Allterrain Services Group

SERVICING AFRICA’S REMOTE EXPLORATION CAMPS

ALLTERRAIN SERVICES GROUP (ATS)

Anyway.

Anyhow.

Anywhere.

ATS provides specialist facility and hospitality services to remote sites in Africa, taking on the most logistically difficult projects in the continent’s remotest corners Writer: Dani Redd | Project Manager: Joshua Mann

T

he African continent holds 30 percent of the world’s mineral reserves, including diamonds, gold and uranium, alongside significant oil and gas reserves. Before a mine is established, companies must prospect for mineral deposits and then conduct a preliminary exploration study.

All this requires temporary infrastructure – accommodation, washing facilities and catering for employees – which has to be set up and later disassembled. For many mining companies this can be problematic, as many exploration sites are in remote locations, near geographical borders or up nonexistent roads.

Enter Allterrain Services Group, or ATS, which was initially founded in Ghana to provide specialist camp management services that includes camp management, catering, maintenance, cleaning, groundskeeping, gardening 2 | Africa Outlook issue 87

and landscaping, energy optimisation, security services, supply chain solutions, logistics and facility designs to exploration camps around West Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

From the beginning, it took on the most logistically difficult projects, expanding into a vast pan-African operation as the mining industry developed across the continent. It now has a diverse, highly-qualified international workforce of over 3,500 employees.

“We have worked in the most remote locations in Africa and have overcome every obstacle the continent can muster,” proclaims Kobus Engelbrecht, Group Operations Executive.

Engelbrecht, who has a career background in hospitality management, had always been interested in working in remote site operations. He began his career with ATS as Senior Accommodation Manager in August 2011, and rapidly rose through the ranks until he became Group Operations Executive in 2018.

GLOBAL STANDARDS, LOCAL EMPOWERMENT And for Engelbrecht, one of the key factors differentiating ATS Group from the competition is the nurturing relationships it cultivates with its clients.

MINING

Desire to serve our customers Since 1936

ASAS Group of Companies is one of the oldest and biggest business groups in Tanzania. The mother company which was formerly known as A. S. ABRI Transporters was established in 1936. As time went on and services were expanded, ASAS was formed in 1978 as a group of companies that went beyond transportation and cargo services.

Our numerous accolades can be attributed to our dedication to our personal philosophy – that everything we do, however big or small, be done to the utmost quality.

Transport

Dairy Real Estate

Dairy Farm Service Station

www.asasgrouptz.com

ALLTERRAIN SERVICES GROUP (ATS) “ATS is client focused and not only profit driven,” he says. “We understand the challenges our clients face at times due to market conditions and recently during the COVID epidemic; we want to be business partners and support the sustainability of our employees.

To do this we need to quickly adapt to change and provide the support needed by our clients.”

Another of ATS’s distinguishing factors, according to Engelbrecht, is the company’s simultaneous curation of local expertise and global standards.

COVID PREPAREDNESS Q: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your operations and how have you responded?

KOBUS ENGELBRECHT: “ATS had extensive experience dealing with the Ebola pandemic in Sierra Leone, Liberia and more recently in the DRC. We were therefore able to quickly adapt our protocols based on global health practices for COVID and commence immediate staff training, and implementation with our clients at a very early stage.

“Together we rolled out our COVID-19 pandemic management plan and our business continuity plan.

On many sites, social distancing measures, takeaways and packed lunches and intensive deep cleaning became part of the standard scope of work.”

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“The key is to understand the local market and the diversity of cultures to sustain business and enable growth within the communities we operate in,” he explains. “We believe in constant training and development of the local foundations that provide raw materials to us, through the constant focus on development it allows us to still provide a global standard service across our business.

“Monitoring our standards and processes, we provide global service offering to our clients and uplift our employees. We understand that our biggest asset in our business is our employees and the support from the local suppliers and communities.”

Suppliers play an important role in the company’s business activity, particularly on the catering side, as it is reliant on a continuous supply of fresh food.

ATS has a base of around 500 active local suppliers, ranging from SMEs to larger companies. All suppliers are formally contracted, and must conform to high standards concerning operations and legislation. The company keeps track of suppliers through a strategically orientated centralised function supporting all divisions to manage sourcing and procurement.

“OUR SUPPLIERS SIT AT THE MOST CRUCIAL PART OF THE VALUE CHAIN AND OUR COMMITMENT TO BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS HAS BEEN KEY TO OUR SUCCESS”

MINING

ALLTERRAIN SERVICES GROUP (ATS)

Groupe Industrie et Distribution Created in 1993, the company ‘’Groupe Industrie et Distribution’’ (G.I.D) aims to buy, sell, trade in distribution, manufacture, packaging, transport, import-export, and general supply, all products and in particular all food products of animal or plant origin.

It specialises in the production of cold meats, cured meats and meat products based on raw materials of meat origin, and today presents itself as one of the main leaders in the West Afrincan market. GID has set itself the goal of providing its customers with healthy and quality products, meeting the applicable normative, legal and regulatory requirements.

Also, our strategy to achieve this sustainably is oriented around values essential to our sustainability, namely: • A lasting relationship of trust with our customers; • A culture of ethics and staff responsibility and; • Responsibility in environmental matters.

“Our suppliers sit at the most crucial part of the value chain and our commitment to build strong relationships has been key to our success,” Engelbrecht says.

ATS wants to give something back to its suppliers, which it does through business development initiatives as part of its Legacy Program, the embodiment of its Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) objectives.

The Legacy Program uses a participatory approach to harness the potential of a community by integrating it into the ATS value chain.

Its main focuses are consumables, services market support, agriculture, social support and integration, training and development, and agriculture.

The method is mutually beneficial: communities benefit from social and economic upliftment; ATS benefits from a network of local suppliers; and 8 | Africa Outlook issue 87

it is also good for the environment, as working with local businesses results in a much lower carbon footprint.

“The program is central to our quest for equitable, inclusive and sustainable growth and development,” the Operations Executive says. “We focus on activities that yield maximum social impact and that result in powerful transformations and opportunities for growth and innovation.”

The scale of support provided is unprecedented – over the past decade ATS has invested more than $120 million into the communities it operates in.

In the last quarter alone, its legacy project spent over $6.3 million domestically. At its Alphamin Bisie Project site it provided a six month kitchen internship for community youth. Not only does the comprehensive training allow trainees

While relying heavily on the establishment of good practices related to international standards required in food. This is why GID is part of an IFS version 6.1 standardisation process.

infogid@gidci.com

ALLTERRAIN SERVICES GROUP (ATS)

THE MD’S VIEW David Hutchinson, ATS Managing Director “It has been another challenging year for Africa’s resource industry in the wake of subdued commodity prices, short-term volatility in select markets resulting in increased cost reduction pressure. ATS understands these constraints and we have continued to enhance our operating model, expand our service offering and importantly increase efficiencies in our supply chain and passed the savings onto our clients while remaining focused and dedicated to global standards and continued investment in the communities. In just over a decade, I’m proud to announce that ATS has invested over $100 million in the local communities we operate in. It is this commitment and ethos that defines who we are, strengthens our partnership with our clients and highlights our flexibility to adapt to these difficult operating environments.

“Since its inception in 1996, ATS has continued to grow in geographical presence, services and industry expertise. Now operating in 25 African countries, ATS offers the full suite of facilities management services to our remote site clients; from camp builds, catering, cleaning, procurement and security. Our successful track record reflects our commitment to innovation, integrated service offering, and a deep understanding that the ability to foster a healthy and productive work environment enables our clients to focus on what is important to them.

“As we continue to expand, we remain committed to our core values of high ethical standards, commitment to the communities in which we operate, paramount health and safety practices while delivering international expertise at global standards – Anyway. Anyhow. Anywhere.

“We are your partner in Africa.”

to improve their food preparation skills; it also places them in a talent pool for future vacancies.

It also launched a full scale menstrual hygiene management programme for Kiasa Secondary School students. It partnered with Bridge for Children’s Hope (BCH), Trylink and Happy Messiah Foundation for the development and launch of the Menstrual Hygiene Education Booklet, an education awareness programme and donation of reusable menstrual materials.

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This is only the tip of the iceberg.

From providing funds to help female orphans to donating thousands of seeds and seedlings to its various community agriculture projects, ATS’s support for local communities is profound, long term and far ranging.

LOOKING AHEAD Despite the difficult year the company has had thanks to COVID-19, Engelbrecht believes that its relationships with its clients have strengthened during these troubling times.

Kachema Meat Kachema Meat, based in Zambia, is a leading processor and supplier of meat products, including cattle, pigs, lamb, goat and chicken.

The relationship with ATS has evolved over time to the benefit of both parties – for example, the strict ATS standards on hygiene and safe food have been a motivator to improve Kachema hygiene standards and production methods.

“The remote sites of ATS have been a great challenge and incentive to develop a reliable cold chain from our factory to ATS sites, and this has contributed to further growth of our customer base and new destinations.

We have been a very reliable supplier to ATS from the start and aspire to further grow our deliveries to ATS in the future also outside Zambia.” – Arie de Kwaasteniet, Managing Director

www.kachema.com

MINING

If it’s Kachema...

You’re guaranteed the best!

Over the last 20 years, Kachema Meat has established itself as a household name for being one of Zambia’s leading meat suppliers.

From our abattoirs to state of the art factory, supported by a robust nationwide distribution network, our pride is in supplying local butcheries, retail supermarket chains, the hospitality industry and large canteen operators with good quality processed cattle, pigs, lamb, goat and chicken products.

Our consistent growth has been established on a set standard of strict quality control, driven by our people and focused on results.

Kachema is for the Zambian people by Zambians.

Main Office/ Factory Farm 288 A/D/1, Makeni Konga, Chilanga.

Head Office +260 969 412 597 sales@kachema.com

/kachemameat

www.kachema.com

And over the upcoming year, ATS will continue to focus on an important goal: to become the largest remote site and facilities management company in Africa.

The Operations Executive concludes the conversation on an optimistic note, suggesting he is looking forward to the months ahead.

“We want to continue providing high quality service in challenges environments and in difficult circumstances,” he says. “As our clients grow and expand jurisdictions, we are often pulled into new markets and opportunities.”

ALLTERRAIN SERVICES GROUP (ATS) Tel: +27 10 590 0300 commercial.manager@atsgroup.net www.atsgroup.net

Africa Outlook issue 87 | 11

ALLTERRAIN SERVICES GROUP (ATS) 26 Anoya Zulu Road, Handsworth Park, Lusaka, Zambia Tel: +26 021 126 2250 / +26 096 301 2290 info@atsgroup.net / SBeulich@tsebo.com / mvanvuuren@tsebo.com www.atsgroup.net PRODUCED BY AFRICA OUTLOOK MAGAZINE