remain, such as the need to shape the regulatory framework for the new product categories, and to address the increase in the volume of taxevaded cigarettes coming into Kenya across the Ugandan border. “Increased tobacco excise is no longer translating into increased government revenues in Kenya. Instead, it is increasing the incentive for smugglers to bring in duty-evaded product from neighbouring countries.”

Speaking about the next 18 months, she confirmed that the company will continue with the strategy that was reframed in 2020, focusing on helping to get the regulatory framework to support novel nicotine categories in Kenya, which will impact the developments in this area in the whole of East Africa.

Then the potential of the new plant can be fully utilised.

BAT Kenya modern offices in Nairobi’s Industrial Area.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 73

CROWN VAN GELDER

FULLY SUSTAINABLE, RECYCLABLE AND SUITABLE FOR THE FOOD PACKAGING INDUSTRY - THAT IS THE NOVEL SUGAR BEET PAPER BROUGHT TO THE MARKET BY THE DUTCH COMPANY CROWN VAN GELDER.

CHANGING THE WORLD OF PAPER PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID TAVERNOR

Crown Van Gelder (CVG), a versatile medium-sized paper mill based in the Netherlands and a specialist in woodfree uncoated and light coated papers, draws on 125 years of experience in the quality paper segment. Crown Van Gelder produces around 180,000 tonnes of paper annually for customers all over the world in the graphics, label and packaging industries.

“O

ur papers enable optimal performance in different applications.

We deliver high-speed inkjet paper for transactional, publishing and promotional print as well as paper for selfadhesive labelling and specific uses in packaging and technical applications,” says Jan Rops, Product Manager at Crown van Gelder.

Established in 1896 as a familyowned business, the company has survived historical and economic upheavals and was reestablished as an independent paper mill in 1983. It has gradually become the market leader in its segment

and in 2015 was purchased by Andlinger, a private investment and management fund.

Mr Rops explains that the paper mill is unique in its focus.

“We make wood-free paper, that means that our paper is manufactured using wood that has been processed into a chemical pulp, removing the lignin from the wood fibres. The properties of such paper include good strength, high brightness and good archival characteristics, making it suitable for applications requiring a high-quality paper.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

CROWN VAN GELDER

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 75

Sustainable solutions from experts close to you.

• We innovate and produce tailor-made paper cores, edge protectors, consumer packaging applications & board solutions for every customer.

• Our local entrepreneurship results in the creation of long-term value.

• Working closely with you as a customer helps us offer solutions for your every need or demand.

Corex Nederland BV, Nijverheidsstraat 9, 7641 Wierden, The Netherlands.

“The core of our business is you”

Proximity: We are where you are, to deliver what you need, when you need it.

We are local, and close to you. We became international by striving for proximity.

We are customer-centric: a partner, not just a supplier. To find the best possible solutions, we aim to thoroughly understand your challenges and needs.

We are entrepreneurs: passionate about co-creating. That is how we produce tailor-made applications. Thanks to our wide network of production plants we deliver what we promise, on time, meeting your expectations.

Expertise: We create with passion, and it shows in the quality of our portfolio.

For many decades, we have been building our know-how through dedicated partnerships with our clients. Our skills are evidenced by the broad range of products we have on offer. As experts in manufacturing highly customized cores, coreboard and edge protectors, we service a wide variety of markets.

Sustainability: We care, that’s how we act.

We care about our planet and take our social and environmental responsibilities seriously.

We contribute to a circular economy. Our products are made using 100% recycled paper and are completely recyclable afterwards. Through integrated board supply and geographical reach, we deliver secure solutions to our customers.

We strongly believe this approach will drive long-term sustainable returns for all stakeholders.

T: +31 (0)546 575 075

E: info.nl@corexgroup.com

www.corexgroup.com

COREX - THE CORE OF SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS COREX GROUP, INNOVATOR AND PRODUCER OF PAPER CORES, EDGE PROTECTORS, CONSUMER PACKAGING APPLICATIONS AND BOARD SOLUTION, THRIVES ON PARTNERSHIPS. Corex is the cores, tubes, consumer packaging and edge protector division of VPK Group, a rapidly expanding integrated industrial group, employing over 6,000 people in 65 plants round the globe.

The Corex division includes 3 core board mills and 29 converting plants spread across 16 countries, from Europe to Asia and North America. “The company operates under three divisions - paper, packaging and cores and edge protectors , and the cores are further divided into industrial and consumer,” explains Peter Dielissen, Sales Manager of Corex Group.

The company has a complete range of spiral and parallel wound cardboard tubes and cores for the most diverse applications to meet customers’ individual needs and specifications, with diameters up to 700 mm and wall thicknesses from 1 to over 20 mm. The tubes can be specifically cut to any finished length up to 12 000 mm, free of dust and burrs, and if required can also be supplied in longer lengths to be cut by the user.

“What makes us truly unique, is our customer focus,” says Mr Dielissen.

“The core of our business is you! We innovate and produce tailor-made solutions. Our local entrepreneurship results in the creation of longterm value. Working closely with our customers helps us offer solutions for every need or demand. Customer orientation is very important in industrial packaging, and even more so in consumer packaging.”

The company’s customer base includes a wide range of companies across a variety of industries, and includes the Dutch company Crown Van Gelder (CVG), a producer of speciality paper for graphical and industrial applications, and inventor of the sugar beet paper that is now coming to the market.

TRUSTED PARTNERS The partnership with CVG started in 2005 and has grown stronger over the years. “Corex was the best choice back then and continues to be the best choice today, fully meeting our requirements in terms of product specification and quality, as well as delivery terms,” affirms Jos de Vries, CVG buyer, adding that the collaboration has evolved to include innovative solutions to further improve performance, reduce costs without compromising quality and create new opportunities for both.

The companies communicate on a frequent basis to discuss what is desired and what might be possible to achieve. Cost savings may be secured, for example, by reducing the core wall thickness, and Peter Dielissen explains that a wall thickness reduction of one or two millimetres increases efficiency by 3%. Corex is also investing in automation which further increases production efficiency, benefitting both companies.

Communication is key specifically when discussing innovations and new ideas, and Corex designers work together with customers to come up with possible new solutions.

“In addition to our talks during the year, we also meet at the end of each year to evaluate the partnership and see how to go forward,” Jos de Vries comments. “What we particularly appreciate about our partnership

with Corex is that we are both very open and honest, which is the best approach to anticipating and preventing potential issues. Corex is a knowledge-based company and applies this knowledge to address a problem before it escalates. Reliability is another, much valued aspect of our collaboration. We can rely on Corex sticking to their word.”

Peter Dielissen says: “In the end we are working towards the same goal.

We strive to be flexible and make sure our stocks are always at specific levels to meet changing requirements as production volume fluctuates, so that we can deliver within 24 hours if necessary, or to make sure that supplies continue as required even during the summer holidays.”

GREEN WAY FORWARD Similar to Crown Van Gelder, Corex strives to contribute to the circular economy. Through integrated board supply and geographical reach, Corex delivers secure solutions to its customers, driving long-term sustainable returns for all stakeholders.

“Our sustainable cores and tubes solutions are made from recycled fibres and are completely recyclable. Decades of experience have contributed to our high level of technical expertise and this is reflected not only in the products but also in the way they are made. We try to operate in a sustainable manner, aiming to reduce gas and electricity consumption and to proceed in the most economical and environmentally friendly manner,” affirms Peter Dielissen.

Speaking about business development, he explains that a few years ago Corex added a new business line to its portfolio, consumer packaging, a business that is expected to grow in line with increasing demand for environmentally friendly solutions. To this end the company has recently implemented a major investment in its newest facility, Corex Consumer packaging in Wierden in the Netherlands, which was commissioned in 2020.

This state-of-the-art plant enables the provision of the highest quality products to various dry food industry segments, and has now obtained the BRC high certification for the manufacturing of food packaging. With this new BRC-approved production facility Corex aims to service food manufacturers and co-packers looking for direct food contact packaging solutions.

Opening its consumer packaging facility right next door to Corex’s industrial packaging plant making spiral wound cores and tubes enables the company to build directly on the expertise it already has and extends its capabilities while sharing all the support functions.

“The consumer packaging business is growing and we are interested in novel solutions, such as the sugar beet paper that Crown Van Gelder has developed,” says Peter Dielissen. “This relationship would give our already strong partnership a new dimension.”

Jan Rops, CVG’s Product Manager agrees: “Corex supplies the cores on which we wind our paper, including the sugar beet paper. We are now investigating the possibility of Corex using our sugar beet paper for their consumer packaging solutions, meaning that Corex would be a supplier and customer at the same time. That would certainly take our long-term collaboration to the next level.” www.corexgroup.com

CROWN VAN GELDER

Paper production at Crown Van Gelder takes place in one straight 280 m long line, from reception of raw materials to storage of packed reels. The technology, which includes two paper machines, is highly automated with minimum human intervention, and the machines can be adjusted quickly to make various types of paper as required. “Our technology is unique in the paper-making sector and is one of the reasons why we can meet such varied demand,” Mr Rops points out.

Jan Rops, Product Manager at Crown van Gelder.

PAPER FROM SUGAR BEET

The company is now about to launch a ground-breaking new product - paper made from sugar beet that will be branded Crown Native and introduced in early 2021. This will make the Dutch paper manufacturer the first in the world to produce ‘sugar beet paper’ at an industrial level. After two years of research, Crown Native was developed with the Dutch agricultural cooperative Cosun Beet Company as a strategic partner.

“We discovered that sugar beet itself does not contain lignin as it is an underground plant which does not require the stiffness that lignin provides, and its fibre is used only to store water and nutrients, it can therefore be used directly for papermaking,” Jan Rops explains, adding that the technological challenges that the company encountered at the beginning have now been overcome.

The company investigated several crops to replace part of the wood fibres in the paper.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

With Crown Native, Crown Van Gelder has succeeded in creating paper made out of 20% beet pulp, thus achieving environmental gains in several areas. Due to the local sourcing, far less transport is required. As a result, Crown Native realises a significant reduction in CO2 emissions and particulate matter formation. Moreover,

by using beet pulp, the production process requires less water.

The partnership with Cosun Beet Company has been invaluable. “We had been considering sugar beet paper since 2014 but were not successful until two years ago when we met CVG. The new product is a great achievement and a big step forward,” says Richelle van Helten, Cosun Beet Company’s export manager and brand manager for Consumer Products.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 79

CROWN VAN GELDER

THE NEW PRODUCT LINE WILL HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REDUCED BY 16% COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL PAPER AND WILL HELP MAJOR BRANDS REACH THEIR SUSTAINABILITY TARGETS.” 80 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

She points out that Cosun Beet Company has been an ardent advocate of packing granulated sugar in sugar beet paper for many years. “We are delighted that it is now technically possible. The paper reflects the ambition of Cosun Beet Company being the greenest and most innovative sugar beet processor in the world.”

Mr Rops says: “The new product line will have an environmental impact reduced by 16% compared to traditional paper and will help major brands reach their sustainability targets. As it is classified as food safe, it can be used in direct contact with foodstuffs, sugar beet paper is the ideal choice for food packaging.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

CROWN VAN GELDER

PART OF CIRCULAR ECONOMY

The unique properties of the new paper, which is also recyclable up to seven times, are bound to attract the attention of supermarket chains, candy and snack producers, but also fashion brands who are committed to the Green Deal. “Everybody is looking for innovative packaging in efforts to reduce their environmental footprint. This is a highly topical issue and our paper can help companies to achieve their goals, while still offering the benefits that they are used to,” says Mr Rops.

“We are already part of the circular economy and the partnership with Cosun Beet Company is an excellent

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 81

Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency.

Schneider’s purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. At Schneider, we call this Life Is On. We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, end-point to cloud connecting products, controls, software and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries.

We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC ACHIEVES 10% PROCESS ENERGY USAGE IMPROVEMENT BY UNIFYING POWER AND PROCESS AT WORLD’S MOST ENERGY INTENSIVE SITES • Designed for energy intensive industries, EcoStruxure™ Power and Process connects power and process information across the whole lifecycle of a plant, from design through operation and evolution, providing the first complete, real-time view of an entire project and/or operation.

• Developed in partnership with AVEVA and vendor-agnostic by nature, the solution unlocks previously untapped synergies, driving ToTex (Total Expenditure) efficiency.

• EcoStruxure™ Power and Process cuts engineering time, space requirements, energy usage and dramatically reduces carbon footprint while driving profitability.

• Benefits include up to 20% Electrical, Instrumentation and Control (EI&C) CapEx reduction, 15% unplanned downtime reduction, 10% process energy usage and 3% pts profitability improvement.

CROWN VAN GELDER

The introduction of EcoStruxure™ Power and Process enables companies to break down the traditional barriers between power systems and process control systems and enter a new era of digital efficiency. Based on the vendor agnostic principles of universal automation, this solution connects all assets at every level, across the full lifecycle and the entire supply chain. This enables plant and enterprise-wide data analysis to drive resilient operations and optimize energy usage for the most profitable operation. Businesses implementing EcoStruxure™ Power and Process can expect: 1. Electrical, Instrumentation and Control (EI&C) CapEx reduction of up to 20% 2. Uptime improvement by 3% 3. Unplanned downtime reduction by 15% 4. Process Energy usage improvement by 10% ECOSTRUXURE™ POWER & PROCESS: PROVIDING VISIBILITY TO REMOVE COMPLEXITY In recent years, the immense complexity of disparate systems has made project execution and subsequent operations increasingly challenging. Despite advances in automation, machine learning, and analytics, 30% of project implementation and maintenance costs come from a lack of efficiency and operational visibility. Siloed engineers and programmers are required to separately build up and maintain operations. Project teams are isolated from operational decision making. Bringing these disciplines together under a design to operate philosophy is a key step in reducing future maintenance costs, right from the start of facility engineering. As maintenance improves, operational resiliency is solidified, and process energy improvements can be realized throughout the operation of an asset.

By achieving complete visibility and connectivity, businesses can, for the first time, gain full situational awareness and build operational resilience across its sites and production facilities, improve profitability at every level, from planning and installation, through to energy use and carbon emissions.

“The siloed nature of industrial operations is crippling performance,” said Peter Herweck, Executive Vice President of Industrial Automation at Schneider Electric. “Our vision is a completely unified architecture, across every site and the entire supply chain. EcoStruxure™ Power and Process is another step in the journey toward complete unification, providing unparalleled access and insight to users.

To drive industry development, businesses with locked-in industrial equipment and systems solutions can benefit from the solution equally. Combined with universal automation, it has the potential to drive profitability and sustainability at every operational level and empower managers to make the best possible decisions. In pilot projects, our customers were able to achieve 20% E&IC CapEx reduction with payback in 12 months.”

THE NEW ERA OF HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT Power management systems provide vital information on the flow of power in an electrical generation or power plant, improving overall power efficiency. Process management systems enable managers to plan and monitor the performance of operations within an industrial or business environment. For decades, these two systems have worked independently, stunting innovation and efficiency. The convergence of power and process management systems moves industry into the holistic management age and provides instant and dramatic benefits. www.se.com

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

example of an environmentally friendly, sustainable value chain. Other participants are just as important, of course, for example, innovative technology suppliers, such as Schneider Electric who has delivered and maintaining the process control system both at Crown van Gelder and Cosun Beet Company. But also the Corex Group which is a supplier and a potential customer.”

He explains that the paper mill will continue investing in researching new kinds of fibres as well as new technology. The company is now building a fullyautomated third feeding line designed specifically to convert sugar beet into paper fibres, to complement the existing two lines for short fibres (a.o. eucalyptus) and long fibres (a.o. pine). “That will be a huge investment, but next year we will be ready to start production.”

That is something that Cosun Beet Company is already counting on. “Next year we will start with a new consumer packaging based on sugar

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 83

CROWN VAN GELDER

“MOVING FORWARD IS IN OUR DNA. WE ARE READY TO MEET THE FORECAST DEMAND FOR THE SUGAR BEET PAPER AND WILL CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO MAKE AN INCREASING CONTRIBUTION TO THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY.” 84 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

CROWN VAN GELDER

beet paper. The target is to have all our paper packaging on Dutch supermarket shelves made of sugar beet paper in the near future,” says Ms van Helten, confirming that with 9,000 farmers growing sugar beet on 80,000 ha under the cooperative’s control, there is no shortage of raw material.

All is set for the big launch early next year, as Jan Rops reflects: “Moving forward is in our DNA. We are ready to meet the forecast demand for the sugar beet paper and will continue to strive to make an increasing contribution to the circular economy.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 85

FGV HOLDINGS BERHAD

FGV manages 197 estates located across Malaysia.

86 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

FGV HOLDINGS BERHAD

ONE OF THE LARGEST CRUDE PALM OIL PRODUCERS IN THE WORLD EMBARKS ON A NEW JOURNEY TO EXPAND ITS BRANDED CONSUMER PRODUCTS BUSINESS.

ADVANCING THE NEW HORIZON PROJECT MANAGED BY: NEIL STOWE

FGV Holdings Berhad (FGV), which produces 3 million metric tonnes (MT) of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) every year, is one of the largest single CPO producers in the world contributing approximately 15% of Malaysia’s total CPO production per annum. It’s a company that was listed as recently as 2012 where it was the second-largest Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the world, just after Facebook.

H

Salman Ghazali, FGV’s Group Chief Strategy Officer.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

owever, the FGV of today is building a new growth frontier by making a critical and necessary structural shift in its business focus to ensure sustainable returns, provide better-paying jobs to its employees, and ultimately create positive externalities to the Malaysian economy as a whole.

“We’re reallocating our resources to invest more in higher value-add products; branded consumer products,” says Salman Ghazali, FGV’s Group Chief Strategy Officer who leads the Group Strategy Division, which is responsible for the group’s overall strategy and business plan, investments and divestments, and business development activities.

“The key megatrends are clear. You need to shift. It is a natural progression for any high middle-income developing nation to structurally shift its economy’s factors of production towards building higher valueadd business activities to further increase income per capita, thus achieving developedcountry status,” Salman added.

A DIVERSE OFFERING

FGV is a fully integrated palm oil producer, maximising its palm value chain presence via its Plantation downstream business which is responsible for all refining and processing activities related to the conversion of CPO and Palm Kernel (PK) into higher valueadd products.

As for FGV’s Sugar Sector, it operates mainly through its 51% owned listed subsidiary,

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 87

PHOSPHATE RESOURCES LIMITED Christmas Island has a storied history of supplying high-quality phosphate rock for over 120 years. Phosphate Resources Limited (PRL) was established 30 years ago – its purpose to deliver Christmas Island Rock Phosphate (CIRP) to customers across Asia Pacific.

While CIRP demand has remained strong over this time PRL has developed into a vibrant, integrated and diverse group of businesses, while significantly improving and modernising operations on Christmas Island.

PRL now has interests in mining, agriculture, fertiliser, energy, asset management, maintenance services, and logistics. Its’ operations are spread throughout the South East Asian and Australasian regions. As an ASX-listed company, the majority of PRL’s shareholder are from Christmas Island and South-East Asia.

Today the company offers a range of quality, well-established rock phosphate brands including CIRP and ALPHOS, supplying fertiliser manufacturers and agri-business customers across Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.

The location on Christmas Island enables PRL to ship to customers within two to five days sailing to most ports across Asia-Pacific, giving it a competitive edge over other suppliers.

PRL has a strong commitment to sustainability, reflected at the community and employee level, through its’ values and ethics, and how it operates its businesses environmentally, socially and financially.

PRL is very proud of its long-standing relationships with key customers including, FELDA, NAFAS, Agrifert, Wilmar, CSBP, Ballance, Ravensdown, the Commonwealth of Australia and the Community of Christmas Island. www.cirp.com.au

88 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

FGV manages a total land bank of 439,725 hectares in Malaysia and Indonesia.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

FGV HOLDINGS BERHAD

MSM Malaysia Holdings Berhad (MSM), which is the leading refined sugar producer in Malaysia.

Whereas, FGV’s Logistics & Support Business Sector currently owns one of the world’s largest and most modern storage facilities for edible oil with a total capacity of more than 1.1 million MT through its 12 liquid terminals located in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Pakistan.

FGV has also embarked on integrated farming activities as its fourth sector, the Integrated Farming Sector. The business components include other cash crops, paddy and rice, animal nutrition and protein, livestock, as well as dairy farming.

FGV is already a relatively well-known consumer products player in the country where it markets and sells a wide range of branded consumer food products but mainly in the cooking ingredients and dairy product segment. Brands such as SAJI, ADELA, SERI PELANGI, and BRIGHT COW are already among the most preferred products among Malaysian consumers. Moving forward, FGV wants to expand its product categories to include confectionery, nutritional snacks, beverages, convenient food, and even pet food.

FGV owns one of the largest oil palm research centres in Southeast Asia, positioning itself as the leader of innovation and scientific research in the oil palm industry.

“RAW MATERIAL PRODUCING COUNTRIES SUCH AS MALAYSIA HAVE QUITE AN ADVANTAGE OVER INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES BECAUSE THE RAW MATERIALS COME FROM US IN THE FIRST PLACE.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

“Moving forward, the most important sector will be our Consumer Products Sector. It will be the ultimate product consolidator and brand builder, which is pretty much inspired by the ‘Sogo Shosha’ business model. We want to sell a wide range of branded consumer products in various product categories. We want to build strong international brands that are able to cut across different consumer lifestyles, cultures, and nations,” Salman explains.

NEW GROWTH FRONTIER: BRANDED CONSUMER PRODUCTS

Like FGV, Malaysia’s entire plantation industry is facing the same challenges that require it to adapt to the declining-returns environment due to the growing national income per capita, which leads to higher cost structures. Cost continues to increase at 3 to 4% per annum and sometimes more, while CPO prices remain relatively stagnant with very minimal

annual growth mimicking population growth.

“Malaysia is a small country, so we need to almost immediately have international presence due to the smaller local market base of fewer than 32 million people, making it highly dependent on exports to reach economies of scale,” Salman says. “This means our risk profile is higher when it comes to venturing into new unchartered territory such as this. Despite all the risks, it needs to happen. The potential returns are there for the taking, but Malaysia is a small country, so it will be challenging of course and requires time to execute.”

However, Salman is quick to point out that Malaysian companies do have some level of advantage over international consumer products players due to its upstream presence.

“Raw material producing countries such as Malaysia have quite an advantage over international companies because the raw materials come from us in the first place,” he

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 89

FGV HOLDINGS BERHAD

Aerial view of FGV’s bulking facilities in Pasir Gudang, Johor.

points out. “Other multinationals buy these raw materials from us.

Whereas for companies such as FGV, we own the raw materials, so it’s a matter of converting the raw materials into our own high value-add branded consumer products, which we will then market and sell to endconsumers ourselves through our distribution channels.”

Competition with multinationals will be more on brand awareness, and product and lifestyle attractiveness rather than price positioning as Salman points out.

“The biggest obstacle will be in terms of our ability to build a strong brand name as it requires a different way of thinking and approach” admits Salman. “If you look at Nestle, approximately 6% of their revenue stream is

90 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

SAJI cooking oil is one of the most preferred cooking oil brands in Malaysia.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

FGV HOLDINGS BERHAD

spent on advertisements and promotions (A&P), and only 2% on R&D,” he added.

“We created a Chief Consumer Products Officer position and have brought in consumer products experts to start executing the plans developed and build a workforce that has the right DNA to be successful in the consumer products space.

It requires a lot of work to build and enhance FGV’s capabilities,” Salman elaborated.

OTHER KEY GROWTH INITIATIVES

At FGV, the plan is to go beyond what the company is currently doing. “We have also

made good progress in terms of building our own end-toend agribusiness supply chain with our latest new investment in GOGOPASAR which is an e-Commerce grocery marketplace that will digitalise FGV’s route to market which is in line with the government’s National E-Commerce Roadmap mission to future-proof existing businesses and to expand local market access.”

Also, FGV had recently ventured into India. FGV Pre Unique, a joint-venture company between FGV and Pre-Unique Pvt Ltd, aims to penetrate India’s food products market.

“IF YOU LOOK AT NESTLE, APPROXIMATELY 6% OF THEIR REVENUE STREAM IS SPENT ON ADVERTISEMENTS & PROMOTIONS (A&P), AND ONLY 2% ON R&D.” The SAJI brand has a domestic market share of 34% in the cooking oil segment via our subsidiary Delima Oil Products (DOP).

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 91

SIDDALL & HILTON PRODUCTS LTD

MESHING TOGETHER WE LEARN HOW A LITTLE-KNOWN UK COMPANY IS QUIETLY DOMINATING AN INDUSTRY.

PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID GARNER

Siddall & Hilton Products Ltd is the UK’s largest welded mesh manufacturing business. It is a well-established business with a history in the wire processing sector that goes back to 1895. It has a long history that has most recently involved some big changes to the firm’s ownership.

the customer to put them right,” Thurley points out. “We have a good track record for service and support which builds trust and forms a deeper relationship with our customers.”

e have been through two management buyouts in the last five years; In 2015 my former business partner and I, as Managing Director and Finance Director respectively, bought the company from the Siddall family who were fourth-generation owners of the business,” says Ian Thurley, CEO of Siddall & Hilton Products. “I then led a second management buyout, this time with the existing management team, to buy out my business partner in 2019.”

But while the ownership of the company has gone through some changes, the fundamental values of the business are the same that it had in 1895.

Thurley’s ambition for Siddall & Hilton Products is to become a world-class mesh manufacturer and the local employer of choice.

While Siddall & Hilton Products has a track record to be proud of, it’s clear talking to Thurley that his primary concern is for the future of the business.

“The biggest challenge we face currently is the demographic of our workforce,” he admits. “We have an average age approaching 50 in our workforce, which means we need to be bringing the next generation onboard as a matter of some urgency.”

Thurley explains that the issue is that, although Siddall & Hilton Products is a company that provides essential products to a range of industries, with over a century in the business, Siddall & Hilton Products is far from a household name.

“We’re in a manufacturing industry that’s not in the public eye, particularly because we make an anonymous product and are selling business-

“W

92 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

“We pride ourselves on quality products and outstanding customer service,” Thurley says simply. “We measure ourselves on a number of metrics but a major one is the on-time and in-full-measure that defines our delivery performance.” The world-class benchmark for this is 98.5% and it’s a target the company is fast approaching.

“We are hitting around 97% most of the time. We’ve achieved world-class status on occasion, but we need to build consistency on that,” Thurley tells us.

For Thurley, this is about more than numbers, however.

It’s about creating a positive experience for customers, even when things don’t go precisely according to plan.

“Customer service is paramount and we recognise things sometimes go wrong but when they do, we’ll work with

THE NEXT GENERATION

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Ian Thurley, CEO of Siddall & Hilton Products.

Equipment for Processing Wire Since 1949 EVG is a mechanical engineering company with global operations specializing in the development and construction of machines and systems for processing wire and reinforcement steel. Our range of machinery includes welding equipment for the production of fine mesh, light mesh, industrial mesh, reinforcing steel mesh and gratings as well as automatic welding machines for manufacturing girders, spacers and other reinforcement elements. We also make automatic stirrup benders, straighteners for processing reinforcement steel that meet the highest demands, both technically and in terms of economy.

All system components and auxiliary equipment are designed to satisfy our customers’ specific requirements and feature superior product quality, top reliability and longevity.

One significant competitive advantage we enjoy is the cooperation with our sister firms, AVI, BSTG, Marienhütte and H+S Zauntechnik, who operate steel, wire and mesh plants and who support us in the development of new products as well as in test phases.

EVG Entwicklungs- und Verwertungs-Gesellschaft m.b.H. Gustinus-Ambrosi-Straße 1-3 8074 Raaba, Austria phone: +43 316 4005 0 e-mail: sales@evg.com www.evg.com

EVG

SIDDALL & HILTON PRODUCTS LTD

SIDDALL & HILTON PRODUCTS AND EVG - MORE THAN THREE DECADES OF SUCCESSFUL COOPERATION The close cooperation that has grown over three decades between SIDDALL & HILTON PRODUCTS as a manufacturer of fencing products known beyond the borders of Great Britain and the Austrian market leader EVG as equipment supplier for the manufacture of the same, goes far more than just a normal business relationship in today’s mechanical and plant engineering industry. Over the many years of successful cooperation, a mutual relationship of trust has developed, on the basis of which it has also been possible to realise innovation projects with a high degree of technological novelty and the associated technical risks, which we look back on with pride.

Today, SIDDALL & HILTON PRODUCTS operates a large number of EVG welding plants for the processing of wire into a wide variety of welded fencing products. Due to the wide range of end products to be manufactured and, in addition, the various production-related requirements, different EVG machine systems are in use at the Brighouse site.

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH SUPPORTED BY 6 FULLY AUTOMATIC EVG WELDING PLANTS It all started with the delivery of a GRS/85 welding line for the automatic production of industrial and fencing mesh fabric in panels and rolls in 1989.

A few years later, in 1996, an LGR machine featuring a welding width of 52” followed, as well processing line and cross wires off coils and the possibility of trimming cuts on all sides.

At the turn of the millennium, an important milestone was reached with the delivery of the first high-performance welding plant of the ATT series - one of the first systems of its kind for the production of industrial mesh/ fence mesh products equipped with an innovative single point welding system and alternating cross-wire positioning at the top/bottom of the line wires. The use of these new technical solutions developed by EVG opened up previously unimagined possibilities for manufacturers worldwide with regard to new end products, such as the now widely known triple-tier/ double wire fence mesh styles.

The delivery of a second welding line of the GRS series in 2005 enabled the production of extra-wide wire mesh consisting of up to 144 line wires with spacings of 1”. With this project, EVG was once again able to underline its competence and pioneering role on the market by supplying a mesh welding line in a previously unknown width.

Finally, in 2009, the investment was made in another ATT mesh welding line, designed for the processing of line wires pre-straightened and cutto-length which are fed by fully automatic wire magazines. Compared to welding machines working with line wires off coils this alternative solution allows for higher flexibility with regard to changes in the production programme.

We are now looking forward to the realisation of the current project - the installation and commissioning of a new high-performance mesh welder in the second quarter of 2021 - & hope for many more years of successful cooperation.

High-quality and modern machine equipment is the basis for cost-optimised production at the cutting edge. Of course, good maintenance, rapid availability of spare parts and periodic service by the manufacturer are also important factors for success. This guarantees a high level of plant availability and thus enables timely delivery of products in first-class quality and consequently satisfied and successful customers. This philosophy applies equally to SIDDALL & HILTON PRODUCTS and EVG. www.evg.com

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

to-business, so we struggle to attract and retain talent,” Thurley points out.

It’s a problem that Siddall & Hilton Products is responding to with an ambitious outreach programme that marks the dawning of a new age for the company.

“We’re embarking on a new era here,” Thurley says proudly.

“We are putting employees front and centre of our business.

We’re actively working with them to increase employee engagement and participation.”

Word of mouth is an incredibly powerful recruitment tool, but for Thurley, it is also about improving the experience of his existing staff.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 95

Proud partner of Siddall and Hilton Products in their journey to deliver continued growth and value.

Protected by Bezinal® - Providing superior performance in terms of corrosion, heat resistance, durability and processability

Scan here to discover more about our Bezinal® solutions

Bower Green are one of the UK’s foremost international distribution, freight forwarding and warehousing companies. We offer a full range of logistics services including UK Distribution, Courier, Warehousing and Storage, Airfreight, Seafreight, European Road Freight, Project Forwarding and Customs Brokerage.

Bower Green Ltd. Dryden Street, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD1 5ND United Kingdom Tel: 01274 733537 (Transport Department) 01274 693103 (Shipping Department) Email: info@bowergreen.co.uk (General) bev.evans@bowergreen.co.uk (Shipping & Transport) find us on facebook: Bower Green Ltd.

www.bowergreen.co.uk

96 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

“MANUFACTURING IS A COLLECTION DIFFERENT TRADES, PROFESSIONS AND SKILLS BROUGHT UNDER ONE ROOF. YOU MIGHT LEAVE SCHOOL WANTING TO BE AN ENGINEER, AN ACCOUNTANT OR AN HR PROFESSIONAL BUT WE NEED ALL THOSE SKILLS IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY.” “We’re improving the work experience, and that goes far deeper than a decent day’s pay for a decent day’s work. It’s about empowerment, training, development, and ensuring it’s a fun and enjoyable place to work because we all spend a long time in work,” Thurley tells us. “It’s something we’ve

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

SIDDALL & HILTON PRODUCTS LTD

introduced since the buyout, and we’re already making good progress, despite the difficulties we’ve faced in 2020.”

As well as creating a company culture that people will want to be part of, Siddall & Hilton Products is also raising its profile by getting involved in the community.

“In a change to our ethos, we’re partnering with local charities as we believe that it is a poor business that focuses only on profit and we recognise our social responsibilities to the community from which we draw our workforce,” Thurley says. “We’ve partnered with local men’s mental health

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

charity, Platform 1, based in Huddersfield and will also be supporting both the Overgate Hospice and Forget-Me-Not children’s hospice next year.

We’ve also raised over £2,000 for the British Heart Foundation through a number of activities in the last couple of weeks and we’ve had a community defibrillator installed on our premises. We’re also planning to engage with local schools, colleges and universities to promote a career in a manufacturing environment.”

The message Thurley wants to promote is that while “welded mesh manufacturing” may seem like an extremely niche sector,

it’s one that encompasses an entire sphere of skills and experiences.

“Manufacturing is a collection of different trades, professions and skills brought under one roof,” he says. “You might leave school wanting to be an engineer, an accountant or an HR professional but we need all those skills in the manufacturing industry, alongside skilled machine operators and fork truck drivers. We need to get that message out there, so we’re raising our company profile, getting more press coverage and letting the local community know that we’re the largest mesh manufacturer in the UK and that we’re a progressive, forward-thinking company, with a strong future.”

That forward-thinking approach is also why the company is looking to completely revamp some of its facilities.

“Part of our site is an old Victorian dye works, and the premises are past their sell-by date and not conducive to 21stcentury operations, so we’re working on plans to redevelop that,” Thurley says.

But while the company is going to evolve, it will still stay true to its historical roots.

“The company has been a wire products business for its entire history, although over time it has moved into different product ranges,” Thurley says.

“We see the future of the business as staying in mesh, making it more efficiently and with significantly less process scrap. We’re investing in new machinery to enable us to do that. We operate in a mature market with stable technology, but we are looking at ways of utilising our knowledge and expertise in other areas. The key focus for us is investing in

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 97

SIDDALL & HILTON PRODUCTS LTD

the future. We have recently committed to a £2 million project for a new welding machine, the first major investment we’ve made in twelve years, to increase our mesh welding fleet from four machines to five. This will be on stream by mid-2021, and the project also involves increasing our workforce by 25%. In the fullness of time, we will also be expanding our backoffice operations as well.”

“WE ARE PUTTING EMPLOYEES FRONT AND CENTRE OF OUR BUSINESS.” 98 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

SIDDALL & HILTON PRODUCTS LTD

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 99

WHS PLASTICS

WHS PLASTICS WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1933 & IS NOW IN ITS FOURTH GENERATION AS A PRIVATE, FAMILY-OWNED COMPANY.

A MATTER OF DISTRIBUTION PROJECT MANAGED BY: MAX HUTCHINGS

From its world-class UK facilities in Minworth and Runcorn, as well as its sister company WHS Plastics in Cairo, Egypt, WHS Plastics is a plastic injection moulder, toolmaker, painter and assembler.

“W

e are a leading tier one supplier to many Automotive motor manufacturers as well as to a variety of industries including Hygiene, Electronics and Industrial, where we operate successfully, in a highly competitive global market,” explains Andrew Kendrick, Group Sales Director for the firm. “We have an annual revenue of £50 million and employ approximately 750 people across our six sites.”

The company has built a name and reputation for itself thanks to its combination of skills and expertise in design, prototyping, toolmaking, injection moulding, painting and automation, all capabilities which WHS Plastics has in-house.

“This enables us to offer a true ‘One Stop Shop’ solution or tailor our offering to the exact requirements of our customer,” says Kendrick. “Some customers utilise our full offering and others some elements of it, but having the ability to provide the

100 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

full package really differentiates us from our competitors.”

EXPANDING CAPABILITIES

WHS Plastics is not content to rest on its laurels with this offering, it wants to further develop its strategy of being customers “Supplier of Choice” and so is currently looking to offer new, broader opportunities including acting as a distribution hub. To achieve that goal, WHS Plastics has recently opened a new distribution centre at its site in Minworth in the West Midlands.

The facility covers an area of 75,000 square feet, boasting a full Warehouse Management System & VNA racking along with a fleet of semi-autonomous lithium battery-powered fork-lift trucks.

“We built the distribution centre because we wanted to develop and improve the business, increase growth and further support our customers.

We had multiple on-site stock areas for materials, bought out

Andrew Kendrick, Group Sales Director, WHS Plastics.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

WHS PLASTICS

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 101

0.1

0.2

0.3

ADVANCED MATERIAL ENGINEERS

05

DEVELOPING SMART SOLUTIONS & BESPOKE VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS

04

OUR CORE CAPABILITIES M at e r i a l s e l e c t i o n & va l i d at i o n

AUTOMOTIVE ADHESIVE TAPE TECHNOLOGY

Product design 03

Die-cutting

OEM APPROVED SURFACE PROTECTION FILM

A p p l i c at i o n & A s s e m b ly s u p p o r t

+ Delivering cost benefits + INCREASING Production efficiency

ALFA ® ACOUSTIC INSULATION MATERIALS

THERMAL & ELECTRICAL MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS

t e c m a n a d va n c e d m at e r i a l e n g i n e e r s +44 (0) 1926 337 466

sales@tecmanuk.com

www.tecmanuk.com

02

TECMAN ADVANCED MATERIAL ENGINEERS

WHS PLASTICS

Tecman have been proudly working in partnership with WHS since 2016 to develop value added components for automotive NHV management and surface protection applications, using OEM approved materials.

Our core capabilities include material selection and validation, innovative product design and die-cutting, plus application and assembly support. All our products are manufactured using an established QMS and underpinned by our on-going technical support service.

We use a strategic approach to our customers’ challenges with the aim of developing smart solutions that achieve overall cost and waste reduction during application and assembly processes. This in turn helps contribute to a greater competitive advantage for our clients.

For over 25 years, Tecman have been supporting manufacturing industries across the globe, with extensive product and engineering knowledge, innovative processes, and in-house conversion facilities.

ADHESIVE TAPE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY We have extensive experience in developing added value adhesive tape solutions for manufacturing industries by combing high-performance adhesive tape technology with innovative production processes for a broad range of bonding applications.

By drawing on our technical knowledge, experience, and global resources, we work alongside our clients’ design teams to develop the most suitable solution. By using advanced product design and conversion techniques, including multi-layer lamination, high speed die-cutting, and customised liner configurations, we optimise the components to add value to our customers processes.

OEM APPROVED SURFACE PROTECTION FILMS Tecman’s high-performance range of surface protection films are designed to meet the complex requirements of the automotive industry, including OEM approved protection film for use on gloss painted plastic.

Using die-cutting processes, our automotive surface protection solutions are developed to meet exacting requirements and provide added value to facilitate rapid and accurate placement, increasing productivity throughout assembly and manufacturing processes.

ALFA® ACOUSTIC INSULATION MATERIALS FOR NVH MANAGEMENT Our range of acoustic insulation materials have been designed for superior levels of NVH reduction, including technical foams and Alfa® Technology acoustic insulation - a series of high-performance materials including ultralight, high loft, heavy layer, and needle punch materials.

Additionally, sophisticated multi-layer laminates, including advanced scrim materials, impregnated layers, and ultra-lightweight heat reflective materials provide a high degree of flexibility when developing bespoke NVH management solutions.

By combining high-performance acoustic insulation with multi-layer laminates and innovative manufacturing capabilities, we produce some of the most advanced NVH management solutions in the industry.

THERMAL AND ELECTRICAL MANAGEMENT MATERIALS FOR EV BATTERY DEVELOPMENT Our advanced thermal and electrical management product range has been developed to meet the increasing requirement for thermal management solutions due to the rapid growth in electronics and battery development.

Our products include natural and synthetic graphite, conductive foils, and high-performance thermally and electrically conductive adhesive tapes.

These leading-edge materials can be converted into complex die-cut shapes to provide thermal interface and bonding properties, reducing hot spots, and protecting sensitive components.

For more information about our bespoke advanced material solutions, contact a member of our team on +44 (0) 1926 337 466 or email: sales@tecmanuk.com www.tecmanuk.com

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

parts, work in progress and finished goods and we wanted to consolidate that,” explains Kendrick. “Therefore, as well as the additional space that the new distribution centre provides it also gives an opportunity to centralise our storage facilities allowing us to become more efficient with material handling, improving stock accuracy and reducing our inventory levels.”

“The multiple stock areas being vacated will be ideal areas for redevelopment to increase our manufacturing capacity and so support further growth and more,” Kendrick continues.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 103

WHS PLASTICS

“WE BUILT THE DISTRIBUTION CENTRE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO DEVELOP AND IMPROVE THE BUSINESS, INCREASE GROWTH & FURTHER SUPPORT OUR CUSTOMERS.” THE HUMAN ELEMENT

Of course, it’s not enough to build new capacity and facilities.

Increasing capacity brings its own challenges with it. To begin with, the new distribution centre created an increase in the amount of traffic going through the facility as a whole.

“The number of vehicles going to one site increased significantly,” Kendrick recalls.

“WHS introduced a vehicle management process to resolve this with improvements including dedicated booking slots and multiple loading bays.”

But at the same time, WHS Plastics also needed to have the qualified and motivated staff necessary to run those facilities. Kendrick considers this one of the major challenges in establishing the new distribution centre.

“Specialist warehouse operatives with VNA training were very difficult to find,” Kendrick admits. “We overcame this by upskilling our own team with in-house training.”

To source and develop the people WHS Plastics needs, the company has a Human Resources team to drive the recruitment process.

“Our HR team engage with senior managers who provide the specific requirements of the role. We then go through the recruitment and interview

104 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

process to ensure a good match. At operator level, we carry out aptitude tests followed by specific on-thejob training,” Kendrick tells us. “With management roles, we use specialist recruitment agents.”

As well as acquiring toplevel talent, WHS Plastics also invests heavily in nurturing the industry’s next generation.

“We run apprenticeships. Just this year we started four new apprentices in various areas of the business and provide

a number of undergraduate placement opportunities,” explains Kendrick. “Our up-andcoming managers are supported with leadership training and one-to-one mentoring.”

WHS Plastics has built up a new, state-of-the-art distribution centre and a pipeline for talent that will help sustain the company for generations to come, but this is only the beginning. Talking to Kendrick it is clear that WHS Plastics has a clear vision for the future.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

HARRISON SILVERDALE Congratulations to WHS Plastics on the opening of their new warehouse and production facility. Since being introduced through transfer work back in 2012, Harrison Silverdale has developed a key strategic partnership with WHS Plastics, supplying threaded inserts, spring steel clips, turned parts and general fastener related items.

Working in close collaboration, we offer design and development on new projects for the automotive sector. Our technical expertise and in-house R&D capabilities, including CAD design, 3D printing, and a recently acquired 5 Axis CNC milling machine, have enabled us to win many new business contracts collectively.

Despite the difficulties of 2020, we also bucked the trend and purchased an additional warehouse at our Dronfield site, significantly expanding our storage capacity. This has allowed us to support customers by increasing stock levels in readiness for both Brexit and the pandemic. Future plans for improvements include updating our website with new products, CAD downloads, and demonstration videos.

Harrison Silverdale welcome new business opportunities from all manufacturing sectors. For more information on how we can benefit your supply chain, or to arrange a web meeting, please contact our sales office below: Tel: 01246 296 930 Email: fasteners@harrisonsilverdale.co.uk Web: www.harrisonsilverdale.com

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 105

WHS PLASTICS

106 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

WHS PLASTICS

“WHS PLASTICS IS READY TO SUPPORT CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE ON-SHORING OR LOCALISATION STRATEGIES CAUSED BY THE BREXIT SITUATION.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

“We have over recent years, by investing in our, site, facilities, machines, and people, developed the business to support sustainable growth. We are now looking to introduce ‘Industry 4.0’ to further improve our efficiencies,” Kendrick explains.

Kendrick points out that WHS Plastics is already considering further site development to support growth and improve productivity.

“The overall vision for the future concentrates on growth, expanding markets and making sustainability a guiding principle in our operation by reducing our impact on natural resources and minimising waste generation.

We must continue to use our best assets, our people, our wide-ranging capabilities and capacities,” says Kendrick.

WHS Plastics is not just readying itself for the technological revolution driving “Industry 4.0” however. The UK is about to undergo massive industrial, market and economic changes as the real effects of Brexit finally take hold.

Many businesses looking to succeed in the new environment will be looking to find ways to base their practices within the country to avoid the administration and delays of cross-border business. It’s a role that WHS Plastics considers themselves perfectly placed to play.

“WHS Plastics is ready to support customers who have on-shoring or localisation strategies caused by the Brexit situation,” Kendrick tells us.

With a wealth of tools and talent at their disposal, and the determination to meet the new challenges of the 2020s, it’ll be interesting to see what WHS Plastics does next.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 107

BRAZILIAN NICKEL

DEVELOPING LOW-COST, LOW-CARBON NICKEL AND COBALT PRODUCTION IN BRAZIL IS THE PRIME FOCUS OF UK-BASED BRAZILIAN NICKEL. BUT THAT IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

NICKEL FOR TOMORROW’S DEMAND PROJECT MANAGED BY: JAMIE WAITE

With demand for electric vehicles set to soar over the next decade, the focus on seeking out new raw materials to support that demand has also intensified - raw materials that should be secured in an environmentally friendly manner. This was the idea behind Brazilian Nickel, set up by CEO Mike Oxley and his wife, Anne, seven years ago.

Brazilian Nickel PLC is an unlisted UK public company established in May 2013 to develop nickel laterite heap leaching projects worldwide, beginning with its flagship Piauí Nickel Project in the northeastern Piauí state, Brazil.

The company was established by a team of experienced mining industry professionals with extensive experience in developing and commercialising the heap leaching of nickel laterites worldwide.

Mike Oxley describes the beginnings: “The company some of us were working for was bought out and changed direction, so we decided to apply our knowledge and experience in a company of our own. We were mainly just a group of engineers, none of us

108 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

had ever run a mining company before, but we had a clear idea of what we wanted to do. We looked around the world for our first project, strengthened the team and generated interest in Brazil. That was one of our priority targets anyway, due to its good business environment, well-established mining industry and a large supply of trained people. From then, it took about a year to negotiate a deal.”

FLAGSHIP PROJECT

Today, the Piauí Nickel Project is an advanced-staged battery metals project. All metallurgical test work in support of a bankable feasibility study has been completed and the key environmental permits have been awarded. The project envisages near-term production

of nickel hydroxide and cobalt hydroxide products to supply the expected surge in demand for these metals, to be used either for EV batteries or, traditionally, in stainless steel and alloys.

In October 2020, the company reached a major milestone in securing a US$ 27.57 million investment to advance the project. “The funding will put things in motion, with the aim of quickly starting small-scale production, while at the same time completing a bankable feasibility study on a much larger project at the site,” says Mike Oxley.

“The project targets 25,000 tonnes of nickel per year. This is a significant amount and represents around 1 per cent of current world production, which makes the project very interesting, and a globally significant operation.”

He further explains that the bankable feasibility study itself takes about a year for the fullscale project. In parallel, it is the plan to start construction early

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BRAZILIAN NICKEL

Mike Oxley, CEO, Brazilian Nickel.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 109

SECURING THE CRITICAL METALS FOR THE GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION

“The world is undergoing a seismic transformation in how it produces and uses energy. A part of this is a mobility revolution with the mass adoption of electric vehicles.

These radical shifts represent ‘once-in-a-century’ investment opportunities and will re-shape not just whole industries, but also the geopolitical landscape. A key to success will be the ability to secure the supply of its building blocks – the technology metals.”

Brian Menell, Chairman & CEO, TechMet.

Brazilian Nickel

Tinco

Li-Cycle

US Vanadium

www.techmet.ie

30

celebrating 30 years of operations in

BRAZIL 1990-2020

LEADING THE DIGITAL AGE We’re a proud leader in digital innovation and engineering supporting Brazilian Nickel and other relevant investments in Brazil’s mineral sector. In partnership with our clients, we focus on creating world-class outcomes with health, safety, environment and sustainability in mind.

snclavalin.com this year for the small- scale project, PNP 1000, with mining starting in the third quarter and nickel production expected in the second quarter of 2022.

“Mixed nickel hydroxide product or MHP is in the market in small amounts, but ours has a lot higher purity. With electrical vehicle sales on the rise, the demand for both nickel and cobalt is forecast to continue to grow over the coming years.

We are now in discussions with potential customers from Japan and other parts of southeast Asia to Europe and North America that are finding our production very interesting,” says Mike Oxley.

Mechanical Operator from the local community.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

“WE WERE ABLE TO RECRUIT THE MAJORITY OF OUR WORKFORCE FROM THE LOCAL AREA. PEOPLE FROM THIS UNDER-DEVELOPED PART OF BRAZIL ARE VERY PRACTICAL, RESILIENT, USED TO LOOKING AFTER THEMSELVES, WITH JUST THE RIGHT SKILLS WE NEEDED.” BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 111

BRAZILIAN NICKEL

Mechanical Operators from the local community.

EMBEDDED IN THE COMMUNITY

With Brazilian Nickel, it is not just all about profits. The company aims to achieve the highest standards of health, safety and environmental performance as well as support local communities. Over the last six years, the company has fully integrated itself into the surrounding community, providing jobs, training and opportunities. “We want to be a local company, a Brazilian company,” affirms Mr Oxley.

As such, attracting a local workforce is important and developing local talent is part of the long-term strategy, he explains. “Atmospheric heap leaching is actually a simple process. We don’t use high temperatures and pressures, so, for one, it is inherently safer, and it also means that no special technical skills are required. We were able to recruit the majority of our workforce from the local area. People from this underdeveloped part of Brazil are very practical, resilient, used to looking after themselves, with just the right skills we needed.”

“The community is not something that is separate from us, it is our workforce. We are very much embedded in the community, we are part of that

112 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

Demonstration Heaps (showing the remoteness of the area). community. We have made a real effort to try and balance employment from different towns and villages in our area and to include the concept of diversity in the business,” he says. “My wife is very much focused on gender diversity as well. She did a lot of work to make sure that the site is

female-friendly.

Things like that do make a difference, and pushing these concepts from the top shows that they are taken very seriously.”

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

Mike Oxley insists that the objective is to leave behind a positive legacy of stronger,

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BRAZILIAN NICKEL

In concluding, he affirms that while the Piauí Nickel Project will be the focus of the next couple of years, the company is looking further afield. Brazilian Nickel is already talking about other projects it can be involved in, be it via acquisitions or joint ventures. “There are a number of initiatives in Brazil and the wider region of Latin America.

The plan is that once the Piauí project is further established, then project 2 and 3 can follow, to build a much larger nickel production profile.”

“While our primary focus will remain on completion of the Piauí Nickel Project development, we will also seek to acquire a portfolio of nickel laterite resources within Brazil, and the wider region, and to advance these projects, successfully adding value through each project stage.”

Mike & Anne Oxley by a full height heap.

more sustainable communities once mining activities cease.

“By maintaining high standards for protecting human health and the environment, and working in cooperation with our host communities and governments, we endeavour to create sustainable, long-term economic and social opportunities.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 113

BRITISH LITHIUM

FACED WITH THE ACCELERATED PUSH FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES, BRITISH LITHIUM IS SET TO ESTABLISH EFFICIENT, SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION OF BATTERY-GRADE LITHIUM CARBONATE FROM A LOCAL SOURCE.

POWERING THE ELECTRIC TRANSFORMATION PROJECT MANAGED BY: TREVOR GRETSINGER

114 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BRITISH LITHIUM

British Lithium, a company that started with just 2 people four years ago, has embarked on a game-changing project that could revolutionise the supply of the lithium required for large-scale manufacture of Li-ion batteries in the UK.

F

ollowing years of metallurgical research and development, extensive ground mapping, geophysics and 3D modelling in 2019, British Lithium is well into its lithium drilling programme in Cornwall, following its first lithium exploration hole ever drilled in the United Kingdom.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Company CEO Andrew Smith says: “Our focus is now on delivering a sustainable and ethical integrated lithium project in the UK. The amount of lithium we are planning to produce annually will be a major step forward in attracting

Andrew Smith, CEO, British Lithium

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 115

‘Tomorrows solutions to todays energy problems’

DRILL SMARTER REACH DEEPER www.apexdrilling.co.uk

Worldwide supplier of geological field tools and equipment, including: UCP core trays. Various sampling bags including polythene, cotton, protexo, Tyvek and kraft.

Bespoke geological sample ticket books. Heavy duty equipment including: core saws, jaw crushers, sample splitters.

Northern Geological Supplies Ltd 66 Gas Street, Bolton BL1 4TQ United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1204 388754 Email: info@geologysuperstore.com

116 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BRITISH LITHIUM

more battery manufacturers and maintaining our car industry. If batteries are not made in the UK, carmakers are likely to continue investing in EV production in Europe. Yet Europe is not actually producing any batterygrade lithium, so achieving that in Cornwall would give the UK a huge competitive advantage.”

Andrew, who has extensive experience in the mining industry and in running lithium projects abroad, explains that the company had been exploring in Cornwall for several years when he found a particular rock sample and immediately realised its potential. Exploration was then narrowed down to a site in Roche and the rest is history.

“The business is really taking off now, and we are hiring. We have been awarded £500,000

by UK government to progress the research and development of hard rock lithium extraction.

A great sign of confidence from the government in our industry and an incentive for us to expand the team.”

GROWING MARKET

There is currently no batterygrade lithium production in the UK or the whole of Europe.

Automotive OEMs and suppliers have invested more than $100 billion in EVs over the past three years, and the battery value chain is projected by the World Economic Forum to expand 19-fold over today’s levels, requiring a substantive scale-up from mining lithium to cell production.

The drilling tests in Cornwall have shown a potential yield of 21,000 tonnes of battery-quality lithium carbonate a year, which represents about one-third of what the UK would need for its electric revolution by 2030.

“Our preference is to use the strategic advantage of a

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

UK supply of lithium to attract a battery plant to Britain as a customer, however fastgrowing demand from Europe could also be met from the UK,” Roderick Smith, the company’s co-director, points out. “The ultimate aim is to set up a lithium refinery that would supply lithium carbonate to the local automotive industry.”

The company believes this can be done sustainably and

cost-effectively in Cornwall, a county with an established business environment, developed infrastructure and availability of skilled workers.

“As opposed to our counterparts in Australia for example, who operate their mines in deserts, here we have a very pleasant working environment offering good operating costs when it comes to production,” says Andrew Smith.

“OUR PREFERENCE IS TO USE THE STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE OF A UK SUPPLY OF LITHIUM TO ATTRACT A BATTERY PLANT TO BRITAIN AS A CUSTOMER, HOWEVER, FAST-GROWING DEMAND FROM EUROPE COULD ALSO BE MET FROM THE UK.” BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 117

BRITISH LITHIUM

THE RIGHT EXPERTISE

Roderick Smith agrees: “The potential is huge. The UK car industry is the biggest exporter this country has, employing some 800,000 people and making 1.3 million cars in 2018, 80% of which were exported.

To meet the government’s requirement, the whole of this industry needs to transform in just 9 years - if the output is to stay at the same level, considerable investments will have to be made and anything that gives the UK a competitive advantage will help.”

British Lithium is based on wide-ranging expertise. The team has over a number of years collectively discovered, evaluated, financed, built and

118 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BRITISH LITHIUM

managed more than 7 mines.

This provides British Lithium with a unique skill set. British Lithium is also the only lithium mine developer with an inhouse metallurgical research laboratory in the UK. Roderick Smith affirms that after working in the mining industry in various countries of the world, it would be a pleasure to use his experience on home soil. The added benefit is that the company can draw on available local skills. The Camborne School of Mines, which hosts a unique combination of scientific and engineering expertise in geology, mining and minerals processing, is a good source of local talent.

“Cornwall has a very strong mining background and heritage that they are proud of and local communities have been very supportive of the project, looking forward to a renaissance of the mining industry in the county. There have been very few mining jobs in the UK for a

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

long time. Most of the School’s graduates have found jobs overseas and would be thrilled at the new job opportunities on their doorstep.”

DRILLING FOR THE FUTURE

As most of the work has been performed outdoors, progress has not been affected too much

by Covid-19. Andrew praised the excellent collaboration and support the company has had not just from the community but also their suppliers.

“It has been a pleasure to work with reliable partners who provide excellent service.

One such company is Geology Superstore which supplies all our geology equipment.

Compared to our last project in Congo, where you have to think six months ahead, it’s great to get our deliveries immediately as and when required.”

The company has now completed the second round of explorations and has just

started the third round. The plan is to start production in 3-5 years.

“We have done a lot of research and development and have invested heavily in on-going metallurgical test work and process design. We are now building a 3,800 sq. ft laboratory in Cornwall, boasting specialist equipment that does not exist anywhere else in the UK.” Roderick Smith summarised the current business position: “It is great to be involved in such an exciting project. A lot of sectors are very depressed as a result of the pandemic, but we are in an area providing environmental solutions, with huge potential. The UK government is very keen to reduce carbon emissions, and Covid-19 has contributed to a greater awareness of the environment and its importance.

We are in the right place at the right time.”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 119

IAMGOLD ESSAKANE SA

ESSAKANE IS CURRENTLY THE LARGEST KNOWN GOLD DEPOSIT IN BURKINA FASO, WEST AFRICA, MAKING IAMGOLD ESSAKANE SA AN IMPORTANT ECONOMIC PLAYER IN THE COUNTRY.

GOLD STANDARDS

PROJECT MANAGED BY: MALVERN KANDEMWA

120 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

IAMGOLD ESSAKANE SA

The Essakane site was discovered by gold panners and artisanal miners in 1985 in the Sahel Region of Burkina Faso. By 2007 the permit for the site was owned by a Canadian company, Orezone Resources, who were later acquired by IAMGOLD in 2009. Based in Toronto, IAMGOLD Corporation is a Canadian mining company that specialises in gold.

In accordance with Burkinabe legislation, IAMGOLD Essakane SA, a mining company incorporated under Burkinabe law, was born with the acquisition of the Essakane mining site.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

I

n 2009 IAMGOLD Essakane began construction of Essakane’s industrial complex, with commercial production beginning in 2010.

90% of the mine’s shares are held by the Canadian company IAMGOLD and 10% is owned by the State of Burkina Faso.

Mohamed Ourriban was appointed General Manager of the Essakane mine in 2018, following more than a decade with IAMGOLD. While it is clear he is pleased with the project as a business operation, talking to him you can see he is also excited about the contributions the mine is making to the local economy.

“Essakane represents a direct contribution of $725 million to the Burkinabe treasury from 2010 to 2019,” Ourriban tells us. “Since 2010, more than $1.8 billion in supplies have been generated by the Essakane mine supply chain from companies based in Burkina Faso. In terms of operations, the mine produced 409,000 ounces of gold in 2019, representing nearly 12 tons of gold, which is about 30% of the national gold production each year.”

As well as gold, the mine is also producing jobs, with the Essakane mine playing a role as one of the country’s most important employers.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 121

United. Inspired.

The digital mine of the future.

Drilling from a distance, myth or reality ?

We are Epiroc, the leading global drill rigs and automation solution supplier to the quarrying, mining and construction industries. We set the standard of automation and made the drilling from a distance a reality in surface and underground industries. The Epiroc’s automation is a state-of-the-art technology that takes safety, productivity and cost effectiveness to another level and makes superior performance a reality. From a safe distance in a comfortable operator station, an operator can easily control and monitor many rigs at the same time or monitor the vehicles progress throughout the mine.

IAMGOLD Essakane pioneer in Automation in Burkina Faso.

Teleremote’s main benefits

Epiroc West Africa together with IAMGOLD Essakane recently undertook a project to automate three of the operation’s Pit Viper blasthole drill rig

•

Enhanced safety by removing the

fleet. A dedicated passionate team from both companies made the project

operator from harm’s way to safe and

a success. With the automated fleet, Essakane is able to unlock the full

comfortable control rooms.

potential of production gains at lower operating costs.

•

Increased productivity by continuous operation, increase utilization, high speed

Experience the World of Epiroc online.

Through Epiroc’s interactive virtual experience “World of Epiroc”,

operation and consistent performance.

•

Reduced costs by reducing equipment

customers can learn more about our groundbreaking solutions.

damage, reduced fleet and extended

Accessible from www.epiroc.com/world-of-epiroc it will let you easily

equipment life.

access product and service information, videos and customer case stories.

About Epiroc West Africa.

Epiroc West Africa was formed to be a stronger partner for mining, infrastructure and natural resources industries in West and Central Africa. It has passionate people supporting and collaborating with customers through its legal branches offices in Burkina Faso, Ghana and Mali and its distribution channels.

Phone: +226 25 36 47 80 (BF) / +233 322 540 369 (GH) / +223 44 98 06 00 (ML) Email: contact.westafrica@epiroc.com

IAMGOLD ESSAKANE SA

ESSAKANE’S PEOPLE

Over 2,500 employees work at Essakane, of which 97% are national employees and 41% come from the Sahel region.

Approximately 204 day-labourers are recruited each month and 100% of these workers come from the neighbouring communities.

“Our employees are our first and most important resource,” Ourriban insists.

Essakane’s impact goes beyond IAMGOLD Essakane’s direct employees, however, as the operation has also created approximately 1,300 indirect jobs through local subcontractors in the region.

Of course, this year IAMGOLD Essakane has had to rely on its staff more than ever in the face of the COVID-19 health crisis,

but thankfully production has continued during the quarantine of Essakane’s operating area.

At the same time, Essakane has made major contributions to helping the area through this crisis.

“We overcame this ordeal thanks to the mobilisation of all our stakeholders. We managed to remain fully operational, and some employees started working from home,” Ourriban says. “We have remained in solidarity with the national health policy and the donations and support from the Essakane mine in the fight against Covid-19 is estimated at nearly $700,000.”

Throughout the crisis, the company’s number one priority has been protecting its people, and despite the global health

crisis IAMGOLD Essakane’s jobs have remained stable and its workforce has not been affected.

“Today, if our company has overcome the challenges, it is because of the men and women who are deeply attached to it and who, through their work and will, drive it forward,” Ourriban tells us. “I am particularly proud of our employees and of IAMGOLD to which they are proud to belong. The inspiring element of IAMGOLD Essakane SA is the genius, the commitment, the strength of its employees who, in a dynamic of continuous improvement, make it possible to take up various challenges.”

“OUR EMPLOYEES ARE OUR FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE.” VALUES-DRIVEN

Based in Italy GSI LUCCHINI S.p.A. is a European leader in the manufacturing of Steel Forged Grinding Media mainly for the mining industry.

We offer over than 45 years of manufacturing expertise and application knowledge in order to provide the best solutions for grinding applications.

GSI LUCCHINI S.p.A. Largo Caduti sul Lavoro, 21 57025 Piombino (LI) ITALY

124 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

T: +39 0565 64661 E: gsilsales@gsilucchini.com www.gsilucchini.it

Those employees are driven by the strong philosophy and vision of IAMGOLD Essakane, which has a culture and foundations that differentiate it from its competitors.

“We create superior value for our stakeholders through responsible mining. Our vision of ‘ZERO INCIDENT’ remains a top priority in all our operations,” Ourriban says. “Indeed, we have and will continue to make continuous efforts for the health and safety of our employees and all stakeholders at our site, for those of our host communities and the protection of the environment.”

Indeed, sustainability has become something of a watchword for Essakane. It has adopted the principles of the “Towards Sustainable Mining” – TSM initiative.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

IAMGOLD ESSAKANE SA

To reduce fuel consumption (six million litres of fuel oil per year) and annual carbon emissions (approximately 18,500 tons per year), in March 2018 the mine inaugurated a new 15 MWp hybrid solar power plant on-site.

Essakane’s mining activities are audited by independent firms and IAMGOLD Essakane is the first company in Burkina Faso to have obtained a double certification ISO 14001-2015 for environmental management and OHSAS 18 001-2007 for health and safety management.

Because of the mine’s efforts, the Mining Association of Canada awarded it the environmental excellence award in 2015 and 2019.

“Our mine has also been awarded two prizes (in Human Rights and Environment) by

several national NGOs and civil society organizations who launched the Burkinabe Civil Society CSR Award,” Ourriban says proudly.

A KEY CONTRIBUTOR

Essakane’s contributions go far beyond its work as an employer, or the efforts it has made to reduce the mine’s environmental impact. It works closely with communities the help them in the ways that they ask for.

“In our community relations, we favour a participatory approach that takes into account the identification of projects by local populations and their involvement in their implementation,” Ourriban says.

One example of such a project is the work IAMGOLD Essakane has done with regards to clear water.

Mohamed Ourriban, General Manager of the Essakane mine.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 125

IAMGOLD ESSAKANE SA

“Water in the arid environment of the Sahel has a major impact on people’s quality of life and socio-economic development,” Ourriban explains. “This is why we have been addressing this problem since the start of the mine and have made it one of our priorities.”

This is why, in partnership with the Government of Canada and the One Drop Foundation, IAMGOLD Essakane has financed the ECED-Sahel “Water and Sustainable Economic Growth in the Sahel” project for a total amount of approximately $13 million. The first completed phase covered the period 2016-2019 and is impacting the water supply of more than 54,000 people.

In addition, through its local purchasing policy, the Essakane mine has helped create and strengthen suppliers in the Sahel through the awarding of contracts for the delivery of goods, services, construction

126 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

IAMGOLD ESSAKANE SA

and security services. These structures create approximately 1,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Moving forward, Ourriban has a bold vision, both for the mine, and its contribution to the nation as a whole.

“Essakane has been doing very well since the start of production in 2010. Our goal is to continue our transformation and perform better than we have.

In 2020, after a decade of gold production, much has already been done for the development of the Sahel and Burkina Faso by our mine,” Ourriban says.

“Our vision is to generate shared value with all our stakeholders through diligent mineral resource management and knowledge transfer to our host communities.

Through our operations, we intend to continue to develop a real legacy for current and future generations while minimising our footprint.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

“WATER IN THE ARID ENVIRONMENT OF THE SAHEL HAS A MAJOR IMPACT ON PEOPLE’S QUALITY OF LIFE AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.” BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 127

MAG SILVER CORPORATION

MAG SILVER CORPORATION TELLS US THE STORY OF HOW THEY DISCOVERED AND HAVE BEGUN TO DEVELOP ONE OF THE HIGHEST-GRADE SILVER RESOURCES IN THE WORLD.

A ONCE IN A LIFETIME RESOURCE PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN HOLLIMAN

MAG Silver is a Canadian exploration and development company focused on becoming a top-tier primary silver mining company.

The company made its IPO in 2003 when it had accumulated three properties in Mexico which it believed had high potential for the discovery of silver deposits. However, one of these properties would prove to harbour a resource beyond MAG Silver’s wildest dreams.

S

ometimes I wake up and pinch myself,” confesses George Paspalas, CEO and President of MAG Silver.

The story begins when MAG Silver began to evaluate a resource at Juanicipio, located in the Fresnillo District of Zacatecas State, in Mexico.

“Our Chief Exploration Officer Dr Peter Megaw had reviewed all the historical literature and felt this was a prospective piece of ground with a disruptive geological theory,” Paspalas tells us.

“He came in to test these theories and discovered a substantial vein on the first hole. That rarely ever happens in exploration, so that was fantastic. It was already a substantial discovery.”

128 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

If it had ended there, this would already be a success story.

Juanicipio is in the pre-eminent silver district in the world. One out of every ten ounces of silver on Earth has come from this area. To strike a resource in the first hole would have been lucky, but this was only the beginning.

“MAG Silver confirmed the discovery, and Fresnillo Plc on the other side of the boundary to this property saw what we were doing and wanted to get involved. So we offered them a joint venture back in 2005,” Paspalas recalls.

“Fresnillo quickly earned in with a 56% holding in the property, while we own 44%. So, over the course of time in 2005, we discovered, on the 16th hole, another vein, Valdecañas and that has proven to be an incredible mineral system.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

MAG SILVER CORPORATION

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 129

AMC CONSULTANTS A DECADE OF EXPERT GUIDANCE BY INDUSTRY VETERAN Since 2010, AMC Consultants (AMC) has provided expert support and advice for MAG Silver Corp and the Joint Venture with Fresnillo Plc, Minera Juanicipio S.A. de C.V. This includes technical studies and the reporting of Mineral Resources and Reserves. The consultancy firm is an industry leader in geology, mining, and geotechnical engineering, with its due diligence and feasibility studies being relied upon by the world’s major investment banks and mining companies.

The long-term relationship between MAG Silver and AMC has been built up by a number of AMC consultants, including Senior Principal Mining Engineer Bert Smith, and, leading the way in recent years, Gary Methven, Underground Manager at AMC’s office in Vancouver’ “It has been a pleasure to collaborate with the team at MAG Silver to help the project reach the current first production milestone that saw 42,476 tonnes processed during the quarter”, says Mr. Methven. He adds that the consultancy firm’s vast global expertise with similar underground deposits proved crucial to its role as a trusted advisor to MAG Silver.

In fact, AMC has consulted on a number of similar projects in Mexico including Campo Morado , Aranzazu, La Herradura Gold Mine, Mercedes mine, Palmarejo mine, and Platosa mine. “Having performed more than 35 consultancy assignments in Mexico, AMC is very familiar with the types of mining typically undertaken in Mexico and with alternative methods that are less commonly used” adds Mr. Methven. AMC also has Spanish-speaking capabilities and offices located in convenient proximity for travel to Mexico.

To find out more about AMC go to: www.amcconsultants.com

130 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

MAG SILVER CORPORATION

George Paspalas, CEO & President of MAG Silver.

Again, so far so good. But subsequent drilling in this area located what Paspalas calls “the Bonanza Zone”, for obvious reasons.

“It turned out we had landed on one of the highest-grade undeveloped silver properties in the world,” Paspalas explains.

If this was the end of the story it would already be a once in a lifetime find.

It’s not.

“In 2013 we decided to construct a five-by-five-metre ramp down to the mineralisation, 350 metres below the surface, with Fresnillo Plc as partners and the operators,” Paspalas says. “Then in 2015, we decided to put down sterilisation holes, just to make sure that we had found the bottom of the mineralization.”

If you’re not familiar with the mining industry, sterilisation holes are designed to poke right through a mineral resource and out the other side. The idea is that these holes will help measure the limits of a resource. The goal isn’t to find anything.

They found something.

“When we put the four holes down, we found a deep zone.

The mineralisation continued,” Paspalas says.

“What’s significant is that the deep zone is continuous with the Bonanza Zone. It implies a massive endowment of mineralisation.”

At this point, MAG Silver and Fresnillo Plc were both starting to finally realise exactly what they had. A resource of this significance would need to be handled slightly differently to your typical silver resource.

ADAPTING TO GOOD FORTUNE

“The decision we had to make was, what would be the optimal project to build here?” Paspalas says. “In 2016 we upsized the

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

project from a projected 2,700 tonne-a-day facility to a 4,000 tonne-a-day facility. With that upsizing came measures like putting crushers underground in the mine workings, a conveyor belt to bring the crushed material to the surface and an internal shaft to get down to the deeper material quicker. It means we had to put a second ramp in.”

In expanding the remit of the project, MAG Silver finally hit upon the reason this resource was so unique.

“We did all that and we continued to drill, and what we discovered the Valdecañas is sitting on top of a fluid upwelling zone,” Paspalas explains. “This is like a geologist’s dream. The site was directly above the source where the metals come from. Any permeable structure around that will be mineralised, and we’ve seen that.”

Even now, Juanicipio still had more to reveal. Last year, for the first time in this area, MAG Silver discovered epithermal veins running perpendicular to the veins it had already found.

The high-grade silver deposits have grown significantly.

“As we continue to drill, we keep finding more and more extensions of the deep zone, so this will be a massive silver producer when it’s fully operational,” Paspalas explains.

“We’ve consciously spent incrementally more capital to prepare ourselves for this to be expanded. We’re doing it now while we’re building it the first time, building it slightly bigger, so when the expansion comes our capital expenditure is less because we’ve spent it upfront.”

Even now, only 5% of the property has been explored.

“Our challenge is we can’t drag the drillers away from Valdecañas, because whenever

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 131

MAG SILVER CORPORATION

they drill, they find something else!” Paspalas points out.

THE DEER TRAIL PROJECT

MAG Silver’s good fortune in Juanicipio is an incredible story.

The sort of thing that someone in the mining industry could hope to encounter maybe once in a lifetime. But Juanicipio is not MAG Silver’s only resource.

“We’ve recently announced an acquisition in Utah called the Deer Trail Project. We’re excited about this one,” Paspalas tells us. “Dr Peter Megaw, who found the vein in hole one at Juanicipio, was working on this asset in 1982 and really liked it, and we’ve only now finally been able to acquire it.”

132 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

It’s been a story of patience and relationship building, and MAG Silver has spent four years positioning themselves before disclosing the acquisition to the market.

“I’m excited because Deer Trail lies on a fault system with significant deposits. Along the same trend the Deer Trail’s on, is Bingham Canyon, one of the greatest copper mines in the world,” Paspalas says. “It’s one of the few manmade structures that can be seen from outer space.”

MAG Silver isn’t looking for copper, however. Before copper Bingham was being mined for carbonate replacement deposits and high-grade silver, MAG Silver’s speciality.

As unbelievable as it sounds, Paspalas is willing to say, “There’s a recipe for potentially replicating a Juanicipio-style discovery here.”

Optimistic and excited as Paspalas is, MAG Silver is taking it slowly with the Deer Trail prospect.

“We’ve started drilling at Deer Trail, but only to prove our technical model. We’re not looking to find mineralisation in that first programme, but to find the structure we believe exists that will show where the mineralisation is potentially located,” he explains. “We’re telling people not to expect minerals to come out of this first drilling programme. If we

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

MAG SILVER CORPORATION

get 300-400 metres of red wall limestone, we will be popping champagne corks at MAG. This is the way we approach exploration, prove our geological model first, then try and find the bling.”

At the same time as building up a picture of the resource, MAG Silver is also building relationships.

“We feel we’re going to be here a long time, so we’re being careful with our approach with regulators and communities,” Paspalas says.

“We’ve rehabilitated all the small mining operations, we’ve built a great reputation, and we’re in a very mining-friendly jurisdiction and we won’t abuse that. We’re working closely with people.”

Meanwhile, as Juanicipio is still gearing up, the mine is

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

already processing minerals two days out of every month.

“That’s unique in this business. We’re still building our processing plant but for two days a month, we’re putting our mineralized material through a neighbouring, very similar Fresnillo plant and learning a lot about how it responds,” Paspalas says. “When it comes to starting up our own plant, we’ll have had almost a year of two-days-a-month operating history, de-risking our start-up and making a bit of cash along the way.”

Paspalas sounds like he can hardly believe it himself as he tells us, “We’re getting cash out of the mine while we’re still in construction, it’s crazy!”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 133

SWAKOP URANIUM

SWAKOP URANIUM HAS ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS DURING THE CHALLENGING YEAR OF 2020 AND HAS MANAGED TO STAY ON TRACK EVEN UNDER RESTRICTED CONDITIONS.

MORE THAN

MINING PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN HOLLIMAN

134 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

SWAKOP URANIUM

Swakop Uranium is a registered company in Namibia that owns the Husab mine. The majority stake (90%) is owned by Taurus Minerals Limited, jointly owned by China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) and China Africa Development Fund (CAD) while the remaining 10% is held by the Namibian state-owned Epangelo Mining Company.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

T

he Husab mine, located near Swakopmund on the west coast of Namibia, is one of the largest uranium mines and processing plants in the world. The company’s mission is to produce uranium efficiently and responsibly. The company’s vision is to be a world-class Namibian uranium mining company.

The mine is on a growth trajectory, having drummed its first uranium in 2016, and then ramping up production over 2018 and 2019, overcoming numerous commissioning and technical issues to get the operation up and running. Most of the product is supplied to China and up to 20% is marketed internationally by CGN Global Uranium Ltd, incorporated in the UK. The company is currently targeting 10 million tonnes per year of ore in the short term, increasing to 15 million tonnes over the next three years.

2020 brought with it new challenges but CEO Cai Yusheng acknowledged that

the company has made significant progress despite the restrictive conditions.

“We have achieved a lot in the last 12 months, even though Covid-19 has hit the company hard,” he admits. “In line with the requirements, we had to limit the capacity of our operations to 30% and significantly reduce manpower. For such a severe environment, our achievements are all the more impressive.”

He pointed out that despite the circumstances, Swakop Uranium achieved a new monthly throughput record with only 60% of the workforce and the company managed to keep to its plan, implementing new measures and procedures.

“This was made possible by improving the productivity and efficiency of the mining equipment and by much better inventory management.

Considerable improvement was also achieved at the human level, and facing this huge challenge together, our team got stronger, showing great solidarity and determination.”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 135

a leading, dynamic, innovative, and task-oriented mining services company in Africa.

BREVS: Basil Read & EVS Company 7 Feld Street, Windhoek, Namibia

T: +264 (61) 415 700

E: info@brevs.com

BREVS – BASIL READ AND EVS COMPANY

SWAKOP URANIUM

VISION To be a leading, dynamic, innovative, & task-oriented mining services company in Africa.

MISSION To provide efficient and cost-effective mining services, whilst upholding the highest standard of safety, quality and environment management.

OUR VALUES SAFETY: Safely, we start and finish together • Keep each employee safe & healthy • Provide safe, healthy & effective work environment • Protect employees at all cost • Ensure zero fatalities.

Cai Yusheng, CEO, Swakop Uranium.

INTEGRITY: We drive excellence through ethical behaviour • Honest and trustworthy • Strong moral principles • Do business ethically • Stand up for what is right.

COMPASSION: People matter because we care • Be kind and empathetic • Respect and understand others • Authentic care for employees.

DELIVERY: We take ownership and consistently exceed expectations • Deliver a quality product or service on time • Be responsible and take ownership • High customer satisfaction.

UNITY: We work together and embrace diversity to achieve greatness • Work together as one team • Aim to achieve the same goals • Treat each other like family.

COMMITMENT: With determination & focus we passionately strive towards excellence • Loyal to BREVS • Dedicated and hard working • Strive for excellence (do your best or put it to rest) • Initiate continuous improvement.

OWNERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE OWNERSHIP: BREVS Mining Contractors is a Namibian contracting company, which constitute of: 1. Basil Read Mining Namibia (Pty) Ltd 2. EVS Mining Contractors (Pty) Ltd GOVERNANCE: EVS Mining Contractors values good corporate governance and is committed to ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and corporate governance best practice. We continuously improve our corporate governance processes to ensure compliance at all times.

The board of BREVS Mining Contractors is made up of the following directors: Ismail Moosa Barnabas Uugwanga Anton Cilliers Eliphas Hawala SERVICES The scope is, and not limited to the following areas: • Open Pit Mining • Open Cast Mining • Drilling and Blasting • Material handling • In-pit water management • Bulk earthmoving • Mining Tailings Storage Facilities (TFS) Construction & Maintenance • Mine Infrastructure Development • Rehabilitation • Mine Planning • Due Diligence CURRENT PROJECTS AS BREVS 1. SWAKOP URANIUM HUSAB SITE (STARTING JULY 2020) • Drilling, Loading and Hauling • 440,000 BCMs per Month 2. QKR NAVACHAB GOLD MINE (STARTING AUGUST 2020) • Plant (Trucks) and Operators • Loading and Hauling operations CONTACT: Email: info@brevs.com

Tel: +264 (61) 415 700

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

CLEAR COMMUNICATION

From the beginning, fostering cross-cultural collaboration was a major task. “We focused hard on improving the work ethics and discipline and optimizing local practices.

Cultural differences are inevitable and bridging them will pave the way forward,” Mr Cai points out, admitting that discipline and safety were the key issues at the beginning but the company has come a long way by introducing specific practices and training schemes.

“WE FOCUSED HARD ON IMPROVING THE WORK ETHICS, DISCIPLINE & OPTIMIZING LOCAL PRACTICES. CULTURAL DIFFERENCES ARE INEVITABLE AND BRIDGING THEM WILL PAVE THE WAY FORWARD.” The vast majority of Swakop’s 1,700 employees are Namibians.

To ensure a pool of talent that will keep the mine running over its 20+ year lifespan, Swakop Uranium has established a graduate and skills training

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 137

SWAKOP URANIUM

programme to feed the company’s leadership pipeline.

The strategy is to focus on recruiting the best available candidates while building internal capacity to alleviate skill-shortage challenges in the future.

“We spent a lot of effort on cultivating discipline and establishing a company culture focused on safety and performance, based on understanding, compassion and respecting cultural differences.

Virtual social tools helped a lot in this process.”

He explains that DingTalk, a corporate communication tool, was provided to all employees from top to bottom, so now the CEO can communicate with thousands of employees through live broadcasts, sharing messages and important

138 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

information on a regular basis.

“There is no need to arrange a meeting room now or to worry that important messages will not reach everyone. I can talk to all my employees directly now, and this has been a major improvement.”

BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION

Over the three years that Cai Yusheng has run the Husab Mine, he has been working hard on business transformation, one of the tasks he was given by the majority shareholder when he was sent to Namibia in mid2017.

“The goal was to transform the whole organisation from project-oriented to operationoriented. It has been quite a challenge. I had to introduce concepts such as planning procedures, work safety rules

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

SWAKOP URANIUM

and performance management systems. The transformation is now nearly complete – we have rolled out a new company culture, a process that took two years.”

Mr Cai also introduced events such as an annual safety day to raise awareness of safety and learn from past mistakes, and a CEO open day once a month, enabling staff to come to his office and speak about anything they feel is important.

“The transformation is visible also on this level. At the beginning people mostly raised the issue of salaries, now they come up with ideas relating to performance-related issues.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Collaboration with local communities has been just as important as promoting internal teamwork.

The company provides donations to various causes and organises educational workshops and training to raise awareness of environmental protection as well as to improve the level of local skills. “Teaching skills is better than giving out money,” remarks Mr Cai, paraphrasing a Chinese proverb.

“We continue to face some short- and long-term difficulties in pushing the facility to meet production and mining volumes.

From a longer perspective, we have been working with the

Namibian government to enhance local infrastructure, which, at the moment, is insufficient to support such a huge mining operation.

Internally, further enhancement of the company culture is an ongoing task.”

In concluding, Mr Cai Yusheng insists that his work in Namibia has been a rewarding experience. “When working in a foreign country, it is important to have empathy for the local culture and customs. We need to be able to look at things from the point of view of our partners.

Then we can all achieve a result that is beneficial for all. This is the way we are working in Swakop Uranium.”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 139

BANDERA OIL TOOLS

WE LEARN HOW A KEY SUPPLIER TO THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY IS USING A COMBINATION OF EXCELLENT SERVICE AND QUALITY PRODUCTS TO PUNCH ABOVE THEIR WEIGHT IN THE INDUSTRY.

BUILT ON GREAT SERVICE PROJECT MANAGED BY: MALVERN KANDEMWA

140 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BANDERA OIL TOOLS

At Bandera Oil Tools the company works according to one creed, to always seeks the total satisfaction of its clients. It is a recommended partner to the oil and gas industry, selling or hiring out an extensive range of equipment and tools ranging from mud pumps and drill pipes to under reamers, hole openers, BOPs, and casing and tubing. Bandera Oil Tools was formed in 2002 when it was founded as a management-owned company, although this year that all changed when the company was acquired by Anfield Services Ltd.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

A

nfield Services is a wellbore intervention company that, like Bandera Oil Tools, operates out of Trinidad and Tobago. Bandera Oil Tools’ new parent company specialises in providing a variety of technical downhole fishing services for the drilling and workover operations in the oil and gas industry. With its impressive brand portfolio and commitment to total customer satisfaction, it is not hard to say why Bandera Oil Tools was an appealing acquisition.

But despite carrying a lot of heft in the regional oil and gas industry, Bandera Oil Tools is actually a relatively small team of people.

“Bandera Oil Tools primarily consists of just myself and my right hand, Alicia Maharaj, who handles our logistics and purchasing,” says Marc Sitaram, Operations Manager of Bandera Oil Tools. “I run all the operations, secure contracts and develop new business. We are a small company, but our relationship with clients has kept us in business over the years. The customer service they get from us keeps them coming back.”

Of course, all businesses will wax lyrical about the quality of customer service that they can offer, but Bandera Oil Tools is a company that will genuinely go the extra mile as standard.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 141

BANDERA OIL TOOLS

“If a client were to contact us to change a nozzle in a drill bit, I would come and do that for them without any charge where with other companies that would be a longer process,” Sitaram points out.

It is this swift process and close attention to customers that give Bandera Oil Company the personal touch in a marketplace that is frequently dominated by far larger businesses that are often far more opaque to customers in their operations.

“The challenges Bandera faces include competing against bigger companies. We’re in a market with names such as Baker Hughes that are better known and more established, which means we have to work hard to get our name out there,” Sitaram tells us candidly.

However, while Bandera Oil Tools itself is a relatively small company, it represents and distributes some of the biggest and best-recognised brands on the market. The challenge is that while the quality of the products and the name recognition is there, Bandera does not have the sheer capital backing of larger corporations.

“We represent some of the biggest drilling service companies in the world, including Derrick Shakers, Ulterra PDC Bits, and Bestolife Premium Compounds,” Sitaram explains. “But we’re competing against bigger name companies that are able to put together competitive packages for their client in a way that is very hard for a small company to go up against.”

But while Bandera Oil Tools might not have that level of capital to fall back on, it is still able to compete in terms of agility, service, and price.

“We stay competitive through our prices. We’ve got the lowest prices in the market but still provide the high levels of service that our customers require,” Sitaram says. “Some companies require you to give 24 hours’ notice for call-outs for drill bits, part replacements and fittings. That is not the case with us. Call me now and I will get that drill bit to you today.”

“WE’VE GOT THE LOWEST PRICES IN THE MARKET BUT STILL GIVE YOU THE HIGH LEVELS OF SERVICE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS REQUIRE.” A TIME FOR CHANGE

Dual Pool® 626 Shaker Provides Offshore Brazil Operator Over $660,000 in Cost Savings Discover more, download the field report www.derrick.com/fr158

Contact Derrick’s Exclusive Distributor, Bandera Oil Tools S.A., for support on rigs operating in the Caribbean region.

142 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

Ultimately, the quality that Bandera Oil Tools is able to offer is built on the dedication and hard work of its small but committed staff.

“Bandera Oil Tools is small, the key staff are me, the operations manager, my coworker, under our Directors, Michael Anton and Kevin Wakefield,” Sitaram tells us.

“We’ve been operating like this for 18 years. The nature of the work means that you don’t need a lot of people, because most of the work is sales work.”

However, although Bandera Oil Tools is a small company by any measure, the business’s recent change in ownership means that it now has a far broader resource pool to draw upon.

“Now we’re under Anfield Services, Bandera Oil Tools still remains the same,” Sitaram says. “It still operates on its

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BANDERA OIL TOOLS

available in case we need to expand, as well as access to their other resources.”

Indeed, talking with Sitaram it is clear he has a lot of big plans for the future.

“It all depends on the oil industry for the next couple of years. If the oil industry in Trinidad & Tobago progresses, we will definitely be expanding,” he says. “We have a number of prospective areas we’re working on right now.”

Perhaps surprisingly, Bandera Oil Tools is considering a move

beyond the oil and gas industry.

“One option we’re considering is tapping into the aviation industry,” Sitaram says.

“We’ve been working on that for a couple of months now, so hopefully within a month, I’ll know if we’re going into that sector once I’ve got a response from helicopter services and national carrier company. We need to diversify.”

Whatever happens, with its core values and passionate team, we are expecting big things for this small company.

Alicia Maharaj, Head of Logistics & Purchasing, Bandera Oil Tools. own and we’ve maintained our independence. But if a situation arises where we need to use more people, we have access to those resources thanks to our position as part of the Anfield Group.”

Under the Anfield Group, Bandera Oil Tools is the agent businesses including Bestolife, Ulterra and Derrick Shakers for the region for over five years, as well as KATS Pipe Coatings and soon, Tenaris Casing. While the buyout has certainly opened doors for Bandera, Sitaram insists that under the hood it is still the same agile, dedicated company.

“The buyout hasn’t changed things a lot. We have a little more support, financially, and Anfield Services is an efficient tools company with a lot of work offshore,” Sitaram says. “It means we have more finances

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Marc Sitaram, Operations Manager, Bandera Oil Tools.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 143

BELEMAOIL PRODUCING LTD

144 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BELEMAOIL PRODUCING LTD

BELEMAOIL PRODUCING LTD IS A HOMEGROWN UPSTREAM EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION COMPANY DEMONSTRATING A NEW MODEL FOR OPERATIONS.

CHANGING THE

NARRATIVE

PROJECT MANAGED BY: TIM GARWOOD

We learn how a homegrown Indigenous upstream exploration & production company is demonstrating a new model for how the industry can interact with local communities and their environment, to engender a more sustainable mutual relationship for increased production, wealth creation and community development.

T

he Niger Delta is one of Africa’s most important and lucrative oilproducing regions, but Africans haven’t always been the ones to reap the benefits.

“For nearly 50 years the Niger Delta has been exploited by major operators,” says Pedro Diaz Guerrero, Managing Director of Belemaoil Producing Ltd. “Our Founder and President Engr.

Tein T. S Jack-Rich came from a local Oil Producing Community called Kula located in the heart of Niger Delta in Rivers State and he had experienced firsthand the sufferings which small tribes had experienced over the years of exploitation. He has thus committed to giving back to local communities. This is why he implemented the Belemaoil Model which is a unique

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

community engagement model that ensures a sustainable mutual partnership for economic empowerment, integration, wealth creation and community development.

MASSIVE EDUCATIONAL ENHANCEMENT SUPPORT SCHEME

In the scheme’s first two years it reached over 400 individuals, some of whom have already graduated from masters’ degrees, bachelor degrees, and elementary schools. Belemaoil has also implemented a programme to recruit locals into the workforce so they can learn new skills, drawing them away from nefarious activities such as bunkering in the swamps, or drug and alcohol abuse. This is the Graduate Trainee Scheme.

“Aside from that we have been carrying out programmes to insert women, including widows, into our entrepreneurship programme, giving them training for everything from sewing to catering and

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 145

CURRENT MEC ENGINEERING LTD. We are fully registered construction and engineering company incorporated by Corporate Affairs Commission with RC No. 733694 in the year 2008.

The Company specializes in Building and Civil Engineering Construction Works, supply in all kind of equipment and general contracting. It has a good financial standing and strong manpower structure with viral potentialities in the management, planning and execution of small, medium and large-scale construction projects.

The company was incorporated to contribute its quota in the delivery of quality and efficient infrastructure for both public and private clients. From the incorporation to date, the company has successfully executed many construction contracts; ranging from Institutional, Health care, Entertainment and religious buildings for both public and private clients. The company possess a good record of corporate social responsibility policy by integrating host communities of everywhere it was engaged for projects in the works and also delivering pro-bono services for the benefit of the host community.

So far, the company has executed & is still handling projects in Building/Engineering subsector via: Educational Buildings: Total Redevelopment, Rehabilitation and Renovation of existing schools and constructing new ones. This includes hostels, classrooms, sporting facilities, and furnishing.

Healthcare Delivery: Ultra-modern Primary Healthcare buildings up to Tertiary healthcare buildings.

Infrastructure Buildings: Road construction and Rehabilitation, Municipal water supply projects.

Hotels and Leisure Buildings: Hotel development for private organizations.

Since our incorporation, we executed various type of projects for both public and corporate organisations viz: Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation –NNPC (and its subsidiaries), The Government of Bauchi State, Nigeria, Belema Oil Producing Ltd, Jack-Rich Tien Aid Foundation, Total Upstream Limited, SEEPCO Oil Ltd and host of other organisations.

We maintained teams of versatile professionals that lead the commitment of our resources for client satisfaction. It is on our record that we NEVER failed to deliver on our project responsibilities.

CURRENT MEC ENGINEERING LTD. No. 25A, Jolly Nyame Crescent, Opp. FCMB, off Jos Road, G.R.A. Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria.

Contact: currentmecengltd@gmail.com; +234 (0) 803 609 9840.

BELEMAOIL PRODUCING LTD

merchant activities to sustain themselves,” Guerrero tells us. “We give them training and small cash grants to help them start.”

“WE WANT TO BE KNOWN AS A COMPANY THAT HAS CHANGED THAT NARRATIVE.” A NEIGHBOUR THAT CARES

This is only the start of Belemaoil’s aid to local communities. The company has been involved in a long campaign to provide people with vaccination, dental care, and medical consultations with a view to creating health care affordable to the Locals.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

“They now have a neighbour that cares about them,” Guerrero says of nearby communities.

“We are involved in their community and this is aside from reactivating a field that was previously not operated in a very conservative manner.”

Belemaoil has also been working to aid and repair the local environment, taking over an operation that was originally designed to flare natural gas and dump its water into the local swamps. Today, Belemaoil is minimising the flaring and has already achieved zero water dumping into the environment.

The result has been an operation that has built stronger and far less tumultuous relationships with the local population.

“We have been facing fewer issues than the previous operator, but we’ve faced some bunkering, oil being stolen for operators of illegal refineries who are then selling oil in the high seas,” Guerrero admits.

“So, we’ve implemented a project to have our Terminal Floating and Storage Vessel that will allow us to minimise losses in the trunk line. That’s an ongoing project that will enhance the economic activity in the area. We will involve local people that will form small companies and learn the required skills with our partners, and advance their capacity for wealth creation.”

Belemaoil also wants to share these relationships up and down its supply chain.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 147

BELEMAOIL PRODUCING LTD

“We’re asking our main contractors to partner with local indigenous companies as part of our local content development initiative,” Guerrero says. “So, the main contractor will be the local indigenous contractor.”

However way you look at it, Belemaoil is an incredible success story, boasting 5 million working hours with no injuries or spills, the company has provided Social Investment Programmes for local communities across Nigeria.

“We decided the oil must benefit not only the neighbouring communities but more remote communities as well across Nigeria,” Guerrero insists.

“Belemaoil has demonstrated its commitment to the Nigerian society to improve the lifestyle and economic performance of the sector.”

But Guerrero confides that Belemaoil’s goal hasn’t just been to repair the relationship between indigenous communities and the Oil and Gas industry, but to help rehabilitate the industry’s perception worldwide.

“The Oil and Gas industry has always been known as aggressive with the environment,” Guerrero says.

“We want to be known as a company that has changed that narrative, as an environmentally friendly operation”.

“WE DECIDED THE OIL MUST BENEFIT NOT ONLY THE NEIGHBOURING COMMUNITIES BUT MORE REMOTE COMMUNITIES AS WELL ACROSS NIGERIA. BELEMAOIL HAS DEMONSTRATED ITS COMMITMENT TO THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY TO IMPROVE THE LIFESTYLE AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF THE SECTOR.” 148 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

RESULTS THROUGH COOPERATION

Guerrero admits that there are times when changing that narrative can feel difficult.

“The main challenge I see is the debt is so high that when the people see we’re providing some help they want you to fix everything at the same timeschools, hospitals access roads,” he tells us. “The challenge is that it takes time and a lot of resources, with a system that is not designed to provide fast resources. The major projects

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BELEMAOIL PRODUCING LTD

will take years and a lot of resources so we can’t accomplish everything alone.”

If Belemaoil can’t accomplish what it wants to alone, it will find partners who can accomplish those results alongside it.

“We recently joined forces with the US government to distribute 80,000 diagnostic kits for AIDS with the South-South Niger Delta State of Akwa Ibom. It is well known Nigeria is a country that suffers a great deal from AIDS, so we want to have the support system to detect the people with the disease,” Guerrero says. “It’s an example of how we collaborate with other institutions. Recently we started working with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to develop an 85km road to the farthest communities near the Atlantic. We will develop a road to integrate communities in the Niger Delta to the mainland bringing them power, communication, resources, and natural gas. It’s a massive project we’ve engaged in with the Niger Delta Development Commission, which when completed, will link the remote Oil Producing Communities of Kula, Idama, Belema and others to PortHarcourt City and the rest of Nigeria.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

TELLING A NEW STORY

Looking forward, Belemaoil’s ambitions are to build new wells, carry out workovers, and perform interventions to rehabilitate and severely increase production.

“The challenges are there but we have an excellent team, and a Founder and President who inspires a lot of energy,” Guerrero says. “The owner represents the whole company at different levels. We believe we will get the support we need to move ahead.”

But more than that, Belemaoil is looking to set an example for the entire industry.

“We want to set the baseline for other operators and send the message that a peaceful and stable operation is most likely to be achievable if you maintain a good relationship with local host communities,” Guerrero argues. “If a company has been in other countries and leaves a location, leaving behind empty houses and abandoned wells, that is very sad. If you leave a place you leave a positive mark.

These schools, these hospitals, this power that Belemaoil came to develop, that is the message we want to send. We hope other companies will emulate us and work to change the narrative of the oil and gas sector.”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 149

STAATSOLIE MAATSCHAPPIJ SURINAME N.V.

SURINAME’S NATIONAL OIL COMPANY IS ENGAGED IN A NUMBER OF EXCITING OIL DISCOVERIES, BUT WHAT THE COMPANY IS MOST EAGER TO DISCOVER ARE WAYS TO BENEFIT THE COUNTRY.

SUPPORTING SURINAME THROUGH DISCOVERY PROJECT MANAGED BY: MALVERN KANDEMWA

Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname N.V. is the Surinamese national oil company. It started out as a crude oil producer. Since then the company has diversified in its value-added oil business, refining crude to ultra-low sulphur diesel and gasoline and building its increasingly capable workforce.

S

taatsolie has been producing and refining crude oil and selling petroleum products for almost four decades, as well as thermal energy since 2006, but also produces renewable energy to generate electricity in Suriname, including hydroelectric energy at its Afobaka power plant. Recently the company has expanded into the gold mining sector, while also

150 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

making several major offshore hydrocarbon discoveries through its partners, PSC. Staatsolie believes these discoveries have the potential to transform Suriname.

AGE OF DISCOVERIES

That goal, to “transform Suriname” is key to Staatsolie’s outlook, and its recent oil discoveries pose the opportunity to do just that. Staatsolie is currently on the verge of a new era, with new four hydrocarbon discoveries in Block 58 by Apache and Total and another at Block 52 offshore Suriname made by Petronas. In the light of these new discoveries, neither Staatsolie nor Suriname as a whole will ever be the same.

“We anticipate more discoveries and we are continuing the necessary

steps to participate in these opportunities with a sense of urgency,” insists outgoing CEO and Managing Director of Staatsolie, Rudolf Elias. “We anticipate first oil from offshore may only be five years away.”

In terms of time, the Block 58 operator has submitted appraisal programs of discoveries. This is a phase that can last up to two years based on the production sharing agreement, and during that time the size of the field will be determined and the company will decide if it can be developed commercially.

“So, at this moment, nothing can be said about when production will start and what the production capacity will be. Any news on the findings of the appraisal will be shared by the operator of Block 58,” Elias explains. “At the end of the

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

STAATSOLIE MAATSCHAPPIJ SURINAME N.V.

Rudolf Elias, CEO and Managing Director of Staatsolie.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 151

STAATSOLIE MAATSCHAPPIJ SURINAME N.V.

appraisal phase, the commercial field is thus established, and the development plan is started.”

The production phase will start as soon as the facilities have been completed, with Staatsolie entitled to participate up to 20% in the development of a field.

IMPROVING SOCIETY THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE

The company exists not just to make a profit, but to improve society as a whole through ambitious infrastructure investment. As well as the infrastructure investment itself, Staatsolie is involved in a wide range of schemes to support local communities and the environment.

“We structurally support many community initiatives, focusing mostly on the areas where we operate. We have invested mainly in the development of young people, people with disabilities and the environment,” says Elias. “In the Tout Lui Faut community where we have our refinery operations, amongst others, we have a scholarship project.

We support students financially who achieved excellent school results and guide them through a coaching program.”

As part of an environmental initiative, Staatsolie has started using a drone to measure the air quality above and around its refinery. To fine-tune future improvements the company has also implemented odour research in the neighbourhood.

Two neighbourhood playgrounds originally donated

by Staatsolie were expanded in 2019 and were put to full use during a camp organised with local schools.

In the communities around its upstream activities in the district of Saramacca,

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Staatsolie improved roads, financially supported local government with household waste collection, worked to enhance classrooms of schools in the nearby communities, supported the upgrading of internet connections and also helped provide IT training in rural areas where people have no experience with computers.

In 2019, nine community organisations in Saramacca have been trained to submit funding requests to Staatsolie

to implement projects supporting sustainability and the environment.

An example of these kinds of projects can be seen in Staatsolie’s funding of the construction of new housing for visually impaired Shiatsu masseurs.

The Foundation for the Visually Impaired in Suriname teaches its pupils how to perform Shiatsu massages.

With the new building, more masseurs can be accommodated and become

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 153

STAATSOLIE MAATSCHAPPIJ SURINAME N.V.

self-supporting. This project was completed in 2019.

“Financial support to our communities is provided not only through Staatsolie and our own Staatsolie Foundation but it is also secured in production sharing contracts we close with IOCs,” Elias says. “Through these contracts, we annually allocate US$ 1.2 million for CSR initiatives. Newmont, as an operator of our joint venture in the Merian goldmine, has a foundation that contributes as well. Combined, a total of more than US$ 1.5 million is available annually to make a positive difference for the people of Suriname.”

THE PARTNER OF CHOICE

Moving forward, Staatsolie’s goal is to transition into being the partner of choice for the IOCs. Its strategy is to safely create and maximise longterm value for shareholders and the people of the Republic of Suriname by exploring and producing energy resources whilst pursuing world-class standards.

Over the next five years, Staatsolie will work to sustain onshore crude production at 6 million barrels annually, remain a first cost quartile oil producer, and establish joint venture partnerships in the shallow offshore.

Staatsolie will also be participating in deep offshore field development and production, as well as developing and exploiting alternative energy sources and strengthening the entire organisation to world-class standards.

“We have launched a bid round for the shallow offshore, an exciting acreage between multiple discoveries and known oil fields,” Elias says. “By the

154 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

third quarter of 2021 we hope to announce successful bids.”

“WE INVESTED MAINLY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT.”

Staatsolie’s goal is to reach an agreement on terms that will ultimately power Staatsolie’s journey to developing into a shallow offshore operator within the next 10-15 years.

Meanwhile, looking to the near future, given the developments in the offshore sector, Staatsolie’s focus in 2021 will be on preparing the funding for its 20% participation right, as well as further strengthening the organisation.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

STAATSOLIE MAATSCHAPPIJ SURINAME N.V.

Once again, however, talking to Elias it is clear that his real interest is in how these efforts will allow Staatsolie to aid Suriname as a whole.

“In the next years we will intensify our efforts in creating awareness for local content development in Suriname so

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

that local companies are ready and able to play a role in the offshore oil and gas industry,” Elias explains. “By creating a maximum spin-off, the people of Suriname will be able to benefit significantly from the industry it will bring in for the country.”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 155

Replacement of water injection flowline offshore Angola.

STROHM

WE RETURN TO STROHM, THE COMPANY FORMERLY KNOWN AS AIRBORNE OIL & GAS TO LEARN ABOUT THE THINKING BEHIND THEIR NEW IDENTITY, AND THE GROWING OPEN-MINDEDNESS IN THE INDUSTRY.

POWER & FLOW PROJECT MANAGED BY: NEIL STOWE

The company came into being in 2007 to answer the question “Can the technologies, techniques and ideas created in the aerospace sector be translated into other industries?”

T

he answer to that question came in the form of the Dutch headquartered firm’s Thermoplastic Composite Pipe (TCP) - composite pipes made from new materials that were totally corrosion-resistant, lengthening their life and reducing operational costs. However, the follow up to that first question was “Would other industries respond to those ideas?”

This was a particular challenge in the oil and gas sector.

During our last interview in 2019, chief commercial officer Martin van Onna told us, “I would say the biggest challenge that we have faced is the enormous conservatism in the industry. As you can imagine operators do

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

not want to see oil on the beach or oil spills especially at sea so that understandably leads to risk-averse behaviour with oil companies.”

Speaking over a year later, have things changed? van Onna is in no doubt.

“I believe there has been a profound change over the last year in the industry, for two different reasons,” he tells us.

“First, there has been a further increase in cost consciousness, and secondly there is COVID-19 and the energy transition.”

A MORE OPEN-MINDED SECTOR

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly driven businesses to seek out new ways to reduce costs up and down the supply chain. At the same time, many businesses have found their ability to produce and develop new products has been diminished.

“The ability of the supply chain industry at large to develop new products has

been further reduced because there’s less capacity left in the supply chain and less product development as a whole,” van Onna explains. “The sector is reducing its investments in what we would call low TRL technologies or ‘Technology Readiness Level’. There’s not much investment in real new technologies that haven’t been proven in the field yet.”

The positive flipside of this is that the new technological solutions which are on the market tend to be the more tested ones, and businesses are more openminded about trying them.

“There is greater acceptance of new technology that is in a higher state of readiness, such as our TCP,” van Onna says. “It has been piloted and is fieldproven. Our products may still be considered new by some, but they have created a track record where the technology has a cost or CO2 benefit, or in our case both. We see acceptance really accelerating.”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 157

STROHM

For van Onna’s company, in particular, this trend has translated into a record number of new project wins.

“I found it particularly interesting that we have more contracts than ever with operators that had never used composite pipe before,” van Onna explains. “Last year we won a contract with Woodside, one with ENI, and with other operators that are considered quite conservative and have never worked with us before or used composite pipe. That’s testament to the change in the industry where there is a bigger acceptance of new technology.”

At the same time, the incoming energy transition is driving innovation and the adoption of new technologies,

such as the carbon capture and storage solutions van Onna’s company provides.

“With the growth of carbon capture and storage, and with hydrogen, we’re seeing interest from companies like Shell, Total, and BP focused on reducing their footprint.

The drive towards these kinds of solutions has also driven this company’s own transition, away from ‘Airborne Oil & Gas’, into its new identity - Strohm.

“THERE IS GREATER ACCEPTANCE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT IS IN A HIGHER STATE OF READINESS, SUCH AS OURS.” Tel: +31(0)742 427 575 Email: info@machinefabriek-heerbaart.com www.machinefabriek-heerbaart.com

Machinefabriek Heerbaart B.V. Alfred Marshallstraat 13 7559 SE Hengelo, the Netherlands

Machinefabriek Heerbaart B.V. Key supplier for Strohm.

Our relationship with Strohm started four years ago and we have built up a good track record in various End-Fitting sizes in high and low alloys since.

Machinefabriek Heerbaart B.V. was founded in 1921 as a small repair shop for various machines at that time. In the sixties, the company focused more and more on the supply of specific pressure parts for the Oil and Gas sector. We are the approved supplier to major companies such as Shell / Gasunie / NAM / Total.

Machinefabriek Heerbaart has grown into a company with 40 qualified employees and 6000 m2 of high-tech machines. With machines turning/milling diameters from 10 up to 1800 mm and a weight of 5 tons, we can cover almost the entire product range in our industry.

Quality is a must for the Oil and Gas industry. The proof of our commitment to quality are the quality certificates and authorizations from official bodies.

Machinefabriek Heerbaart B.V. owns many customer approvals, we also have an LRS stamp authorization, ISO 9001 certification and we recently added the APIQ1 certificates.

In addition to machining, we also provide the entire certification and required documentation such as ITP, MPS, MRB, NDE, Fit and pressure tests in accordance with customer specifications. Machinefabriek Heerbaart B.V. is also very strong in sourcing raw material in accordance with your specification.

Providing End-Fittings for Strohm makes for great cooperation between Strohm and Machinefabriek Heerbaart B.V. in every aspect. We hope to maintain and grow the relationship between both companies and have a bright future together.

158 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

STROHM

A NEW IDENTITY

Strohm’s spoolable TCP.

L to R: Strohm CCO Martin van Onna and CEO Oliver Kassam.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Van Onna chose Airborne Oil & Gas’s name, and he still has a degree of fondness for it.

“I always thought it was a great name because people remember it. It doesn’t sound logical. How can Oil and Gas be Airborne?” he recalls. “At the same time, before COVID-19, we recognised that we now have more of a focus on reducing the carbon footprint. A year ago, we started to work on our own footprint by contracting 100% green certified electricity.

We are, as of now, and for the whole of 2020, certified as being carbon neutral as an organisation.”

This shift in technology is behind Strohm’s new identity.

“Our technology, already by default, has a lower footprint than steel, just because of the emissions related to steel manufacture.

We reduced those emissions to zero for the organisation last year, and with that, we realised we couldn’t be ‘Oil and Gas’,” van Onna says.

“Now we’re Strohm, which in phonetic Dutch means both ‘flow’ and ‘power’.”

Even with this new identity, Strohm is pushing forward to improve emissions.

“OUR PRODUCTS MAY STILL BE CONSIDERED NEW BY SOME, BUT THEY HAVE CREATED A TRACK RECORD WHERE THE TECHNOLOGY HAS A COST OR CO2 BENEFIT, OR IN OUR CASE BOTH. WE SEE ACCEPTANCE REALLY ACCELERATING.” BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 159

STROHM

Strohm facility in IJmuiden, Netherlands.

“We installed a TCP Flowline last year, and we learned that because we can use small, local vessels for the installation we can realise a dramatic reduction in the CO2 footprint of that process,” van Onna tells us proudly.

Moving forward, Strohm will be focusing on several areas.

It will continue to support its

160 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

current clients with low carbon solutions, solutions that provide the lowest as-installed footprint for a pipeline infrastructure. It will also be moving into new sectors.

“What we have seen in the energy transition is that the composite pipe has a particularly good fit with green hydrogen energy applications

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

STROHM

as well as carbon capture and storage,” van Onna says.

“CO2 mixed with seawater is extremely corrosive, and CO2 can cause running ductile fractures in steel. Now in our case, our composite pipe is totally resistant to any type of corrosion by hydrogen or CO2. So our TCP technology

has a fantastic fit with both applications. We’re already in detailed study discussions with operators on hydrogen, and others on CO2 capture and storage solutions, which will become a major part of our revenue in future.”

It’ll be interesting to see what that future looks like.

“WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE ENERGY TRANSITION IS THAT THE COMPOSITE PIPE HAS A PARTICULARLY GOOD FIT WITH GREEN HYDROGEN ENERGY APPLICATIONS AS WELL AS CARBON CAPTURE & STORAGE.”

Strohm’s non-corrosive TCP.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 161

AGI GLASPAC

AGI GLASPAC, A LEADING INDIA-BASED GLASS BOTTLE MANUFACTURER WITH NEARLY FIVE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN THE SECTOR, IS SET TO PLAY A BIGGER ROLE IN GLOBAL MARKETS.

GLASS PACKAGING FOR A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY PROJECT MANAGED BY: HAYDEN TURNER

HSIL Ltd., Packaging Products Division, AGI glaspac (better known as AGI), established in 1972, has grown into one of the leading container glass manufacturers in India. In its two stateof-the-art manufacturing facilities in Hyderabad and Bhongir (Telangana) strategically located in SouthCentral India with abundant availability of raw materials as well as cost-effective transport, the company makes high-quality glass containers to stringent quality standards for the packaging needs of the food, pharmaceuticals, soft drinks, spirits, beer, wine, and other industries.

I

ndian per capita consumption for glass packaging is still much lower compared to other nations but that is expected to change in the future, and the evolving global marketplace also highlights new potential opportunities for glassmakers.

“India is a rising economy and as such the scope of meeting an increased demand

162 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

for packaging materials including glass is wide,” says Rajesh Khosla, president and CEO at AGI glaspac: “The pandemic has resulted in geopolitical disengagement with certain countries. It will leave the glass industry with a huge void and a shortfall of suppliers or importers in

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

AGI GLASPAC

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 163

Our product portfolio includes: Soda Ash: Trona ore from Lake Magadi one of the purest natural deposits of sodium ses-quicarbonate has been used in the glass, detergents, silicate and metallurgy industries plus mining and water treatment applications amongst other industrial uses for over 110 years.

Crushed Refined Soda (CRS): Crushed Refined Soda (CRS) is the refined form of the sodium ses-quicarbonate, an intermediate in the soda ash manufacturing process which also has applications in the silicate, animal feed manufacture and environmental treatment solutions such as toxic gas scrubbing and pH correction for effluents.

Magadi Salt: Lake Magadi is located at the floor of the East African Great Rift Valley which follows the Red Sea to the end before turning inland into the Ethiopian highlands, Kenya, Uganda and the fringes of South Sudan. There is no surface water inflow into Lake Magadi, and the lake is fed by mineral rich brines from numerous springs around & below the surface of the lake. It is from these brines that Tata Chemicals manufactures the distinctive Magadi salt, which gets industrial applications in many fields such as Leather and Tannery, Chemicals, Detergents and Animal feed production, including salt licks.

For inquires, reach us on: Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited | P.O.Box 1-00205 Magadi, Kenya Mob: +254 722204795 or +254 735604796 | Tel: 020 6999 000 Email: infomagadi@tatachemicals.com

@TataChemicalsMagadi

TATA CHEMICALS MAGADI Located at Lake Magadi in Kenya, Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited (TCML), part of the global Tata group, is one of the world’s well known chemicals company with a portfolio of industrial chemicals and agricultural inputs. Lake Magadi has the largest trona mineral deposit in Africa with approximately 595 Million tons of trona reserves and an estimated 680,000 tons of fresh trona being deposited annually through an ongoing regeneration geological process, making Tata Magadi the largest natural Soda ash manufacturer and the most reliable soda ash supplier in Africa.

TCML, occupies a significant place in the African economy as one of Kenya’s leading exporters exporting 95% of Magadi Soda Ash to markets across the Indian Sub-Continent, South East Asia, the Middle East and Africa among others. Magadi soda ash is mainly used as a key raw material in the production of Container Glass, Silicate, Detergent, Water treatment amongst other known uses of soda ash. Lake Magadi, is also home to the best natural salt produced at source and suitable for animal consumption.

Tata Chemicals Magadi prides herself of a heritage of over 110 years of touching lives everywhere every day, since 1911. To this end we have built deep connections with our local communities through a number of health, education and employment initiatives through the Magadi Soda Foundation. www.tatachemicals.com/operations/magadi

164 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

@TataChemicalsKe

www.tatachemicals.com/operations/magadi

With best compliments from

NIRMA LIMITED Nirma House, Ashram Road, Ahmedabad 380009 (Gujarat) Phone: 079 27546565/27549000 Email: info@nirma.co.in www.nirma.co.in Leading manufacturer of DETERGENTS, SODA ASH, CAUSTIC SODA, LAB, SALT, ETC.

Better Products, Better Value & Better Living

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

AGI GLASPAC

the future. Customers will look for new ways of sourcing and many countries will also look at developing their local industries. In any case, the supply chain is evolving and with the changes come new opportunities.”

He points out that these opportunities do not arise just for individual companies but also for the industry as a whole, where countries can learn from the most developed markets.

“Glass recyclability in Europe is reaching 75%, which is an impressive figure compared to 35% in our market. To increase recyclability in line with the environmental targets is one of the tasks that we are set to tackle. An improvement in glass recycling infrastructure would help reduce the cost of production and the carbon footprint of the manufacturing process.”

NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Mr Koshla believes that glass can be made much more affordable because not only is it less toxic for the environment but it can be more easily recycled than plastic. It is the role of the government, manufacturers, and common consumers to bring about a change in social and consumer behaviours regarding glass and plastic and embrace glass as a better lifestyle option. “More accountability of players in the supply chain and seamless logistics and transparency among all parties involved would ensure that glass becomes a feasible and viable option not only for consumers but also manufacturers of FMCG products,” he reflects.

AGI has already played a pivotal role in the development of glass containers for many critical packaging applications.

Over the many years of

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 165

AGI GLASPAC

“WHILE WE SUPPLY GLASS CONTAINERS TO A RANGE OF INDUSTRIES, THE BIGGEST VOLUME IS SHIPPED TO THE ALCOHOLIC DRINK SEGMENT, A DIRECTION THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE.”

166 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

operations, the company has built up an excellent reputation in terms of providing products of outstanding quality and caters to a large and demanding customer base across a variety of sectors, with a portfolio ranging from a small 5 ml pharma bottle to a 4000 ml chemical or food jar.

With an in-house design studio, mould manufacturing and ACL (Applied Ceramic Labelling) facilities, AGI has fully integrated operations, which enables the manufacture of high-quality products as well as timely deliveries. AGI is in a position to provide glass containers in various colours.

Apart from the Indian markets, the products are shipped to North America, Europe, Africa as well as the APAC regions.

“While we supply glass containers to a range of industries, the biggest volume is shipped to the alcoholic drink segment, a direction that we would like to change.

In line with recent market developments, we would like to increase output for sectors such as pharmaceuticals, food and cosmetics,” says the CEO.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

AGI GLASPAC

To this end, the company has been investing in new technologies as well as in its R&D capability. “We are working with the Indian National Institute of Design to come up with new ideas and concepts.

For example, we have recently developed antibacterial and antidepressant bottles and more innovative products are in development.” The antibacterial jars and water bottles are infused with ‘Germ Guard Technology’, a nanotechnologybased anti-microbial composite that inhibits and destroys the growth of deadly bacteria, fungus and moulds.

“WE BELIEVE THAT THE CURRENT MARKET SITUATION IS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THE BAR IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKETS FOR ‘MADE-IN-INDIA’ PRODUCTS.” DOUBLING CAPACITY

Mr Khosla affirms that the R&D focus is not just on enhancing product characteristics but also on improving the process, i.e., machine-building, machinery and automation. The two manufacturing facilities are equipped with the latest technologies.

In 2016, electrostatic precipitators were installed to reduce SOX, NOX, and CO2. In 2017, AGI introduced TPM, LEAN

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

and Six Sigma. In 2019, AGI invested in natural gas to curb carbon emissions. AGI has also installed end-of-theline packaging machinery for robotic case packers, case palletizers, cullet washing systems, and automated dry optical sorting systems.

“We procure machines from world-leading manufacturers such as Swedish Emhart Glass.

The state-of-the-art machinery is amongst the factors that open the door to major multinational companies in North America and Europe, as they can see that quality and reliability are not compromised. The level of technology is certainly one of our competitive advantages,” says Mr Khosla.

To be better positioned to meet the expected demand the company has invested heavily in capacity expansion.

In November 2020 AGI inaugurated its new speciality glass manufacturing facility in Telangana with the aim of fostering growth in its revenue by 18%. The greenfield plant, an investment worth INR 220 crore ($30million), will manufacture special glass for premium segments, such as cosmetics, perfumery, personal care, carbonated water and highend spirits, and will boost capacity by 1,600 tonnes a day to 1,754 tonnes a day.

“We are coming at the right time with the investment, as we see demand increasing across many segments, particularly for high-end glass packaging, be it in pharma, cosmetics or drinks,” notes Mr Khosla.

He insists that sustainability and a reduced environmental footprint are high on the company’s agenda, not only because this is something required by all major customers but because the company believes in making a positive contribution to society. The new plant will be a green facility, meeting the highest international standards. The company has set up 11.5 MW of solar photovoltaic power generation capacity and this will grow to 18 MW. “We believe that the current market situation is a golden opportunity to raise the bar in the international markets for ‘Madein-India’ products.

AGI glaspac’s entry in the new segment of manufacturing speciality glass is a strategic decision.

It will allow us to cater to the muchexpected rise in global demand after the pandemic subsides,” he affirms, in conclusion.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 167

CAMPBELL SHIPPING & CAMPBELL BULK

CAMPBELL SHIPPING BOASTS COMPETENCIES IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE SHIPPING BUSINESS, BUT IT’S WILLING TO SHARE ITS EXPERTISE.

THE COMPLETE SHIPPING SOLUTION 168 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

CAMPBELL SHIPPING & CAMPBELL BULK

CS Jaden, dry bulk vessel.

The shipping industry is one built on collaboration, with any one shipping journey being the work of a combination of companies and contractors.

PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID GARNER BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

“I

t’s an industry that has many components that all need to work together,” explains Captain Rajesh Dhadwal, Managing Director and CEO of Campbell Shipping.

Campbell Shipping is the exception that proves the rule, being one of the few businesses in the industry with the expertise and capability to carry out every aspect of shipping.

“We’re shipowners, technical managers, crewing managers, commercial managers, and we also do accounting, purchasing, and procurement.

That’s very distinctive in this industry,” Dhadwal says.

“You may find businesses in technical management or that own a ship, but we do all aspects of shipping under one roof.”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 169

DESAN SHIPYARD TUZLA – ISTANBUL – TURKEY Desan Shipyard is a dynamic player in the ship repair & conversion and ship building field over 40 years.

Desan Shipyard gives service to international customers with three floating docks up to post panamax size, berths up to 1200m and various fabrication workshops. Desan has one one of the biggest shipyard group located in Tuzla Bay area, in Istanbul, which is the shipping center of Turkey.

Our highly skilled, responsible & hardworking team has a proven success record.

Optimizing terms and minimizing costs of any project while ensuring the highest quality of service is assured through our efficient management system built on experience in Desan Shipyard.

Desan Shipyard, have successfully completed 58 BWTS retrofit projects with various Makers and 10 Scrubber installations.

We do all kind of repairs in our workshops, Mechanical workshop, Electrical workshop, Pipe Workshop, Steel workshop, Insulation workshop, Heat Exchangers workshop, which are all inside our premises.

www.desan-shipyard.com repair@desan-shipyard.com

CAMPBELL SHIPPING & CAMPBELL BULK

This boutique, all-in-one approach to shipping is a valuable USP for Campbell Shipping, but that doesn’t mean they don’t collaborate with other firms. The company regularly contracts out its services to other shipping companies, often carrying out shipping operations for the ships of other businesses.

It’s a business model that gives Campbell Shipping a unique understanding of their clients’ needs.

“We bring a boutique governance to our clients, both internal and external, and an openness and transparency to our operators,” Dhadwal says. “We’re owner-operators ourselves. We’ve brought in that mindset of being a shipowner ourselves, not just a third party who may only be interested in extracting value from the owners.”

Campbell Shipping is a company driven by a clear vision, with a well-defined operating model for how the company will function and where it is heading. What’s

important, Dhadwal insists, is that this vision isn’t just understood by the Board of Directors, but by every level of the company.

“If the board are the only ones who understand it, it has no value,” Dhadwal says. “The lowest crew member on a ship needs to understand how we do things. We have that with every person on all our ships. When you bring in that kind of human energy and make it function to provide value to the client, that’s where we can show what we’re capable of.”

This is reflected in Campbell Shipping’s commercial arm, Campbell Bulk.

“Campbell Bulk is the commercial arm of an esteemed ownership company with a modern view that offers flexible freight solutions,” says Felix Knick, Chartering Director of Campbell Bulk.

“Dry-cargo freight trading is all about customer relations, offering competitive pricing, and maintaining business focus.

To overcome the challenges of the ever-evolving freight

Capt. Rajesh Dhadwal (Left), presenting 10-year service achievement to a Campbell Seafarer.

172 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

and commodity markets today, it is imperative that special attention to timing and skilled staff is prioritized. At Campbell, we are committed to being an independent, experienced, and highly motivated carrier that provides flexible freight solutions to traders & industrial customers at market levels.”

“WE’RE SHIPOWNERS, TECHNICAL MANAGERS, CREWING MANAGERS, COMMERCIAL MANAGERS, AND WE ALSO DO ACCOUNTING, PURCHASING, & PROCUREMENT.” EMPLOYEE FOCUSED

Campbell Shipping believes that to harness the power of that human energy, you need to show the people that work for you that their work will be rewarded, and building better lives for employees is a core part of Campbell Shipping’s philosophy. While the company’s business is moving cargo, it never forgets its commitment to its team members. With their support and sound leadership, Campbell Shipping is gaining recognition and growth on the way to becoming a household name in the industry.

But it isn’t always smooth sailing, as this past year has shown.

“Some of the biggest challenges we face obviously include COVID-19, but I credit our success to the team and the way we have all worked together through this very difficult phase,” Dhadwal tells us. “Maintaining continuity was one of our biggest challenges.

We had people stuck on ships because borders were closing, consulates and visas stopped

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

CAMPBELL SHIPPING & CAMPBELL BULK

working. Bringing people home and replacing the people on the ships was the biggest challenge we saw through COVID-19.”

It’s a challenge that has thrown into sharp relief the value of Campbell Shipping’s philosophy, “Employee focused, client-driven”.

Once again, at Campbell Bulk, Knick has a similar view.

He tells us, “Our management philosophy—Our people, your strength—is centred on people: those we employ and those we serve. We believe that meeting and exceeding the needs of our clients is a key component to our success. Our well-experienced, driven team share a common passion for developing shipping and trading solutions.”

“When you have the right people on the job it’s the best thing that can happen,” Dhadwal emphasises.

Campbell Shipping values its employees by respecting each individual, treating them fairly while providing them with opportunities to grow and develop professionally. This also means providing employees with a work environment that empowers them to manage their personal and family life effectively. This commitment to Campbell Shipping’s employees is the foundation of its “One Team Campbell” environment.

“We have to rely on the quality of our people’s experience. We make sure the people working with us are looked after and that they know we value their contribution,” Dhadwal explains.

“Our chartering and operations team is a well-versed, diversified, and experienced team spread across the globe and is actively engaged with the vessel and clients’ needs round the clock,” Knick adds.

Ultimately, Dhadwal believes that word-of-mouth remains the most powerful recruitment

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

tool there is. He tells us, “We work well with our staff and that becomes a talking point from them to others. We have to make sure we maintain good credibility in the market to become the choice employer.”

“It will include all aspects around our people through their full life-cycle with the company,” Dhadwal says. “This strategy, at its heart, aims to provide an extraordinary experience to our people. They each have their

own journey, work with us for years and move on, but when they move on, we want their experience to be rewarding.

Our People Strategy is geared towards providing our employees with continuous Learning & Education, Mentoring and Career Development, Rewards & Recognition and Leadership development.”

Campbell Shipping’s leadership also believes that its intellectual growth is embedded in diversity.

Felix Knick, Chartering Director of Campbell Bulk.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 173

Connect to a smoother, smarter ocean.

Port by port, ship by ship, we provide full port agency services through our unique global network and selected partners.

Find out more at: www.iss-shipping.com

INCHCAPE SHIPPING SERVICES GLOBAL TRADE HAS ALWAYS DEPENDED ON THE PORT AND SINCE 1847 INCHCAPE SHIPPING SERVICES HAS PROVIDED THE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND MEANS TO DELIVER PORT CALLS THAT ENABLES BUSINESS TO SHIP SMOOTHLY AND TRADE SUCCESSFULLY. Inchcape combines its worldwide infrastructure with local expertise through its global network of over 240 proprietary offices, across 60 countries with a team of more than 2,900 dedicated professionals.

Our unique geographical footprint means we can offer customers a full range of maritime services, delivered safely and with a consistent commitment to exceptional service, compliance and transparency wherever they are in the world.

Our diverse global customer base includes owners, charterers and ship managers in the oil, cruise, container and bulk commodity sectors as well as naval, government and inter-governmental organisations.

Our services include full port agency, liner husbandry agency, cruise sector consultancy, financial management, supply logistics, bunker calls, launches, survey and inspection, dry docking and crew logistics.

Through the real-time port data and information generated by our global network, coupled with investments in technology, Inchcape Shipping Services provides market and port intelligence that allows our customers to focus on their core business and make informed decisions.

BUILD A BRIGHTER FUTURE Use the only fully plant-based fuel conditioner.

Aderco 2055G is 100% vegetal-organic, non-dissolvable, ashless and metal-free, for improved efficiency and sustainability.

ADERCO.COM

DIGITAL TRANSPARENCY At Inchcape we believe technology is set to drive true differentiation among shipping agents, as it provides principals with unprecedented transparency across all shipping activities. The Covid-19 pandemic has only accentuated this necessity. Inchcape is currently rolling out its industry-leading operating system Optic that captures all financial, time and events data from each port and allows owners to access the information in real time on a smartphone or tablet, in an enterprise resource planning system or via a web-based dashboard.

Fly the world’s quality flag see how our record compares register-iri.com/blog/psc

Technology will no doubt underpin transparency in the future of shipping. Access to live information puts control and oversight in the hands of vessel operators, creating trust and closer collaboration with the port agent.

World of Port (WoP) is a constantly updated, single-source digital service built on data from Inchcape Shipping Services’ global network of 4,600 ports, 15,000 terminals, and 36,000 individual berths. Using a Google Maps interface users can get accurate details on port parameters and restrictions, while integrated AIS feeds track vessel movements for optimal arrival and departure. It also includes enriched port data – including environmental information, facilities details and operational notes – with a customizable client dashboard and vessel alerts. There’s nothing out there quite like it. www.iss-shipping.com

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

International Registries, Inc. in affiliation with the Marshall Islands Maritime & Corporate Administrators

info@register-iri.com

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 175

CAMPBELL SHIPPING & CAMPBELL BULK

“The shipping industry can be a conservative when accepting diversity, however, here in Campbell, we have females forming a key part of the executive team,” Dhadwal admits.

Dhadwal further adds that business intelligence is a key aspect for the company for taking timely and right decisions.

“We have therefore migrated to MARIAPPS, an award-winning IT solution to form a backbone to all our ship management functions,” he explains. “In addition, we are working with an IT company to develop electronic recordkeeping to replace all manual paperwork. The digitalization provides feasibility to convert data to a business intelligence rather than lying dormant on paper records.”

CLIENT DRIVEN

The flipside of Campbell Shipping’s philosophy is that it is driven in all its activities by the needs of the customer. In the delivery of all its services, whether as a holistic shipping provider or in contracting for others, Campbell Shipping achieves excellence through the unique level of understanding Campbell Shipping’s people have of their clients’ needs.

They meet those needs while adhering to high ethical standards and drawing upon a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the risks associated with the environment where they work.

So, to “Employee Focused, Client Driven”, Campbell Shipping also adds the slogan “Safety Our Priority, Excellence Our Commitment.”

The company adheres to a rigorous Safety Management System to ensure that its practices and procedures will always minimise potential

176 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

Teamwork - Our Core Value

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

CAMPBELL SHIPPING & CAMPBELL BULK

risks. Standards and targets for improvement are set so that Campbell Shipping can engage in a continuous improvement exercise. The Company is aligning its operational SOP with the best industry practices of Dry Bulk Management Standards (DBMS).

QUALSHIP 21 a prestigious recognition by United States Coast Guard was awarded to the Company in 2003. The Company has also received IMO recognition for the largest rescue operations undertaken by a commercial vessel besides winning 4 InterManager awards for safety leadership.

“We have the unique initiatives of STOPP-TAKE 5 and COMPLACENCY WILL BITE to promote and manage Risk Management,” Dhadwal says.

“The Company has recently added a key position of Chief Culture Officer (CCO) to harness the team motivation and the consistency of Campbell culture throughout the organization.”

Campbell Shipping will also be looking at imparting soft skill training to its people so that they can harness their potential on top of their technical core competencies.

“We have over many years worked our way to a strong foundation for the company, with a good governance model.

We are now very much open to doing third-party management, using our expertise and experience to provide services to third-party clients, and this is an area we would like to expand further into,” Dhadwal says.

Knick adds, “We are opportunistic and flexible with a dedicated focus on the spot as well as the future market. We strongly believe in providing value-added services to our clients through our responsiveness, reliability, and strong insights into the current market conditions.”

It’s a competitive field, and there are some large third-party management companies in the sector that Campbell Shipping can’t necessarily compete with on numbers. However, the smaller, more focused nature of the business can give them an edge.

“Inherently, when a shipowner has a ship with a large third-party company its attention to that owner can be diluted,” Dhadwal tells us.

“We are small, focused and able to provide much-needed feedback and close interaction with the shipowners. We have recently made in-roads into managing 3rd party cruise vessels, which is a very niche sector.”

But wherever Campbell goes, throughout the various arms of the business its philosophy remains the same.

“At Campbell, we believe in a friendly, cooperative dialogue with customers, suppliers, brokers, other business partners, and stakeholders,” Knick says. “Our well-structured and compact setup gives us the advantage of making quick decisions in dynamic markets whilst being risk-conscious and competitive.”

“AT CAMPBELL, WE BELIEVE IN A FRIENDLY, COOPERATIVE DIALOGUE WITH CUSTOMERS, SUPPLIERS, BROKERS, OTHER BUSINESS PARTNERS, AND STAKEHOLDERS.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 177

MANSON CONSTRUCTION CO.

WE LEARN HOW MANSON CONSTRUCTION CO. IS CHANNELLING ITS VALUES INTO THE CONSTRUCTION OF ITS LARGEST, MOST STATE-OF-THE-ART HOPPER DREDGE YET.

BUILDING A NEW KIND OF HOPPER DREDGE PROJECT MANAGED BY: TIM GARWOOD Manson Construction Co. (Manson) is one of the leading dredging and marine construction contractors in the USA. Manson is known for its waterfront work building bridges, ferry landings, wharves and piers, but its other core service is dredging, which makes up about half of the company’s business and includes clamshell, hydraulic and hopper dredging. After 116 years, Manson remains as one of the top three dredging contractors in the USA. The construction and dredging firm also provides offshore oil and gas industry support, with a fleet that includes derrick barges with lift capacities up to 1,000 tonnes for marine heavy lifting.

I

ndeed, Manson’s top-of-theline equipment and vessels have proved to be the bedrock of its reputation.

“Manson has earned a great reputation over the years,” says Henry Schorr, Manson Construction Co. Vice President.

“It takes a long time to earn that and we will do everything we can to maintain it by staying

178 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

reliable, ethical and safe. Our equipment is specialised, highly sophisticated, wellmaintained and compliant with all regulations.”

“Our equipment fleet is highly developed for the very specialised marine construction and dredging markets,” agrees John Holmes, President of Manson Construction Co. “Most of our equipment, which is uniquely designed and custombuilt, has evolved through many years of collaboration between our operations and in-house engineering teams.”

In its mission to provide the most modern and wellmaintained equipment fleet, Manson is also incorporating technologies that are in line with the most stringent environmental standards. This is partly driven by the fact that, among other locations, Manson operates in California, a state with some of the strictest air quality requirements in the world. Older engines are now being replaced by cleanburning and more efficient power plants. Drive units that were once powered solely

by combustion-engines can now be also driven by electric motors, and even plugged into shore power using large cables.

A RARE BREED OF TALENT

While the quality of Manson’s equipment is inarguable, Schorr insists that it’s the company’s people who are its most important asset.

“The risks we have in our industry mean it’s important to have long-term experienced people not just in management but among our craftsmen and engineers to do the work safely and cost-effectively,” Schorr explains.

Of course, finding those people is a challenge, especially given the unique demands of Manson’s workplaces on its crews.

“It starts with understanding what we need and – for us – that can vary by market type. Our dredge crews often work nonstop around the year, sleeping and working aboard the vessels while construction crews have varying and less predictable, but still demanding work schedules,” says Jeff Arviso, Manson Senior

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

World-Class Shipyard

Located in Brownsville, Texas, Keppel AmFELS is one of the most established shipyards in the U.S. We have a wealth of experience and strong track record in providing a wide range of solutions, including to the marine and renewable sector.

As part of Keppel Offshore & Marine, we can harness the group’s strengths in providing end-to-end solutions to meet the needs of our customers.

20000 State Highway 48, Brownsville, Texas 78521-8910, USA | T: +1 (956) 831-8220

www.keppelamfels.com

KEPPEL AMFELS Keppel AmFELS is bustling with activity with several new and diverse projects.

The yard has boosted its ship building expertise by upgrading its capabilities and enhancing productivity to be able to build a wide range of complex vessels. Keppel AmFELS is in the prime position to undertake engineering, procurement, and construction of specialized vessels for the Jones Act Market.

Two 2,525 TEU containerships are being constructed for Pasha Hawaii and will be ready to run completely on LNG on day one of service. These containerships will dramatically reduce the environmental impact with increased fuel efficiency. Upon completion, both LNG-fueled Ohana Class containerships will join Pasha Hawaii’s fleet providing service to the Hawaii/Mainland trade lane.

Another ongoing project is the construction of the first offshore wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) in the U.S. for Dominion Energy. The construction of this WTIV will provide significant American jobs and provide a reliable U.S. installation solution with capacity to handle the next generation of large-scale turbine technologies. This will better enable the offshore wind industry to bring clean, renewable energy to customers in the United States.

Manson Construction Co. has chosen Keppel AmFELS to build the largest selfpropelled U.S. Hopper Dredge that will support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s mission of keeping the marine transportation highway open through the United States. When completed, the dredge will have a hopper capacity of 15,000 cubic yards and will operate primarily in the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Coast of the United States. www.keppelamfels.com

180 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

MANSON CONSTRUCTION CO.

Vice-President & Chief Engineer.

“Regardless of whether you’re talking construction or dredging, our work requires our teams to go to where the work is. In turn, it’s very important that we be transparent in this demand when we hire.”

Because Manson understands the demands it places on its people, it also takes its duty of care towards them exceptionally seriously.

“We recognise the commitment we require from our field teams, and our mission for management is to provide reasonable work rotations and have the proper staff to do that,” Arviso points out. “We also want to make sure they have a good work-life balance with all the right resources and that they are fairly rewarded for those efforts.”

Holmes adds, “Our culture is best summarised by our core values, and the first of those is that we take care of our people.

They are committed to Manson and we treat them like family.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

In fact, Manson is a familyfounded business.

“Our heritage is built on that but as we continue to grow and become a larger organisation the challenge will be in how to maintain a more familystyle atmosphere which can be attractive to a lot of people,” Arviso says.

“MOST OF OUR EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS UNIQUELY DESIGNED AND CUSTOM-BUILT, HAS EVOLVED THROUGH MANY YEARS OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR OPERATIONS & IN-HOUSE ENGINEERING TEAMS.”

Part of that atmosphere comes from the ownership structure of the company, which transitioned to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan in 2012.

Arviso explains, “We’re an employee-owned company.

For those eligible employees — almost all of our staff — we like to think that we’re investing in our own company, providing an opportunity for those employees to have ownership in the company and a stake in the company’s success.”

THINKING BIG

To ensure their capabilities expand to keep up with demand, Manson recently announced the construction of a 15,000 cubic yard hopper dredge with Keppel AmFELS, designed in collaboration with Hockema Group.

Named the FREDERICK PAUP, after the company’s Chairman, the hopper dredge will be constructed at Keppel AmFELS’ facility in Brownsville, Texas. It is

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 181

MANSON CONSTRUCTION CO.

expected to be fully operational

by Spring 2023 and when completed will be the largest US-flagged hopper dredge.

Currently, Manson operates the GLENN EDWARDS dredge which now holds the title for the largest, self-propelled trailing suction hopper dredge in the United States.

“The GLENN EDWARDS was our starting point in designing this new dredge. We took that, reviewed it, learned lessons and made adjustments to keep employees safer, modifying the designs for environmental regulations,” says Schorr, who is overseeing the FREDERICK

182 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

PAUP project. “This required us to go to tier 4 engines with certain emission requirements to meet. We’ve gone with a diesel/electric hybrid design instead of straight drive diesel.

The vessel is roughly the same size but with internal piping instead of on-deck piping and a much larger engine room to accommodate the larger engine.”

The larger engine and additional environmental protections have created challenges during the design of the hopper as all the components needed to fit within the ship’s hull.

“WE WANT TO BE OUT IN FRONT OF OUR INDUSTRY ESTABLISHING TRENDS, SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST IN NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO ENSURE WE HAVE THE MOST ADVANCED AND EFFICIENT FLEET AND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

MANSON CONSTRUCTION CO.

“With a hopper dredge, you want to carry as much sand volume and tonnage capacity as possible, so we had to expand the hull itself as it has additional machinery we didn’t have in the previous build,” Schorr says.

“We went through a number of iterations in the design to make it more streamlined and get more efficiency in a hull of this size to meet the requirements we wanted.”

To carry a project like this out successfully required a great deal of planning, but also, Schorr insists, it is essential to bring the on-the-ground staff in at the earliest stage possible.

“It’s so important you put together a good plan and then vet at a high level with engineers to ensure that it’s feasible and safe,” Schorr says. “You need to be getting input from the people who will actually operate the ship, not at the last minute, but throughout the process.”

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

As the largest investment Manson has ever undertaken, it’s emblematic of the way the company works.

“It speaks for itself that the company is willing to step out and invest this kind of money,” Schorr points out.

The FREDERICK PAUP is arriving during a critical time for Manson, as the company is in the process of recharging its brand and key processes.

“We explored our rich history, our cultural values, and asked ourselves — ‘What is Manson Construction Co. today?’ We worked hard to define that, which resulted in the recent launch of our new brand messaging to prepare us for the future,” Arviso tells us. “We want to be out in front of our industry establishing trends, so we will continue to invest in new technologies to ensure we have the most advanced and efficient fleet and support equipment.”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 183

MERIDIAN PORT SERVICES LIMITED

184 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

MERIDIAN PORT SERVICES LIMITED

MERIDIAN PORT SERVICES LIMITED IS A JOINT VENTURE THAT HAS INTRODUCED INNOVATIVE NEW WAYS OF CARGO HANDLING, BUT THEIR ENTIRE TRADE ENVIRONMENT IS ABOUT TO CHANGE.

THE HUB OF A NEW AFRICA PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN HOLLIMAN

Meridian Port Services Limited is a joint venture company between Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and Meridian Port Holdings Limited which is, in turn, a joint venture with Bolloré Transport and Logistics and APM Terminals as the two main shareholders. In effect, this means the company has three shareholders, who started their business by signing a concession in 2004 to start a container terminal in Ghana.

“I

t was completed in 2007 and commenced business from April that year. We’ve become known as a dynamic modern container terminal that has demonstrated a commitment to innovation and excellence,” explains Mohamed Samara, Meridian Port Services’ CEO. “No other ports had the technology we deployed at that time. MPS continued to realise its vision and went further to invest in and at various stages upgrade the existing infrastructure. MPS added equipment and capacity until we realised we needed a bigger port and invested in a mega port which was launched in June 2019.”

Meridian Port Services Limited has already built itself a reputation, which Samara describes as “The commitment

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

to excellence and innovation.

That’s a major quality we are branded with.”

However, when talking about what sets the company apart, Samara is more inclined to look to the future.

“Our unique selling point looking into the future is our connectivity. MPS is bringing this as a new dimension to the West African coast and even beyond,” he says. “What it takes to have that connectivity is that we’re connected directly to the Atlantic Ocean, we have accessibility, deep water- we’re the deepest port in the region. We have a short working time. Within a short window when ships come, we take them on arrival, like an airport, we have no waiting times, we have the efficiency of planning, an operating system where we

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 185

ACCESS BANK: A FLAGBEARER OFSUSTAINABLE BUSINESS

MERIDIAN PORT SERVICES LIMITED

Access Bank Ghana is arguably one of the leading retail banks in Ghana today given its strong local branch network, multi service channels and large customer base. Since its inception in 2009, the Bank has played an effective role as a catalyst for Ghana’s socioeconomic development by helping to bring banking services closer to millions, developing innovative banking solutions and financing landmark infrastructural projects through public-private partnerships.

Renowned for its comprehensive range of financial product offerings, the Bank has provided local and international banking services to a varying clientele covering its business segments, namely; Wholesale Banking, Investment Banking and Retail Banking.

As a subsidiary of Access Bank Plc, the Bank leverages on the Group’s robust technology driven platform, which has been time-tested and acclaimed as one of the best in the world.

The Access Bank Group’s international network spans sub-Saharan Africa’s three monetary zones (Congo DRC, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Mozambique), China and India in the Far East, Dubai and Lebanon in the Middle East and the United Kingdom.

The Bank’s well-established global network enables it to provide customers and other stakeholders with valuable local knowledge and contacts, and the distinct advantage of a truly international Bank.

Currently, Access Bank operates from 52 business offices located in major cities and commercial centres across the country.

The Bank takes pride in its ability to add value to clients and to leverage its unique value proposition to provide innovative and proactive solutions across the entire economic value chains. Without doubt, the Bank’s digital solutions has over the last decade driven its sustainability objective by providing the precision, transparency and connectivity that enables more resource-efficient business models. These solutions have supported the Bank to deliver seamless customer service on any device or channel and to third parties and external partners.

Access Bank’s business operates within a wider context and continuously apply what they learn to manage their impacts, aiming to create shared opportunity as they transform into a leading retail bank. The Bank has also embedded relevant targets of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in its operations and activities as a major player in the financial services industry. This is evident in their sustainability agenda and standards for responsible business practice throughout the entire organisation, as well as how they relate with stakeholders.

www.ghana.accessbankplc.com

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Mohamed Samara, CEO, Meridian Port Services.

get 3D plans of the vessel and immediately put together a plan of load and discharge. We have excellent efficiency when it comes to executing our planning and operation, leading to higher productivity.”

That connectivity is paired with an impressive level of capacity, as Samara lays out, “We’re now building a 2 million TEU capacity in a 1 million TEU sized market, and in the same infrastructure we can go up to 3.7 million TEU. We have berth availability with a fourth opening up in 2021. We have the highest frequency of shipping lines. Every shipping line has a weekly service, with two or three services every week. This makes us the first port of discharge. This creates the opportunity for us to become the hub for West Africa, creating connectivity to all the ports in the region.”

This forward-looking approach is ever more critical as the entire continent of Africa is changing, thanks to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 187

MERIDIAN PORT SERVICES LIMITED

“The African Continental Free Trade Agreement will open up huge horizons,” Samara says.

“We will have a single market, so we have now this massive task ahead of us to transform our ports from 30 million people into serving 1.3 billion African people. We’re no longer operating in a small country, we’re a port serving an area that has 3 trillion GDP, so the future is looking different! And we’re ready to be the hub for the entire continent and beyond.”

Meridian Port Services Limited is at the vanguard of this new trading environment.

“Certainly, they’re setting us up to be, not a guinea pig as such because we’re a fully developed business, but we’re going to be the leader in many areas,” Samara says. “With this port, we have just built, Meridian Port Services Limited is really being pushed as a hub.

It will be a game-changer.”

188 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

MERIDIAN PORT SERVICES LIMITED

“THE AFRICAN CONTINENTAL FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WILL OPEN UP HUGE HORIZONS.” LIFE ON THE CUTTING EDGE

Changing the game is what Meridian Port Services Limited is all about, with innovation and the application of new technologies being cornerstones of their strategy.

“We’re constantly looking for ways to improve, ways to move the goods and invest in technology,” Samara says. “We also work with the authorities, we need to safeguard and secure the borders, and the revenue collection at these borders. Today we do not have a man looking at the containers checking the condition of the containers, we have high-

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

definition cameras, scanning it from the outside. We have optical character recognition to read the containers.”

Of course, working on the cutting edge in this way brings challenges of its own.

“Technical support is always a challenge in an emerging market,” Samara admits. “Ghana is a market where technical support can be difficult to come by. If you are in Hamburg it is all right outside your door, Siemens is around the corner, but in our case, we’re far away from good support when it comes to technical help or spare parts.”

This is a problem Meridian Port Services overcomes through a combination of strong partnerships and homegrown talent.

“We partner with the best service providers.

We encourage our service providers, manufacturers and their agents to come and set up shop in Ghana to support Ghana and the region, and support other businesses,” Samara says.

“But most importantly we pump a lot of training into our staff.

Certainly, the most important thing is to boost the talent within the company. We can’t always rely on someone to fly in to help us, and we’ve come a long way in building our own talent pool.”

Indeed, building Meridian Port Services’ own talent pool is a task Samara takes very seriously.

As he tells us, “We are in a specialised profession in ports and shipping. It’s not something commonly taught in the average university. A lot of the job and knowledge is training on-the-job, not something you can teach in academic education. We have a couple of programmes where we take young engineers on an internship, and have them for a year or two to work with us and then offer them a job.”

While there’s much to do in terms of skills and infrastructure, Samara has good reason to believe Ghana is the ideal place to take advantage of the new African single market.

“Ghana is a stable democracy.

We have three former presidents with a sitting president sitting in the same country moving freely so that in itself speaks to how stable and politically mature it is,” he says. “What we think is going to happen is a lot of companies are going to come and plug into this hub. We’ll see more industries coming into Ghana, to distribute to the various countries in the region, so we’ll see a big industrial boost, and this is really something to look at because I’m sure a lot of people want to set up in Africa and reach out to our huge consumer base, so we’re optimistic.”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 189

VAN OORD

AS A GLOBAL MARINE CONTRACTOR, THE DUTCH COMPANY VAN OORD PROJECTS ITS CENTURY-LONG EXPERIENCE IN INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTIONS THAT BENEFIT BOTH HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

MARINE INGENUITY

AT ITS BEST PROJECT MANAGED BY: LEE PHOENIX

190 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

VAN OORD

Van Oord reflects the Dutch marine engineering competence arising from the Netherlands’ unique location on the North Sea and its battle against the waters. The history of the company is closely entwined with the country’s biggest marine engineering works, including the Nieuwe Waterweg Canal, the Delta Works, and the Port of Rotterdam Maasvlakte II expansion.

T

he knowledge and experience it has acquired has helped the company to grow into one of the biggest marine engineering companies in the world.

Since the late 19th century, its experience has been applied abroad. 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.

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Robert de Bruin, Director of Communications, says: “We have a truly global operation, participating in major projects around the world of national and international importance.

After venturing into the offshore wind segment in the first decade of the new millennium, the company now operates within four business units dredging; land infrastructure in the Netherlands; offshore wind; and oil & gas infrastructure.”

FOCUS ON INNOVATION

He points out that ownership by the family is a factor differentiating Van Oord from companies of similar size. Now under management by the 4th generation, with the 5th already active in the business, the company is focused on a

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 191

HYDROTECHNIK LÜBECK HYDROTECHNIK LÜBECK is a family-run company and is managed by Cay A. Grunau in the 2nd generation. HYDROTECHNIK LÜBECK is committed to protecting the local and global environment and its waters.

HYDROTECHNIK LÜBECK brings environmental protection and technical progress into harmony. Decades of experience in special hydraulic engineering are combined with new, innovative knowledge from science. The company management relies on young team players. Good teams bring good solutions.

Compressed air in water can be used in many ways as a clean, natural aid. For water bodies, oceans and seas, there are various environmental hazards that can be controlled with the help of compressed air in the water.

The Big Bubble Barrier was developed for offshore wind farm construction sites. This flexible compressed air system for reducing noise emissions is used for pile driving and ammunition detonation underwater. Special nozzle hoses and hose winches have been developed for this work at sea. The Big Bubble Barrier is used in almost all wind power offshore construction sites in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Experienced teams are now working around the world for environmental protection, from the Persian Gulf to Taiwan.

The engineers at HYDROTECHNIK LÜBECK are constantly developing the system further. As a result, the Big Bubble Barrier was declared ‘state of the art’ in Germany.

In addition to oil barriers, compressed air barriers, ice prevention systems and the creation of complete protection systems for seawater desalination systems, underwater noise protection is the most important contribution of HYDROTECHNIK LÜBECK to environmental protection. www.hydrotechnik-luebeck.de

192 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Port De La Mer - Meraas - Completed 2018

PL Group of companies based in Dubai, spearheaded by PLC Contracting complemented by PLC Marine & Projects Link Contracting-Abu Dhabi, with our latest addition in 2020 PLC Contracting SA (Pty) Ltd., South Africa. The group companies are ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certified for Quality, Environment and Health & Safety Management Systems.

We are a specialized contractor with a unique culture: Our Team, a group of highly skilled professional – friends who turned their hobby to a career-; and Our Strategic Alliances with international industry stake holders, collectively result in Rapid Mobilization, early project starts and delivery, low overheads and competitive rates… “It’s Personal” We work with Developers, Governments and General Contractors that require highly productive and specialized marine construction services. We create man-made islands, build breakwaters, causeways, sea defense walls, offshore piling, manage beach maintenance and replenishment, jetties and marina construction.

We proudly state that we have been a part of the coastal development of this great City – Dubai - since 2004. Our growth is linked to the development of a larger capable management team.

La Mer – Meraas Completed 2016

The Burj Al Arab Platform Completed 2015

Dubai Harbour Master Plan in Cooperation with Van Oord

PLC Contracting L.L.C Sheikh Zayed Rd, Al Barsha, API Trio Tower, 8th Floor P.O. Box 212019, Dubai, U.A.E Tel: +971 4 399 9932 Email: info@plc-contracting.com www.plc-contracting.com

V&SH Offshore Solutions Terminations & Testing | Offshore Cable Repair | Offshore High-Voltage Asset Support V&SH Offshore Solutions is an offshore contractor, specialized in testing and terminations, cable repairs and outfitting of offshore high voltage assets. We perform a wide range of offshore high voltage activities for the connection and maintenance of offshore wind assets, covering array, export or interconnecting cables.

High Voltage, High Quality We employ the largest team of HV specialists in the industry. All our staff receive proper and project-specific in-house training and certification prior to every new project. As a result, our professionals deliver the highest quality of work in the shortest amount of time, with an outstanding safety record.

Reducing Offshore Operation Times, Cost-Efficient As experts in our field, we work together with our clients in order to reduce downtime and risks during offshore construction periods. These time-saving measures are engineered during preparation phases where team optimization and smart solutions are scrutinized to reduce offshore operation time.

Being part of Visser & Smit Hanab and ultimately the Royal Volker Wessels Group, we can draw on every expertise from beach pit HDD assistance through to the final termination and testing phase to assist our partners in Delivering Energy.

Facts and Figures 10.000+ HV Joints since 2011 | Over 90.000+ FO connections since 2011 | Both 33 KV & 66 KV with our own team | Largest and best qualified in-house team of high voltage specialists | Early involvement regarding mock-up trials, planning and project optimization. www.vshanab.nl/nl/wat-wij-doen/vsh-offshore-solutions Visser & Smit Hanab bv Rietgorsweg 6, 3356 LJ Papendrecht, NL

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

Tel: +31 78 641 72 22

www.vshanab.nl

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 193

VAN OORD

long-term future, with a sound investment programme to secure its development.

The company’s strong position has also been supported by two other differentiators - Van Oord is an asset-rich company, operating its own vessels, as well as a knowledge-driven company. “Our people are our key asset,” affirms Mr de Bruin.

“University graduates account for an exceptionally high percentage of the workforce, with degrees in engineering, design, fleet operation and project management.

The projects we are involved in are complex and demanding, requiring a lot of expertise for both preparation and execution.

Van Oord is renowned for providing that expertise.”

Focus on innovation has always been a strength of the company. Of many, Mr Bruin mentions the slip joint, an innovative connection for offshore wind substructures and WTG towers as an alternative to grouted or bolted connections.

The solution was applied in Borssele V wind farm in April 2020 - the very first time that a slip joint was implemented in the foundation of a fullsize 9.5MW wind turbine in a commercial wind farm with a lifetime of 25 years.

Mr de Bruin explains that the slip joint connection adds a new type of connection to the offshore industry, benefitting not only wind farms but also other offshore applications - it leads to faster installation, allows for submerged installation and is maintenance-free.

“With foundation getting bigger and bigger, the slip joint could help to secure in a lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE), making sure offshore wind remains the energy source of the future,” he points out.

194 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

VAN OORD

THE WIND OF CHANGE

While Covid-19 has delayed some projects, Mr de Bruin affirms that the future looks good. “We do have to face uncertainty, particularly in terms of timing and the continuation of investment, but the fact that the company has a diverse portfolio of activities has provided clear benefits. We are financially stable, and we have been lucky in acquiring new contracts for the next few years.”

These include, for example, two contracts for rock removal and revetment work for the Aberdeen South Harbour expansion project, the largest marine infrastructure project underway in the United Kingdom; and the contract for an extensive port expansion project in Taiwan.

Another new project has been awarded to Van Oord by Ailes Marines, in charge of the offshore wind farm in the bay of Saint-Brieuc in France, to transport and install the 62 jacket

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

foundations and the foundation piles of the offshore substation.

In northern Europe Van Oord has just become a shareholder in Saare Wind Energy, a company developing the Saaremaa offshore wind farm in Estonia that is a significant step towards offshore integration of the Baltic countries.

Back home in the Netherlands, in November Van Oord’s offshore installation vessel Aeolus successfully completed the installation of all 77 MHI Vestas V164-9.5 MW turbines at the Borssele III & IV offshore wind farm. In addition, the Aeolus was deployed for the transport and installation of the wind turbines. Upon completion of the project, the 731.5 MW wind farm will supply renewable energy accounting for up to 2.3% of total Dutch electricity demand.

On the global scale, the shift towards renewables is clearly visible, be it solar or wind energy, and it is estimated that demand will further accelerate as companies strive to progress under the Green Deal.

“The concept of renewable energy, sustainability and digitisation, for example, are more urgent than ever,” agrees Mr de Bruin. “The offshore market is really booming and we can see a lot of tenders coming up. However, fossil fuels have not seen the end of the day just yet. Within the energy transition, LNG will continue to play an important role in the next decade or so, and we do see a lot of gas projects in the market, as well as new LNG projects in ports.”

BUILDING WITH NATURE

“As a family-owned company, we will continue to pursue a diverse portfolio of marine

businesses to cover different developments within our core capabilities. This will be supported by substantial investment. In an average year, we invest around EUR 200 million in new equipment and plan to sustain this level for the next five years.”

The company has recently acquired new technologies to increase cost efficiency and currently has three new LNG dredging vessels under construction in Singapore, in line with the strategy to reduce its environmental footprint. Van Oord has also heavily invested in new assets to support the offshore wind segment and has recently announced construction of new green off-shore vessel, cable laying vessel.

“Overall, sustainability is the key driver of the business’s development, pervading all four business units.

Sustainability, innovation, and collaboration are key to facing global challenges successfully.

That is why we have started our game-changing programme based on three pillars: accelerating climate initiatives; enhancing the energy transition, and empowering nature and communities,” says Mr de Bruin.

In concluding, he affirms that bio-diversity is high on Van Oord’s agenda and the company is involved in numerous actions to preserve or restore natural marine life, applying its innovative ideas and solutions.

“We are contractors in the landwater domain and by developing smart solutions to guard the environment during our work, we can significantly contribute to a better world, building with nature.”

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 195

ROLFSON OIL

ROLFSON OIL SPECIALISES IN DELIVERING FUEL TO THE OIL FIELD. FIND OUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO STAY INNOVATIVE WHILE GROWING BEYOND WHERE THEY WERE 36 YEARS AGO OR EVEN LAST YEAR.

GRIT, RESILIENCE & DETERMINATION PROJECT MANAGED BY: ANDREW BOURKE

Rolfson Oil is making a name for itself in the oil industry while building on the foundation that started the company. Founded by Bill Unser and Royce Rolfson in 1985, the company started out in Watford City, North Dakota. Rolfson Oil began primarily providing fuelling services to the agricultural sector. In 2011, Rolfson Oil was purchased by the current leadership team including Chris Frain, Rolfson Oil’s CEO, and Patrick Malley, now the company’s COO. By continuing the unwavering foundational priority of customer service, Rolfson Oil has grown from four employees to over four hundred. Another essential ingredient of this transformation is the hunger for non-stop growth and innovation. From increasing its customer base to the services Rolfson offers, this company is continually evolving.

O

ne challenge came in 2014. “The oil prices dropped causing a sector slow-down. We knew we had to make some adjustments.”

Frain recalls.

“First, it was necessary to move into other areas of operation. We took advantage of the slow-down to establish an operational presence in Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas setting ourselves up for growth as the

market returned,” Malley tells us.

“The oil industry started to come back in the middle of 2016 and being established in those areas accelerated our growth.”

Rolfson Oil remained committed to the business principles that had previously driven their growth.

Patrick Malley, COO & Chris Frain, CEO, Rolfson Oil.

196 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

ROLFSON OIL

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 3

FUELED BY INNOVATION. How do industrial engines that power oil industry pumps stay operational without having to stop to refuel? This is the challenge Rolfson needed to resolve fast so their oil company client could stay up and running 24/7. What seemed impossible to achieve was made possible by Husky. The unique solution was an engineered process that involved a revolutionary use of hoses, nozzles and pumps to automate fueling replenishment – all without the concerns of leaks. With over 75 patents in petroleum dispensing solutions, it’s clear to see that innovation is what makes Husky a breed apart.

HUSKY In the oil industry time is money. And if the industrial engines utilized to keep production at maximum capacity have to stop and refuel, money is lost. For Rolfson Oil, a company specializing in supporting the fuel delivery and fueling solution needs for the oil and gas industry, what they required was the ability to keep their on-site vehicles at the rigs continuously working to prevent production slow down for their oil company client.

That’s when they turned to Husky for their history of delivering quality, innovative fueling solutions for over 70 years. What their engineers developed was a one of a kind fuel delivery process to keep engines going 24/7. It utilized a combination of hoses, nozzles and pumps to create a system that automated fueling of the diesel engines. These same replenishment solutions were also applied to applications for DEF and natural gas on site.

Add to this the fact that the solution developed eliminated the concerns of fuel leaks - essential for environmental safety at the drilling site. With everything in place, Rolfson was able to keep oil production moving because the diesel engines never had to stop to refuel.

For Husky, this is one manufacturing success story with many chapters as a trusted partner of innovative fuel dispensing products that has resulted in 75+ patents for everything from fuel nozzles and hoses to swivels and breakaway devices.

To learn more about the many ways Husky manufacturers success, visit www.husky.com and discover how innovation is what makes Husky a breed apart.

198 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

Partnership

At Van Wyk we believe success relies on great partnerships. A strong partnership has to be built on trust, which is why we don't have any commissioned salespeople.

As your partner, we work with you to develop a long-term plan for managing risk. You can rest assured knowing we offer our services with only your best interest in mind.

PROUD PARTNERS WITH ROLFSON OIL vanwykcorp.com 800-7VANWYK

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

ROLFSON OIL

The first principle is customer service.

Upper and middle management, as well as the team in the field, all have equally important roles in the structure of their business.

“The way we hire, the culture of ownership, each employee’s excitement – this is what drives us,” Frain shares. By ingraining the importance of customer service in all roles throughout the company, they have been able to establish a partnership with almost every energy company in the oilfield.

With a proven belief in boots on the ground, you will find Rolfson’s upper management team constantly in the field.

“We’re driven by being innovative and finding ways to be a partner of choice,” Malley says.

In addition to customer service, the second principle is Rolfson’s decision to exclusively

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

serve the oil field.

This commitment has given them the edge in the market. “We’re the only large fuel provider that is 100% oil field. Our customers know, we do not service other sectors. It gives them peace of mind that we will service their needs.” Malley tells us.

“FUEL HAS BEEN THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR COMPANY, BUT NOW WE’RE LOOKING AT THE UTILIZATION OF FIELD GAS, SOLAR PANELS & BATTERIES TO PRODUCTION SITES, FRACKS AND RIGS.”

BEING INNOVATIVE

Change is a constant in the oil industry. If your business is not adapting to the needs of your customers and the industry, someone else will. One of the most complex challenges that many in this industry face is the rapid development of technology.

“In the last couple of years, a lot of companies, including Rolfson, have put money and resources into bringing their operating platforms up to speed,” Malley explains. Rolfson Oil has worked hard to change from lowtech operating systems to realtime, innovative systems that all communicate on the back end.

Adapting to accommodate and leverage the latest technologies has proven essential this year more than ever with the advent of the COVID-19 crisis.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 199

ROLFSON OIL

The pandemic has been a dilemma that none of us could have predicted, but Rolfson Oil has yet again turned this business negative into a positive.

“COVID-19 has affected everyone. Oil was one of the hardest-hit business sectors,” Frain says. “We consolidated facilities, re-worked the entire IT platform, including communication with every remote piece of equipment, and trained our employees.”

This process prepared Rolfson Oil for the next wave of change. At the same time, they were continuing efforts to be an invaluable partner to their customers, Rolfson Oil has continued to realize the importance of having strong, strategic partnerships of their own during this pandemic.

200 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

ROLFSON OIL

“We now have partnerships with Exxon, Husky, Petro-Canada and VanWyk. We’ve been intentional since the beginning of COVID-19 about asking ourselves how we could save ourselves money while also saving our customers’ money,” Malley says.

LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE

As Rolfson Oil looks toward the future, its engineering department is focused on the carbon revolution.

“The carbon-neutral initiative for oil companies is a long-term goal, but also an immediate challenge,” Frain tells us. “It involves something new for everyone. There’s no handbook.”

The challenge of creating a carbon-neutral future has also spurred Rolfson Oil itself to transition from being a fuel supplier to an energy supplier.

“Fuel has been the lifeblood of our company, but now we’re looking at the utilization of field gas, solar panels and batteries

BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM

for production sites, fracks and rigs,” Frain explains.

Rolfson Oil has also invested in an e-aircraft, as well as other green technologies that will help them deploy innovative practices in the oil field.

“Transitioning from a diesel supplier to an energy supplier is our priority. Fuel will become a small part of Rolfson’s future,” Frain says.

“We project that our fleet will convert to natural gas by 2022,” Malley adds. “We’re becoming an energy company. The product and revenue source that has put bread on our table since we started is being replaced.”

Whether adapting from a significant market downturn or a worldwide crisis, one thing is clear, Rolfson Oil will continue to lead this industry.

With the same grit, resilience, and determination, there is no limit to the contributions this dynamic company will make moving forward.

BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 201

www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-media-group twitter.com/businessfocus_

MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 28-30 SEPTEMBER 2021 RAVENNA - ITALY

R E T H I N KI N G E N E RGY TO G E T H E R

A L L I A N C E S FO R A S U STA I N A B L E E N E RGY F U T U R E w w w. o m c . i t B I O F U E L S - C A R B O N C A PT U R E - C C U S - C E RT I F I C A T I O N CIRCULAR ECONOMY - CLASSIFICATION - CLIMATE - CORROSION - D I G I TA L I S A T I O N - D R I L L I N G - E F F I C I E N C Y - E L E C T R I C A L E N E R G Y - E N E R G Y S T O R A G E - E N G I N E E R I N G - E N V I R O N M E N TA L E X P L O R A T I O N - G A S - G O V E R N M E N T - H E A LT H - I N S T R U M E N T A T I O N - L N G - M A I N TA N E N C E - M A R I N E - P O W E R S Y S T E M S - P R O C E S S I N G - P R O D U C T I O N - R E C Y C L E - R E G U L A T O R Y - R E N E WA B L E S S A F E T Y - S U B S E A - S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y - T E L E C O M M U N I C A T I O N S T R A N S I T I O N - T R A N S P O R TA T I O N - V E S S E L S - WA S T E M A N A G E N T exhibition@omc.it / conference@omc.it LINKEDIN @Offshore-Mediterranean-Conference

+39 0630883030 / +39 0544219418

FACEBOOK @OffshoreMediterraneanConference

TWITTER @OmcRavenna