16 minute read
PPC Barnet DRC
ONE CENTURY IN CONSTRUCTION
The Democratic Republic of Congo is growing. We take a look at PPC Barnet DRC, and discuss supplying the construction sector with quality cement products with Managing Director, Iqbal Omar
Writer: Marcus Kääpä | Project Manager: Ryan Gray
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is an emerging market in Africa boasting a population of 90 million, making it one of the most populated countries in the continent.
With such rapid growth across the DRC and Africa as a whole, it is no wonder the construction sector is acknowledged as an industry with booming potential.
Iqbal Omar, Managing Director of PPC Barnet DRC, recognised this and joined the company at a unique period of time.
“I joined the business in the DRC in March 2020, just at the beginning of the first COVID-19 lockdown,” he reflects. “It was an exciting opportunity because of the potential the DRC held – and still holds – as an emerging market in the continent.
WORK YES, SAFETY FIRST
Gringo Services global vision over the next five years is to move from being an SME to that of a large company with an economic weight, listed on national and international platforms thanks to its consistency in the respect of standards, qualities and procedures using the “Deming wheel” theory. A viable and competitive company, respecting “customer deadlines” and “supplier deadlines”.
Mbueno zeto mu Mimvu mitanu mieti kuiza kuntuala i mu katuka va kikada kia PME ye kula. Mu savukisa bisalu bieto kidivo tuakituka mvuama va kimosi ye zimvuama za nsi eto ye za Nza yamvimba, zozo zizeyi zitisa buansadila ye yangidika bo beti sumba.
La vision globale de G.S. dans les 5 années à venir, est de passer de l’état de PME à celui d’une grande entreprise avec un poids économique, cotée sur les platesformes nationales et internationales grâce à sa constance dans le respect des normes, qualités et procédures en utilisant la théorie de la « roue de Deming ». Une entreprise viable et compétitive, respectant « les délais clients » et les « délais fournisseurs ».
“If you look at Africa, a major boom is expected from the DRC. Not only is it very centrally located, but it also has a young, educated population and a wealth of mines and resources. In the south part of the country there are rich repositories of cobalt, nickel and diamonds, and in the eastern centre there is coal. In one part of the country close to the Ugandan border there are gold reserves, and in the east, there are vast areas of agricultural lands. So, the DRC is a country rich with resources and opportunity.”
Despite this, the DRC is not without its challenges. According to Omar, since 2016 there has been sufficient political stability to slow the pace of government decision making. This in turn has negatively impacted the DRC’s larger infrastructure projects, such as a large hydraulic power station (Inga) aimed to supply renewable electricity to the entire continent that is yet to be validated, which impact sectors across the board.
AFRICA OUTLOOK: CAN
YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER PAST AND HOW YOU CAME TO WORK FOR PPC BARNET DRC?
Iqbal Omar, Managing Director:
“I joined the Lafarge group in 1999 and spent more than 20 years of my career with the company, and in 2015, Lafarge merged with Holcim to become the company we know today. “Throughout those two decades, I worked in various jobs relating to both functional and international responsibilities, including management roles, the latter of which took me from Singapore to Bangladesh then moved to Zurich in charge of building material trading for the Africa zone and following this I gained a position at the group HQ in Paris, France, where I oversaw divisions globally, totalling 60 countries from South America to the Asia-Pacific region for Branding and Distribution segment. “Much of this work fell in line with distribution management, developing and implementing new retail business models and commercial branding including commercial excellence. “In 2019 I decided to pursue an alternative career.”
Bolloré Transport & Logistics
Bolloré Transport & Logistics is a benchmark player in logistics in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
It ensures the transport, storage, warehousing and delivery of goods through its 25 branches across the country.
Specialist in maritime consignment, authorized customs broker, Bolloré Transport & Logistics offers tailormade logistics solutions and brings expert mining operators. With its 800 employees, Bolloré Transport & Logistics DRC participates in socio-economic development of the country in several areas including the health sector, education and the environment.
www.bollore-logistics.com
“We are still awaiting the development of a deep-sea port, the Banana Port, as DRC has one unique entry to the Atlantic Ocean that acts as a gateway to supply the country (and Africa as a whole) with all imported goods,” Omar continues. “On top of this, roads across the DRC are in poor condition. For example, you cannot connect the capital city of Kinshasa to the north or south, meaning the only way to travel is via plane or the Congo River, and by river it takes 30-40 days to reach some markets. That damages the economy when you look at the slower pace of interaction and goods exchange.
“This is a factor towards slowing the rapid growth of the country, but through the establishment of solid infrastructure investments, such as the development of better roads that will provide more efficient transport networks for example, there will follow a rise in construction product purchasing across the DRC.”
EFFORT AND REWARD
In recognition of the hard work of the employees and team members of PPC Barnet DRC, the company hosts a reward ceremony every quarter that is divided into five categories: health and safety, change management, customer service, special project, and industry performance. Trophies are given out to nominated employees who are collectively decided by a committee of staff from all levels of the business. On top of this, recognition certificates are given to teams for collaborative positive results throughout the quarter.
RECOGNISING POTENTIAL
Standing as one of the leading suppliers of cement to the construction industry, PPC Barnet DRC is a division of the Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC) group. The company belongs to the PPC group based in South Africa and the capital city of Pretoria where it began and after which it is named.
Having been founded in 1919, PPC is celebrating over 100 years in the industry serving customers across Africa. A century of service and experience has seen the company expand from its home of South Africa to Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Rwanda, with the DRC a relatively new area.
“PPC began investing more into the DRC, and 2014 saw company plans begin with the correct licenses needed to build and operate a cement plant,” Omar tells us. “It took three years to set up, but the plant was commissioned in 2017, and today we are among the top three players in the DRC market.”
This plant is a brand-new green-field project with the latest technology in the field totalling a $300 million investment, constructed by Chinese company Sinoma International Engineering.
“We are producing close around 400-500 metric kilotonnes (KT) of cement annually at the moment, and this is not our full capacity,” Omar explains. “The full capacity of the plant measures 1.2 million tonnes.”
The reason for this concerns the aforementioned need for infrastructure development. While output may not be reaching half of what the plant is capable of, the project represents PPC’s recognition of the promise and potential the DRC holds for cement and building material consumption.
Gecotrans
To serve our passion
GECOTRANS is a logistics company under Congolese law and with Congolese capital. In 29 years, GECOTRANS has been one of the Congolese leaders in its sector of activity. GECOTRANS provides its partners with a dedicated service and staff.
The vast knowledge of the regulation of dedicated agents; 213 customs experts ensures its customers a winning collaboration. With 21 agencies across the DRC, GECOTRANS’s network of customs experts simplifies the transport of your goods across the DRC. Its quality management system guarantees your compliance with international standards to provide consistent and uniform service throughout the DRC. Certified ISO 9001 2015, GECOTRANS articulates its quality, on the provision of services that meet market requirements, legal and regulatory requirements; on the development of a customer-oriented listening strategy to its satisfaction; strengthening a healthy environment conducive to the development and efficiency of its employees; and improving skills through training.
OUR SERVICES ARE:
Freight forwarder: provide air, marine or multimodal freight transport through a global network through its international partners. Customs clearance: Thanks to an experienced team, GECOTRANS facilitates customs formalities by offering an all-in-one solution. Maritime agent: We are the legal representative of the liner at the ports of Matadi, Boma and Banana. We also handle the transshipment of containers by chartered vessels through the port of Pointe-Noire. We also provide commercial ship management in the DRC. Dry port: GECOTRANS has a dry port with a capacity of 250 TEUs located 500 metres from the port of Matadi.
www.gecotrans.com
EVOLVING THE WORKPLACE
Within the country, PPC Barnet DRC is focussing on the integration and collaboration of its employees at all levels. In order to help and promote a culture of being a united and collective work for developing the spirit of Ubuntu, ‘I am because we are’, the company has shifted to a new modern head quarter office.
“Our new office is an operational building with an open space to facilitate teamwork across the business,” Omar says. “This is not only between employees in the office, but also the collaboration between those at the plant and the head office in Johannesburg.
“Obviously, COVID-19 has not helped during this period, but it has not stopped us from hosting online meetings and various COVID-safe physical meetings, including major staff training sessions totalling over 4,000 hours of training collectively over the last year and a half, and we have implemented an ‘Engagement Project’ plan to monitor employee satisfaction across the business.”
KIKOTECH
A standing industry partner to PPC Barnet DRC, KIKOTECH is a general servicing company that operates within the sphere of industrial maintenance. KIKOTECH keeps industrial wheels turning so that you don’t have to!
The company was founded in 2017 by Kiddy Kikobo, a young Congolese electromechanical engineer with more than 22 years of experience in the field of cement plant maintenance. Today, KIKOTECH exists as a leading supplier of industrial maintenance services in the Kongo Central province.
Since its establishment, ensuing years have seen its portfolio of services greatly expanded to deal with varying and evolving customer requirements, some of which that have also become increasingly more technical and complex. These kinds of challenges have allowed KIKOTECH to flourish as an industrial maintenance provider and have helped the business make its mark in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
KIKOTECH has been working with PPC Barnet since its foundation, and the company prides itself on being the best at what it does within the Kongo Central province. To date, KIKOTECH is employing national workers, all skilled technician from various fields.
These skilled technicians work across a variety of KIKOTECH’s business lines, including scaffolding assembly and repair work, welding and fitting work, air conditioner maintenance and repair work, electrical maintenance, as well as plumbing and civil works.
“Your partner offering industrial maintenance services with worldwide technical and safety
standards” - KIKOTECH
kiko.tech2017@gmail.com
GENERAL SERVICES OF INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE
Founded in 2017 by Kiddy KIKOBO a young Congolese electromechanical Engineer with more than 22 years experience in Cement plant maintenance, KIKOTECH is a leading supplier of industrial maintenance services in the Kongo Central Province. The ensuing years have seen its portfolio services greatly expanded to deal with varying and evolving customer requirements. KIKOTECH has been working with PPC Barnet since it’s foundation. To date, KIKOTECH is employing national workers, all skilled technician from various fields.
• ORDINARY AND SPECIAL WELDING • BOILER WORKS, MACHINING • PLUMBING • CIVIL ENGINEERING • ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION • RENOVATION OF BUILDINGS • FITTING • ASSEMBLY
Scaffolding assembly & repair Welding & fitting Air conditioner maintenance & repair
Electrical maintenance Plumbing Civil works
STREAMLINED TECH
PPC Barnet DRC has launched major projects over the past two years. Digiciment is one such undertaking, as a revolutionary digital app aimed at the retail business. Any shop or store can register on the app from which a customer can easily order PPC’s cement products.
“It’s really simple,” Omar explains. “We have two products on the app at the moment but very soon we will have a third. Customers can pay digitally with their credit card and it has really changed the way we engage our customers across the DRC and other African countries.
“Before Digiciment, customers would have to journey to the bank, make the payment, bring the voucher from the bank to our commercial office and so on, and this whole equation would take two to three days.
“Now, with our digital app, everything is done in an instant we have simplified, automatised and secured the transaction.”
Through the app, PPC Barnet DRC can process, view and track payments in the moment, streamlining the 02C process indefinitely. Outside payments, the app also allows PPC to track the status of deliveries from initially leaving the company warehouse to the loading and point of customer delivery, providing the company with a greater level of monitoring over its operations.
AFRICA OUTLOOK: COULD
YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR HUDUMA PROJECT AND ITS IMPACT?
Iqbal Omar, Managing Director:
“The Huduma project (service) has been in the works for the past nine months, involving 20 employees aimed at improving the monitoring of shipments and the health and safety aspects that go alongside them. “It is an internal company project that will allow us to track the individual trucks and their drivers arriving and leaving our facilities, and the status of the trucks themselves. All truck movements and delivery times can be tracked from a phone, tablet, or laptop, and this represents a major step in the customer journey. We are the unique company delivering cement to the end customer, it is an added value service that we offer, and one that we pride ourselves in alongside our health and safety monitoring capabilities.”
Bensizwe
Bensizwe has been a great strategic partner for PPC Barnet DRC for several years, providing recruitment, workforce management and payroll management services. Their expertise in these areas has helped PPC Barnet DRC to to focus on their core competencies.
With a vision to become a leading African provider of technological solutions and workforce development solutions for telecoms and other industries. Bensizwe has always been about innovation and growth is constantly spotting new opportunities in which to align their overall strategy to their clients’ needs.
www.bensizwe.com
POLYTRA
POLYTRA via FRACHT GROUP is experiencing a stronger partnership with PPC BARNET in Democratic Republic of Congo and is wishing to solidify its collaboration by investing in environmental friendly assets to help and enhance PPC BARNET in its quest of greener operations.
POLYTRA is not only a logistics player in the game but also a “logic-stics” actor in constant adaptation in a dynamic and competitive environment. We are happy to be part of PPC BARNETT business development and will continue to act as a tailored made partner to sustain our growth.
www.polytra.be www.fracht.com
- IQBAL OMAR, MANAGING DIRECTOR, PPC BARNET DRC
E info@bagsandsacks.net T +243-81-9890001 Bags & Sacks is the premier manufacturer of woven sacks and bags in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The company provides high quality innovative packaging products for the cement, agricultural and mining industries.
Export enquiries welcome.
2022 AND BEYOND
Moving ahead through 2022, PPC Barnet DRC is looking to improve its IT system to align with the new structure of organisation within the company after the Huduma project comes to an end.
“In terms of expansion, we are planning to open more warehouses in the south-east of the DRC to continue to grow our footprint in the country and reach product goals,” Omar reveals. “We will also be releasing a third product sooner or later, and this expansion in product variety remains a core focus for PPC Barnet DRC.
“We are going to start utilising young Congolese talent from engineering schools and through university graduate programmes, providing experience to young professionals and bettering the company with the latest skilled workers. Lastly, our relationships with communities and the environment around the DRC are extremely important for us to uphold.
“Ensuring that we limit emissions and help improve the conditions of surrounding communities is paramount, because we are not only here to help build the DRC, but to keep it thriving.”
PPC BARNET DRC
Tel: +243 844 488 900
