APAC Outlook - Issue 63

CHINA MOBILE INTERNATIONAL (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD

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Issue 63

LOGAN WATER

Pioneering water and wastewater services

TVI RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PHILIPPINES INC. Spearheading the Filipino resources sector

CR3 GROUP

The fresh face of energy engineering solutions in Asia Shane Hansen, CEO of Kestrel Coal Resources explores a future for responsible mining led by a value-driven company

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Smooth cruising for European manufacturing

Behind the global tech powerhouse of the world’s Smartest City

The suite life of the hotel industry

World-class medical diagnostics for Africa

T R AV E L GUIDE

COCA-COLA SABCO MOZAMBIQUE Iconic and impactful brands and beverages

SYRAH RESOURCES LTD

Putting Mozambique on the map for global EV development

CYPRUS

GENIE ENERGY LTD

BATCHFIRE RESOURCES

Mediterranean escapism in the Land of Aphrodite

Advancing the solar generation

F E AT U R E

MOELLER AEROSPACE

PACTIV EVERGREEN

VAN MOER LOGISTICS

On a trajectory of expansion, Batchfire Resources is the low-fugitive emission energy coal producer pursuing plans for Net Zero

Sustainability and innovation in food and beverage packaging

Gideon Burger, CEO of Axiology Labs discusses providing top quality laboratory products for life science solutions across Africa

quality laboratory products for life science solutions across Africa Gideon Burger, CEO of Axiology Labs discusses providing top

Innoquest Diagnostics is moving forward as one in pursuit of transformative healthcare. Ginny Foo, CEO, gives us the details

Donavan Hutchinson, MD of SHI UK, tells us how how organisations are being empowered to adapt to changing business models and workplace strategies

LTD RESOURCES SYRAH

transformative healthcare. Ginny Foo, CEO, gives us the details Innoquest Diagnostics is moving forward as one in pursuit of

empowered to adapt to changing business models and workplace strategies Donavan Hutchinson, MD of SHI UK, tells us how how organisations are being

brands and beverages Iconic and impactful

MOZAMBIQUE SABCO COCA-COLA

RESOURCES BATCHFIRE

From quaint fishing village to bustling resort getaway

EVERGREEN PACTIV

AEROSPACE MOELLER

RE S US

We go Behind the Lens with culinary storyteller, Karolina Wiercigroch

VALLARTA PUERTO From quaint fishing village to bustling resort getaway

gas turbine technology discovery in air travel and industrial Ascending to new heights of

beverage packaging innovation in food and Sustainability and

TRAVEL GUIDE

PUERTO VALLARTA

We go Behind the Lens with culinary storyteller, Karolina Wiercigroch

of modern infrastructure investment Expert Eye, Amanda Li, discusses the unsustainable nature

LOGISTICS MOER VAN

pursuing plans for Net Zero is the low-fugitive emission energy coal producer On a trajectory of expansion, Batchfire Resources

Charting cleaner waters for the Adriatic

Expert Eye, Amanda Li, discusses the unsustainable nature of modern infrastructure investment

leading sustainable logistics in Belgium Founder and CEO, Jo Van Moer, discusses

EV development on the map for global Putting Mozambique

YACHTING’S SUSTAINABLE REVOLUTION

Ascending to new heights of discovery in air travel and industrial gas turbine technology

Founder and CEO, Jo Van Moer, discusses leading sustainable logistics in Belgium

MO

waters for the Adriatic Charting cleaner

REVOLUTION SUSTAINABLE YACHTING’S

GUIDE TRAVEL

F E AT U R E

solar generation Advancing the

Land of Aphrodite escapism in the Mediterranean

ENERGY LTD GENIE

CYPRUS GUIDE T R AV E L

diagnostics for Africa World-class medical

AFRICA LANCET CERBA

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WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR

Pastures New

EDITORIAL Editorial Director: Phoebe Harper phoebe.harper@outlookpublishing.com Head of Editorial: Alex Tuck alex.tuck@outlookpublishing.com Senior Editor: Jack Salter jack.salter@outlookpublishing.com Editor: Lucy Pilgrim lucy.pilgrim@outlookpublishing.com Editor: Ed Budds ed.budds@outlookpublishing.com Junior Editor: Rachel Carr rachel.carr@outlookpublishing.com Junior Editor: Lauren Kania lauren.kania@outlookpublishing.com PRODUCTION Production Director: Stephen Giles steve.giles@outlookpublishing.com Senior Designer: Devon Collins devon.collins@outlookpublishing.com Junior Designer: Louisa Martin louisa.martin@outlookpublishing.com Production Manager: Megan Cooke megan.cooke@outlookpublishing.com Digital Marketing Manager: Fox Tucker fox.tucker@outlookpublishing.com Social Media Executive: Bria Clarke bria.clarke@outlookpublishing.com Web Editor: Oliver Shrouder oliver.shrouder@outlookpublishing.com BUSINESS CEO: Ben Weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com Managing Director: James Mitchell james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com Sales Director: Nick Norris nick.norris@outlookpublishing.com Commercial Director: Joshua Mann joshua.mann@outlookpublishing.com HEADS OF PROJECTS Callam Waller callam.waller@outlookpublishing.com Deane Anderton deane.anderton@outlookpublishing.com Eddie Clinton eddie.clinton@outlookpublishing.com Josh Hyland josh.hyland@outlookpublishing.com Ryan Gray ryan.gray@outlookpublishing.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Thomas Arnold thomas.arnold@outlookpublishing.com TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Marvin Iseghehi marvin.iseghehi@outlookpublishing.com

It is my pleasure to introduce you to our latest issue of APAC Outlook magazine, and the last in my tenure as Editorial Director.

In this edition, we showcase the bold innovations underway in the oil and gas sector in conversation with CR3 Group, as the company takes new strides together on an ambitious trajectory of growth, following the instalment of its new CEO – Roberto Beneventi.

“Under my new leadership, we will actively seek opportunities to generate a percentage of revenue from green activities,” he tells us.

Elsewhere, we take a deep dive into the realm of Australian mining, with an in-depth showcase of Kestrel Coal Resources – the country’s highest producing underground metallurgical coal mine. In an interview with members of its leadership team, we discuss setting the benchmark for

SALES AND PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER Donovan Smith donovan.smith@outlookpublishing.com

responsible mining as the company progresses its new ESG strategy,

PROJECT MANAGERS Cameron Lawrence cameron.lawrence@outlookpublishing.com Dennis Morales dennis.morales@outlookpublishing.com Jordan Levey jordan.levey@outlookpublishing.com Kierron Rose kierron.rose@outlookpublishing.com Kyle Livingstone kyle.livingstone@outlookpublishing.com Liam Pye liam.pye@outlookpublishing.com Nicholas Kernan nicholas.kernan@outlookpublishing.com Taylor Green taylor.green@outlookpublishing.com

centred on creating ‘A Legacy Worth Leaving’.

ADMINISTRATION Finance Director: Suzanne Welsh suzanne.welsh@outlookpublishing.com Finance Assistant: Suzie Kittle suzie.kittle@outlookpublishing.com Finance Assistant: Victoria McAllister victoria.mcallister@outlookpublishing.com

Mobile International (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Bickford’s Australia, and VP Bank,

CONTACT APAC Outlook Norvic House, 29-33 Chapelfield Road Norwich, NR2 1RP, United Kingdom Sales: +44 (0) 1603 363 631 Editorial: +44 (0) 1603 363 655

SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel: +44 (0) 1603 363 655 alex.tuck@outlookpublishing.com www.apacoutlookmag.com Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/apacoutlook Follow us on Twitter: @apac_outlook

“Our goal is to be a model of sustainable, responsible mining,” shares CEO, Shane Hansen.

Meanwhile, delve into an eclectic range of corporate stories including China

to name just a few. Lastly, we ask the leaders and CEOs who so kindly shared their time with us for this issue, to offer advice for those considering entering their industries.

We hope that you enjoy this issue, and many more to come.

Phoebe Harper Editorial Director, Outlook Publishing APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 3

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CONTENTS REGULARS

6 NEWS Around Asia Pacific in seven stories

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8 EXPERT EYE Circularity and frugal innovation in the making of a sustainable future

BU SI N ESS I N SI G H TS

10 Sustainability The Benefits of Going Green Integrating sustainability into business

I N D U STRY S P OTL I G H TS

18 Queensland Resources Council Shining a light on the valuable contributions of mining

28 Investment Fiji The historic trading hub of the South Pacific

52 Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association Strategically developing Malaysia’s electronics and systems

12 Automotive 12

Shell Fleet Solutions: Accelerating the Electric Vehicle Spotlight On the road to net zero

TOP I C A L F OC U S

16 Sustainability The Action-Orientated Philanthropy Network Helping move capital towards impact

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230 THE FINAL WORD What advice would you give to someone considering entering your industry?

52 E V E N TS

228 WA Mining Conference & Exhibition Showcasing technical and digital innovation across the entire mining value chain

APAC OUTLOOK CONTENTS

F E AT U R E S

68 SHOWCASING

LEADING COMPANIES Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world

O IL & GAS

70 CR3 Group Making New Strides Together The fresh face of energy engineering solutions in Asia

MINING

82 Kestrel Coal Resources Mining for a Legacy Worth Leaving Quality steelmaking coal, from Central Queensland to the world

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134 RJE Global Total Turnkey Solutions Encompassing a vast multitude of mining solutions

140 TVI Resource Development Philippines Inc. Expanding a Diverse Portfolio

158

Spearheading the Filipino resources sector

M A N U FAC T U R I N G

172 JOST Australia The Pride of Australia Driving success for commercial vehicles

SU P P LY C HA I N

180 UPS Supply Chain Solutions® The Surprise Package

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148 Fenner Conveyors Facilitating a Full-Service Solution Australia’s top partner for mining conveyor systems

Helping businesses control their supply chains

EN ER GY & U T I L I TI E S

202 Logan Water Sustainability in the City Pioneering water and wastewater services for Logan City

CO NST RUCTION

208 China Mobile International (Singapore) Pte Ltd Smart Solutions for a Digital World International growth, innovation, and connectivity

FINANCE Pioneering Prosperous Banking

Engineers of Australian Prosperity

Leading the way in financial solutions

The multi-disciplinary consultancy with an eye for innovation

F O O D & B E V E R AG E

164 VCON Premium and prestigious residences

TE C H N O LO GY

216 VPBank

158 BG&E Resources

The Finer Elements of Architecture

208

222 Bickford’s Australia 202

A History of Purity Bottling success across Australia

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 5

NEWS

Around Asia Pacific in seven stories…

ECONOMY

HUKUO TO KICKSTART CHINA’S ECONOMY AFTER SHANGHAI RELAXED its rules last year allowing graduates from the world’s top 50 universities to apply for a hukou, the rest of China plans on following suit and permitting more people to settle in smaller cities to boost the economy and spur growth.

Officials in Beijing say that lowering restrictions for cities between three and five million and cancelling the hukou altogether for cities with less than three million will allow easier access to education, healthcare, and other benefits, ultimately kickstarting the economy.

S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

ARTFULLY RESTORING CORAL REEFS IN AN EFFORT to re-diversify the waters of Nacula Island and restore the once eclectic fishing grounds, not-for-profit group Counting Coral has developed the ‘world’s first sculptural coral bank’.

Using marine-grade stainless steel built to withstand saltwater corrosion, Counting Coral has partnered with the village of Nacula and Blue Lagoon

Resort to promote the growth of climate-resilient organisms they call ‘super corals’ through their underwater sculptures.

Not only are these sculptures reducing the threat of coral bleaching due to warmer waters, but they are also attracting tourists and promoting the education of the local environment.

F O O D & B E V E RAG E

ASSERTING TAIWANESE IDENTITY THROUGH CUISINE RECENTLY, TAIWAN’S NATIONHOOD has faced ambiguity due to its complex relationship with China; one of the prominent ways in which people are solidifying their identity is through cuisine.

For many, this cuisine is difficult to 6 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

define, as it has become an amalgamation of food from varying origins, ever-expanding to become the nation’s own established array of dishes.

However, many chefs and culinary enthusiasts are embracing this assortment of recipes and reinterpretations in an attempt to reconcile with their Chinese heritage.

In the eyes of many, this multiplicity of ingredients and tastes reflects the roots of Taiwanese identity.

H E A LT H C A R E

FINANCE

WHY MORE WOMEN IN TAIWAN ARE FREEZING THEIR EGGS

INDIA AND AI FUEL DEMAND FOR ETFS

WITH MORE WOMEN in Taiwan focusing on building their independence and careers, the option of freezing eggs to use later in life has become an attractive alternative.

Women making this choice between the ages of 35-39 are part of an 86 percent increase in cases over the past three years, despite it only being legal for frozen eggs to be used in heterosexual marriage.

However, many women are still pursuing this option as they are ECONOMY

CONTINUED PRICE DROPS ACROSS CHINA IN CONTRAST TO many countries that saw a boom in consumer spending after the COVID-19 pandemic, China’s economy has slipped into a state of deflation as consumer prices declined in July after being on the cusp of collapse for months.

hopeful that these laws will soon change as Taiwan was the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage in 2019, and many are advocating for further progression.

The country is seeing ballooning local government debt, challenges in the housing market, and recordhigh youth unemployment as it faces increasing pressure to revive demand in the world’s second-largest economy.

With China’s exports falling by 14.5 percent and imports by 12.4 percent in July, this has the potential to hit global exports as domestic spending in China continues to slow.

DESPITE GLOBAL NET exchange traded fund (ETF) inflows decreasing from USD$99.1 billion in June to USD$88.1 billion this past July, India and artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly fuelled the demand for ETFs in the global economy.

With India looking to overtake China as the world’s fastest-growing economy and AI being widely regarded as a breakthrough technology, this comes as very little surprise as many investors continue to focus on what they perceive to be two longterm engines of the global economy.

TRANSPORT

TESLA WON’T FAZE MAHINDRA GROUP AFTER FACING TREMENDOUS competition in India’s electric vehicle (EV) market over the past 20 years, Anish Shah, Managing Director and CEO of Mahinda Group, is not worried about global competition from companies such as Tesla, who are looking to enter the highly competitive market.

Despite once being written off when all the global majors were entering India, Mahindra Group continues to own the top market share in SUVs from the standpoint of revenue and claims to have “not just survived but thrived” and promises to do so despite new challenges emerging.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 7

Circularity and Frugal Innovation in the Making of a Sustainable Future Kapila Mehta, Sustainability Vice President of Power Products at Schneider Electric, explores a win-win solution for profitability, partnerships, and the planet Written by: Kapila Mehta, Sustainability Vice President of Power Products, Schneider Electric

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ountries around the world continue to face the economic crisis left over by the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. With pressure to recover growth, governments are looking for more sustainable solutions, and will play a critical role in fostering long-term resiliency to withstand future crises. Many companies have taken a head-on approach to growth following the COVID-19 pandemic, but the surge in energy prices has intensified the need to cut costs. The dilemma companies in this situation often face is how to manage growth sustainably.

If we want to map out a clear road to recovery and ensure a safe and balanced future, sustainability and circularity should be at the top of our minds and embedded into our solutions. However, according to the latest Circularity Gap Report, only 8 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

7.2 percent of the global economy is circular, dropping even lower than pre-pandemic levels of 8.6 percent in 2020. Despite this, countries are demonstrating an effort to create more circular economies. In 2021, ASEAN announced its own circular economy framework comprising actions that include harmonising circular products and services. Creating more efficient and sustainable products will help to reduce energy and resource consumption, drive higher repairability, and minimise waste – all working to reduce cost. With more than 80 percent of a product’s environmental impact determined during the design phase, this process needs to start from a product’s inception.

Being ‘Frugal’ can be profitable There is an assumption that reusing, recycling and refurbishing products

may not be a profitable way of doing business. However, contrary to popular belief, it is possible to run a profitable business whilst protecting the planet. When businesses rethink their models with circularity in mind, they can make products faster as they require fewer materials. This is a significant advantage when it comes to being ‘frugal’, especially when raw materials have soared in price by 18 percent compared to this time last year. It also mitigates the risk of material shortages due to supply chain issues, ensuring that businesses continue to hit targets despite disruption.

The new business model of choice will be end-to-end circularity. The key to getting customers on board is demonstrating the right value proposition and showing the benefits of giving products a second life. By investing time and energy in planning, educating the market, and increasing awareness of skills and resources, we can spread the benefits of a circular mindset.

EXPERT EYE SUSTAINABILITY

Demonstrating what circularity looks like Buying a re-manufactured product does not only have a positive impact on reducing carbon emissions but also on the consumption of raw materials and minerals. At Schneider Electric, we have created a new sustainable model where products can have a second life thanks to re-industrialisation. For instance, the Schneider Electric MasterTech site has been re-industrialising MasterPact circuit breakers since 2020. The circuit breakers are collected, disassembled, upgraded, and tested before being put back on the market. Being based in the factory where new products are made means that circular circuit breakers meet the same rigorous quality control standards as new products.

It is estimated that by recycling and reusing products, we were able to reduce emissions by approximately 45 percent, resulting in savings of 755 kilogrammes (kg) of CO2 per MasterPact.

New ways of working introduce new challenges Taking one step further beyond repurposing parts is reverse circularity. It refers to the process of reintroducing waste materials back into the production cycle. The aim is to reduce waste and conserve resources, and involves taking end-of-life products or waste materials and turning them into new products or raw materials.

By closing the loop in the production process, minimising waste and reducing environmental impact, reverse circularity is another way

companies can reduce their reliance on virgin materials and conserve resources.

However, circularity creates new pain points for businesses. For example, implementing a circular economy can be a difficult decision for vendors due to the challenge of reverse logistics, which can be up to 11 times more expensive than traditional logistics. This is due to the cost of returns, transportation, repairs, and reselling. To counter that, designing and producing products for services with a higher level of repairability would help to ease this new pain point, and hopefully reduce costs and dead inventory.

Turning barriers into ladders for opportunity Despite the challenges, circularly can bring new opportunities for partnership and innovation.

Developing a new circular system hinges on nurturing new partnerships and evolving business models.

Exploring the right partnership is crucial at the start and organisations should look to ‘recycler’ partners as a first step. These are exemplary model companies who are already active in the field and have mastered reverse logistics.

Business partners also play a vital role in building out and driving circularity across the full value chain.

By establishing an industrial ecology – or utilising all available or useful material and turning one person’s trash into another person’s treasure – we can create a win-win situation for our partners and the planet.

Businesses can generate new revenue streams and save on operating expenses by creating upgradable offers that

are circular and easily repairable.

Furthermore, sustainable product packaging is a really big part of circularity. Making the transition away from single-use plastics to 100 percent recycled packaging is just one example of how small changes can forge a better, and more circular future.

Approaching sustainability as a business can seem daunting, and it was only recently that more companies started incorporating sustainability into their strategies and targets. The advantage of the circular economy framework is that it can be applied to any type of business and sector, and it addresses pressing global issues like climate change, minimising waste, and pollution. If we want to bring a net zero world to life, we must look at how each element of our take-make-waste system can be improved. This spans from how we collect and distribute resources, the production and use of products, and how we process those materials afterwards. Our vision of a sustainable future can only be materialised if it is a circular one.

ABOUT THE EXPERT Kapila Mehta is an experienced industrial product and system specialist with a demonstrated history of working in new product development and launches with end-to-end experience.

Mehta has nearly two decades of experience and exposure of working with local, global and ‘glocal’ environments with best of industry leaders. Her key role at Schneider Electric includes defining and executing a sustainability strategy and building an offer portfolio that has the highest positive impact on the climate, decarbonisation and resources in the company’s innovation process.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 9

FEATURE SUSTAINABILITY

Going Green Green Going Going Gr The Benefits of

Environmental accountability and sustainability initiatives are increasing prospects for many businesses across the APAC region by spurring innovation and creating opportunities Writer: Rachel Carr

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oday, sustainability is front and centre of business operations and integral to innovation.

It is also a new way of engaging employees, customers, and partners.

Moreover, the choice to proactively integrate sustainability into everyday company life has resulted in increased productivity and profitability.

Companies that have introduced a greener business strategy and operations have not only reduced waste and optimised costs but also improved efficiency, created alternative revenue streams for sales, and helped human resources attract and retain talent.

Sustainability has the ability to influence a person’s choice of employment, which is crucial for companies in the APAC region as there is a widespread skills shortage in the information, communication and technology (ICT) workforce.

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New environmental initiatives could turn the tide and encourage people to train in the sector, as sustainability has the capacity to produce positive outcomes in recruitment and retention stemming from altruism.

APAC plays a crucial role in the global supply chain. However, a substantial share of global emissions comes from the region. As a centre of growth and urbanisation, shaped by biodiversity, businesses need to address the climate crisis and sustainability challenges in ways that are resilient, ambitious and highly inventive.

Therefore, the fundamental businesses underpinning APAC’s growth throughout the years are imposing regulations and targets upon themselves to secure the region’s sustainable future.

Japanese company Toyota Motors has committed to reducing carbon

dioxide (CO2) emissions and achieving carbon neutrality globally by 2050 for vehicles and operations. In fact, Agoda’s Sustainable Impact Survey 2023 has identified Japan, along with Singapore and South Korea, as Asia’s top countries for sustainability and conservation efforts.

As businesses adapt to a changing world, success is no longer measured by profits alone; green credentials also have long-term value. However, bold steps toward an environmentally friendly future can potentially produce financial gains.

INNOVATION OPPORTUNITIES In the APAC region, enterprises have undertaken environmental initiatives; furthermore, the opportunities which arise from such actions continue to drive the popularity of sustainability.

Environmental initiatives have many benefits, but an unexpected

nreen advantage for businesses is that it drives creativity and innovation. For instance, sustainability ingenuity centred on circularity requires companies to reconfigure product designs and materials, so parts or the whole entity can be recycled or repurposed.

The advantages of sustainability in business are evidenced by the emergence of eco-smartphones sold by technology start-ups. Longestablished brands such as Apple and Samsung have also picked up on the socially conscious way forward, and Globe, a telecoms company in the Philippines, is deploying eco-SIM cards made from 100 percent recycled materials, including the plastic waste from refrigerators.

Another prime example of emerging eco-friendly resourcefulness is the reimagining and reengineering of data centres. Not only are there recyclable parts, but fuel sources for power and cooling are shifting towards cleaner sources. The more innovative data centre designs include Microsoft’s underwater ‘clouds in the ocean’ that

can reportedly reduce CO2 emissions by around 40 percent.

Often defined as the future of work, sustainability for service companies presents an opportunity to innovate client delivery techniques. This could mean the automation of mundane and repeatable tasks to free up resources for faster customer service and the digital delivery of services to reduce carbon footprint or the application of hybrid work, green workspaces and SMART buildings.

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH As sustainability initiatives inevitably lead to new designs, they will lead to further market demand. Businesses will need up-to-date tools and services alongside expanding the use cases of existing technologies.

Blockchain technology, for example, is used to confirm renewable energy utilisation sources in enterprises for eligibility for carbon credits, financing and environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting. This use of blockchain has been applied by the Singaporean

company SP Group, which provides a suite of renewable and sustainable energy solutions beyond traditional utility services.

Therefore, just on data alone, sustainability has created a necessity for ESG-related professional business services such as carbon footprint measures, ESG data security, audit, and reporting.

Another expanded use case emerging from sustainability is the digital twin, a digital representation of an intended or actual real-world physical product, system, or process such as simulation, integration, testing, monitoring and maintenance.

Businesses are using digital twins for sustainability simulations, or artificial intelligence (AI), used for human rights tracking.

Indeed, sustainability can be an opportunity for companies to expand their market scope by enhancing human resource strategies and accelerating product and service innovation, thereby attracting ecoaware employees, customers and financial investors.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 11

SHELL FLEET SOLUTIONS AUTOMOTIVE

SHELL FLEET SOLUTIONS: AC C E L E R AT I N G THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE S P OT L I G H T To explore the challenges of transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs), and how to overcome them, we speak to Veethara (Prien) Trakulboon, General Manager for Shell Fleet Solutions Asia Writer: Lucy Pilgrim

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sk any business that relies on a delivery, operational or professional fleet of vehicles what it sees as the long-term solution for reaching net zero emissions is, and it will most likely give you the same answer: EVs. Recent research from Shell and Deloitte shows that 95 percent of surveyed fleet owners see EVs as the future for their business. However, accelerating this transition can be challenging and many fleet owners face complex organisational and market barriers as they advance on their decarbonisation journey.

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APAC Outlook: What are the fleet decarbonisation trends you see happening across the APAC region and globally?

Veethara (Prien) Trakulboon, General Manager (VPT): The main trend we are seeing among fleets globally is that they are under immense pressure to decarbonise – from customers, from regulators and from their own employees. It is something we expect to continue, with our recent Navigating Fleet Decarbonisation study showing that more than two-thirds (68 percent) of surveyed fleet owners expect this pressure to increase over time.

Achieving net zero emission fleet operations will be essential for businesses – and for many that means looking to accelerate its EV transition. Markets are working on this to varying degrees, which creates a mixed picture for progress within the region. From our own experience, we are seeing fleet operators in Asia taking the leap and starting their decarbonisation journeys; whether they are in a mature or emerging EV market, they are all taking the essential steps to achieve sustainable growth.

AO: What do you see as the main barriers to EV adoption among fleet operators?

VPT: Cost is a huge barrier currently – not just around the vehicles themselves but the wider ecosystem involved in running effective EV fleet operations. Our research shows that almost half (47 percent) of surveyed fleet owners see hidden costs around transitioning to EVs as a major barrier to adoption. To make the transition viable, EVs need to offer parity with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in terms of total cost of ownership (TCO).

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 13

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SHELL FLEET SOLUTIONS AUTOMOTIVE

But with access to fleet data and insights, operators can make informed decisions on how they transition to EVs depending on their individual needs and requirements, including their economic situation.

Uncertainty over infrastructure is another key obstacle. Many fleet operators are unclear on the type of charging infrastructure they need to operate effectively. Whether they charge at the depot, on-the-go, at the office or at home, fleets and their drivers need infrastructure solutions that are easy to use, reliable and meet their specific business requirements.

AO: What role can regulation and policy play in helping to drive further EV adoption across the region?

VPT: Accelerating the EV transition is not simply about investing in the right solutions – you also need the right environment for progress. Almost half (46 percent) of fleets surveyed either do not have targets or are unsure how decarbonisation maps to their fleet operations, which is something that policy-driven regulation can help to provide clarity around.

For example, we are seeing across Asia that bans on ICE vehicles can be broadly linked to higher EV adoption. China and South Korea, markets that are ahead on EV adoption, already have ICE bans in place from 2035. Conversely, emerging markets like India and Malaysia do not yet have defined plans in this area.

Bans are not the only measures this applies to. We are seeing the more mature EV markets deploying a range of policy levers – from official targets to charging infrastructure support – to help businesses turn ambition into action. This shows how a clear policy framework is being used as a driving force for decarbonisation.

AO: What solutions should fleet operators be looking for to implement as part of their EV transition?

VPT: There is no set route for transitioning to EVs. While fleets can share the same end goal,

every journey will be different depending on the specific needs of each business. This means that there is no single solution that will work for every fleet – and that each fleet will need to create a tailored roadmap for their unique decarbonisation journey.

Whether they require easier ways to manage their fuel and charging payments or require digital tools that simplify fleet management or energy solutions that support the development of effective charging infrastructure, fleets should be working with their mobility solutions providers to map out the best route to net zero. At Shell Fleet Solutions, we are working with customers to help them achieve this through our Accelerate to Zero (A2Z) programme.

AO: What difference can the right relationships make in helping fleets to achieve their decarbonisation goals?

VPT: Building the right relationships with providers can have a significant impact on a fleet’s decarbonisation efforts, and more specifically their EV transition. For example, we have a strategic relationship with DHL Express in Malaysia that is helping the logistics provider to reduce emissions across its fleet operations. As part of our A2Z programme, we are not only providing charging solutions but also the expertise and infrastructure the business needs to transition to an EV fleet.

We are also working closely with MoEVing to pilot EV fleet depots across three of their main customer facilities in India, and with Shoffr Mobility to develop its EV charging infrastructure in the Indian city of Bangalore.

So, we see the positive impact that effective collaboration can have on fleets in action across APAC every day.

No one business can achieve net zero emissions alone. As they take each step along their decarbonisation journey, fleets will require knowledge that they are unlikely to have in-house – making collaboration with a trusted solutions provider such as Shell Fleet Solutions critical to their success.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 15

THE ACTIONORIENTATED PHILANTHROPY NETWORK Spearheading environmental social investment, we take a look at how the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network is driving the corporate sustainability movement forward Writer: Lucy Pilgrim

A

s the most populated continent on the planet, Asia is identified as the biggest contributor to climate change globally. However, by harnessing the vast multitude of companies and corporations across the continent, alongside the investment capital transferred throughout APAC, the region can also facilitate the most change.

With over 600 members across 33 markets, the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) is the continent’s leading social investor network. By harnessing Asia’s flourishing investment market, AVPN is a leading ecosystem builder that funnels the increased flow of investor capital in Asia towards sustainable action. This ensures that valuable resources throughout Asia Pacific are effectively deployed via social investment initiatives in areas that will 16 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

have the most impact.

The importance of Corporate Civic Responsibility (CCR) greatly underpins the network as it perceives social investment not simply as corporate attitude or positioning, but as an extension of capital.

Therefore, investors can combine grants and equities across multiple investment portfolios to have a deep and meaningful impact on Asia’s sustainable landscape.

Thus, with the support of the world’s most distinguished organisations, ranging from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to toy titans Lego, AVPN has thrived for over a decade.

UNQUANTIFIABLE CORPORATE IMPACT AVPN first came to life in 2011, when the network’s founder Doug Miller was keen to create a network of

social investment infrastructure in Asia, following the establishment of the European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA) in 2004. His founding mission was therefore to create a comprehensive network of funders and resource providers to work together in moving capital forward and enacting change.

The initial seed was sewn in 2002, whilst Miller was on a charity fundraising trip with 27 fellow business owners in Vietnam. After a discussion of their respective projects, there was an overwhelming feeling of dissatisfaction with the impact they were each having. On top of this, what became clear was a lack of transparency and understanding in measuring corporate impact.

Consequently, it became Miller’s mission to elevate levels of venture philanthropy, aligning the traditional values of business investment with social responsibility and environmental accountability.

Initially, Miller began to create a social impact network in Europe to ensure that business concepts could align with the social responsibility

TOPICAL FOCUS SUSTAINABILITY

sector as a whole. He recognised the significance of long-term funding and the important fact that every social purpose organisation (SPO) is effectively a business that needs to be run effectively and offer value to society.

Subsequently, the success of the EVPA highlighted to Miller the space for philanthropic infrastructures occurring in the APAC region, primarily due to the greater amalgamation of the social and business sectors present in Asia’s portfolio of financial tools.

Miller set to work creating the scope to effectively facilitate the integration and capture of Asia’s diverse financial tools, the result of which has

AVPN’S STRATEGIES TO ENSURE CAPITAL IS RIGHTFULLY DIRECTED TO SOCIAL IMPACT: Integrate the work of both philanthropists and investors: Both sectors are dependent on each other for success. AVPN encourages the philanthropic sector to take more risks in supporting start-ups and promoting innovation, providing aid to the business sector as it establishes the roots of its social impact.

Deepen the engagement between corporations and governments: AVPN believes that the role of corporations in providing human and intellectual capital is undervalued. Therefore, as governments control policies across all sectors where the network hopes to see change, the partnership of the two entities is crucial.

Embracing the next generation: The network works to involve future generations to address present problems. This is particularly pertinent in Asia, with an estimated 35 percent of wealth transitioning to the next generation in five to seven years.

shaped AVPN into what it is today, successfully serving a spectrum of social investors.

GROWING THE SUSTAINABLE SEED With such an eclectic business portfolio, AVPN grew from the roots of collaboration to encourage partnerships across sector boundaries, creating a multifaceted system of support that spans private, public, and residential sectors.

The diversity of the network also speaks to the vast range of charities, trusts, and wider organisations that AVPN provides vital aid to. A noteworthy case of the impact AVPN has is in the APAC Sustainability Seed Fund, initiated through the collaboration between Google.org and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

This forward-thinking collaboration has generated an impressive fund of USD$3 million, which will contribute greatly to innovative solutions led by non-profit organisations to drive sustainable development across the APAC region.

The APAC Sustainability Seed Fund will scale up initiatives in unsupported communities across Australia, India, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and more, serving 11 countries in total. As a result of the fund, grants will be rewarded to help increase decarbonisation efforts, whilst unlocking biodiversity protection, water preservation, and waste management systems, all packaged in a circular economy.

Fundamentally, AVPN is the face and voice of collective sustainable change across APAC, leading the world’s greatest organisations to contribute capital towards the betterment of the region.

avpn.asia APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 17

S P OT L I G H T ON MINING IN QUEENSLAND Providing indispensable resources and value whilst striving for sustainability, mining is the unheralded industry underpinning the Sunshine State Writer: Lucy Pilgrim | Project Manager: Dave West

18 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

QUEENSLAND RESOURCES COUNCIL INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

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n the eastern coast of Australia, millions of visitors flock to Queensland every year, as it is characterised by its rugged outback landscape, dazzling sandy shores, and the magical Great Barrier Reef.

And yet, the unsung hero supporting this wondrous state is the Queensland mining industry, which plays a major part in not only generating revenue for the region, but obtaining the minerals and resources used in thousands of products, domestically and internationally.

As the mighty spokesperson for hundreds of mining entities, the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and non-profit organisation (NPO) that represents and promotes the interests of its members, whatever their thoughts or concerns may be. Its vital support and representation spans the fields of exploration, mining, minerals, processing and energy production.

Ultimately, QRC is working to shine a light and champion the contribution of its members by embracing innovations and guiding the industry to a greater sustainable future.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 19

MINING SERVICES SPECIALISTS Mining Pro provides mining production and maintenance personnel, operational supervision and management to execute mining projects from a single production fleet to whole of mine solution.

LEARN MORE

MINING PRO PROUDLY SUPPORTS THE QUEENSLAND RESOURCES INDUSTRY WITH A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF MINING SERVICES SOLUTIONS. Mining Pro Founder and MWG Mining Chairman Grant Wechsel says the business was purposebuilt specifically to support the Queensland Resources industry, in particular the coal sector.

In 2020, Wechsel established MWG Mining, a group of companies providing specialist mining services across a range of key core brands.

One of those brands, Mining Pro, was purposebuilt to service the Australian coal sector.

Mining Pro provides mining production and maintenance personnel, operational supervision and management to execute mining projects from a single production fleet to a whole of mine solution.

“We saw a unique opportunity in the market to provide a service to coal mine owners that allowed them to keep control and responsibility of the operation, but they get a genuine mining services partner in Mining Pro. We are effectively like a mining contractor without the ultra-class equipment,” states Mr Wechsel.

Mining Pro is run by mining professionals with decades in the industry who also have a depth of knowledge in employee relations which is a key differentiator for the company in the coal industry. Mining Pro Executive Director, Grant Arnold, has spent decades working for some of the biggest coal mining companies in Australia, and not only understands what approach our clients need, but also what our teams at the ‘coal face’ want. Mr Arnold shares, “It has been important that we did what we said we were

going to do as an employer and that is provide permanent jobs, communicate well with our workforce and ensure our sites are a great place to work. I frequently get our employees thanking me for their first full-time job in the industry and others saying our site is the best they’ve worked at, which is really great to hear.”

Mining Pro proudly states they are the fastest growing full-time employer in Queensland’s coal mining heartland, the Bowen Basin. At a time when many companies have looked to diversify away from coal, Mining Pro has taken a different path. Wechsel adds, “We are privately owned and run a company that understands the coal mining industry. Our directors have been a part of the industry for many years, and we recognise that it is one of the most important industries in the Queensland economy. First and foremost, we want to provide a great service for our clients, but we also openly support an industry that does so much for us, our employees and the communities in which we operate.”

Off the back of Mining Pro’s strong reputation of delivery in open cut coal mining operations across Queensland, it is now establishing its underground coal mining services business where the team can supply a particular mining service or a whole of mine solution for our underground clients.

www.miningpro.com.au info@miningpro.com.au

INTERVIEW: QUEENSLAND RESOURCES C O U N C I L (Q R C ) Speaking to Chief Executive of QRC, Ian Macfarlane, we learn about the association’s tenacious efforts towards achieving net zero by 2050 APAC Outlook (AO): Firstly, can you talk us through the origins of QRC, how it came about and its initial vision?

Ian Macfarlane, Chief Executive (IM): QRC was formed in November 2003, although its origins date back as far as 1910 when mineral rights were first vested in Queensland.

In the 1970s, two different coal bodies merged to form the Queensland Coal Association, which then joined with 22 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

the Queensland Chamber of Mines in 1990 to form the Queensland Mining Council.

QRC’s rebranding in 2003 to a Resources Council provided a one-stop shop for advocacy on behalf of all Queensland resources – petroleum, gas, minerals, coal and metals. The intention was also to focus more clearly on both ends of the value-adding chain, from the early stages of exploration and greenfield discovery right through to refining and smelting.

The broader focus of the new QRC included the establishment of our education arm, the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) in early 2005 and the public celebration of Resource Awards for Women on International Women’s Day – both early QRC initiatives that continue to grow strongly today.

QUEENSLAND RESOURCES COUNCIL INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

Presently, QRC’s vision is to provide effective representation across the resources and energy sector as a leading corporate citizen dealing respectfully with members, governments, stakeholders, and the wider community.

QRC provides high-level policy advice and analysis to achieve the best evidence-based outcomes for industry, governments, and the community.

AO: Since inception, how has QRC developed and progressed in terms of its key objectives?

IM: From its inception, QRC has focused on strategies to secure the long-term sustainability of the minerals and energy sector. We have become a highly trusted industry peak body, recognised for our leadership role within the resources industry and among stakeholders.

QRC has established a strong track record in promoting resources, engaging with government and encouraging the highest standards in the sector.

AO: What trends are currently transforming the industry and how is QRC responding to them?

IM: The biggest trend transforming the industry at the moment is of course the move to net zero by 2050. The big resources companies that operate in Queensland

have set this as an aspirational target, and as such, are working to reduce their emissions. Companies such as BHP have made definite commitments towards using more renewable energy, whilst companies such as Anglo American are experimenting with components like hydrogen and battery trucks to try and lower their emissions and use electricity generated through solar or wind power.

As well as that, we are also seeing a rise in demand for rarer strategic metals. This is providing new opportunities, particularly in North West Queensland, and is currently in the early stages with a long way to go. Moreover, we are trying to see how we can process those minerals before we export them, and perhaps even make them into the batteries that the world is demanding.

Within the more traditional mining areas, we are seeing increased demands in copper, but also lithium, which we don’t have much of in Queensland. However, we are seeing quite a lot of prospects in this area.

Additionally, the demand for coking coal is projected to stretch out for a further four or five decades at least, alongside the significant current interest for thermal coal. Across the board we are also seeing a strong demand in the materials Queensland produces as we move to net zero, which is a goal we cannot reach without the resources we are currently mining.

QUEENSLAND RESOURCES COUNCIL INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

AO: What are QRC’s biggest challenges?

IM: The biggest challenge for QRC is to ensure the industry gets a fair go from governments across Australia, as we are seeing a trend that they tend to take the mining industry for granted.

We are producing billions upon billions of dollars in tax income for state and federal governments, and without the resources sector, the federal budget wouldn’t have seen the big turnaround that it did. In Queensland, the contribution from coal alone this year will be approximately AUD$13 billion, a fair distance from the original government projections of about AUD$5.5 billion.

That’s a massive amount of money to go towards hospitals, roads, schools, police, and all the things that are essential to supporting communities.

In return, we therefore need recognition of the role that the resources sector is playing, not just in terms of taxes, but also the employment that we provide. Queensland’s resources sector supports the jobs of around 450,000 people across the state, many of them in regional areas.

The influence and benefits of the mining industry are felt right across Queensland, from Eagle and Queen Streets, the main business streets in Brisbane, north to Cloncurry and Mount Isa, and west to Birdsville.

Mining is an industry that’s making huge economic contributions, and we want to see those contributions more openly recognised.

AO: What do you find most interesting about the mineral and energy resources sector currently?

IM: Stretching across Queensland commodities, from new and traditional metals to coal, gas, petroleum and energy in general, the most interesting aspect currently is the innovation that is being brought into the industry, to not only lower emissions but also make it a safer and more efficient environment to work in that is internationally competitive.

We are seeing companies that have traditionally led the world with mining technology adopting new techniques in above ground operations, which is seen in the way they operate their trucks and logistics systems, plus how they generate energy and the way they move it around.

Some companies in the resources sector are already building large solar and renewable energy farms, one example being the Ruby Run solar farm located in Central Queensland and operated by Bravus. Thus, companies are taking a very diverse approach to technology, using it wherever they can to improve safety, efficiency, and lower their emissions to meet Australia’s net zero target by 2050.

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AO: Could you tell us more about how QRC works alongside the Queensland Government?

IM: We work very closely with numerous departments of the Queensland Government. The relationship between QRC and the Department of Resources is very strong, and it is one built on mutual respect. We’ve worked together since the inception of the department in various forms.

QRC also provides industry-wide input and feedback on policy areas, which saves the department from having talk to all our members individually. Our role is to collect their thoughts, concerns and praise and feed them back to the department.

We also work very closely with the Department of Environment and Science. Whilst at times we do have issues with some Queensland Government policies, we work efficiently at a departmental level to try and advocate for our members.

Other departments such as infrastructure, transport, and energy also rely very heavily on input from members of QRC.

AO: Does QRC have any projects in the pipeline that excite you?

IM: Safety is a core value for the resources industry and equally for QRC. We work hard to assist members operating across the minerals and energy sector, to help create a safe working environment. Currently, we’re 26 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

working with the government on a survey of employees in the resources industry to address any misconceptions about speaking up about safety concerns.

QRC has also recently received state government funding for a new initiative to address skills shortages and create job opportunities for groups underrepresented in the resources and energy sector workforce. The project is called Resources W.I.D.E (Workforce Inclusion and Diversity Engagement) and will target Indigenous Australians, women, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, veterans, refugees, and neurodiverse people who are looking for employment in the resources sector.

The resources workforce has historically been maledominated, but that is changing with QRC setting a target of 30 percent participation by women in 2026. We’ve been offering a women’s mentoring programme, in conjunction with Women in Mining and Resources Queensland (WIMARQ) for the past 10 years, as well as a mentoring programme for female students. Both have become very popular and successful in introducing women to great career opportunities in mining, from engineering to trade apprenticeships and executive leadership roles. Our

QUEENSLAND RESOURCES COUNCIL INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

“ Q R C ’ S V I S I O N I S TO P R OV I D E E F F E C T I V E R E P R E S E N TAT I O N AC R OSS T H E R E S O U R C E S A N D E N E R GY S E C TO R AS A L E A D I N G C O R P O R AT E C I T I Z E N D E A L I N G R E S P E C T F U L LY W I T H M E M B E R S , G OV E R N M E N TS , S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D T H E WIDER COMMUNITY” – I A N M A C FA R L A N E , C H I E F E X E C U T I V E , QUEENSLAND RESOURCES COUNCIL

latest figures indicate women now make up 22 percent of the resources sector workforce and we are confident of reaching our target.

The industry is committed to being part of the global solution to meet the challenges of achieving a decarbonised future. QRC and its members are committed to working together to achieve energy security while taking proactive steps towards a low-emissions economy.

We also support the Paris Agreement and its emissions reduction goals to limit global warming to well below two degrees Celsius (°C), preferably to 1.5°C, compared to preindustrial levels.

Coal Mine Site Rehabilitation is another important focus.

Amongst other initiatives, we recently introduced Coal Mine Site Rehabilitation scholarships that will fund two university students to take up postgraduate studies in world-class environmental management.

Queensland is fortunate to have large reserves of the critical minerals the world needs to develop new technology across a range of important industries including defence, health, communications, and of course, energy. QRC is working with the Queensland Government on the development of a Critical Minerals Strategy, with a focus on regulatory reform to promote secondary processing. We now have a QRC Critical Minerals Working Group to ensure Queensland has a strong role to play in the rapidly emerging, and evolving, critical minerals market.

cars. The coking coal industry will remain important to everything that involves steel.

To add to this, the demand for coking coal in developing countries is going to continue to rise. We are also seeing a rebound in the demand for thermal coal, and whilst our industry is focused on achieving net zero by 2050, the immediate focus for people in developing countries is to be able to turn their lights on. The industry is additionally addressing challenges stemming from the market disruptions of the Russian conflict in Ukraine.

Metals including aluminium, copper, zinc, and all the resources used in renewable energy projects, as well as traditional energy sources, will also see a substantial rise in demand. This is reflected in the demand for gas, which has become Queensland’s second most important export after coal, particularly with the extraordinary global demand for liquified natural gas (LNG), to ensure that every viable transitional fuel is being used to help achieve net zero.

Rare and strategic metals are in the very early stages of development but we are making good progress, with a multi-user processing plant being built in North Queensland and other companies opening mines for vanadium, which has been talked about for a long time.

So, I think that the future looks very strong, and our challenge is to not only make sure we reach our targets of net zero by 2050, but also have long-term opportunities for people to join and work in the industry, get a great career out of it, and make a difference in getting Queensland and the world to net zero by 2050.

AO: How do you see QRC and the wider industry developing over the next five years?

IM: Traditional industries will definitely remain strong.

Alongside the increased demand for coking coal, there will be heightened demand for steel, whether it’s for windfarm towers or for local infrastructure such as buildings and

QUEENSLAND RESOURCES COUNCIL Tel: 07 3295 9560 info@qrc.org.au www.qrc.org.au APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 27

INVESTMENT FIJI INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

S P OT L I G H T O N INVESTMENT IN FIJI Sat in the heart of the South Pacific, Fiji has been a regional trading hub for hundreds of years and is an island of opportunity for investors Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Deane Anderton

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trong shipping and air connectivity, coupled with modern ICT infrastructure, make Fiji a logical and opportune choice for businesses to invest in.

Fiji’s strategic location in the South Pacific makes it an ideal trading port, with the country’s two main shipping ports located in Suva and Lautoka serviced by global shipping liners. Suva is the capital and largest city in Fiji, whose port and wharf facilities are capable of handling large cargo and passenger vessels.

Northwest of Suva stands Nadi International Airport, which is equipped to handle all types of aircraft and is used by most international airlines operating on transpacific air routes. It is also the operational base of national flag

28 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

carrier, Fiji Airways, which operates scheduled flights between Fiji, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and the US, as well as through other regional countries in the South Pacific.

Complementary to Fiji’s extensive connectivity by air and sea is its state of the art ICT infrastructure, with fibre optic connectivity and the availability of 4G broadband enabling companies to operate in the global market and successfully conduct business.

Fiji is also a tax-friendly environment in which fixed corporation tax (20 percent), tax incentives, tax-free zones and low import duties make for a viable business landscape.

An equally strong asset is Fiji’s dynamic human capital,

as the country has a young, multicultural, vibrant, and welleducated workforce. Indeed, 46 percent of the population is under the age of 25, and the nation’s impressive literacy rate exceeds 90 percent.

There is evidently a multitude of benefits for investors to capitalise on in Fiji, across several sectors. Agriculture, for example, has immense potential due to the country’s virgin soils and tropical climate.

Behind sugar and subsistence agriculture, the fisheries industry is the third largest natural resource-based sector of the Fijian economy, playing a vital role in the growth and development of the country.

Fiji’s renowned culture of hospitality and resourcefulness

likewise delivers exceptional value for investors, and there are many examples of commercial success resulting from investment ventures in the tourism industry, largely regarded as another important economic driver.

The geography and geology of Fiji have also attracted multinational exploration companies to invest and successfully prospect for mineral deposits, including gold and mineral water, whilst it makes equally good business for filmmakers to take advantage of the country’s spectacular scenery.

With further opportunities in the likes of manufacturing, energy, health, forestry and ICT, Fiji is well-positioned to attract investment from around the world.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 29

BSP Financial Group Limited: Your Perfect Banking Partner for Investing in Fiji

BSP Financial Group Limited (BSP) is a leading financial services provider in the South Pacific region, offering a comprehensive range of banking products and services. With its extensive branch network spanning seven Pacific nations, including Fiji,

BSP is well-positioned to serve both retail and corporate customers across the region. In addition to this and to support international operators, BSP has corresponding arrangements with banks in all the major trading economies of the world.

BSP is a publicly listed company, traded on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and the Papua New Guinean National Stock Exchange (PNGX). This ensures its commitment to transparency, corporate governance, and accountability to shareholders which in turn allows it access to financing for their investments. The public listing also ensures that BSP adheres to rigorous compliance standards, including international anti money laundering and counter terrorism financing legislations, ensuring that its operations are in line with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.

Unlock a World of Possibilities with Our Diverse Range of Products and Services BSP understands that every investor

has unique financial goals. That is why we offer a comprehensive suite of products and services that cater to the specific needs of all sizes of businesses.

This ranges from basic banking services such as opening and maintaining bank accounts in domestic and foreign currencies to more specialised offerings like commercial and trade finance to investment and cashflow advisory services.

Here in Fiji, BSP, comprising of the Bank, BSP Life and BSP Finance, offers businesses and investors a unique advantage that guarantees them the support needed for them to thrive.

Within the BSP Fiji Group, the other companies can offer asset finance and life and health insurance through BSP Finance and BSP Life, respectively.

BSP’s account services cover a wide range of banking needs, providing convenience and flexibility for both local and international transactions. Whether customers require a current account for day-to-day business operations, a savings account for long-term financial goals, or foreign currency accounts for global transactions, BSP has you covered.

Financing Options Tailored to Your Business Needs As an investor, securing the right financing options is crucial for the success of your business.

BSP is well-equipped to provide the necessary funding for your operations or expansion plans. BSP’s team of experienced professionals understands the unique challenges and opportunities in Fiji’s business environment. Whether you require project financing to expand your business operations, trade finance solutions to facilitate import and export activities, or working capital loans to support your day-to-day operations, we collaborate closely with you to structure customised financial solutions that align with your specific needs.

Unparalleled Customer Service: BSP’s 24/7 Support Sets the Standard in Fiji When it comes to providing exceptional customer service, BSP stands out as the leading banking institution in Fiji. We take great pride in being the only bank in the country to offer round-the-clock customer service support, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

They understand that as an investor or business owner, accessible banking services are crucial for your operations.

With BSP, you can rest assured knowing that our dedicated relationship managers and customer service agents are available to address your inquiries, resolve issues, and help whenever you need it. Enjoy the convenience and peace of mind that comes with our unmatched 24/7 customer service support.

Networking and Connections to Navigate Fiji’s Market Setting up operations in a new country can be a complex process, but with BSP as your banking partner, you gain access to a vast network and strong local connections within Fiji’s business community. As the largest bank in Fiji, BSP has a deep understanding of the local market dynamics and can provide valuable insights to help you make informed business decisions. BSP’s

relationship managers, who possess extensive knowledge and experience, will assist you through the intricacies of doing business in Fiji.

Moreover, BSP actively engages with various industry organisations, chambers of commerce, and business associations in Fiji. By partnering with BSP, you tap into a network that extends beyond banking, providing you with opportunities to connect with key stakeholders, attend industry events, and engage in fruitful collaborations.

Our commitment to building strong relationships and fostering partnerships ensures that you have the necessary support and resources to navigate Fiji’s market landscape successfully.

Technology and Digital Services for Seamless Banking In today’s digital era, efficient and secure banking services are essential for business success. BSP understands this need and has invested in cuttingedge technology to provide seamless digital banking services. With BSP’s Business Online Banking platform you can enjoy convenient access to a wide range of digital banking and payment solutions, including international banking services. The platform is designed to simplify your banking transactions, improve efficiency, and enhance overall convenience.

Through our Business Online Banking platform, you can easily manage your accounts, initiate, and approve transactions, access real-time account information, and securely communicate with your relationship manager. Our robust security measures ensure that your financial information is protected, providing you with peace of mind while conducting your business online.

Whether you need to make domestic or international payments, transfer funds between accounts, or access comprehensive reporting and analytics, BSP’s digital services have got you covered.

Personalised Business Banking Services and Competitive Rates Efficiency is a key factor in running a successful business and BSP recognises the importance of reliable and efficient business banking services.

When you choose BSP business banking services, you will have a dedicated relationship manager as your primary point of contact. BSP’s relationship managers are experienced professionals who provide personalised assistance and guidance throughout your banking journey with BSP. They take the time to understand your business needs, anticipate your requirements, and proactively offer tailored solutions to help you achieve your financial objectives.

Additionally, BSP offers competitive interest rates, fees, and charges on various financial products, allowing you to effectively manage your finances and make the most of your investment in Fiji. BSP understands that these are costs to a business and can significantly impact cash flow profitability. That is why they strive to provide competitive deals that align with market trends, ensuring that you can optimise your returns on investment.

Trust in Our Strong Financial Backing and Strategic Partnerships Choosing a banking partner with a strong financial foundation is essential for the long-term success of your

business. BSP has solid financial backing and strategic partnerships that provide added stability and reliability.

Our robust risk management framework ensures that we maintain a strong capital position, adhering to regulatory requirements and industry best practices. This commitment to financial strength and stability means that you can have confidence in the security and sustainability of your banking arrangements, knowing that you are supported by a trusted and established financial institution.

Furthermore, BSP has established strategic partnerships with reputable institutions both locally and internationally. These partnerships enable us to leverage synergies, expand our service offerings, and provide you with access to a wider range of financial solutions. Through these collaborations, we continually strive to enhance the value we bring to our customers, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of the banking industry in Fiji and the South Pacific.

Seamless International Banking Services for Your Global Ventures As a foreign investor, you need reliable international banking services to facilitate cross-border transactions

global ventures, knowing that your international banking needs are in capable hands.

Empowering Fiji’s Future Through Shared Corporate Social Responsibility

and manage your global financial operations. BSP offers a comprehensive range of international banking services to meet your specific needs. Whether you require foreign currency accounts to hold and transact in multiple currencies, trade finance solutions to support your import and export activities, or international money transfers to seamlessly move funds across borders, our experienced team will assist you in navigating the complexities of international banking.

BSP’s expertise in international banking extends to foreign exchange services, where they offer competitive rates and efficient execution to facilitate your currency conversions.

We understand the importance of timely and accurate foreign exchange transactions, which is why we have dedicated specialists who can provide valuable insights and guidance on managing currency risks.

With BSP as your banking partner, you can confidently expand your

While seeking business opportunities in Fiji, consider a banking partner that not only prioritises financial success but also shares a deep commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR).

BSP is proud to have an established reputation of being at the forefront of CSR in Fiji, focusing on key areas such as environmental sustainability, education, sports, and community development. BSP’s Go Green initiative demonstrates our dedication to protecting Fiji and the region’s natural environment. Our nationwide community programmes ensure community development for schools, healthcare, and empower Fiji’s future.

By choosing BSP we can help you achieve your business goals in this tropical paradise.

bula@bsp.com.fj www.bsp.com.fj

INVESTMENT FIJI INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

INTERVIEW: As CEO of Investment Fiji, the statutory body promoting investment opportunities and facilitating economic growth, Kamel Chetty highlights the reasons to invest and do business in the Pacific archipelago

I

nvestment Fiji is matching people with businesses and projects in the hub of the Pacific.

APAC Outlook (AO): Firstly, could you talk us through the origins and vision of Investment Fiji?

Kamel Chetty, CEO (KC): Investment Fiji was initially established as a statutory body by the Economic Development Board (EDB) Act Number 11 of 1980 to promote, stimulate and facilitate the economic development of Fiji. However, in 2021 the Investment Act 34 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

INVES was published as Act 5 of 2021, replacing the Foreign Investment Act of 1999. This Act introduced a broader range of treatments as international investors now have access to a wider variety of protection assurances.

Additionally, it removed the requirement for foreign investors to apply for a Foreign Investor Registration Certificate. However, the Act still authorised the government to publish a list of activities exclusive to domestic companies or where foreign investment was only permitted up to a certain minimum investment or ownership threshold. It enables

STMENT FIJI the government to impose restrictions on investments in crucial infrastructure, including finance, energy, transportation, communications, data storage, and the ability to access and manage sensitive information.

Today, Investment Fiji operates as an investment and trade promotion agency, fostering sustainable financing ventures and increasing the country’s export potential.

The new Act promotes investment in Fiji by introducing a broader range of treatment and protection guarantees for foreign investors and removes the requirement for foreign investors to obtain a Foreign Investment Registration Certificate.

Investment Fiji has also marked its first anniversary this year, operating as a fully-fledged inflation-protected annuity (IPA). The shift from regulatory to facilitation has allowed the organisation to divert its attention and

resources into solely promoting Fiji as an investment and trade destination. Given the competitive global platform, operating as an IPA allows Investment Fiji to maximise the interests of international and domestic investors, turning leads into meaningful developments.

Investment Fiji has also developed a new strategy with the vision of being a leading economic development agency, ensuring increased sustainable investments and exports. The organisation aims to create a positive economic impact for Fijians through premium investments, exports, and employment opportunities.

We also seek to diversify the economy, so it is dynamic and less susceptible to global economic shocks. Hence, Investment Fiji is a key factor in the government’s efforts to ensure a Fiji of the future where a good and sustainable quality of life is accessible to all.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 35

Paradise Lightings – savings for a brighter tomorrow Paradise Lightings PTE Limited is an innovator in the realm of cutting-edge LED lighting solutions.

Established in 2022, we have swiftly emerged as pioneers in the manufacturing of next-generation LED lights that are not only designed to illuminate spaces but to redefine the very concept of lighting efficiency and longevity.

At Paradise Lightings, we believe in a future illuminated by innovation. Our flagship product line, the Paradise LED lights, embodies this ethos by offering unparalleled performance and sustainability.

With a remarkable lifespan of 100,000 hours, equating to over a decade of continuous illumination on a 24hour working basis, our LED lights truly stand the test of time.

Crafted to meet and exceed European and other international standards, our Paradise LED lights promise uncompromising quality and reliability.

However, that is just the beginning of our commitment to excellence. What sets us apart is our compliance with stringent standards but also our dedication to energy conservation and cost efficiency.

Paradise LED lights are not just luminaires but harbingers of a brighter, more efficient future.

By harnessing the latest advancements in LED technology, our lights are engineered to save more than 50 percent of energy consumption. This isn’t

just a statistic; it’s a transformative leap towards a greener planet and sustainable business practices.

Moreover, our dedication to efficiency continues beyond there.

The concept of ‘waste not, want not’ resonates deeply with us. Traditional lighting solutions often incur hefty replacement and maintenance costs, eating into resources and budgets. Here at Paradise Lightings, we champion a different approach. With our Paradise LED lights, we promise savings in energy usage and drastically reduce the need for replacements and maintenance. This optimises operational costs and also reduces the environmental footprint of lighting solutions.

We recognise that luminance matters as much as efficiency. That’s why we’ve meticulously designed our Paradise LED lights to maintain the same luminance while operating at reduced wattage. This groundbreaking achievement translates to tangible savings for our customers without compromising on the quality of light.

LED lighting longevity is crucial, but it’s a fact that light output tends to degrade gradually over time.

Unfortunately, this vital consideration is often overlooked in commercial and domestic settings. At Paradise Lightings, we take this concern seriously.

While many manufacturers shy away from offering

warranties on lumen degradation, we stand by our products. We believe in transparency and durability, and our commitment to customer satisfaction remains unwavering.

In a world where sustainability, efficiency, and reliability are paramount, Paradise Lightings PTE Limited is your beacon of innovation. Join us on a journey illuminated by the brilliance of Paradise LED lights and the promise of a brighter future for generations to come.

Global collaboration: paradise lightings welcomes partners worldwide At Paradise Lightings, our vision extends beyond borders. We are open to partners and collaborators worldwide joining us in illuminating a more sustainable future. Let’s work together to significantly impact energy efficiency and create a brighter world for generations to come.

Our Products – Paradise LEDs Features: Revolutionising energy savings: illuminate efficiently with 81 percent less energy Introducing a groundbreaking leap in lighting technology: our latest innovation boasts an astounding energy savings rate of 81 percent, with an impressive luminous efficacy of 190lm/w and consuming only 7 watts of power against 36w of florescent lights with a 100lm/w. We are proud to unveil a lighting solution that brilliantly illuminates your space and significantly reduces energy consumption. Experience the future of lighting efficiency with us.

Unmatched durability: lighting the way for 100,000 hours Step into an era of lighting that stands the test of time. Our cutting-edge solution shines bright for an astonishing 100,000 hours. Say goodbye to frequent replacements and welcome a lighting companion that will illuminate your path for years to come. Discover a new level of longevity with us.

Cool brilliance: redefining lighting with 75 percent less heat generation Embrace the future of lighting that not only radiates brilliance but also keeps its cool. Our revolutionary technology slashes heat generation by a remarkable 75 percent, ensuring a comfortable and safe environment. Illuminate your surroundings confidently, knowing that efficiency and comfort go hand in hand. Join us in experiencing a new era of lighting innovation.

Consistent brilliance: lux performance with minimal lumen drop Experience lighting that maintains its brilliance year after year. Our Luz Performance boasts an impressive

track record, with lumen drops as low as two to four percent per year. Say goodbye to rapid decay and hello to enduring radiance. Trust in lighting that stands the test of time while keeping your space illuminated at its best. Discover the difference with us.

Reliability redefined: product failure rate of only 0.01 percent per year When it comes to lighting, trust is paramount. Our commitment to quality shines through with an incredibly low product failure rate of just 0.01 percent per year. Say farewell to uncertainty and welcome uninterrupted illumination into your life. With us, reliability isn’t just a promise – it’s a guarantee you can depend on. Join us in experiencing a new standard of lighting assurance.

Stability in illumination: LED driver failure rate a mere one percent power loss Elevate your lighting experience with stability that’s second to none. Our LED Driver boasts an exceptional track record, with a mere one percent power loss in driver failure rate. Say goodbye to fluctuations and hello to unwavering radiance. Trust in lighting that maintains its integrity, ensuring your space remains consistently illuminated. Experience the difference with our dependable LED Driver technology.

Effortless brilliance: low maintenance effort lighting solution Simplify your lighting experience with our lowmaintenance solution. Designed for ease and convenience, our lighting solution requires minimal effort to upkeep. Say farewell to frequent interventions and welcome a hassle-free way to keep your space beautifully illuminated. With us, brilliance doesn’t come at the cost of effort. Experience lighting made it effortless.

The L80B10 has been derived from the LM80 test procedure.

With an astonishing less than two percent annual luminosity loss, we proudly adhere to the L80B10 standard. Join the ranks of those who experience

enduring brilliance, where over 90 percent of our LED lights maintain 90 percent of their lumen output for the first 60,000 hours. Illuminate your world with consistency and exceed expectations with us.

Look beyond watts: invest in lumens for savings Shift your focus from watts to lumens when making decisions. It’s not just about power; it’s about the money you save over the next two years. Embrace change with the assurance of long-term savings and brighter results. Illuminate your path to financial efficiency.

A win-win solution: risk-free transformation for you Discover the ultimate solution tailored just for you. Our performance-based offering means you don’t need to invest upfront. Instead, pay from the savings generated by the switch. It’s a promise of results without any risk on your part. Experience a transformation that benefits you from day one – a true win-win situation.

Customer Testimonial: Testimonial: A Bright Transformation with Paradise Lightings “We are thrilled to share our experience with Paradise Lightings Pte Ltd. In February 2023, we partnered

with them to enhance our Nasese Complex, installing energy-saving lights across buildings 1, 2, and 3. The transformation has been remarkable.

The replacement of 1,593 four-feet and 523 two-feet LED tube lights, totalling 2,116 lights, was seamless thanks to Paradise Lightings. Since the installation, we’ve observed a number of significant changes: 1. Energy Efficiency: Our energy consumption has notably decreased, resulting in substantial savings on our EFL bills.

2. Savings Beyond Bills: Not only have we cut energy costs, but also the absence of replacement and maintenance expenses adds to our savings.

3.Assured Performance: The LED tube lights come with a reassuring performance warranty lasting five years.

Fiji Revenue & Customs Service wholeheartedly recommends Paradise Lightings Pte Ltd to both commercial and residential customers seeking energy-efficient lighting solutions. Their expertise and dedication have undoubtedly benefited our organisation.

We extend our best wishes to Paradise Lightings Pte Ltd for their future endeavours. With gratitude “Fiji Revenue & Customs Service”

Could you introduce me to Paradise Lighting, your products and services, your client base, the number of employees, and the history and evolution of the company?

Paradise Technologies, established in 2009, is committed to energy-saving solutions. Our core business revolves around harnessing state-ofthe-art technology to champion energy-saving initiatives. Our array of offerings includes advanced energy-saving devices tailored for air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. But that’s not all – we’re dedicated to delivering ultra-energy-saving solutions like UV-C lights, protecting against harmful pathogens, viruses, and bacteria.

In addition to our comprehensive lineup, we specialise in crafting customised solar systems designed to cater to the unique energy needs of the commercial sector. Our commitment to innovation and sustainability drives us to redefine energy efficiency, safeguarding the environment and our clients’ bottom line.

What is Paradise Lighting’s ‘win-win package’, and how does it benefit clients?

Our unique Win-Win package enables clients to acquire assets from the savings they realise through reduced operating costs (OPEX). This ensures the performance of our lights, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and contributing to the company’s bottom line. Furthermore, it aligns with government efforts to reduce the demand for fossil fuels.

Our range of products is designed to significantly reduce energy consumption, catering to a diverse clientele, including supermarkets, banks, hospitals, warehouses, poultry farms, and retail chains. With a workforce of 30 individuals managing production, marketing, sales, and a technical team for project execution, we have traversed a progressive path from our inception.

Are there any new product lines you would like to discuss or any existing ones you would like to highlight?

Our latest innovation brings forth a new era of LED lights. These cutting-edge lights are 60 percent more efficient than conventional market LED lights, boasting a life span of 100,000 hours and offering warranties of 10 years or more.

How are your products able to save a substantial amount of energy consumption?

The unique selling point of our products lies in their luminous efficacy of 180 lumens per watt, as opposed to the conventional market LED’s 100 lumens per watt. This enables a reduction in power consumption while maintaining brightness.

Could you tell me about your patented technology for the tube lights?

Our lights feature the patented Chip on Board (COB) technology, which sets them apart and contributes to their distinctiveness.

Do you have any investments or trade opportunities with other countries?

With our unparalleled product offerings, we extend our solutions to countries across Oceania, South Asia, and North and South America, seeking to broaden our impact globally.

What are your key priorities for the coming year?

Are there any goals you would like to achieve with Paradise Lighting?

Our primary focus lies in expanding our reach and supplying exceptional lighting solutions to countries in Oceania and beyond. Our mission remains to contribute to climate mitigation by reducing the carbon footprint through energy-efficient technologies.

Is there anything significant to the company you would like to add or call attention to?

We emphasise the significance of customer education in energy conservation and advocate for a shift in focus towards emphasising lumen output over wattage requirements. This will undoubtedly lead to more informed decisions and optimised energy consumption.

With Paradise Lighting’s dedication to innovation, energy efficiency, and global impact, the future indeed shines brighter.

As an energy management company, what role does Paradise Lighting play in the Government’s climate action plan?

Our lights hold the potential to drastically reduce energy consumption by 60 percent or more, effectively decreasing the carbon footprint left by conventional LED lights.

How does Paradise Lighting combat the rising cost of energy, and why is it of particular concern for Pacific Island countries?

With the escalating energy costs, the need for cost reduction is critical. Our products offer an attractive payback period of around two years, significantly alleviating the financial burden and making it particularly beneficial for countries in the Pacific region.

Website: paradiselightingsfj.com Tel: +(679) 7922660 +(679) 8960601 E-mail: sales@paradisetechfj.com

AO: What is your current take on the investment climate in Fiji? Is it a particularly conducive or challenging environment to invest and do business in?

KC: The investment climate in Fiji is generating a lot of interest from foreign investors; our team has received enquiries across various sectors from 49 countries each year to date. New Zealand tops the chart (31 percent), with Australia (22 percent), the US (10 percent), India and China (both three percent) following suit. Enquiries for sectors such as tourism (30 percent), ICT and business process outsourcing (BPO) (seven percent), manufacturing (six percent), and energy (six percent) top the list. However, the real estate sector has been picking up a few interests and developments around the country.

The Government of Fiji has made it easier for both local and international investors to set up their businesses in Fiji. Investment Fiji’s new Fiji portal allows companies quick and easy access to a single business hub for starting 40 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

a company or building permit application. Investment Fiji also facilitates and provides aftercare services to businesses around Fiji and collaborates closely with the Government to ensure that all bottleneck issues are promptly dealt with to allow for a more seamless transition of organisational processes and applications.

Policies and regulations such as the Investment Act 2021 and Investment Fiji Act 2022 allow for a proper framework to help support and protect investors and Fiji.

The Investment Act 2022 focuses on realigning the mandate and functions of Investment Fiji to enable the organisation to transition from being a regulator to a promotion agency for attracting international and domestic investors. The Investment Act 2021 introduces a range of treatment and protection guarantees for international investors, whilst also removing the requirement to apply for a Foreign Investor Registration Certificate. It also imposes the same reporting obligations on foreign and local investors.

INVESTMENT FIJI INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

“ I N V E S T M E N T F I J I P L AY S A C R U C I A L R O L E I N FA C I L I TAT I N G THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRIES, VENTURES, AND ENTERPRISES W H I C H P O S I T I V E LY I M P A C T T H E F I J I A N E C O N O M Y ” – K A M E L C H E T T Y, C E O , I N V E S T M E N T F I J I

The Government has implemented tax incentives to encourage investment in certain sectors. This includes tax holidays, tax-free zones, lower import duties, and more.

AO: What are some of the biggest investment opportunities in Fiji, and how do you promote them?

KC: Tourism, technology, BPO, and manufacturing are some of the major investment opportunities in Fiji.

The tourism sector has been a major GDP contributor to the nation being a solid sector of Fiji compared to benchmarked countries. Investment Fiji prioritises three subsectors: traditional tourism, sports tourism, and medical tourism. Based on potential demand and alignment with Fiji’s capabilities and strengths, sectors such as tourism show potential for investors. The tourism industry bounced back beyond expectations after the COVID-19 pandemic, showing clear signs of growth in the next couple of years, with leisure travel normalising in 2022.

Fiji’s outsourcing sector has also become an essential segment of the Fijian economy. The sector has the potential to showcase a strong historical foreign direct investment (FDI) performance with positive global recovery. It also has established business associations and ecosystems that are beneficial for potential investors and partners plus, there is also a growing demand in the outsourcing sector. With enormous opportunities in the sector, it is expected to create 100,000 jobs in Fiji within the next 10 years. The Fiji Government is providing a 20-year tax-free holiday to investors in the outsourcing sector, and it has also shown enormous potential with unexpected growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, creating jobs for Fijians.

Technology is also a high-priority sector, given its importance in a post-COVID-19 world, and has cut across all sectors and has thrived at the top among other fields. The digital world itself has become a cornerstone of modern society. With the internet user penetration rate rising globally, technologies have matured and are embedded into even more businesses. Therefore, Investment Fiji is focused on attracting fully digital companies to improve their digital skills, structure, APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 41

FIJI NATIONAL PROVIDENT FUND www.myfnpf.com.fj

Elevating our mem financial future.

In Fiji’s economic landscape, the Fiji National Provident Fund The Return on Investment (ROI) achieved in 2022 was 7.4% (FNPF) shines as a beacon of astute investment and forwardcompared to 6.13% in the 2021 financial year. The ROI has thinking financial management. been improving after the decline from 8.56% in 2019 to 4.09% As a major investor and esteemed property owner FNPF’s in 2020 due to the effects of the pandemic. influence pulsates across the nation, underpinned by From a solid foundation of $320.4 million in 2020, profits an impressive portfolio that includes majority shares in swelled to to a staggering $600.5 million in 2022, a feat that Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Pte Ltd, Vodafone Fiji Pte Ltd speaks volumes about FNPF’s prowess in cultivating strategic and Home Finance Company Pte Ltd. investments.

The Fund also holds full ownership of the InterContinental Fiji The prudential management and strong growth has enabled Golf Resort and Spa, Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course, the Fund to issue an annual crediting rate of 5% in 2021, 6% in Yatule Resort and Spa at Natadola Beach, Holiday Inn Suva, 2022 and 7% interest in 2023 to its members.

Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay, Sheraton Fiji Resort, The Westin Every decision we make, every we craft is ing Resort, Denarau Golf and Racquet Club and the Grand Pacific INVESTMENT EXPOSURE ANDstrategy OPPORTUNITIES Hotel. essence of ourIt ismembers’ hopes. important to understand FNPF’s investment exposure to evaluate the Fund’s potential for growth and stability.

EMPOWERING OUR MEMBERS FNPF has historically maintained a balanced approach to Over the years,its the growth diversification of our i For over 57 years, FNPF has played a pivotal role in the lives investment allocation,and leveraging both domestic and of its members, offering a comprehensive retirement savings international opportunities.

While the majority of investments enabled us to maximise returns. We invest across vari solution with several key retirement products. A steadfast are situated within Fiji, with a high concentration in fixed& Fund investment econo guardian of over 400,000 members, the including Fund operates developments income securities, the also diversifies toin tapmajor into as a defined-contribution pension scheme through the international markets with the potential for higher returns. for Fiji. collaboration of both employers and employees contributing The Fund’s exposure to various asset classes provides a a portion of the employee’s earnings to the Fund. These diversified and balanced risk-return profile. Investments contributions are invested strategically to generate returns, in equities offer growth potential, while bonds and cash As growth. the nation’sequivalents sole provider of and superannuation, forging a sustainable path towards long-term contribute stability income generation. The we be The primary objective of FNPF’s investments is to maximize Fund’s ventures into real estate add further diversification and responsibility of nurturing and securing the financial f returns while managing risks prudently. By investing across potential capital appreciation. members. various asset classes such as equities, bonds, real estate, Furthermore, FNPF actively explores socially responsible and term deposits, the Fund aims to diversify its portfolio and and sustainable investment avenues. FNPF embraces ethical achieve consistent growth. and environmentally conscious investment practices not only FNPF’s investment strategy is a testament to its foresight aligning with global trends but as a reflection of Fiji’s own anchored in profound commitment to long-term sustainability. pledge to sustainable development.

Adherence to sound investment principles is also a testament ELEVATING FINANCIAL WELL-BEING to FNPF’s unwavering dedication to prudent financial Follow us on management.

With a focus on stability and consistent earnings, FNPF The Fund is also actively and diligently expanding its endeavors to For enhance the financial well-being of itsormembers, more information, call 5857 email informatio investment horizons, extending a warm invitation to potential providing them with a dependable and prosperous future. investors.

The Fund can sustain this momentum by fostering an environment where potential investors converge with the FLOURISHING FINANCIAL GROWTH Fund, forging flourishing partnerships and nurturing synergistic The Fund’s investment portfolio witnessed an impressive surge collaborations. of $520 million in 2022 to close at $8.6 billion. This growth FNPF stands tall as a formidable institution dedicated to surpasses even the impressive $250 million increase in the ensuring dreams of its members to be materialized in a investment portfolio observed in the preceding year, as the comfortable retirement. Its strategic investments, thoughtfully Fund ascended from $7.85 billion in 2020 to $8.1 billion in 2021. diversified portfolio and steadfast commitment to sustainability The resilience of FNPF shines particularly bright in the face of make it an attractive option for retirement savings. FNPF adversity. Despite the significant disbursement of COVID-19 serves as a vital contributor to Fiji’s social and economic response pay-outs to members, the Fund was able to achieve progress etching a legacy that secures the financial destinies growth within its investment portfolio. of its members and the nation itself.

mbers

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investments have ious asset classes omic contributors

Elevating our members financial future.

ear the future of our

Every decision we make, every strategy we craft is ingrained with the essence of our members’ hopes.

Over the years, the growth and diversification of our investments have enabled us to maximise returns. We invest across various asset classes including developments & investment in major economic contributors on@fnpf.com.fj for Fiji.

As the nation’s sole provider of superannuation, we bear the responsibility of nurturing and securing the financial future of our members.

Follow us on

For more information, call 5857 or email information@fnpf.com.fj

INVESTMENT FIJI INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

and readiness, and overall, positively influence the development of services in the country. Knowledge process outsourcing (KPO), infrastructure technology outsourcing (ITO), and BPO are the main areas in which Investment Fiji prioritises its efforts and resources.

Consumer products, food, and agribusiness sectors are also key economic contributors to the country, alongside basic materials manufacturing. The Manufacturing sector has immense potential in Fiji as the country offers a ‘near source’, cost-effective alternative to Australian and New Zealand production and is also in a similar time zone to both countries. There are also opportunities within the sector for creating premium products for niche markets as the Fiji Government is building a sustainable and globally competitive manufacturing sector through targeted assistance and a sound enabling environment for the private sector. This sector includes textiles, garments, footwear, sugar, tobacco, food processing, beverages (including mineral water) and wood-based industries.

Value-addition opportunities are also being promoted by the Government to all sectors for export purposes. Some of the major opportunities exist in this industry by way of manufacturing organic certified products, including coconut and fruit products and nutraceuticals which are in high demand from overseas markets.

44 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

Fiji has a large young population that can be trained quickly with a neutral English accent, a beneficial factor for the sector. In addition to this, Fiji is also focusing heavily on clothing, footwear, as well as other apparel and accessories as priority subsectors. Cropping (including Kava), fisheries, breweries, and distilleries are our key focus in the agriculture sector, with pharmaceutical preparations, medicinal and botanical, and dental services being the target for potential investment opportunities within Fiji’s health sector.

INVESTMENT FIJI INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

AO: Equally, how do you facilitate the development of industries, ventures or enterprises that benefit the Fijian economy?

KC: Investment Fiji plays a crucial role in facilitating the development of industries, ventures, and enterprises which positively impact the Fijian economy. This includes but is not limited to investment promotion, sector-specific incentives, investment facilitation and aftercare services, 46 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

stakeholder engagements, capacity building, investment promotion events, and sustainable development.

At Investment Fiji, stakeholder relationships play a crucial role in the success of our promotion and attraction activities. The organisation has established a strategic relationship between us and our key partners to ensure successful investment and export promotion to Fiji.

These prioritisations include strengthening relationships with international consultants, government departments, economic development partners, academia, and commercial partners to help support the work of the international Investment Fiji teams. This is particularly pertinent in lead generation, supporting investor facilitation in other legal and government requirements that underpin the execution and closing of investment and export deals, whilst also providing information and facilitation services to companies interested in their region, particularly for exports. These partnerships allow the organisation to access resources that define the employers’ needs and enhance their capabilities of capturing investment and trade leads. Supporting roles provided by our stakeholders have also led to new investment and export opportunities by organising events that place Fiji on a global platform.

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INVESTMENT FIJI INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

Investment Fiji also delivers efficient facilitation and aftercare services to companies that bring positive economic impact to Fiji and assists in establishing, retaining and expanding investment in the country.

The organisation also focuses on sustainability, a key component of the Fiji Government, with goals such as converting to renewable/alternative energy in the coming years. Investment Fiji prioritises sustainable development in various industries and enhances green jobs in sectors such as tourism, food and agriculture, manufacturing, and mining.

AO: What are the main benefits of investing and doing business in Fiji?

KC: There are numerous benefits for investors to start their business in Fiji. One of the primary reasons is the country’s strategic location; it is in the South Pacific with access to important markets such as Australia, New Zealand, and China. Therefore, it has been a trading hub for years. Complementing our location are robust shipping and air connectivity facilities, coupled with modern ICT infrastructure, which makes Fiji a logical choice for starting a business.

48 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

“ O U R G OA L I S TO M A X I M I S E THE INTERESTS OF I N T E R N AT I O N A L A N D D O M E ST I C I N V E STO R S , T U R N I N G L E A DS I N TO MEANINGFUL DEVELOPMENTS” – K A M E L C H E T T Y, C E O , I N V E S T M E N T F I J I

INVESTMENT FIJI INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

Together we make it happen

We provide a comprehensive service to all investors to make their venture into Fiji effective, comfortable and professional.

We provide a complete range of services through our Legal section which covers; Investment proposals, Reserve Bank, Immigration, Customs, Inland Revenue, Companies Office, Share issues, Lands and Titles, Banking arrangements. And together with our Tax and Business Services teams we offer Tax planning, software solutions, accounting services, management services, staff recruitment and outsourcing services. We also have a Cyber Security team to safeguard your IT systems.

OFFICES: NADI: 6702430 | SUVA: 3311061 | LABASA: 8811561

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Ph: 6702185 Mob: 8313589

McDonaldsFJ

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 49

INVESTMENT FIJI INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

Suva

Fiji has two major ports in Suva and Lautoka, and global shipping liners to service the island as well as direct services to and from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and the Americas, which are complemented by our national airline that flies to various significant trade markets across the globe.

The nation also boasts state of the art ICT infrastructure with fibre optic connectivity and the availability of a 4G broadband cellular network, enabling businesses to operate in a global market.

The Fiji Government has implemented various incentives and policies to create a favourable investment environment for local and foreign investors. The country has a fixed corporate tax of only 25 percent; furthermore, for businesses listed on the South Pacific stock exchange, the tax rate drops to 15 percent. There are several lucrative tax incentives, tax-free zones and low import duties, all of which make Fiji a viable business environment.

As English is the country’s most widely spoken language, besides having a well-educated workforce, Fiji can provide investors with qualified young professionals committed to gaining experience with international companies.

Furthermore, the majority of the population is under the age of 25 and with a high literacy rate, making Fiji’s human capital a powerful asset.

50 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

Lautoka

AO: How do you see investment in Fiji developing over the coming years?

KC: Various sectors show potential to contribute to the Fijian economy. Traditional tourism, including accommodation such as hotels and transients, has very high global and regional metrics outputs. Sports tourism also has increased in demand, with Fiji’s current capabilities limited due to a lack of sporting infrastructure and nearby accommodation services.

INVESTMENT FIJI INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

With the Fiji Tourism Investment Summit, we saw enormous interest in increasing Fiji’s room numbers. Many global players are making moves to capture the potential within this sector. Given the enquiries coming in, there is a massive demand for more rooms in Fiji, which will likely call for significant development in the investment space.

Medical tourism is also identified as an opportunity area as Fiji has the potential to target niche operation areas, such as dental services that are currently expensive in neighbouring developed countries such as Australia and New Zealand. BPO also has a high global volume of projects with several job opportunities. ITO is a growing sector both globally and regionally as digitisation becomes more critical. Looking at Fiji’s capability in this subsector, interest has been shown in developing digital infrastructure and capabilities.

KPO is also gaining traction regarding the number of FDI projects globally and locally. It has been realised that KPO high-level tasks such as market research, marketing services, and publishing are outsourced by companies to vendors. Fiji has captured the interest of many major brands that have seen potential in this area. KPO encompasses processes requiring advanced information search, analytical, interpretation, technical skills, reasoning, and decision-making ability, positioned at the topmost point regarding the intellectual value chain.

Additionally, manufacturing (including botanical products) has also been identified as a potential FDI subsector, enabling Investment Fiji to capitalise in these areas in the future.

AO: Finally, what are Investment Fiji’s critical priorities in order to continue promoting investment opportunities in the country?

KC: To achieve substantial growth in FDI, Investment Fiji enhances opportunities in top-priority sectors, such as tourism, manufacturing, outsourcing, food and agriculture, and healthcare. The organisation also prioritises trade markets and captures opportunities in food and agribusiness, mining, and materials manufacturing.

This would only be possible through Investment Fiji’s strategic priorities, which include: • Investment promotion – to increase the contribution made by investors to Fiji’s economy by promoting Fiji’s competitive and comparative advantages.

We have been supporting the growth of Fijian businesses, particularly in the Agriculture and MSME sectors across the mainland and outer islands of Fiji. Our commitment to empowering generations of Fijians remains steadfast.

Fiji Development Bank

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• Aftercare – to assist investors in overcoming any challenges to the growth and expansion of their activities and support investors with their expansion and diversification objectives.

• Policy advocacy – to collect information, raise awareness of investors’ challenges, and recommend reform measures to improve Fiji’s investment and businessenabling environment.

• Image building – to promote Fiji as a desirable investment destination.

Investment Fiji’s priority is to provide investors with guaranteed access to comprehensive support and guidance, allowing for a much more streamlined process in terms of advice, overcoming hurdles and manoeuvring through the regulatory processes.

• Export promotion – to enable and promote re-development and expansion of export.

• Investment facilitation – to facilitate all necessary information and services to assist prospective and existing investors in meeting their specific investment project needs.

INVESTMENT FIJI Tel: 331 5988 | info@investmentfiji.org.fj. www.investmentfiji.org.fj APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 51

M A L AYS I A S E M I C O N D U C TO R INDUSTRY S P OT L I G H T 52 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

MALAYSIA SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

As a well-established assembly and testing hub within the worldwide semiconductor supply chain, Malaysia is prominently positioned to experience significant growth.

We step inside one of the nation’s key associations at the helm of this vital development Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Deane Anderton

M

alaysia’s strong standing within the global semiconductor market today owes much to the vision and foresight of its leaders, especially in the nation’s post-independence era.

During the 1960s, the fledgling nation was looking to transition its economy from one historically based on mining and agriculture, to an alternative focus on manufacturing. Furthermore, electrical and electronics (E&E) was quickly identified as a sector of gigantic potential due to Malaysia’s semi-skilled and Englishproficient workforce, emerging as an ideal match.

Free Industrial Trade Zones (FTZ) were subsequently established across the nation and foreign direct investments (FDIs) were put into immediate development. From 1972 onwards, Malaysian pioneers arrived and set up facilities, focusing on states like Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Johor which had the most advanced infrastructure at the time.

Areas that were historically made up of plantations and paddy fields transitioned into hubs of manufacturing, steadily but surely transforming an agrarian economy into one driven by new technology.

Over time, this development catapulted Malaysia onto the global stage, to achieve its position as a key player in the industry. With approximately seven percent of the total global semiconductor trade flowing through the nation, Malaysia continues to invest in its future.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 53

INTERVIEW:

M A L AYS I A S E M I C O N D U C TO R I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N As the voice of Malaysia’s burgeoning semiconductor sector, we speak with Dato Seri Wong Siew Hai, President of Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association, to unpack its aims, objectives and response to recent challenges Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association is a sector-wide association covering companies incorporated across 54 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

the nation who are involved directly or related to the ever-expanding Malaysian semiconductor industry.

The association has ambitious aspirations of nurturing and growing the complete ecosystem to elevate Malaysia’s semiconductor companies’ global market position and value chain by enhancing their capabilities and capacities.

MALAYSIA SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT T

A

s the voice of Malaysia’s burgeoning semiconductor sector, we speak with Dato Seri Wong Siew Hai, President of Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association, to unpack its aims, objectives and response to recent challenges Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association is a sector-wide association covering companies incorporated across the nation who are involved directly or related to the ever-expanding Malaysian semiconductor industry.

The association has ambitious aspirations of nurturing and growing the complete ecosystem to elevate Malaysia’s semiconductor companies’ global market position and value chain by enhancing their capabilities and capacities.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 55

MALAYSIA SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

APAC Outlook (AO): What trends are currently developing and transforming the industry and how are you responding to them?

Dato Seri Wong Siew Hai, President (DH): Malaysia has continued to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) as well as investment from both local and domestic companies The one major trend that is impacting us and that is being talked about in great detail across the whole industry is the US-China trade war and the geopolitical tension and the implications that this has on Malaysia. Semiconductor companies are trying to reduce and mitigate their risk by having a plus-one strategy for China and Taiwan, as nobody can afford to put all their eggs in one country when it comes to trade. We then hope that Malaysia to be the plus one for other nations in terms of trade strategy, to directly benefit from this recent trend.

56 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

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MALAYSIA SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

MALAYSIA SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OBJECTIVES •

R&D and technology – To strategically develop Malaysia’s semiconductor industry including electronics and systems, by nurturing and growing the complete semiconductor ecosystem.

•

Ecosystem – To elevate Malaysia’s semiconductor companies’ global market position and value chain by enhancing their capabilities and capacities.

•

Advocacy – To be the collective voice of the semiconductor industry by advocating the industry’s challenges and building positive relationships with the government and its agencies, as well as other industry associations and chambers of commerce.

•

Global competitiveness – To collaborate with the government on strategy formulation and policy advocacy to enable Malaysia’s semiconductor industry, including electronics and systems, to be globally competitive.

58 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

AO: Are there any key investments or recent projects you’re working on that you’d like to pay special mention to?

DH: We have quite a lot of exciting announcements to come and have many more lined up for the future.

Because of the recent global geopolitical tension, our industry remains in a state of change. We are still trying to capitalise and seize the opportunities to win more business. We’re currently witnessing lots of multinational corporations as well as Chinese companies which are all attempting to figure out solutions for the geopolitical tension and they are looking at Malaysia as a solution to either expand or move their products into our nation, which is obviously positive for us.

MALAYSIA SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

AO: What would you say is the defining factor of Malaysia as an investment location that makes Malaysia stand out from the vast competition that it faces?

DH: Many of the companies that we do business with have been active in Malaysia for 50 years, so one crucial advantage we have is the years of relative experience to all the other countries in the region.

Next, we have strong automation companies in Malaysia supporting both the semiconductor and electronics industry. So, if you are looking for automation solutions to

60 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

do your manufacturing, we have a lot of experience in this area, alongside our strong capabilities in engineering and management, we have excellent talent and leaders in the industry.

Lastly, we have very good architects who are familiar with the requirements and specifications of multi-national companies having built up over 50 years of experience and who know exactly how to build the correct buildings and spaces. Furthermore, our experienced and knowledgeable contractors and architects understand the requirements of both US and European companies, which provides us all with great peace of mind.

Sophic Automation SDN BHD (Sophic) provides innovative

industrial digital solutions to over 50 multinational corporations (MNCs) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Southeast Asia.

We have the capabilities to improve business efficiencies through our turnkey offering in automation and digitalisation solutions as well as engineering services. We’re solving customer pain points by enabling adoption of i4.0 technology and digitalisation, allowing our customers to improve their operation excellence and sustainability.

Our company provides the most innovative and effective industrial automation solutions via our wide range of SMARTer solutions as below:

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SMARTer Worker SMARTer Machine Automation SMARTer Operation SMARTer Asset SMARTer Engineering SMARTer Warehouse “Other people make machines talk, we make them sing”

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SMARTer Operation solutions enables monitoring and control of functions at the operations control centre and/or backup control centre. This will allow for remote supervision and status control of machinery and equipment in a manufacturing line and smart city operations. To enable operation excellence, our overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) solution is used to measure productivity, as well as enable improvement in targeted areas of the manufacturing process. This solution helps improve performance through visualisation of data, measuring machine availability, quantifying quality of output and production cycle time, and systematically eliminating sources of production loss. The information gathered can also provide insights to enable decision making in relation to the acquisition of new machineries and equipment, and resource planning.

SMARTer worker also known as workforce efficiency solution, is digital system with smart wearable devices equipped with our in-house designed software application which will assist in various functions of a business operations.

The solutions also digitally record the activity performed, allowing for managers to govern the performance of its workers and enable paperless operations.

SMARTer asset solution (CMMS) enable real time transaction and analyses maintenance data for key assets such as machinery, inventory and spare parts availability. It centralises all maintenance information and data (such as asset parts and costs, as well as asset repaired and repair time) and facilitates the processes of maintenance activities (such as scheduling maintenance and track work orders). This enables predictive maintenance and allows for real-time response to any equipment failures or breakdowns.

Our bespoke SMARTer machine would be able to help address customer specific needs to improve its production automation which would

cover the robotic handler, material transfer via AMR / ARV, material storage, auto packing and vision inspection.

The SMARTer Warehouse solution, which is also known as an intelligent or automated warehouse, is a technologically advanced facility that utilises various cutting-edge technologies and systems to optimise and enhance its operations. The primary goal of a smart warehouse is to improve efficiency, accuracy, and overall productivity in the storage, handling, and distribution of goods. The implementation of smart warehouse technologies aims to reduce errors, minimise manual labour, optimise space utilisation, and accelerate order fulfilment.

The SMARTer engineering service team are able to provide the expertise to manage and undertake operations in semiconductor advance packaging manufacturing activities and product engineering services such as post silicon validation and new production introduction process for semiconductor products, as well as carry out customised software development support by leveraging our employees’ technical expertise in development of digitalised solutions and automated equipment. The team combines decades of industry experiences with the latest technology and analytics, to deliver SMARTer products and solutions that help the customers to outpace the competition.

These advanced solutions and higher valued engineering services are adaptable to the latest business needs and seamlessly scale up the production capacity while maintaining the same level of operational excellence. Sophic believes that the convergence of internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence unlock new levels of efficiency, precision, and innovation for SMARTER solutions. In conclusion, the company has built regional partnerships and has driven contributions towards the growth of Industry 4.0 in Malaysia. The Industrial IoT (IIoT) powerhouse has fostered local employment opportunities as one of the leading solutions providers and has played an integral part in forging a path to Malaysia’s Industry 4.0 transformation, having worked with local state authorities.

MALAYSIA SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

“ E XC I T I N G O P P O R T U N I T I E S A R E AVA I L A B L E F O R OUR PEOPLE, AND THEY P R E S E N T T H E A B I L I T Y TO A L L O W S TA F F T O R E A C H A HIGHER LEVEL IN THE O R G A N I S AT I O N ” - D AT O S E R I W O N G S I E W H A I , P R E S I D E N T, M A L AY S I A S E M I C O N D U C T O R I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N

62 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

AO: What are some of the major challenges that you’re having to contend with at the moment?

DH: Firstly, we are trying to take this opportunity to work with the government to improve the ease of doing business in any way that we can. For example, by getting expatriates the correct passes to work in the country, which used to take around six months, we’re reducing that time to less than 30 days.

Secondly, all around the world there is a talent issue, and at present Malaysia is facing a similar thing. We are also trying to work on programmes to try to take care of this problem. This is being achieved by enhancing the training after university and improving skillsets so that people can get jobs and support the factories in whatever the industry needs.

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We understand the unique needs of a production environment and have built our approach to semiconductor test based on a platform of flexible hardware and software that you can use from the lab through production. Our production-ready solutions like our Semiconductor Test System (STS) offers a single ATE platform that scales from characterization labs to the production line and meets the operational requirements of the production floor. Its compact design eliminates the need for extra floor space and power required by traditional ATE testers that unnecessarily increase the cost of test.

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MALAYSIA SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

“ T H E M A L AY S I A N D R E A M O F S U C C E S S I S NOW POSSIBLE IN THIS COUNTRY” - D AT O S E R I W O N G S I E W H A I , P R E S I D E N T, M A L AY S I A S E M I C O N D U C T O R I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N

Meanwhile, as all this is happening, we are also talking to the government to see how we can use other nation’s talent, since other countries around the world, including the US, Singapore, Australia and the UK, are all using international staff. On top of this, Thailand, China and Taiwan are hiring our people, so we are trying to encourage the government to realise that we’ve got to also utilise other countries resources too.

AO: What does it mean to the association to be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year?

DH: I always say that the US has the American dream, and everybody worldwide has their own dreams too, so we are aiming to create the Malaysian dream. This is especially true for the semiconductor industry where we now have 50 years of experience. These exciting opportunities are available for our people, and they present the ability to allow staff to reach a higher level in the organisation. The Malaysian dream of success and freedom is now possible in this country, not just in management and leadership, but even in sectors such as design and development.

66 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

MALAYSIA SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION www.msia.org.my

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 67

Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world APAC OUTLOOK is a digital product aimed at boardroom and hands-on decision-makers across a wide range of industries on the continent.

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MAKING NEW STRIDES TO G E T H E R

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n 2022, CR3 Group (CR3) celebrated impressive expansion, reflected by its vast array of energy engineering projects and unification into a single entity. Indeed, last year the company’s dedicated teams unlocked an impressive 32 percent growth in revenue, spanning new longterm maintenance contracts, large shutdowns, and construction projects across India and Thailand.

With a total workforce of 11,000 employees, of which 6,000 are permanent staff, CR3 perfectly embodies synergy and expansion.

Consequently, the company strives to develop in the regional and global sectors, primarily focusing on innovative energy engineering solutions.

FRESH LEADERSHIP

CR3 GROUP

The fresh face of energy engineering solutions in Asia

CR3 is excited to herald a newly appointed CEO, Roberto Beneventi, to take over the helm and lead the company through its next phase of transformation and growth. Roberto replaces Mark Stansfield, who will join the Board as Executive Director after 15 successful years as CEO of CR3.

“I am truly honoured to accept this challenge as the new CEO of CR3. It is a great privilege for me to have the opportunity to lead a company with

Following a tenacious year of growth for CR3 Group, we speak to Roberto Beneventi about his new role as CEO and his vision going forwards Writer: Lucy Pilgrim Project Manager: David Knott

such a rich history,” opens Roberto.

Having joined the organisation in 2022 as COO, Roberto previously worked in a number of senior roles, where he oversaw operations across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region, and

THE FRESH FACE OF ENERGY ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS IN ASIA

Europe. As such, he confidently brings a wealth of industry knowledge and leadership skills.

CAPITALISING ON ITS STRENGTHS As 2023 continues, CR3 is determined to meet new business plans whilst developing its growth initiatives to expand operations in the Middle East, India, Malaysia and Vietnam, and strengthen existing markets.

Looking further ahead, the organisation has its eyes set on development, implementing a five-year business plan which dictates 300 percent growth for the company by 2027.

Already, CR3 has made great strides in the plan, including global expansion, broadening operations in Vietnam and the Middle East, as well as constructing a green energy servicing business.

To sustain its anticipated growth plans, CR3 acknowledges the importance of fostering a safety-focused APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 3

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CR3 GROUP OIL & GAS

MAKING NEW STRIDES TO G E T H E R I

n 2022, CR3 Group (CR3) celebrated impressive expansion, reflected by its vast array of energy engineering projects and unification into a single entity. Indeed, last year the company’s dedicated teams unlocked an impressive 32 percent growth in revenue, spanning new longterm maintenance contracts, large shutdowns, and construction projects across India and Thailand.

With a total workforce of 11,000 employees, of which 6,000 are permanent staff, CR3 perfectly embodies synergy and expansion.

Consequently, the company strives to develop in the regional and global sectors, primarily focusing on innovative energy engineering solutions.

FRESH LEADERSHIP CR3 is excited to herald a newly appointed CEO, Roberto Beneventi, to take over the helm and lead the company through its next phase of transformation and growth. Roberto replaces Mark Stansfield, who will join the Board as Executive Director after 15 successful years as CEO of CR3.

“I am truly honoured to accept this challenge as the new CEO of CR3. It is a great privilege for me to have the opportunity to lead a company with

Following a tenacious year of growth for CR3 Group, we speak to Roberto Beneventi about his new role as CEO and his vision going forwards Writer: Lucy Pilgrim Project Manager: David Knott

such a rich history,” opens Roberto.

Having joined the organisation in 2022 as COO, Roberto previously worked in a number of senior roles, where he oversaw operations across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region, and

Europe. As such, he confidently brings a wealth of industry knowledge and leadership skills.

CAPITALISING ON ITS STRENGTHS As 2023 continues, CR3 is determined to meet new business plans whilst developing its growth initiatives to expand operations in the Middle East, India, Malaysia and Vietnam, and strengthen existing markets.

Looking further ahead, the organisation has its eyes set on development, implementing a five-year business plan which dictates 300 percent growth for the company by 2027.

Already, CR3 has made great strides in the plan, including global expansion, broadening operations in Vietnam and the Middle East, as well as constructing a green energy servicing business.

To sustain its anticipated growth plans, CR3 acknowledges the importance of fostering a safety-focused APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 71

CR3 GROUP OIL & GAS

culture and maintaining a solid commitment to the management team’s “Goal Zero” initiative. Given the significant size of the daily workforce, these measures are crucial in ensuring continued success.

Additionally, the company is building on its engineering capability to provide planning, quality assurance and quality control (QAQC) services for customers while expanding construction/renovation activities across the organisation.

As CR3 transitions into one entity,

OVERVIEW OF CR3’S PROJECTS IN ASIA Thailand • Refurbishment project at one of the largest goldmines in Asia.

• Multiple pre-commissioning projects for the largest clean fuels producer in Thailand.

• Partnership with Asia’s largest

its ambition shines through in its expanding geographical presence and dedication to every client’s requirements while addressing the pressing needs of the environment and the local community.

A GROWING GLOBAL PRESENCE CR3 thoughtfully navigates its geographical presence according to the opportunities afforded by each region. As part of the company’s commitment to flexibility and

Malaysia • Offshore catalyst handling for one of the world’s leading petrochemical companies, with more secured projects in the pipeline.

• Ongoing long-term maintenance contract with one of the leading refineries in Malaysia.

• Successfully executed first ARDS job in Malaysia.

private power purchase agreement

Singapore

(PPA) solar developer.

• Completion of an expansion project

• Secured first solar installation project as part of the transition towards greener energies.

India • Expansion into a new sector with a significant structural steel fabrication project.

• Expansion into minor construction

for a leading sustainable aviation fuel producer.

• Multiple vessel change-outs for one of the world’s leading oil and gas companies.

• Vessel change-out for a tubular vinyl acetate monomer reactor, with 7,338 tubes reloaded.

with structural, piping, and

Vietnam

equipment erection for a plant

• Achieved record-breaking ARDS

build.

• Secured and executed all EO/EG reactor and reformer change-out projects in India.

• Permanent term contract expanded into rotary business in India.

• Providing turnkey maintenance solutions for the world’s largest refinery.

72 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

innovation, it has recently seized new opportunities in the Middle East.

“The area holds great potential for our growth strategy as we leverage our strengths and forge strategic partnerships. This enables us to tailor our services to meet the unique needs of Middle Eastern customers and create a solid foothold in the market,” Roberto explains.

Although CR3’s presence in the Middle East is in its infancy, it has already secured significant contracts in Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

A noteworthy case is a specialist mechanical engineering and welding contract in Oman which has been awarded to CR3 and is due to begin in the coming months. In conjunction with its technical partners, the project will utilise automatic welding techniques to minimise the time and cost for the client. This is one example of many projects in the region where operations are conducted succinctly, and long-term partnerships are established.

change-out times.

To go hand-in-hand with the company’s burgeoning global presence, its recent investments showcase the latest technological advancements in oil and gas services.

One such investment is the CR3 Rover (Rover), a multi-purpose, tracked, remotely operated vehicle for unloading spent catalysts. The Rover is highly effective in improving safety by eliminating the need for inert entry, thereby shortening its maintenance schedule by up to 30 percent due to its ability to work continuously.

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CONTACT US abraajenergy.com linkedin.com/company/abraaj-energy/ info@abraajenergy.com / hajri@ abraajenergy.com Phone: +965 2222 0007 Fax: +965 2222 0008 Yaal Tower, Al- Dabbous St, Fahaheel, Kuwait

CR3 TRAINING PROGRAMMES The company’s training programmes are certified, tracked and managed by an in-house Safety Passport System and adhere to the following principles: • Measurable: training must meet specific criteria to measure progress and competency.

• Relevant: the programme must be appropriate to the employees and the organisation.

• Reliable: training must be consistent and meet stringent quality standards.

Clients within the industry widely acknowledge the excellence of the company’s training programmes.

As a result, CR3 frequently receives requests to validate the workforce of clients and other vendors.

74 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

“In today’s fast-paced and competitive business landscape, staying ahead requires us to adapt, innovate, and leverage the power of cutting-edge solutions,” Roberto highlights.

“Investing in new technology like the Rover can revolutionise how we work, help achieve outstanding results, and propel CR3 to new heights,” he adds.

LEADING SOLUTIONS FOR DECARBONISATION As the energy engineering sector undertakes a significant evolution towards decarbonisation and enhanced safety, CR3 is at the forefront of this transformation, particularly under the new leadership of Roberto, who feels strongly about the company’s sustainable actions.

“Under my new leadership, we will actively seek opportunities to generate a percentage of

revenue from green activities.

This includes wind turbine repairs, solar panel installations, biogas plant maintenance, investment in renewable energy projects, and adopting environmentally conscious manufacturing processes.”

As a result, the company is working towards reducing its emissions as soon as possible, using the best available economic techniques to reach the target of net zero by 2050.

To reduce the company’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, CR3 is also proactively exploring several initiatives including, but not limited to, using renewable energy to power its offices and workshops, transitioning to cleaner fuels for its machines, continuing to invest in the most energy-efficient equipment, and incorporating digital solutions to streamline its business operations and reduce the need for travel.

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CR3 GROUP OIL & GAS

“ I N T O D AY ’ S FA S T- P A C E D AND COMPETITIVE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE, S TAY I N G A H E A D R E Q U I R E S U S TO A D A P T, I N N O VAT E , A N D L E V E R AG E T H E P OW E R OF CUTTING-EDGE SOLUTIONS” – R O B E R TO B E N E V E N T I , CEO, CR3 GROUP

“Our Innovation Programme and the support of our growing network of technical partners will enhance our ability to develop suitable technologies and processes to achieve this transition to net zero emissions at the required pace,” Roberto proudly tells us.

The company’s Innovation Programme is supported by an internal GHG assessment, demonstrating conscientiousness as it can identify where to reduce overall emissions. Based on the result of the assessment, the company has begun to make changes to its operations. The improvements encompass a range of measures, with notable examples such as installing solar panels across all key CR3 facilities and replacing engines in their equipment with energy-efficient motors that have a reduced climate impact.

Additional CR3 initiatives in the implementation phase include: • Banning single-use plastics and polystyrene containers at all its facilities, which comes from a deep understanding of the devastating impact of single-use plastics on the environment. The objective is to eliminate single-use plastics from all aspects of the business, including the supply of materials and consumables.

• Replacing all conventional light fixtures at its facilities with energyefficient LED lights which will result in substantial energy savings, reducing electricity demand and minimising waste.

CR3 encourages all its employees, partners, and clients to join the company in its effort to reduce plastic waste and transition to more sustainable alternatives.

“Together, we can play our part in reducing our environmental impact

and contributing towards a cleaner and healthier planet,” Roberto expresses.

A HELPING HAND Furthermore, the organisation possesses many forward-thinking energy engineering solutions, such as robotic tank cleaning, drone inspections, rotary services, and waste management, which assist clients in becoming more environmentally efficient.

As a result, Thailand’s Department of Industrial Works (DIW) recognised the commitment to sustainability and awarded CR3 a Green Industry Level 4 (Green Culture) certification.

The Green Culture certificate demonstrates that the company cares about protecting the environment and reducing its carbon footprint.

Moreover, CR3 strongly believes that businesses are responsible for giving back to the communities in which they operate. Consequently,

the company is honoured to support numerous local initiatives through a comprehensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme. The programme oversees the funding of dental initiatives for lower-income children and supports local schools, as CR3 strives to positively impact the communities where it operates.

“As I embark on this new journey, I look forward to building on our strengths, identifying areas for improvement, and charting a course for the future of the CR3 Group,” closes Roberto, as he leads the company into a new era.

CR3 GROUP Tel: +66 2653 3913 cocom@cr3.group www.cr3.group APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 77

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A more holistic approach for healthcare

Uniquely positioned as an early adopter of sustainable mining practices, we foreground the full flowsheet solution provider at the vanguard of an evolving industry

SOLARCENTURY AFRICA Harnessing the sun’s energy to enhance the continent’s power

CENTER FOR BREAKTHROUGH MEDICINES Striving for a future where advanced therapies are available and affordable for every patient

BOWEN COKING COAL

V DACOM DRC

The collective voice of Australia’s ports sector as a cornerstone of the economy, tool for sustainable growth, and gateway to the rest of the world

Pursuing science and innovating for life

Issue 18

UPS SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS®

GROOTE SCHUUR HOSPITAL

PORTS AUSTRALIA

www. n orth am e ri c aou tl ook m ag .com

Advancing Australian mining

TIETTO MINERALS

RESTAURANT COMPANY EUROPE

We dial in with CEO, Khalil Al Americani, to discuss facilitating sustainable connectivity for the country

Mineral commodity exploration in West Africa

With more than 75 restaurant and café locations, we pull up a table at the largest catering group in the Netherlands

Creating memorable thrills for over 40 years

Founder and CEO of Nuventura, Fabian Lemke, introduces us to the CleanTech company calling quits on SF6 gas

Austin Dalyop tells us how Premier Feed Mills has maintained its position as the market leader in the animal feed industry

Peter Dijkstra, CCO of Trymax Semiconductor Equipment B.V., unpacks manufacturing the most advanced equipment in the industry

Jason Childs, President and CEO of Saltchuk Marine speaks of the company’s versatile and responsive maritime services

Trailblazing comminution that doesn’t cost the Earth, we speak with Oscar Malpica, CEO and co-Founder of the Canadian mining innovator, Rockburst Technologies

Rajiv Tanna of home healthcare technology partner, birdie, discusses how AI is ready to transform adult social care, but robots are not

us to the CleanTech company calling quits on SF6 gas Founder and CEO of Nuventura, Fabian Lemke, introduces

position as the market leader in the animal feed industry Austin Dalyop tells us how Premier Feed Mills has maintained its

manufacturing the most advanced equipment in the industry Peter Dijkstra, CCO of Trymax Semiconductor Equipment B.V., unpacks

the company’s versatile and responsive maritime services Jason Childs, President and CEO of Saltchuk Marine speaks of

Rockburst Technologies Oscar Malpica, CEO and co-Founder of the Canadian mining innovator, Trailblazing comminution that doesn’t cost the Earth, we speak with

how AI is ready to transform adult social care, but robots are not Rajiv Tanna of home healthcare technology partner, birdie, discusses

COMPANY EUROPE RESTAURANT

a table at the largest catering group in the Netherlands With more than 75 restaurant and café locations, we pull up

the country sustainable connectivity for Americani, to discuss facilitating We dial in with CEO, Khalil Al

of the world and gateway to the rest sustainable growth, the economy, tool for as a cornerstone of Australia’s ports sector The collective voice of

exploration in West Africa Mineral commodity

DRC V DACOM

AUSTRALIA PORTS

TIETTO MINERALS

Tell us your story, and we’ll tell the world mining Advancing Australian

COAL BOWEN COKING

continent’s power energy to enhance the Harnessing the sun’s

solution provider at the vanguard of an evolving industry mining practices, we foreground the full flowsheet Uniquely positioned as an early adopter of sustainable

FLSMIDTH

AFRICA SOLARCENTURY approach for healthcare A more holistic

chains control their supply Helping businesses

HOSPITAL SCHUUR GROOTE w w w. a p a c o u t l o o k m a g . c o m

Creating memorable thrills for over 40 years

Issue 61

BUILDING FAÇADE GROUP / RZ RESOURCES

SOLUTIONS® CHAIN UPS SUPPLY

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Issue 102

J AVA

H O U S E

|

S O B E B R A

w w w. e m e o u t l o o k m a g . c o m

Issue 54

MAKSTIL | WESTERN BAINOONA GROUP

and affordable for every patient advanced therapies are available Striving for a future where

MEDICINES BREAKTHROUGH CENTER FOR

www.mining-outlook.com • Issue 2

www. n orth am e ri c aou tl ook m ag .com

w w w. h e a l t h c a r e - o u t l o o k . c o m

innovating for life Pursuing science and

Issue 18

M E D I C A L T E A M S I N T E R N AT I O N A L

R AV E N S W O O D G O L D

S T O R M M O U N TA I N D I A M O N D S

DIAGNOSTICS INNOQUEST

Switzerland’s economy Inside the pearl of

Issue 1

JOINT MEDICAL STORE

APAC Outlook, Africa Outlook, EME Outlook, North America Outlook, Mining Outlook and Healthcare Outlook are digital publications aimed at boardroom and hands-on decision-makers, reaching an audience of more than 800,000 people around the world; spanning the full range of industrial sectors.

With original and exclusive content compiled by our experienced editorial team, we look to promote the latest in engaging news, industry trends and success stories from across the globe.

Your company can join the leading industry heavyweights enjoying the free exposure we provide across our platforms with a free marketing brochure, extensive social media saturation, enhanced B2B networking opportunities, and a ready-made forum to attract new investment and to help you grow your business.

Visit www.outlookpublishing.com/get-involved for details on how your company can feature for free in one of our upcoming editions.

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SWISS MEDTECH

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Magazine

LIVE

WEBSITE LIVE Building on the global success of our regional titles – APAC Outlook, Africa Outlook, EME Outlook, and North America Outlook – Outlook Publishing is proud to introduce a platform dedicated to the mining and resources sector.

As mining organisations worldwide confront unprecedented change, embracing technological innovations and incorporating critical environmental sustainability agendas, now more than ever is the time to showcase the strides being taken in this dynamic sector.

A multi-channel brand, Mining Outlook brings you the positive developments driven by organisations across the global mining industry through our various platforms. Discover exclusive content distributed through our website, online magazine, social media channels, and dispatches delivered straight to your inbox with a bi-weekly newsletter.

Through this compelling new venture, we foreground the movers and shakers of the industry. To participate as a featured company and join us in this exciting endeavour, contact one of our Project Managers today.

www.mining-outlook.com

Total mining solutions As one of the most reputable mining entities in the country, BUMA Australia is a leading provider of mining service solutions. This is achieved through a steadfast focus on delivering optimal outcomes for clients, alongside a strong commitment to safety, environment, innovation and technology to ensure its position as a supplier of choice throughout the Australian mining industry.

A trusted service provider BUMA possess a strong understanding of the Australian mining landscape and the experience necessary for the optimum delivery of mining, rehabilitation services and contract styles to meet clients’ requirements.

Total mining services: y Operation and management of open cut mining projects y Statutory management y Innovative mine engineering solutions y Greenfields development and start-up y Asset Management; full maintenance solutions for mining fleets y Rehabilitation y Drill and blast y Operation and maintenance of coal handling and preparation plants y Mine related civil works y Accredited Environmental Management System y Accredited Health and Safety Management System y Accredited Quality Management System y Community engagement.

ISO 9001:2015 Quality

ISO 14001:2015 Environmental

ISO 45001:2018 Safety

At BUMA Australia, we believe in returning mined land to self‑sustaining natural ecosystems – the ultimate accomplishment for all mining projects.

Contact us today to create a sustainable future for the mining industry. info@buma.com.au | 1300 BUMA AU

Case study: Commodore The Back Creek Project is an earthworks civil construction designed as a 6 km meandering creek bed comprising floodplains, terraces, and a clay lined low flow channel. It is constructed within the overburden backfilled for rehabilitation of previously mined out coal seams.

The project was self‑sufficient in its water use. Innovative practices were prioritised to rehabilitate disturbed areas, recreate the original landform and ensure strict adherence to reinstating native tree and grass species for the area.

Case study: Meandu During 2023, BUMA has completed 28.7 hectares of native vegetation rehabilitation at Meandu Mine.

The rehabilitation areas (built to the final postmining landform) are designed to be safe, stable, non‑polluting and sustainable.

Some of the species we planted include the Yarraman Ironbark (Eucalyptus crebra) a type of Eucalyptus native to the area, the Native Apricot (Pittosporum angustifolium) and the Brisbane Golden Wattle (Acacia fimbriata).

We are committed to conducting high quality, progressive rehabilitation across our projects.

BUMA Australia Level 11, 199 Grey Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101 info@buma.com.au www.buma.com.au 1300 BUMA AU

KESTREL COAL RESOURCES MINING

82 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

MINING FOR A LEGACY WORTH LEAVING Agile. Committed. Respectful. One. Kestrel Coal Resources is the value-driven mining company envisioning a future for responsible resources. We dig deep into Australia’s highest producing underground metallurgical coal mine Writer: Phoebe Harper | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton

S

oaring over the vast swathes of Queensland’s Central Highlands, the Nankeen kestrel is a common sight. Over the millennia, this native Australian bird has continuously evolved to adapt to its local surroundings, and despite its diminutive size, remains one of the region’s most successful and resourceful birds of prey.

The kestrel’s very architecture is the ultimate example of each component working in harmony as a

cohesive whole, from the black tip of its wing to its laser-focused vision, as it surveys the resource-rich coalfields of the Bowen Basin, poised to seize opportunity.

As part of the Nankeen’s regional territory, cattle graze serenely on the lush, verdant pastures that originally earnt the nearby town of Emerald its distinctive name, but unbeknownst to the bird, beneath these lands, a dynamic hive of activity awaits in the coal-rich underground realm.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 83

SAFETY, EXCELLENCE AND INTEGRITY

UNDAMINE INDUSTRIES

Undamine Industries (Undamine) is a Undamine Industries is proud to be a contracting contracting company specialising in company working with Kestrel Coal Resources, the black coal industry. commencing our long-term contract partnership Renowned as Undamine secondary support in March 2021, supplies trained and skilled labour to Kestrel South Mine Site. and longwall specialists throughout the Bowen Basin, company’s Established in 2004, the Undamine Industries specialises in the Queensland and Newit to Central Queensland base allows South Wales coal industry.

We have effectively serve areas such as worked the throughout the industry in many different areas Galilee Basin and beyond. but have focused on labour supply for contracts in Secondary Support,Peter Longwall Moves and Company Director, McPhail Maintenance.

We supply skilled and specialised is considered one of Queensland’s labour and equipment to support mining premier secondary specialists operations throughoutsupport the industry with a focus whilst Shane Jackson isYeppoon, a on theDirector, Bowen Basin, operating out of Queensland, Australia. longwall and machinery maintenance expert.

Both work closely on-site with Whilst working throughout Queensland and New South Wales we have partnered with their Project Managers, Secondary various major clients including Glencore, Fitzroy Support Specialists, Longwall and Resources, Anglo American, BMA and Kestrel Machinery Maintenance Teams. This Coal Resources. expert turnkey workforce is constantly We believe in partnering with the companies we available around the relationships clock. service, building strong with their management team and workforce.

We work in The four Directors, Peter and Karla a fully integrated manner operating within the McPhail and Shane and Renee Jackson structure of the operation. possess a strong commitment to Undamine Industries strives for excellence in providing excellence in both safety business and puts people first, always. and performance.

AT A GLANCE Established in 2004, Undamine has Safe, and On Budget safety one of On theTime most outstanding Weproduction know the industry well and apply our and records in Queensland expertise to managing safer, more cost-effective and in 2012 was acknowledged as operations: Undamine has been publicly having zero Lost Time Injuries (LTIs) acknowledged for exceeding all of our KPI over a five-year contract period. are isof proud whilst also having met Undamine 100 percent to have an unparalleled, continuous working its key performance indicators (KPIs) partnership with our contract holders for over over a five-year contract period.

19 years.

Additionally, Undamine are Growth and Stability ISO9001 accredited and has worked Thanks to our reputation for quality services throughout both Queensland and New and our exceptional safety and production record, Undamine haswith grownmajor to haveclients over 300 South Wales (NSW) employees training and manning sites at over including Xstrata, Anglo American eight different locations.

Flexible and Agile Approach Being an established company, we can take a flexible and innovative approach to problem solving. This adds significant value. One example is that we have the unique capability to deliver urgently needed underground longwall recovery services and have conducted critical auxiliary works outside the scope of contracts as required by our clients.

Highly Skilled Labour Force Our labour force is among the most highly trained, qualified and licensed in the industry.

Having Coal Train a registered RTO to support Undamine ensures that the workforce competencies are maintained and updated as required by the industry and our clients.

Loyal and Stable Workforce We maintain a stable and motivated workforce, which is critical to maintaining high levels of safety and productivity. Undamine fosters healthy, positive workplaces, and as a result we have enjoyed outstanding loyalty and stability from our workforce.

WHO ARE WE? Undamine is a privately owned business established in 2004. The four owners, Peter and Karla McPhail and Shane and Renee Jackson, have a strong commitment to providing excellence in both safety and performance.

CEO, Karla Way-McPhail Karla Way-McPhail, highly successful businesswoman and Undamine Industries CEO, has built her success on empowering and BMA. others.

Whether in the workplace giving businesses and individuals tools to prosper The company promotesthe the key or out in the community providing support to values of excellence, integrity, safety, the disadvantaged, Karla lives her philosophy accountability and teamwork in of “people first, always.”

everything that is does.

Directors, Peter McPhail and Shane Jackson

Peter and Shane have both been Company Directors of Undamine since itsMINDED establishment PROUDLY COMMUNITY in 2004.

Peter has antakes excessgreat of 40 years’ experience in Undamine pride in

the underground mining sector. Shane has over

30 years’ experience in the underground mining sector.

WHERE DO WE WORK?

Peter and Shane are well respected in the Black Coal Industry for their industry knowledge and outstanding safety record.

As a contracting company we have the most substantial footprint in Queensland. We are the only suppliers who supply directly to: • Anglo American • Glencore • BMA • Kestrel Coal Resources • Fitzroy Resources • And others We have demonstrated both longevity and endurance.

Supported by an exceptional Management and Operational Team, our streamlined organisational structure means Undamine is 100 percent compliant across all business operational areas.

WHAT DO WE DO? Renowned as Secondary Support and Longwall Specialists throughout the Bowen Basin, Undamine hires out both labour and machinery to support mining We junior supply to sponsoring bothoperations. senior and all sections of underground mining across sporting clubs, providing funds for Queensland and New South Wales.

much-needed medical equipment Undamine Industries is focused on becoming and supporting organisations such asthe partner of choice for the mining and resources Legacy and Lions. industry.

OurThe proven operational performance withcompany the Tier One mining demonstrates The also hashouses a strong a customer focused business approach ensuring commitment to supporting non-profit we establish personal relationships with our organisations the communities clients ensuring within any successes are mutually inbeneficial. which it works. Similarly, Undamine

The Undamine Head Office and state of the art training facility is located in Yeppoon, Queensland. In addition to this we have regional offices and training facilities in Emerald, Blackwater, Middlemount, Moranbah, Mackay and Emerald.

Undamine Industries is very proud to be the longest contracting company in Queensland.

Undamine has been supplying contacted major companies for over 19 07services 4939 to 1445 years straight.

This is a demonstration of the admin@undamineindustries.net.au outstanding level of services we provide to undamine.com.au contact holders.

KESTREL COAL RESOURCES MINING

Much like its symbolic namesake, it is in this region where Kestrel Coal Resources (Kestrel) operates with the same agility, resourcefulness and compact adaptability of the raptor, as an underground mine that keeps the cogs of our modern world turning.

“We have all the experience of a traditional mine, with the innovation and agility of a new-generation business,” introduces Kestrel’s CEO, Shane Hansen.

Acting as a custodian of the landscape, Kestrel causes little surface disturbance to the land itself, aspiring to the same minimal impact as its airborne emblem. A similarly permanent fixture of the region’s community, the Kestrel team thrives together as one, its workers dressed in shirts of the same cobalt blue as the skies in which the bird hovers above.

CUSTODIANS OF CENTRAL QUEENSLAND As a leading–edge, coking coal company, Kestrel calls on the proud coal mining heritage that defines the Bowen Basin. The Kestrel mine itself has been operating as part of this industrial legacy since 1992, after celebrating its 30th anniversary last year.

The mine can be found approximately 40 kilometres (km) north of the small rural town of Emerald – an industrious outpost that was originally established in 1879 to coincide with the mining boom that ensued when coal deposits were first reported in the basin the previous year.

With the Bowen Basin home to the largest coal reserves in Australia, these legendary, resource-rich lands have continued to provide a veritable treasure trove for the industry over the centuries. Alongside coal mining, the regional economy has evolved from depending on the exploitation of gemstones, to crop cultivation and sheep/cattle raising – both of which are able to thrive in alignment with the industry as evidenced by the Kestrel 88 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

site, where 96 percent of the surface land is in agricultural use.

Although the mine’s nearest town of Emerald may owe its name to the vibrant grasslands of its surroundings, the sparkling gem is an apt metaphor for the prosperous green future that Kestrel envisions.

“I see a future for metallurgical coal that is both sustainable and profitable,” shares Hansen.

By positioning itself as a sustainable mining company producing highquality coal destined for steel-making applications around the world, Kestrel champions the transition towards responsible mining that sustains longterm value.

“ T H E M E TA L L U R A LWAY S FA C

SMALL BUT MIGHTY Despite having a workforce of 700 people, comprising both employees and contractors on-site, Kestrel’s relatively diminutive size belies its

THE KESTREL VALUES Kestrel is Respectful – Kestrel acts with honesty, integrity and aims to be the team that everyone else wants to work with.

Kestrel is Committed – Whether it’s safety, hitting its targets, caring for its people, community, or environment, Kestrel is committed to doing it the right way.

Kestrel is Agile – Kestrel approaches its work through a different lens. The company does it safely and gets the results few others can.

Kestrel is One – Kestrel is a diverse group with varied skills working together as one team.

vast impact – both in terms of driving long-term value within the regional community and global output.

Indeed, with approximately 6.5 metric tonnes (MT) of coal produced every year, Kestrel represents one of the world’s largest producing underground metallurgical or coking coal mines.

For Hansen, accomplishments such as this attest to Kestrel’s unwavering

R G I C A L , O R ST E E L M A K I N G , COA L I N D U ST RY I N AU ST R A L I A I S C I N G N E W C H A L L E N G E S , B U T W E ’ R E P R E P A R E D F O R T H AT ” – S H A N E H A N S E N , C E O, K E ST R E L COA L R E S O U R C E S

ability to perform with the “big players” in the industry.

“We may have the feel of a smaller mining company, but we have consistently demonstrated that we have the capability to play in the big league,” he says. “Being smaller in size is not a limitation for us.”

Kestrel plays its size to its advantage by championing one of its core values – agility – since minimal

levels of bureaucracy allow for key decisions to be acted on both swiftly and effectively.

“This agility is invaluable in an industry that is as dynamic and rapidly evolving as ours,” affirms Hansen.

The company combines this agility with the energy and ambition of a young enterprise after it was established to take over the existing Kestrel mine site in 2018. The business

was formed as a joint venture (JV) between Kestrel (80 percent) and Mitsui Coal Holdings (20 percent).

As the operating entity, Kestrel has a shared ownership model between the specialist resources private equity manager, EMR Capital (EMR), and one of Indonesia’s largest coal miners, PT Adaro Energy (Adaro), both of whom are keen investors in metallurgical coal.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 89

HBT is a world-class manufacturer and fully integrated singlesolution longwall mining equipment provider. Headquartered in Lünen, NRW, Germany, we export our high-performance equipment to every major mining market in the world and we have subsidiary and partner offices strategically located to support each region.

We offer our customers the right system for their applications — from low seams to high seams, no matter how long the face or how high the production demand. We understand the challenges faced by longwall mines today, and we’ve developed our machines to stand up to those demands.

All our equipment has been designed to maximise customer value through the application of cutting-edge autonomous technology which delivers benchmark productivity and industry-leading operator safety.

We research, develop, design, manufacture and validate all our equipment in-house to ensure everything we make meets the highest standards and international regulatory requirements.

We also offer high-quality parts and aftermarket support services, completing our line of end-to-end solutions for longwall mining operations.

PRODUCT OFFERINGS We offer a complete line of longwall mining equipment:

LEGACY FOUNDATIONS HBT’s ancestry is ingrained in the longwall mining industry, dating back to the very beginning of mechanised longwall mining in the 1800s. Over the last 200 years, we’ve driven innovation and performance as we were shaped by a number of industry leaders — most notably Hauhinco, DBT and Caterpillar.

THREE LEADERS. ONE VISION. Hauhinco was founded in 1908 in Sprockhövel, Germany, in the cradle of the Ruhr mining area. For over 100 years, the company has adapted to new conditions while remaining true to its roots, and this experience makes us unique in the marketplace. DBT was renowned as a technology leader, with over two centuries of experience driving mechanisation and automation in the coal industry. Its innovations were instrumental in the development of the modern longwall mine — including the armoured face conveyor and the coal plow.

The DBT engineers also focused on designing technology to pioneer autonomous mining. Caterpillar also has a long history in engineering and the mining industry, with impressive industrial manufacturing capability, leading-edge technology and refined demand stream processes.

COMBINED STRENGTH We’re drawing on the strengths and advantages of all these companies as we move into the future, with a focus on driving value and helping our customers achieve their goals. We are adopting a direct service model, further enhancing our distribution capabilities, customer service and aftermarket support — all so we can deliver the best possible results for our customers.

•

High-horsepower shearers

•

Automated plow systems

•

Armoured face conveyors (AFCs) / beam stage loaders (BSL) and tailends/bootends

•

Intelligent conveyor drive systems

•

Hydraulic roof support legs and cylinders

•

Programmable mining controls

•

Face automation sensors, actuators, microprocessors and computers

We also have extensive aftermarket service offerings including:

•

High-pressure pump stations / hydraulic control valves

> Spare parts and technical support

•

Measurement and control systems for harsh environments

> Onsite maintenance and repairs

•

Explosion and flame-proof power distribution, motor switching devices and VFD drive technology

> System performance and lifecycle monitoring

> Rebuilds and optimisation > Equipment training

NEW LOOK. LEGACY FOUNDATIONS. YOUR IDEAL PARTNER FOR SAFE & EFFICIENT LONGWALL MINING SOLUTIONS HBT is committed to being your single source of supply for longwall mining solutions and mining electrical engineering. We offer advanced technologies and high-performance machinery, backed by a global team of experts and the infrastructure to support customers anywhere in the world.

To learn more, visit hbt-group.com

KESTREL COAL RESOURCES MINING

INTERVIEWEE PROFILE: SHANE HANSEN, CEO With over 30 years of hands-on experience in the industry, Hansen began his mining career working in base metals in the well-known town of Mount Isa in Northwest Queensland. From here, he transitioned to a maintenance engineering role with BHP at the Gregory coal mine in Central Queensland at a time of enormous opportunity in the coal industry.

Subsequently, Hansen went on to accept senior operations positions at various other Queensland mines, before working at Mitsui Coal Holdings with an emphasis on its global coal business and acquisitions. By positioning the company to deliver optimal returns for shareholders and providing strategic direction to facilitate growth and increased capital value, the latter led to Hansen’s current position, as CEO of Kestrel.

Throughout his career, Hansen has honed specific skills in mining, processing, planning, facilities management, construction, performance management, business analysis, business growth and development.

AT THE COALFACE Digging deep into the Kestrel site, the mine functions as an underground longwall operation along the German Creek seam. This location is the sweet spot for the low ash and high fluidity coal that is Kestrel’s niche product, with the company mining at a depth of 350 metres (m) to 400m along a single seam of 3m in thickness.

The long-life mine site consists of a single longwall, panel extraction, and a coal handling preparation plant (CHPP) where the product is washed using recycled water. Following the mining process, run-of-mine (ROM) coal is transported via a 7km overland conveyor directly to the CHPP. From here, rail transport provides an indispensable link onwards to Australia’s premier multi-commodity port and Kestrel’s gateway to the world, the Port of Gladstone. It is from this strategic global node that Kestrel’s quality, high-energy coal is shipped to key markets worldwide.

“Our global customers use the coal to produce steel across Asia, India and Europe,” explains Hansen.

Following significant expansion efforts in 2013, the life of the Kestrel mine was extended by 20 years and increased its production capacity to 5.7MT of coking coal per annum.

Of this, between 75 to 80 percent of the coal reaches the final product to minimise waste.

Today, Kestrel has an approved life of mine (LOM) until 2033, with reserves to last until 2046. However, as an exciting next step in the company’s development, there is significant potential to increase this even further.

At every level of its processes, the company maintains an unrelenting

standard of operational excellence that extends far beyond the core activity of mining itself.

“Our team’s capability covers the entire mining process, from development to extraction and processing, environmental management and sustainable rehabilitation,” he outlines.

SETTING THE STANDARD Aside from the mine’s operational performance, Kestrel sets a new standard in longwall mining by creating a business that is communityfocused, sustainable, and ultimately, a place that people want to be.

“Our greatest strength lies in our unique blend of a respectful culture, exceptional performance, and our long history of operating in the community,” Hansen acknowledges proudly.

This has been recognised with several prestigious accolades to date.

Most recently, Kestrel was voted the 2022 Australian Mine of the Year at the Australian Mining Prospect Awards, and as winner of the 2019 Mine of the Year by Australian Mining Monthly. Both achievements serve as a testament to the dedication of the Kestrel team and its underlying culture of respect, trust, and positive communication throughout the business.

Through its comprehensive capabilities, Kestrel sets itself apart by living and breathing its core values of being respectful, agile, committed, and acting as one.

Permeating throughout the entire company culture, these four core tenets are the adhesive that binds all of Kestrel’s individual moving parts into a collective force that is

“ O U R G OA L I S TO B E A M O D E L O F S U S TA I N A B L E , R E S P O N S I B L E M I N I N G ” – S H A N E H A N S E N , C E O, K E ST R E L COA L R E S O U R C E S

92 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

community-centric, and purpose driven.

Much like the coal entrenched in the ground on which it operates, by firmly embedding these values into its everyday actions and conversations, Kestrel builds the foundation from which the company prospers.

THE POWER OF ONE Embodying its value of oneness, Kestrel is one company supporting the world’s largest industries and economies, as one community sharing the same set of values through one crew.

“We have fostered a one-team approach that resonates deeply within our organisation,” comments Hansen. “Our team understands that every job, no matter how small,

contributes to the bigger picture of making our mine successful. Everyone digs deep to get it done and make Kestrel a great place to work.”

Hansen credits this approach as a major contributing factor to the company’s many “remarkable achievements”, including being Australia’s highest-producing underground metallurgical coal mine for the past four years.

“This accomplishment instils a sense of pride in our people and serves as a daily motivator for everyone to bring their best – not just at work, but also in their personal lives,” he continues.

Under the empowering mantra of ‘We Are One’, Kestrel cherishes each individual as a valued member of the team who brings the varied skills,

experience and behaviours that are essential to the company’s success.

For Kestrel’s Strategic Sourcing Manager, Damian Cavill, it was this inclusive approach to teamwork that originally attracted him to the company.

“The reason I came to Kestrel is twofold - the people, and the culture,” he says. “The Kestrel team are some of the most experienced and technically proficient people I have met in the industry.”

Much of this team calls on the experience of Queensland’s esteemed mining legacy, which represents a colourful tapestry of strong characters and individuals with a potential that Kestrel seeks to unleash and encourage. This is done by honouring respect as a two-way APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 93

KESTREL COAL RESOURCES MINING

PILLARS OF THE KESTREL SUSTAINABILITY APPROACH 1. People - Embedding Kestrel’s culture today, to solidify its foundation for future growth.

2. Health and Safety – Protecting its people from harm so that everyone goes home in good physical and mental health.

3. Community and Indigenous Development – Connecting with its communities and cultures to build a lasting legacy.

4. Environment and Heritage – Committed to continual improvement in minimising impacts to the environment and land.

5. Governance – Provide honest, transparent management to deliver long-term success.

96 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

street that guarantees appreciation for ideas, skills and solutions.

“There is a genuine respect for one another and when things get tough, we have each other’s backs, which makes everyone feel like a valued member of the team,” observes Hansen.

A CHALLENGING CLIMATE The internal sense of coherence and resilience fostered by the one-team approach combines with Kestrel’s agility to serve the company in good stead despite challenging industry conditions. Remaining united and adaptable helps Kestrel stay buoyant, as it continues to soar in the face of major recent headwinds.

“The challenges this industry faces are significant, with global economic conditions, changing energy policies and ongoing public scrutiny around carbon emissions,” Hansen observes.

“However, these challenges also bring opportunities to innovate, adapt, and thrive.”

The mining of fossil fuels and the wider industry’s carbon footprint have become contentious issues within the fraught context of the ongoing climate crisis. However, Kestrel advocates a bright future for Australian coal mining, one in which the industry can evolve to operate more sustainably while holding the answers to the brave new world of the energy transition.

“With modernisation, the industry has responded swiftly to artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, which makes it an exciting place for people to start their careers and become part of urbanisation and decarbonisation,” he remarks.

On a path of constant innovation, Kestrel navigates the quandary that exists between the widespread negative environmental perception of mining, and the inescapable necessity of extraction to provide the resources needed to fuel our modern world. This is best defined by its stance as a company that seeks

“ W E M AY H AV E T H E F E E L O F A S M A L L E R M I N I N G C O M P A N Y, B U T W E H AV E C O N S I S T E N T LY D E M O N S T R AT E D T H AT W E H AV E T H E C A P A B I L I T Y T O P L AY I N T H E B I G L E AG U E ” – S H A N E H A N S E N , C E O, K E ST R E L COA L R E S O U R C E S

to provide resources responsibly, as evidenced by its continually maturing environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy and comprehensive annual sustainability reports that transparently outline its progress.

Aside from its ongoing internal efforts in carbon reduction, the very nature of Kestrel’s flagship product contributes to driving wider, positive change on a global scale.

“The intrinsic connection of metallurgical coal with the broader process of decarbonisation makes for an exciting future,” hints Hansen optimistically. “The metallurgical, or steelmaking, coal industry in Australia

is always facing new challenges, but we’re prepared for that.”

SPEARHEADING SUSTAINABLE STEEL More than just a coal mine, Kestrel actively contributes to building the framework of our contemporary world by providing the core ingredient of one of its most important materials – steel. Coking coal is the lifeblood of steelmaking, which is an industry that is powering the transition to a renewable future.

“Metallurgical, or coking, coal is an essential ingredient in steel production, which continues to be

indispensable in our modern society,” adds Hansen.

Aside from being a core element in the construction of wind turbines, solar panels, and electric vehicles (EVs), steel is used in a number of technologies that are instrumental to carbon reduction. Using the example of a wind turbine, approximately 250 tonnes of metallurgical coal are required to build a single model, since steel is needed to manufacture each individual component, from the generator and the blades to its very foundation.

Unsurprisingly, the ongoing energy transition has resulted in a booming demand for the resources necessary to fuel a future that uses renewable technologies and provides the robust infrastructure to house an evergrowing global population.

“Despite often being unappreciated, the resources sector has been a cornerstone of our economy and continues to play an integral role, particularly APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 97

EMPOWERING MINING THROUGH TECHNOLOGY For over a decade, Field Solutions Group has gone where other telcos haven’t to connect the underserviced and bridge the digital divide between metro and rural Australia.

F

ield Solutions Group (FSG) is reshaping telecommunications and digital solutions.

Engaging with businesses along with local and state governments, FSG continues to invest in and employ innovative technologies that meet and exceed the needs of its clients.

Over 100 highly qualified staff are currently employed

by FSG, who prides itself on locating its team as close to customers as possible to provide timely services and remediation even in the most remote locations, as it expands its operations into new states and territories.

The head office of FSG’s Mining & Resources division is in Brisbane, supported by its primary regional hub in Emerald.

Elsewhere, FSG also maintains a physical presence in New South Wales, Tasmania, and Western Australia, along with multiple regional locations.

With the proven experience, resources and technical capabilities, FSG provides a unique, future-proof suite of ICT solutions for all mining companies.

INNOVATIVE IT SOLUTIONS AND ON-SITE SUPPORT FIELD Mining & Resources provides innovative and customised IT solutions to mining companies enabling them to withstand IT challenges in the industry.

An IT company’s role is to ensure uptime is at the highest percentage possible for mine sites and offices so there is zero downtime, and FSG supplies critical services to achieve this.

“We are a network operator providing bespoke solutions for our mining customers. We have a dedicated FIELD Mining & Resources team providing support with on-site team members; essentially, we are a one-stop shop for all your IT needs,” says Jody Barlow, Head of the FIELD Mining & Resources division at FSG. FIELD Mining & Resources partners with its clients to provide end-to-end managed IT services in the mining industry.

Recent contracts with Kestrel Coal Resources (Kestrel) are developing the company’s delivery of managed IT services going forwards.

“We have the capacity and skilled staff to fulfil both remote and on-site duties, backed by our network engineering and security team.”

FIELD Mining & Resources offers a full project management construct across all mining clientele requirements and liaises with third-party vendors and contractors, ensuring there is only one point of contact for mining customers.

For Kestrel specifically, FIELD Mining & Resources has a dedicated team working in their Brisbane CBD office and on-site at both their North and South sites, supported by FIELD Mining & Resources’ shared services team.

“We are a trusted partner and advisor to Kestrel, and we act as an intermediary between Kestrel and all third-party suppliers,” says Barlow.

“We ensure Kestrel has one contact and liaison point.

Our FIELD Mining & Resources project management office (PMO) team brings this together to ensure everything is delivered on time, within budget, and in scope.”

As a result, FIELD Mining & Resources allows Kestrel to do what they do best – mining and selling coal – ensuring guaranteed uptime on all their services and ensuring productivity.

BESPOKE PROJECTS FIELD Mining & Resources has the capability to provide bespoke projects.

At Bowing Coking Coal’s mine camp in Burton, for example, it recently provided the 650-man site with unlimited data.

Through its strategic partnership with Cambium, FIELD Mining & Resources provided a Wi-Fi connectivity solution to not only the residents but the surrounding work offices.

“This allowed the bandwidth to be optimised, provided complete network coverage, and enabled Bowen Coking Coal to retain important staff on an on-call roster,” Barlow elaborates.

FIELD Mining & Resources also offers 24/7 helpdesk support focused on ensuring issues get resolved in a timely manner.

For example, it provided Ravenswood Gold with remote hands, level 1-3 desktop support, and the functionality to provide networking and security where required.

With IT specialists and experts on the ground to support its mining clients, FIELD Mining & Resources, therefore, acts as an extended member of their mining teams, handling all their managed services, desktop support, and security needs so they can focus on their core business.

MEET THE TEAM • Jody Barlow, Head of FIELD Mining & Resources – Barlow brings considerable knowledge in the mining vertical, having successfully managed large accounts in the industry and developed deep expertise in the unique challenges and opportunities facing mining/resources organisations.

• Jamie Black, Mining Operations Manager – An accomplished IT professional with extensive proficiency in the mining industry, Black possesses a broad range of technical expertise and deep understanding of delivering complex IT projects on time and within budget.

• Lee Gillam, PMO Manager - Gillam has proven experience in executive and c-level management roles all focused on service and delivery functions within several state and national organisations.

• Michael Beaumont, Network Architect – Experienced in both service provider and enterprise networking, with a heavy focus on mining verticals.

• Alex Kamrath, Service Delivery Manager – Kamrath has worked in the IT industry for 14 years in various roles, including Tier 1/2 IT support, IT project management, and as a software developer.

Going forward, FSG’s focus is to ensure the FIELD Mining & Resources division is recognised as a connectivity partner and a partner that provides end-toend customised solutions for its mining customers.

“Growth will be exponential for FIELD Mining & Resources as we continue to engage with like-minded mining clientele who regard innovation and on-site support as key factors to their mining operation’s success,” concludes Barlow.

CONTACT US Jody Barlow Head of FIELD Mining and Resources T 1300 000 488 | M +61 0434 483 144 fieldsolutions-group.com/mining

KESTREL COAL RESOURCES MINING

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AT KESTREL: • Kestrel operates a low disturbance footprint. Its infrastructure areas cover only four percent of its tenements, with the remaining areas impacted with subtle subsidence at the surface.

• Kestrel minimises disturbance to land and progressively rehabilitates throughout mine life. 60 percent of its mining footprint is established rehabilitation, with 571ha certified rehabilitation.

• The company manages tailings to the GISTM and ensures quality of management in construction, operation and closure.

• Kestrel actively looks to reduce its carbon footprint and continuously improves energy efficiency and waste management.

• Kestrel supports biodiversity and land management and contains and minimises potential environmental harm and pollution sources.

• The company implements effective risk management processes and systems.

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as we navigate the challenges and opportunities associated with global changes in the way that energy is consumed and produced,” Hansen confirms.

Consequently, the demand for steel – and by extension, metallurgical coal – continues steadily, running in parallel with the global need for urbanisation and infrastructure development.

Fortunately for Kestrel, it is a demand that shows no sign of abating.

“For decades to come, steelmaking coal will be required to help facilitate the transition to a greener and more sustainable global economy,” he comments.

Crown Technologies has raised the bar with its innovative approach to the design and manufacture of gas drainage and monitoring equipment used at Kestrel Coal Resources and other mines in the Bowen Basin.

Cutting-edge industry leading practices such as: • Goaf and blower skid TARP control, • Gas drainage and ventilation network interaction and response • Field-based multi-point gas monitoring systems The result is improved safety, visibility and performance standards targeted at maintaining longwall operations.

Pre-drainage skids feature technological improvements such as automated water and gas drawdown processes, environmental compliance monitoring, generator control and advanced downhole equipment protection.

Crown Technologies also specialises in gas analysis, custom made switchboards, conveyor and pump starter packages through to HV substations. Crown Technologies’ professional and practical team of Hazardous Area Engineers, Instrumentation Electricians and High Voltage Protection Engineers will deliver your project requirements.

Crown Technologies proudly builds long-term relationships by delivering high-quality products and supporting customers with a service that extends long past the initial supply.

Contact the team at Crown Technologies to learn how they can assist with your next project.

Contact Details: P: (02) 4956 7455 E: email@crowntech.com.au W: www.crowntech.com.au

KESTREL COAL RESOURCES MINING

THINKING GLOBALLY, ACTING LOCALLY Cognisant of the impact of steel on the global economy, Kestrel leverages a robust network of international markets where the demand for its metallurgical coal is high. Thanks to the product’s low impurity levels and niche coking properties, Kestrel coal is coveted by steel and coke makers across Asia, Europe and South America.

“Our Kestrel team has great relationships with our global customers and the growth potential in emerging markets is extremely exciting,” shares Hansen.

For Kestrel, India is a prime example of a new and developing market where the appetite for industrialisation has introduced a rapidly escalating need for steel.

According to a report by the Economic Times, India produces approximately 126MT of crude steel per year and consumes 106MT. These statistics make the country the second-largest global producer of crude steel, second only to China.

Consequently, India now represents Kestrel’s largest market, followed closely by North-East Asia.

“Kestrel is well-positioned to meet India’s increasing demand for steel,” he asserts.

The company’s agency on the global market reflects its internal

THE KESTREL ‘MAKE IT REAL’ STRATEGY 1. Grow presence and connection in Emerald 2. Structured opportunity through Kestrel 3. On-country opportunity 4. Education and culture opportunity

“ E V E R YO N E D I G S D E E P TO G E T T H E J O B D O N E , H AV E E A C H O T H E R ’ S B A C K S , A N D M A K E K E S T R E L A G R E AT P L A C E T O W O R K ” – S H A N E H A N S E N , C E O, K E ST R E L COA L R E S O U R C E S

philosophy, which acknowledges that Kestrel operates in a world that is shared and interconnected across people, environments, cultures and economies.

Kestrel may be global in its reach, but it is local in its everyday.

Closer to home, this emphasis on locality translates to supporting the community and local, state, and regional economies wherever possible.

A CORNERSTONE OF THE COMMUNITY In the same way that the impact of Kestrel’s coal elevates developing

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markets around the world, the company places explicit emphasis on supporting and unleashing the full potential of its surrounding communities.

A business that both lives and buys local, Kestrel has been a mainstay of the Central Highlands community for over 30 years. Indeed, 67 percent of its full-time workforce consists of local employees, many of whom reside in nearby Emerald.

Consequently, Kestrel takes pride in its commitment to positively contributing to the region in myriad ways and upholds this value as a key point of difference. The careful

DELIVERING QUALITY, INNOVATION AND VALUE Australian company ABM Contractors (ABM) is strengthening domestic mining operations with its comprehensive range of services – an offering that puts strong partnerships at the forefront.

Based in Queensland, the company has become well-known for its high-quality project management, supplementary labour, shotcrete services and longwall support, as well as its work in ground consolidation and coal development.

Through the veteran company, clients can access first-rate drill and blast services, secondary support, VCD installations, fault driveage, equipment hire and repair as well as major conveyor installations and recovery services.

ABM Director, Jamie Abraham describes his highly experienced team as specialists in fall recovery, drifts and ground stabilisation, which positions the company as an ideal partner to many operators within the mineral resources sector.

The company is proud of its work at the Kestrel Coal Mine, one of the world’s largest producing underground coking or metallurgical facilities.

During this project, a key ingredient of ABM’s successful relationship with Kestrel Coal Mine was its shared commitment to local community support, and to improving host communities and embracing environmental sustainability goals, meaning it was critical for the company to partner with service providers that had a similar vision.

First established in 2000, ABM has gained a nationwide reputation for tackling tough jobs headfirst both on time and on budget.

The family-owned business is also poised to start a new venture providing underground specialised shotcreting services, cutting-edge ground consolidation products, and a range of ventilation control devices to operators within the coal industry.

ABM PROMISE Health and Safety – During the execution of its projects, ABM takes particular care to ensure that all risk is evaluated and managed effectively.

Social Responsibility - ABM’s vision is to enhance the quality of life for the host communities in which it operates.

Environmental Stewardship - Conservation and the continued health of our planet is everyone’s responsibility, and ABM will continually strive to facilitate the least possible harm during operations.

Quality - ABM’s commitment to quality flows from the fact that long after project completion, its reputation will continue to be influenced by the work and service provided.

People - A core set of values binds ABM together and provides the ethical framework for conducting business day-to-day.

communication and contributes to the sustainability of the communities it operates within.

ABM VALUES Integrity - To be honest and reliable, reflecting the highest ethical standards in all business practices.

Respect - To trust and treat people with respect and dignity.

Leadership - To recognise the unique contribution and intrinsic worth of each individual and provide an inclusive environment focused on consistently delivering value.

Value Creation - To focus on doing the simple things really well.

Collaboration - Promote open communication as the key towards influencing and inspiring high-performance outcomes.

Community – ABM fosters open and honest

CONTACT US For more information, visit www.abmcontractors.com.au Phone (07) 4982 2174 General enquires email: admin@abmcontractors.com.au Employment opportunities email: careers@abmcontractors.com.au

KESTREL COAL RESOURCES MINING

UNLEASHED – KESTREL’S LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME • 220 participants • Administrators to CEO • Mixed cohorts • Mixed delivery mode • 12-month programme UNLEASHED’s intent is to build the capability of Kestrel’s people across nine key elements of leadership: • Unleashing One Kestrel • Nurturing your potential • Leading your team • Expectations and accountabilities • Approaching planning and priorities • Safety, every day • How to motivate and influence • Engaging communication • Driving improvement So far, UNLEASHED has seen

“WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF OUR SUPPLIERS I N T H E L O C A L C O M M U N I T Y, W E C O U L D N O T AC H I E V E O U R G OA L S AS A B U S I N E SS ” – D A M I A N C AV I L L , S T R AT E G I C S O U R C I N G M A N A G E R , K E S T R E L COA L R E S O U R C E S

an average uplift of 19 percent across diagnostic competencies.

Standout results include: • 33 percent uplift in leaders’ ability to develop and execute innovative improvement ideas within teams • 24 percent uplift in feeling they can effectively coach others • 22 percent uplift in being able to put plans in place to improve engagement and performance • 16 percent uplift in their ability to lead change

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consideration of its impact on the wider community remains at the forefront of every single decision that Kestrel makes, as a true partner in local development.

“The passion and the commitment that the Kestrel team has not only for the company but for the regions we operate in is second to none,” states Cavill.

On the understanding that community equates to connectivity, Kestrel’s level of investment is not just economic – rather, by building relationships and creating

opportunities for growth, it creates an avenue for lasting connections.

As a largely residential-based entity, income is fed back into local businesses, schools, not-for-profit organisations (NPOs) and other community bodies or initiatives of all sizes surrounding the mine.

This not only strengthens Kestrel’s connectedness with nearby communities, but also reinforces the internal cohesiveness of its culture.

“We maintain a heavy focus on supporting local businesses, as it’s always been,” echoes Hansen.

KESTREL COAL RESOURCES MINING

As reported in its latest Sustainability Report, in 2022 this equated to AUD$122,000 invested in direct community support.

Kestrel’s dedicated community approach centres on the four pillars of community partnerships, keeping communities safe, cultural heritage, and indigenous development. True to Kestrel’s own one-team ethos, respect is the common ground on which all these concepts are founded.

“Our relationship with the township is a testament to the mutual support and respect we’ve cultivated, and we are motivated to contribute positively to create a lasting legacy,” Hansen surmises.

KESTREL – 2022 IN NUMBERS • 5.67 Mt – saleable production • 305 – number of local and regional suppliers • AUD$237 million – spent on local and regional suppliers • AUD$122,000 – direct community support • 67 percent – local workforce (full-time workers) • 10 percent – gender diversity • AUD$650,000 – cultural heritage investment • 270ha – area surveyed for cultural heritage • 0.24t - CO2 e/t coal product • 116l – raw water usage per tonne of coal product • 571ha – rehabilitated land certified • 17.6 TRIFR (one million working hours)

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RESPECTING CULTURAL HERITAGE The legacy that Hansen alludes to centres on creating opportunities for sustainable local development. This means providing jobs and supporting the local economy, but also focusing on healthy environmental management and promoting social programmes and initiatives that will benefit the community for generations to come.

However, this also involves respecting the cultural legacy that predates the mine. In this regard, Kestrel works closely with the registered Native Title Claimants of the land on which it operates - the Western Kangoulu.

As the Traditional Land Owners, the landscape surrounding Emerald and the Kestrel mine is intrinsically linked to the history of Indigenous people, and these deep connections are acknowledged, honoured, and considered in every decision.

This respect for cultural heritage informs Kestrel’s approach to community relations, but it also impacts environmental management in a physical sense. Paying respect to Australia’s Indigenous people and Elders past, present and future, Kestrel positions itself as a partner working in the best interests of protecting the land’s heritage.

The 17,000 hectares (ha) of land that Kestrel occupies is rich with stone artefacts, resources, shelters and cultural areas, quarries, and scarred trees. There are over 80 of the latter spread across the Kestrel site, with each tree indicating a poignant historical reminder of where Aboriginal Australians would have stripped bark to be used for toolmaking amongst other purposes.

To ensure that Kestrel continues to work in alignment with the aspirations of the Western Kangoulu and honour their connection to the land, a Cultural Heritage Investigation and

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Kestrel Coal

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KESTREL COAL RESOURCES MINING

KESTREL – A LEGACY WORTH LEAVING Ethical Business Practice – Conduct business with honesty and integrity supported by the highest standards of governance.

Valuing People – Ensure Kestrel’s people can fulfil their potential in a safe, healthy and rewarding environment.

Connected Communities – Collaborate with stakeholders to build enduring relationships and long-term successful outcomes.

Responsible Environment Stewardship – Continuously find ways to improve production efficiency, sustainably manage natural resources and take strong action on climate change.

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Management Agreement (CHIMA) exists between both parties.

“We have continued developing a strong partnering approach with our Traditional Land Owners, the Western Kangoulu,” comments Hansen.

The CHIMA entails the contribution of technical advisors who undertake stringent data-led assessments that aim to deliver proactive outcomes for heritage. As part of this work, over the course of 2022, Kestrel directed AUD$650,000 into cultural heritage investment, surveying over 270ha of land for cultural significance.

RESPECT, INSPIRE, DEVELOP Working in partnership with both the Western Kangoulu and the wider Emerald community, Kestrel actively promotes Indigenous development.

This is reflected by the creation of an Indigenous development hub, where guidance is provided on different career choices and ways of life for the Indigenous community.

Operating under the mantra of ‘Make it Real – Respect, Inspire, Develop’, the hub aims to increase local employment levels and enhance training development and procurement opportunities both across the community and within the company itself.

The ‘Make it Real’ strategy consists of a pillared approach, whereby the company aims first to grow its presence and connection throughout Emerald, then provide structured opportunities within the company, followed by on-country opportunities, and finally by offering further opportunities in education and culture.

As another example of Indigenous development in practice, last year, Kestrel launched the CONNECT programme in partnership with the Western Kangoulu. With both parties collaborating throughout its development and delivery, CONNECT has been designed to provide all

WHAT WE DO Eickhoff Australia Pty Ltd. (EAP) provides the supply and service of shearer loaders for underground applications and specialised industrial gearboxes within the Australasian region.

Utilising the same technology and manufacturing techniques deployed in the mining sector, we also design, manufacture, supply, and service industrial gearboxes for multiple uses, such as: • • • • •

Armoured face conveyors (AFCs) in the mining sector Stacker reclaimers Bucket wheel excavators Water locks and dams Large-scale roller press applications

• Cement and sugar mill drives and processing equipment • Sheet metal working EAP’s customer base now has the advantage of having its entire product range built and overhauled at the Eickhoff Life Cycle Management Centre (LCMC) located in Braemar, approximately 90 kilometres (km) south of Sydney. The LCMC is a 19,600 square metre (m²) state of the art facility, offering product support, as well as repair and overhaul services. The workshop has 5,500m² undercover with a crane capacity of 130 tonnes, more than sufficient to lift the largest fully assembled shearers in the market. Outside the fully covered work bays, there is a 4,600m² concrete pad in order to facilitate longwall system mini-builds and compatibilities.

SL SERIES SHEARER LOADERS We encounter different mining conditions at each new location around the globe. Our machine range has no problem adapting to these varying conditions thanks to our experience in developing made-to-measure machine concepts, suitable for the operative range of 1.4m up to 7.2m. As such, EAP offers shearer loaders from the Eickhoff SL 300, SL 750, and SL 1000 ranges.

All ranges offer the latest technology and their performance levels are constantly improved. Productivity, reliability and, consequently, cost-efficiency is measured via: • Our maintenance and service-friendly modular system • Standard ranges which can be adapted flexibly to individual customer requirements

PARENT COMPANY EAP is a wholly owned subsidiary of Eickhoff Bergbautechnik GmbH, a globally operating, family-owned company rooted in Bochum, Germany since its founding back in 1864.

With its core business in the manufacturing of machines and gearboxes, it has proven itself worldwide under extreme conditions.

Additionally, EAP’s mining machines for potash significantly contribute to resourcesaving food production.

www.eickhoff-bochum.de/en

• Tough machine bodies at minimum dimensions (tension rod technology) • A modern, decentralised gearing concept (transverse engine concept) • Reliable high-performance motors • Efficient direct current (DC) winch drives, and alternatively rotary current winch drives • Protection of motors and gearboxes through safety installations • Control and monitoring through modern micro-processors • Different optional dust prevention systems • Automation possibilities through memory cut and data transfer

KESTREL COAL RESOURCES MINING

Kestrel Coal Resources is a private

“ W E H AV E P R O U D LY B E E N P A R T O F T H E C E N T R A L H I G H L A N DS CO M M U N I T Y FO R OV E R 30 YEARS, AND WE ENVISION BEING AN I N T E G R A L PA R T O F I T F O R M A N Y M O R E ”

Australian company that is

– S H A N E H A N S E N , C E O, K E ST R E L COA L R E S O U R C E S

KESTREL – CORPORATE STRUCTURE

ultimately owned by EMR Capital (52 percent) and PT Adaro Energy (48 percent). EMR Capital is a specialist resources private equity manager, while PT Adaro Energy is an integrated coal mining and energy company, with businesses spanning over eight pillars in the coal, energy, utilities, and supporting infrastructure sectors.

Kestrel Coal Resources is the 80 percent owner and manager of the Kestrel Coal JV, with the remaining 20 percent owned by Mitsui Coal Holdings.

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members of the Kestrel workforce with a thorough understanding of their responsibilities towards cultural heritage. That same year, Kestrel also deployed a series of schoolbased workshops to enhance local education on the same topic.

UNLEASHING OPPORTUNITY Another prime demonstration of Kestrel’s commitment to development and education is the company’s internal UNLEASHED programme.

As a scheme that has been designed for Kestrel, by Kestrel, UNLEASHED

is a leadership scheme that aims to unlock even more strength within the company’s operations by investing in the potential of its own people.

The programme takes place over 12 months and is a comprehensive course in leadership capabilities.

Leading provider for technical support and overhaul of hazardous area equipment.

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KESTREL COAL RESOURCES MINING

Through various modules, the programme covers nine key objectives, ranging from the concept of ‘Unleashing One Kestrel’ to ‘Safety, Everyday’. Throughout, participants are encouraged to lead from the front, providing both feedback and constructive ‘feedforward’, all while nurturing a psychologically safe workplace.

UNLEASHED channels the idea that a leader’s job is to bring out the best in other people, and arms participants with the skills that enable them to do so – both in the workplace and within their personal lives.

Over the course of 2022, 220 employees – almost a third of the entire workforce - participated in the UNLEASHED programme and the results continue to exceed expectations. This is reflected by an average uplift of 19 percent recorded across all diagnostic competencies.

The programme is an effective way of perpetuating the continuity of Kestrel’s distinctive culture as an

GOOD GOVERNANCE AT KESTREL • Risk management – Risk and opportunity management for Kestrel is to provide business resilience; protection from loss and sustainability of things it values, including people, community, stakeholders, environment, ongoing operation, and business viability to prosperity.

• Tailings management – Kestrel is committed to responsible management of our tailings facilities to prevent adverse impacts on people and our environment.

• Modern slavery and human rights – Kestrel acts in accordance with the UN guiding principles on business and human rights and the modern slavery act 2018 (Cth).

• Anti-bribery and corruption – Kestrel is committed to providing a workplace that fosters mutual respect, honesty, and trusting working relationships.

• Code of conduct and whistleblower – Everyone has the right to a fair and inclusive working environment of which they are proud to be part of. The company is committed to a culture of respect and ethical conduct in the way everyone works and relates to each other. Kestrel recognises the value of keeping the laws and procedures that apply to the company and its work and encourages everyone to report misconduct.

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above the line differentiator, with the company being built on a foundation of trust and respect, where open and honest conversations are always encouraged.

PRIDE IN PEOPLE Kestrel’s investment in the development of its future leaders is just one of the ways in which it upholds ‘People’ as the first pillar of its sustainability approach. By growing its own people, Kestrel sustains the wider growth of the company itself.

With an increasing emphasis on diversity and inclusion, the company fosters an environment of equal opportunity and is making steady progress toward greater gender representation. In 2021, female employment at Kestrel was reported as 7.4 percent. As of last year, this number has increased to 10 percent.

Although the underground workforce is still dominated by male employees,

UNDERGROUND COAL EQUIPMENT SPECIALISTS JA Engineering Group Pty Ltd (JAE) manufactures and refurbishes equipment for the Australian mining industry with a unique specialisation in the underground coal sector.

Established in 2007 in Rockhampton, QLD, we initially focused on gear cases and components, leveraging our knowledge of South Africa and built relationships with key customers.

Some 15 years later, we’ve emerged to become a keystone provider of machinery restoration and support services for Continuous / Bolter Miners, Shuttle Cars, Feeder Breakers and Mobile Bolters.

JAE is structured to operate using lean business principles that allow us to remain responsive and open to innovation. The key to our model is identifying value for the customer and delivering it with as little waste as possible.

We are one of only a few organisations globally that offers alternative manufacturing for aged, difficult to get or unreasonably expensive legacy parts – wheel units, gear cases and cutter drum assemblies to name a few. Our in-house expertise extends to gearcase reconditioning or replacement, line boring and structural welding, in addition to professionally certified mechanical services.

In 2020 we entered the market as an OEM of the Wildcat JAE42 continuous miner, capable of transforming high installed cutting power through the machine weight into real production and cutting performance. The Wildcat JAE42 is engineered to be used in a room and pillar coal mining operation, where a high cutting force is required. We will continue to establish ourselves as a full systems OEM provider over the next phase of the business.

KESTREL COAL RESOURCES MINING

greater numbers of women are now represented in management positions and the company actively supports events including International Women’s Day and Women in Mining.

The business expresses its pride and recognition of employees with the COAR Awards. An acronym for Committed, One, Agile and Respectful, each nomination for an award entails a donation of AUD$20 to a nominated community group in the Central Highlands, thereby creating a direct bridge between team performance and contributing to the community. In 2022, the total funds raised through these donations equated to AUD$3,898.

Providing both empowerment and motivation, the awards are designed to reward individuals who truly embody the company’s values and acknowledge those who go above and beyond the expectations of their roles. They represent one of the many ways in which Kestrel lives, breathes, and enacts its values, rather than simply talking about them.

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“ T H R O U G H K E S T R E L ’ S L AT E S T E S G S T R AT E G Y, W E R E A F F I R M O U R D E S I R E T O N O T O N LY C O N T I N U E E V O LV I N G O U R E S G M AT U R I T Y B U T A L S O I D E N T I F Y H O W W E A I M T O C R E AT E A L E G A C Y W O R T H L E AV I N G ” – S H A N E H A N S E N , C E O, K E ST R E L COA L R E S O U R C E S

PLAYING IT SAFE Working in a high-risk industry such as mining, Kestrel marries this peoplecentric philosophy with an unrelenting commitment to safety, as the second pillar of its sustainability approach.

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Through building trust and motivating its team, Kestrel encourages individuals to adopt, interpret and connect to the company’s safety culture as their

own. The Kestrel vision of ‘making the right way, the easy way’ results in the obvious benefits of fewer injuries and less downtime, but also in solidifying a safety mindset that coexists alongside high-performance levels.

Adopting a multi-pronged approach to safety, Kestrel implements training compliance and innovation with contractor management to ensure streamlined operations with a capable employee and contractor workforce. In addition, the company maintains its world-class operations by incorporating critical controls, conducting internal and external audits, and championing safety innovation by partnering with

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business units (BUs) to strive towards safe production through ongoing improvement.

At the apex of the Kestrel safety pyramid, the business enables growth through the continuous simplification of its safety and health management system (SHMS). Through this scalable solution and a high-functioning health and safety team, the SHMS facilitates company growth without compromising on this core priority.

With significant time and money consistently invested into perfecting such systems, Kestrel is rewarded by continually reducing risk.

Another major effort that reflects Kestrel’s concern for employee wellbeing was introduced last year with the ‘Kestrel Lifestyle Challenge’. This scheme was designed to encourage employees and contractors to adopt positive exercise habits and offered expert advice in terms of promoting sustainable and nutritional meal choices.

Thriving hand-in-hand with the company’s emphasis on positive mental health, the programme’s success was highlighted as the Winner

116 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

of the Health Program Award at the 2022 Queensland Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference.

LOW IMPACT MINING Alongside health and safety, people, community and Indigenous development, and governance, the environment is a strategic segment in Kestrel’s dedicated sustainability approach. This spotlights the company’s journey of continual improvement to minimise its impact on the environment and the land.

“We continue to invest significantly into leading-edge technology to reduce our impact on the environment,” shares Hansen.

For Kestrel, sustainability encompasses a holistic vision that honours the mine’s past, present and future, as it seeks to contribute to its place in the world, operate a meaningful place of employment, and grow its value to stakeholders.

Its approach endeavours to create a Legacy Worth Leaving – an idea that relies on ethical business practice that values people, builds connected communities, and

promotes responsible environmental stewardship.

“We are creating a high level of awareness around what sustainability means and the importance placed on getting it right,” Hansen continues.

Kestrel continuously measures its sustainability performance against International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) Sustainable Mining Principles. These 10 core principles are common to the global mining community as an industry benchmark, incorporating both the Paris Agreement mining targets and the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“We established a solid foundation through releasing our first publicly available Sustainability Report in 2021,” he informs us. Since that time, Kestrel’s annual Sustainability Report has served as a transparent outline of exactly how the company creates and sustains long-term value in a rapidly changing world.

EVOLVING ESG For Kestrel, ESG represents an ongoing journey – one where its strategies, objectives and priorities are constantly in flux as they mature and develop.

Across the primary areas of ESG significance, the company actively manages risk and identifies areas where it must strive to improve.

These include diversity and inclusion, decarbonisation, heritage protection, and biodiversity and water conservation.

Here, Kestrel channels the spirit of agility by looking ahead and adapting its decision-making accordingly, to ensure that it is consistently operating in the best interests of its people and the community.

“Our ESG Strategy mirrors our business approach of balancing sustainability and takes into account the impact we have on our stakeholders, community, and the environment,” says Hansen.

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The company’s first ESG Strategy was officially launched in 2022 after being endorsed by the Board. It came to life through a comprehensive process consisting of employee interviews, industry benchmarking, listening to the concerns of the local community, and an extensive review of current and emerging ESG issues.

This also led to the identification of the four pillars of the aforementioned Legacy Worth Leaving. Since that time, ESG has been positioned at the core of the company’s operations.

“Although Kestrel is in the early phase of its ESG journey, I am immensely proud of the results that we have achieved to date,” he expresses. “Through our latest strategy, we reaffirm our desire to not only continue to evolve our ESG maturity but also how we aim to create a Legacy Worth Leaving.”

A major aspect of this includes the ongoing pursuit of innovative solutions that will make Kestrel 118 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

more sustainable, environmentally considered, and energy efficient. Over the course of 2023, key actions in ESG development include conducting an independent third-party audit of the Kestrel SHMS, reviewing and updating the company’s Modern Slavery Statement, and developing a five-year implementation plan dedicated to the progressive rollout of the overall strategy.

“We will challenge ourselves to ensure our ESG Strategy continually evolves and keeps pace with what matters most regarding our role in society, the impact we have, and the value we create,” Hansen concludes.

SAFEGUARDING SUPPLY As an advocate of proactive environmental management, water conservation is a vital element within Kestrel’s ESG Strategy. The company’s efforts in water stewardship reflect its concern for maintaining a clean, and reliable water supply within the

Fitzroy River Basin where it operates.

To conserve and protect this precious and scarce resource while sharing it with other users in the catchment, Kestrel combines transparent water governance with an effective management system.

The mine’s raw water supply is directed from a river water source on the Nogoa-McKenzie system.

As a variable supply, each year, the company prepares a dedicated wet season plan to ensure that it is ready to respond by both containing water on-site and actively pursuing methods to reduce water demands.

Major strides were made in this regard in 2016 with the launch of a water reduction programme that saw Kestrel’s raw water demand plummet by a staggering 65 percent.

The trend of declining raw water demand continues today. In 2022, Kestrel recorded a raw water usage of 657 megalitres (ML) at a rate of 116 litres (l) per tonne of coal product.

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This represents a reduction of 220ML in raw water usage compared to 2021 (877ML).

Thanks to this drop in raw water demand, in addition to supplementary bores and dewatering usages, Kestrel’s overall total site water in 2022 was reduced to 3,628ML. The company did not rely on water from supplementary bores throughout this period and supplemented its raw water usage with output from its reverse osmosis (RO) plants.

The 2016 plan also effectively integrated water reuse across the mine site. Currently, all water on-site is recycled through a dam system for reuse, with the exception of sewage and water for human consumption.

Across its operations, Kestrel maintains a comprehensive groundwater monitoring network to oversee water levels and quality.

This extends to site areas (including tailings), the mine’s periphery, neighbouring wells and regional locations further afield.

Set to continue this promising trajectory in 2023, Kestrel proposes various improvements in water stewardship, including assessing the recent optimisation of the RO plants against new or additional infrastructure, pursuing options for further raw water usage reduction from the Selma Weir, and continuing to optimise the performance of its dry tailings’ disposal process.

LEGACY LAND MANAGEMENT From water to the land, Kestrel takes its role as an environmental steward equally seriously, particularly when considering that 96 percent of the 17,000ha that the site occupies consists of active cattle farms.

The land is maintained through an existing lease between Kestrel and the Australian Agricultural Company (AACo), which operates as a fully separate productive cattle property.

As such, there are several factors contributing to the notion of full 120 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

“ W E ’ R E S E T T I N G N E W S TA N D A R D S F O R L O N G WA L L M I N I N G – N O T O N LY I N O P E R AT I O N A L P E R F O R M A N C E , B U T A L S O I N B U I L D I N G A P L AC E W H E R E P E O P L E WA N T T O B E ” – S H A N E H A N S E N , C E O, K E ST R E L COA L R E S O U R C E S

land productivity which Kestrel endeavours to uphold. These include the agricultural productivity of cattle farming, the values intertwined with the cultural heritage of its Traditional Owners, but also the biodiversity that must be maintained.

Indeed, the biodiversity that thrives on its surface makes the Kestrel site an area of great environmental importance. This includes high-value areas such as riparian habitats, waterways, remnant habitation, and endangered species like the native Queensland King

Bluegrass community (Dichanthium queenslandicum) that require various conservation efforts.

In addition, the area attracts an abundance of insects and birdlife, including, of course, the company’s symbolic Nankeen kestrel.

In 2023, Kestrel will continue its involvement in several restoration projects with funding towards improving the bluegrass diversity of Central Queensland through the rehabilitation of areas that were previously assigned to agricultural activity.

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REALISING REHABILITATION Across the Kestrel landscape, the progressive rehabilitation of disturbed land to its full productivity is a key objective. In 2015, the company marked a proud moment when it became the first Queensland coal mine to achieve certified rehabilitation status for 571ha.

As Kestrel’s Sustainability Manager, Colleen Fish maintains this area of certification as a key focus going forwards.

“We are currently seeking additional certification to add to our 571ha of certified rehabilitation,” she tells us.

This falls into the company’s Progressive Rehabilitation and Closure Plan (PRCP), which has been granted an extension by the Department of Environment and Science (DES). Kestrel will formally commence the certification of new areas that are ready to be certified as fully rehabilitated pending the PRCP’s submission to the DES later this year.

All land disturbance at Kestrel is undertaken through a spatial and conditioned disturbance permit process that takes into account major factors including water, soils, ecology and heritage. Progressive rehabilitation is then implemented in alignment with the cycle of land as and when it becomes available.

Depending on rainfall levels, Kestrel aims to manage all temporary land disturbances back to a rehabilitated state within 15 to 30 months.

As each mine site ceases operation and enters into closure, these areas are given new life through appropriate land use. The same also applies to legacy landforms. By doing so, Kestrel perpetuates post-mining regeneration that creates value, whether for the environment, the economy, or the local way of life.

A RENEWABLE FUTURE In the consideration of how land should be re-purposed post-mining, 122 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

Kestrel is now exploring ways in which this might further the company’s decarbonisation efforts by putting certain areas to good use for the generation of clean energy.

For Hansen, a potential foray into renewable energy represents an exciting avenue for the company to capitalise on.

“As we continue to plan for site rehabilitation, we see a significant opportunity for the development of renewable energy projects, particularly in the form of energy storage systems,” he shares.

“These sites have the necessary space, infrastructure, and location to support such initiatives, and repurposing these areas in this way would be a win-win situation – for us, the local community, and the environment.”

This idea of repurposing introduces another major environmental endeavour currently being undertaken by Kestrel, as the company continues its investigation of converting the gases related to coal mining into new, usable energy. As part of its prevailing commitment to reducing its carbon footprint through responsible operation, the potential impact of such a scheme in terms of

decarbonisation at Kestrel could be enormous.

As Hansen affirms, “we are actively exploring ways to re-utilise gas derived from our mining activities for energy generation.”

ENERGISING CIRCULARITY As with any underground mining operation, harmful gases must be extracted to create safe working conditions. Coal-related gas emissions are the greatest contributor to Kestrel’s carbon footprint, with 88 percent of carbon emissions generated directly by the coal resource.

Consequently, the carbon impact of these gases takes priority over other means of emissions reduction such as diesel or electricity consumption, due to their relatively small impact on Kestrel’s overall footprint.

Of these coal-related gases, the need to mitigate vented-air methane (VAM) emissions is a major focus, since this particular gas is 28 times more potent a greenhouse gas (GHG) than CO2. With Kestrel now mining the deepest section of its deposit, this means that it is confronting heightened concentrations and densities of methane.

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In an effort to mitigate negative impact, Kestrel is currently exploring the possibility of using this waste gas to achieve circularity by generating clean energy that can be used to power the mine’s operation.

A major step forward in this regard is Kestrel’s upcoming Waste Coal Mine Gas Power System (WCMGPS).

This involves the construction of a 20-megawatt (MW) facility that will repurpose this gas to create clean energy. The facility will be fuelled by the mine’s existing system which drains gas directly from the coal seam and is connected to the mine’s existing 66 kilovolt (kV) electricity network, which in turn is connected to Ergon’s network at the Lilyvale Substation.

“The system will convert the WCMG to electricity and supply it to the mine to power mining operational requirements and reduce its demand on the Ergon network,” explains Fish.

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Constructed over two phases, Phase 1 will establish a grid connection and achieve 4MW, while Phase 2 will see expansion to 20MW. Phase 1 takes advantage of shorter grid connection approval processes for small generators to start generating sooner and prepare the ground for the more ambitious Phase 2.

“This initiative is not only environmentally conscious, but it also allows us to utilise what we have and effectively turn waste into sustainable energy,” elaborates Hansen.

DEDICATION TO DECARBONISATION The construction of the WCMGPS falls into Kestrel’s Decarbonisation Plan, as part of the company’s wider ESG Strategy. This provides an LOM vision and implementation plan for ongoing decarbonisation to meet both legislation and expectation.

“We intend to advance the

continuous progression of our LOM decarbonisation strategy,” affirms Fish.

Within this, Kestrel is focused on exploring other opportunities to reduce its coal mine waste gas emissions, specifically in finding technologies that will allow the conversion of VAM to or other usable methane concentrations, as its biggest single possible reduction in carbon emissions.

As a result, the company is actively looking to secure energy partners with whom it can work towards gas reuse, in addition to achieving energy efficiency across the site and sourcing components of its electricity usage from renewable sources.

“We’re looking at harnessing new technologies and processes to further enhance our efficiency, with a focus on minimising our environmental footprint,” Hansen informs us.

In its search for new partners to achieve this ambitious energy venture, Kestrel calls on a history of successful and rewarding relationships with a robust network of suppliers that it has worked with to date. This proven track record of successful partner relationships gives cause for confidence in whoever it collaborates with for future endeavours.

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STRENGTH IN SUPPLIERS Representing another extension of the Kestrel community, suppliers are intrinsically linked to the company’s story and success to date. As evidenced by its emphasis on locality, Kestrel ensures that any local or Indigenous companies with known capabilities are included in the tender process when it engages the market.

“Suppliers are a key part of the Kestrel business,” continues Cavill.

“Whether it be supplying personal protective equipment (PPE) to the team, or services to support our underground operations, without the support of our suppliers in the local community we could not achieve our goals as a business.”

As Strategic Sourcing Manager, Cavill’s role at the company is to draft, negotiate and execute contracts that deliver optimal safety and operational outcomes, and are also commercially viable for both Kestrel and its contracting partners.

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“ W E A R E F U L LY C O M M I T T E D T O M E E T I N G T H E N E E D S O F O U R C U S T O M E R S , T O D AY, A N D FO R M A N Y D E C A D E S TO CO M E ” – S H A N E H A N S E N , C E O, K E ST R E L COA L R E S O U R C E S

In all its dealings in terms of procurement and supply chain, the company’s key drivers are responsibility, integrity, and fair play.

True to its core value of being both respectful and committed, Kestrel follows a partnership approach that nurtures longevity and loyalty, building lasting relations with service providers that are founded on mutual respect and reliability.

“We want to establish long-term relationships with our contracting partners that promote safety and production outcomes, as well as stability for our contractor workforce and the regions we work in,” he elaborates.

In line with its own unrelenting standards, the company expects all contractors and suppliers, including sub-contractors, to consistently adhere to the relevant legislative requirements, code of practice, and Kestrel’s own SHMS. The business’ preference for buying local in this regard is strongly reflected in its supply chain profile. In 2022, Kestrel worked with 305 local and regional suppliers, with a total spend of AUD$237 million throughout the year. Overall, 87 percent of Kestrel’s suppliers are based in Queensland, with 76 percent of its supply chain expenditure directed into the region.

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LOCAL LINKS Although Kestrel itself forms an indispensable link in global supply chains through the output of its quality coal, it is the company’s own local procurement network that reinforces its core value of agility by ensuring that it has the solid links in place nearby that allow it to move quickly as and when the need arises.

For the benefit of the wider community, Kestrel also fosters mutually beneficial relationships by arranging events such as two-day meet and greets, that provide a fruitful opportunity for local vendors to interact with Traditional Owners of the land and vice versa. Not only does this create an awareness of each other’s capabilities, but it also provides an opportunity for the exploration of future JVs and labour placement services that are a positive contribution to the overall development of the community.

As part of this core local fabric, 128 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

the company highlights several key partnerships and supply sources that are based in and around Emerald.

Cavill credits local project delivery specialist AB Power as providing “essential monitoring and electrical services to the mine, infrastructure, and processing areas.” Meanwhile, Pirtek Emerald is instrumental in the supply of hoses and fittings, while Lunar Mining is a reliable source for secondary support services (outbye), and the installation of ventilation control infrastructure. In addition, local transport provider, Emerald Coaches, offers an invaluable link for members of the community who work at the mine with a free transport service that ensures the Kestrel team can get home safely.

When the mine came under new ownership in 2018, it was local provider – Peter Taylor’s Sewing Centre Emerald – who brought the company’s vision of striking cobalt blue shirts to life. These distinctive

uniforms are the first of their kind and a unique marker of the Kestrel identity.

On a wider scale, Kestrel’s approach to these relationships in acquiring goods or services is pivotal to shaping the company’s future direction.

“Procurement is an enabler for the business, so our key priorities are always focused on supporting the team to deliver on the business plan whilst ensuring that we reflect our company values in our interactions with contracting partners,” outlines Cavill.

HEADING WEST Looking ahead, Kestrel is set to widen its scope by pursuing plans for expansion. By so doing, the company will capitalise on the potential to increase the previously approved LOM beyond 2033 with reserves to last until 2046.

Returning to Hansen, this development will be a major focus in the upcoming years. “We will be

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using our existing infrastructure and exhausting the opportunities that we have to extend through mining areas,” he says. “We are looking to make the most of what we have.”

Last year, the company completed various studies across its existing mining tenements, including currently approved Mining Leases (MLs), and Mineral Development Licence (MDL) 182. Consequently, these studies identified a portion of the latter as an area that is rich with expansion potential. The proposed new venture has been given the project name ‘Kestrel West’.

Kestrel West’s main purpose is not to enhance production rates but rather to extend the current LOM. As it stands, the new site’s progress is attendant on the results of the Queensland and Commonwealth environmental approval process, which is due to commence this year based on the findings of the initial studies. These investigations span a host of factors including terrestrial ecology and biodiversity, soils and land suitability, and detailed mine planning and mine engineering design works including resource definition, to name just a few.

This latest undertaking showcases Kestrel’s steadfast commitment to balancing growth with sustainability, and upholding its status as a responsible land steward.

NEW GENERATION BUSINESS At the backbone of Kestrel’s wider growth strategy lies significant investment that will see the company keep pace with mining innovation, demonstrating dexterity by moving with the rapid advancement of everchanging technologies and industry ideologies.

This investment strikes the balance between the cutting-edge innovations that define Kestrel as a new generation business, while still firmly preserving the all-important people power that is the bedrock of 130 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

its distinctive company culture.

“We will invest in automation, upgrade our equipment, and we will continue to invest in our people to ensure they have the opportunity for continuous development,” shares Hansen.

Within this, Kestrel remains astute, maintaining a birds-eye view of the market and poised to grasp new opportunities that marry with its visionary future, but also present ways to strengthen operational efficiency, shore up on safety, or enhance productivity.

“There is so much opportunity for organic growth in Kestrel, but we are also on the lookout for strategic

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mining that Kestrel champions – from looking for renewable energy partners to working with a supplier to recycle gumboots for new PPE. “Our goal is to be a model of sustainable, responsible mining,” surmises Hansen.

A PROUD LEGACY With this laudable gambit at the fore, Kestrel will continue to seize the opportunities presented by the shining future of Australian mining while remaining grounded in its commitments as a value-driven partner to the local community, safeguarding its development for future generations.

“We will look to grow and evolve as a business by working with our long-term contracting partners and the local community to ensure that we have mutually beneficial agreements in place that support the growth of our business and the regions we work in,” expresses Cavill.

132 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

“We have proudly been part of the Central Highlands community for over 30 years, and we envision being an integral part of it for many more,” Hansen echoes.

As with any industry, the future remains uncertain, and as the last few years have proven, unpredictability is a predictable constant in business.

Varying contingent external factors may threaten Kestrel’s forecast, however, for Hansen, the outlook is optimistically bright.

“We understand that our future, like that of any company, is also tied to broader policy decisions,” he acknowledges. “If we have the support of the government, and they understand the important role that companies like ours play in the economy and within global supply chains, I believe Kestrel will remain a significant player in the industry for a long time.”

The current global demand for coal – which shows little sign of waning – is also cause for further optimism,

as it continues to fulfil a vital need in establishing the steel foundations of a sustainable future.

“Our vision is clear and our commitment to producing highquality steelmaking coal remains as steadfast as ever,” concludes Hansen.

“There is a significant global demand for metallurgical coal, and we are fully committed to meeting the needs of our customers, today, and for many decades to come.”

With community under its wing and a Legacy Worth Leaving in its wake, the company perpetuates its future as a mainstay of the Queensland landscape, riding the tailwinds just like the agile Nankeen. For Kestrel, the sky’s the limit.

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APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 133

TOTAL TURNKEY SOLUTIONS With a multidisciplinary approach, RJE Global has everything its customers need in mining and resources, both on a national and global level. Chief Operating Officer, Paul Moynihan, tells us more Writer: Lucy Pilgrim | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton

P

ositioned as a cornerstone of the Australian engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) mining sector, RJE Global (RJE) specialises in providing multidisciplinary engineering and construction services for complex projects across a multitude of industries.

“As an Australian privatelyowned and operated company, our organisation prides itself on being progressive and innovative, allowing us to excel in projects sometimes 134 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

Paul Moynihan, COO

located in remote outback and offshore areas,” opens Paul Moynihan, COO of RJE. To deliver and exceed its customers’ needs, the company offers a comprehensive range of services and products, delivering turnkey design and construction solutions that encompass all aspects from initial ideation to full operational implementation. This also includes the start-up, commissioning, and ongoing maintenance of certain projects.

Typically, RJE is engaged in large

RJE GLOBAL MINING

infrastructure operations; as a result, its workforce can fluctuate in response to ongoing project cycles.

Currently, however, the company has 432 full-time equivalent employees, with the head office and primary manufacturing facility located in Adelaide, South Australia. Previously, RJE has been recognised at the state level with a manufacturing exporters award, showcasing its manufacturing flexibility and excellence.

The key to RJE’s success is firmly rooted in its core values that permeate

every aspect of its operations, spanning not only Australia but also overseas. Furthermore, the business’ main client base includes prominent global Tier 1 companies operating in the energy, renewables, defence and mining sectors. RJE’s success is further evidenced by the number of repeat clients it enjoys, which speaks to the positive experiences both the company and customers have had in each project.

“RJE offers a diverse range of services, excels in complex projects

across multiple industries, and maintains a strong base both in Australia and internationally,” Moynihan surmises.

PURPOSE OVER PROFIT Fundamentally, RJE’s client-focused, collaborative approach bolsters its reputation, as it prioritises presenting solutions that are in the best interests of the project and ensures an optimal technical outcome.

“While this approach may not always lead to upselling opportunities, APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 135

RJE GLOBAL MINING

RJE’S MANAGEMENT PLANS TO HELP INCORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY: • Environmental management • Efficiency and emissions reduction • Water management • Local engagement and social responsibility • Welfare, health, safety, and environment (WHSE) • Environment rehabilitation • Responsible supply chain and modern slavery eradication • Reporting and transparency

136 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

we firmly believe that it fosters longterm sustainable relationships with repeat business.

“We are committed to providing customers with solutions that are essential and avoid unnecessary addons,” Moynihan highlights.

The company’s other significant strength lies in its seamless vertical and horizontal integration throughout every stage of the project. Across the entire process, RJE has a comprehensive in-house team comprising engineers, designers, manufacturers, transportation experts, and on-site construction professionals.

Such a varied skillset is a rarity, particularly for medium-to-large construction projects. Therefore, by having all its initial functions in-house, the company has greater control over the entire process, subsequently

reducing the risks associated with third-party interfaces and potential delays.

As such, RJE’s end-to-end control extends from the conceptualisation phase to the final handover, allowing it to make quick and informed decisions with input from all relevant stakeholders. Such adaptability proves invaluable when faced with demanding timelines, unforeseen delays, and technical and commercial changes.

When looking at the Australian EPC mining industry as a whole, there is a conscientious effort towards social responsibility, rather than a simple pursuit of profits.

“With the global race to achieve net zero, the importance of minerals found abundantly in Australia cannot be overstated. Therefore, Australian mining companies, along with international firms operating here, are striving for sustainable and low carbon solutions to become stronger considerations in the investment decisions of new and existing projects,” Moynihan explains.

This shifting focus introduces a new aspect of scrutiny in the evaluation of EPC mining submissions, which focus on sustainability and indirect low carbon costs, presenting opportunities for both innovation and potential contract risks. Fortunately, however, RJE is well-positioned for any eventualities.

For example, its prefabricated glass-reinforced cement (GRC) clad switchrooms have a lower carbon footprint compared to traditional steel-clad alternatives. As a result, the firm is currently experiencing exciting new business prospects as major mineral exporters seek to decarbonise their supply chains.

“Despite this, EPC companies operating in this sector should understand that sustainability commitments made during the initial tender process are more than mere formalities,” Moynihan warns.

RJE GLOBAL MINING

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APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 137

“THE EPC MINING INDUSTRY IN A U S T R A L I A I S A N E X H I L A R AT I N G E N V I R O N M E N T D R I V E N P A R T LY B Y T H E P U R S U I T O F S U S TA I N A B L E SOLUTIONS AND THE NEED FOR LOW-CARBON I N N O VAT I O N S ” – PA U L M OY N I H A N , C O O, RJE GLOBAL

“They must be fully committed to the transition and actively involve their customers in this journey. At RJE, we excel in establishing meaningful connections with our clients at all levels of the organisation, helping to meet and exceed their sustainability commitments.”

PERFECTLY EQUIPPED Alongside its environmental responsibilities, RJE actively engages and collaborates with local businesses in each community that it operates in, thanks to its extensive national presence.

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When linked to its supply chain operations, the organisation works with local branches of multinational companies contributing to localised job creation, as well as smaller establishments that serve as the sole providers of goods, ranging from hardware or construction consumables to meals for employees.

In return, RJE works hard to support these businesses wherever possible, aligning their growth with the success of its projects.

Evidently, RJE believes that partner and supplier relationships are extremely important to its success,

as they contribute to efficient operations, quality assurance, cost savings, innovation, risk management, and long-term growth.

“Our attitude towards our vendors and partners is that we can’t succeed unless they do. Short-term wins for RJE at the expense of our partners turn long-term relationships into short-term transactions,” Moynihan states.

In other sectors, the company is involved in building four wind farm projects across Australia, coupled with two large grid-connected Battery Energy Storage System

RJE GLOBAL MINING

(BESS) projects. RJE has many initiatives in the pipeline to strengthen the system and position itself at the forefront of the industry’s sustainable efforts, along with more traditional mining projects ongoing across South Australia and Mongolia.

The company also has much to look forward to in the thermal power sector having recently completed a number of aero-derivative gas turbine projects, with negotiations for additional projects underway.

These are set to provide stability and security of supply to both networks and mine operators.

However, standing head and shoulders above these projects is the West Musgrave Hybrid Power Plant, which is currently under evaluation by the BHP/OZ Minerals team. The ambitious project is in collaboration with Zenith Energy, who RJE is supporting in its sustainable efforts and will be a large part of its

RJE’S HISTORY RJE was first established in 1996, specialising in electrical engineering and construction services catered to the mining and resources industry.

Through its initial achievements, the company expanded into various sectors, including thermal power, manufacturing, and renewables, whilst maintaining a robust presence in the resources sector.

The organisation’s core values include a commitment to safety across all operations and sectors, whilst embracing an open, honest, and client-centric approach.

Moreover, the company draws upon the expertise of its talented workforce to develop innovative and cost-effective solutions that prioritise the community and environment.

RJE Global head office, Morphettville, South Australia

construction delivery team if selected.

“Once completed, the West Musgrave Hybrid Power Plant will be the largest islanded hybrid power plant globally, and with aspiring targets for renewable energy usage and penetration, it’s a truly worldleading project to potentially be involved in,” Moynihan proudly tells us.

ENHANCED CAPACITY Projects aside, RJE is also primarily focused on capacity building and acquisitions. In the current market, the ability to secure projects heavily relies on an organisation’s delivery capacity and less so on price.

Accordingly, to ensure the company is well prepared to benefit from the forecasted projects under discussion, RJE has undertaken a comprehensive review of its entire delivery process, from initial conception to design and commissioning.

“By making minor adjustments to our designs and emphasising modularity, we have observed significant efficiency gains in the field, leading to an overall increase in our organisational capacity,” Moynihan adds.

Moreover, RJE’s smarter engineering approach has uncovered latent efficiencies and capacity improvements, enabling the front-end

team to take on more bids with confidence in the ability to deliver.

“This strategic focus on enhancing capacity is vital to our success, as it allows us to pursue and execute a higher number of projects consecutively.”

Put simply, RJE’s key goal for the upcoming year is to continue to achieve the best possible outcomes for the company and its clients.

Broken down, RJE’s short-term goal is to consistently execute its projects to the same high standards that its name has become synonymous with and to ensure it does so in a sustainable, efficient, and collaborative way.

“We don’t have specific growth targets, they’re more organic, however, we do have some growth constraints in particular sectors and one of our key aims over the next 12 months is to identify, mitigate or eliminate those constraints to ensure that we grow in a truly sustainable way,” closes Moynihan.

RJE GLOBAL Tel: +61883009500 enquiries@rjeglobal.com www.rjeglobal.com APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 139

TVI RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PHILIPPINES INC. MINING

E X PA N D I N G A DIVERSE PORTFOLIO With an impressive repertoire of projects, TVI Resource Development Philippines Inc. puts the country’s mining sector on the map. Chairman, Clifford M. James, tells us more Writer: Lucy Pilgrim | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton

I

n 2022, the Marcos Government in the Philippines announced plans to greatly develop the country’s mining industry, as part of a nationwide initiative to grow the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Subsequently, TVI Resource Development Philippines Inc. (TVIRD) is taking advantage of the current revitalisation, as the national mining sector is placed under a new spotlight.

As no stranger to great success, the company has been a trailblazer in the Philippines’ mining industry on numerous occasions. Namely, TVIRD was the first foreign invested Filipino entity to be licensed under the Mining Act of 1995. Similarly, it was the earliest company to reach production stage on its maiden project, conclude 140 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

operations, and commence final rehabilitation under the same law, as the Canatuan mine completed its initial gold and silver production in 2007 and subsequent copper and zinc processing operations in 2014.

AN EXPANSIVE PORTFOLIO Following the success of its initial undertaking, the company has evolved in leaps and bounds, bringing three mining projects to operations in a period of just 10 years. And so goes the origin story of TVIRD. After the exploration and development in Canatuan, TVIRD diligently commenced its gold and silver operations in the Province of Zamboanga del Norte on the Philippine Island of Mindanao in

2004. Subsequently, copper and zinc processing were carried out on the same project four years later, which elevated TVIRD to become a leading mining entity.

Succeeding the conclusion of the Canatuan project in 2014, TVIRD initiated the Agata Nickel Laterite Project (Agata) on the Eastern side of Mindanao in the Province of Agusan del Norte, thus capping its first full decade of operations.

“This was the company’s first foray into nickel, which established TVIRD as a steady supplier of raw material for the world’s largest stainless steel producers,” opens TVIRD’s Chairman, Clifford M. James. “Agata has also contributed significantly to the Philippines’ leadership in raw

BIRD’S EYE VIEW. TVIRD’s field office and processing plant sit at the crest of Balabag Hill, which provides a good vantage point for monitoring its mining operations and progressive rehabilitation as well as a proper slope for directing effluents to its tailings impoundment and storage facility down below.

nickel exports in the past decade,” he continues proudly.

These exports come in the form of nickel direct shipping ore (DSO), which are sourced from Agata in two varieties. The first is limonite, which holds a lower nickel content and approximately 46 to 49 percent iron.

This is supplied as raw material to lowgrade nickel pig iron (NPI) factories and used as a blending material by carbon steel plants. Agata DSO also exists in the form of saprolite, which

Operations personnel at TVIRD’s Balabag Project pour molten material from a crucible to form gold-silver dore bars made of 95 percent silver and five percent gold. The company conducts regular shipments via helicopter from its mine site in Zamboanga del Sur to Cebu where the cargo is then exported to direct markets in Asia, Oceania and Europe.

contains 1.2-1.5 percent nickel and is supplied to medium-grade NPI factories. Consequently, mining for nickel contributes to the production of stainless steel as a highly sought after material.

The company’s fourth project oversaw two operations the Balabag Gold and Silver Mine, which currently produces doré bars that contain on average five percent gold and 95 percent silver. These are then exported to direct markets in the form of refineries, spanning Asia, Oceania, and Europe.

Moreover, TVIRD has recently shown its acquisitional strength, as the company obtained the Siana Gold Project (Siana) from Red 5 Limited in Australia. Although the project’s initial APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 141

TVI RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PHILIPPINES INC. MINING

At the heart of Siana is Its state of the art Outotec mill facility, which was commissioned at a capital cost of $54 million and can process 1.1 million tonnes of ore per year. This makes the gold mine a technology leader and presents the opportunity of becoming a regional processing hub in the future.

TVIRD’S UPCOMING PROJECTS: The Pan de Azucar (PdA) pyrite project in Iloilo, which was acquired some time ago, is being prepared for expanded exploration and will soon be a DSO operation, producing high-grade, clean pyrite DSO, and eventually concentrates.

Additionally, the Mabilo CopperGold Project in the Bicol Region, which was acquired early last year, will soon be another operating mine. It has a shallow, flat-lying high-grade oxide deposit that can be accessed through open pit mining at a relatively low cost.

This part of the deposit has strong overall economics with a nominal start-up cost and a high internal rate of return. Consequently, the project can potentially supply the raw material for producing sulfuric acid which is needed in nickel processing for electric vehicle (EV) battery applications.

With this portfolio of mines and projects, TVIRD has set its course for the future towards growth and rapid expansion.

production of gold doré – following its soft launch earlier this year – is being sent to the Central Bank of the Philippines, it is targeted to hit commercial operations by early next year, whereby it will be exporting primarily to direct markets in the region.

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The expansive project is expected to produce approximately 140,000 ounces (oz) of gold across its threeyear open pit stage. Subsequently, an even higher volume is expected for the succeeding nine-year underground stage.

The company eagerly anticipates Siana’s forthcoming commercial operations. “Siana will be a game-changer in the Surigao mining region. Its state of the art Outotec mill facility was commissioned at a capital cost of $54 million and can process 1.1 million tonnes of ore per year. This makes Siana a technology leader and presents the opportunity of becoming a processing hub in the future,” James tells us.

Siana’s six Carbon in Leach (CIL) tanks, estimated at five storeys high, facilitate the adsorption of gold onto activated carbon particles. Each tank has a capacity of 1,400 cubic metres and operates continuously alongside the company’s Outotec mill facility.

MAINTAINING A BALANCE As Chairman, James firmly believes that “gold is never boring, to say the least.” This is most aptly demonstrated by the commissioning of the Balabag Gold mine in 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when gold prices were on the lower side. This year, however, the company has experienced prices upward of $2,000 per troy oz, a great step away from the 2021 prices.

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APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 143

TVI RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PHILIPPINES INC. MINING

APAC OUTLOOK: COULD YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT ANY KEY INVESTMENTS OR ACQUISITIONS THAT YOU FEEL ARE IMPORTANT TO THE COMPANY? Clifford M. James, Chairman: “We understand that TVIRD’s precious metals are commodities that will forever have trading value, but we are also cognizant of the fact that nickel and copper will continue to be vital to the world’s energy transition.

Evidently, TVIRD’s operations weather spikes and dips that inversely correlate to the movement of the US dollar and global market, but this is a challenge that the company has become an expert at managing.

“Over the years, TVIRD has learned to maintain the critical balance of running efficient operations on the ground whilst navigating the movements of major global commodities like gold,” affirms James.

To add to this, TVIRD consistently plans for the diversification of the metals it produces.

“Copper has always been a significant component in our growth story and will be for some time. Nickel, with its associated iron, has also been a major section of our growth. Thus, both copper and nickel have been good commodity balances for the gold and silver we have produced,” he comments.

TVIRD is additionally proud to say that its founding Canatuan site is five times ‘greener’ in terms of forest density than before it initiated the project. For example, more than 400,000 trees were planted during 144 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

Gold dore bars from TVIRD’s Siana mine contain over 10 times more gold that of its Balabag counterpart. On a good run, Siana’s dore may reach upward of 60 percent gold. As Siana is currently gearing-up for commercial operations in 2024, it is also selling its initial production of gold dore to the Philippine Central Bank.

“As the Agata nickel/iron mine is nearing completion, TVIRD is exploring other nickel prospects in order to play an active role in the global shift to EVs. It is also set to develop its copper asset, hopefully in time for the pending boom for this commodity.

“The world is currently in a copper

its operations while another 140,000 cash crop plants are presently being planted as part of its final rehabilitation. Most significantly, due to TVIRD’s environmental initiative, the potential for carbon sequestration after rehabilitation will be nearly 10 times greater than pre-mining conditions.

“Environmental responsibility runs deep in the TVIRD Group. This level of commitment is underscored by the company’s progressive rehabilitation activities during the operation stage, which are aligned to the final rehabilitation plan, final land use, and livelihood programme for the communities in preparation for the end of mine life.”

This is highlighted by the three Presidential Mineral Industry Environment Awards presented to TVIRD’s Agata project, as well as an ASEAN Mineral Award, marking

shortage, despite the strong production of countries like Chile and Peru. There are a number of Philippine projects poised to mine and develop copper plants in the near future and TVIRD will definitely be a part of this.

“We are likewise excited about the forthcoming operations of our Pan de Azucar pyrite project and its potential for EV battery applications.”

the company’s first international recognition.

A HELPING HAND Over the years, TVIRD has provided invaluable support to the communities in which its mines are

A panoramic view of the main copper-zinc mine pit in TVIRD’s Canatuan Project at the start of its final rehabilitation. Canatuan will be the first mine to conclude its final rehabilitation under the Philippine Mining Law, leaving the area five times “greener” in terms of forest density – compared to before TVIRD operated in the area.

situated. In the case of Canatuan, TVIRD is honoured to have supported 10 schools with a capacity of 4,000 students at the height of the mine’s operation. Similarly, the company maintained a road network of 140 kilometres (km) that linked together many nearby municipalities with the rest of the Zamboanga Peninsula, efficiently mobilising people and much-needed goods.

“You could say that we have been

Visitors in Canatuan are always in awe of the company’s tailings storage and impoundment facility. At 34 hectares wide and 120 metres deep, the TSF – which was used during the company’s copper and zinc mining operations – is a structural beauty in itself. Surrounded by lush and cool Mt. Canatuan, it looks like a lake with clear water, and the presence of the Philippine Wild Ducks makes the man-made lake even more interesting.

like a surrogate government agency that helps augment social services and infrastructure for the local communities,” James explains.

The Agata project likewise has a strong influence on local community programmes, most notably the Community Royalty Development Plan – a common roadmap for progress that it shares with the Indigenous Mamanwa Tribe. Its main rehabilitation focus is geared toward transforming the mine into an ecotourism and agroforestry hub for future generations.

“We provide a sustainable livelihood for the communities that will effectively transition the local economy from mining back to agriculture,” he states.

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Responsive education is one of TVIRD’s main pillars of development that is directly aligned with the UN’s Millennium Development Goals.

In the case of Canatuan, TVIRD supported 10 schools with close to 4,000 students at the height of its operations.

TVIRD operated a lying-in clinic in Canatuan that served communities in the immediate area. On a yearly basis, the clinic would receive 14,000 consultations and admissions, most notably from its indigenous hosts, the Subanon Tribe.

146 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

TVIRD’s Agata Nickel Laterite Project is now in its ninth year of operations and has exported 380 shipments to the company’s direct markets in Asia to date. Each shipment consists of an average of 53,000 tonnes of cargo that are supplied to the world’s largest nickel pig iron and stainless steel plants.

FINDING SANCTUARY. Philippine ducks (Anas Luzonica), though not classified as “endangered”, are a vulnerable indigenous species that found sanctuary in TVIRD’s tailings dam. At its peak, close to 20 percent of the total population of these waterbirds may have been in Canatuan.

TVI RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PHILIPPINES INC. MINING

Agata’s Community Royalty Development Plan is the company’s common roadmap for progress that it shares with its host indigenous Mamanwa Tribe. Its final rehabilitation is also geared towards transforming the mine into an Ecotourism and Agroforestry hub for the future, thus providing a sustainable livelihood for the communities that will effectively transition the local economy from mining back to agriculture.

Agata’s ridge to reef approach harmonises the interconnectivity of its entire ecosystem. From upland reforestation and rehabilitation, to safeguarding its adopted marine sanctuary on the shores of Tubay, the company takes pride in the community’s sense ownership in maintaining a sustainable natural environment. The communities have always been its first line of defense.

The Agata Causeway and loading operations run like clockwork 24/7.

The company conducts over 2,600 truck trips for every shipload of nickel ore that are exported almost weekly for the past nine years. In a good month, Agata exports around seven shiploads of nickel ore.

POSITIVE OUTLOOK TVIRD has much to look forward to as it forecasts substantial growth in the upcoming year. Whilst the highly successful Agata mine is on its final leg, its nickel operations remain as active as ever. Moreover, its two operating gold mines in Zambaonga and Surigao are quickly progressing and gearing-up for higher production rates. This rests on a consistent undercurrent of further exploration potential in the immediate periphery

of both the Balabag and Siana mine sites.

There will also be greater advancements in the Pan de Acuzar and Mabilo copper-gold projects, as its pyrite asset will be essential to the world of steel and nickel-metal hybrid (Ni) battery value chains while copper will be essential to the global energy transition.

Ultimately, through its vast multitude of projects, TVIRD is going above and beyond in becoming an

industry leader for Philippine mining, as its tenacity for acquisition and production growth is unmatched by competitors in the sector.

TVI RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PHILIPPINES INC. Tel: +63 2 7728-8491 inquiries@tvird.com.ph www.tvird.com.ph APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 147

FAC I L I TAT I N G A F U L L- S E R V I C E SOLUTION Merging expertise, efficiency, technology and sustainability, Fenner Conveyors stands above the competition as the market-leading provider of mining conveyor systems. We speak to executive members of the company to find out more Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton

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FENNER CONVEYORS MINING

M

ining is a key industry that keeps our modern world moving. Unearthing the planet’s myriad of minerals and ores is key to the production of cars, the construction of buildings, and the continuation of life as we know it.

Australia is home to a monumental mining sector. Within it, there operate companies that facilitate mining activities to help businesses achieve the best results in the field. Fenner Conveyors (Fenner), a Michelin Group Company, is a notable player in the sector, and the leading manufacturer of conveyor systems for mining and industrial applications, a critical aspect of heavy-duty operations bringing to

the market engineered conveyor products, surrounding services and support to the Australian mining space.

“The mining industry is very exciting in terms of delivering minerals to fuel the growth of sectors as a fundamental resource,” introduces Tony Pace, CCO of Engineering at Fenner.

The mining space is exciting for Australia as a country that provides a significant proportion of the world’s iron, coal, gold, and emerging minerals such as lithium (crucial for the development of batteries), and is therefore an equally integral part of the overall global economy.

According to Pace, the importance of these minerals cannot be

understated. For example, a substantial percentage of Australian coal is used for manufacturing steel, which in turn is a key material for producing electric vehicles (EVs) and wind turbines globally.

Traditionally, Fenner is synonymous with conveyor belts, but this is changing. Following its multiple acquisitions over the years, Fenner has succeeded in establishing itself as a complete offering for anything in the industry, from conveyor field services to the design, manufacturing and monitoring of conveyor systems, the latter of which is carried out through digital technologies supported by its maintenance and field service teams.

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FENNER CONVEYORS MINING

Fenner’s breadth of capability far exceeds its traditional conveyor belting products. The company has engineered conveyor components and systems, established methodologies for conveyor installations and change-out equipment, and uses the information it gains from conveyor monitoring to develop new products and compounds that are engineered for belting. Fenner utilises its many brands to bring its clients the best conveyor solutions, a delivery unique to the company.

BUYING AND BUILDING As it stands today, every part of a conveyor can be engineered, manufactured, and installed by Fenner. In order to do so, engineering capabilities are absolutely critical.

Fenner has been growing its engineering capabilities over the years through its in-house conveyor belt engineers. Furthermore, part of Fenner’s service offering includes engineered methodologies for belt installation and change outs, delivered through Victoria-based company, Belle Banne Conveyors,

acquired in 2010.

The acquisition of Australian Conveyor Engineering (ACE) in 2012 was a key part of this new direction of the business. ACE provides Fenner with the ability to design conveyor systems, pulleys, and everything else that is part of the process, including all electrical system components such as the starters and drive motors.

Last year, Fenner made the acquisition of Conveyor Products & Solutions Pty Ltd (CPS) which operates as the company’s primary roller manufacturer based in Western Australia. This development was the last piece of the puzzle to form where Fenner currently stands in 2023. Today, a customer can request that Fenner designs and engineers a system, a modification, or supplies conveyor products, as well as maintains such systems, which is all part of the company’s key strategy.

“The engineering element is critical to this; we are the only original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in the industry that can actually deliver a complete conveyor.

It is a real point of differentiation for us in the conveyor field,” notes Trevor Svenson, Executive General Manager.

“We also want to help our customers to reduce their operating costs. We have the expertise in belting, maintenance, modelling material and many other aspects to influence the operation of assets, meaning that we can make customers’ systems more efficient while providing all kinds of products and components that make them more durable as well.

“Nobody else in the industry globally can offer what we can; if clients wish to get these results elsewhere, they will have to work with multiple companies, whereas Fenner is the one place you can actually do and have it all,” he adds.

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150 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

One of Fenner’s strengths in the market is that of being a local supplier to Australian mining players.

According to Pace, the past decade in the country has seen a real shift away from sourcing products and services from cheaper, international suppliers to securing a localised supply chain and supporting local businesses in the process.

Reduced price often compromises longevity. Instead of focusing on bottom-line pricing, mining companies are recognising the value of high-quality and full-service partners who can offer above and

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FENNER CONVEYORS MINING

beyond the simple hardware, and reliably provide products, services and support to systems to further secure the continued success of mining operations.

Fenner picked up on this shifting sector focus, and has since made the strategic decision to invest in its local operations in Perth, Australia, standing out with a unique market offer to be a reliable and superior quality provider of belts, components and much more. This is a true differentiator for Fenner and one that gives the company an edge over its competition in the market.

“10 years ago, we built a factory in Perth during a time when many

APAC OUTLOOK: CAN YOU TELL US HOW FENNER HAS CHANGED OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR TENURE? Trevor Svenson, Executive General Manager: “I’ve been with the company for 10 years, having joined in 2013 in the role of General Manager of Sales and Marketing.

“When I first joined Fenner, the company was making a number of acquisitions in the engineering space. Around a decade ago, Fenner was very much a beltcentric company; while that has remained a large part of the business, Fenner recognised the market was moving into other areas. The directors realised that strategically the company had to pivot, and a part of this was a vision

people were looking overseas for production, and it was a major investment in the area,” Pace explains.

“We added two production lines over the course of a few years, with a third production line having been commissioned late last year, so now we can manufacture very high-quality conveyor belts and all the parts locally in Australia for local customers.”

This convenience, quality and reliability is further bolstered by Fenner’s exceptional coverage of all customer needs via its field services and support, an integral part of the company’s offer to the market.

“We are quite unique as we can design the conveyor system, manufacture the hardware, metalwork, and belt. Then, we can install the conveyor system and belt, and once it’s all up and running, we maintain the whole thing for the customer,” Pace continues. “We offer the full-service package in terms of total cost of ownership around a conveyor system.”

COM-MISSION SUCCESS Fenner’s undertaking of Anglo American Plc’s (Anglo American) Aquila project is an example of the company’s ability to deliver such services. In 2020, Fenner was selected to design, supply and install a 2.6 kilometre (km) overland conveyor located in the Bowen Basin Coalfield, alongside four drives, a transformer, loop take-up, elevated gantry sections, overland structure, and belting. The conveyor is a crucial piece of infrastructure for the coal mine, not only as a means of extraction but also to ensure the streamlining of the

entire operation.

“We have over 1,000 people in the business and almost 75 percent of our employees are typically in on-site operations doing service work on conveyors and maintaining engineering, and they do a fantastic job across our many projects in the field,” Svenson says.

“Overland conveyors are a large market for the company, and we have a lot going on in the Queensland coal industry. A couple of years ago, we secured a contract to build an overland conveyor for Anglo American, and we delivered that as a turnkey project.”

Fenner’s role on this operation consisted of designing, manufacturing, installing and commissioning the conveyor that the company continues to maintain to this day. For Svenson and the team, this was the first substantial project to bring together the collective capabilities incorporated from Fenner’s multiple acquisitions. This is where the industry expertise, tools and know-how from engineering functions, showcased Fenner’s ability to answer industry demands in a diverse mining space.

DELIVERING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS More recently, Fenner secured a five-year contract with a major iron ore-producing customer based in Western Australia, which itself is an area seeing a great deal of growth in the mining sector.

“There are both well-established and emerging iron ore producers tapping into our natural resources,”

towards engineered conveyor solutions – the means and ability to build full conveyors from head end to tail, providing everything that customers need and supporting them after completion of the system.”

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“ N O B O D Y E L S E I N T H E I N D U S T R Y G L O B A L LY C A N O F F E R W H AT W E C A N . . . AT F E N N E R W E D O I T A L L A N D Y O U C A N H AV E I T A L L ” – T R E VO R SV E N S O N , E X E C U T I V E G E N E R A L M A N AG E R , F E N N E R C O N V E YO R S

ACE transfer station

FENNER CONVEYORS MINING

Svenson tells us. “For us at Fenner, this is an area that we are keen to support; our largest conveyor belt manufacturing plant – and the largest press-line in the world – is well-placed in the Western Australia region with 300km of belting coming out of the production facility each year.”

By nature of the industry, continuing iron ore operations sees mining activities take place

APAC OUTLOOK: COULD YOU ELABORATE ON FENNER’S FOCUS ON IN-HOUSE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT? Tony Pace, CCO of Engineering: “We are the only conveyor company in the country with a registered training organisation, and we actually set up this school to attract, train and develop our people with the right skills to carry out conveyor belt splicing. Since then, this has expanded to cover both splicing and mechanical technician pathways. There weren’t enough people in Australia in this field of work, and we realised that the best way forward was to grow the company around our people.

“By setting up a registered training organisation with an accredited training scheme, we are providing vocational opportunities to young people who have left education, as well as continuing to grow the Fenner team and deliver a one-stop shop, end-to-end service solution to our customers.

“We have really invested in keeping that supervised training in-house so that we can deliver superior services at all levels of the business while benefitting those who seek such training and opportunities.”

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ever further away from the initial processing plants. At this point, operators have two choices: they can either build another processing plant at the new pit, or they can convey the ore to the original processing plant.

For many, the latter is the most costeffective way to do it.

“The issue comes with distance, and consequently, energy usage,” Pace continues. “A conveyor that transports ore 20km to a processing plant requires a vast amount of power and so many mining companies are recognising this, shifting to a more environmentally conscious approach and reducing their carbon emissions.”

This is another advantage that Fenner has when it comes to its offering; an ability to supply customers with conveyor products which promote energy efficiency and lower overall carbon output. The company’s conveyor rollers include a range that is very efficient when it comes to reducing the amount of energy consumed during conveyor operations – known as CPS’s Yeloroll-HD. On top of this, Fenner can also provide conveyor belts with low rolling resistance through its PowerSaver compound, which means smoother and more energy-efficient flow over the idlers. Combine these two, and you have a sustainabilitycentric offer, making Fenner the market-leading choice when it comes to environmentally focused conveyor systems.

Having proven its capabilities in this area, Fenner believes that it is the company to deliver sustainable conveyor benefits to clients operating in the mining space in Australia, and will continue to develop its offering in this space.

AT THE CORE Owned by Michelin Group, Fenner echoes the company’s three pillars of sustainable growth: people, to commit to the safety, development and inclusion of its employees;

“WE OFFER THE FULL-SERVICE PAC K AG E I N T E R M S O F T O TA L C O S T O F OWNERSHIP AROUND A C O N V E YO R SYSTEM” – TO N Y PAC E , C C O O F ENGINEERING, FENNER C O N V E YO R S

profit, to deliver financial value and innovation in its conveyor products, services and solutions; and planet, to make a positive impact on the environment and the globe by using recycled materials, lowering carbon emissions and more.

“Above everything, our team’s safety in the field is incredibly important to us,” Pace adds.

“By being part of Michelin Group, we also have access to a vast R&D department consisting of thousands of personnel working on product development as well as new and improved components and systems

to deliver value to clients. On top of this, Michelin’s renowned rubber expertise in tyres is applied to Fenner’s conveyor belts, making them the superior option on the market, and helping develop safer products, methods, and systems for those who install, operate, and maintain them.”

Fenner’s R&D encompasses critical technological developments that are key to the company’s systems service and support for its customers.

Digitalisation and conveyor monitoring are a large part of this and are paramount to the streamlining and cost-effectiveness of conveyor

systems.

“We have invested heavily in technology as an organisation over the past few years, including conveyor monitoring,” Svenson elaborates.

“For example, there has been high customer demand for real-time monitoring to keep track of the rate of wear for a conveyor belt.

“Another prime example is the rate of roller wear; a conveyor system that is 24km long will make use of tens of thousands of rollers. Monitoring the performance and wear of these rollers is critical to the continued function and safety of the system, as APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 155

FENNER CONVEYORS MINING

well as – especially the case for worn rollers – saving costs by reducing belt damage.”

This technology focus ties into Fenner’s nature as an innovative company, collaborating with partners to maximise the advantages of monitoring systems while supplying belts that utilise Michelin Group’s advanced polymer technology for efficiency and durability. This focus on monitoring and increasing the service life of conveyor systems further adds to the company’s sustainability-centred mission.

THE CONTINUATION OF QUALITY Fenner benchmarks its manufacturing emissions via an independent organisation, through which targets are set to be achieved in line with those of Michelin Group.

Innovating with products when it comes to reducing environmental impact is a well-established aspect of the company.

“Fenner’s ability to deliver is a unique point of difference in the industry,” Svenson says. “On top of this, carbon emission reduction is a real focus for us. 10 years ago, we didn’t envisage that a combination of these acquisitions would put us in a really good position to contribute to utilising sustainable materials when making products, and on top of this, reduce overall carbon emissions.”

This sustainability-centric focus is exemplified by Fenner’s collaborative iron ore project with global mining giant Rio Tinto and subsidiary, CPS. This ongoing project will involve an overland conveyor for a new enterprise called Western Range. Fenner utilises its belt manufacturing capabilities merged with CPS’ rollers which are less resistant and more economical when it comes to energy usage, leading to less carbon emissions released into the atmosphere as a result.

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Belle Banne Conveyors belt installation services

CPS rollers

Revesby Solid Woven belting

“These rollers and beltings are partially made from sustainable materials, either natural rubber or recycled,” Svenson details. “As part of Michelin Group, there is a strong focus on these sustainability targets and metrics, looking towards 2030, 2050 and beyond. That’s where we stand out in the industry with our key mining clients, as they want to work with us to actually make an impact in that space.

“We intend to continue bettering the mining industry in Australia by offering a higher quality full design, installation and manufacturing

services, supported and maintained by our expert teams while utilising the latest in digitalisation and monitoring tools for a more efficient and sustainable future of mining conveyors.”

Tel: 1800 FENNER sales@fenner.com.au www.fenner.com.au APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 157

BG&E RESOURCES CONSTRUCTION

ENGINEERS OF AUSTRALIAN

PROSPERITY As stalwarts of a nature positive future where cutting-edge innovation meets engineering excellence, BG&E Resources (BGER) delivers enduring value. Joe Allen, Director of Operations and Market Sector Director for Resources, tells us more Writer: Phoebe Harper | Project Manager: Jordan Levey

Joe Allen, Director of Operations and Market Sector Director for Resources

What Australia can do to influence the energy transition globally, and what we can do, is massive. It’s extremely exciting where the industry is heading.”

Propelled by the pressing reality of climate change and significant technological advancements, a major shift is occurring throughout the global energy sector – not least in Australia, where major mining players and other industrial entities are capitalising on a boom within the

country’s notable critical minerals assets.

For leading engineering and environmental, social and governance (ESG) advisory consultancy, BGER, this dynamic transition is fuelling the company’s next phase of growth and maturity as it advances its ESG and strategic sustainability solutions for private and public organisations.

“As a company, we are united by our purpose to solve complex problems, engage communities, and transition to a nature positive future by embracing innovation and ambition.

Our optimal size means we are both agile and nimble, and can deliver enduring value for clients and the communities in which we work and live,” continues Allen.

Operating throughout the West and East coasts of Australia, BGER prides itself on providing clients in the resources, energy, and industrial sectors with multi-disciplinary, fitfor-purpose, design, engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM), rehabilitation APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 159

BG&E RESOURCES CONSTRUCTION

capabilities, and ESG advisory services.

The latter represents its most recently developed area of expertise, drawing on the company’s robust foundations and solid experience

in engineering. This scope has subsequently evolved over the years as BGER seeks to answer the increasingly urgent call for decarbonisation amidst the acceleration of the energy transition.

EMBRACING ESG The commercial imperative for organisations to incorporate ESG is fourfold: Optimise Capital and Maintain a Strong Balance Sheet: BGER helps clients to develop robust, evidence-based business cases to help organisations access and progress capital for projects, maintain a healthy balance sheet and deliver longterm value for stakeholders. This is particularly important with the introduction of the Safeguard Mechanism reforms on 1st July 2023.

Preserve a Licence to Operate: BGER guides clients in pursuing pathways to net zero and carbon positive outcomes, minimising environmental impacts, regenerating biodiversity, enhancing Aboriginal engagement and participation, and further developing the local economies in which it works.

Augment Market Share via Technology: BGER advises clients to leverage clean technologies, virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as datadriven asset management and digital twin capabilities to help them optimise asset performance, reduce OPEX and grow market share.

Demonstrate Vigorous Governance and Competitive Advantage: BGER helps clients increase trust with stakeholders by embedding ESG into operations, measuring and managing risk, complying with legislation, reporting ESG performance annually using the global sustainability reporting standard and benchmarking against peers to demonstrate competitive advantage.

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This is evidenced by its ESG advisory services and effective, tailored solutions that are delivered across the resources, industrial and energy sectors - including power generation, transmission, distribution, energy storage and renewables.

TIMES OF TRANSITION The transition that is currently taking place throughout the energy sector calls for a regenerative approach to foster long-term resilience alongside a reimagined attitude to value creation.

In this dynamic context, BGER has effectively built on its solid track record to respond to the increasing market appetite for ESG by scaling up its decarbonisation, social impact, asset optimisation and decommissioning capabilities.

Despite ESG advisory services being relatively new territory for the company, Allen remains confident of its success.

“Although this is a change, it is a natural evolution for us,” he affirms.

“Our engineering, design and advisory teams are well equipped to take what they know about the regions where we operate and the legislative requirements and transition that directly into new markets, services and technical offerings.”

This step in the company’s journey was taken in 2022 when BGER introduced ESG advisory services to its portfolio. As a developmental phase in the business’ maturity, this foray into ESG positions BGER as a trusted advisor to clients by providing best practice environmental and environmental engineering services.

A critical aspect in the design phase of any project is BGER’s NetZero in Design (NZiD) tool, which is used to navigate the changing energy technology and regulatory landscape to provide a clear pathway to net zero.

“NZID is just part of the way BGER does business,” says Allen. “From the moment we are engaged on a project, the team is always on the lookout for

BG&E RESOURCES CONSTRUCTION

CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY Utilising the latest in 3D modelling software, ISOLINEAR is able to provide accurate 3D structural and mechanical models with fabrication deliverables to suit all types of industrial and commercial projects, with intelligent data prebuilt into our models all projects big or small can benefit greatly from our data rich models through the entire life cycle of a project.

WE OFFER: • DESIGN • SHOP DETAIL • CONSTRUCTION MODELLING • SCAN • ANIMATIONS • 3D PRINTING • PROJECT CO-ORDINATION LEARN MORE

ways to reduce energy demand and cost while thinking of more innovative methods to deliver power.”

Ultimately, BGER applies a holistic vision to the services it provides, overseeing the entire lifecycle of a project from inception through to decommissioning, rehabilitation and beyond to regeneration.

“ O U R A G I L I T Y I S W H AT E N A B L E S U S T O W O R K O N P R O J E C T S – Q U I C K LY A N D E F F I C I E N T LY – T H R O U G H O U T T H E E N T I R E L I F E C Y C L E , P A R T I C U L A R LY A S M A R K E T D R I V E R S A N D L E G I S L AT I V E R E Q U I R E M E N T S A R E C H A N G I N G S O Q U I C K LY ” – J O E A L L E N , D I R E C T O R O F O P E R AT I O N S A N D M A R K E T S E C T O R D I R E C TO R , R E S O U R C E S , B G & E R E S O U R C E S

A START TO FINISH SOLUTION Regardless of the project, BGER consistently brings best practices to the table to provide fit-for-purpose, affordable and enduring solutions, from start to finish.

“Our agility is what enables us to work on projects – quickly and efficiently – throughout the entire lifecycle, particularly as market drivers and legislative requirements are changing so quickly,” says Allen.

“Through the delivery of lowcarbon technical solutions, our teams can help organisations effectively

optimise asset performance, minimise operational disruption, improve safety, mitigate risk, and seamlessly connect to infrastructure and freight networks.”

A significant example of this in action is BGER’s recent work on the Mid West Ports Authority (MWPA) Port Maximisation Project – a major undertaking that presents an end-to-end project solution with a comprehensive suite of services being delivered under one contract.

The MWPA will see Geraldton Port adapt to accommodate a significant boom in export trade, with throughput projected to increase from 15 metric tonnes (MT) to 25MT per annum over the next decade.

Paving the way for future opportunities, this is one of BGER’s most significant EPCM contracts, although the team has worked on the entire project delivery lifecycle within its current and historical project portfolio. With resilient ports APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 161

representing a gateway to economic prosperity, the project represents another one of the myriad ways in which BGER helps communities prosper.

A RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN Beyond the vast gamut of reliable advisory services and engineering capabilities that can guide a client’s project from end-to-end, BGER prides itself on acting as a responsible corporate citizen who is respectful of its social impact.

Across the board, BGER’s team

BGER IN NUMBERS • SIX offices Australia wide • 60+ industry clients • 350+ completed projects • AUD$100 MILLION+ value projects completed

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acknowledges the privilege it is afforded in helping to protect and preserve Australia’s Indigenous cultural heritage, communities, habitats and flora and fauna.

“BGER understands its spheres of influence and we practice collaboration and early engagement with Traditional Owners, First Nations communities, industry, government, and the broader market and society,” says Allen.

In its commitment to the ongoing journey of reconciliation, BGER embraces incremental change, including identifying, supporting, developing, employing, and mentoring an increased number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Currently, the employment of First Nations people in the company stands at three percent of the workforce.

Externally, BGER’s solutions create local employment opportunities, thereby enhancing each client’s social license while increasing shareholder value.

As the business moves forward into its next phase of growth with the energy transition at the fore, these healthy relationships with the communities in which it operates remain central.

“We are focused on strengthening partnerships with leaders and communities which represent Australia’s oldest living culture and their increased participation in our business growth,” Allen states. “We are also in the process of finalising our Innovation Reconciliation Action Plan with Reconciliation Australia to further our journey.”

THE VALUE OF EXPERTISE Looking to its own people, BGER leverages the expertise and experience of its ‘critical mass’ of engineers and ESG advisory professionals, mobilising a global pool of talent to address the complex challenges faced by clients.

The majority of BGER’s senior staff benefit from decades of

BG&E RESOURCES CONSTRUCTION

“BGER’S ROBUST FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE, S I N C E I N C E P T I O N , I S D U E T O T H E B U O YA N T M A R K E T C O N D I T I O N S , O U R TA L E N T E D W O R K F O R C E , I N T E R D E P E N D E N T C U LT U R E , A N D T H E D E C I S I V E A N D CO U R AG E O U S L E A D E R S H I P O F O U R M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R ” – J O E A L L E N , D I R E C T O R O F O P E R AT I O N S A N D M A R K E T S E C T O R D I R E C TO R , R E S O U R C E S , B G & E R E S O U R C E S

experience within the ever-evolving context of the resources, energy and industrial sectors. Combining this longevity with an open-minded approach to cutting-edge innovation, BGER’s teams continue to save clients both time and money by using worldleading processes and tools.

Allen himself has more than 18 years of experience in the design, construction and operation of process plants across diverse sectors, including

mining, power generation and infrastructure, before joining BGER in 2020. This wealth of expertise has entailed notable projects with leading resources organisations including Rio Tinto, Roy Hill, and Pilbara Minerals to name just a few.

However, Allen credits the work of Managing Director, Craig Bloxham, as an instrumental factor in the company’s differentiation from other competitors, and the prosperous

journey that lies ahead.

“BGER’s robust financial performance, since inception, is due to the buoyant market conditions, our talented workforce, collaborative culture, and the decisive and courageous leadership of the Managing Director,” he observes.

“He (Bloxham) shares a passion for engineering, construction and delivery of projects, as well as an overwhelming commitment to ESG and reconciliation.”

Much like the nature positive, renewable future that the company envisions across Australia, BGER continues to innovate by forging a path for its own sustainability.

BG&E RESOURCES Tel: +61 8 6375 9100 info@bge-resources.com www.bge-resources.com

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 163

THE FINER ELEMENTS OF ARCHITECTURE

Rockley Gardens

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VCON CONSTRUCTION

Constructing custom houses and highend apartments in Melbourne, VCON continues to build its brand. We speak to Director, Anthony Morton about the company’s latest developments Writer: Rachel Carr Project Manager: Jordan Levey

R

enowned for luxury and prestige in the construction industry, VCON is a byword for high-end residential buildings and has developed a unique reputation over the past 25 years.

VCON’s group of companies is categorised by three residential types, which the organisation has chosen to segregate as different entities to maintain the exclusivity of the brand.

Target projects for VCON are architectural custom houses with a typical value of AUD$10 to 50 million.

These residences are rare, and as such, the volume at which they are constructed is limited. At any one time, VCON will only have two or three houses under construction.

“The reason is simple – few individuals commission houses of this magnitude. As such, VCON usually finds the role of construction begins with an early contractor involvement (ECI),” introduces Anthony Morton, Director of VCON. APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 165

VCON CONSTRUCTION

Element V Montague Square

ECI is a technique employed by the industry whereby the design team works collaboratively with a head contractor during the design development phase. This ensures the design accords with best practice, and when the design is ultimately costed, it will be within the owner’s budget.

In turn, VCON works closely with its subcontractors and suppliers to provide feedback to the design team to ensure it is adequate to meet the client’s directives.

“Our philosophy is to promote the architect to be as creative and indulgent as their repertoire allows, obviously always carefully abiding by the client’s brief. We provide advice on costings, programmes, and availability of materials to ensure the design of construction methodology is correct,” Morton tells us.

THE THREE ELEMENTS Morton was determined not to forgo the arm of VCON which constructs large houses; therefore, 15 years ago, he opted to brand the apartment arm of the company as Element Five, which became the face of the more 166 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

commercial side of the business specialising in mid-level apartments in the inner city.

“We found the correlation was a positive force, given the quality of construction was synonymous with VCON. Today, we wonder how Element Five can construct a 20-oddstorey apartment building in less time than a three-storey house,” recalls Morton.

Morton thinks the predominant reason for this construction phenomenon is the level of detail in the houses dictates the sequence of trades, and the overlap of trades is not possible when achieving the level of complexity these houses have.

“Element Five’s conception was directly attributable to VCON’s pathway. As directors, we were increasingly approached by developers and architects to provide a service to construct apartments.”

The main reason was the magnitude of the houses VCON was involved with had many characteristics of apartments – namely basement retention and concrete structures.

Element V Montague Square

Element V Montague Square

PROJECT UKIYO WIT H VCON & ELEMENT 5

Supplier of Natural Stone & Porcelain

VCON CONSTRUCTION

“From a PR perspective, we needed the VCON brand not to be tarnished by the commercial aspect of apartment construction. This is the reason we began to operate under the Element Five banner, which is a spinoff of Chinese methodology’s five essential elements of fire, water, earth, wind and space,” he details.

Finally, to accompany VCON and Element Five, VCON Multi was created to cater to the emerging demand for high-end apartment living.

“We have seen a trend in the community of Melbourne to embrace apartment living due to several factors. Primarily, downsizing the family home to free up equity for retirement for the older generation and to assist the struggling younger generation,” observes Morton.

Another benefit of apartment living is the proximity to Melbourne’s excellent infrastructure, such as entertainment and sporting events.

VCON Multi caters to the demand for luxury apartments in the most desirable blue-ribbon suburbs.

Specialised projects must fit specific criteria to enable the developer to market the project as VCON, such as the project design must be exclusive, and the product must sit within a certain price point

Kilmore Residence

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following the same design as VCON houses.

A DESIGN FOR LIVING Luxury Brighton apartment development, The International, is a VCON Multi project and a joint venture between V-leader and Landream. The developers sought to create a unique residential space specifically targeted to individuals who want high-quality, large apartments in an excellent location.

As a seaside suburb of Melbourne, Brighton is known for large, expensive houses, excellent old-school shopping strips, and outstanding parks and beaches – all within 10 kilometres (km) of the central business district.

“National award-winning Carr Architects headed up the design, and VCON has a valued relationship with the company, spanning decades and delivering some of Australia’s best residential and commercial experiences,” Morton states.

Every project designed by Carr Architects has a distinctive and robust character, and Brighton International is no different. For example, the façade is minimal, and a glassreinforced concrete (GRC) rain screen envelopes the structure.

GRC was selected partly because its properties can withstand high tolerances along with its velvety aesthetic. Thus, the entire façade of the building is GRC mounted

“ T H E D E V E LO P E R S A N D VCO N C O N S C I O U S LY D E C I D E D T O U S E L O C A L T R A D E S , A N D T H E R E S U LT S S P E A K F O R T H E M S E LV E S . Q U A L I T Y I S P A R A M O U N T AT B R I G H T O N I N T E R N AT I O N A L , A N D IT IS SYNONYMOUS WITH LOCAL CRAFTSMANSHIP” – A N T H O N Y M O R TO N , D I R E C TO R , VCO N

Elwood House

Elwood House

on a structural steel subframe that effectively hides all fixing and creates the rain screen.

“The internals are also minimalist but not stark. All the finishes are exotic, with stone, timber, and polished plaster, to name a few. The residents also enjoy large communal shared areas, which have abundant light and water features to balance the sheer walls of the monolithic GRC,” he explains.

The project has not been without its challenges for the delivery team; purchaser changes include large adjacent apartments that were bought and amalgamated into one giant super apartment. Another purchaser bought an apartment to convert into servants’ quarters.

“The developer was determined to attract buyers who wanted to put their individual touch on their apartment; as such, purchasers set about using the services of Carr

Elwood House

Elwood House

Architects to achieve this.”

VCON Multi is proud to rise to the challenges as nothing is standard, and design documentation is being produced in parallel with construction. The company also takes pride in most large trades, such as joinery, windows, and the GRC, which are locally produced.

The relationship between VCON and Carr Architects extends to a

collaboration of imposing and daring construction and design of the Jackalope Hotel on the Mornington Peninsula – a blend of typologies and mythologies with an artistically otherworldly presence. However, its’ moniker and contemporary statue are from a different continent and origin.

The jackalope is a mythical animal of North American folklore described as a jackrabbit with antelope horns. The word jackalope is a portmanteau of jackrabbit and antelope.

CHALLENGES WITHIN THE INDUSTRY

Jackalope

“I have honestly never seen the industry in such a turbulent place. The combination of rising interest rates, the unpredictable nature of supply channels, and the ongoing effect of the COVID-19 pandemic have all been a challenge, but one of our biggest hurdles is finding construction APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 169

VCON CONSTRUCTION

APAC OUTLOOK: WHAT ARE VCON’S ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES AND ITS COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY? ANTHONY MORTON, DIRECTOR: “At VCON, we recognise our responsibility to meet community expectations and are committed to continuously improving our environmental performance. We recognise the importance of sustainability and reducing its ecological footprint, and to do this, we comply with the relevant environmental legislation and systems across the business.

“Our site team does a daily walk to assess and prevent all environmental and construction risks. Our priority is the safety of our workers and the public via ecological awareness. VCON considers all environmental factors, so we often consult with environmental engineer recommendations. We work with competent hygienists who help guide our practices to ensure we abide by all environmental legislation.

“VCON and Element Five are also committed to the formal process of obtaining Green Star Certification, which is often enforced via the Planning Permit and is managed by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). This certification is enacted during the construction of a building and fit-out and is awarded a rating by an independent, third-party assessor.

“The GBCA operates with the requirements of ISO 9001. Thanks to our procedures and policies in conjunction with our ISO accreditation and VCON’s processes, we successfully minimise and control high-risk activity on site as well as complying with ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety, ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, and the Quality Management System in compliance with ISO 9001 standard.”

Jackalope Launch

Jackalope Launch

Jackalope Launch

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Jackalope Launch

workers,” shares Morton.

Morton believes the struggles are due to younger generations wanting to explore the world, a consequence of the quarantine imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Local craftmanship is always a great thing to provide. Although, due to the rise of China, procurement is directed offshore to enable us to be competitive. If all other builders are offering overseas procurement at a discount to local manufacturers, then builders have few options to provide locally sourced materials and labour,” says Morton.

However, Brighton International has bucked this trend, and as such, the “usual players” in offshore products have significantly reduced.

If a stone is specified from Italy or appliances from Germany, offshore manufacturing is mandatory, albeit

joinery and windows are produced in Melbourne.

“The developers and VCON consciously decided to use local trades, and the results speak for themselves. Quality is paramount at Brighton International, and it is synonymous with local craftsmanship,” he assures.

As the factories producing these products tend to be significantly smaller than offshore manufacturers, the attention to detail is magnified.

Finally, the logistics are suited to the requirements of customisation.

Therefore, changes in design can be coordinated more efficiently with local trades.

PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE Regarding ongoing projects, VCON is currently working on a boutique hotel in South Melbourne. The developer

has joined forces with a new and exciting chain of luxury hotels, and the Melbourne build is destined to be the first of its kind in Australia.

“We also have an extremely large and modern house destined to be built on the Brighton beachfront.

However, the site comes with its challenges, but none no greater than keeping the ocean out of the basement,” Morton notes.

The client wants their house to be an experience for the senses, with internal gardens, soaring voids, and the mandatory ten-pin bowling alley – all within the backdrop of the beautiful Port Philip Bay. “Finally, we continue to work with a brand called Intermode, which has developed a unique service for those looking for a relatively quick and easy process in planning approval and getting a finely designed and crafted

house,” he informs us.

VCON and Intermode provide lifestyle, architecturally designed modular houses, often found on a crest in the Mornington and Bellarine peninsula or the range surrounding Melbourne’s northeast.

“At this stage, we are consolidated to performing in our chosen fields. We are a strong believer in ‘sticking to our knitting’. We prefer to strive for the best in practice, rather than practising to be the best in other fields,” Morton concludes.

VCON Tel: (03) 9537 7777 reception@vcon.com.au vcon.com.au APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 171

JOST AUSTRALIA MANUFACTURING

THE PRIDE OF AU S T R A L I A JOST Australia is a leading supplier of parts and components to the nation’s transport industry. We learn more about its high-quality products suitable for a range of applications with Managing Director, Guy Locke Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Kierron Rose

T

he Australian transport industry is currently experiencing some very exciting times and growth, however, there are also many challenges being faced by the sector, as the industry contends with ongoing shortages in local labour, delays and inconsistencies in the supply chain, alongside the rising costs of doing business. This, however, is also providing great opportunities for businesses that embrace these challenges and manage to find innovative ways to develop solutions, and the ones that overcome these challenges will be in a strong position to capitalise on the current growth in the industry.

APAC Outlook (AO): What is your take on the industry in Australia and New Zealand at the moment? Is it an

exciting space to be working in, and have you noticed any recent trends developing?

Guy Locke, Managing Director (GL): We are definitely seeing a trend of more open communication between suppliers and customers to help manage stock demands and inventory controls due to the extended lead times being faced through component supply.

Across the sector, there is also a continued increase in demand from customers looking for improved innovation around safety and ease in the use of equipment. With the shortage of labour, the fleet operators are looking for any way to improve safety and productivity with their drivers and reduce the risk of an incident.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 173

JOST AUSTRALIA MANUFACTURING

Guy Locke, Managing Director

AO: Please can you introduce us to JOST Australia?

GL: JOST Australia is a fully owned subsidiary of the global business JOST-Werke (JOST), located in Neu-Isenburg, Germany. Backed by its European parent company and supported by JOST facilities in multiple locations around the world, the company is a leading supplier in the Australian transport industry, providing a comprehensive range of advanced technology components that are engineered to the highest standards, quality, and are suitable for a wide variety of transport applications.

JOST is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of safetyrelated systems for the commercial vehicle industry. Under the JOST umbrella brand, which includes JOST, Rockinger, Tridec and Quicke, our extensive product portfolio is divided into systems for both road and 174 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

agriculture.

Today, the JOST brand includes fifth wheel couplings, landing gears, ball bearing turntables, king pins and container locks as well as components for alternating systems. Truck and trailer axles are also sold under the JOST brand. The tradition-steeped ROCKINGER brand comprises the core components of towing hitches, drawbar eyes and drawbars for transporters and trucks. TRIDEC offers steering systems and axle suspensions for trailers.

ROCKINGER products are also used in agricultural applications, whilst Quicke has been part of the JOST family since February 2020 and specialises in agricultural front loaders and equipment.

JOST currently employs over 3,600 people worldwide, has sales and production facilities in over 20 countries on all five continents, and listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

JOST Australia currently operates from six company locations in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Auckland, New Zealand, employing more than 90 staff across a range of roles and functions.

Within these locations, JOST maintains strong stock levels in all product categories and also produces, assembles and customises its portfolio of fifth wheel product options to suit the local markets and demands, including having full-time engineers employed to stay in front of regulatory and industry changes.

Undoubtedly, JOST prides itself on being backed by a global business, while operating at a local level to ensure that it can serve market and customer requirements. This has held the company in good stead by having the capacity and capability to provide a one-stop shop for customers when it comes to sourcing their product demands such as fifth wheels, landing

Quality Parts Manufacturing is Sevaan Group Australia-based Sevaan Group is a contract manufacturing firm that employs about 50 staff and specialises in the precision manufacturing of metal parts and products for OEMs in a range of industries including defence, mining, agriculture, gaming, space, robotics, electronics and transport.

and welding and finishing.

“Our ability to offer customers a one-stop shop for all their parts manufacturing means that we can ensure quality control and the integrity of their parts, in addition to timely delivery and cost-competitiveness,” explains David Green, CEO, Sevaan Group.

Established in 1997, Sevaan Group has gone from strength to strength. Today, Sevaan Group’s smart manufacturing plant is based upon LEAN production principles and compliance to ISO quality, environmental, health and safety management standards. Its unique and highly integrated operation consists of sheet metal fabrication, machining and finishing at scale.

According to David, the demand for high-quality precision parts in the APAC region has surged. “Both Australian and overseas firms are placing more and more emphasis on the need for the production of precise and high-performing components in increasingly shorter lead times. This is partly because the components are critical to the overall performance of the end product, partly because firms are more environmentally aware and require components that provide durability and longevity, and partly because long-term they can be more cost-effective.”

The company produces parts and products in a range of materials including steel, stainless steel, aluminium, nickel, copper, and brass. Its end-to-end capability means it offers customers component and product design, production, finishing and assembly under the one roof at its state of the art facility in Sydney. Its operational processes include CAD/CAM controlled laser cutting, bending, folding, punching, machining,

To continue to deliver quality components, the group is investing heavily in technology in all areas of production to ensure it has the ability and capacity to efficiently serve customers.

Nobody knows end-to-end metal component manufacturing processes like Sevaan Group

We are Sevaan Group an Australian manufacturer of complete end-toend metal components for OEMs. Using our proven capability and considerable expertise, Sevaan Group produces high-performance components in an extensive range of metals at scale. This, fused with our integrated in-house design, cutting, machining, bending and folding, welding, and finishing and assembly capabilities, provides you with real choice, cost-competitiveness, quality-control and peace of mind. For high-quality metal parts call Sevaan Group on +61 2 9824 5555 or email: marketing@sevaan-group.com.au

www.sevaangroup.com.au

JOST AUSTRALIA MANUFACTURING

gears, ball bearing turntables, king pins, container locks, towing hitches, drawbar eyes and drawbars for either their transport or agricultural needs.

In relation to fifth wheel supply, JOST specifies, customises, paints, installs and completes the mandatory certification of the product and installation ready for vehicle registration for the customer, which makes dealing with JOST significantly easier, on top of the peace of mind of knowing the product is designed and engineered with German excellence and quality.

Serving all segments of the transport market across the industry, 176 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

including truck and trailer OEMs, trading segment customers, and just as importantly the fleet operator themselves, has had a major emphasis on JOST being extremely close to the end user.

AO: What, for you, separates and differentiates JOST Australia from the competition?

GL: Having localised operations spread across Australia and New Zealand, such as in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland, along with access to international markets, provides the

company with the opportunity to remain close to customers to ensure it is not simply meeting their needs but exceeding them.

JOST has the unique ability to customise fifth wheel product requirements for our customers in any of these locations, along with supplying any other product from our portfolio, and has become a one-stop shop to make the job of sourcing a product for its customers, or their respective customers, as easy and as integrated as possible.

The company’s state offices are supported by national teams in engineering, operations, finance,

“ O U R S TA F F A R E O U R B I G G E S T A S S E T A N D T H E M O S T I M P O R TA N T C O G I N T H E M A C H I N E ” – G U Y LO C K E , M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R , J O ST AU ST R A L I A

sales, and a highly trained, nationwide customer service team that operates with extended hours to cover all time zones across Australia to ensure we exceed market expectations and stay close to both customers and markets.

Each employee, regardless of their role, is empowered and responsible for delivering the JOST’s goals and vision to each and every customer, and these state locations have their own operational capabilities to deliver stock off the shelf quickly or even custom build something faster than our competitors.

Our sales teams are highly experienced in working with our products, with many staff holding long tenures at JOST and in the industry, helping to support customer

needs through deep knowledge and providing genuine advice, which ensures that they get the right product for their specific application.

Backing this up, the JOST sales teams all provide support through specification guidance, conducting training across customer workshops, fleet operator driver training, and parts interpreter training.

Furthermore, JOST’s customers know they can call on any of the resources within JOST for expert help.

AO: What ongoing or recent projects would you like to showcase?

GL: The recent Brisbane Truck Show held in May at the Brisbane Convention Centre allowed JOST to show

its support for the industry and the launch of many sector-leading innovative products.

During the show, JOST had a large presence of experts and displays to allow current and potential customers to interact with the products and see them first-hand. With the growing interest of sensor technology in the fifth wheel coupling process, which can also allow for this function to be fully integrated into the prime mover’s dash displays, is allowing for greater use and increased demand for our sensor technology units. JOST sees this trend only growing as the industry continues to strive for the improved operational safety of its fleets and driver comfort.

This includes a fully operational simulator for the JOST KKS, the first of its kind to be released which facilitates the fully automatic operation of the coupling and decoupling procedure for a truck and trailer combination with a fifth wheel coupling attached.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 177

JOST AUSTRALIA MANUFACTURING

The driver is guided through the entire coupling process, with sensor technology providing live information on the KKS remote control throughout every step of the process.

Climbing out of the cabin to manually open the fifth wheel, cranking down the landing gear and manually connecting the spiral cable, air and brake connections are all a thing of the past for drivers. Time, comfort and safety gains are made possible with just one product.

A further innovative product, the Drawbar Finder, was launched from the ROCKINGER product range, which allows for safer and easier tow coupling connection for the driver via either an integrated or dash mounted camera display enables the driver to see in real time a guidance system 178 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

and visual display during the coupling process, eliminating the need to continually do manually checks, reducing coupling time, and lowering the risk of damage to the equipment or operator.

We also launched our Loc Lite device that allows for an audible and visual alert to a second or subsequent coupled trailer on a combination, again to support the safe and accurate coupling of trailers to each other.

AO: How do you empower your staff and recognise the valuable contributions that they make?

GL: A vital aspect of the business for JOST is the development and growth opportunities provided to the company’s people.

Our staff are our biggest asset and the most important cog in the machine, so without them we have nothing and no way of getting our product to the market. We place a large emphasis on development roadmaps for our staff, regardless of what role they are in.

In this way, JOST wants to continue creating a strong inclusive culture of “One JOST” and has therefore developed processes and initiatives for staff training and development locally through talent identification programmes and the local JOST Academy programme.

Now that this initiative is underway, JOST provides a higher level of intense training and development opportunities across the business to provide a cross-functional mindset.

All these initiatives help to retain and reward staff, as the company wants its people to be long-term employees and advance through the business if they have the desire and determination required to thrive.

AO: Do you partake in any corporate social responsibility practices?

GL: We are placing a greater focus on corporate social responsibility efforts in this space to ensure we implement genuine and realistic actions that will allow us to be mindful of our impact on the environment, social responsibilities, and retain a high level of governance across the business.

These range from reducing waste, looking at implementing solar photovoltaic systems on some sites,

to supporting local social causes that are important to our people, and maintaining strong processes for monitoring and reporting on any initiatives. JOST is firmly committed to the United Nations Agenda 2030 which sets global targets for sustainable global development.

The company will contribute to its implementation through its corporate strategy and by engaging with sustainability issues.

JOST AUSTRALIA Tel: 1800 811 487 sales@jostaustralia.com.au www.jostaustralia.com.au APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 179

UPS SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS® SUPPLY CHAIN

THE

SURPRISE PAC K AG E It’s UPS®, but not as you know it.

Jeff McCorstin, President of Global Freight Forwarding at UPS Supply Chain Solutions®, tells us how one of the world’s largest package delivery companies is helping businesses control their supply chains Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Scarlett Burke

With more than three decades at UPS® under my belt, I would say that I bleed brown!”

It was 1990 when Jeff McCorstin originally began his esteemed career at UPS®, one of the world’s largest package delivery companies, as a peak season package delivery driver.

Though UPS® is famous for delivering packages all over the planet with legendary precision, it turns out that the company also offers an unexpected wealth of services and expertise to help streamline global supply chains.

Indeed, McCorstin today has progressed to the role of President of Global Freight Forwarding at UPS Supply Chain Solutions®, the freight and logistics arm of UPS® that manages every aspect of global supply chains.

180 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

“My responsibilities continued to grow in line with our company’s direction, and it made sense to be involved with the supply chain solutions industry, where we assist customers with their global supply networks and their need for more than express small parcel delivery,” he tells us.

“It truly allows us to provide end-toend supply chain solutions on behalf of our important customers.”

The best supply chains stay in constant motion, and UPS Supply Chain Solutions® keeps them humming along by helping customers control three fundamentals: the doing, the seeing, and the optimising.

Global Freight Forwarding, overseen by McCorstin, is one of four businesses that comprise UPS Supply Chain Solutions®, along with Global Logistics and Distribution, Mail Innovations, and Coyote Logistics,

each with several of their own services and capabilities to meet the everchanging needs of customers.

Global Freight Forwarding services provided by UPS Supply Chain Solutions® are easily accessible, highly reliable, and extremely flexible for balancing speed and cost-efficiency requirements.

“Under my area of responsibility, we offer several services that support our customers’ needs, such as international air freight, North

American air freight, ocean freight, and customs brokerage,” informs McCorstin.

“With our Global Freight Forwarding solutions, we accommodate the needs and challenges that our customers come to expect.”

AIR FREIGHT SERVICES

Within international air freight, UPS Supply Chain Solutions® stands as a top 10 air forwarder whose large global fleet and extensive carrier

partnerships ensure access to flights around the world.

From urgent, next-flight-out service to door-to-door service within one to five business days, UPS Supply Chain Solutions® has a trusted network of airline flights, charters, and strategic partners to get cargo to where it’s needed, when it’s needed, and on budget.

Serving more than 14,000 origins and destinations worldwide, this global presence and scale assists UPS Supply Chain Solutions® in acquiring

international air freight capacity.

Efficiently and economically moving goods within and between the US, Canada and Puerto Rico, meanwhile, is the company’s North American air freight service.

“We have a North American air freight product which is a heavyweight next-day, second-day and third-day defined service, as well as a Trade Direct® Cross Border service offering in the US, Mexico and Canada,” McCorstin states.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 181

UPS® Delivers: Solving Problems With Domo

In his 33-year tenure, Jeff McCorstin has had

forwarding division of UPS®, Jeff is tackling his

an undeniable impact at UPS®, leading supply

next big ambition – bridging the data gaps that

chain strategies to improve logistics outcomes

universally stunt advancements in the supply

for customers around the world. Today, in

chain industry.

his role as president of the global freight

Jeff and his team recently selected the cloudnative data experience company, Domo, to help modernize the data strategy at UPS® and champion a new future for supply chain logistics. Jeff and Domo’s Chief Analytics Officer and SVP of Customer Success, Mark Maughan, sat down together to talk about how they plan to uplevel the UPS® customer experience and sharpen its competitive edge in a famously commoditized industry.

Mark: You have an impressive tenure in the

By leveraging Domo alerts, we can promptly

supply chain and logistics industry. What have

identify potential delays or disruptions, allowing

you learned are the most important factors

us to take immediate action and mitigate custom-

to success?

er impact. This not only helps us maintain efficient

Jeff: Success in this industry requires the right

operations but also enables us to provide our

people, tools, technology, and processes. I’ve

customers with accurate delivery information.

always leaned into tools and technology to arm

With precise delivery dates, our customers can

our people around the world to make informed

plan their staffing resources accordingly and

decisions. I follow a "head, heart, and hands"

effectively communicate with their own customers.

leadership model: being strategic, innovative,

This immediate access to data not only bolsters

future-focused, and a complex problem-solver

our operational agility and customer service but

(head); inspiring others and fostering collaboration

also enhances our overall value proposition and

(heart); and delivering results, being accountable,

widens our competitive advantage in the industry.

being agile, and building effective teams (hands).

Mark: What business challenges were you try-

Data is the common tie between these traits and

ing to solve at UPS® when you started pursuing

leveraging it in the complex world of supply chains

a new approach to data?

is crucial. We mine it for insights, use it to predict

Jeff: The scale at which logistics data is siloed in

trends, and turn it into efficiencies that give us

this industry is a significant barrier to bringing

a competitive edge. As we look ahead, our data

it into the future, and I see so much potential in

strategy becomes increasingly vital. Machine

breaking down those walls. The complexity and

learning and emerging technologies will be instru-

fragmentation of data across systems limits our

mental, but only with a robust data strategy in

view of the full end-to-end supply chain, and

place. This understanding led us to Domo, aligning

the manual processes, paper-based inefficient

with our vision of a future where data forms our

operations, and overreliance on Excel and static

operational backbone.

rearview mirror reporting tools create bottlenecks,

Mark: Why is direct access to data important -

limit data flow and hinder decision making.

especially in supply chain logistics?

Our collaboration with Domo allows us to pull dis-

Jeff: Direct access to data enables us to make

parate systems together in a single platform and

informed and timely decisions, resulting in better

provides us with real-time dynamic data. Domo

overall operational performance. It allows us to

not only addresses our immediate challenges but

proactively identify and address bottlenecks in our

also allows us to manage data effectively to hit our

customers' supply chains, working collaboratively

Key Performance Indicators and influence growth

to find solutions. Using data, we can anticipate

and innovation. By providing the right tools and

and minimize the impact of exceptions that may

empowering our teams to quickly adapt to the

arise in global supply chains.

changing landscape, we can set new standards

At UPS®, we are constantly searching for ways

“We plan to embed Domo's

to add value while decreasing costs, and this

analytic capabilities into

collaboration will give us value we can pass on

our existing customer-facing applications, so customers can have access to real-time data

to our customers.

Mark: What outcomes do you expect from reinventing data strategy for Global Freight Forwarding at UPS®?

and insights alongside us.”

Jeff: Our ultimate goal is to create more efficiency

Jeff McCorstin, UPS® President

and value for our customers, and we’re already

Global Freight Forwarding

beginning to move the needle.

For example, we’ve freed up hours of our opera-

for operational excellence and better serve our customers in a fast-paced industry.

Mark: What makes Domo the right provider to help you champion these changes?

tors’ time each day by automating processes that were historically manual. We’ve also improved our real-time decision-making capabilities through a custom-designed dashboard that drills into important data with ease. In both cases, we were

Jeff: What sets Domo apart is its ability to deliver

enjoying the outcomes within days, compared to

rapid time-to-value. We had been working with

weeks and even months we’ve experienced with

other BI and analytics vendors in the past, but we

other vendors.

were not achieving the level of speed and efficiency that we needed, particularly in reporting. With Domo, we found a solution that delivered value within two weeks, while still ensuring data integrity and protection.

We’re looking forward to extending these benefits to more of our employees, and to our customers by integrating Domo into their UPS® experience. What truly sets Domo apart from our past collaborators is how easy it is for everyone to build and access

Because the supply chain industry typically

business insights. Our citizen developers do not need

measures project timelines in months and years,

a technology background to learn and use Domo.

Domo’s pace is a refreshing shift, and feels like a catalyst for our journey towards "grown-up analytics." Already, this collaboration has enabled us to make data-driven decisions in real time and drive meaningful change across our entire organization – from our front-line operators to the C-Suite. Domo's solution provides the agility and flexibility we need to meet our evolving business needs. We like to manage our business by the clock and not the calendar, and Domo allows that speed and agility.

Mark: How will your customers benefit from the real-time data access they’ll get through your collaboration with Domo?

Jeff: We want to provide customers with a level of unprecedented visibility and understanding of the commercial and transactional components of their relationship with UPS®. To do this, we plan to embed Domo's analytic capabilities into our existing customer-facing applications, so customers can

have access to real-time data and insights along-

With Domo as our collaborator, we’ve identified

side us. We want to collaborate with customers

numerous use cases and innovative ways to

to highlight inefficiencies and ways they can drive

leverage data to improve our internal operational

down their transportation costs. We also want to

processes and capabilities as well as the supply

proactively address problems in collaboration with

chain experience for our customers...and for theirs.

our customers, so we can manage disruptions and

Gaining access to previously unavailable data and

provide the best customer experience.

understanding the interrelationships enhances our

Mark: Now that you have a new data strategy

operational capabilities, and also empowers us to

and fresh perspective on what’s possible, what

meet the evolving needs of the industry.

excites you about the future of the supply chain

As we continue to embrace technology and lever-

and logistics industry?

age data-driven insights, we’re shaping the future

Jeff: What excites me the most is the potential to

of supply chain and logistics, driving continuous

transform UPS Supply Chain Solutions® and Glob-

improvement, and delivering unparalleled value to

al Freight Forwarding’s role in the logistics industry

our customers.

by capitalizing on our data in ways that we never thought were possible.

To learn more visit domo.com/ups

UPS® and Domo: Reinventing the Supply Chain With Data UPS® and Domo are collaborating to reinvent the supply chain with data. By breaking down data silos and providing real-time insights, UPS® is able to make better decisions, improve efficiency, and deliver a better customer experience.

UPS SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS® SUPPLY CHAIN

Cross Border is one of three Trade Direct® services that allow UPS Supply Chain Solutions® to meet international supply chain needs, complemented

by Trade Direct® Air and Trade Direct® Ocean.

Leveraging the breadth and reliability of the UPS® global network, Trade Direct® handles freight consolidation via air, ocean and ground transportation, customs clearance, and direct delivery to multiple addresses within the destination country, all through a single source.

By consolidating individual shipments to the same destination country into just one shipment, UPS Supply Chain Solutions® can cut customs clearance times.

“One of the values of being both an asset-based provider in our small parcels business, and a

freight forwarder in our supply chain solutions business, is to offer a oneto-many solution – we call it Trade Direct®.”

“A customer can make a single shipment that has multiple recipients for final delivery; we can clear customs as a single shipment then drop it off into our small parcel network for the final recipients to receive their goods,” McCorstin elaborates.

NEXT LEVEL SHIPPING By sea, UPS Supply Chain Solutions® is one of the world’s top nonvessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs), with contracted space allocation with major global carriers to ensure access, competitive rates, and reliability.

Ocean freight is moved across more than 2,300 shipping lanes daily by

UPS Supply Chain Solutions®, who as an experienced NVOCC provides up-to-the-minute customs expertise, visibility and communication every step of the way for those considering expanding to new markets.

The company’s value-added ocean freight services can take shipping to the next level, bolstered by strong expertise and network infrastructure around the world, and best-in-class visibility tools to provide end-to-end control.

“We support our customers at the origin with a purchase order management service. In essence, we are the eyes and ears for customers that need to consolidate multiple vendors’ projects into an ocean container but do not have people in the country,” explains McCorstin.

Having been in transportation and logistics for more than a century, UPS

Supply Chain Solutions® is likewise used to being on the front lines of customs brokerage, helping to inform and lead compliance policy, support public affairs, and ensure the best interests of both customers and the trade community are well represented.

As one of the world’s largest customs brokers, UPS Supply Chain Solutions® has close relationships with customs agencies, superior timeliness, a wide breadth of in-depth solutions, and ensures its customers’ needs are heard by not just following the rules but helping to make them.

The company also has a range of innovative multimodal services, including sea-air, rail from Asia to Europe, ocean LCL (less than container load) and preferred LCL to name a few.

These multimodal services ensure the right balance of speed and economy, as they are often less expensive than air freight yet faster

“ W E H AV E A L E A D E R S H I P M O D E L T H AT I S A L L A B O U T T H E H E A D , H E A R T, A N D H A N D S ” JEFF MCCORSTIN, PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL FREIGHT F O R WA R D I N G , U P S S U P P LY C H A I N S O L U T I O N S ®

than ocean freight, making them a perfect transportation alternative.

INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP UPS Supply Chain Solutions® has more than 115 years of transportation and logistics experience, whose global footprint, breadth of perspective, competencies, and capabilities are proven to help businesses of all sizes to deliver the right balance of speed and cost-efficiency.

But what sets the company as a whole apart is the 550,000 UPSers around the world, including more than 12,000 Global Freight Forwarding employees, that make it happen every day and exceed customer

expectations.

“Empowering our staff with the autonomy to not only bring their unique selves to work but to make decisions that will support our customers’ needs is a must.”

People are the most important asset at UPS Supply Chain Solutions®, as demonstrated by the company’s leadership model, which is designed to build a culture that retains and grows its employees.

“We have a leadership model that is all about the head, heart, and hands.

The head is about strategy – can you solve complex problems? Are you innovative? Do you think outside the box?” McCorstin comments.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 187

COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION IN THE LOGISTICS INDUSTRY

W

elcome to a new era of logistics excellence, where efficiency, visibility, and quality are not just goals, but a reality. At the heart of this transformation is CargoWise, a world-class logistics operations platform. It provides end-to-end visibility, shifting your operations from reactive to proactive, enabling you to reach higher, faster.

Zinnovate, as your implementation partner, is uniquely positioned to unlock the full potential of CargoWise for your business. Our deep industry knowledge and technical expertise allow us to optimize your business processes, ensuring you reach as close to optimal performance as

possible, and faster than you ever thought possible.

Our mission is simple: to improve our customers’ operations. We achieve this by harnessing the power of CargoWise to drive efficiency, standardization, and digitalization.

For freight forwarders, this means streamlined operations, real-time data for quick decision-making, and improved service quality.

But what truly sets Zinnovate apart is our commitment to your success. We don’t just implement a system; we transform your business. We work closely with you, understanding your unique challenges and goals, and tailor our

approach accordingly. We’re not just a service provider; we’re your partner in this journey towards excellence.

With Zinnovate and CargoWise, you’re not just adopting a new system; you’re embracing a new way of doing business. A way that’s efficient, proactive, and qualitydriven. Let Zinnovate guide you to the skies of logistics excellence.

Your journey to the top starts here.

Zinnovate has firmly established itself as a leading global provider at the forefront of digital transformation projects in the logistics industry. The company’s unique industry insights have been garnered from years of best practices based on actual cases

from the majority of the top 20 global forwarders. With its extensive global expert network, Zinnovate harnesses superior change management and technical know-how to deliver actionable results, guiding and empowering global logistics as they adapt to the new technological revolution.

This specialist IT and management consultancy originated from Zinnovate team members from Americas, EMEA and APAC gathered in the nice surroundings outside of Atlanta, Georgia.

a powerful idea and fruitful collaborations, inclusive of their team of consultants spanning 25 countries across all continents, and their key partner since 2013, WiseTechGlobal, with its flagship product, CargoWise.

Having one hand on emerging exponential technologies and the other guiding their partners, teams, and clients, Zinnovate is poised to offer solutions unmatched by others.

In 2020, Zinnovate made industry history by assisting a key customer in becoming the first in the logistics world to implement their new IT system across 62 countries in a “Big Bang” worldwide go-live. By 2022, they had surpassed the 100 MSEK milestone, and their growth continues to accelerate.

Håkan Nilsson (HN), Founder & Group CEO, and Tamsin Emery (TE), Project Director, share the pride they have in the accomplished Zinnovate team, their journey to success, and the privilege of partnering with UPS®.

When asked about the secret to Zinnovate’s remarkable triumph, HN confesses, “The secret ingredient?

It’s our absolute passion and unwavering dedication towards serving our customers.”

TE adds, “Our success hinges on the profound respect we hold for our team. While our customers are our primary focus, we prioritize the wellbeing of our people. We believe that without our team, we are nothing.

Their contributions are invaluable not only to us but also to our customers.”

On Zinnovate’s strategy for maintaining its leadership position

Zinnovate team at customer premise in Dubai

in the digital transformation space, TE reveals, “We invest substantial time in understanding emerging technologies and integrating them into our daily operations. We ensure our customers benefit optimally from the digital transformation landscape, aligning their needs with upcoming market trends. Our key aim while collaborating with a customer is to share our knowledge and enable them to function independently, thereby bolstering their expertise and delivering immense value.”

HN further elaborates, “In addition, we’re broadening our capabilities with cutting-edge technologies, scaling our industry-leading software as a service (SaaS) among other initiatives.”

Discussing the pillar values of the value-driven organization, TE says, “At the heart of our ethos

lies a profound appreciation for people. Our business is steered by a principle we hold dear, the Return on Competence. This mantra underscores our commitment to nurturing and valuing expertise.

Honesty and integrity are not just words to us; they embody our operations, reinforcing our pledge that people truly matter to us.

One of our primary objectives when collaborating with clients is to facilitate knowledge transfer, empowering them to operate independently from us. This strategy not only fosters expertise but also builds substantial value for our clients, echoing our belief in the significance of people and competence.”

HN emphasizes, “We aspire to synergistically enhance the collective output, going beyond the sum of individual parts. This principle applies not only to human potential, where we transform high-performing individuals into synergistic teams but also to business systems, where we leverage exceptional methodologies to drive superior business performance. Our consultancy service stands unrivaled in the industry, firmly grounded in the understanding that mere aggregation of talent doesn’t guarantee a high-performing team.

“We emphasize the importance of nurturing Relationships and preserving Reputation, the twin pillars of R&R. Our dedication to forging deep, meaningful connections and protecting our hard-

earned reputation knows no bounds.

Through our exceptional customer relationships and unparalleled industry expertise, we’ve built a high reputation of prestige and trust.”

When asked about Zinnovate’s approach to talent acquisition, development, and team building, HN explains, “Our focus on talent development epitomizes the Return on Competence principle.

We strive to ensure our team members continually grow and find satisfaction in their growth. It’s an axiom that winners draw winners; attracting top talent to a successful team is relatively straightforward.

“Even though approximately 350 competitors are providing expert consultancy, Zinnovate leads in nine out of 10 of the largest global projects. This places us in a unique position to attract talent, offering the opportunity to work on the most challenging and exciting projects in this field. We take pride in having a substantial number of female senior expert consultants in the traditionally male-dominated intersection of Logistics, IT, and Management Consultancy. Our commitment to diversity is unwavering.”

TE elaborates, “With consultants in 25 countries, team building exercises are challenging, but we strive to unite our team whenever possible. Most of our initiatives are centered around digital connection.

We distribute a regular newsletter that updates the team about ongoing projects, new developments, and customer activities, fostering a sense of unity despite geographical barriers.”

Discussing Zinnovate’s future plans, TE says, “We’re concentrating on two primary areas: team and resource expansion, and product development. While consulting is our primary area of expertise, we intend to broaden our product portfolio.

We regularly observe customers struggling with tasks that lack software solutions, necessitating manual effort. Our aim in digital transformation is to bridge these gaps through product development and new applications or software creation.”

HN adds, “Considering the fragmented state of the freight forwarding industry, I foresee a surge in mergers and acquisitions. I believe this will emerge as a crucial service area for Zinnovate to support our customers. Above all, we aim to further ignite our team’s passion and enhance their professional satisfaction.”

Addressing the partnership between UPS® and Zinnovate to maximize UPS®’s value, TE shares, “We collaborate with some partners to provide support services to UPS®, including applications and invoice processing software developed by one of our partners. We ensure comprehensive coverage, enabling UPS® to appreciate the full end-toend value.”

HN concludes, “Our collaboration with UPS® is both an honor and privilege. I’m confident that Zinnovate can deliver a competence factor to UPS®, surpassing what others can offer. However, achieving this requires strong cultural alignment between the organizations. This alignment hinges on personal chemistry, fostering productive collaborations. Zinnovate is designed to swiftly scale up to accommodate the needs of large clients like UPS®.

Despite UPS®’s immense size, we share a core value: people matter.

This belief is not merely a marketing

strategy, and it ensures a fitting personal chemistry between UPS® and Zinnovate.”

Zinnovate’s journey is a testament to its unwavering commitment to people, competence, and customer service, reflected in its industryleading position. With a deep-rooted ethos of Return on Competence, the company has consistently proven itself as a reliable partner in navigating the vast landscape of digital transformation, even in the face of intense competition. Its dedication to understanding and integrating emerging technologies,

fostering team growth, and ensuring customer satisfaction has set a high bar in the industry. As it looks to the future, Zinnovate continues to enhance its offerings and expand its team, with an emphasis on creating valuable solutions to bridge the gap in the market and supporting its customers in the increasingly complex world of logistics and IT. Its partnership with UPS® underscores its capacity to scale up and deliver a superior level of competence, thereby reinforcing its reputation and trust. If you want to be part of this transformative journey, contact Zinnovate, a company that is reshaping the digital landscape of the logistics industry, one project at a time.

GET IN TOUCH Svärdvägen 21, 182 33 Danderyd, SWEDEN info@zinnovate.se zinnovate.se

UPS SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS® SUPPLY CHAIN

“The heart is where I really believe my biggest strength is, and it’s all about inspirational leadership and being inclusive. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) means more than just diversity of gender or race; it also means diversity of thoughts and experiences, making sure that we’re perceptive, reading the room, and making sure that we are collaborative.”

APAC OUTLOOK: CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR 33-YEAR CAREER AT UPS®?

Jeff McCorstin, President of Global Freight Forwarding: “My first taste of the transportation industry came at UPS® as a peak season package driver.

“On my fourth day of the job, I received an offer from KPMG for a management consulting role. UPS® sat me down and spent 90 minutes selling me on the history, legacy, and culture of this great company. I declined the offer with KPMG and moved into management with UPS®.

McCorstin has always believed in being a cross-functional collaborative leader, and that hearing multiple people’s opinions is the right approach.

The third and final trait that McCorstin leans into as a leader is the hands, which involves delivering results, being accountable, adapting to market conditions, and being a strong team builder.

“I like to try and keep things and administration (F&A) across different locations within the US. I was the Air Finance Controller at our hub in Louisville, Kentucky (KY), responsible for the financial analysis of aircraft acquisitions and the Worldport facility, which led to becoming CFO for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).

“After this assignment, I was named President of EMEA Freight Forwarding, which began my foray into the supply chain/freight forwarding industry.

Additional supply chain roles I held before my current position include Senior Vice President of Global Freight Forwarding Air and Ocean Product; President of Asia Pacific Freight Forwarding; and President of

“I’ve had roles in operations, industrial

Global Customs Brokerage and Trade

engineering, strategic cost, and finance

Advisory Services.”

192 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

straightforward with my team and how I communicate with our employees,” he affirms.

DECISION MAKING TOOLS Citing his belief in the simple concepts of tools through technology, processes, and people, McCorstin informs us that UPS Supply Chain Solutions® has been investing in these three areas to make its operations more efficient through improved systems capabilities and make its operators’ jobs easier so they can focus on improving the customer experience.

“We’re building out our digital fluency and our tools through technology. It arms and empowers our frontline operations teams with good data to be able to make decisions on behalf of our customers on a real-time basis.

“It’s about providing better tools for better insights so that our employees around the world can be more proactive and make better decisions.

We work with a number of providers, like The DDC Group and Domo, that are about tools through technology,” McCorstin notes.

By leveraging updated technologies, UPS Supply Chain Solutions® can better connect its systems to eliminate redundancies and streamline data transfers with customers and vendors.

Then, by taking that data to the next level through improved visualisation and data democratisation, the company makes decisions significantly closer to real-time than in the past.

“Empowering our operators with agile decision-making tools is one of our top focus areas,” reveals McCorstin.

“Our recent collaboration with Domo is taking us into the world of data democratisation, where – with the right controls and securities – we can get data to those who need it in an almost seamless manner, with speeds that we’ve never seen before.

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The logistics industry is a performance-based sector.

The ability to efficiently manage goods in transit is measured by crucial factors like speed, cost and accuracy.

on the crucial role technology plays in achieving these goals.

However, in today’s increasingly complex global supply chain, meeting these metrics has become more challenging than ever before.

1. Lacking measurements of productivity makes building a case for business investment difficult.

Surprisingly, more than a third (35 percent) of respondents do not measure productivity or have specific targets to benchmark success. This disconnect between recognizing the importance of productivity and setting measurable targets impedes progress.

With shifting demands in both the business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) spaces, logistics providers must act swiftly to enhance the productivity and efficiency of their operations to meet capacity demands and overcome disruptions.

Recognizing the need for transformative solutions, many industry experts believe that the key lies in increasing digital capabilities and embracing digital practices.

Digital transformations have been ongoing in the logistics industry, but recent unpredictable pressures have accelerated the urgency for faster and more lasting implementations.

To delve deeper into this paradigm shift, we partnered with Reuters Events to conduct a comprehensive survey involving over 480 logistics and supply chain professionals worldwide.

Our objective was to gain insights into how companies perceive and drive productivity across their operations, with a particular focus

Key findings from our research shed light on the challenges faced by the industry:

2. The COVID-19 pandemic shifted focus from cost to value.

Therefore, improved customer service and increased operational efficiency became top priorities for enhancing productivity, overshadowing more traditional financial metrics such as increased revenue and profit. This change in mindset reflects a transition towards “value over cost” sentiments in logistics and supply chain operations.

3. Technology boosts productivity.

Investment in technology emerged as the primary driver of productivity, with 45 percent of respondents emphasizing its potential impact. Automation of manual tasks and real-time visibility were identified as key priorities, offering immediate and significant opportunities for efficiency gains.

4. Centralization of data for enhanced visibility is critical to long-term success. Over half of the respondents (58 percent) highlighted the challenge of relying on multiple disconnected systems across trading partners.

Connectivity issues, data sharing concerns, and a lack of centralized systems hinder effective data management and productivity improvement. A single logistics platform that integrates multiple data streams can enhance visibility and facilitate the tracking and realization of productivity goals.

As demand continues to grow and evolve, so do constraints on time, money and resources. For logistics businesses to succeed in this increasingly uncertain and competitive landscape, maximizing every aspect of efficiency and productivity is crucial.

With all this in mind, there has never been a more prudent time to update digitally. And with the right investment in the right technology, you can unlock new productivity gains and meet your customers’ needs now and in the future.

Want to learn more about the link between technology and productivity? Download the report now

COVID-19 PANDEMIC – GLOBAL EFFORTS • Ultra-cold freezer donations and in-kind vaccine deliveries to facilitate equitable distribution to remote and rural areas throughout Africa, South

“It’s really exciting to see desk workers be able to see live dashboards which highlight where shipments need attention well in advance of actual problems, thus proactively enabling decision-making to avoid impacting transit times,” he adds.

SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENTS The Global Freight Forwarding business at UPS Supply Chain Solutions® has evidently seen unprecedented investment in recent years, from operating systems to big data tools and even the company’s gateway network, with construction recently completed in Chicago and Frankfurt.

A continued focus on sustainability is at the forefront of the company’s investments, exemplified by the numerous electric forklifts and compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles purchased by UPS Supply 196 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

America, Asia, North America, and Europe, made possible by The UPS® Foundation.

• Three regional 24/7 UPS® Healthcare Command Centres, dedicated to predicting and managing the global vaccine movement to ensure on-time delivery.

• Partnering with Gavi and other organisations to train and manage the ultra-cold movement of vaccines in COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) countries.

• Delivery of COVID-19 vaccines outside of the US, managing 4,500 movements through the UPS® network and commercial partners since the first vaccines were made available.

• Embedded UPS® logistic experts in countries including Indonesia and Malawi to fully and safely manage vaccine distribution logistics.

• Support of vaccine doses delivered via autonomous aircraft to clinics in Africa through the partnership between Zipline and Gavi.

• Real-time visibility into the location of vaccines through UPS® Premier technology, which provides precise visibility into every single vaccine package.

• Supported over 130 vaccine clinical trials to date through the UPS® Healthcare subsidiary Marken, which is involved in nearly all vaccines and treatments in development today.

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“ E M P O W E R I N G O U R O P E R AT O R S W I T H AG I L E D E C I S I O N - M A K I N G TO O L S I S O N E O F O U R TO P FO C U S A R E AS ” – JEFF MCCORSTIN, PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL FREIGHT F O R WA R D I N G , U P S S U P P LY C H A I N S O L U T I O N S ®

UPS SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS® 2022 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT HIGHLIGHTS • Year-over-year 6.9 percent decrease in Scope 1, 2, and 3

Chain Solutions® to reduce its carbon footprint and minimise its impact on the environment.

For McCorstin, these investments are not only exciting but show customers and operators that the company is serious about moving into the future of freight forwarding.

UPS Supply Chain Solutions®, together with shareholders, customers, suppliers, communities and employees, cares deeply about sustainability.

The company’s culture centres around the values established by the founder of UPS®, Jim Casey, who believed in giving back to the community and being responsible social and environmental stewards.

198 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

“Today, we approach sustainability holistically and in alignment with our customer first, people led, innovation driven strategy,” states McCorstin.

UPSers know that doing good in the world is also good for business.

Thus, sustainability has always been a core value of the company, whose latest sustainability report highlights the progress it is making towards important goals that deliver good in the world, including its goal to achieve carbon neutrality across Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 2050.

PANDEMIC RESPONSE Another area of investment for UPS Supply Chain Solutions® is in its new, modern office spaces, which

CO2e emissions.

• Added to a global fleet of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles.

• Purchased 162 million gallons of alternative fuels.

• Eight percent of total electricity is generated from renewable sources for its owned and leased facilities.

• Planted 28 million trees since 2012.

• Expanded the UPS® Sustainability Trailblazers employee engagement programme.

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“ I T I S A B O U T M O V I N G T H E W O R L D F O R WA R D B Y D E L I V E R I N G W H AT M AT T E R S . I F T H E C U S T O M E R I S H A P P Y, W E A R E H A P P Y ! ” – JEFF MCCORSTIN, PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL FREIGHT F O R WA R D I N G , U P S S U P P LY C H A I N S O L U T I O N S ®

accommodate the hybrid working environments popularised during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was throughout the pandemic that UPS Supply Chain Solutions® also delivered equitable access to critical healthcare services, and worked tirelessly to accelerate vaccine distribution and help keep communities as safe as possible.

The staff and wide range of services played a crucial role in this, as UPS® delivered more than one billion vaccine doses by December 2021.

This impressive milestone was made possible through innovative

200 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

approaches, one-of-a-kind UPS® Premier tracking technologies, industry-leading cold chain solutions, and an expansive, sophisticated, global network providing UPS® Healthcare services to customers and communities around the world.

Not only did the global UPS® network support healthcare customers and global organisations, but it also joined in public-private partnerships to provide vaccines and cold chain expertise to hard-to-reach countries, ensuring delivery to as many people as possible.

To achieve this, UPS® Healthcare

mapped roughly 500 trade lanes to enable seamless worldwide vaccine shipments and used more than three million pounds (lbs) of dry ice to help safely move the vaccines.

“UPS® Healthcare set the global pace for COVID-19 vaccine delivery, supported by the unmatched dedication of UPSers and the company’s global logistics capabilities and expertise.

Medicines derived from biologics and delivered via cutting-edge cold chain networks represent the future, and UPS® Healthcare is leading the way,” McCorstin acclaims.

US GOVERNMENT’S PROJECT AIRBRIDGE Prior to the critical delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, UPS Supply Chain Solutions® was called upon to bring personal protective equipment (PPE) into the US during the pandemic.

This important role came as

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Freight forwarding is a challenge that started for our company in 1973, with headquarters in Koropi, Greece, and branch offices in Athens International airport and Thessaloniki, Greece.

We specialize in airfreight transportation and have managed to maintain a position among the top five cargo members in the IATA table league for Greek airfreight exports, since 1992. This does not mean, however, that we do not provide equally economical and reliable services through sea freight, road freight or rail freight, as we always ensure that we follow the principles of our customer-centric philosophy.

By representing UPS Supply Chain Solutions® as an Authorized Service Contractor for Greece, we have an excellent network of well trained and experienced personnel around the world. This, together with the long-term relationships we have cultivated over the years with all service providers, enable us to transport your goods quickly and safely from any origin to any destination around the world.

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part of the US Government’s Project Airbridge, which was created to shorten the amount of time it takes for medical supply distributors to import PPE and other medical supplies into the country.

UPS Supply Chain Solutions® was sourced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to bring PPE into the US, where supplies had depleted over recent years.

“We were a major facilitator of US bound PPE over a three-month period at the beginning of the pandemic.

Our first dedicated charter flight was in the first week of April, and by the end of June, we did more than 350 dedicated charters, of which more than 200 were for Project Airbridge,” shares McCorstin.

As an order of magnitude, every one of these aircraft could handle 100 tons of PPE, which allowed the US to open up at a much faster rate than the rest of the world.

Then came the pivot to COVID-19

test kits, of which hundreds of millions were provided by UPS Supply Chain Solutions® throughout the US. “The pandemic was the most impactful moment of my career because lives were truly at stake,” McCorstin says.

As the world has mercifully emerged from the pandemic, helping customers to navigate constant supply and demand changes in the air and ocean freight markets is paramount for UPS Supply Chain Solutions® in the coming year.

The company is focused on being the global freight forwarder of choice and will therefore also leverage UPS® Browntail air freighters to utilise

available capacity and provide better service to customers, as well as leaning into the growing healthcare industry and supporting both enterprise and small and mediumsized businesses (SMBs).

Additionally, UPS Supply Chain Solutions® will continue to help its customers to reassess their supply chains whilst building out a digitally enabled ecosystem, both operationally and from a customer input and visibility perspective.

“It is about moving the world forward by delivering what matters. If the customer is happy, we are happy!” concludes McCorstin.

Tel: +1-800-742-5727 www.ups.com APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 201

LOGAN WATER ENERGY & UTILITIES

S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y IN THE CITY An Australia-first biosolids gasification facility pioneered by Logan Water is one of a number of sustainable water and wastewater projects in Logan City. Mike Basterfield, Group Manager, details these exciting developments Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Jordan Levey

N

estled between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, the City of Logan is a vibrant destination with a diverse mix of urban hubs and open spaces.

Bringing together expansive natural beauty, unique culinary surprises and exciting year-round events, it is one of the largest, youngest, and fastestgrowing cities in Australia.

“It’s an area of very rapid growth at the moment. The growth forecasts for Logan City are that by 2034, the population will increase from 350,000 to 500,000,” informs Mike Basterfield, 202 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

Mike Basterfield, Group Manager

Group Manager at Logan Water.

The city also has a thriving indigenous community dating back 60,000 years and is home to a multitude of different cultures, delivering a mix of authentic global flavours.

“There are over 200 ethnic backgrounds in the city and the average age of our population is around 34, so it’s a young population and very diverse. That has its challenges but also its advantages in the way that we work with our customers.”

Logan Water is a commercial business unit of Logan City Council, responsible for providing all water and wastewater services to the residents of the city, including drinking water supply, wastewater collection and treatment, and trade waste management.

As clean, safe water is integral to the quality of life enjoyed by citizens, Logan Water is committed to managing the city’s water systems to provide safe, high-quality services that ensure the protection of public health, the environment, and support

the growth of the community.

“One of our main challenges is to keep up with the city’s significant growth in a really sustained way,” Basterfield acknowledges.

PIONEERING FACILITY Logan Water has pioneered an innovative, Australian-first biosolids gasification facility that is challenging the status quo and demonstrates how sewage sludge can be transformed into renewable energy.

It is located at the Loganholme Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), the largest of Logan City’s four WWTPs, which produces 34,000 tonnes of biosolids each year.

These biosolids were previously transported 300 kilometres by approximately 18 trucks per week from the Loganholme WWTP to the Darling Downs agricultural area for use as a soil improver, at a major operating cost for Logan Water of around AUD$1.8 million.

APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 203

LOGAN WATER ENERGY & UTILITIES

This has been exacerbated in recent years by the increasing cost of treating and disposing of biosolids due to rising electricity prices, the growing population, and tightening government regulations around the disposal of biosolids.

“It started with us trying to deal with the cost of transporting the biosolids that we produce by reducing truck movements,” Basterfield shares.

RELIABLE, SUSTAINABLE, COMMITTED “Internally, we’ve got three words that we use to describe how we operate and work: reliable, sustainable, and committed.

“It’s not just a tagline, because we genuinely try to work around those three words in everything we do. The thing that drives us is the people who work here, live here and support their community.

“We know we are transforming our part of the water industry and creating new technologies. For things like the biosolids gasification facility, people need training on it, so there is an element of developing and upskilling people to make them future ready for the new activities we know we’re moving into.

“Every one of those three key words has a number of facets.

For example, you typically think of sustainable as environmental sustainability, but we also want to sustain our service, we want a sustainable business outcome, and we want to sustain our assets.”

- Mike Basterfield, Group Manager, Logan Water

204 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

Biosolids gasification facility

The biosolids gasification facility at the Loganholme WWTP processes sewage sludge by dewatering it in a centrifuge, drying it in a belt dryer, and treating it at high temperatures in a gasifier to produce a safe, environmentally friendly product called biochar, which can be used for agricultural, composting and building purposes.

“The Biosolids Gasification Project is a true example of the circular economy because we’re taking a waste product and turning it into biochar, which has uses as an agricultural product all the way through to potential use in manufacturing.”

The process reduces the volume of biosolids by 90 percent and thereby significantly lowers the disposal of biosolids, saving Logan Water around AUD$500,000 in annual operating costs and significantly reducing the need for truck deliveries, which otherwise adversely affect communities and the environment due to increased traffic and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

It also eliminates around 95 percent of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as polyfluoroalkyl substances, and reduces about 63 percent of micro and nano-plastics in biosolids.

The technology is relatively simple

Commissioning of diffusers at WWTP

and although it involves an upfront cost, it reduces the whole-of-life cost of treating and disposing of sewage.

“We’re getting great interest in the technology from all over the world, and we’re now looking at the potential for it to be used on a much wider scale,” Basterfield reveals.

SOLAR ARRAY As part of the Biosolids Gasification Project, Logan Water has also installed a solar farm at the Loganholme WWTP to support the power required to run the biosolids gasification facility and power additional on site operations, making the gasifier process largely energy self-sufficient.

The AUD$3.6 million installation, which comprises 3,000 solar panels covering around 3,700 square metres, has delivered fantastic energy savings and reduced Logan Water’s carbon footprint as part of its commitment to environmental sustainability.

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“We’re fortunate that our parent organisation, Logan City Council, has become carbon neutral in the last 12 months and are actively supporting our drive to sustainability. We’re now looking to extend the solar power generation that we’ve got to address our needs as Logan Water and the wider needs of the city,” outlines Basterfield.

The solar and biosolids gasification facility upgrades to the Loganholme WWTP were carried out under the Logan Water Partnership, which includes partners Downer, WSP Australia, and Stantec. The gasifier project was supported with Federal government funding via the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

By the end of the decade, up to AUD$1 billion of water and wastewater infrastructure will have been rolled out across Logan City by the partnership, which has received numerous industry awards for its efforts including the pioneering biosolids gasification facility.

“The Logan Water Partnership is a highly successful alliance that has been running for 12 years now,” Basterfield states.

“We’ve been running an integrated project development planning and project delivery commissioning programme for the whole of that period.”

COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACE Logan Water recently moved into its new centrally located office in Beenleigh, which has been purposebuilt and designed to be a highly collaborative space to work alongside partners such as Downer, WSP Australia, and Stantec.

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LOGAN WATER ENERGY & UTILITIES

This seven-storey mixed-use development encourages high levels of collaboration to reflect and capitalise on how Logan Water has worked with its partners over the years. Each floor is equipped with a range of highly functional workspaces and takes advantage of technology, enabling both in person and remote working to support staff from all the partner organisations to enhance collaboration further and continue to deliver high-quality outcomes.

“It’s a really established partnership, so if you were ever in the building and walked through it, you genuinely wouldn’t be able to tell who a Logan Water employee was and who was a partner, because they are viewed as being part of the collective,” Basterfield tells us.

“I wouldn’t say it’s unique, but it’s a very strong model where we can access our major partners to assist us in delivering our objectives. In the

last two and a half years, we’ve also reworked the delivery model for the whole business.”

A key highlight of the facility is a new integrated services hub that gives Logan Water complete eyes-onscreen for all its assets across the city, combined with maintenance planning and customer interaction capabilities.

“It has proven to be an innovative and efficient addition. Certainly locally, there’s very little that beats it in terms of functionality, but also how we’ve designed the building to be a workspace for people,” reveals Basterfield.

One of the key things that Logan Water is working on is upgrading some of its systems to capitalise on the investment made in the integrated services hub.

“We’ve got a new asset management approach that we’re currently configuring and putting in place, and again it’s all based on the way we work and the way our processes need to operate in order to be carbon neutral.”

MBR TECHNOLOGY With the ongoing collaborative support of its partners, Logan Water’s next major wastewater treatment

“ T H E B I O S O L I D S G A S I F I C AT I O N P R O J E C T IS A TRUE EXAMPLE OF THE CIRCULAR E C O N O M Y B E C A U S E W E ’ R E TA K I N G A WA S T E P R O D U C T A N D T U R N I N G I T I N TO B I O C H A R ” – M I K E B A S T E R F I E L D , G R O U P M A N A G E R , L O G A N WAT E R

Cedar Grove WWTP

Logan Water Stills Day

investment is the addition of a membrane bioreactor (MBR) facility that is currently under construction at the Loganholme WWTP. Part of an estimated AUD$69 million upgrade to the plant’s main treatment process, the MBR technology will increase its treatment capacity from 45 million litres per day to 67 million litres, equivalent to another 100,000 people which is an important step to accommodate future population growth.

It follows the completion of the Cedar Grove WWTP in 2020, a unique asset that was Queensland’s first WWTP to benefit the environment through MBR technology and

constructed wetlands to achieve record low nutrient levels.

“Cedar Grove was the last WWTP we built in the very west of the city, and it had some of the most demanding license standards in the country because of where it was in the drinking water catchment,” Basterfield notes.

“We actually had nutrient offsets by reworking the river, as well as wetlands on the end of highly technical MBR treatment plants to be able to build in that part of the city and service its growth.”

Logan Water also plans to build another WWTP to support the significant growth areas of the city, which will feature similar advanced

technology and is due to be built in about five years’ time.

These latest investments come as Logan Water rationalises its plants throughout the city, including the closure of older, inefficient WWTPs, to continue to deliver reliable, safe and sustainable water and wastewater services.

Tel: 07 3412 3412 council@logan.qld.gov.au www.logan.qld.gov.au/water APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 207

SMART SOLUTIONS

F O R A D I G I TA L WO R L D We speak to Adelyn Ong, Managing Director of China Mobile International (Singapore) Pte Ltd (CMI Singapore), about the company’s commitment to advanced technologies and its vast global footprint Writer: Rachel Carr | Project Manager: Dennis Morales 208 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

CHINA MOBILE INTERNATIONAL (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD TECHNOLOGY

H

eadquartered in Hong Kong, and now operating in 38 countries and regions, China Mobile International Limited (CMI) was established in 2010 as the exclusive gateway to manage the global business of China Mobile.

Currently, CMI has over 1,800 employees and has the network, customers, and scale advantages of CMCC, providing high-quality

one-stop communication services to operators, enterprises, and individuals worldwide.

CMI leads the industry with its extensive coverage, spanning 230+ global points of presence (PoPs) across 80+ countries and 138 cities.

With CMCC ranking 62nd in Fortune Global 500, Adelyn Ong, its Managing Director of CMI Singapore, finds the telecommunications

(telecoms) industry a highly dynamic and exciting space to work in.

“With the rapid advancement of technology and the increasing reliance on connectivity, telecoms companies play a pivotal role in shaping the digital landscape and enabling global activity,” she introduces.

As the world becomes more interconnected, the demand for APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 209

CMI’S COMPETITIVE DIFFERENTIATION Through the following distinguishing features, CMI has established itself as a standout player in the telecoms industry, delivering a wide array of services and solutions to carriers, enterprises, and consumers around the world: Market focus – CMI targets three core markets: carriers, enterprises, and consumers with tailored development strategies, meeting the specific needs of each market segment effectively.

China Mobile International at the Business Technology Excellence Awards Singapore 2023

World-leading infrastructure – CMI is building a cutting-edge infrastructure to deliver high-bandwidth, top-quality, and intelligent connections to its customers.

CMI has expanded its footprint in 38 countries and regions. The emphasis on expanding into various countries and regions is a testament to CMI’s dedication to meeting the unique requirements of different markets. By offering strong local support, the company aims to understand the specific needs and preferences of customers in each region.

Telecoms wholesale carrier – Serving more than 900 partner customers, CMI has access to a significant number of 80 cable resources, including 15 invested submarine cable resources and 23 invested terrestrial cable resources with network capacity of over 123T, and more than 230 PoPs worldwide, of which 68 are in Asia Pacific. Submarine cables are essential for international connectivity, enabling high-capacity data transmission across continents.

Enterprise solutions – CMI operates a network of data centres strategically located around the world. Combined with its global network coverage, this infrastructure enables the company to deliver a global network of data centre frameworks to universal enterprises.

International IoT business – Combines connectivity, hardware, platform, and solutions. This integrated approach caters to inbound and outbound businesses, enterprises, and overseas operators.

Consumer market leadership – CMI maintains a leading position in global roaming coverage, offering wide coverage, extensive scale, strong integration, competitive tariffs, and an exceptional user experience.

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telecoms services continues to grow exponentially. This is driven by different factors, including the proliferation of smartphones, the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and the increasing need for high-speed internet access.

“The industry is constantly evolving to meet telecoms services demands and provide innovative solutions to businesses and individuals alike,” observes Adelyn.

As a leader in the telecoms field, Adelyn’s greatest fulfilment comes from witnessing the growth and achievements of her team. During her tenure, CMI Singapore has been recognised by its partners through multiple industry awards, as a testament to its dedication and success.

“Overall, my career path has been characterised by a deep interest in the telecoms industry and a passion for taking on challenges and contributing to the transformative advancements

CHINA MOBILE INTERNATIONAL (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD TECHNOLOGY

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within the field,” she surmises.

SMART PROJECTS Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, CMI’s team has worked closely with our customers, providing innovative and resilient solutions to the industry.

However, the telecoms industry is

subject to various other challenges, such as intense competition, regulatory frameworks, cybersecurity threats, and the need to continuously invest in infrastructure and technology upgrades to meet everevolving customer expectations.

Indeed, CMI has already put plans in place for upcoming projects and

developments, being actively involved in implementing IoT solutions.

“Smart agriculture aims to leverage IoT technologies to improve efficiency, sustainability, and productivity. By integrating sensors, data analytics, and connectivity, CMI enables farmers to monitor and control various aspects of operations remotely,” Adelyn explains.

The project is crucial as it addresses the global challenge of food security while promoting sustainable farming practices.

Another significant focus for CMI is the development of smart cities, particularly in the Southeast Asia (SEA) and South Asia regions.

By deploying IoT solutions to create connected and intelligent urban environments, the company will utilise technologies and contribute to the development of smarter and more liveable cities, therefore enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and quality of life for residents.

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CHINA MOBILE INTERNATIONAL (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD TECHNOLOGY

APAC OUTLOOK: WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR CMI? Adelyn Ong, Managing Director: “Building upon our remarkable achievements in various markets and the successful deployment of innovative products and solutions, CMI is growing from scratch. Today, we are offering a comprehensive range of services and solutions spanning three markets, Carrier Business, Enterprise Business and Consumer Business – MNVO service. This momentous goal reflects our commitment to sustained growth and solidifying our position as a prominent player in the telecoms sector. Our continued expansion to provide services to the SEA market signifies a strategic move to capitalise on new opportunities and meet the increasing demand for cuttingedge telecoms solutions in the region.

“Innovation keeps us at the forefront of the industry and has earned us a reputation as a reliable and forward-thinking telecoms provider. With the experience gained from our achievements, we are now poised for the next phase of growth by targeting the SEA market. By tapping into this market, we aim to further enhance our revenue streams and expand our influence in the region. While the road ahead may present challenges, we are resolute in our determination to succeed and build upon our achievements. Through our relentless pursuit of growth and innovation, we will continue to achieve miracle breakthroughs and become a trailblazer in the telecoms industry across international markets, particularly in the dynamic and promising landscape of SEA.”

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“These solutions encompass various aspects such as smart infrastructure, energy management, transportation, waste management, and public safety.”

By demonstrating CMI’s commitment to leveraging advanced technologies, such as IoT and 5G to drive innovation and address realworld challenges, and by actively participating in projects related to smart agriculture, smart cities, and 5G development applications, the company showcases its expertise, fosters growth, and reinforces its position as a leading telecoms provider on the global market.

INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS CMI has achieved notable success in the deployment and development of 5G industry applications, particularly in the European market.

RINGA is a smart product innovation development platform launched by CMI. The company has developed and distributed an open IoT platform-as-a-service (PaaS) cloud solution, which allows RINGA to unify the smart home ecosystem.

“In 2022, we got a breakthrough for the RINGA platform in Europe, which is its first commercial project.

“Through a cross-team collaboration process on the project, the local team, HQ and CMI developed capabilities, solutions, business models, and delivery from domestic to overseas. This project verified the feasibility of new business going overseas in the future,” reveals Adelyn.

Aside from projects, CMI has made significant infrastructure investments, which has enabled global expansion.

This includes the development of data centres, network expansion, and the deployment of advanced technologies.

These investments enable CMI to provide robust and reliable connectivity, support emerging technologies, and meet the growing demands of its customers, as it actively seeks strategic partnerships with international telecoms companies, technology providers, and industry players.

“These collaborations facilitate knowledge sharing, technology exchange, and the development of

CHINA MOBILE INTERNATIONAL (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD TECHNOLOGY

“THE INDUSTRY I S C O N S TA N T LY E V O LV I N G T O M E E T TELECOMS SERVICES DEMANDS AND P R O V I D E I N N O VAT I V E S O LU T I O N S TO BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS ALIKE” – A D E LY N O N G , M A N A G I N G D I R E C TO R , C M I S I N G A P O R E

innovative solutions. By fostering partnerships, CMI strengthens its position as a global player in the telecoms industry and enhances its ability to provide cutting-edge services to its customers,” Adelyn expresses.

DEVELOPMENT PLANS To drive technological advancements and innovation, CMI places a strong emphasis on R&D. The company plans to invest in initiatives and explore new technologies, therefore, improving capabilities, and developing solutions to address emerging market needs.

“By focusing on R&D, CMI stays at the forefront of industry trends and maintains a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving telecoms landscape,” states Adelyn.

Guided by the strategic principles of business, management, and resource internationalisation, CMI has set a clear plan for the next five years.

“We will remain true to our original aspiration: to build a huge, empowered network. We aim to carry out a forward-looking layout, constantly adapting to industry changes and expanding overseas layouts to enlarge revenue scale,” she notes.

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CHINA MOBILE INTERNATIONAL (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD TECHNOLOGY

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APAC OUTLOOK: HOW DO YOU TRAIN AND INSPIRE YOUR WORKFORCE? Adelyn Ong, Managing Director: “By attracting and empowering young talent, CMI can tap into fresh perspectives and ideas, driving its success and ensuring long-term sustainability, and by fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual support, I inspire the team to work together towards objectives.

“I encourage open dialogue, active participation, and idea sharing, creating a sense of ownership and collective responsibility.

“To inspire the workforce, we encourage a positive work environment. I emphasise the importance of teamwork: Together Everyone Achieves More – TEAM. “CMI invests in its workforce by placing a high value on employee development programmes, training initiatives, learning opportunities, and knowledge-sharing platforms. This includes providing access to relevant courses, workshops, and certifications to enhance their professional skills and expertise in the field of underwater and submarine cabling.

“By fostering a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and growth, CMI ensures that its employees possess the skills and expertise required to deliver exceptional services and drive innovation within the organisation.”

A strategic approach ensures the development of a robust network, expanded service offerings, and effective organisational management, ultimately benefitting CMI’s customers and stakeholders worldwide.

By pursuing international plans and goals, CMI demonstrates its commitment to continued growth, adaptation, and innovation.

“We will strengthen the capabilities

of network support, digital transformation, IT consulting services, and integration to construct a fullstack department of information and communications technology (DICT) capability.

“We aim to build a partnership with the main related cloud communications service providers (CSPs), industry-focused independent software vendors (ISVs), local small and medium-size operators,

and construct an organisational management and control system,” she continues.

CMI has set several key priorities for the coming year to further advance its growth and contribute to the telecoms industry. It recognises the upcoming year as a critical period for its continued expansion.

“As a telecoms service provider, we are constantly evolving to meet the industry demands and provide innovative solutions to businesses and individuals alike. By continuously evolving and introducing novel offerings, we aim to be a preferred and trusted telecoms partner for businesses seeking growth and efficiency, as well as individuals seeking enhanced connectivity and digital experiences.” Adelyn concludes.

www.cmi.chinamobile.com APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 215

VPBANK FINANCE

PIONEERING PROSPEROUS BANKING Augustine Wong, CIO of VPBank, a titan in the Vietnamese banking industry, tells us about the company’s customer-driven approach in unfalteringly serving millions across the country Writer: Lucy Pilgrim | Project Manager: Harry Palmer

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roviding solutions to more than 28 million customers across Vietnam, VPBank is a cornerstone in the Southeast Asian (SEA) financial sector. Although the organisation has worked in retail banking since 2010, VPBank’s recent expansions into other market areas has solidified its position as the only bank to cover the full spectrum of financial markets. This is achieved by a strategic focus on the growth of its retail banking sector, from the lower mass market to high-net-worth customers.

“This focus centres around a distinct business model which differentiates VPBank from our peers and enables us to pursue our strategic goals successfully,” begins Augustine Wong, CIO of VPBank.

SPEED AND CONVENIENCE The organisation is proud to be the only bank to develop a dedicated sub-sector for retail banking that has a diverse range of services to continuously meet its customers’ requirements. At the beginning of 2019, the organisation launched

VPBank Diamond, created exclusively for the affluent segment (AF) of its customer base. The package gives users access to world-class and highly personalised services in banking, insurance, credit and asset management, accompanied by expert consultancy to help AF customers reach their financial goals. VPBank Diamond also provides bonus solutions such as airport lounges, healthcare, hospitality and more to create the ultimate customer experience.

Additionally, in 2021 the company launched the VPBank Prime brand.

Once again, the organisation is the first financial brand in Vietnam to serve the Mass Affluent (MAF) segment, providing more complex solutions such as an international debit card, mobile banking, as well as auto loan and business loan combinations, alongside its standard services. Thus, it caters to the advanced necessities of the MAF customer base.

VPBank also offers a plethora of financial solutions for its household

customers, such as cash flow management and loan financing, with a focus on process streamlining and minimising document requirements to successfully meet the needs of households.

Stepping away from the residential, VPBank was also the pioneer in a dedicated small to meduim-enterprise (SME) business unit, among its many achievements.

“SMEs quantify a significant proportion of Vietnam’s economy, yet most of these enterprises cannot access credit and therefore

represent a huge untapped market.

Consequently, the business unit operates a relationship-based model built around customer needs, with an emphasis on convenience and speed,” continues Wong.

Serving as one of the key customer acquisition channels, VPBank’s branch network has also been vital to its development, to the extent that after 30 years of operations, it has expanded its operating network to over 264 branches and transaction points.

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VPBANK FINANCE

A further subdivision of the company exists as Supply Chain Financing (SCF), which has been operating for over a decadeand has become a strong proposition in the market. Currently, the company holds nearly 30 significant anchors, each with reputable multinational companies (MNCs) and local corporates in Vietnam.

The SCF is supported by 2,000 active distributors and agents who are involved in a multitude of sectors including, but not limited to, automobile, animal feed, petroleum, aviation, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).

“The biggest strength of VPBank’s SCF is our people and platform. We have dedicated sales and product teams with long-term experiences in structuring tailor-made SCF solutions for our customer base,” explains Wong.

THE DIFFERENTIATING FACTORS OF VPBANK: A distinct business model and focus on high-potential retail banking: catering to all demographics of the Vietnamese population with tailor-made products and services to suit each group.

A robust capital foundation for sustainable growth: in March 2023, VPBank entered an agreement to newly issue 15 percent of its charter capital to the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), one of the largest financial institutions in Asia.

A multi-layered ecosystem with diversified product suites: with the aim of becoming a universal financial group, VPBank acquired VPBank Securities Company (VPBankS) and OPES Insurance Company (OPES) in 2022 to expand its ecosystem.

Accelerated digital innovation to enhance customer engagement: VPBank are proud to spearhead a comprehensive digital strategy that dictates the digitalisation of the existing bank, building a dedicated digital platform for each customer segment.

Solid leadership with award-winning corporate governance: VPBank has a visionary leadership team comprising of financial and banking experts, which have a proven track record of leading the bank through multiple

SETTING A PRECEDENT

transformations.

Having been established in 1993, VPBank was one of the first jointstock commercial banks in Vietnam.

After 17 years of steady development, a turning point arrived in 2010 when the company changed its name from Vietnam JSC Bank for Private Enterprises to Vietnam Prosperity Bank, subsequently shortened to VPBank. This marked the implementation of a transformative

Applying best international practices in risk management: Since 2021,

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VPBank has continued to pioneer the implementation of Basel III liquidity risk requirements by building a tool to calculate and monitor two indicators: Liquidity Cover Ratio (LCR) and Net Stable Funding Ration (NSFR).

strategy to develop the organisation into a modern retail bank.

“From then on, we have continued to evolve and position ourselves as a

dynamic bank with a strong financial capacity and responsibility to the local communities in which we reside,” Wong tells us.

Testament to this strategy’s success, in 2022, VPBank became Vietnam’s leading retail bank, with its total assets ranked fourth compared to other financial businesses in the country, with its owner equities ranking second.

This is further endorsed by VPBank’s fulfilment of the ‘dual goal’, to maintain macro-economic stability and control inflation at a low level, whilst significantly contributing to the socio-economic recovery and development in the country.

“Entering into 2023, Vietnam has continued to grow its capital base

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“WITH THE AIM OF BECOMING ‘THE HOME O F TA L E N T S ’ W E A R E A LWAY S S T R I V I N G T O C R E AT E A W O R K C U LT U R E T H AT H E L P S U S AT T R A C T A N D R E TA I N T H E B E S T P E O P L E ” – AUGUSTINE WONG, CIO, VPBANK

and assets to reinforce its financial capacity and strengthen the country’s internal resources in line with international standards.

“As a collective, we have attracted many prestigious global financial organisations and institutions to engage in various investment and trade financing activities in Vietnam,” Wong observes.

Such foresight and prudent approaches have helped the Vietnamese economy weather any storm, by further enabling the company to expand its business

activities and market share.

“In my opinion, VPBank is a very exciting space to work in as we consistently aim to advance international standards and there are strong desires for digital transformation, which can help credit institutions enhance customer experience and business efficiency,” he adds.

Along with the developments of online and mobile banking, many financial institutions have recently used artificial intelligence (AI) for customer account management and

customer behaviour analytics. As a result, the scale of Vietnam’s digital financial services market is forecasted to grow rapidly in the coming years.

VPBank harnesses this change as part of its ambitious vision. “We endeavour to become a powerful and strong financial institution, contributing to the sustainable development and prosperity of the nation and inner communities,” emphasises Wong.

This mission is more than attainable since VPBank has grown from a midrange bank to achieving the position of being in the top two of market APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 219

“A S O L I D F I N A N C I A L F O U N D AT I O N A N D COMPREHENSIVE ECOSYSTEM UNDERPINS VPBANK’S CONSTRUCTION OF A FIVE YEAR S T R AT E G Y, W I T H A M B I T I O U S G O A L S A N D S T R O N G D E T E R M I N AT I O N S ” – AUGUSTINE WONG, CIO, VPBANK

capitalisations in the private banking sector, whilst simultaneously holding the leading commercial joint stock bank in 2022.

REMAINING UP TO DATE In recent years, VPBank has had its eyes set on expansion. “As our business grows, we need to continuously upgrade our foundational systems whilst simultaneously staying relevant in order to meet our businesses’ digitalisation aspirations,” explains Wong.

To be able to support this upward trend, the company is evolving its 220 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

retail business to provide digital unsecured lending products to its customers, such as instant lending and personalised cards. This strategic move is clearly paying off as the total number of transactions in the first six months of 2023 reached an equivalent of 85 percent of the total number of transactions in 2022.

In concordance with VPBank’s rapid development, is its ability to stay ahead of the curve, materialised by its Infrastructure Stabilisation Programme. “We are rebuilding and modernising our financial infrastructure to leverage cloud technology where applicable

to further improve our business capabilities.”

This tenacious project will foresee an 18 month transformation from the current monolithic banking system to a cloud native core banking system with Temenos Transact, to enable VPBank to fulfil its potential in digital business and products.

A similar rejuvenation will also be applied to the company’s application interface programming (API) model used in contextual banking. Wong emphasises how the bank cannot thrive without expanding on this programme.

“We will start small, build skills and experience, whilst exploring partnerships with third party ecosystems and orchestrators to build a multisource API strategy.”

As part of its customer-driven approach, the company will also improve and modernise accessibility to its financial products. This includes leveraging open payments and machine learning (ML) to increase alternative payment use for the customer and enhance the company’s real-time fraud detection services.

On this trajectory, VPBank also plans to incorporate the outstanding capabilities of AI/ML to stay up to date with the latest innovations in the banking sector. This translates to the customer experience, in which the company will utilise AI to strengthen communication channels with its customers on the personalisation of products and service offerings.

“As we branch out to new third-party ecosystems, such as partnerships with FinTechs, we can engage customers on every level and explore co-developed product opportunities,” adds Wong.

DRIVING INTERNAL GROWTH The increasing success of the business and its flourishing growth are not without the dedicated team at VPBank, that has carried the company

VPBANK FINANCE

to become one of the biggest public listed banks in Vietnam.

In order to draw and retain staff, the company has developed an attractive benefits programme that caters to its employees’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being. This helps enhance employee satisfaction and also win over talents, creating competitive advantages in the market.

To add to this, VPBank is one of the pioneer Vietnamese banks that is developing an E-learning training system, which designs development frameworks and training programmes tailored to each position to create an active learning culture across the organisation. A series of core skills training programmes complement this to drive growth and business performance.

This is further reflected by the internal promotion and rewarding of

staff that VPBank’s employees can grow from.

“As an organisation, we focus on building a next-generation workforce that drives transformational growth, demonstrated by the launch of the

critical roles programme (CR) for important positions in the bank, alongside the successor programme (SP) and the VPBank Gen Next (VPG) amongst more,” Wong details.

ON THE HORIZON As the company celebrates its 30 year journey of prosperity, it shows no signs of stopping, as demonstrated by its ambitious goals that have elevated the company to the heights of a financial institution, packaged in a five year strategy.

“The Vietnam economy is going through a difficult period, therefore, VPBank completed its strategic goals with high readiness to enter a new transformation journey. As such, the strategy tackles three strategic areas: capital foundation, digital and technology capability and creating a multi-layered ecosystem and segmentation strategy,” closes Wong.

Over the last three decades, VPBank has been stratospheric in the Vietnamese financial industry as it pioneers products that place its customers at the fore, whilst exceeding modern banking trends.

www.vpbank.com.vn APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 221

BICKFORD’S AUSTRALIA FOOD & BEVERAGE

A H I S TO RY OF PURITY Bickford’s Australia is one of the nation’s oldest and most treasured brands. We discover more about its refreshing portfolio of beverages with Chris Illman, Head of Sales, Marketing and Hospitality Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Liam Pye

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T

he colossal food and beverage industry that encompasses Australia and the wider APAC region is highly diverse, as the market fluctuates and varies hugely in terms of both product trends and flavour profiles.

Consumption drivers are evolving

to encompass vast levels of experiential activity, which was previously the realm of the venue. However, in the ongoing fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to recreate a venue experience at home means that the way companies communicate with consumers is now more occasion

focused than ever before.

“What we see at present, is a common quest and consistent demand for quality in the drinks space,” introduces Chris Illman, Head of Sales, Marketing and Hospitality for the Bickford’s Group of Companies (Bickford’s).

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BICKFORD’S AUSTRALIA FOOD & BEVERAGE

There is also significant interest across the region for Australian-made products, as the nation’s health and hygiene requirements are some of the most stringent in the world.

“This means products manufactured here are highly desirable, which is perfect for an innovative business like Bickford’s,” he observes.

Everywhere across the industry at present, sustainability is high on the agenda which means that Bickford’s, like many in beverages and beyond, is constantly working towards authentic, meaningful and tangible actions across its group sites and venues to progress the company’s story in this area.

APAC OUTLOOK: HOW DO YOU EMPOWER YOUR STAFF AND RECOGNISE THEIR VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS? Chris Illman, Head of Sales, Marketing and Hospitality: “Business-wide, we live by a series of values which were created by the team itself through a collaborative process of engagement that asked every individual to let us know what was important and what made the business a place they wanted to work.

“This feedback was distilled down into five fundamental principles of integrity, pride, accountability, collaboration and empowerment.

“Our team is encouraged to be autonomous and is given the space to operate under the idea of what we call ‘freedom within a framework’. We also work on the premise that none of us is as good as all of us – so while there are often robust conversations, we challenge each other to deliver the right solutions rather than the easy solutions.

“Each quarter, the executive and management team create a business-wide update highlighting our successes, new recruits and milestones, which ensures that the team have visibility of how they play a part and to understand the drivers for their colleagues in other teams and locations.”

Bickford’s Australia also maintains an outstanding wine portfolio led by its flagship brand Beresford

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BECOMING AN AUSTRALIAN CLASSIC The Bickford’s brand is one of the oldest and most established in Australia and will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2024.

The business has always been privately owned and while it is no longer owned by the Bickford family, the founding principles of pride, passion and quality that set it apart in the late 1800s are still intrinsic to everything that the company does every day.

Today, the Bickford’s brand is best known for its range of cordial products with the unmistakable shape of the bottle, complete with positive affirmations on the base of each product, an icon that has refreshed generations of Australians.

“Our flagship product of lime cordial was originally developed by William Bickford as a cure for scurvy in the early colony of South Australia (SA) and was awarded SA heritage status in 2009,” acclaims Illman.

The impressive business has grown significantly with the vision and stewardship of its current owner, Angelo Kotses, who has developed Bickford’s non-liquor portfolio to become the backbone of the group, extending out from cordial into juices, carbonates, syrups and more recently dairy and plant milks.

“In addition to 150 years of cordial, our iced coffee syrup is also over 100 years old, having been created in a post-war era when coffee was in short supply, but demand was high.

The syrup, with its signature flourish of chicory, provided a much-needed pick-me-up and is a product which continues to thrive today, recruiting a new generation of consumers as we extend the range with flavoured versions,” he elaborates.

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BICKFORD’S AUSTRALIA FOOD & BEVERAGE

Part of an ambitious vision to revive forgotten brands and to leave a legacy for the future has subsequently led to the addition of Beenleigh Australian Rum with its home in Queensland being the oldest continuously working distillery in Australia and holding liquor license number one. Elsewhere, Bickford’s portfolio has been further extended and enhanced to include icons such as Black Bottle Brandy, Vickers Gin and Inner Circle Rum. Furthermore, the company also maintains an outstanding wine portfolio led by its flagship brand Beresford of McLaren Vale. Acquired in 2012, this is supported by beautiful vineyards, an award-winning tasting pavilion, and a re-generated homestead nestled in the heart of McLaren Vale.

In 2017, the acquisition of Vale Brewing, Australia’s original craft beer, added a further dimension to Bickford’s portfolio which has seen the brand rise from strength to strength. This success has been achieved thanks to the creativity and imagination of the brewing team continuing to break new ground with the re-invention of traditional ales with modern flavour twists that are showcased at the newly built tap house sitting proudly above the Beresford homestead.

“Our diversity and entrepreneurial spirit are further demonstrated with the inclusion of a 90,000 tree pomegranate orchard in the Mallee Valley which is one of the largest pomegranate farms in Australia,” Illman explains.

The farm supplies fresh fruit to market as well as concentrate for Bickford’s best-selling pomegranate juice which is supplied to outlets throughout the APAC region.

“This type of investment is fundamental to the idea of taking control of our destiny with strategic acquisitions that enable the business to continue to thrive.”

With a national team that is over 200 strong, possessing a diverse skillset across its various functions, Bickford’s firmly believes that its people are its greatest asset and encourages ownership and accountability at every level.

“Many of our team have been with the business for over 20 years and this experience coupled with the injection of new thinking from new recruits creates an exciting environment for us all,” Illman adds.

GROWTH AND AMBITION Since the installation of its aseptic filling line in 2018, Bickford’s has been actively seeking out new business opportunities which will enable the company to strengthen its core and extend into exciting areas that will set up the business for a dynamic future.

“Our team are currently undertaking the preparatory work in terms of infrastructure and process that will enable us to progress towards Therapeutic Goods Association

THAT’S THE SPIRIT In 2016, the addition of the 23rd Street Distillery in Renmark within SA’s Riverland region has seen Bickford’s footprint in premium spirits further expand as its team delivers award-winning Gin, Vodka, Brandy and Whisky from the previously abandoned site which was re-imagined to include a stunning visitor centre, complete with cellar door, function centre and restaurant.

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“ I N V E S T M E N T I S F U N D A M E N TA L T O T H E I D E A O F TA K I N G C O N T R O L O F O U R D E S T I N Y W I T H S T R AT E G I C A C Q U I S I T I O N S T H AT E N A B L E T H E B U S I N E SS TO CO N T I N U E TO T H R I V E ” – C H R I S I L L M A N , H E A D O F S A L E S , M A R K E T I N G A N D H O S P I TA L I T Y, B I C K F O R D ’ S A U S T R A L I A

(TGA) accreditation, a significant investment which is supported in part by a government development fund grant,” details Illman.

This thorough preparation will enable the group to create sensitive products such as baby formula and pharmaceutical grade products and extend its ability in the contract pack arena to develop with existing and new retail partners as well as extend Bickford’s branded portfolio.

Elsewhere, the biggest ongoing project is the preparation for the Bickford’s brand 150 years celebration next year. This is a significant milestone for the business and an achievement which very few companies that remain privately owned can boast. The entire team is continuing to work with supply and retail partners to create exciting products that celebrate Bickford’s past, present and future with the aim to share memories and create new ones with and for its consumers.

“Milk and plant-based products also form a key part of our strategy for the future. As we see trends and consumers evolve in this space with nostalgic brand collaborations and health and wellness needs, the development of a product pipeline to meet these needs is a huge opportunity.”

Alongside this, Bickford’s has identified exciting opportunities for brand collaborations that will surprise and delight the tastebuds of both Australian domestic and overseas consumers, taking them on a trip down memory lane to flavours they

enjoyed years ago as well as new twists for the modern palate.

As with all sectors, sustaining the supply and quality of ingredients and managing rising costs has been problematic over the last few years.

Mr. Illman believes the pressures on household spending have seen price become an increasingly emotive conversation and balancing the need for value with the increasing demand for quality can be challenging.

“However, with the help of our excellent supply partners, we have been lucky enough to be able to largely maintain our stock position and keep the whole portfolio on shelves everywhere,” he concludes optimistically.

Tel: (+61 8) 81821888 info@bickfords.net www.bickfords.net APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 227

EVENT FOCUS 11-12 October 2023 Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre

WA Mining Conference & Exhibition 11-12 October 2023

WA Mining Conference and Exhibition is the destination for thought-provoking content and technical and digital solutions transforming the mining industry. The high-calibre conference will explore the mining sector’s evolution through technological and sustainable improvements across the entire mining value chain. Alongside the conference will be an expanded exhibition featuring over 120 leading suppliers where you can see first-hand the latest equipment and digital innovation shaping the sector.

David Parker

Rebecca Tomkinson

Sarah Coleman

Sameera Bandara

Executive Director Western Australia, Minerals Council of Australia

Chief Executive Officer The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia

Chief Executive Officer & President idoba

Head of Information Technology St Barbara

Don’t miss out on WA’s leading mining event – including the new Decarbonisation Zone.

Register before 18 August to benefit from Early Bird discounts

Book now at waminingexpo.com.au

Showcasing the technical and digital innovation across the entire mining value chain WA MIN IN G Conference & Exhibition will be held at the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre on 11-12 October 2023. The event will integrate the innovation and research ecosystem while addressing the social and environmental standards driving a more sustainably conscious industry. The exhibition will showcase the technical and digital innovation across the entire mining value chain, while the highly targeted conference will illustrate the economic importance of Western Australia (WA) and its contribution to the resource technology sector, its innovation capability, its job creation, and the attraction of capital to the state.

It’s no secret that WA leads the 228 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

country’s mining industry in terms of technology and innovation, and WA Mining aims to showcase the technical and digital evolution transforming the industry in the region. This year’s event builds on the success of the 2022 conference and exhibition, with quality companies already lining up to attend.

The event features a ticketed conference for thought leaders, industry and academia, running alongside the free-to-attend exhibition. The conference’s themes cover critical minerals, technical innovation, decarbonisation and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), industry outlook, and managing digital risk. As the conference programme takes shape,

conference sponsor Epiroc says it’s an important event for industry, tech experts and site personnel to get involved with.

WA Mining Conference and Exhibition is where technical and digital innovation meets operational and executional excellence. From the quality of speakers at the conference right through to free-toattend exhibition, there is so much to discover. Engineers, management, consultants, technology and business optimisation specialists should have WA Mining in their calendar: 11-12 October at Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Tickets to the event are available at waminingexpo.com.au.

11-12 October 2023 Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre

WA Mining Conference and Exhibition is the destination for thought-provoking content and technical and digital solutions transforming the mining industry. The high-calibre conference will explore the mining sector’s evolution through technological and sustainable improvements across the entire mining value chain. Alongside the conference will be an expanded exhibition featuring over 120 leading suppliers where you can see first-hand the latest equipment and digital innovation shaping the sector.

David Parker

Rebecca Tomkinson

Sarah Coleman

Sameera Bandara

Executive Director Western Australia, Minerals Council of Australia

Chief Executive Officer The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia

Chief Executive Officer & President idoba

Head of Information Technology St Barbara

Don’t miss out on WA’s leading mining event – including the new Decarbonisation Zone.

Register before 18 August to benefit from Early Bird discounts

Book now at waminingexpo.com.au

THE FINAL WORD To round off each issue, we ask our contributing business leaders for their views on the same question

What advice would you give to someone considering entering your industry?

Paul Moynihan CEO, RJE Global “Be solution orientated.

It’s a very fast-paced changing environment in the mining and energy sector, more so than ever and those who succeed will be the companies and/or individuals who take time to understand their counterparts’ drivers and motivations and align their offering accordingly.”

230 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

Kaycee Crisostomo Director, TVI Resources Development Philippines Inc. “For someone who wishes to embark on a career or business in mining, my advice would be for that person to get out and “look at the rocks” – visit the prospects in order to develop over time a “gut feel” for this business – which is two-fold; first, to develop the right professional instinct in order to navigate intuitively through various challenges. The second is to develop fortitude in surpassing early failures and eventually breaking ground on a viable project.”

Adelyn Ong Managing Director, China Mobile International (Singapore) Pte Ltd “Make a positive impact: one of my greatest motivators is the opportunity to make a positive impact on individuals, teams, and organisations. Seeing my team members grow, develop their skills, and achieve their goals brings me immense satisfaction. Contributing to the success and growth of the company and its stakeholders is also highly motivating for me.”

Contact APAC Outlook with your story

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