EME Outlook - Issue 28

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ISSUE 28

With a legacy of 85 years and counting, Cobham has become a go-to partner for solving problems in challenging environments

SAUDIA AEROSPACE ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES 88

Furthering Saudi Arabia’s aviation ambitions

BSB AVIATION 100 Transforming aerospace with a fresh perspective

ALSO FEATURING: S K Y

A N D

S P A C E

RICARDO PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS 110

Driving automotive innovation in new directions

G L O B A L

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NEXT GENERATION DATA 124

Providing the platform for technological progression

G O O D P A C K

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S O R P A

Business Travel Guides

A complete guide to EME’s leading business travel destinations

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JORDAN Steeped in history, spectacular desert and a growing array of active outdoor pursuits, Jordan’s tourism offering is both diverse and welcoming Writer: Tom Wadlow Project Manager: Joe Palliser

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ordan may be a relatively young state, but it is one that contains the hallmarks of many civilisations.

From the ancient kingdoms of Moab, Gilead and Edom to Petra, the epicentre of the Nabatean dynasty, Jordan has been home to a vast array of cultures through its history.

Also formally part of Roman and Ottoman empires, the country gained

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independence in 1946 and today is among the most liberal nations in the Arab world.

This history serves as one of Jordan’s major draws for tourists, with no fewer than five World Heritage Sites representing the cultural diversity enshrined in the country’s past.

Indeed, Petra has been named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, while the Wadi Rum represents one of many inspiring desert landscapes that caused Lawrence of Arabia to fall in love with this region.

Asides these monuments and terrains, Jordan also has a tradition of welcoming visitors, from camel trading caravans to the modern-day business and leisure traveller.

This combination of history, natural wonder and hospitality present a unique and enticing tourism offering, and one which has seen increasing numbers of visitors explore the country in recent years.

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40 See page

Our Business Travel section not only gives executives the complete guide to the world’s most popular and populous locations, but also gives said locations the perfect opportunity to showcase their own businesses, events, venues and services to a truly international audience and readership of more than 395,000 each month.

To share in this unrivalled exposure and to put your own offering on our map, then please contact our Sales Managers; Joe Palliser, Ryan Gray or Jordan Levey to find out more.

joe.palliser@outlookpublishing.com

+44 (0)1603 959 676

ryan.gray@outlookpublishing.com

+44 (0)1603 959 672

jordan.levey@outlookpublishing.com

+44 (0)1603 959 668

W E L C O M E EDITORIAL Editorial Director: Tom Wadlow tom.wadlow@outlookpublishing.com Deputy Editor: Jonathan Dyble jonathan.dyble@outlookpublishing.com

PRODUCTION

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Sky high ambitions As 2019 gets into full swing, enterprises across all industries are beginning to put into place their plans to build on the year just gone, be it expansion,

Production Manager: Daniel George daniel.george@outlookpublishing.com Art Director: Stephen Giles steve.giles@outlookpublishing.com Advert Designer: Devon Collins devon.collins@outlookpublishing.com

diversification, investment in technology or other pressing priorities.

BUSINESS

company specialising in addressing problems in challenging environments, from

Sales Director: Nick Norris nick.norris@outlookpublishing.com Operations Director: James Mitchell james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com PROJECT DIRECTORS Joshua Mann joshua.mann@outlookpublishing.com Tom Cullum tom.cullum@outlookpublishing.com HEAD OF PROJECTS Callam Waller callam.waller@outlookpublishing.com Joe Palliser (Business Travel) joe.palliser@outlookpublishing.com Thomas Arnold thomas.arnold@outlookpublishing.com TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Eddie Clinton eddie.clinton@outlookpublishing.com SALES MANAGERS Jordan Levey (Business Travel) jordan.levey@outlookpublishing.com Ryan Gray (Business Travel) ryan.gray@outlookpublishing.com PROJECT MANAGERS Ashley Parfitt ashley.parfitt@outlookpublishing.com Josh Hyland josh.hyland@outlookpublishing.com Matt Cole-Wilkin matt.cole-wilkin@outlookpublishing.com Matthew Selby matthew.selby@outlookpublishing.com Richard Thomas richard.thomas@outlookpublishing.com

ADMINISTRATION Finance Director: Suzanne Welsh suzanne.welsh@outlookpublishing.com Office & Finance Manager: Sophia Curran sophia.curran@outlookpublishing.com Digital & IT: Hamit Saka Helpdesk: James Le-May

For British aerospace giant Cobham Plc, a major target for the coming months is to join up its enormous portfolio of expertise and present itself as a multifaceted land and sea to air and outer space.

Helping to communicate this message is Air Marshal Greg Bagwell CB CBE, Cobham’s Executive Vice President of Business Development and 36-year Royal Air Force stalwart.

Speaking to us from the company’s base in Marlow, UK, he recalled: “The company fascinated me. I knew a little about what they did with the air force but that was less than 10 percent of the bigger picture – I had no real appreciation for how broad Cobham is. I knew about its excellent reputation for delivery, especially from my experience as a customer, so maybe it was fate that I ended up here.”

To find out more about Bagwell’s journey from military into commercial, and his plans for Cobham, don’t miss our exclusive feature.

Aerospace forms a running theme for this issue, with Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries CEO Ali Al Ashban detailing how the company is lifting KSA’s industry to new levels. Key partner BSB Aviation is also featured, alongside a fascinating discussion with former Israeli pilot Meir Moalem, who talks to Jonathan Dyble about his new venture Sky and Space Global.

Another industry reliant on high performance engineering is the automotive sector, one which is proudly served by Ricardo Performance Products, a business which continues to push the boundaries of what is possible.

Other insights this issue cover a wide range of topics, from data centres and luxury property in Dubai to the upcoming Six

OUTLOOK PUBLISHING

Nations rugby tournament and containerised

Managing Director: Ben Weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com CONTACT EME Outlook 69-75 Thorpe Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 1UA, United Kingdom.

Sales: +44 (0) 1603 959 652 Editorial: +44 (0) 1603 959 657 SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel: +44 (0) 1603 959 657 Email: tom.wadlow@outlookpublishing.com

transport.

Finally, be sure to pay a visit to our business travel guide section, where we explore the best of what the Azores, Cyprus and Jordan have to offer. Three completely different destinations, but

www.emeoutlookmag.com Follow us on Twitter - @EME_Outlook Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/emeoutlook

equally fascinating in what they have to showcase Tom Wadlow Editorial Director, Outlook Publishing

visitors.

Enjoy the issue!

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In this issue...

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NEWS

Around EME in seven stories

EXPERT EYE

Salesforce.org on tackling the UK’s digital skills gap

S P E C I A L F E AT U R E S

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SPORT

A Six-Nation Scrumdown A sneak peek at the Guinness Six Nations Positive Outlook Supporting rising motoring star James Hillery

REAL ESTATE

Personalised Palm Perfection A look at Dubai’s newest luxury property project, XXII Carat

TOPICAL FOCUS

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AEROSPACE

Connecting the Unconnected Sky and Space Global on its extra-terrestrial endeavours

BUSINESS TRAVEL GUIDES

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THE AZORES

40 52

JORDAN

Portugal’s outpost to the great outdoors A civilisational crossroads

CYPRUS

An island nation steeped in mythology, culture and stunning scenery

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SHIPPING & LOGISTICS

SHOWCASING LEADING COMPANIES

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Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world

A E R O S P A C E

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COBHAM PLC

Mission Ready From deep sea to deep space

Containerised Transport Transformed Supplying sustainable transport solutions for industries worldwide

MANUFACTURING

ENERGY & UTILITIES

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148

SAUDIA AEROSPACE ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES

Accentuating Aerospace Advancement Furthering Saudi Arabia’s aviation ambitions

GOODPACK

120

RICARDO PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS

Turbocharging Transformation Driving automotive innovation in new directions

SORPA

Making Waste Worthwhile Championing Iceland’s innovative waste management solutions

INNO-COMP

Compound Company Powering industry through polypropylene

E V E N T

100

BSB AVIATION

Aviation’s Innovation Engine Transforming aerospace with a fresh perspective

T E C H N O L O G Y

124

NEXT GENERATION DATA

The Data Centre Superpower Behind the Digital Economy Providing the platform for technological progression

F O C U S

154

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT EUROPE

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MIDDLE EAST ELECTRICITY

158

GPA GLOBAL 2019

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INTERNATIONAL FOOD & DRINK EVENT (IFE) 2019

162 164

CIPPE 2019

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FUTURE CITIES SHOW

Redefining real estate

The ideal exhibition for energy networking Bahrain’s platform for oil & gas collaboration

Experience a taste of tomorrow A gathering of global oil giants

AIM STARTUP

A perfect platform to raise capital Propelling globalisation through digital transformation

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Outlook Creative Services Complementing the production of Africa Outlook, Asia Outlook and EME Outlook magazines, Outlook Publishing’s award-winning in-house team is now utilising these same specialist production skills to offer a full and bespoke range of editorial, design and marketing services via its new Outlook Creative Services division.

For more information on how we can work with you in providing a plethora of completely flexible and customisable production services, please visit: www.outlookpublishing.com/creative-services

DESIGN: Stephen Giles +44 (0) 1603 959 656 steve.giles@outlookpublishing.com

E D I TO R I A L : Tom Wadlow +44 (0) 1603 959 657 tom.wadlow@outlookpublishing.com

Devon Collins +44 (0) 1603 959 661 devon.collins@outlookpublishing.com

Jonathan Dyble +44 (0) 1603 959 660 jonathan.dyble@outlookpublishing.com

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Around Europe and the Middle East in seven stories…

M A N U FA C T U R I N G

T R A N S P O R T

Deutsche Bahn eyes sale of Arriva subsidiary Germany’s state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn is considering the sale of its Arriva international subsidiary.

There are thought to be differing opinions within both company leadership and political circles as to how to plug a multibillion-dollar financial gap, with the sale of Arriva said to be among the options.

Deutsche Bahn has been under intense scrutiny recently following a troubling period of failing punctuality.

It is thought that, if sold, UKheadquartered Arriva could raise around $4.5 billion. However, value estimates are currently difficult to produce due to ongoing uncertainty over Britain’s departure from the European Union.

E N E R G Y & U T I L I T I E S

ACWA Power looks to support growing Saudi renewables industry

Volkswagen and Ford launch van and pickup truck alliance Automotive manufacturing giants Volkswagen and Ford Motor Company have unveiled a new partnership that will see the two firms join forces on the sale of commercial vans and pickups.

The alliance will commence in 2022 and will not involve a merger or the movement of any equity.

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Ford will engineer and build medium-sized pickups and larger commercial vans for European customers, and VW intends to develop and build a city van.

The two companies also committed to exploring potential avenues of cooperation on electric and driverless vehicles as well as mobility services.

Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power is reportedly considering a move to support the production of solar panels in the country.

According to Reuters, the company’s CEO Paddy Padmanathan said that renewable energy will play a significant part in its plans to double power production capacity by 2025.

This is part of a wider national effort, the country recently revealing ambitious plans to install 60 GW of solar, wind and other forms of power generation as part of the KSA Vision 2030.

Last year ACWA Power announced plans to sell 30 percent of its business through an initial public offering, a move which has been put on hold.

GO TO WWW.EMEOUTLOOKMAG.COM/NEWS FOR ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST

EME F I N A N C E

Germany seeks to deepen finance sector ties with China

C O N S T R U C T I O N

Aldar Properties unveils $544 million Abu Dhabi development A new 2.8 million square metre site will be built in Alshamkha in Abu Dhabi, it has been revealed.

Aldar Properties announced the $544 million mixed use development, which will comprise single and multi-

residential villas and apartments, retail space, food and drink outlets, mosques, and sports, education and commercial facilities.

Land plots for the scheme, named Alreeman, are now on sale with handover to customers slated for 2021.

Maan Al Awlaqi, Executive Director - Commercial at Aldar said: “Its location, expected appeal with investors as well as end users makes Alreeman a fantastic opportunity for purchasers of all nationalities.”

F O O D & D R I N K

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Dubai Frame sees more than a million visitors in first year A giant picture frame in Dubai has enjoyed a landmark first year as more than a million people visited the unusual attraction.

Measuring 150 metres in height and 93 metres wide, Dubai Frame enables visitors to capture views of the emirate’s landmarks, including the Burj Khalifa on one side and older parts of the city on the other.

Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, commented: “The Dubai Frame comes from the vision of

Germany and China are close to finalising two agreements that will see the countries further cooperation in the financial sector, a leaked document seen by Reuters shows.

The first deal involves China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC), while the second is with the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC).

This follows the move in November to allow Allianz to establish China’s first foreign insurance holding company, and is part of German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz’s attempts to convince Chinese counterparts to open up their economy.

2,000 hailing from over 150 countries.

Premier Foods appoints CFO as interim CEO

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to establish Dubai as an international cultural, entertainment and tourism destination.”

British food manufacturer Premier Foods has named Chief Financial Officer Alastair Murray as acting CEO as it seeks to find a successor to Gavin Darby.

Darby is stepping down on January 31 amid increasing pressure from hedge fund Oasis Management which follows a 2.2 percent drop in Q3 revenue. Group sales were £255.6 million in the third quarter of the year, £5.8 million lower than the same period a year ago, the company said.

Premier Foods produces well-known brands such as Mr Kipling, OXO and Bisto.

GO TO WWW.EMEOUTLOOKMAG.COM/NEWS FOR ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST

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Seizing the Digital Opportunity Salesforce.org’s EVP and Chief Philanthropy Officer, Ebony Frelix, lays down her thoughts on how collaborative efforts can help tackle the UK’s digital skills gap Written by: Ebony Frelix, Executive Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer at Salesforce.org

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oday, there are over 1.5 million people working in digital tech roles in the UK. The number of these across the country has grown at more than twice the rate of non-digital sectors, and now collectively contributes a staggering £130 billion to our economy, according to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

As digital growth continues to accelerate, there is a real opportunity for the youth of today who can fulfil the world’s increasing digital needs as they venture into employment.

To ensure we are giving young people the best chance of success in achieving this, sufficient support must be introduced. This requires a collaborative effort, not only to address the curriculum being offered in schools and other educational institutions, but also in workplaces so employers can continue to give staff the opportunities to be ready for the jobs of tomorrow.

Accelerating learning for all

We believe that everyone – no matter their background or circumstance – should have equal access to open learning that enables people to hone their digital skills and, in turn, put the building blocks in place for their careers.

According to research conducted

by City & Guilds Group and Emsi, nine in 10 UK employers are struggling to find qualified talent to fill vacant

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ABOUT THE EXPERT Ebony Frelix is the Executive Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer at Salesforce. org, where she manages programmes and grants to advance Salesforce. org’s 1-1-1 integrated philanthropy model. Frelix and her team are responsible for engaging more than 21,000 employees in community service opportunities and administering millions of dollars in grants to improve social enablement around the world. roles. This is putting pressure on our education system to prepare students for full-time employment. At the same time, the education provided by many schools is no longer what the workforce is looking for. Employers don’t require applicants to provide an array of exam results or a university degree to become part of their team.

Instead, businesses are meeting this growing demand for talent by recruiting from a more diverse talent pool, with McKinsey finding which companies that encourage equality in the workplace are 35 percent more

likely to financially outperform their competitors.

As the pressure to keep pace with the fourth industrial revolution increases, it’s time for more diverse thinking where different perspectives and point of views can come together to create new ideas. Therefore, we need to look at an array of methods to prepare individuals with the necessary skills to bring new and diverse people into the workforce.

Looking to the future

At Salesforce, we’re committed to helping solve the digital skills gap in the UK. As part of this, we are connecting young people of all demographics with the skills and resources needed to succeed in their future careers.

Salesforce.org, the philanthropic arm of Salesforce, has various partnerships that aim to empower young people to build the future they deserve by connecting them to greater opportunities in education, training, work experience and employment.

Most recently, we invested $1 million in two phenomenal London-based not-for-profit organisations, School 21 and Ada. School 21 focuses on developing the overall skillset of students, whether that be in relation to academia, character building or problem-solving. Within this, we are providing support to its Innovative Leadership Development Programme, aimed at building

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leadership skills within schools. This looks at how we can better support teachers with the implementation of a more holistic approach to education, and inspire the wider systemic change needed within British education to ensure young people are fully prepared for the future world of work.

Ada, meanwhile, is a specialist college that empowers students to become the digital pioneers of tomorrow through its apprenticeship programmes, which Salesforce. org is supporting through a grant scheme. Ada aims to ensure that young adults from all backgrounds can access jobs in the tech sector and ensures its curriculum matches industry standards. This

A collective responsibility

includes the running of its high-quality apprenticeship scheme that gives students the opportunity to learn new skills through on-the-job training and extends learning beyond the classroom.

What is hugely inspiring about both organisations is that they understand the importance of skills training and helping young people become future ready. We must focus on closing the skills gap by looking at education inside and outside the classroom to ensure young people are gaining reallife experiences and access to the skills they need.

As jobs become more digitised, it’s up to all of us to ensure that both today’s and tomorrow’s workforce are armed with the skills to succeed – whether that is in or outside the classroom’

In the technology sector, there needs to be a collective responsibility to prepare our future workforce with necessary skills.

This cannot sit with one company, one government or one educational institution. These changes need a major societal challenge, and require strong partnerships and collaboration between different organisations, industries, and political parties to effectively prepare the UK’s future workforce.

The fourth industrial revolution has triggered a wave of innovation and technology that is radically transforming our economy, our society and our daily lives. This is having huge ramifications for job roles. As jobs become more digitised, it’s up to all of us to ensure that both today’s and tomorrow’s workforce are armed with the skills to succeed – whether that is in or outside the classroom. If we all play our part, we’ll not only ensure the UK seizes the opportunity to close its skills gap, but also ensure that future generations are not left behind.

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A Six-Nation

SCRUMDOWN Ireland. England. Wales. In many people’s eyes it’s a three-horse race, but what can we expect? Writer: Jonathan Dyble

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omprising England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France and Italy, the Six Nations is renowned as the oldest competition in international rugby and one that has continued to deliver drama and suspense year after year.

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Steeped in tradition, patriotism, politics and national pride, the championship has witnessed theatricals across the spectrum since first kicking off in 1882. From unfinished tournaments to players slipping knives into their socks during

the early years, the tournament is now renowned for its high pressure, high intensity contests.

So, what can we expect from this year’s Six Nations?

Naturally, the competition has evolved over the years, now manned

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by strict regulations that should help to prevent any major controversy.

However, equally, the standard has continued to improve year on year, with northern hemisphere teams now genuine contenders for the upcoming World Cup in Japan.

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The rundown

After a stellar year, winning all four autumn internationals that included a 16-9 victory over the All Blacks and triumphing 2-1 in their series against Australia in the summer, Ireland expectedly go into the contest as

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favourites for the title.

With home advantage on the opening day against England, the shamrocks are expected to fend off their closest rivals with an opening victory in what is undoubtedly going to be a crunch game.

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THE KEY FIXTURES IRELAND V ENGLAND When: Saturday February 2, 2:15pm Where: Aviva Stadium, Dublin What to expect: With the Irish beating England comfortably 24-15 at Twickenham last time out, the Dublin side remain favourites to retain their title. They’re the world’s in form team at the moment having beaten the All Blacks, and playing on home turf, it’s hard to write them off. However, they will have to be resilient to beat a strong England side on the opening day in a game that many are already claiming will be the title decider.

WALES V ENGLAND When: Saturday February 23, 4:45pm Where: Millenium Stadium, Cardiff What to expect: As the two sides expected to challenge Ireland, Wales v England is expected to be a tough fought, close affair. England are in everyone’s minds as the victors in 2016 and 2017, while Wales have finished second in the previous three Six Nations. Fairly well matched on paper, this one could both be crucial and go either way.

WALES V IRELAND When: Saturday March 16, 2:45pm Where: Millenium Stadium, Cardiff What to expect: With the home advantage, Wales will be a tough one to crack for Ireland. Having got off to a flying start as they trounced Scotland 34-7 12 months ago, the Welsh have proven they can be up there with the very best on their day, and as one of the concluding games of the tournament, this will be likely be one to watch.

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However, with doubts remaining about the availability of World Rugby Player of the Year Johnny Sexton, Ireland will likely face a tougher range of challenges from each of their five rivals.

England and Wales are expected to push the favourites all the way.

The two sides have both prospered since 2012, having both achieved two tournament victories and a Grand Slam during this time.

Equally, both teams are in fine form.

England came through the autumn internationals with victories over both South Africa and Australia, only losing by one point to the All Blacks. Wales on the other hand also defeated Australia and South Africa in the autumn fixtures and will play both of their two crunch games on home turf.

The three front runners aside, Scotland and France on their day can be a threat. Scotland manager Gregor Townsend has a lengthy list of injuries to work around, but the side finished third in last year’s contest and will be hoping to match or even exceed this standing should they start with a victory against Italy.

France meanwhile triumphed against England last year, and having only narrowly lost 14-13 to Wales and 15-13 to Ireland in 2018, the French will likely be hoping to flip the latter two results on their head this time round, providing them with the necessary platform to secure a surprise tournament victory.

The final contestant Italy is an John Kennedy with the Six Nations trophy outsider once again, having won the wooden spoon in four of the previous build on its ongoing commitment five seasons. to international rugby, having been the official beer of the contest for a Sport and sponsorship number of years.

The rugby aside, much of what makes “We are really looking forward to the Six Nations an unrivalled spectacle the start of the Guinness Six Nations for supporters is the emphasis from all in February 2019,” said John Kennedy, parties that is placed on upholding and Diaego President for Europe, Turkey maximising the fan experience. and India. “Working with the Six As the new Title Sponsor of the Nations, we want to enhance both the competition, Guinness is hoping championship and the fan experience to both continue to maintain this whilst using the partnership to spectator-centric approach and encourage the adult fans watching,

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Guinness is the lead sponsor of this year’s tournament

or attending, the games to drink responsibly.”

The sponsorship is a six-year deal, and adds to the company’s partnerships with the four Home Unions, Leinster and Munster.

“This announcement affirms our long-standing support for the game of rugby and cements our position as one of the world’s biggest rugby supporters,” added Mark Sandys, Global Head of Beer, Baileys and Smirnoff. “We truly believe in the power of sport to connect communities and we’ll be working with the Six Nations to ensure that fans’ experience of the Guinness Six Nations is their best yet.”

Set to kick off at the Stade de France on February 1, the teams, Guinness and spectators alike will now be counting down the days, with the entire tournament still all to play for.

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Positive Outlook J

ames Hillery is extending something of a family dynasty.

Following in the footsteps of his father, uncle and three cousins who have competed in saloon car racing over more than three decades, James is ready to take his racing to the next level.

After back-to-back season successes with numerous podium finishes, in January 2018 he obtained a Race National A Senior licence in what was a landmark achievement.

The good news keeps rolling in for the Mini Challenge competitor. Outlook Creative Services has confirmed a fourth season as a gold grade sponsor to the Norfolk racing driver.

The further announcement at the international autosport show also confirmed that not only will the Mini Cooper JCW Championship be joining the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) in 2020, but the Mini Cooper Mini Challenge Series will also join the championship for two weekends throughout 2020.

Outlook Publishing continues to support rising talent James Hillery as he looks to take his driving career to the next level

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Website designed by Outlook Creative Services

This means that James’s audience figures, that sat around one million, will now jump to 20.9 million. Along with his social media coverage on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, the James Hillery racing platform will be hunting down further interested parties to join his team of sponsorship partners.

Ben Weaver’s Outlook Creative Services We’ve been a proud sponsor of James Hillery since 2017 and as a keen fan of motorsport have followed his progress from his early karting days, right through to the present day.

Good business is all about spotting talent so we’re sure that James will go on to enjoy every success in the future, and we look forward to developing our relationship with James Hillery Racing.

“Teaming up once again with Outlook Publishing will allow me to have my gold grade sponsors feature in its Europe and Middle East magazine and these sponsors will benefit from an editorial profile. This will be an amazing opportunity for me to attract new sponsorship partners, allowing me to show their brands off to a huge audience.”

For further information regarding sponsorship, contact Terry Hillery on: Tel: 07760 205759 or email jameshillery.racing@aol.com

www.outlookpublishing.com/ creative-services

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C A R A T

A decade ago, Dubai was not a place to buy a home and settle down.

“It was transient and short term and wasn’t taken seriously as somewhere you might want to spend the next 20 to 30 years of your life. But that has changed, dramatically.

“Dubai is continuing to outperform real estate markets around the world in spite of the economic downturn and the drop in oil prices, with long-term stable growth patterns. And there is every indication that we will see strong growth in the next few months in particular.

“We can expect a much more competitive environment going forward.”

These are the words of Anton Yachmenev, Managing Director of Forum Group’s XXII Carat, a luxury property development sat in the Palm Jumeirah, one of the most exclusive and expensive residential areas in the emirate.

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“Dubai’s luxury real estate market is fast becoming an attractive proposition to a multitude of international buyers,” he continues.

“The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai remains a hot spot for the luxury sector and, when complete, our XXII Carat development will redefine luxury

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living, offering residents unrivalled style, convenience and seclusion.

“There is an inherent resilience in the luxury market in particular, which continues to outpace the overall market.”

Yachmenev correctly observes that Dubai’s luxury market is well sheltered

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While prices may fluctuate for a number of reasons, there is always a demand for one-off, high-end properties that buyers will acquire regardless of what the overall market is up to.

ISED PERFECTION As Dubai’s luxury real estate market continues to attract international buyers, a new 22-property development on the iconic Palm Jumeirah is reaching new heights of opulence Writer: Tom Wadlow

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XXII CARAT – THE HIGHLIGHTS This is evident in research released

by Core Savills, which found that areas like Emirates Hills, Palm Jumeirah and Al Barari are still attracting highnet-worth buyers often relocating to Dubai. In 2017, three percent of all residential transactions fell into the luxury segment, including villas in Emirates Hills and the Palm that respectively sold for $25.8 and $22.9 million.

XXII Carat luxury

Yachmenev will be hoping that 2019 sees many of XXII Carat’s 22 villas join the list of high-value property transactions.

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With prices ranging from just over $10 million to $25 million, it is not surprising to discover that properties on the XXII Carat development are awash with features. These include: • A private beachfront gated community.

• The largest gardens on the Palm Crescent.

• Interiors finished with high-end materials and equipment imported from France and Italy, such as La Cornue, Baldi, La Cuisine Française, Devon&Devon, Schuco and Miele.

• Unspoilt views of Dubai’s iconic skyline.

“We took our time before breaking ground to carefully create and perfect our master plan to address unobstructed water views, privacy, pool location and villa rooms,” adds Yachmenev. “We have invested a considerable amount of resources to ensure that our properties exceed expectations.”

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Now at completion stage and in the process of receiving building completion certificates, the development comprises properties on plots ranging from 15,600 to 23,300 square feet in size, the higher end units on the market for $25 million.

“We always wanted to do an ultrahigh-end development,” Yachmenev reveals. “The exclusive nature and spectacular beauty of the site at the

EME end of the Western Crescent of the Palm, calls for nothing less.

“There is now a trend of discerning well-heeled buyers choosing a permanent home in Dubai and that’s why we came up with the idea for XXII Carat. Buyers are on the lookout for modern, vanguard and expertly appointed villas and we want to give them what they want.

Dubai’s luxury real estate market is fast becoming an attractive proposition to a multitude of international buyers”

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“We have a simple mission, which is driven by the belief that true luxury is about more than just the address.”

So, what is luxury in the eyes of Yachmenev?

“Luxury living used to mean lavish finishes and furnishings, a nice big swimming pool or two and exclusive, unobstructed views of the ocean or skyline,” he says.

“But with the emergence of the ultra-prime segment, these so-called traditional trimmings are simply not enough, and today’s luxury buyer is

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searching for something altogether more unique and meaningful.

“As the number of high net worth individuals in the world steadily increases, so too does demand for one-of-a-kind ultra-prime properties.

Developers the world over are competing against each other to truly stand out and architects and designers are desperately trying to come up with more creative ways to incorporate things like customisation, personalisation and comfort.

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“In Dubai in particular, there is a growing appetite for luxurious apartments, penthouses and villas in gated communities, and we are starting to see a lot more world-class amenities and international standards in construction in a bid by developers to attract the ultra-high net worth individuals.”

One way in which XXII Carat is seeking to stand out from the crowd is in what may appear a simple, almost essential element of a residence – a bathtub.

Carved from a single block of crystal sourced from the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, each bath weighs around three tonnes and costs $1 million.

It was not a process Yachmenev and his team could afford to mess up. Each stage was scrutinised to the last detail, from the carving of the egg-shape in Italy to temperature-controlled

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transportation to Dubai and expert finishing by local craftsmen.

amenities, services and features that you just can’t find in the average luxury property. That might be On trend top-of-the-range kitchens, luxuriant Yachmenev hints at new developments bathrooms, private beaches, concierge services, somewhere to park their appearing in his Dubai development pipeline in the not too distant future. yacht perhaps, or even a free Bentley His focus for the time being will or Rolls-Royce thrown in for good remain on the emirate while the luxury measure.

“The value or worth of ultra-prime property sector still holds firm – the XXII Carat project is simply the opening properties is becoming more and more page of a new portfolio. heavily weighted on personal values Asked what he believes the next and lifestyle and each group, whether chapter of the sector’s story looks like, it’s the Chinese, the Russians, the Indians or the Arabs, comes with their Yachmenev explains how exclusivity own set of requirements. and rarity are very much on trend.

He concludes: “The key here is fewer “Ultimately, buyers now want units, in the 20 to 30 range, with larger something that strikes the right plot sizes and bigger gardens giving balance between aesthetics, exclusivity, rarity and individuality. the privileged few much sought-after And luckily for ultra-high net worth privacy and physical and visual space.

“But with more money involved, individuals, Dubai really does have buyers are looking for five-star something for everyone.”

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Connecting the

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O When it comes to global connectivity, Meir Moalem, CEO and Founder of Sky and Space Global, believes that the sky is just the lower limit Writer: Jonathan Dyble

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ctober 4, 1957 marks what can only be described as a historic event for humanity.

Sputnik I, the world’s first artificial satellite that was about the same size as a beach ball, was launched into orbit by the Soviet Union, signifying the beginning of the modern-day space age and sparking a new wave of political, military, technological and scientific discoveries.

In the 60 years since, more than 8,100 satellites have followed suit, propelled into the atmosphere from different locations all around the world.

However, of the thousands of different man-made objects that are now orbiting our planet, only 11 countries have successfully launched satellites independently on their own indigenously developed launch vehicles.

While the globally renowned stalwarts of space travel including the US, Russia and China are included in this list, so too is Israel, having launched its Ofeq 1 satellite on the Shavit rocket on September 19, 1988, becoming the eighth country in the world to achieve such status.

Three decades on, Israel’s space programme has grown exponentially, largely influenced by the workings of Meir Moalem – a former Israeli Air Force pilot who transitioned his career into space-centric research, previously heading up the country’s national space programme.

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“I’d probably describe myself as space junkie,” he states. “I don’t really know when or where my interest stemmed from, but I’ve always been fascinated by space, astrophysics, cosmology; you name it.

“When I joined the air force, I felt that I might have to leave that dream behind. But after graduating and majoring in physics I helped put the first Israeli astronaut in space, and was then fortunate enough to lead the Israeli Space Programme, managing some of the most challenging projects for the Israeli government and my country.”

Having retired from the Israel Defense Force in 2011, Moalem’s career naturally took him into the private sector where he proceeded to found Sky and Space Global (SAS) in November of 2015 – a company that he remains both passionate about and heavily involved in today.

The New Space revolution

Launched between Moalem, the firm’s CEO, and Meidad Pariente, fellow founding member and current CTO of

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SAS, the duo recognised the potential of new satellite solutions, namely the emergence of Nano-satellites.

“We had the idea of providing commercial connectivity services from space, and Nano-satellites seemed to fit the mould as a cost-efficient solution,” Moalem explains. “It looked like a good opportunity, so we pursued it.”

The pair then began perfecting their proposal, working on the business model and turning it from just a concept to a feasible and realistic business prospect. Once the blueprints were in place, the next step was

securing the funding – a move that came up trumps for SAS. “We quickly found ourselves listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and have since ended up raising $35 million,” Moalem explains. “With this, we were able to develop and launch our first three satellites, a milestone that truly turned our dream into a reality.”

These three satellites, named the three diamonds, were placed into orbit successfully, making SAS the first company in the world to plan, build and operate a telecommunication commercial network over Nanosatellites.

In achieving this, the firm not only highlighted the potential of its own technology that worked on the principle that satellites could be launched into space in a cost-effective way, but equally positioned itself perfectly to capitalise on the ‘New Space’ revolution.

Moalem explains: “The current state of the space industry is synonymous with the changes witnessed in the computer industry around 20 years ago or the mobile industry 10 years ago.

The things we’re doing with satellites today in space were impossible just a few years ago, and the fact that we can now power hundreds of thousands of phone calls through a satellite that is just three kilograms in mass is just amazing.”

Right now, working closely with Danish Nano-satellite manufacturing company GomSpace, the two firms have reached the construction and integration stage, building and testing the entire network of satellites.

“These are truly very exciting and interesting times,” Moalem adds.

Up for the challenge

For Moalem, the motivations behind SAS are much more complex than just creating another global platform for global telecommunications. Asked

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about the solutions that the firm is looking to provide, he summarises: “We’re connecting the unconnected.”

According to a report from the United Nations on the state of broadband, more than half of the world’s population still lacks access to the internet, with poorer nations increasingly becoming disconnected from the rest of the world and the global economy.

Further, Hootsuite has revealed that internet penetration in Central Africa stands at just 12 percent, while the GSMA has shown that mobile subscriber penetration across subSaharan Africa will stand at just 47

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percent by 2020, with many unable to afford or access existing setups.

“These are the wider issues that we are looking to tackle,” Moalem stresses.

“Just imagine you have to send a WhatsApp message, and you have to travel two hours in order to get signal.

Imagine that the possibility to call emergency services is something you can only dream about. Imagine that speaking to your family and friends on a daily basis is something you cannot do.

“When people talk about connectivity, they’re thinking about Netflix or Spotify. What we’re talking about is three billion people or 40 percent of the global population who

SAS Explained SAS is the first company to plan, build and operate a telecommunications commercial network over Nano-satellites.

Nano-satellites are the most popular type of satellite for diverse commercial usage, with their low mass and high capabilities making them the preferable choice for constellations and applications in the New Space industry.

Following the successful launch of its first three satellites (the three diamonds), SAS plans to launch 200 satellites that will provide coverage to rural regions that currently lack access to affordable connectivity solutions.

These satellites will be placed in synchronised orbits that circle the earth almost every 90 minutes, communicating between each other and creating a circular footprint that is beamed back to earth. In this way, the constellation will serve as both a base station and a router.

SAS operates in the S-band frequency range, enabling connectivity in a very small device with patch antenna or monopole antenna, with low power consumption. As a narrow band communication network, it will be suitable for internet of things, machine-to-machine, personal voice and messaging services.

“It’s not that satellite technologies are not available. It is something that can be acquired in remote areas today,” explains Moalem, “but the prices are very expensive. In rural areas that lack connectivity solutions, you would have to pay $1 per minute or 25 cents per text message – something that is simply not feasible for many people around the world.

“This is where we come in, providing an affordable service and broad coverage that everybody can use, built on quite a simple model.”

EME are living areas where there’s a lack of access to electricity, running water and there’s no connectivity.”

Providing these regions with access to affordable communications, SAS hopes to be a figurehead of transformation for people globally, helping to facilitate social betterment.

“Think about schools. Think about infirmaries. Think about disaster management; a flood coming and nobody knowing about it,” Moalem continues. “Simply having access to a phoneline or being able to send a text message will be game changing for all of these things.”

Harnessing the potential

From NGOs to local businesses, such a platform built on these ideals will open up remote areas to enhanced development, and while both private and public organisations will be looking to play their part in achieving this, SAS will be one company that is set to be fundamental to this progression.

Implementing its network gradually, adding new satellites incrementally over many months, Moalem is hopeful that the 200 Nano-satellites will be up and running by the end of 2020.

“It’s not just as simple as launching the satellites though,” he adds. “We need to educate the market, and this is not something that will happen overnight.”

However, with both huge appetite from broad populations and from SAS itself, the Chief Exec remains positive that demand will pick up fairly quickly once the network is set up, consolidated and rolled out.

He concludes: “We’ve proven that there’s huge application potential.

We’re the first and only company in the world to do what we’re doing, we’re leading the global activities in Nano-satellite technologies for communication services, and we’re very proud of that.

“Personally, I believe the sky is just the lower limit.”

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THE AZOR Unspoiled natural beauty characterises this group of islands, with vastly improved connectivity opening up greater access for both commercial and leisure visitors Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Jordan Levey

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volcanoes and canyons to beaches and mudpots.

It is also home to two of Portugal’s nine Unesco World Heritage sites in the form of Pico’s vineyards and the old town od Angra do Heroismo on Terceira island.

Made up of nine major landmasses, the Azores is an ARQUIPÉLAGO D OS AÇORES, or autonomous region of Portugal and Azores in short, is a tightknit enclave of is roughly split into eastern, central islands lying around 1,600 kilometres and northwestern island groups. Its west of Portugal. capital, Ponta Delgada, sits on São The archipelago is renowned for its Miguel in the eastern group and is opportunities to explore the outdoors, the largest city, rebuilt following a boasting natural wonders from tidal wave disaster in 1839.

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EME The Azores is, in effect, a mountain range, the highest point reaching 2,351 metres above sea level on Mount Pico, which is a big draw for many tourists seeking to scale the islands’ natural landmarks.

The latter half of the last century saw a marked improvement in communications and connectivity across the Azores, a problem which had previously led many inhabitants to emigrate to North America.

Now, the archipelago welcomes large numbers of visitors who can easily travel between islands by air or boat.

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The Business End THE AZORES CLIMATE lends itself to intensive agriculture, which forms a major segment of the region’s economy.

Key exports in this category include cereals like wheat and maize, vegetables and fruit such as pineapple and grapes. The vineyards of Pico Island were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004, highlighting the important status of winemaking here.

São Miguel is revered for its tea production and is home to two of the only tea plantations in the whole of Europe. Both sites are open to visitors

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who can explore the teamaking process.

Asides food and drink production, tourism represents a growing market.

The liberalisation of airspace over the islands of São Miguel and Terceira occurred in March 2015, which led to the number of passengers arriving at Azores airports increasing by 21.2 percent versus the previous year.

More than 1.5 million passengers arrived in 2017, an increase of 18.47 percent on 2016 in part driven by an uptick in cruise ship stopovers.

In 2017, 86 cruise ships passed through alongside more than 4,000 recreational boating vessels.

FACTS & FIGURES

Capital: Ponta Delgada Languages: Portuguese Area: 2,346 km² Population (approx): 246,000 Currency: Euro Time zone: GMT -1 Dialling code: +351 (Portugal) Internet TLD: .pt Climate: Maritime subtropical

hotel | restaurant since 1956 Fruit of its history and continuous quality, ALCIDES has achieved an unparalleled reference in the Azores gastronomy.

Restaurant founded in 1908, in family since 1956, it’s a landmark for its persistence in turning obstacles into goals, and for is inevitable irreverence in the pursuit of your own happiness.

For meat lovers, the excellent and much appreciated “ALCIDES steak� is a landmark in Azorean cuisine, both for its quality and for its creation and originality!

Our small large hotel features 31 rooms in a genuinely family-friendly atmosphere.

The excellent welcoming staff is characterized by their personalized service.

Quality and comfort always present, in the heart of Ponta Delgada.

Rua Hintze Ribeiro, 61-77 9500-049 Ponta Delgada Azores | Portugal geral@alcides.pt

H (+351) 296 629 884 R (+351) 296 281 290 M (+351) 915 939 222

| www.alcides.pt

T A HN E Z AA ZNOI A R E S

Visit Azores VISIT AZORES (ATA) was created in April 2003 in the context of restructuring national tourism promotion, reorganising 15 regional promotional areas into seven.

ATA presents itself as the entity mandated to promote the autonomous region of the Azores in the national and international markets, representing the majority of the economic agents of the tourist sector in the archipelago, namely hoteliers, travel agents, tourist animation companies, renta-car, restaurants, as well as official entities, such as municipal councils and associations, among others.

Tasked with promoting the autonomous region of the Azores, ATA is responsible for the preparation, presentation and execution of the marketing plan for the Tourism Promotion Agency of the Azores in conjunction with the Regional Directorate for Tourism.

The organisation’s Chairman, Francisco Coelho, answers our questions.

EME Outlook (EMEO): Tell us a bit more about your core activities.

Francisco Coelho (FC): Visit Azores pursues all that is connected to or involves the promotion of the Azores destination as a tourist destination.

We target strategic markets and aim to increase in a sustained way the volume of overnight stays in all the islands of the Azores, as well as increase revenues for all the stakeholders of the sector.

Our activities are based on the values of competence, efficiency, cooperation, transparency and fairness towards all shareholders and stakeholders.

EMEO: What are some of the key issues and topics trending in the tourism sector at the moment?

FC: Considering the importance of

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“Visit Azores is committed to attracting travellers who are looking to discover an exclusive island experience and explore a huge range of activities” preserving our natural and cultural heritage while at the same time creating fair and lasting wealth, the international imperatives of climate governance towards a global low carbon economy, and the increasing pressure that a growing global population puts on the planet and the region, it is essential to strengthen our tourism strategy with a clear focus on sustainability.

This means tourism that is adapted to our local reality and resilient in the face of the global challenges we currently face, and the adoption of a prosperity strategy firmly rooted in the principles of sustainable development.

EMEO: What are some of the hallmark activities tourists can enjoy in the Azores?

FC: Visit Azores is committed to attracting travellers who are looking to discover an exclusive island experience and explore a huge range of activities.

These include challenging bike tours, record breaking big game fishing, and bird watching unique species and numerous North American migratory birds, especially in the autumn and winter months.

The Azores also offers opportunities for canoeing/kayaking in the inner waters of our crater lakes or romantic coastal coves, and exploring some of the world’s best canyoning sites with

our very own Azores Geopark. The MacKenzie Ross, Bob Cameron and Chris Powell golf courses, unique thalassic and mineral water pools, and 80 hiking trails spanning 800 kilometres, most of which are also ideal for horseback riding, are popular activities.

Further, you can enjoy breath-taking paragliding over dormant volcanoes, archaeological, cave and volcanic arch scuba diving that also allows you to see blue sharks, whale sharks and manta rays, great waves for surf and body boarding, and international sailing that showcases our excellent natural conditions for yachting.

The Azores is a place of pristine, singular beauty.

EMEO: What is in store for the industry in the future?

FC: The archipelago has been enjoying visibility as a tourist attraction and is increasingly standing out as a unique destination due to its natural heritage, capable of captivating the most demanding tourists in terms of environmental quality.

The Azorean government’s perspective and strategy for managing the current and estimated future tourism growth assures a sustainable destination approach, based on a political commitment to integrate energy, environment and tourism in the same department.

It is possible to predict that the levels of growth from supply and demand will continue to improve in a balanced way. The policies to be implemented in accordance with the Azorean government’s programme for the next four years make clear that the Azores are perfectly positioned in relation to one of the fastest growing tourism segments in the world – adventure tourism and active nature.

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Out & About THE AZORES WAS named among the top three best offbeat regions to discover in 2017 by Lonely Planet, which selected the archipelago for its natural charms such as volcanoes, thermal baths and cliffs.

Most activities here revolve around exploring the great outdoors, whether it be hot springs on São Miguel, Graciosa and Faial, or trekking up Mount Pico or one of the many pathways on the regional government’s classified network.

Caving is another big draw for visitors, with 250 known natural caves being accessible across the islands.

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For those wanting to experience wildlife, the Azores will not disappoint.

Whale watching is a popular activity undertaken by around 50,000 tourists every year, while bird watchers will also be satisfied by common sightings of rare migratory species. Big game fishing and scuba diving provision is another reason why people travel from

afar to this region.

All of this can be enjoyed thanks to an award-winning network of natural parks and marine reserves which have been established by the regional government, which is actively involved in preserving the unspoiled nature of what the Azores has to offer.

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(+351) 296 249 300 reservas@pedrasdomar.com www.pedrasdomar.com

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(+351) 296 980 090 geral@hotelvaledonavio.com www.hotelvaledonavio.com

Outlook Creative Services

Outlook Publishing’s award-winning in-house team is now utilising its extensive production skills to offer a full and bespoke range of editorial, design and marketing services via its new Outlook Creative Services division.

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N V I S I T: www.outlookpublishing.com/creative-services

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Outlook Recommends “This remote archipelago simply abounds with adventures; it is, in fact, the Hawaii of the mid-Atlantic” – Lonely Planet

HOSPITATLITY

OUTDOOR ACTIVITY

GALLERIES

Hotel Alcides Situated in Ponta Delgada, the capital of the Azores on São Miguel Island, Hotel Alcides is a 19-room hotel within easy access by foot to the historical and religious monuments, botanical gardens and other points of interest in the historic city centre. It is also just 10 minutes from João Paulo II International Airport.

Azores Choice Arquipelago Centro De Artes Contemporaneas Arco 8 Futurismo

Olaria de S. Bento RESTAURANTS

Pedras Do Mar Resort & Spa

Restaurante Jose do Rego

Terra Nostra Garden Hotel Santa Barbara EcoBeach Resort 36

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Taberna Roberto Sea Adventures

Quinta dos Sabores

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Faialense Theatre

Piedade Lighthouse

Fajã de São João

Casa da Montanha

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Transport Links THE AZORES IS uniquely positioned in that it is within easy reach of Europe, America and Brazil.

It is also far-better connected than in decades gone by, with airports or airstrips on each of the nine principle islands backed up by numerous seaports.

Among the most significant in terms of traffic are Angra do HeroĂ­smo, Ponta Delgada, and Horta. Lajes and Santa Maria became important air bases and centres of communication between the USA and Europe during the Second World War. Inter-island ferries and flights provide opportunities to island hop, while transport within each is predominantly carried out by taxi or private car hire.

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There is a network of buses between major settlements on the larger landmasses, but most will recommend hiring your own vehicle to both navigate to the main sights and avoid paying potentially expensive taxi fares.

If travelling by taxi, it is advised to

negotiate a price before setting off.

For travels further afield, there are three international airports, one on SĂŁo Miguel, Faial and Terceira. Each of these are located within a short car journey from their respective major towns and cities.

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Landmark Attractions Mount Pico

“The highest mountain in Portugal rears out of the Atlantic Ocean to a height of 2,351 metres. A nearperfect cone, Mt Pico is more than postcard material: an ascent of this slumbering stratovolcano is the Azores’ ultimate hiking experience” – Lonely Planet

Boca do Inferno

“The Miradouro da Boca do Inferno is one of, if not the most, famous views in the Azores. A simple Google Image search for The Azores or Sao Miguel Island will almost certainly yield dozens of photos of this stunning vista” – Trails Unblazed

Espirito Santo Church

IMAGE: HANSUELI KRAPF

“The church showcases the image of the Lord of the Cross, which during Lent is taken in procession through the streets of the city, stopping at small baroque chapels that correspond to the various stages of the Passion of Christ” – Visit Azores

Capelinhos Volcano

“The centre’s displays and exhibits tell the story not just of this volcano, whose 13-month-long eruption prompted half of the island’s population to emigrate to America, but also of the tectonic forces shaping the Azores’ extraordinary landscape” – Lonely Planet

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J O R D A N

JORDAN Steeped in history, spectacular desert and a growing array of active outdoor pursuits, Jordan’s tourism offering is both diverse and welcoming Writer: Tom Wadlow Project Manager: Jordan Levey

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ordan may be a relatively young state, but it is one that contains the hallmarks of many civilisations.

From the ancient kingdoms of Moab, Gilead and Edom to Petra, the epicentre of the Nabatean dynasty, Jordan has been home to a vast array of cultures through its history.

Also formally part of the Roman and Ottoman empires, the country gained

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independence in 1946 and today is among the most liberal nations in the Arab world.

This history serves as one of Jordan’s major draws for tourists, with no fewer than five World Heritage Sites representing the cultural diversity enshrined in the country’s past.

Indeed, Petra has been named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, while the Wadi Rum represents one of many inspiring desert landscapes that caused Lawrence of Arabia to fall in love with this region.

Asides these monuments and terrains, Jordan also has a tradition of welcoming visitors, from camel trading caravans to the modern-day business and leisure traveller.

This combination of history, natural wonder and hospitality present a unique and enticing tourism offering, and one which has seen increasing numbers of visitors explore the country in recent years.

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WORLD-CLASS SERVICE AT A STATE-OF-THE-ART HOTEL IN JORDAN'S THRIVING CAPITAL Overlooking the "white city" of Amman, the stunningly situated Crowne Plaza Amman hotel is an acclaimed destination for business trips and family visits to Jordan. Our prestigious location in the 6th Circle places you close to fast food restaurants, major corporations, embassies and trendy malls.

CHIC WOOD FURNISHINGS AND RESTFUL SOFT BEDDING AWAITS YOU IN THIS COMFY ROOM OF 28 SQM WHERE YOU WAKE UP TO THE VIEWS OF THE BUSTLING STREETS OF AMMAN CITY.

MEETING SPACES With seven impressive venues including an opulent ballroom and a grand marquee, the hotel is a prestigious venue for meetings and weddings in Amman. Too busy to worry about logistics? Relax, and let our Crowne Meetings Director take care of everything you need.

CROWNE PLAZA AMMAN

BLACK IRIS Experience Black Iris, Crowne Plaza Amman's new rooftop bar, serving authentic contemporary food, awesome music and a 270 degree view that makes you feel like you're on top of the world.

CAFÉ VIENNA

Experience the atmosphere of an authentic Jordanian cafĂŠ at this street facing venue, where locals mingle easily with hotel guests. Our menu is engineered to offer the best of Middle Eastern food prepared to perfection with our unique Western twist!

V LOUNGE & RESTAURANT Steakhouses in Amman don't come any better than this classy venue, famous for its gleaming mahogany bar and superb service. Decorated with striking modern art making this the perfect spot for a successful business lunch or a special supper with friends. www.crowneplaza.com/amman-amra info.cpamman@ihg.com T: 00962 6 5510001 F: 00962 6 5510003 6th Circle, King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz St. Building 7 P.O. Box 950555, Amman, 11195, Jordan

J O R D A N

The Business End FACTS & FIGURES

Languages: Arabic Area: 88,794 km² Population (2017): 9,912,000 GDP (2017): US$40.07 billion Currency: Jordanian dinar Time zone: Eastern European Standard Time Dialling code: +962 Internet TLD: .jo Climate: Subtropical arid

DESPITE ITS LO CATION in an unstable region, Jordan has a reasonably diverse, albeit small economy. This has been helped by economic reforms in the late 1990s and its subsequent entry into the World Trade Organization, with the state also partially privatising some of its enterprises.

Trade and finance account for around a third of the country’s GDP, while transportation and communication, public utilities, and construction between them make up around a fifth of national income. Manufacturing and mining also

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contribute around 20 percent.

The tourism industry is also an important source of revenue, and visitor numbers are on the up again after neighbouring conflicts had hit the sector hard.

Around 4.2 million tourists visited Jordan in 2017, a figure which governing authorities want to rise to seven million by 2020. Commenting on the 2017 figures earlier this year, Tourism Minister Lina Mazhar Annab said: “We ended the year 2017 with a growth of nearly 15 percent with respect to the number of visitors and 18 percent in revenues, and the

same progress was recorded in the first quarter of this year.”

Currently tourism contributes 10-12 percent of GDP, and plans to diversify the sector and focus on the likes of adventure, cultural, archaeological, medical, and religious tourism will only serve to extend the country’s appeal to a wider audience.

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Out & About JORDAN IS REVERED for its ancient monuments and desert landscapes, but tourism authorities are increasingly looking to present the country as a go-to for all things outdoors and active.

The Dana to Petra leg of the Jordan Trail was voted by National Geographic as one of the top 15 hikes in the world, while the new Jordan Bike Trail offers equally stunning opportunities to take in the scenery from Umm Qais to the Red Sea. The latter presents excellent waters in which to snorkel and dive, with

average sea temperatures reaching 22.5 degrees in winter and 26 degrees in summer. The reefs are home to around 1,000 species of fish, including clownfish, parrotfish and angelfish, although visitors are warned about the presence of dangerous species of jellyfish which take a liking to warm seas.

Camel trekking, horse riding and rock climbing are other popular outdoor activities well catered to in Jordan, while those looking to relax may have their eyes on one of the seemingly limitless spas and Turkish baths at hotels and in towns.

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The Jordan Hotel Association THE JORDAN HOTEL Association (JHA), a non-profit organisation, was founded in 1969 and is currently registered at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Jordan, over the past few decades, has developed a need to establish an association to protect the interests of hotels and upgrade them to international standards.

Discussing this and all things tourism in the country is Vatché Yergatian, General Manager of the Jordan Hotal Association, who answers our questions.

EME Outlook (EMEO): Can you firstly talk me through the origins of the Jordan Hotel Association and where it is today?

Vatché Yergatian (VY): Jordanian Hoteliers needed a body to represent them and to care for their interests with the government and other relevant entities, as well as to carry out joint activities in marketing and training.

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The Jordan Hotel Association is currently witnessing continuous development and improvements in the performance and quality of service that it provides to its associate hotels – progress of development can be described as continuous and steady.

The subsequent strategic analysis will be practical and systematic, seeking to achieve a clear image of the future of the association and the hotel sector. The results of this analysis will

“The JHA is dedicated to serving its members that represent a variety of hotel establishments, through effective communication and active participation in identifying their needs”

then be translated into general objectives for the work environment, calling on a series of steps that identify appropriate procedures to achieve better results depending on the use of the resources available, and ultimately elevate the association in the coming years.

The JHA is dedicated to serving its members that represent a variety of hotel establishments, through effective communication and active participation in identifying their needs, while directing the hotel service towards greater creativity and passion through the generation of ideas that can be adapted to different tourism scenarios.

EMEO: Why, in your opinion, should someone visit Jordan?

VY: With a population of only 10 million, some people might think that Jordan has little to offer as a travel destination. However, most travellers who choose to spend time in the country are surprised at the

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diversity and staggering beauty of it and will leave feeling touched by the generosity and kindness of its people.

From stunning natural landscapes to world-renowned historical and religious sites, Jordan is truly a hidden gem of the Middle East.

We have a very diverse tourism offering. Although many consider Petra to be the most important tourist attraction in Jordan it is only one of the hundreds of ancient ruins people can see when they visit. In recent years, an increased number of visitors have been coming to Jordan to take part in activities related to biblical tourism, medical and wellness, adventurism, MICE and traditional culture.

Further, Jordan has all types of cuisines that a visitor can crave for.

They are located at four- and five-star hotels and freestanding international and local restaurants.

EMEO: What trends are transforming the tourism industry in Jordan at present? How are you responding to these trends?

VY: The tourism industry is given great attention from His Majesty King Abdullah the second himself and the government, because it constitutes around 12 percent of GDP and it’s been increasing in the past few years, aiming at around 15 percent within the next three years.

Therefore, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB), Jordan Inbound Tour Operators Association and other stakeholders cooperate and coordinate to try and come up with strategies regarding each governorate and eventually the whole of Jordan.

The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority has agreements for cheap flights directly to Aqaba, moreover large tourist ships arrive to Aqaba regularly.

Digital is having a big impact, for example, user generated content on various social media platforms

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JHA’s internal and external objectives Yergatian mentions several goals relating to internal and external elements of the organisation, summarised here:

Internal

• Invest in electronic/digital functions like a database for hotel establishments.

• Strengthen relations between the JHA and parties involved in hotel and tourism employment.

• Hold tourism meetings and seminars and represent associate hotels at national and international industry exhibits.

• Create an environment that stimulates creativity, and develop administrative capacities, bolstered by modern support systems.

• Ensure transparency and open communication with public and private entities.

External

• Safeguard the interests of the association and its members, preserve its rights, best serve members, and represent them to different entities.

• Cooperate with tourism entities to develop the tourism workforce, and build an effective community partnership with both public and private entities to achieve sustainable development.

• Upgrade workforce competency in the hotel sector.

• Provide statistical data to serve the sector, build strategies, and conduct statistical and analytical research.

• Participate in defining conventions and terminologies for different areas of tourism, including those related to the standards of practice.

• Collaborate with other tourism associations and discuss new concepts.

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EME (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat), and the use of online booking platforms to plan various itineraries and explore travel options (Expedia, Booking.com, Skyscanner, Hotel.com) is rising.

Airbnb has drastically reduced the cost of accommodations and facilitated longer stays at a destination, while Uber and Careem have made it easier to get around at a fixed price, reducing the chance of being overcharged.

EMEO: Are there any plans or projects in the pipeline that you wish to highlight?

VY: At this point in time, the JTB is currently working on the development of its new website. This website will be more interactive and provide visitors with all of the information they need to make the most of their time in Jordan.

The Meaningful Travel Maps of Jordan is also a very exciting project as it provides tourists with the opportunity to engage in tourist experiences that give back to the local community. Sustainable tourism is currently very important to travellers as they are looking for unique experiences to add to the more traditional tourism itineraries.

EMEO: Are you optimistic about the future of the business travel and tourism industry in Jordan?

VY: I am very optimistic when it comes to travel and tourism. MICE will be an important part of the JTB strategy for the coming years. There are a couple of very large international conferences which will be held in Jordan in 2019, one of them being the Middle East African Council of Ophthalmology Conference.

As for the tourism industry in general, specifically knowing that the last three years have had good increases in numbers, I am also optimistic. Major attractions are seeing steady increases in visitors numbers.

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J O R D A N

Outlook Recommends “A safe haven in a region of conflict, Jordan has delighted visitors for centuries with its World Heritage Sites, friendly towns and inspiring desert landscapes” – Lonely Planet

FOOD & DRINK

HOSPITALITY

Nasim

Crowne Plaza Amman Catering to business and leisure travellers alike, the Crowne Plaza Amman is in very close proximity and within walking distance of the main shopping area of Sweifiyeh, as well as the popular Gold Souk of Um Utheina and only 10 minutes from Amman’s Citadel, Roman Theater and Souq Jara.

It is the closest five-star hotel to Queen Alia International Airport, which is around 35 minutes away. The hotel also boasts a 24-hour business centre.

Four Seasons Hotel Amman 48

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Rodeo Grill

The Boulevard Arjaan

by Rotana

Burj Al Hamam

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Petra

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Wadi Rum

Dana Biosphere Reserve

Ajloun Forest Reserve

Quseir Amra

Azraq Wetlands

Um Er-Rasas

Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan”

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Transport Links GETTING BETWEEN CITIES in Jordan is best done by car, which also allows visitors to enjoy some scenic routes.

There is one domestic route served by air, with daily flights being offered between Amman and Aqaba, cities which are also connected by a nonstop coach.

The two largest cities in Jordan, Amman and Irbid, have efficient and cost-effective local bus networks, with public minibuses being the most popular way of getting around,

Tourist resort in Aqaba Jordan where the ferries embarque from Egypt

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although these only tend to depart once they are full and can sometimes be crowded.

Depending on the time of year, navigating cities by bicycle may be the best bet for speed, cost and flexibility.

In terms of getting in and out of Jordan, Queen Alia International Airport, about 35 kilometres south of Amman, is the country’s main gateway and one which has been recently refurbished.

National airline Royal Jordanian is a reliable choice and a carrier which

serves most major cities in Europe and all capitals in the Middle East. Royal Wings, a subsidiary of Royal Jordanian, offers more expensive charter flights on smaller planes.

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Landmark Attractions The Siq

Mount Nebo

“The Siq is a mile-long narrow gorge that leads into the city of Petra, emerging dramatically in front of the Treasury along the way” – Sacred Destinations

Amman Citadel

“The citadel boasts a diverse range of previous inhabitants: Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, as well as Umayyad and Ayyubid dynasties. Of course, this is a paradise for everyone else who loves history” – Experience Jordan

“Mt Nebo is where Moses is said to have seen the Promised Land, a land he was himself forbidden to enter. It’s believed that he died aged 120 and was later buried in the area, although the exact location of the burial site is the subject of conjecture” – Lonely Planet

Church of St John the Baptist

“On December 7, 1967, the Vatican recognized the historic Catholic Church in Madaba, belonging to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, as a Shrine of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist and urged visitors and pilgrims to visit the scared site” – Visit Madaba

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egend has it that Cyprus is the birthplace of Aphrodite – the ancient Greek goddess of love and beauty.

In every sense, the country reflects these characteristics. Renowned for centuries as an island nation steeped in mineral wealth, wines and produce, Cyprus is still seen today as a cultural crossroads between Europe and the Far East.

Situated in the eastern Mediterranean, the country was a key geostrategic stronghold of the region

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for generations, whilst in more recent times, a north/south divide has added to its extensive history.

A range of different influences can be found throughout the island, from Nicosia to Limassol, reflected in a multitude of artistic impressions and colonial architecture.

Antiquity aside, the nation is home to scenery that is unrivalled across large parts of the European continent.

From tall mountains to expansive beaches to rich forestry, Cyprus

provides the ideal terrain for hiking, conditions for relaxing, and a broad range of other adventurous activities.

Coupled with its quaint historic towns and vast landscapes are luxury hotel complexes that allow the island to cater to a variety of desires and demands.

All things combined, it is easy to see why Cyprus today stands as a hugely popular tourist destination, welcoming explorers and honeymooners alike.

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Encircled by one of Europe’s most attractive shorelines and bathing in fascinating culture, Cyprus is an island nation that continues to draw more and more visitors year-on-year Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Joe Palliser

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The Business End POST-INDEPENDENCE, CYPRUS’S NATURAL assets have allowed the country to flourish economically, making strides on a multitude of different fronts.

Unsurprisingly tourism is one industry that has become crucial to this economic success, contributing to a large proportion of national income, something that is particularly evident when looking at the latest statistics.

2017 saw 3,652,073 visitors arriving in the country, up 14.6 percent from the 3,186,531 seen in 2016, largely owed to a continued influx of arrivals from both the UK and Russia in particular.

Such is a reflection of the island’s dedicated tourism strategy, and with the public and private sector alike

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having successfully expanded and diversified its offerings, the nation is currently excelling.

The hotels themselves, for example, have played a major role in this, driven by rising investment that can somewhat be attributed to not only their continuous improvement but also their individual alignment with national strategy.

“Over the past five years, investment of approximately €600 million was spent by hotels in renovation expenses, in product improvements, in introducing new technologies,” explains Haris Loizides, President of the Cyprus Hotel Association. “Today, I’m very proud to say that our hotels are a flagship of national tourism.”

FACTS & FIGURES

Languages: Greek, Turkish, English Area: 9,241 km² Population (2017): 1.18 million GDP (2015): US$21.65 billion Currency: Euro and Lira Time zone: GMT+2 Dialling code: +357 Internet TLD: .cy Climate: Mediterranean Highest recorded temperature: 45.6°C

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Out & About

Konnos Bay in the Ammochostos region

OUTSIDE OF THE booming hotel industry, Cyprus offers an abundance of varied attractions that cater to travellers of all kinds.

While surrounding nations such as Greece and Turkey are steeped in some of the world’s most fascinating culture and histories, Cyprus is no different, home to an array of medieval castles, archaeological sites, churches and other key landmarks that are all worth visiting.

Meanwhile, for those looking for a more relaxing trip, Cyprus is renowned for its natural beauty and rich scenery.

Aphrodite’s Rock along the coast of Paphos is famed as a particular highlight of this, but globally renowned white-sand beaches and shimmering clear waters can be found across the country, providing the perfect location to soak up the warm Mediterranean weather.

The food matches this outlook, complimenting the laidback, mellow lifestyle of Cyprus. Travellers can easily find fresh fish to eat across the country, while its national coffees,

wines and mezze dishes are equally as satisfying as its idyllic landscapes.

Similarly, the island’s altitudinous terrain inland, most apparent in the Troodos mountains, makes it the perfect place for trekkers, while the natural sulphur spas equally offer an alternative venture for explorers.

Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque and Famagusta town Top picture: View of Kyrenia as seen from St. Hilarion castle on a mountaintop nearby, Northern Cyprus

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Outlook Recommends “Strike out beyond the sun-soaked stretches of sand to discover an island of compelling culture and landscapes, steeped in myth and riddled with ancient riches” – Lonely Planet

HOSPITALITY

Molos, Limassol

THINGS TO DO

RESTAURANTS

WaterWorld Waterpark

Dionysus Mansion

Poseidonia Beach Hotel Situated in Limassol on the southern coast, Poseidonia is fittingly built around the world of the Greek God of the Sea. Its various rooms tell the story of Poseidon, from its Aegan Coffee Shop to the Neptune Ballroom and Odysea Bar. Open since 1978, the hotel continues to provide premium hospitality to all who visit.

Piatsa Gourounaki Manzanillo Restaurant NATIONAL PARKS

Vouni Panayia Winery

Troödos National Forest Park The Elysium Grecian Bay Hotel 56

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Athalassa National Park Lara Bay Turtle Conversation Station

Cape Greco National Park

Kissed by the Sea… Θαλασσοφίλητο…

Ideally located on lImassol Bay

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C Y P R U S

Cyprus Hotel Association STANDING AS THE Hoteliers National Trade Union, Cyprus Hotel Association represents the vast majority of hotel establishments and other licensed tourist accommodation units across the country.

With the key aims of not only protecting the interests of such establishments, but also of promoting tourism development more widely, Loizides exclusively explains the role of the organisation and provides insight into current campaigns and trends related to the country’s tourism.

EMEO: Firstly, can you talk me through the origins of the Cyprus Hotel Association, how it came about, and its initial vision?

HL: Having been founded 82 years ago, we have been around even before national independence was gained and the Republic of Cyprus was formed. Throughout our history, we have always stood to represent the interests of hotel owners, now serving the vast majority of such businesses on the island. We act as both a lobbying group for hotels and a consultant on tourism related issues for the government.

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EMEO: In recent years, how has the Cyprus Hotel Association progressed, and how has this been manifested in the country’s key regions?

HL: In 2013 in particular, when all the sectors of the economy were under pressure as a result of the banking crisis, our industry was growing. This demonstrated to the government the

positive input that hotels had to offer, and we continue to cooperate on this even today.

In 2017 we have reached, indeed, a record year, both in terms of tourist arrivals and in the revenues generated from tourist activities. The spread of the arrivals during the season helped us a lot with the extension of the season which was one of our strategic targets back in 2013.

The President has also said that he wants to bring work even closer with hoteliers, providing a seal of approval for the work that we’re doing. This has included mention of modernising the industry, referring to both plans to upgrade hotels and better introduce the use of technology to the sector – two things that we are trying to champion at the moment.

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EMEO: How can the hotel industry take steps to help attract new kinds of visitors during different seasons?

HL: By remaining open during the off-season or winter months, combined with a new variety of investments from hotels into things such as conference rooms and themed-restaurants, the hotel industry is increasingly ensuring that it remains successful all year round.

Currently, statistics suggest that tourism increases are much greater during the low season than the high season, something that is testament to this work.

Equally, we try to ensure that hotels remain in line with the national tourism strategy that is outlined by the government in order to remain relevant with national promotion.

There have been a lot of discussions about sport tourism and how we can maximise the potential of our archaeological and cultural tourism, for example.

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Combined, these are all things that will allow us to excel in both the onand off-season, offering a multitude of different reasons to visit Cyprus on a year-round basis.

EME targeting and catering to this industry segment.

EMEO: How are hoteliers helping to support the national economy?

HL: We recognise that seasonal employment is not a stable job for many EMEO: Can you provide an Cypriots, and that many people need a example of how you’re targeting certain market segments? safer, more career-orientated position.

HL: We’ve implemented a long-term To this end, we have tried to promote the hotel industry as a promising career vision to try and diversify the Cyrus prospect for young people. experience for high-end visitors. City Currently there is a shortage of of Dreams is currently constructing a major casino complex that will include labour for this, but demand is high, and salaries have gone up around 20 a hotel of 500 beds, a shopping mall, percent in the past year – a statistic conference centre and entertainment that should serve to attract more centre. people to the industry.

We needed to have a complete package that would make this casino a Equally, the multiplier effect is huge, destination. This is what City of Dreams one of the highest of all industries in Cyprus in fact. A study that we is aiming for and I think from what I conducted showed that only around have seen so far, it will achieve that.

10-15 percent of any one hotel’s Similarly, we have five-star hotels and marinas spread across the country revenue remains within the hotel itself, with the rest going out to suppliers, that are effective in attracting highemployees, banks, authorities, utilities end tourists, with plenty more under providers and alike. construction in pursuit of better

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C Y P R U S

Transport Links THERE ARE TWO active international airports in Cyprus that are based in Larnaca and Paphos respectively.

In 2017, the two transport hubs combined handled more than 10.25 million passengers – a 14 percent increase on 2016’s figures that provide a real representation of the growth in the island’s tourism.

However, Cyprus isn’t only becoming more accessible internationally.

Equally, the island provides a range of cheap and economical transport solutions that allow visitors to easily and reliably navigate its shores.

Above: The beautiful Marina in Limassol city in Cyprus.

A very modern, high end and newly developed area where yachts are moored that’s perfect for a waterfront promenade

Extensive bus networks can be found across Nicosia, Limassol, Paphos, Larnaca and Famagusta, while a number of these offer attractive inter-city routes.

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‘The island provides a range of cheap and economical transport solutions that allow visitors to easily and reliably navigate its shores’

Similarly, car and motorbike rental stand as appealing options. The island’s roads are generally found of a high-quality standard, with a range of main roads and motorways allowing for ease of navigation.

The southern, more populated regions are home to modern taxis that are available 24-seven and can be both booked in advance or hailed off the street.

Thanks to the country’s relatively small size and the ease of travel, it isn’t hard to see all corners of the island in a short visit if an itinerary is planned efficiently.

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BY XENOPHON - OWN WORK, CC BY-SA 3.0

BY SERGEY GALYONKIN FROM KYIV, UKRAINE - PAPHOS PANORAMA, CC BY-SA 2.0

Landmark Attractions Paphos Mosaics

“The ancient mosaics here are considered among the finest in the world, and serve as a stunning record of Greco-Roman daily life” – Atlas Obscura

The mosaic floors were once part of series of Roman villas, which can now be seen at Paphos Archaeological Park

Ancient Kourion

“Defiantly perched on a hillside, with a sweeping view of the surrounding patchwork fields and the sea, Ancient Kourion is a spectacular site” – Lonely Planet

Adonis Baths

“Tradition says that Adonis the God of Beauty tended his horses in this place and hunted in the Akamas forest.

According to Greek mythology Adonis and Aphrodite had many children here, the citizens of Paphos are supposed to be descendants of these two lovers” – Aris Travel

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Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world.

EME OUTLOOK is a digital and print product aimed at boardroom and hands-on decision-makers across a wide range of industries in Europe and the Middle East regions.

With content compiled by our experienced editorial team, complemented by an in-house design and production team ensuring delivery to the highest standards, we look to promote the latest in engaging news, industry trends and success stories from the length and breadth of Europe and the Middle East.

Reaching a combined audience of more than 395,000 people, EME Outlook covers a full range of industrial sectors: agriculture, construction, energy & utilities, finance, food & drink, healthcare, manufacturing, mining & resources, oil & gas, retail, shipping & logistics, technology and travel & tourism.

In joining the leading industry heavyweights already enjoying the exposure we can provide, you can benefit from FREE coverage across both digital and print platforms, a FREE marketing brochure, extensive social media saturation, enhanced B2B networking opportunities, and a readymade forum to attract new investment and to grow your business.

To get involved, please contact Outlook Publishing’s Managing Director, Ben Weaver, who can provide further details on how to feature your company, for FREE, in one of our upcoming editions. www. emeoutlo okmag.co

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EME COBHAM

From Deep Sea to Deep Space

With a legacy of 85 years and counting, Cobham has become a go-to partner for solving problems in challenging environments

Honouring the pioneering legacy of its founder Sir Alan Cobham, Cobham Plc has become a go-to supplier of leading edge connectivity and knowledge across a vast expanse of subsectors within aerospace, defence and beyond Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

T

he explosion of connectivity across all walks of life is one of the great hallmarks of the past decade.

Take a simple observation – there are now comfortably more mobile connections around the world than human beings. Indeed, over the

SAUDIA AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES 00 ENGINEERINGArabia’s aviation Furthering Saudi ambitions

ALSO FEATURING:

BSB AVIATION 00

Transforming aerospace perspective

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Such unprecedented levels of connectivity are the result of a relentless drive to innovate and improve all areas of life by both public and private enterprise.

In the UK, Cobham Plc is renowned for providing solutions to complex problems in challenging environments, be it in the air, on land, at sea or in space.

With specialisms spanning many subsectors across the broad spectrums of defence, aerospace and space industries, it provides both leadingedge products and services to a host of clients all around the world, from private companies and governments

to domestic and international defence organisations.

Ahead of his time

It was a complex problem which sparked the company’s founder, Sir Alan Cobham, to bring his pioneering spirit to the then fledgling aviation space.

After winning the Kings Cup Air Race in 1924, his reputation as an aviation pioneer grew steadily, and it was his dream to make aeroplanes an efficient and effective mode of transport capable of transporting people long distances without stopping.

Having shot to fame with his flying

circus tours in the 1930s, Flight Refuelling Ltd was created on October 29, 1934 to focus Cobham’s efforts on air refuelling and its wider application.

It is a story which to this day inspires Air Marshal Greg Bagwell CB CBE, Cobham’s Executive Vice President of Business Development.

“We are still the biggest and only makers of certain air to air refuelling products, which are sat on Airbus, Boeing and Embraer aircraft all around the world, including the new F35,” he says.

“Sir Alan Cobham’s story is just fascinating. He actually saw air to

00

Providing the platform technological progression

G O O D P A C K

last 10 years the number of mobile connections worldwide has more than doubled from 4.02 billion in 2008 to 8.24 billion in 2018, a trend which is only set to travel upwards.

By 2020 more than nine billion mobile connections will be in operation, while the number of IoT-

powered connected devices (cellular and non-cellular) will pass 25 billion by 2025, creating an opportunity worth $1.8 trillion.

The remotest corners of the earth and outer space are also being joined up by technology.

From the launch of nanosatellites to commercialised space shuttle excursions, there are few areas of our planet and immediate universe that cannot be connected.

Even while travelling in the air at breakneck speed, passengers and pilots (both commercial and military) are able to connect and communicate with the wider world.

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S O R P A

+44 (0) 1603 959 650 ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com

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C O B H A M

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MISSION Honouring the pioneering legacy of its founder Sir Alan Cobham, Cobham Plc has become a go-to supplier of leading edge connectivity and knowledge across a vast expanse of subsectors within aerospace, defence and beyond Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

T

he explosion of connectivity across all walks of life is one of the great hallmarks of the past decade.

Take a simple observation – there are now comfortably more mobile connections around the world than human beings. Indeed, over the

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last 10 years the number of mobile connections worldwide has more than doubled from 4.02 billion in 2008 to 8.24 billion in 2018, a trend which is only set to travel upwards.

By 2020 more than nine billion mobile connections will be in operation, while the number of IoT-

powered connected devices (cellular and non-cellular) will pass 25 billion by 2025, creating an opportunity worth $1.8 trillion.

The remotest corners of the earth and outer space are also being joined up by technology.

From the launch of nanosatellites to commercialised space shuttle excursions, there are few areas of our planet and immediate universe that cannot be connected.

Even while travelling in the air at breakneck speed, passengers and pilots (both commercial and military) are able to connect and communicate with the wider world.

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N READY Such unprecedented levels of connectivity are the result of a relentless drive to innovate and improve all areas of life by both public and private enterprise.

In the UK, Cobham Plc is renowned for providing solutions to complex problems in challenging environments, be it in the air, on land, at sea or in space.

With specialisms spanning many subsectors across the broad spectrums of defence, aerospace and space industries, it provides both leadingedge products and services to a host of clients all around the world, from private companies and governments

to domestic and international defence organisations.

Ahead of his time

It was a complex problem which sparked the company’s founder, Sir Alan Cobham, to bring his pioneering spirit to the then fledgling aviation space.

After winning the Kings Cup Air Race in 1924, his reputation as an aviation pioneer grew steadily, and it was his dream to make aeroplanes an efficient and effective mode of transport capable of transporting people long distances without stopping.

Having shot to fame with his flying

circus tours in the 1930s, Flight Refuelling Ltd was created on October 29, 1934 to focus Cobham’s efforts on air refuelling and its wider application.

It is a story which to this day inspires Air Marshal Greg Bagwell CB CBE, Cobham’s Executive Vice President of Business Development.

“We are still the biggest and only makers of certain air to air refuelling products, which are sat on Airbus, Boeing and Embraer aircraft all around the world, including the new F35,” he says.

“Sir Alan Cobham’s story is just fascinating. He actually saw air to

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stablished in 1974 R&G Precision Engineering Ltd commenced business offering high quality engineering to demanding tolerances. Today the Company is operating even high tolerances combined with quality levels for which we have become renowned.

Supplying a variety of different industries we pride ourselves on the level of service we always attempt to deliver to our customers.

To maintain quality and accuracy levels we constantly invest in state of the art plant and measuring equipment. Our quality control department operates under strictly controlled temperature and atmospheric conditions.

Ensuring that the product is right keeping it that way is extremely important to us.

To assist in this process we are supported by skilled engineers who keep us at the forefront of computerised machining techniques. The range of materials we machine is equally impressive

ranging from soft nonferrous to exotic steels up to 62HRC, plastics and duplex materials.

We are a dynamic alert company aware of the need to face change. We won’t shrink from a challenge - even if it means some further investment in essential plant and necessary expertise.

We specialise in: CNC Grinding, Wire Erosion, Milling, 3D Machining, Spark Erosion, CNC Turning, CNC Mill/Turn, CNC Sparking, Hard Metal Machining, Sliding Head Turning and Light Assembly.

If you have an important need for consistently accurate components, then talk to us. You won’t be disappointed, we know about quality and tolerances and we would only be too pleased to hear from you.

T: +44 (0) 1933 411662 F: +44 (0) 1933 411663 www.rgprecisionltd.co.uk

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air refuelling through a commercial lens initially with a view to getting passengers across to Australia without stopping on the way, but quickly saw the potential for military application.

Now, we’re on every tanker in the world.”

Cobham was clearly onto something in thinking there was an opportunity to be reaped in mega long-haul passenger flights, demonstrated by how much Qantas has invested in launching the world’s first direct commercial flight from Australia to Europe in 2018.

“He was one of the original pioneers of the UK industry,” Bagwell adds, “and not only this, he also brought aviation to the masses and gave opportunities for kids to fly. He transported tens of thousands, and absolutely got the idea of getting the word out there about Cobham and aviation.”

Knighted in 1926 by King George V having spent 18 months flying from South Africa and Australia, Cobham drew in a crowd of more than a million to watch him land on the River Thames.

A true icon of the industry, Cobham Plc today looks to honour his legacy and thirst for innovation by not only continuing to lead the air to air refuelling space, but drive progress across a tremendous array of aerospace, defence and space segments.

Portfolio power

Today the company’s portfolio stretches over four major segments: Communications and Connectivity; Mission Systems; Advanced Electronic Solutions; and Aviation Services.

This translates into a workforce of around 10,000 people spread across the UK, USA, Europe, South Africa and Australia, with clients and partners operating in more than 100 countries all over the world.

From the depths of the ocean to outer space, Cobham’s products can be found in almost any challenging

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ONE COBHAM, COUNTLESS CAPABILITIES Cobham’s product and service portfolio is both extensive and at the leading-edge of innovation.

Its capabilities can be divided into four major sectors:

Communications and Connectivity:

Provides high performance equipment and solutions to enable reliable connectivity across the most demanding environments in aerospace, avionics, satellite and radio, wireless and mobile connectivity.

Mission Systems:

Provides safety and survival systems for extreme environments, aerial refuelling systems and wing-tip to wing-tip mission systems for fast jets, transport aircraft and rotorcraft. The primary focus is serving niche areas of the defence and security market globally, supplemented by an expanding presence in commercial aviation markets.

Advanced Electronic Solutions:

Provides critical solutions for communication on land, sea, in the air and in space through off-the-shelf and customised products including radio frequency, microwave, and high reliability microelectronics, antenna subsystems and motion control solutions.

This incorporates defence, including missile, radar and electronic warfare, X-ray imaging, medical and industrial markets.

Aviation Services:

Delivers outsourced aviation services for customers worldwide, including military training, special mission flight operations, outsourced commercial aviation, including fly-in, fly-out services to the natural resources industry and aircraft engineering.

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stablished in 1974, R&G Precision Engineering Ltd commenced business offering high quality engineering and catering to the demands of a variety of different and demanding clients.

Today, the company has grown exponentially, substantially expanding its capacity to deal with even higher tolerances, maintaining its esteemed reputation that it has become renowned for.

One-stop engineering shop The company specialises in a number of different areas, including erosion, milling, 3D machining, spark erosion, CNC turning, CNC mill/turn, CNC sparking, hard metal machining, sliding head turning and light assembly.

Providing these services and supplying a variety of different industries, the firm prides itself on upholding its high self-imposed standards.

Further, in order to achieve this, R&G Precision Engineering consistently executes a sound investment strategy, incorporating state-of-the-art plant and measuring equipment. Its quality control department operates under strictly controlled temperature and atmospheric conditions.

To assist in this process, the firm is supported by skilled engineers who keep it at the forefront of computerised machining techniques. The range of materials it works with is equally impressive, ranging from soft nonferrous to exotic steels up to 62HRC, plastics and duplex materials.

“The management of R&G Precision adhere to a policy of continuous development and improvement in the effectiveness of its manufacturing, production and quality systems enabling it to grow with its customers whilst continuously meeting regulatory requirements,” the Company states.

“Every employee has a part to play in supporting the organisation and its structures, policies and objectives.

Management recognise that it is only through the development of its employees that the company can continually satisfy its customers’ requirements and expectations.

“At R&G Precision Engineering, we embrace quality as a keystone of our business and it is our policy to continually challenge and to improve upon our quality goals.”

Depicting dynamism Known for being dynamic and alert, readily facing industry innovation and change head on, the company willingly tackles any challenge, from further investments to expanding its expertise.

“If you have an important need for consistently accurate components, then talk to us,” R&G Precision Engineering states.

“You won’t be disappointed, we know about quality and tolerances and we would only be too pleased to hear from you.”

Emphasising quality Quality control is of the upmost importance to R&G Precision Engineering. From inspection to washing to despatch, it is in continual control and strives for perfection across all areas of operation.

T +44 (0) 1933 411662

www.rgprecisionltd.co.uk

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environment where communication is paramount to a successful outcome, be it in commercial or military settings.

“The size of our portfolio can sometimes be difficult to comprehend in that you cannot sum it up in a 30-second pitch, however our depth is a strength we sometimes don’t fully realise,” Bagwell explains. “We are engaged in so many different areas in so many different ways, and the quality of what we produce is also a real eye opener – this is cutting edge.”

Bagwell also points towards a blurring of the lines between military and commerce in that the latter is now often advancing solutions that military organisations want to utilise.

“Back when I was in the military in the 1980s, it was us who had the innovations first,” he says. “In 1982 I went onto a Tornado which had a 64K computer, which was only available in the shops a couple of years later.

“Now, the military is eyeing up what

the commercial players are up to, and we therefore have an increasing presence in the commercial arena, which is overlapping with military and defence more and more. Having that blend within the company is a massive strength for us.”

Crossing boundaries

Bagwell himself neatly represents this merging of expertise.

Working through the ranks of the British Royal Air Force for 36 years from 1981, he brings with him firsthand experience of the realities of air defence and what its requirements are from suppliers like Cobham.

“Like all young boys, you want to play football for England, realise it’s a pipedream and the next best thing is to become a fighter pilot,” Bagwell recalls. “I was 14-15 when it became clear joining the RAF was what I wanted to do, and I went there straight from school at the age of 18.

ASSENT COMPLIANCE

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ssent Compliance is a supply chain data management company that provides cloudbased SaaS solutions to help identify and assess third-party risks, educate stakeholders on regulatory and data program requirements, and increase transparency between businesses.

The Assent Compliance platform is a centralised supply chain data management platform that leverages automated supplier engagement and logic-driven data validation to provide actionable insight into supply chain risk.

The platform is leveraged by companies across multiple sectors, including aerospace and defense, electronics, manufacturing, oil and gas, and medical devices. Cobham is one of hundreds of companies that leverage Assent’s industry-leading supply chain data management solution.

Assent’s platform allows Cobham to streamline supplier communications by running targeted email campaigns, while 24-seven multilingual support allows for a more efficient data collection process.

With the collected data, Cobham is able to show due diligence for the regulations it is in scope of, and use analytics and reporting capabilities to make informed business decisions.

Assent is proud to be Cobham’s trusted solution, providing world-class services, supplier support and market-leading technology to facilitate the company’s compliance goals.

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Cobham has expertise spanning multiple subsectors across the aerospace industry

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“To be in command and have responsibility in what have been some tricky moments in history has been fascinating. I would sum it up as hard work, good fun and defined by an outstanding group of people.”

After such an illustrious career with the RAF, what was it that led the Air Marshall to seek new opportunities in 2017?

“I felt like another challenge was possible, and Cobham more or less found me when I was doing some consulting work,” Bagwell continues.

“The company fascinated me. I knew a little about what they did with the air force but that was less than 10 percent of the bigger picture – I had no real appreciation for how broad Cobham is.

I knew about its excellent reputation for delivery, especially from my experience as a customer, so maybe it was fate that I ended up here.”

Fate decided, it is now Bagwell’s job to ensure Cobham maximises the

potential of its tremendous depth of products and services, knowledge network and geographical reach.

“My role is quite simple – it is to aggregate up everything that Cobham does,” he explains. “When you begin to understand the totality of what Cobham does it changes your mindset… we are the UK’s third largest defence aerospace company, and I’m not sure how many people both in and outside of the group actually know that. Getting our profile out there is so important to how we are perceived.

“Further, we must also realise our synergies across specialisms and territories and make the most out of them. For example, most of employees are not actually in the UK, shown by the fact that around 40 percent of our business comes from US defence. Our individual business units must be able to exploit the international, global standing that Cobham has.”

WIND RIVER®

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ind River® is pioneering the infrastructure technologies that are driving the transition to software-defined systems in aerospace and defense. For nearly four decades, Wind River software has been running the mission critical systems for aircraft, space exploration, and military operations which demand the highest standards for certified safety, security, and reliability. The company’s portfolio of software platforms is proven in over 1,000 projects by over 650 customers, driving greater affordability into aerospace and defense programs.

VxWorks® is the world’s most widely deployed real-time operating system, delivering deterministic performance for high-integrity devices. Companies such as Airbus, Boeing, NASA and Northrop Grumman leverage VxWorks to create award-winning, innovative products effectively and efficiently. Cobham Air Refuelling & Auxiliary Mission Equipment uses VxWorks and COTS safety certification evidence for the 900E series air refuelling pods.

Cobham Gaisler partners with Wind River to provide a LEON SPARC support for VxWorks. The LEON processor offers an open and well supported instruction set. Combined with VxWorks this provides an ideal solution for embedded applications requiring radiation hardened solutions.

Simics, Wind River’s platform simulation solution, supports the Cobham Gaisler LEON processor, as well as all other major processor architectures, providing Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx development andxxxxxxxxxxx maintenance lifecycle optimization.

Cobham’s work with the airforce is substantial, yet constitutes just one small portion of company’s wider portfolio

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Wind River brings also the latest hardware and software innovations by creating virtualisation technologies that enable the consolidation of multiple standalone platforms on one multicore processor, deploying unmodified guest operating systems such as Wind River Linux, tools and simulation technologies.

www.windriver.com/aerospacedefense Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

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LEADERSHIP FOCUS

AAGE HEMEL GROUP

AIR MARSHAL GREG BAGWELL CB CBE, EVP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

he Aage Hempel Group, renowned for its expertise in marine electronics, is established as a market leader across a number of countries including Spain, Gibraltar, Portugal, Malta, Morocco, Panama and the Netherlands.

As Executive Vice President of Business Development, Greg Bagwell provides invaluable customer perspective, operational knowledge, and a wealth of international defence experience to Cobham plc CEO David Lockwood.

He has been at the heart of UK military operations and joint warfare development and training for the last decade, and has worked very closely with many international Air and Defence Forces and industry partners worldwide.

Bagwell served with great distinction for 36 years in the Royal Air Force, the latter half of his service career seeing him become the RAF’s most experienced operational commander, where he oversaw combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria, as well as numerous humanitarian and peace keeping missions worldwide.

In addition, Bagwell is the President of the UK Air Power Association, and he continues to mentor senior UK defence commanders and lecture widely on defence and air power issues and his leadership experience. He is also an Associate Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute and an RAF Volunteer Reservist Pilot providing air experience flights for air cadets.

He is a trustee of the not-for-profit organisation Flying for Freedom, which assists wounded and injured servicemen in learning to fly microlights, and, ultimately, aims to be the first to fly with them to the South Pole.

Everything critical we connect

Like Sir Alan Cobham and air to air refuelling, connecting the seemingly unconnectable has become another hallmark of the company.

This is particularly evident in the aerospace sector, which continues to contribute enormously to the UK economy and will no doubt prove a vital source of export business in a post-Brexit environment.

Last year the industry turned over £31 billion, £27 billion of which derived from exports which represents a jump of 40 percent since 2010. And with the global demand for commercial aircraft set to reach $255 billion by 2028, the opportunity for Cobham to continue

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supplying global manufacturers is enormous.

“There are many elements to our work in aerospace communications, one of them being the working end and aeroplanes and crews being able to communicate backwards and forwards,” says Bagwell.

“For example, our products are sending live reports on energy performance and engineers at Rolls-Royce will already be looking at data and thinking this engine will need looking at in an hour’s time. They will know the plane is landing in, say, Sydney, and they’ll get the engineers there on standby. It is about predictive maintenance, forecasting faults before they happen.”

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Specialising in the supply, installation, commissioning and service of a range of different solutions, the firm has become renowned as an expert in the navigation, communication, IT networks, satcom solutions, GMDSS/ VSR-SVDR surveys and worldwide service arrangement segments.

Providing a broad range of products and equipment to its customers within each of these sectors, Aage Hempel prides itself on its ability to ship globally within 48 hours in emergency cases. An example of some of these can be seen as follows: Marine navigation equipment: RADAR, Speed Logs, GPS / Chart Plotters, GPS/ DGPS, Autopilots, ECDIS,Echo Sounder, AIS, Gyro Compass.

Marine communication equipment: Fleetbroadband, Fleet family, Sat-C (inc SSAS & LRIT) MF/HF Radio, VHF & UHF Radio, Weatherfax, Navtex and Satellite TV. Safety at seas equipment: EPIRB, BNWAS, SARTS, SSAS, VDR-SVDR, Cameras, LRIT. GMDSS Systems.

In total, the company holds more Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx than €3.5xxxxxxxx million xxxxxxxxxxx worth of spare parts and new equipment for all major manufacturers, constantly updating this resource pool in line with market trends and rising levels of innovation.

“Navigation, communication and safety equipment is exposed to many environmental conditionals during its life span which can cause premature or sudden failure,” the company states.

“Here at Aage Hempel we have over 60 years’ experience in the maritime electronics industry.”

www.aagehempel.com

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AAGE HEMPEL is a well established company in the maritime market specialized in the supply, installation, commissioning and service of Navigation, Communication, safety and other maritime equipments as well as a Satcom solutions provider.

WORLDWIDE COVERAGE AAGE HEMPEL delivers worldwide service through our own offices and our global service network of certified partners wherever you sail. Aage Hempel is committed to fulfill our customers’ requests as quickly, efficiently and effectively as possible. Our offices all around Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Malta, The Netherlands and Panama enable us to provide 24/7 service and support to our customers.

OUR SPECIALITIES ARE NAVIGATION, COMMUNICATION, IT NETWORKS, SATCOM SOLUTIONS, GMDSS / VDR-SVDR SURVEYS AND WORLDWIDE SERVICE ARRANGEMENTS. Dedicated to provide our customers with: • Quality service and repair.

• Competitively priced equipment & installation.

• Excellent customer service.

• S.B.M Contracts.

• International Service Arrangements.

AAGE HEMPEL ACCREDITATIONS IN OUR MARKET: • Over 13,000 services annually.

• Very high First Time Fix rate.

• Highly trained staff with continual training program.

• Experienced in a wide range of equipment covering all major manufacturers.

• Approved by major Classification Societies: GMDSS and S-VDR / VDR APTs. • 24 hour service, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

• Large stock of equipment and spare parts.

Service is our main product Quality our key stone

NAVIGATION | COMMUNICATION | SAFETY | SATCOM SOLUTIONS GMDSS AND VDR / SVDR SURVEYS | WORLDWIDE SERVICE ARRANGEMENTS |

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SOUTHERN UNITED LTD

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outhern United specialise in producing high quality labels and nameplates for aerospace and other Industries. Having extensive knowledge and use of aerospace grade materials including aluminium, polyimide, aluminium foil and stainless steel to name just a few, Southern United will ensure that your finished product comes out to your exact specifications. Southern United ensure that your plate will be secured with holes, whilst also stocking a wide variety of permanent adhesives such as 3M to ensure your label lasts in even the harshest environments and on any surface.

Cobham’s most significant portion of business, however, is conducted with the US Department of Defense. Around 40 percent of the firm’s revenue is derived from US defence and security contracts’ The connectivity further extends into the passenger environment, with Wi-Fi and streaming now a rudimentary offering for many airlines. Part of the SATCOM range, Cobham’s AVIATOR portfolio of SwiftBroadband and Classic H+ systems provides voice and data connectivity for both cockpit and cabin communications, enabling passengers and crew to remain connected in the sky.

“Customer experience is a big part of what we do here now, as airlines are wanting to meet rising consumer expectations,” Bagwell adds. “Within the next few years it will be a small minority of planes that are unconnected.”

In the maritime space, Cobham SAILOR and Sea Tel solutions are designed to meet the communications needs of any sized vessel or fleet of ships, no matter where they are.

“Our SATCOM portfolio extends to the likes of Maersk and their ships, and

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we also sponsored and supplied all the ships on the Volvo Ocean Race,” Bagwell says. “If you want guaranteed connectivity out at sea and in harsh environments, then Cobham will deliver it for you.”

On land, the company’s portable satellite and mobile products serve the likes of government, emergency services, law enforcement, media, transport, energy and mining clients.

Working with companies all over the world, Southern United has been providing high quality labelling to exact drawing requirements with full traceability in a very fast turnaround for over 70 years now. We hold AS9100 certification, and our in house quality team will ensure that your bespoke label or name plate adheres to all regulations set out. Southern United also holds certificates of registration for BS EN ISO 9001:2008. We can provide COC’s and FAIR’s to AS9102 when required for all of your items including materials supplier demand.

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In defence of the world

Cobham’s most significant portion of business, however, is conducted with the US Department of Defense.

Around 40 percent of the firm’s revenue is derived from US defence and security contracts, while UK and rest of the world defence accounts for another quarter of overall income.

Again, this area of business comprises solutions aimed at operations at air, land, sea and in space.

Sales: sales@sunited.co.uk Accounts: carole.accounts@sunited.co.uk Quality: quality@sunited.co.uk T +44 (0)1273 418636 F +44 (0)1273 423979

www.sunited.co.uk Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

THE SPECIALIST LABEL

MANUFACTURERS

We are specialist label manufacturers working with businesses across London, the UK and overseas. We provide plastic, metal and brass industrial labels, name plates, panels and other items for the aerospace, defence, and commercial sectors.

We are approved to ISO9001: 2008 and are a Safran Approved Supplier.

Sales: sales@sunited.co.uk Accounts: carole.accounts@sunited.co.uk Quality: quality@sunited.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0)1273 418636 Fax: +44 (0)1273 423979 www.sunited.co.uk

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Examples of Cobham’s leading-edge defence products on land include ground penetrating radar, which delivers enhanced detection capability of improvised explosive devices, and thermal control vests, restraints and cryocooler technologies, designed to improve efficiency and safety in hostile environments. Further, more than 150,000 vehicle intercom systems are in military service worldwide.

At sea, coast guards across the globe use Cobham SATCOM equipment while specialist diving products are used by military forces internationally.

Additionally, Cobham’s microwave and radar technologies are fitted into the most advanced maritime defence hardware, including the AEGIS class cruiser.

In the air, the company’s technology is embedded on many of the world’s most modern military aircraft, from helicopters to the ground-breaking F-35 fighter plane.

“The headline is that this is fifth generation, and we are accelerating at

a rapid pace,” says Bagwell. “The real quantum shift with this is not necessarily the aircraft, which itself is a feat of engineering, but all the systems and sensors inside it, and how this allows you access, process and act on information.

“In my day you would pass information off radar by voice. Now we have systems that use multiple sensors, and I would describe the F-35 as a quarterback that can see the entire battlefield – it is an orchestrator.

“We supply a lot of the electronics on the project, more than 100 components… the sum of the parts is impressive.”

Cobham also contributes significantly to defence capabilities in space, with microwave equipment on many major European military communications satellites. The firm also produces regulators for missile defence systems and hypersonic test vehicles, while every new wideband global satcom satellite relies on 100plus microelectronics modules made

by Cobham.

CONTEXT

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ontext’s focus is on helping clients manage their cyber risk, avoid potential breaches and to deter, detect and respond to the most sophisticated cyber-attacks.

We provide specialist technical consultancy and cyber advisory services, from penetration testing and assurance, to incident management and response, and technical security research.

We are working with leading aerospace, defence, and engineering companies to maintain a competitive advantage, protecting their business-critical intellectual property, systems, and assets from industrial espionage and advanced threat actors.

T +44 (0)207 537 7515 E info@contextis.com

www.contextis.com

GENERATOR

LEADERSHIP FOCUS DAVID LOCKWOOD, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER David Lockwood joined Cobham as Chief Executive Officer in December 2016.

Prior to joining Cobham, he served as CEO of Laird plc and has held a number of senior industry positions at the likes of BT Global Services, Thales UK and BAE Systems.

Lockwood was honoured with an OBE for services to industry in Scotland and in 2005 he received the Scottish Entrepreneur of the Year for Technology. Lockwood is also a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS), Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (FCA), Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (FRSA) and has a degree in Mathematics from the University of York.

In addition, he has worked with the UK Cabinet Office as part of the Cyber Security Industry Working Party, developing the nation’s strategic agenda for cyber security, and he has chaired the Scottish Government’s Technology Advisory Group.

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enerator is an integrated marketing and design agency that shares Cobham’s commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction.

Our STANDOUT approach to marketing and communications is a proven way for companies to identify their target audiences and speak to them with impact and relevance.

With creative energy and innovative use of media we cut through the interference to make you STAND OUT to your internal and external audiences and differentiate you in the marketplace.

For an insight into what we could do for you, please get in touch.

Call us on 01425 651951 or email info@generator.uk.com

www.generator.uk.com

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BRANDING

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MARCOMMS

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DIGITAL

• EVENTS

Where Cobham gets its creative energy T +44 (0)1425 651951 E info@generator.uk.com

Where Cobham gets its WWW.EMEOUTLOOKMAG.COM

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CISTELAIER

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istelaier S.p.A. is the Italian PCB manufacturing Company of the PCB Division of Finmasi Group.

The PCB Division, consisting of three PCB manufacturing companies, Cistelaier in Italy, Techci Rhône-Alpes in France and EPN Electroprint in Germany, enhances the specific competences of the three factories to offer customers excellent results.

With more than 40 years’ experience, Cistelaier has manufactured thousands of PCBs for businesses active in the Aerospace & Defense sector, including Cobham, which we thank for their ongoing support and collaborative efforts.

Our PCB Division accreditations: EN9100, NADCAP, IRIS, IATF16949, ISO13485 T +39 059 269711 E info@cistelaier.com

www.cistelaier.com

HOSUNG TECHNICS CO LTD Secure service

Asides supplying vital components, Cobham also provides training to military forces the world over, one such specialism being in electronic warfare.

“We make a lot of the components, so we know how the system works and are perfectly placed to come in and provide these services,” continues Bagwell, who goes on to explain how Cobham creates complex simulations for American and European air forces to respond to.

“The contract we are working on currently is a project called O2O, which we have been delivering for the past 25 years. That involves Cobham Falcon jets and we can replicate various electronic signals, meaning we can simulate fighting enemy X and see how your radar stands up to certain jamming attempts. We then debrief

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and walk through the tactics and strategies to counter that threat.

“People judge military forces on the number of ships and number of aircraft, but the true performance indicator is the way you train and the environment you are able to operate in. Investing in the best training is where the real value lies.”

Until recently Cobham also delivered helicopter training services for the UK Ministry of Defence, a capability it is exploiting further with military and non-military clients around the world. Now operating as the Cobham Helicopter Academy out of its base in Newquay, the organisation offers a unique blend of military and commercial experience and expertise.

Its offering is split into four major categories comprising rescue, military, emergency and civil training services.

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ince its founding in 1993, HoSung Technics Co Ltd has specialised in the manufacture of various connectors for high-frequency telecommunication equipment, such as RF components, connectors, cable assemblies and modules. Placing particular emphasis on quality management, the company conducts thorough quality control from receipt of materials to packaging.

As a result, ISO 9001 and 14001 certification has been acquired, which attests to the great strides made in quality management. The company aims to give its customers full satisfaction in terms of technology, quality, delivery and competitive pricing and believes that high reliability and quality service underpins its growth and success.

T + 82 32 717 8227 E hstos4@hstcns.com

www.hstcns.com

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RF Coaxial Connector

- High mechanical strength, high durability - Customized connectors available - SMA / N/ 7-16 DIN / 4.3-10 - Antenna, Infrastructure Installation, Telecommunication module application

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Surge Arrester

- Low V.S.W.R. and Insertion Loss - Easy Maintenance - Various types for customer requirement

Cable Assembly

- High reliable and easy maintenance - Various Cable Assembly works - Telecommunication Module and System Integration Application

Adapter

- Low Loss transitions between different series of coaxial connector - System equipment and laboratory test applications

Today we are doing our best through ceaseless R&D to challenge the future. We, HoSung Technics Co., Ltd. promise to devote ourselves to fulfilling the needs of our customers in a thorough customer service spirit, and cordially request our customers to favor us with their continued patronage.

HoSung Technics Co.,LTD 90 Pyeongcheon-ro 862 Beon-gil, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea TEL : 82-32-717-8227 | FAX : 82-32-673-2432 | www.hstcns.com

CERTIFICATION - TL9000, ISO9001, ISO14001

Directional Coupler

- Low V.S.W.R and Low Insertion Loss - Available for 5 to 30dB coupling value - Silver, Nickel and Tri-Alloy plated

Power Splitter

- Low V.S.W.R and Low Insertion Loss - IP 68 rating - Various Splitting Rate available - Customer specification welcomed

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Cobham was founded as an air-to-air refueling business, a trademark still vital to this day

In Australia, Cobham even manages a specialist airline on behalf of Qantas for oil and gas workers. Carrying around 1.5 million passengers a year to remote areas which require specialist rough landings, it operates like a commercial airline with full customer and cabin services.

Watch this space

It is space, however, which for Bagwell represents the most exciting area of growth for Cobham in the commercial arena.

The firm has enormous pedigree here. Every US astronaut since John Glenn has breathed through a Cobham regulator, while it also developed the world’s first demisable composite propellant tank, a system which extends the life of satellites.

NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory Mission, successfully launched in 2011, relied on Cobham equipment, and the

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Although a lot of our work is classified, we are on most satellite constellations in one way or another” firm further supplies command and data handling to some of the most powerful flight-proven commercial spacecraft in existence, such as the Lockheed Martin A2100 satellite.

“Space is a big area to watch over the coming years,” says Bagwell. “Although a lot of our work is classified, we are on most satellite constellations in one way or another – if you aggregate up everything we can offer the space industry, it is a huge growth area for us.

“What we are now beginning to see are whole networks of smaller satellites being deployed because people want control over their own

constellations. A few years ago, a satellite going up was a big deal – now it is occurring on an almost daily basis.

The technology and what you are able to do in space has come on in leaps and bounds, and Cobham is at the forefront of this processing and the electronics involved.

“How you control this environment is going to be key,” he continues, “and we have some of the world’s most advanced testing facilities which allow this to happen. Space is complicated.

It is not about throwing a computer quite high in the air. The electronics needed are robust.”

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T Servo Limited is a leading supplier of motion control components and sub-systems to original equipment manufacturers (OEM), with particular emphasis in harsh environments such as aerospace, defence, space and subsea applications HT Servo Limited is the exclusive representative for some of the worlds’ leading motion control companies and with the aid of our principal partners we remain at the forefront in the design and supply of highly engineered, extremely reliable motion equipment from direct drive torque motors, housed servo/stepper motors, precision gearboxes, feedback devices, sliprings and specialist actuators.

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1920s Cobham Flying Circus – By the start of the 1930s, Cobham was more than ever determined to make the public ‘air minded’. He therefore embarked on what he called his National Aviation Day display tour of the British Isles, visiting nearly 1,000 locations between 1932 and 1935.

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Finger on the pulse

If Cobham is to fully exploit the opportunities presented by not only space, but all the other areas it harnesses expertise, then paying attention to internal processes is going to be critical.

“This is about keeping on top of our manufacturing processes, the technologies we use, some of which we’ll have inhouse and others we’ll use partners for,” Bagwell explains. “Data handling, for example, is another increasingly important area now, understanding the risks associated with loss of data and cyber threats.”

The conversation takes a natural turn to the importance of attracting, developing and retaining the necessary skills to futureproof the business.

From graduates out of university to seasoned engineers looking for a new challenge, ensuring that the brightest minds choose Cobham over rival organisations could be a defining factor of the firm’s future.

“One of our real advantages is our global reach, meaning we can

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For young kids wondering what to do at university, the marketplace for engineering is exploding right now, and there are hundreds of specialisations that organisations like ours need” look at every university around the world,” adds Bagwell. “For young kids wondering what to do at university, the marketplace for engineering is exploding right now, and there are hundreds of specialisations that organisations like ours need, and we are fishing in a relatively small pond at the moment.

“One thing Cobham is really championing is getting more women into engineering jobs. Half of the workforce are women, so it makes complete sense to train up and encourage this half of the population to pursue engineering as a career. We need people who are agile and ready to adapt as the times move.”

This philosophy is backed up in practice. Around seven percent of Cobham’s revenue is dedicated to research and development, a vital commitment if the company is to remain at the forefront of developments across its industries.

The power of partnership

Bagwell also readily admits that Cobham alone cannot innovate and invest in every leading-edge development.

The firm relies on an external network of partnerships to complement its inhouse capabilities, and over the years has also acquired and absorbed a variety of companies, each with their own unique pedigree and story.

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It has supported Cobham Mission Systems at Wimborne for more than 10 years.

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“We are also primarily a subcontractor, a part of the supply chain, so appreciate what it is like to be loved by an original equipment manufacturer,” adds Bagwell. “We absolutely feel what our suppliers feel.

“If the supply chain doesn’t work, the product, which ultimately has a Cobham stamp on it, doesn’t work either. I mentioned the need for us to find skills and capability, but at the same time we know we can’t do it all, so partners and suppliers are critical to us. It is about finding these smaller companies who are pioneering and giving them the opportunity to bring innovation to market.”

Utilising the pioneering spirit of smaller companies also helps larger players such as Cobham to manage risk.

“Our relationships are collaborative and our R&D investment isn’t all about spending money on things, rather investing in ideas and finding new partners,” continues Bagwell.

“Big companies by nature are more risk averse, so we must interact with the smaller players who may have that little spark we need to make the next step. We have so many engineers and people out there networking, and Cobham’s network of

Cobham’s technology allows pilots to stay connected in the air

LEADERSHIP FOCUS DAVID MELLORS, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Mellors was CFO of QinetiQ, the FTSE250 science and engineering group operating primarily in the defence, security and aerospace markets, a position he had held from 2008, and was interim Chief Executive for a period during 2015.

Previously, he was Deputy Chief Financial Officer of Logica plc, Chief Financial Officer of Logica’s international division, covering operations in North America, Australia, the Middle East and Asia, and prior to that he was the Group Financial Controller.

Mellors formerly held various roles with CMG plc, Rio Tinto plc and PwC. He is a Chartered Accountant, holding a degree in physics from Oxford University.

knowledge is something even we may underestimate.”

Looking ahead

Collaboration, both with external partners and internally across geographies and business units, will ensure Cobham continues to serve its diverse portfolio of clients around the world.

For Bagwell, a key priority for the coming period is communicating an effective message about what the

company is and what it is capable of.

Cobham is rightly revered as a specialist in numerous technological applications in niches across aerospace and defence – now is the time for the dots to be joined and for the firm to be recognised as one major, multifaceted entity.

Bagwell concludes: “We have a lot more to offer, and I want us to exploit that. I think you will see the brand become increasingly well-known as we continue to do this – we are up there with the world’s largest and more is to come.

“If you are looking for a business that is representing Britain on a global platform, working in some of the most hi-tech environments in space and aerospace with an exporting outlook, that is Cobham. We represent the UK, and I am optimistic that we are going to remain and develop as a force to be reckoned with in markets worldwide.

“Our diversity is massive, and our operation is global.”

Cobham Tel (Marlow office): +44 (0) 1628 472072 info@cobham.com www.cobham.com

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LED Aircraft Lighting Systems LFD is a world leader in LED lighting systems for military and civil platforms new and retrofit Specialising in navigation, anti-collision and aerial refuelling lighting Innovative design State of the art manufacturing and test facility

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Supplying tooling and industrial consumables to the aerospace, manufacturing and MRO sectors since 1994 “Proud to be associated with Cobham Aerospace” Tel:01202 665544 sales@nestools.com - www.nestools.com Nuffield Engineering Supplies Ltd Unit 7, Fleetsbridge Business Centre, Upton Road, Poole, Dorset, BH17 7AF

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Accentuating Aerospace Advancement Renowned as one of the world’s leading MRO providers, Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries is playing a key role in furthering the Kingdom’s airborne ambitions Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

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defining year in history during a period synonymous with both division and unity, 1945 is best known in global timelines as the end of the Second World War. Alongside the global destruction, it was a year that marked concerted efforts to strengthen global ties and relations in the aim of preventing any future breakdowns of such scale ever again. These efforts applied to all nations, with one such example prevalent in the warming relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United States.

King Abul Aziz ibn Saud, renowned as the founder of the modern Saudi State, presented then US President Franklin D. Roosevelt with brightly coloured camel’s hair robes, hand painted perfume bottles, a gold dagger set with diamonds, and other gifts to extend the Kingdom’s hand of friendship.

In return, Roosevelt provided the Middle Eastern country with a DC-3 passenger plane – an aircraft that marked the beginning of Saudi Arabia’s ventures into air travel.

Impressed by the DC-3, the king quickly purchased numerous additional aircraft that led to the formation of Saudi Arabia Airlines (Saudia) in September 1946, with the country’s first international flight taking off for Jerusalem in that same year.

Since this time, Saudia has expanded exponentially to become not only the national carrier of KSA, but equally the largest airline in the Middle East, aiding the transportation needs of more than 32 million passengers every year.

Crucial to the historic success of this expansion from 1959 onwards has been Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI), formerly known as Technical Services Division prior to the privatisation of Saudia in 2009.

A company that is wholly-owned

by Saudia itself, SAEI stands as one of the world’s leading full-service

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Worldwide cabin, avionics, airframe distribution and solutions.

Support for AIRBUS – BOEING standards: ABS, EN, NSA, NAS, ASNA, MS, BACB, BACC, BMS… Consumables & Hardware with EASA Form 1 / FAA 8130 / OEM CoC

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BEST PRODUCT SUPPORT ON THE MARKET! Actuators • bellows • bolts • circuit breakers • connectors • emergency equipment • escutcheons • extinguishers • filters • fittings • lights • gaskets • hoses • igniters • insecticides • insulation blankets • latches • leather • lenses • O-rings • panels • relays • roller shades • screen • screws • shades • seat belts • sensors • shields • studs • sensors • sunvisors • tubing • valves • wires • washers…

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SERVICES: • Custom manufacturing with EASA / FAA / CAAC certification for all parts (PMAs and EPAs).

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Flying High with SAEI Emphasising creativity and collaboration, BSB Aviation is playing a crucial role in propelling SAEI’s ambitions

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he global aerospace industry continues to reach even more astronomical heights year after year, driven by rising passenger demand, expanding expertise and evolving trends.

A recent report from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has revealed that the number of yearly passengers could double to 8.2 billion by 2037, while the industry itself could support more than 100 million jobs globally within the next two decades.

Deloitte echoes this, predicting that approximately 38,000 aircraft will be produced in this timeframe – a figure almost equal to the current number of aircraft in operation around the world today.

In the face of these lofty estimates, industry manufacturers, suppliers and distributors, such as BSB Aviation, are constantly having to adapt to remain competitive.

Key to this evolution for BSB has been emphasising quality over quantity, focusing on achieving maximised customer satisfaction rather than trying to grasp as much of the market as possible, as quickly as possible.

“As the number of aircrafts rise worldwide, and market growth organically increases market shares, we’ve been moving away from price wars,” explains Romain Rubi, Founder of BSB Aviation. “We feel they inspire market control potential for certain manufacturers, which consequently changes their supply and pricing strategy, harming airline operators and MROs. “In between multiple mindsets and schools of thought, we constantly seek to incorporate the best of both sides, normalise and find value, most importantly converting all of these things into customer benefits.”

Maximising collaboration Specialising as a cabin and avionics solutions provider, working with an extensive network of recognised OEMs and maintenance shops, BSB Aviation provides aftermarket support ranging from spares distribution to custom manufacturing or retrofit management for both narrow and widebody aircraft.

Renowned as such, the company serves a number of major clients across Asia and the Middle East, including Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI).

Relations between the two companies were first established in 2010 when Rubi himself was invited to present EWIS wiring safety practices to shop floor engineers and technicians in SAEI’s voluntary engineer knowledge programme.

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Thereafter this relationship then became expanded three years later when SAEI experienced a work stoppage related to its E-Jets business class seats, appointing BSB to tackle the problem, as Rubi explains.

“Working with our own network of OEMs, we stepped up to the mark, reducing SAEI’s productive delays by eight months while simultaneously achieving a 50 percent cost saving,” he states. “Since then we have worked with the company on a range of projects.

“From seat spares and cabin panels to standard hardware and emergency equipment, we supply most of what is visible in the cabin and galley of Saudia’s aircraft,” Rubi adds. “Ultimately, our mission is to find value in reducing SAEI’s overall costs while bolstering its purchasing performance.”

An adaptable outlook Emphasising the importance of two-way communication between both end users and manufacturers, BSB has become a crucial supplier to SAEI. “We consider BSB Aviation to be a key partner for the future in improving the image and quality of our aircraft cabins, with the firm’s flexibility being a core part of this,” states Ali Al Ashban, the organisation’s current Chief Executive Officer.

It is this flexibility that truly differentiates BSB, able to provide support to any customer based on its unique profile and individual requests.

“The larger the company, the more limited the flexibility,” agrees Rubi. “Companies often have a tendency to grow the slice instead of the cake. Our approach is to offer tailored solutions to our customers and not operate from a fixed model.

“There are no impossible tasks, just opportunities to be very creative.”

This outlook from BSB has proved to be a successful one in practice, evident where the firm has opted to cooperate with fellow partners, grouping its purchases that in turn obtain volume discounts for SAEI. Equally, BSB takes an active role in forecasting and planning in line with SAEI’s own goals, taking into account the company’s own alignment with the Saudia Vision 2020 Transformation Strategy.

“Maintaining high standards has its own high cost, and so developing partners that can support and achieve your goals at a minimum cost is essential,” adds Ashban. “This is something that we are pleased to say we have found in BSB.” Working in a closed loop system with consistent communicative input and output, BSB is able to actively change its product offering as SAEI’s own requirements evolve.

Going above and beyond Looking ahead, BSB Aviation and SAEI will continue to work together to maintain this level of expertise, maximising their relationship in new ways.

In particular, BSB will continue to search for new smart cost management procedures in dealing with both SAEI and its other clients, an area that Rubi believes will be a crucial focus when it comes to business competitiveness moving forward.

“In a rapidly developing industry, equally rapid process changes insure competitiveness,” he states. “Airlines must adapt to dynamic customers and propose dynamic offerings.

“Our mission is to support Saudia by making sure we always allow flexibility in their purchasing and supply chain, without compromising quality and safety.”

Balancing these tailored efforts for Saudia with similar obligations to its other customers, BSB Aviation will likely be faced with a challenging yet rewarding year ahead.

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SAEI’S FIVE SERVICE SEGMENTS 1. Line maintenance With qualified line maintenance workers operating out of 25 international and 26 national stations, SAEI is able to provide 24-seven support for troubleshooting unplanned repairs wherever an aircraft may be grounded. The firm’s line maintenance services include transit check, technical assistance, on-call services, AOG assistance, headset, wheel shocks and safety cones.

maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) players, fittingly headquartered at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport, 19 kilometres north of Jeddah.

Staying one step ahead

Overseeing SAEI is Ali Al Ashban, the organisation’s current CEO and figurehead tasked with achieving the firm’s overriding goal of becoming the leading MRO service provider of high-quality aircraft, engines and components in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

“I would describe SAEI as a leading enterprise in aviation maintenance that places unwavering attention on its clients’ needs, and provides its employees with challenging and future orientated career opportunities,” states Ashban. “Ultimately, this focus defines our mission, shapes our commitment and strengthens our values.”

Serving as the technical arm to Saudia, SAEI has been able to simultaneously enjoy stellar growth for many decades, owed to its dynamic

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2. Aircraft maintenance Calling on its vast experience, SAEI is able to partake in all aspects of aircraft maintenance whilst guaranteeing short turnaround times and low operating costs. These comprehensive services include base maintenance, cabin refurbishments, new system installation, modifications, alterations and major repairs.

3. Engine maintenance Operating out of its Jet Propulsion Center, SAEI’s capabilities extend into the repair and overhaul of jet engines, auxiliary power units, thrust reversers and various engine parts. Equipped with test cell capabilities, this facility can test engines of up to 150,000 pounds of thrust, while its firstclass machinery provides the firm with a competitive edge.

4. Component services SAEI’s component shops are capable of the overhaul, repair and testing of different components from aircraft avionics to electromechanical components. With more than 50 international stations alongside its Saudia Arabian outlets, SAEI is able to offer turnkey aircraft component solutions.

5. Supplementary services From designing, manufacturing and on-site support to calibrations, hangar space and technical training school, SAEI’s services extend far beyond these categories, with an extensive list of supplementary services on offer.

The Abudawood Trading Company (ATC) was founded in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 1978 and later in 1985 opened the Abudawood Industrial Company (AIC) in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. AIC is a state-of-the-art manufacturer, specializing in the development and manufacturing of hygiene and cleaning products used throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ATC is the distribution end of the company offering warehousing and logistical support throughout the Kingdom.

In 1996 ATC partnered with McGean Worldwide, manufacturers of the Cee Bee and Honey Bee Cleaners for use on commercial and military aircraft and components. Together ATC and Cee Bee have supplied and supported Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI) for the past 20 years in all areas of chemical management and on ground

technical support. Supporting the many products supplied through ATC, in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam.

In accordance to the path of Vision 2030 both ATC and Cee Bee are striving to complete the R & D and production factory based in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia.

This new facility will be a fully licensed and approved production facility in Saudi Arabia, manufacturing a full line of aviation approved maintenance chemicals as well as a full range of NDT consumables. Full scale production is scheduled for second quarter 2019.

Both Cee Bee and ATC wish to express our sincere thanks for the many years of business with SAEI and we look forward to working together with SAEi in the future in supplying a locally manufactured approved product, the first factory of its kind in Saudi ArabiaCee Bee Arabia.

Contact Mr. Chris McDonnell | Mobile Number: +966 50 466 9130 | Email: Chris.mcdonnell@mcgean.com

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ased near Hamburg in Germany, COMET.aero is a leading supplier and distributor of aircraft parts and parts/services for ground support equipment.

The company draws on a global network of suppliers and representatives and has a particularly strong presence with OEM parts manufacturers across Europe and the USA. A hallmark of COMET.aero is an unwavering commitment to deliver outstanding quality service: “We make no compromise to quality while offering you the best possible price on any part.

We know the equipment, we know the parts, we know what we do. Our extensive database – built up over many years – enables us to quickly identify and locate the part you require.”

and successful approach, moving rapidly, efficiently and cost-effectively to provide any industry service.

By monitoring the latest trends, remaining adept with the latest technologies and adapting accordingly, the company has been able to position itself as a one-stop shop for all MRO needs within the aerospace industry.

“Because we strive to stay a step ahead of the evolving needs of our clients, we emphasise excellence in the firm’s core practice areas and industry capabilities while equally aiming to grow in priority markets throughout the MENA region,” Ashban reveals.

“To this end, SAEI is solidly positioned for future growth. Each and every member of our firm is as proactive and innovative as the times demand and our clients require.”

Embodying excellence

Backed up by almost 60 years’ experience and a workforce of

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more than 4,500 highly-trained professionals, SAEI provides a broad array of MRO services throughout the civil and military segments, not only to Saudia internally, but organisations globally.

“Operating out of our main base in Jeddah, we accommodate both narrow-body aircraft and wide body aircraft, such as the Airbus 320, Airbus 330, Boeing 787 and Boeing 777,” explains Ashban.

Since its relocation to the King Abdul Aziz International Airport, the firm has come to categorise its offerings in five key MRO segments that include line maintenance, aircraft maintenance, component maintenance, engine maintenance and supplementary services.

These full maintenance services are extensive across these categories, providing engine services, components, airframe MRO service and supply chain solutions.

Beyond provision of products, the Company also offers customers instant and reliable logistics and supply solutions, no matter where in the world a part needs delivering. This is vital for the airline industry, which relies on short lead times, smooth logistical management and traceability of ordered products to maintain efficient MRO operations.

COMET.aero’s aircraft maintenance & parts portfolio of services and products covers airframe, avionics, cabin interior, consumables and expendables, hardware and standards and aircraft tools.

The company’s ground support equipment arm caters to requirements covering spare parts, engines, filters, Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx cargo handling, passenger handling and personal protection.

Regarding its value-added services, COMET.aero offers AOG support, certification management, hazmat handling, inventory management, supply-chain management, warehousing and product sourcing. Their team is ready to offer its customers the services fitted to their requirements and needs.

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WE KNOW THE EQUIPMENT. WE KNOW THE PARTS. WE KNOW WHAT WE DO.

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ridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.

With a passion for excellence and creative pioneering, Bridgestone Aircraft Tyre EMEA serves the commercial aviation industry with the highest quality aircraft tyres, providing our customers and their passengers with superior safety and reliability.

Our outstanding tyres are sourced exclusively from our factories in Japan and state-of-the-art retreading facility located in Belgium, the largest aircraft retreading plant in the world.

www.bridgestone.com “SAEI has been the right technical arm of Saudia that provides its full maintenance support to the Saudia fleet, the firm’s affiliates and several other major local, regional and international airlines,” explains Ashban.

“In today’s challenging world, we are committed to help our clients identify successful solutions, reduce risk and maximise opportunities.

We value each and every one of our trusted partnerships in the highest esteem.”

construction of a new state-of-theart 900,000 square metre facility on the northeast side of the airport is nearing its completion, with the site set to further revolutionise SAEI’s MRO capabilities.

Housing 11 aircraft hangars, eight aircraft maintenance shops, 27 aircraft component shops, three technical laboratories, modern warehouses and a design and manufacturing centre, amongst countless other facilities, it will be a staunch upgrade on SAEI’s existing headquarters, as Ashban explains.

Pioneering progress “With the current site now 30 years It is this proactive approach that has old, the two hangars and 32,000 been fundamental to continual success square metres of combined aircraft of SAEI, a culture that is further evident maintenance shops and component in the company’s ongoing expansions shops are quickly becoming at the Aziz Abdul International Airport. satisfactory to demands in comparison With work having begun following to our ongoing growth,” he states. an agreement between Saudia, SAEI “With the new 904,000 square and a consortium of international metre site set to have four times as Overseas projects are particularly popular consultants represented by Dar many hangars, 77,000 square metres Al Handasa in March 2010, the of aircraft maintenance space and

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Bridgestone copyright ©

Around the world, over 2,000 aircraft equipped with Bridgestone Aircraft Tires land safely every hour.

88,823 square metres of component shop room, our capabilities will be substantially bolstered.”

Despite being SAEI’s flagship project, the state-of-the-art site constitutes just one part of SAEI’s extensive investment strategy that spans the company’s sweeping product and service portfolio.

Ashban continues: “SAEI is focusing on its ‘game changer’ as the new facility will facilitate a leading edge to its services, and is also focusing on process improvement, safety culture and selective partnerships in different areas such as engine shop components and manufacturing.”

A visionary outlook

Having become a pillar of aviation MRO since its inception in 1959, SAEI aims to maintain the same adaptable strategies and philosophies that have helped establish its esteemed global reputation as it moves into a milestone 60th anniversary year in 2019.

Ali Al Ashban , CEO, SAEI

Continuing to pursue its vision of becoming the leading MRO service provider of high-quality aircraft engines and components in the MENA region, SAEI will equally play a crucial role in helping achieve KSA’s 2030 vision of localising its aerospace and defence industries through continual innovation.

“By combining the newest facilities with the latest technologies on the

market, we’re quickly working towards becoming a leading MRO provider for the region,” states Ashban.

“We pride ourselves not only on delivering for our clients, but equally the role we’re able to play in furthering this national agenda.”

He concludes: “By being customer orientated, contributing to the growth of the Kingdom’s aerospace industry and achieving a stable rate of growth for our shareholders, 2019 will likely continue to bear fruits for SAEI, our people and the nation.”

Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries Tel: +966 12 272-9491 sales.marketing@saei.aero www.saei.aero

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ore than a century on since the world’s first commercial flight took off in 1914, it is safe to say that almost every aspect of air travel has advanced substantially.

In 1935, for example, the first Qantas flight along the Kangaroo Route (from the UK to Australia) was a 12 dayjourney that entailed many multiple stops along the way. Today, however, the same airline runs a non-stop flight between the two countries, taking just 17 hours to complete.

Technology has evolved exponentially, driven by visionaries in the manufacturing sector and wider aerospace industry that continue to seek optimal success in both efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Take aircraft cabins themselves.

Customers are now able to access a range of services, from in-flight entertainment to on-board internet connectivity solutions, while other progressive changes have been made, such as the banning of inflight smoking.

Equally, while these changes may spring to mind for the average consumer, they constitute just one small aspect of the wider global effort to optimise air travel – efforts that have

Aviation’s Innovation Engine Remaining dedicated to its overriding customer-first mentality, BSB Aviation has continued to optimise the aerospace industry �n the seven years since its inception Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold come along way, but are still providing manufacturers, MROs (maintenance, repair and operations firms) and airlines with new headaches each and every day.

One thing for certain is that remaining cost efficient is more difficult today than ever before in face of not only competitive pressures, but also the rising complexity of both demands and expectations.

“One quote springs to mind when we talk about cost efficiency,” explains Romain Rubi, the Founder of BSB Aviation, “and it comes from John Glenn. He said, ‘as I hurtled through space, one thought kept crossing my mind – every part of this rocket was supplied by the lowest bidder’.”

ROMAIN RUBI, FOUNDER, BSB AVIATION Having studied international business in the United States, Rubi quickly directed his career into the aerospace sector, first joining an aviation brokerage company, then an electronics distributor.

“Most of the customers were deeply involved in Airbus and Boeing systems manufacturing, in most ATA chapters related to cabin, avionics and engines,” explains Rubi.

Having acquired substantial industry knowledge and knowhow, he then moved to Dubai to manage Middle Eastern Asian accounts – a career path that revealed how many industry opportunities were left unsupported.

As a result, after six years Rubi launched BSB Aviation alongside aviation enthusiasts from a similar background.

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Renowned as being the first American to orbit Earth, the former US Senator’s words may come across as a chilling thought, as if he were risking his life being thrust through space in a cheap tin can.

However, his statement merely highlights the ability of both original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to increasingly provide world-leading solutions at lower costs.

EME Taking flight

Neither an MRO or airliner itself, BSB Aviation plays a crucial role in enabling the cost-efficiency ambitions of such organisations.

Working with an extensive network of esteemed OEMs and maintenance shops, the company is able to provide a range of cabin, avionics, and airframe standard and customised spares and consumables to its customers across the Middle Eastern and Asian MRO industries.

“Airlines and MROs today have the power to affect the quality of the products and BSB Aviation empowers them by offering value,” Rubi states.

“Benefiting from a great market position, vendors like us have the power to open new sourcing channels. We are doing so by standardising products to complement the current supply and lower market pricing.”

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Working in this way, BSB has quickly established itself as a key supply and distribution firm amongst regional aerospace players, a feat that has seen the it grow exponentially in the seven years since its inception.

“Our head office is located in Singapore, however, we recently incorporated a company in Sharjah UAE in order to better cater to our Middle Eastern customers,” Rubi explains. “Further, this year a key goal of ours is to set up a Spanish base that will act as a facilitator in the convergence of our European teams.”

Alongside this already expansive

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... this year a key goal of ours is to set up a Spanish base that will act as a facilitator in the convergence of our European teams”

footprint, the company has a strong local presence in India for both MRO support and more specific Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) and Electrical Wiring Interconnection Systems (EWIS) support.

“2019 will also see our attention turning to a number of projects in Shanghai as we witness massive growth within China’s airlines market,” Rubi continues. “These things, combined with a well-established supply chain in Europe, the USA and India, really provide us with a global reach, working with renowned businesses such as Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries.”

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AN INSIGHT INTO THE AVIATION MRO MARKET According to statistics from international consultancy firm Oliver Wyman, the global in-service commercial airline fleet is forecast to grow from nearly 25,000 aircraft to 35,000 by 2027.

With this in mind, the MRO industry will have to change substantially over the next decade to meet evolving demands that are being driven by a range of factors including growth, geographic shifts, fleet mix trends and new technologies.

With the average retirement age of commercial aircraft remaining at just 18 years, rising withdrawal numbers are expected to fuel the growing used serviceable material market – a market that has substantial potential in regard to reducing material costs for airlines and MRO players.

OEMs are also expected to increase their share of the aftermarket by pursuing revitalised strategies, many of which have already proved to be successful.

Alongside this, new generation aircraft (built after the turn of the millennium) readily provide improved operating costs and new technologies that have required, and will continue to require, substantial investment. This includes new construction materials such as carbon fibre composites, hybrid alloys, special coatings and new data collection measurement tools designed to provide advanced prognostication capabilities.

The major barrier within this is that many systems are not yet proven but still require substantial investment.

Perpetual philosophy, adaptable approach

Owed to this rapid expansion has been the company’s overriding ethos, tailoring its approach to each individual client by working with a range of OEMs and remaining adaptable in order to allow its customers to see the best results at minimum cost.

Monitoring current trends closely, BSB has recognised that smart cost management has been placed high on the agenda of many firms, more so than traditional

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EME cost cutting initiatives. However, the different elements of smart cost management often vary from one company to the next, something that has led BSB to its case-by-case approach.

“In simple terms, BSB Aviation’s key purpose is to serve its customers by catering to their bespoke needs,” states Rubi. “In many ways we make things difficult for ourselves. Our business is not carved in stone, and a large part of our model calls for flexibility on a daily basis.”

For Rubi, working in such a way is very much a delicate balancing act, ensuring that the company’s image and services remain relatively stable, whilst also adhering to the unique and ever-changing requests of its clientele.

“I must admit, it’s a tricky exercise,” he reveals. “In order to proactively avoid major issues, we encourage open space environments, cross-team brainstorming, problem solving and most importantly lateral thinking to avoid falling into traditional decision making.

“Ultimately, we’re working in a very innovative and evolutionary industry, so to keep pace it is crucial we work in equally innovative and evolutionary ways. In my view, in a rapidly developing industry, rapid process changes ensure competitiveness.”

Emphasising quality over quantity and focusing on achieving maximised customer satisfaction above all else, the company’s growth has remained an organic process, securing both new and repeat work off the back of its consistent results.

Compromise incorporated

Evidence of this approach can be found in one of BSB’s diversified business units, named BSB-TRONIX – a division that is tasked specifically with supplying aerospace OEM subcontractors with electronic and interconnection components.

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Backed up by the firm’s ability to support a vast range of aircraft, including seven Airbus models, two ATR models, four Boeing models, seven Bombardier CRJ and Embraer models respectively, and four Airbus Helicopter models, BSB-TRONIX has equally excelled alongside the wider BSB Group on the global stage.

Whether it be wires, connectors, passive components or alike, BSBTRONIX allows the company to operate both in the aftermarket and MRO phase, and directly within the manufacturing sphere.

“We supply the equipment manufacturers in one phase, and the end users in another,” adds Rubi. “Working at both ends of the spectrum, we frequently supply the manufacturers before the aircraft maiden flight, long before it enters our customers’ hangars, offering us a head start on aftermarket supply and product technical knowledge.”

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Equally, following the introduction of Saudi Arabia’s new low-cost airline, Flyadeal, BSB Aviation has sought to offer an even wider range of low-cost aftermarket solutions, particularly emphasising cost efficiency and safety

EME as a driving force behind this initiative.

Rubi continues: “Our experience in selling standard items and proprietary parts gives us a clear objective view of the market. Many leading stockists offer basic customer needs with

BSB AVIATION’S PARTS PORTFOLIO The company’s cabin, avionics and airframe products include: Airbus & Boeing Standard consumables, Actuators, Bellows, Bolts, Circuit Breakers, Connectors, Emergency Equipment, Escutcheons, Extinguishers, Filters, Fittings, Lights, Gaskets, Hoses, Igniters, Insecticides, Insulation Blankets, Latches, Leather, Lenses, O-rings, Panels, Relays, Roller Shades, Screen Screws, Shades, Seat Belts, Sensors, Shields, Studs, Sensors Sunvisors, Tubing, Valves, Washers…

The company’s services include: • Custom manufacturing management with EASA / FAA / CAAC certification for all parts (PMAs and EPAs).

• Refurbishment & Equipment, Cabin LED Lighting Systems and ELTs. • Rotables Repair Management.

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undeniable quality, but lack strong technical knowledge and flexibility to offer solutions in conflict with their current product offering.

“This is where we come in.

“Proposing buyer furnished equipment (BFE) with carefully selected manufacturers to maximise future returns on investment after aircraft delivery is one example of this, while our in-flight entertainment solution can save airlines up to 40 percent when compared to traditional offers.”

Remaining adaptable, BSB is able to access a multitude of benefits, positioning itself at the core of elevating markets and gaining a competitive advantage.

Accommodating opportunity

Coupled with its accentuation on flexibility, key to BSB Aviation’s success is the internal platform that it provides to its staff, allowing them to thrive for both personal benefit and in the company’s interest.

Providing opportunities to people from a variety of different backgrounds has remained a key philosophy of BSB from the outset, opting to offer its staff in-house training and day to day educational opportunities that have since seen the company team excel.

“We believe in people’s skills and creativity,” explains Rubi. “We often see a lack of industry experience as a good thing when looking at the bigger picture.

“Hiring in such a way allows us to ensure that our mindset and strategy is well applied for our customers without the interference of certain bias or past experience that may, out of habit, be detrimental to our unique ways of working. Our staff are free to explore any opportunities or initiatives so long as it serves our

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customers in a positive way.”

This is not to say that BSB’s employees aren’t adept in dealing with complex problems, however, with the firm recently focusing its training centre topics on subjects as intricate as engine wiring systems.

Again, opting to take a differentiated approach towards a core aspect of the business, BSB Aviation is able to further gain competitive advantages, benefitting from significant employee retention and a highly skilled workforce that readily gain insights into new experiences and techniques during each and every working day.

Setting an example

Currently expanding on all fronts, Rubi is quick to iterate that new opportunities are constantly being provided to ambitious people, particularly in the face of BSB’s current investment plan – a plan that aims to grow the firm’s physical presence and footprint across the globe.

“Any job applications are welcomed from the USA, South America, and China territories, regions that we are looking to take on new staff in support of our current development plans,” affirms the company Founder.

Expanded employment, however,

We care deeply about the environment, and in the knowledge that we have to emphasise sustainability, we are actively looking to ensure that we prevent the unnecessary use of resources”

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makes up just one aspect of BSB Aviation’s exciting prospects for the year ahead, a year that will also see the company striving to achieve AS9120 certification – renowned as the ISO 9001 for aerospace companies.

Having already achieved ASA-100 and FAA AC00-56B certification, BSB Aviation is readily distinguished amongst both OEM supplier and major

airlines and MROs worldwide.

Recognising its position as a major market influencer, BSB is keen to act responsibly on all fronts, not only when it comes to its own operations, but equally throughout its wider corporate activities.

To this end, alongside its efforts to achieve AS9120, the business is currently implementing a document

management solution that will soon allow it to become 100 percent paperless.

“We care deeply about the environment, and in the knowledge that we have to emphasise sustainability, we are actively looking to ensure that we prevent the unnecessary use of resources,” adds Rubi.

All things combined, it is evident

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that there is a lot for Rubi and his team to be excited about as BSB moves through 2019. However, despite reaching lofty heights, the firm remains grounded and ever-adherent to its key ambitions of reducing costs for its customers and maximising satisfaction and results.

Evidence of this comes from Rubi himself, with the Founder having observed that manufacturers often have diverse business models for the aftermarket, something that has seen BSB Aviation juggling with OEMs that equally have different beliefs in regards to the airlines.

BSB AVIATION’S CONSULTANCY SERVICES Alongside its extensive product portfolio, BSB offers free consultancy services to start-ups and companies in urgent need of business development. This free of charge work is offered across three different segments:

Image: copyright Aviaintercom

Strategy Includes distribution network optimisation, setting up partnerships with customers, suppliers and distributors, and defining sales and purchasing strategies.

Aircraft cabin products are a particular BSB specialism

Tactics Involves the establishment of purchasing and logistics contracts, as well as analysis inventory composition.

Operations Entails demand planning and forecasting, parts sourcing and purchasing, alongside goods receiving and inspection.

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Many BSB products ensure in-flight safety on aircraft

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“Some manufacturers believe airlines have to pay full price, whilst others feel they should get the cheapest price,” explains Rubi. “From distribution to resell to random discounts, manufacturers have many varying pricing strategies – something that causes us challenges as we attempt to strengthen relationships and offer end-user market stability.

“At BSB Aviation, this is the challenge that we work to overcome by limiting and planning shipments, and transparently communicating between the OEMs and end users, all the while ensuring that transactions are the cheapest to standard.”

BSB ensures buyers are assured accordingly in multiple ways, provided with access to innovative key performance indicator platforms that allow the company’s customers to monitor its own performance.

“We also believe in customer

freedom to experiment on their own, and this is why a non-binding gentlemen’s agreement on pricing, offering flexibility to both sides, is to be renewed regularly, exclusively perpetuated by trust,” Rubi continues.

Driven by an idea that the spares market should be dictated by the end users themselves, BSB’s approach has seen it establish a world-renowned brand that continues to take plaudits from satisfied customers.

Soaring into a new aviation era

The firm also aims to use innovation and technologies to achieve its goals and remain ahead of the curve.

According to a report last year from global management consulting and professional services firm Accenture, the aerospace and defence industry is grappling with the disruptive forces of technology more now than ever before.

EME Statistics taken from Accenture’s survey reveal that 97 percent of aerospace executives are willing to digitally reinvent their business and industry – statistics that undoubtedly encompass BSB, a firm that has been openly looking to improve its operational portfolio with technology from the outset.

“Innovation is key,” states Rubi.

“We have entered a new digital era, where AI will be decisive in any industry. Considering aviation more specifically, in my view AI will assist industry players in making the industry both safer and more productive.”

Abiding by this opinion, BSB-TRONIX has been experimenting with AI, looking at its potential application within the aerospace aftermarket.

“Product development is of the utmost importance, and new technologies, combined with collaborative opportunities between MROs and vendors, can play a key role in improving this,” Rubi continues.

“On technologically-enabled platforms, we can team up and sell commonly developed products to increase revenue.

“This is something that is still in development, but I guarantee it will benefit our customers with new filtering solutions.”

Working with the latest technologies in the aim of achieving improved output and efficiency, coupled with the firm’s overriding customer satisfaction-centric ethos, it is undeniable that BSB will continue to be an engine for aviation innovation around the world for years to come.

BSB Aviation Tel: (Singapore): +65 6635 8313 contact@bsbaviation.com www.bsbaviation.com

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Mark Barge, Managing Director

Leveraging the latest technologies and proactively capitalising on emerging trends, Ricardo Performance Products continues to fuel the high-performance automotive revolution Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

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otorsport epitomises the very best of innovation and engineering, continually combined in new, ever-advancing ways that provide a platform for incremental improvement.

Formula One is the pinnacle of this, each car comprising 80,000 carefully positioned components that are uniquely and individually scrutinised through rigorous testing and technology-enabled analysis.

The rapid evolution of highperformance vehicles that has been experienced in recent decades and the often-astounding capabilities of current models are testament to the expertise of manufacturers and engineers, such as the experts at Ricardo Performance Products.

As the manufacturing arm of global engineering, environmental and strategic consultancy Ricardo, the

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firm’s Performance Products division pioneered early hyper cars such as the Jaguar XJ220 and McLaren F1 and today continues to work with a range world-renowned global brands, from Volkswagen’s Bugatti Chiron to Aston Martin’s Valkyrie.

However, in line with the evolution of the automotive market, Ricardo Performance Products’ capabilities have diversified in recent times, with the firm now operating across a broad range of advanced manufacturing segments.

“Originally a manufacturer of prototype and race car transmissions, Performance Products has grown to support niche assembly in transmission, engines and complete vehicles and is now well established as the manufacturing specialists within Ricardo,” explains Martin Starkey, Business Development Director for the division.

AMADEO MARTI CARBONELL

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madeo Martí Carbonell, S.A. (AMC) is a casting and machining supplier for the automotive industry. Founded in 1958, AMC is specialised in high precision machining of aluminium and iron components such as engine cylinder heads as well as complex aluminium gravity casting and high pressure die casting.

The company is based in the Castellón province in Spain, located on the eastern coast of the country, and is recognised around the world as leading specialist operating in this niche.

AMC is a one-stop shop for aluminium components, which has been able to thrive within the industry due to its flexible company mentality, which translates into manufacturing for a wide range of clients and projects.

From high complexity and low volume parts, to low risk and high-volume ones, including safety and structural parts, AMC is able to cater to all client needs.

Furthermore, AMC has experience taking projects from the early development phases up to serial mass production.

Currently, AMC holds over 36 CNC machines, six casting centres, three HPDC machines, 3D sand printing machines and a brand-new laboratory within its main production plant.

AMC has developed a strong relationship with RICARDO UK over the last years through the development of high-performance engine components.

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Engine assembly

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The experience gained over decades, combined with the continued expansion of our product range and with the training of highly qualified personnel has turn the company AMC in a world reference in terms of casting and machining of aluminum and iron.

Crta. Villavieja 76, 12520 Nules, SPAIN | +34 964 65 94 94 | dpto.ventas@amc.es | www.amc.es

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Innovative and diverse

Currently employing more than 300 people globally, Performance Products provides turnkey production solutions in an adaptable way across a variety of global industries.

The firm prides itself on its unrivalled ability to deliver best practice, modern automotive products and services across each and every one of its projects, regardless of complexity.

“Central to our success is our proven approach to niche volume manufacture, focusing on truly integrated product development and manufacturing capability through the life of the project,” Starkey explains.

“Whether it is assembling an engine for a supercar or a transmission for a monorail, there is usually a process whereby a number of critical steps need to be completed in a repeatable way – processes that we have

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become accomplished in completing while consistently adhering to strict manufacturing controls.”

Through an emphasis on diversification and innovation, the company has developed a broad range of new and advanced manufacturing tools that, combined with its expert operators and supporting digital infrastructure, give Performance Products a distinct competitive advantage in niche volume manufacturing.

“Examples of this include humanmachine interface systems supporting the operator with digital work instructions and Wi-Fi controlled tooling to plant-wide virtual Andon systems,” explains Starkey. “These assist management in monitoring plant performance and build issues, among other things – typical in high volume manufacturing but more unique in the world of niche volume production.”

RICARDO PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS: THE BASICS The Performance Products business accounts for around 20 percent of the Ricardo Group’s entire revenue.

The division manufactures and assembles high-quality prototypes and niche volumes of complex engine, transmission and vehicle products.

These are designed either in house by the firm’s various design and engineering experts or by Ricardo’s customers themselves.

Its operations include a UK-based highly flexible transmission manufacturing facility at its Midlands Technical Centre and an engine assembly facility at its Shoreham Technical Centre, alongside a global support network spanning the UK, the US, the Netherlands, Italy, the Czech Republic and China.

L3 MACDONALD HUMFREY AUTOMATION

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3 MacDonald Humfrey Automation evolved its capabilities within the automotive sector, some 30 years ago and today, with more than three decades of varied experience, we remain a leader in supplying turnkey systems to the automotive industry.

As a leading global systems integrator, L3 MacDonald Humfrey Automation is committed to delivering technical innovation and customer satisfaction.

Our clients include some of the most iconic and prominent brands in the automotive industry, and we are proud of our long-standing relationships with key partners and this is no better reflected than in our partnership with Ricardo UK Ltd. Our expertise enables us to provide total systems integration with PLC, HMI, software development, manufacture and assembly of control and electrical panels, testing and commissioning.

To ensure that every project we are associated with runs smoothly we both manage and deliver each element of the control and automation process to deliver a fully integrated, innovative solution. We combine state-of-the-art solutions with in-house resources, knowledge and expertise to deliver a solution that works for our partners and clients.

L3 MacDonald Humfrey Automation has been at the forefront of systems integration for nearly 30 years and with our in-depth understanding of how to develop a ‘digitalxxxxxxxxxxx twin’ for real-world Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx installations we can point to exceptional results.

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YOUR TRUSTED AUTOMATION PARTNER. Delivering innovation through turnkey automation, robotics and IT solutions.

L3 MacDonald Humfrey Automation is a leading global systems provider of automation solutions for automotive, manufacturing, aerospace, aviation, process and logistics applications. As a leader in collaborative robotics, we are at the forefront of developing automation solutions that enable our customers to stay ahead. We are their partner of choice.

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Remaining adaptable

The development and implementation of such systems is an inherently important part of Performance Products’ investment programme, but it makes up just one small portion of this extensive agenda.

Research and development is key to the division’s ability to stay ahead of the curve and provide the latest and most advanced products and services to its clients, enabling it to satisfy their complex demands. For this reason, Performance Products constantly seeks to improve and update its operating model.

“Alongside new intelligent systems, we continually invest in our manufacturing sites in the UK,” Starkey reveals. “In our transmission technical centre in Leamington we have recently added additional capabilities to both our machining facilities and our end of line test cells, improving our offering in emerging electrified motorsport sectors.

“Equally, in our engine assembly plant down in Shoreham we have made significant upgrades to both the engine assembly line and the supporting logistics centre, ensuring we can meet the demands of tomorrow.”

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With these upgrades providing new challenges in the way of staff training, Performance Products ensured that the implementation and transition was seamless by allowing its employees to familiarise themselves with the new systems through the use of VR technology to simulate the new factory prior to installation.

To this end, the company was able to implement the new systems quickly and effectively while adding flexibility and capacity. Starkey adds: “These changes were installed over just a three-week period in August 2018 when the plant was undergoing its annual shut down.”

Capitalising on current trends

Such investment practices are not limited to the firm’s capital either.

Equally, Performance Products ensures that its staff are continually educated so that they can effectively meet any shifts in the market and become qualified in using the latest manufacturing techniques and technologies.

The firm’s work in the electric vehicle market is one such example of this – a market that is increasingly finding its way into the high-performance automotive segment.

In response to this rising trend, Performance Products invested in training its staff in electric vehiclerelevant areas, a strategy that has since paid dividends, with the firm having developed supply chain and manufacturing capabilities in the production of high-performance traction batteries and development of electric axles for automotive drivelines.

“Such requirements and capabilities have spilled over into motorsport where we are now developing and supplying transmissions for several teams in Formula E,” Starkey reiterates.

These expanded innovative activities are testament to Performance Products’ emphasis on current trends,

FINECAST FOUNDRY

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inecast Foundry is a specialist manufacturer of high integrity aluminium castings, accredited to BS EN ISO 9001: 2000 and AS9100 aerospace standards.

It provides customers with a comprehensive solution for their prototype to production requirements: casting design and 3D simulation, rapid prototyping, tooling/pattern manufacture, CNC machining and nondestructive and inspection facilities.

Finecast is now also producing copper and steel products for global automotive, defence, maritime and petrochemical industries.

Managing Director Chris Gratton-Healey comments: “As a prototyping foundry, every design is a new concept and I think that’s reflective of the British attitude of being ingenious, creative and not saying no to a challenge.”

www.finecast.co.uk

FORMBEND

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ormbend was founded in 1966 and is your one-stop shop for outstanding manufacturing expertise in tube manipulation.

We use the latest CNC / CMM forming technology across a suite of tube bending and end-forming machines, all backed by our in-house tooling manufacture and jointing technologies such as TIG, MIG and brazing expertise to provide customer delight to companies across the UK and Europe.

Formbend has been a preferred supplier to Ricardo for over 14 years supplying over 200 different components for various high-performance vehicles.

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Providing

QUALITY. PRECISION. EXCELLENCE Finecast Foundry are world class suppliers of non ferrous high integrity precision sand castings.

We are committed to providing our customers with outstanding engineering solutions that are focused upon the complete manufacture of high quality products.

Extensive in house manufacturing facilities provide our customers with a single source supply route. The involvement of experienced foundry and machinist personnel ensures delivery of a quality finished cast product to your lead time.

+44 (0)1903 716471 | enquiries@finecast.co.uk www.finecast.co.uk

We turn pipedreams into reality Formbend is renowned for the highest quality service in tube manipulation, having over 50 years of experience within the industry.

Offering an efficient, cost-effective and flexible service is at the forefront of our business.

Formbend specialises in producing tubular components and welded assemblies. We pride ourselves on constantly evolving our processes, using the latest tube bending technologies and the brain power of our ever-growing skilled workforce in order to provide an exceptional level of service - turning mind-bending possibilities into reality.

0121 557 0555 email@formbend.com www.formbend.com

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a forward-thinking approach that is equally reflected by Ricardo’s graduate programme.

Operating an accredited scheme, the group provides young and talented graduates with the opportunities to hone their skills, bolster their experience and broaden their knowledge in a hands-on environment, whilst also helping to bring in new ideas and thought processes throughout the business, including the Performance Products division.

“As a leading employer of engineering, scientific and other professional skills, we focus our efforts on investing in the future by working with young people via our local schools and colleges,” explains Starkey. “STEM is our focus.

“Examples of this include our awardwinning work experience programme, where 40 students were each provided with work experience opportunities in the year, supporting a number of events

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for local schools in our Shoreham-based Centenary Innovation Centre.”

Partner perfection

Combined with these extensive investments, proactive approach and innovative culture is Performance Products’ own robust network of esteemed suppliers, a network that is crucial to its own success.

Much like its own philosophies, many of the company’s business partners remain flexible, something that is integral within the niche volume environment.

“Over many years Ricardo Performance Products has worked hard to establish a leading approved supplier list that not only has the technical pedigree to support such levels of complexity but also, in many cases, has an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the demands that exist in our particular industry,” explains Starkey.

TRIDAN ENGINEERING

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ridan Engineering, established in 1968, is an efficient organisation approved to AS9100, ISO 14001 and an approved supplier to major organisations throughout the UK, Europe, and USA. We supply to all sectors from aerospace and defence to motorsport, using the latest 5-axis, horizontal and sliding head machining centres, providing standards of quality and service which, we believe, can only be matched by a few companies in the field.

Our latest machining centre is a Mazak i-500 with a 6-pallet system, giving us a total of six 5-axis machining centres.

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“We take great pride in our key partnerships built within our supply chain, and the ever-expanding in-house supplier quality function continues to work hand in hand with our partners to identify, investigate and implement efficiency and productivity gains that benefit all parties.”

More recently, the firm has dramatically sought to expand the geographical reach of this supplier network to bolster its capacity, evident in the number of partnerships that it has agreed with companies in the Far East who are able to better cater to its growing niche volume programmes.

Striving for a sustainable supply chain that is able to meet both immediate quality and delivery targets and offer strategic guidance on design and manufacturing process in this way, often leveraging the latest technologies, Ricardo’s supplier partners play a fundamental role in maintaining its continued success.

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Your Leading Contract Manufacturer Tridan Engineering Ltd can provide the full range of services expected from a modern engineering partner. Our state of the art CNC machining centres enable us to manufacture a wide range of precision components from large castings to prismatic parts. Our facility is also complimented by our manual finishing and air conditioned assembly area, with a downdraft bench and ultrasonic cleaning facilities.

In turn, our machining is backed with an experienced team of specialist engineers, IT and support staff providing unparalleled levels of technical and IT support and a solid Supply Chain Management structure.

Finally, our partners can be assured by the security offered by our AS9100 accredited ‘one stop’ manufacturing facility.

Contacts Michael Lynch – Sales Director – michael@tridan.co.uk Sales Office – tridansales@tridan.co.uk T: 01255 424937 E: info@tridan.co.uk

“The key relationships that have been developed over a number of years consistently prove to provide us with the ability to meet all aspects of our clients’ requirements whilst maintaining a continuous improvement mentality throughout the value stream,” Starkey adds.

Establishing electrification

All things combined, Ricardo Performance Products has been able to successfully establish an esteemed reputation, differentiating itself by consistently delivering some of the most advanced powertrain products for some of the world’s most impressive vehicle models.

Achieving this to the highest quality standards whilst working in what is typically a very different volume sector is a hallmark of Ricardo Performance Products and something that Starkey is particularly proud of.

“Almost any challenge is met

and addressed by our staff, a team consisting of a multitude of different specialists with experience in manufacturing in low volume,” he explains. “This team is supported by a well-developed and proven global supply chain that is equally

www.tridan.co.uk

experienced in this niche.

“Ultimately these elements work together to successfully deliver programmes in timescales that few competitors could achieve.”

Based on this proven model, Starkey remains optimistic about the coming years as the firm aims to diversify into new sectors and bolster its existing capabilities.

He concludes: “I expect the next five years to be dominated by a continued drive into electrification and would expect Performance Products to successfully established its niche volume, high performance battery manufacturing capabilities to match its current engine and transmission capabilities.”

Ricardo Performance Products Tel: +44 (0) 1273 455611 info@ricardo.com www.ricardo.com

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C ompanion Hungary’s Inno-Comp is on a mission to become the region’s most prolific producer of PP compounds, continuing its work as a vital supplier to manufacturers serving a range of industries Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

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olypropylene – an unassuming thermoplastic polymer to many, but one that is worth tens of billions of dollars.

Also referred to as PP, polypropylene supports a huge variety of applications, from packaging of consumer products to plastic parts for the automotive industry.

We come into contact with it every day. Whether it be from using our household appliances, electrical goods or DIY tools, all of these contain some form of PP compound, a reality which translates into a projected market value of $28.2 billion by 2025.

This represents an average market growth of 7.6 percent a year, making PP compounds the second largest polymer business in the world and responsible for 25 percent of all polymer demand.

In Europe, Hungary’s Inno-Comp is seeking to ride on this wave of momentum.

A producer of PP and other speciality compounds for the automotive industry, household and electrical goods, and pipes, fittings and sheets, the company was formed as the first integrated polypropylene compounding business in Central Eastern Europe in 1999.

Built on a vision

Günther Wenth is Inno-Comp’s owner, building the business out of a joint venture with Hungarian petrochemical company TVK, now known as MOL Petrolkémia.

“We set up with a vision of being the largest PP compounding company in the region,” he recalls, “and the first real breakthrough came in 2001 when we secured our first big contract with an OEM.” In the same year TVK sold its share back to the business, but this did not alter Wenth and Inno-Comp’s ambition.

“In a management-buy-out, InnoComp was privatised and continues to be a private company,” Wenth continues. “From that moment onwards, the organisation invested into new lines and enlarged its business.”

Inno-Comp expanded step by step, gaining market share steadily and expanding operations into Slovakia in 2005 and the Czech Republic in 2008 with the opening of a new plant.

While the financial crash may have struck in 2008, the company continued to grow and last year saw 30,000 tonnes of production capacity added at both its Hungarian plant in Tiszaújváros (east of Budapest) and its Czech facility in Litvínov (north of Prague).

AN INTRODUCTION TO INNO-COMP From its manufacturing bases in Hungary and the Czech Republic, Inno-Comp produces materials under the brands INNOPOL and INNOBATCH. Besides PP compounds, the company manufactures special products using PS, PA, PE, ABS and others.

These compounded materials have enhanced physical properties and are suitable for producing strong, stiff, impact resistant, cold resistant, pressure-tight and chemically resistant products.

Inno-Comp’s three major application fields are: Automotive: Includes use in lamp housings, engine covers, door panels, seat covers, bumper parts and hubcaps.

Household/electrical appliances: Includes use in washing machines, dishwashers, irons, hairdryers, lighting fixtures, sockets and DIY parts and tools.

Pipes, fittings and sheets: Includes use in water supply and discharge systems and heating systems, pipes for a range of use cases and sheets for containers.

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Inno-Comp was formed as the first integrated polypropylene compounding business in Central Eastern Europe in 1999

“In the past few years, Inno-Comp has shifted from a commodity compound supplier to specialties, and the expansion means we can keep up with the increasing compound demands of the automotive, household and electrical industries,” Wenth adds.

Polymer partner

Asked what lies behind Inno-Comp’s continuous growth story of the past decade, Wenth is quick to point out its approach to client relationships.

“I believe our major strength is in partnership,” he says. “We offer a solid transparent supply structure and our clients can trust our stable product quality. During our investments with customers we always pay special attention to maintaining our flexibility and fast reaction time.”

From 25-kilo bags to 25-tonne bulk orders, the company is able to cater

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to almost any demand in volume.

“We also believe in communication,” Wenth continues. “During several years of cooperation with our partners, there are conflicts of interest, but if we talk to each other, a solution can almost always be found.

A fast decision-making process within the company having a flat organisation structure is very much supportive.”

This same collaborative approach is taken in regard to Inno-Comp’s supply chain network, established and built on long-term partnerships.

Quality trumps price in the eyes of Wenth, who says that losing a customer because of a cheap, unreliable supplier is a far costlier exercise.

This also rings true when it comes to

product development and innovation, a vital part of Inno-Comp’s business and one which receives substantial backing, evidenced in its vast and ever evolving product portfolio.

“Continuous product development is an incremental part of our life, a key factor of our success over the last 20 years,” Wenth says. “To stay ahead in the market, we have to focus efforts on development and always look for new solutions and better materials, which also relies on supplier innovation.

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Antistatic agents Lubricants Additive onepack

Flame retardants Antioxydants Light stabilizers

Blowing agents

Clarifying agents

Nucleating agents “Continuous product development is an incremental part of our life, a key factor of our success over the last 20 years. To stay ahead in the market, we have to focus efforts on development and always look for new solutions and better materials, which also relies on supplier innovation”

“We can state that most of the major characteristics of a PP compound are based on the raw material, but compounding technology adds a lot to the final performance of the product. The real fine-tuning of our material is done in the production phase, where during these 20 years we have gained a lot of experience and made a several innovative breakthroughs.”

Safeguarding the future

Such breakthroughs often help InnoComp to become a more sustainable enterprise.

Wenth sees sustainability at the company in two major subcategories, the first being recycling and the drive to cut down on single-use plastics.

Responding to this, the firm aims to replace at least 20 percent of its raw PP needs with recycled material, a scheme which is being delivered by a joint venture activity.

For more information, contact Mr Martin BERMANN Mobile: +43 664 413 4072 www.adeka-pa.eu

The second strand involves using bio-based materials for the likes of fillers and resins which can be used in its products.

Inno-Comp’s drive to become more responsible also involves work with surrounding communities.

Wenth adds: “Charity and social responsibility is an important role of Inno-Comp. The company is made of people and people have to be proud of their workplace.

“Our main focus are the towns where we work. We sponsor cultural and sporting events and schools, like the music school in Tiszaújváros or the ice hockey team of Litvinov.

We have also supported healthcare and other schemes and recently received acknowledgement from the community of Tiszaújváros for our social activities in the city.”

Going global

As well as continuing to support

its surrounding communities in Hungary and the Czech Republic, Wenth outlines Inno-Comp’s vision to transform into a truly global supplier partner for its clients.

Asked what his priorities are for 2019 and beyond, he concludes: “We plan to open sites outside of Europe to meet these expectations.

“We would like to grow, but still keep our main competences. This will be the most difficult job as the complexity of our products and the production will increase as the requirements of our clients evolve.

“What makes the challenge exciting is the development work. Given the requirements are always increasing, industry players are forever allowing us the opportunity to innovate.”

Inno-Comp Tel: +36 49 542 084 innocomp@innocomp.hu www.inno-comp.hu

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The Data Centre Superpower Behind the Digital Economy Next Generation Data is not just Europe’s largest data centre. It’s a flagship facility that’s providing the platform for technological progression Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Ashley Parfitt

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he past four decades have seen the world become transformed by technology, evident in the advent of the internet in 1983. Since then, global connectivity has exploded to say the least.

Recent statistics have shown that there were 4.1 billion recorded internet users spanning the globe as of January 1, 2019, while Google currently processes over seven billion search queries a day.

In line with the global digital

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revolution, many companies’ IT operations continue to become more and more sophisticated, requiring ever more advanced technologies in order to store and manage increasingly complex data.

Contrary to popular belief, such data is stored in physical servers situated in expansive buildings that are the lifeblood of both the internet and huge numbers of progressive businesses.

These buildings, in many cases, are known as data centres.

“The data centre industry is often comparable to the construction industry,” explains Simon Bearne, Commercial Director of Next Generation Data (NGD). “Without good foundations, the development of adequate IT infrastructure is not possible as it will inevitably fall down.

“This is where facilities like our own come in, acting as the hidden face behind the success of global corporations, providing the platform that allows them to embrace digital technologies.”

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SPIE UK is a smart engineering and technology-driven solutions provider for the built environment.

We engineer, manage and optimise smart spaces and places leveraging emerging technologies for our customers that improve where people work, learn and live.

Delivering data centre excellence

Smart Expert design installations for for optimum better efficiencies space utilisation

SPIE, sharing a vision for the future @SPIEUK SPIE-UK

www.spieuk.com

Dedicated on-site expert team

Outstanding value for whole-life results

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CAPACITY SPIE UK

supporting

Helping keep people connected and their data safe.

Experts in the ever-expansive data centre sector, we provide smart, forward-thinking, energy-efficient and innovative engineering solutions that meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s customers.

Principal designer and contractor on all development phases of Europe’s largest data centre, NGD, we deliver full bespoke turnkey solutions, including:

SPIE’s unique collaborative 10-year relationship with NGD is testament to our ongoing support of their critical environments and continuous high-performance engineering delivery:

Mechanical & Electrical

Design and construction of 30+ data halls

HV/MV/LV

Provision of resilient power supply

Fire systems

Innovative design for industry-leading PUE

Building fabric and civil engineering works

Installed private network feeds from a National Grid substation

Commissioning Critical power Full integrated system testing

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Seizing the opportunity

Situated between Cardiff and Newport in South Wales, UK, the NGD facility currently stands at a monumental 750,000 square feet, large enough to freely rotate nine jumbo jets simultaneously across its three floors.

Renowned as Europe’s largest data centre, NGD has invested millions of pounds and expanded rapidly in the 12 years since its inception, when founders and serial entrepreneurs Nick Razey and Simon Taylor identified a major gap in the market.

Realising the struggles of many enterprise organisations, government departments and research establishments when it came to justifying the cost of operating their own servers, combined with the rapidly falling price of fibre networks, the duo decided to redevelop an unused site and create a revolutionary data centre.

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WHAT IS A DATA CENTRE? Data centres are centralised facilities where networking and computing equipment is concentrated in order to collect, store, process and/or distribute large amounts of data.

They are made up of data servers that make data centres, in essence, the saving locations for files accessible from the internet.

As such, data centres are often used by enterprises to house their key business-critical applications and information.

They are composed of a number of technical elements such as routers, switches, security devices, servers, storage systems, delivery controllers and more.

Many large internet companies opt to operate their own dedicated data centres, while other such buildings, including NGD, provide storage services to multiple clients.

About SPIE UK SPIE UK is a smart engineering and technologydriven solutions provider for the built environment. We engineer, manage and optimise smart spaces and places leveraging emerging technologies for our customers that improve where people work, learn and live.

With specialist expertise across all technical aspects of the built environment from concept and design through to operation, we deliver best value for our customers. SPIE provides smart city and smart workspace solutions that consider economics, wellbeing, asset life span, energy efficiency and maintainability.

Data Centre Excellence The digital age is making our world smarter, with growth in data centre demand increasing to meet our needs. At SPIE UK, we provide innovative and energy-efficient solutions to our customers, supporting their needs for criticality and business continuity in the ever-evolving data centre sector.

Our complete range of services means we design, install and maintain data centre engineering installations to the highest standard through our project teams and UK-wide network of highly-skilled mobile engineers. Combined with our whole-life capability, we create solutions for improving building performance and sustainability.

and civil engineering works, SPIE is proud to be NGD’s engineering partner.

To date, SPIE has been responsible for the design and construction of 30 plus data halls and associated facilities. From the first build in 2009, SPIE continues to demonstrate high quality performance through the delivery of end-user focused solutions for critical power and cooling, white space fit-out including partitions, raised access floors and suspended ceilings, all incoming building services and containment, corridors, security space and storage areas.

SPIE’s collaborative approach has created a unique customer relationship, enabling us to work closely, to plan, design and construct data halls and resilient infrastructure to suit NGD’s evolving facility and increasing blue chip customer base. Our on-site team provides feasibility models, cost planning and technical consultancy; a fundamental part of developing and delivering bespoke solutions for NGD and their end clients. An established and fully integrated supply chain ensures that we deliver projects within industry-leading timescales – vital in this fast-moving sector.

NGD Partnership

To ensure site security, our team worked with NGD to design and install a complete security solution; from the gatehouse and perimeter camera systems to the high security fencing and turnstiles, with biometric entry systems on the data halls and a bespoke control room to ensure surveillance around the clock.

SPIE has been NGD’s Principal Designer and Contractor for the 10 years that they have been operating at the Newport site, providing design, installation and commissioning services on all phases of the data centre development. Delivering everything from HVAC, HV/MV/LV power, life safety and security systems, building fabric

Currently delivering the design and installation of three new data-halls with associated power trains, SPIE is committed to supporting NGD to grow and develop secure, flexible data centre solutions for their end user customers, taking their leading facility to the next level.

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“The building, equivalent in size to London Heathrow’s Terminal 5, had been standing empty for several years,” reveals Justin Jenkins, the company’s CEO. “Nick and Simon saw the opportunity to repurpose the site as a data centre like no other, and with the Welsh Assembly Government as landlord it was ideal.”

JUSTIN JENKINS, CEO

Appointed CEO of NGD in 2018, Jenkins brings a wealth of IT and data centre industry experience to his role. He has been part of the senior management team at the company for the past 10 years, previously serving as Data Centre Director, Chief Technology Officer and latterly Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining NGD, Jenkins held posts with a number of entrepreneurial technology businesses, and previous to this was with Sony Computer Entertainment for several years in a variety of IT and infrastructure roles.

SIMON BEARNE, COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Bearne joined NGD as Commercial Director in 2016. He has considerable industry business experience gained from senior sales and marketing positions at companies such as Mars, Cable & Wireless Communications, Colt and most recently Claranet, Europe’s largest independent managed services provider.

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To this day, NGD’s location and size remain among its crucial differentiators, not limited by the confines of space and the power limitations that many of its competitors are increasingly struggling with.

“10 years ago, all the major data centres were clustered in and around London, partly to get the metro business affinity, but also because telecommunications bandwidth was expensive and located around the English capital,” explains Bearne.

“However, as bandwidth costs have since plummeted and the digital economy has taken off, our core outof-town business model has proved to be a good bet as global digital players continue to raise their demands for facilities on the scale of NGD. “Unlike many others, we are able to provide our customers with the option of seamless forward expansion whenever it may be required.”

Fast forward to the present day and NGD is home to an impressive and growing list of blue-chip corporations, global cloud service providers and major systems integrators including BT, IBM and Nokia, as well as UK government departments and one of the world’s largest software companies.

Effective and efficient

Despite being a defining factor in NGD’s market-leading scale, the size of the data centre is just one element of its unrivalled stature, with a second such differentiator being its power offerings.

Not only is all power 100 percent renewably sourced, the giant facility is connected directly to the national 400 kV Super Grid. NGD is able to draw as much as 180 MW from the grid, enough to deliver smooth, reliable power to 22,000 high-density racks. Further, discussions are underway to expand this to 270 MW in the future.

STULZ

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TULZ is a long-term supplier to NGD and has been championing the development of air conditioning systems in data centres for over 50 years. This proficiency, together with experience from thousands of successful projects around the world, is reflected in innovative cooling solutions. The company’s air conditioning systems are available in numerous options and stand for quality and reliability. All Stulz cooling solutions are specifically designed for the individual project and business critical environment, where reliability and energy efficiency is paramount.

STULZ UK delivered energy efficient cooling technology as part of NGD’s data centre expansion in Newport – meeting some of the toughest deadlines in the industry. Renowned for its industry-leading, 16-week build-out programmes, NGD specified 114 GE Hybrid Cooling Systems, from Stulz, comprising direct expansion (DX) cooling and free cooling technology.

The hybrid system allows NGD to maximise its energy savings by switching to free-cooling mode, or mixed mode, during cooler months.

“To keep things moving at the right pace, suppliers are required to adjust the design and build of their products in accordance to the build schedule and deliver them just in time for installation to prevent costly delays,” explained Phil Smith, NGD’s Construction Director. He observed that the solution was a “great example of how data centres can work Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx with trusted, reliable and dedicated supply chain partners”.

STULZ UK Ltd First Quarter, Blenheim Road Epsom, Surrey, KT19 9QN T 01372 749666 E sales@stulz.co.uk

www.stulz.co.uk Follow us: Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

STULZ stands for precision air-conditioning of the highest level.

Whether customized or standardized, data center or industrial application, chiller or software; rely on STULZ for your mission critical cooling.

STULZ – your One Stop Shop. www.stulz.co.uk

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“To put this in perspective, 250 MW is the power consumed by a small city, while typical UK data centres are generally found to be in the five to 30 MW range,” reveals Jenkins This connection is unique to NGD, and is a key reason as to why the facility has witnessed zero unplanned downtime since it commenced business in 2009.

The CEO continues: “97 percent of power delivery problems occur as a result of electricity distribution, something that we are able to completely bypass with our direct connection.”

Further, alongside this, NGD has also sought improvement by housing a construction village on-site, encouraging the establishment of a permanent manned core presence for its network of leading contractors such as SPIE, Schneider Electric, Stulz and Vertiv.

Similarly, the company also accommodates staff from many of its OEM vendors, with their on-site presence providing a depth of expertise.

Working closely with its suppliers, NGD is able to both breed close relationships and maintain optimal structural efficiency throughout the business.

“This approach is part and parcel of how we maintain industry leading build times,” states Bearne. “We’ve never been confronted with a customer that needs a bespoke or custom build that we haven’t been able to deliver within a reasonable timeframe.”

All things combined, NGD secures a multitude of cost benefits, with its real estate financials being significantly lower than London and its manpower costs being 40 percent cheaper, while its power costs are 10 percent less than industry standard and build costs almost a third lower than those typically seen in data centres.

WB POWER SERVICES

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B Power Services (WBPS) are a leading critical power specialist that provides critical power solutions, maintenance and hire to customers across the UK. With over 35 years in the industry, operating from our Midlands based head office with regional depots throughout the UK. WBPS has experience in all aspects of power generation working in line with ISO 9001, 14001 & OSHAS 18001 accredited standards.

Our services range from basic supply of generators through to a complete consulting and design service., with project management including initial site surveys, design of systems, installation, testing and commissioning, standard product sales, maintenance packages & hire.

WB Power Services Critical Power Solutions Business Unit Sectors are:

Critical Power Solutions

Bespoke Turnkey power solutions for projects, our in-house design department considers all possible elements of your power requirements including civil work, transformers, control and switch gear, AMF and synchronous controls, generator and UPS, acoustic and complete fuel solutions. Working across a diverse range of industries sectors.

Hire

Extensive fleet of hire generators, fuel tanks, load banks, cable distribution, traffic management, UPS, tower lights and fuel management solutions to hire for planned and emergency power requirements, fully supported by our in-house transport and logistics team.

Maintenance

WBPS provide maintenance packages tailored to your site and contract requirements. WBPS deliver maintenance packages ranging from single site, single set contracts to multi site National Providing prexxxxxxxxx planned Xxxxxxxxcontracts. xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx services , load bank testing & guaranteed emergency response times.

Generator sales A Kohler SDMO Gold Dealer, our standard product sales range’s from 5 kVA to 830 kVA, with larger bespoke solutions available up to 3.3mVA via our special project division. WBPS also supply, and will purchase your used generator sets.

Credit : Joanna Ward WBPS For further Information contact WBPS: T +44 (0) 1159 444 422 E sales@wbpsltd.co.uk

www.wbpsltd.co.uk Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

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WBPS is a Leading Critical Power Specialist WB Power Services have been providing bespoke solutions for over 35 years

Here at WB Power Services, we are proud to be the preferred critical power solutions provider for Next Generation Data. We provide LV and HV packages in excess of 4mW. Our base generator range includes standard units from 10kVA to 3.3mVA, with options for complete synchronising packages too.

Whether you have a small pumping station or a large data centre, WBPS can offer bespoke turnkey power solutions to meet your specific requirements. WBPS specialise in all espects of critical power solutions, including diesel generators, turnkey projects, standard product sales, used set sales and purchase, maintainence and hire, CHP, UPS, HV transformers, switch gear, acoustic solutions, fuel installations and infrastructure upgrades.

Contact us to find out more about our solutions:

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ertiv brings together hardware, software, analytics and ongoing services to ensure its customers’ vital applications run continuously, perform optimally and grow with their business needs.

The company solves the most important challenges facing today’s data centres, communication networks and commercial and industrial facilities with a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions and services that extends from the cloud to the edge of the network.

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, USA, Vertiv employs around 20,000 people and does business in more than 130 countries.

The company owns three flagship brands: • Chloride is a suite of global industrial power solutions designed to meet the most demanding technical specifications and provide safe, reliable power.

Hoping for the best in the event of real-life loss of mains power simply isn’t an option...

Absolute proof comes with black testing” Advancement through adaptability

An innovative company by nature and a market pioneer by name, NGD is equally defined by its forward-thinking approach.

One such example of this can be found in the company’s attitudes towards critical power checks, regularly undertaking full-scale black testing to ensure that its systems and backup power networks will function correctly in the event of an emergency.

“Hoping for the best in the event of real-life loss of mains power simply isn’t an option,” explains Jenkins.

“Absolute proof comes with black testing. “ “Every six months, with the

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permission of our customers, NGD isolates incoming mains grid power and for up to 16 seconds the uninterruptible power supply takes the full load while the emergency backup generators kick in.

“It’s done under strictly controlled conditions and we are only cutting the power to one side of a duplicated infrastructure, but it ensures we operate in the most reliable way possible.”

Similarly, the firm’s technical knowhow and wider services emphasise this admirable attitude, demonstrated by its flexible customerfirst offerings.

Building in a modular fashion, NGD aligns its profiles to customer orders

• Liebert is a global power and thermal management solutions brand, providing leading power and cooling technologies.

• NetSure is a set of power systems which deliver high availability, energy efficiency and scalability for converged networks.

Vertiv operates from sites the world over, a network comprising 28 manufacturing and assembly facilities, more than 250 service centres and 16 customer experience centres and labs.

“We offer unsurpassed global scale Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx and broad expertise, built from our heritage as Emerson Network Power,” the company states in its corporate presentation. “And now as Vertiv, we match industry leadership with the focus and spirit of a startup.”

As well as Next Generation Data, Vertiv serves clients all around the world, including Alibaba, Alstom, AT&T, China Mobile, Ericsson and Vodafone.

T +44 023 8061 0311

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on a case-by-case basis, enabling it to incorporate the latest solutions and technologies to flexibly suit any of its customers’ needs.

“From standard co-location to hyperscale, we can work to any requirements,” says Bearne.

“Ultimately, its our mission to offer enterprise corporations and IT service providers with a worldclass out of town colocation and IT services hosting facility that offers unprecedented levels of space, power and physical security at significantly lower costs compared to London and the surrounding area.”

Further, enabled by its ever-growing Rapid Build Programme, NGD is able to maintain a leading 16-week delivery timescale on any project, all the while maximising economies of scale and maintaining high quality throughout.

Exceeding standards

The firm’s staff are another crucial element of its success, renowned as some of the region’s leading industry experts.

“Skills shortages are not a huge issue for the company,” explains Bearne.

“We’re a major tech business in the

region, so it has become increasingly easy for us to both attract and retain the staff we need as the business has grown.”

Able to draw high performers from across Wales and South West England, described by the UK government as the home of the largest density of technology specialists and companies outside of Silicon Valley, NGD’s staff are well versed in dealing with the most complex and evolved data centre issues.

We’re a major tech business in the region, so it has become increasingly easy for us to both attract and retain the staff we need as the business has grown”

SCHNEIDER ECOSTRUXURE POWER EcoStruxure: Innovation at Every Level EcoStruxure Power is Schneider Electric’s IoT Enabled Power distribution (medium voltage & low voltage) and management architecture that helps Next Generation Data take advantage of the new energy paradigm to improve people safety, increase reliability and business efficiency all in a sustainable way.

Comprising of three layers of technology, EcoStruxure Power brings benefits around network performance, asset management and energy monitoring, as well as full electrical system control.

Connected products: The Internet of Things starts with the best things. Our IoT-enabled bestin-class connected products include breakers, drives, UPSs, relays, sensors, and more. Devices with embedded intelligence enable better decisionmaking throughout operations.

Edge control: Mission-critical scenarios can be unpredictable, so control of devices at the edge of the IoT network is a must. This essential capability provides real-time solutions that enable local control at the edge, protecting safety and uptime.

Applications, analytics, and services: Interoperability is imperative to supporting the diverse hardware and Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx systems in data centres.

EcoStruxure™ enables a breadth of predicative maintenance, remote services, advanced analytics and 24-seven decision making support.

Providing innovation at every level EcoStruxure deliveries enhanced value around safety, reliability, operational efficiency, sustainability, and connectivity to our customers.

www.schneider-electric.co.uk

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Next Generation Data provides highly

data storage & management for its customers with Schneider EcoStruxure Power schneider-electric.co.uk #WhatsYourBigIdea

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However, the company hires a diverse range of individuals, not only basing its decisions and recruitment on expertise but equally alternative skills, as Jenkins reveals.

“Some of our best people are great not because of their technical nous, but because of their attitude and soft skills,” he states. “There’s a strong argument for hiring the right people and then training them up with the relevant skills – something we actively seek to promote throughout the business with multiple initiatives.”

Equally, we’re bringing up cloud gateways so that people in the data centre can connect to the popular public cloud”

Last year alone, NGD invested over £40 million in the continued development of the data centre and its capabilities, and Jenkins is expecting similar figures for 2019.

“Much of this will go into our expansion plans, but we have also Spearheading change been concentrating on enhancing Alongside such initiatives, the company general facilities for client use, from invests heavily on bolstering the meetings suites to additional offices, facility and its capabilities year-on-year, better security, and a new operational investment that has been fundamental centre to better cater to the size and in allowing it to remain well ahead of scale of our facilities,” he states. the curve.

Equally, with the arrival of the hyper-

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connected internet of things (IoT) and the rapid rise in cloud adoption, data centre connectivity will continue to become ever-more crucial – a fact that NGD has identified with its recent investments.

Bearne reveals: “Cloud is fast becoming mainstream, and we’ve invested quite considerably in our carrier relationships. We know that a data centre is only as good as its communications infrastructure, so we have sought to focus on this heavily.”

“It is safe to say that the industry

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is on the up, with more and more projects involving high-performance computing (HPC) and supporting complex technologies such as artificial intelligence that consume more power per unit area.

“All of these things require not only the most advanced IT solutions, but equally first-class connectivity solutions in order to succeed, something that our investments have been helping to ensure.”

Alongside this, the evolution of rack densities remains one of the most promising areas of development in the data centre industry, and is one that the company remains heavily involved in.

“It’s something we absolutely love,” Bearne continues, “and it really plays to the way we’ve always operated.”

“With our custom builds and technical knowhow, combined with our close relationships with vendors, we’re very good at coming up with all manner of bespoke solutions surrounding cooling, stretching right into high performance computing (HPC) – not something that every data centre can do.”

Keeping it simple by concentrating on the basics such as the provision of space, power and cooling, and doing

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so better than any of its competitors by using the best technologies around and best practice, NGD continues to make progress on all fronts.

Pioneering progress

A true entrepreneurial success story, NGD has redefined the way in which outsourced data centre service provision can and should be done in the modern-day digital era.

With its unrivalled space, security, power, resilience and optimal energy management, alongside the provision of multiple high-speed fibre and cloud

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connectivity solutions, the company offers a scalable, future-proof solution, establishing itself as an industry figurehead and world class data centre brand.

Looking ahead, having succeeded in breaking the data centre mould by championing innovation on all fronts, Jenkins asserts NGD will strive, as ever, to achieve new levels of critical facilities and operational excellence in order to go above and beyond.

The CEO concludes: “As the scale, intensity and economics of running data centres continues to heighten, we expect that fewer enterprises will elect to run their own.

“Should this be the case, then I’m proud to say that as one of the most affordable and best independently run facilities, not only in Europe but across the globe, NGD will remain well positioned to capitalise on both new business and expanding market trends as we continue to provide the latest, most effective and most efficient solutions to our customers.”

Next Generation Data Tel: +44 (0) 1633 674 518 info@nextgenerationdata.co.uk www.nextgenerationdata.co.uk

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Transport Transformed

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t is little surprise that the global seaborne container industry is booming.

As the world becomes everconnected, combined with the fact consumer and commercial demands for rapid turnaround times are increasing, the market for efficient, timely shipping is growing.

Take 2017. Container transport across the oceans accounted for 60 percent of all sea trade, activity equating to around $12 trillion in value and forecast to grow at 4.7 percent to the end of 2019.

This growth has been made possible by the massive increase in the size of ships and subsequent capacity of freightliners. Over the last 40 years, deadweight tonnage of container ships has risen from approximately 11 million to more than 250 million tonnes.

However, a second revolution is gathering momentum.

While larger ships have permitted enormous financial growth and helped drive improved living standards across the world, it has come at a monumental cost to the environment.

Just 15 of the largest container ships in operation today match the carbon emissions of every car on the planet.

In country terms, the shipping industry ranks between Germany and Japan as the sixth largest polluter on earth.

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Having introduced a revolutionary mode of containerised transport, Goodpack is expanding its global network to help supply chains across a range of industries to become more efficient and sustainable Writer: Tom Wadlow Project Manager: Richard Thomas

MB9 Container Ideal for applications which require the removal of all four walls

Efficiency of such operations, therefore, is paramount in ensuring that supply chains worldwide continue to fuel the demands of customers and minimise their environmental impact at the same time.

Enter Goodpack. Established and named from a contract to provide a shipping solution to tyre-making giant Goodyear in the 1990s, its inventive, collapsible system has been a gamechanger for the rubber industry.

Company founder David Lam spotted the flaw of splintering woodbased packaging and designed a metal-based, reusable solution that offered an efficient and safe means of transporting valuable rubber payloads.

“In the mid-1980s Goodyear mandated a non-fibre, non-wood packaging for its natural rubber,” explains Goodpack CEO Eric Gregoire.

“At the time Japan was leading the way with metal containers, but the key was that they were not collapsible. The challenge David Lam confronted was making a metal container economically viable, especially in the context of returns from the USA. It took him the best part of a decade to solve the problem and bring a solution to market, but he did.”

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Not only do these leased containers (named Goodpacks) offer superior conditions for transport at a competitive price, they also carry tremendous sustainability credentials.

“Firstly, the reusable nature of the format reduces waste from the start,” Gregoire continues, “and given that it is an alternative to wood in many instances, it also reduces demand for forest resources as well as avoiding wood contamination of the finished products.

“At the processing stage, Goodpacks reduce packaging requirements, increase filling efficiencies, as well as

storage and transport. It also removes the need for wooden pallets which are used with drums.”

Indeed, Goodpacks are designed to increase the fill efficiency of shipping containers and can do so by as much as 29 percent against drums. Further, at the end user stage and due to their collapsible nature, they are more efficient than traditional container solutions to store, transport and empty, leaving less packaging to dispose of.

At the end of life, the containers are melted down and either remade into new Goodpacks or converted into another industrial application.

Formidable footprint

Gregoire was employed by parent company KKR in 2017, which has pursued a bold diversification strategy since acquiring Goodpack in 2014.

While rubber still represents around 80 percent of business, the company has expanded its specialisations into a range of other, fast-growing subsectors such as tyres (downstream), food and beverage, automotive, machine components, chemicals and energy.

These diversifying activities are underpinned by a global network which, for Gregoire, is Goodpack’s key differentiator.

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Comprising four million containers in operation at any one time, the company’s work is conducted through 4,800 global delivery and collection points, 70 depots and 18 subsidiary operations spread over six continents.

“What sets us apart today is less the physical product or SKU, but our network,” says Gregoire. “It is our ability to deliver and collect the containers on a global scale through nearly 5,000 different points, and this requires a lot of planning and work with local companies.”

Such an expansive network relies on a series of tightknit, long-term partnerships with local freight forwarders and depot operators at the frontline of supply chain operations.

When selecting partner companies, Goodpack is uncompromising when it comes to five key values. These include safety, quality, delivery, cash and inventory management and cost,

with long-established, local partners preferred.

In Costa Rica, for example, COANSA manages depot activities for all regional Goodpack customers, serving the region’s food and rubber supply chain.

“COANSA is something of a global ideal when it comes to how to run a depot,” explains Regional President for Europe and Africa Camburn Withers, who comes into close contact with the firm under his food operations remit. “They are absolutely driven by the quality and service they provide to customers, and we use them as a reference point time and time again.

“South America is a food-orientated market for us, and they operate across all the processors for us in Costa Rica.

The word partnership is bandied around a lot, but I would describe COANSA as an extension of Goodpack, and our face in the region.”

COANSA Your partner in Central America Founded in 1986, COANSA partners with top companies from around the world who are interested in accelerating growth by entering Central America.

With regional presence and state of the art facilities, their expertise lies in technical sales (indent and distribution), supply chain and logistics aimed at the region’s industrial sector.

COANSA has been Goodpack’s partner in Central America since 1995, bringing the efficiency and sustainability advantages of Goodpack to, among others, the pineapple and banana processing industries. COANSA’s agro-industrial and aseptic packaging expertise made them the key sales partner, but their logistical and operational capabilities make them an ideal regional depot.

Central America consists of seven countries, each with their own laws and customs. Most companies don’t have the bandwidth to enter and develop each country, hence COANSA: they have sales and distribution activities throughout the region, with clients across more than 50 industrial sectors.

Their operational footprint serves the entire region, starting with their hub in Costa Rica where they own and operate state of the art facilities, including a bonded warehouse.

COANSA believes they are successful thanks to a relentless focus on customer service. It has enabled them to develop the flexibility necessary to continuously adapt to evolving market needs, while Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx creating long term value for all parties.

They pride themselves on an impeccable record of payments and compliance which enables them to work with top financial institutions and companies from abroad.

T (+506) 2239-9590 E hello@coansacorp.com Back in August 2017, Goodpack strengthened its leadership structure at its Singapore operations with key global appointments to enhance its ability to service clients worldwide

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www.coansacorp.com Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

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New opportunities

COANSA’s specialism in the food sector represents the diversification plan being pursued by Goodpack.

Its aim is to become a true supply chain partner across a multitude of industries, with seven distinct regional business units also being joined up with sector specialisms. For example, Withers is the company’s Regional President for Europe and Africa and also the Global Business Unit Director for Food, a subsector which has been served by Goodpack since 1996.

Serving these different markets requires a continual churn of product innovation that involves close dialogue with both customers and manufacturing partners.

SUSTAINABLE CREDENTIALS Sustainability is at the core of Goodpack’s existence. Its containers, for example, provide the following efficiencies: • Sea: 29 percent more product in 20-foot container (vs wood/ plastic bins) • Rail: 10 percent more product in domestic shipments (vs wood/plastic bins) • Land: 12-40 percent savings in transportation/freight costs (vs bins/drums)

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We approach problems with an industry-wide lens but at the same time collaborate closely with customers and discover their specific requirements” “As we look to move into new applications we are getting there with a willingness to solve a problem,” explains Gregoire. “We work with customers to develop a container that will fit their needs, and have recently developed, for example, a prototype for our components business that we hope will fulfil the requirements of the sector.

“We approach problems with an industry-wide lens but at the same time collaborate closely with customers and discover their specific requirements.

“For instance, we developed a container (TomatoCubeTM) for the large tomato processors whereby they told us what the product needed to do, the dimensions and so on,” adds Withers. “They trialled it in their factories and they shaped the format

to make it their own, which is really important.”

Much of this R&D work is coordinated by Goodpack’s Product Development Committee, led by Chief Operating Officer Peet Leong Kok, working with a longstanding manufacturing partner responsible for producing the company’s containers and experimental prototypes.

Not only are the containers at the leading edge of storage and transport solutions, they are backed up by innovative information analytics developed by the company’s digital lab, helping to deliver excellence in supply chain effectiveness, visibility and data intelligence to its customers.

This goal of establishing an end-toend supply chain solution also involves geographical expansion.

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Specialising in the Pontianak & Pasir Gudang feeder container markets!

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The company already has a matured presence covering Europe, much of Asia and North America, with the likes of China, Latin America and Africa, especially in the northwest, representing lucrative opportunities for growth.

Africa’s rubber industry is a particular focus in the North West, while the food sector can be explored through Goodpack’s depot and office setup in South Africa.

“Developing nations are wanting to use more responsible packaging and deal with the problems of waste,” Gregoire adds. “We have a longstanding presence in northwest Africa and want to build on this in places like Morocco, Egypt and Libya.

“These new trade lanes from Europe into northern Africa, especially with synthetic rubber exports, represent a

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We have a longstanding presence in northwest Africa and want to build on this in places like Morocco, Egypt and Libya”

lot of opportunity, and this is without even looking at connecting into these countries’ domestic trade markets.

“Wooden boxes are the norm at the moment, and companies are wanting to adopt new solutions to boost their own competitiveness economically and environmentally.”

Central to the successful execution of Goodpack’s expansive vision is its cohort of professional staff, from its experienced management team to frontline and back office employees who ensure the smooth day-to-day running of the business.

“In a market where finding quality talent is a challenge, Goodpack recognises that there are steps to take to ensure that top talent enters our company and stays,” says Gregoire.

“From work-life balance, diverse culture, strong leadership, staff

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feedback, and creating compelling visions of each employee’s contributions, Goodpack goes beyond traditional engagement and empowerment programmes giving our workers the freedom to succeed.”

A prosperous future

Looking ahead, Gregoire is confident that the second container revolution will continue to gather momentum as more and more companies and supply chains realise the economic and

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environmental value of its solutions.

“There is no choice,” he says.

“Increasingly sustainability and efficiency are linked, so it is simply good business sense to pursue both.

Sustainability, responsible sourcing and efficiency are demanded by every step in the value chain, right through to the consumer.

“And with all these forces aligned through the supply chain, we are seeing increasing focus and investment, a positive desire to

“Wooden boxes are the norm at the moment, and companies are wanting to adopt new solutions to boost their own competitiveness economically and environmentally”

“We approach problems with an industry-wide lens but at the same time collaborate closely with customers and discover their specific requirements”

“In a market where finding quality talent is a challenge, Goodpack recognises that there are steps to take to ensure that top talent enters our company and stays”

EME engage, and a willingness to make changes to long established processes.

There are no sacred cows anymore.

You cannot help but be optimistic in the current environment if you believe in change.”

This growing belief in change is helping to transform the supply chain ecosystem through the uptake of returnable packaging formats, something which the CEO is adamant will grow further, and fast.

“As businesses focus on continuous improvement of both their supply chain and their environmental footprint, it is inevitable that returnable formats will increasingly become a more critical enabler in the global supply chain,” Gregoire continues.

“The increasing demands of that process also serves to drive our innovation pipeline at Goodpack, developing new formats and exploring advanced construction materials to maintain durability while reducing weight.”

This, coupled with the added layer in IoT-based container intelligence, is driving progress, the very reason Gregoire was inspired to join Goodpack in the first place.

He concludes: “I like to enable change. What drew me here was the transformational nature of the business. It has already impacted supply chains around the world and has huge potential to further transform and make them much more efficient and eco-friendly.

“Globalisation and environmental stewardship are two of the most important challenges facing the world right now, and Goodpack can have a positive influence on both.”

Goodpack Tel: +65 6382 1788 www.goodpack.com

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onfronting international issues has become a major trend of the 21st century, and the growth of global waste is one that has warranted increasing urgency and attention in recent years.

Figures from the World Bank forecast that waste generation will rise 70 percent on current levels to 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050, driven by rapid urbanisation and growing populations.

As a result, the need for proper management has become essential in building sustainable communities – a necessity that is being implemented effectively in Iceland by SORPA. Founded in 1989 as a non-profit municipality-owned firm, SORPA handles the waste for not only Reykjavik city but six key districts around the capital area, standing as a national proponent for the promotion of sustainable living.

Serving this region, the organisation runs its operations from 10 different locations; a receiving station, a charity shop for used household goods, its main office, a landfill site and six different strategically located recycling centres.

“We also operate around 85 drop-off centres for recyclables,” explains Björn Halldórsson, General Manager of the organisation. “When combined, this network allows us to provide a broad range of services, receiving, handling, recycling and disposing of all different kinds of waste.”

Making Waste Worthwhile With sustainability high on the global agenda, Iceland’s SORPA has emerged as an exemplary figurehead of waste management with its innovative solutions Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Matthew Cole-Wilkin

With these facilities spanning much of the country’s most populated areas, SORPA caters to the waste management demands of roughly 70 percent of the Icelandic population, encompassing more than 100,000 homes.

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Advocating efficiency

Before anything else, SORPA is driven to ensure that such services are provided at the lowest possible cost, both to the environment and financially.

Working to achieve unrivalled levels of social responsibility in this way, the organisation has continued to face and overcome all kinds of waste management challenges, remaining

SORPA’S TASKS INCLUDE: • Providing and managing a landfill sites.

• Constructing and operating waste reception centres.

• Removing waste from these reception centres.

• Operating waste-to-energy facilities and overseeing the sale of this energy.

reliable and reputable throughout its illustrious history.

In particular, the firm’s emphasis on flexibility and efficiency has been crucial to its success, as Halldórsson explains: “Good planning, the implementation of an effective quality control system and our esteemed workforce have collectively been key to our continued success.

“We continually analyse our existing operations in the aim of expanding our capacity, something that was introduced to great effect with one of our recent restructuring processes.

“Whilst almost all of the heavy equipment we use is owned and operated by contractors, we recognise in certain instances that it can be more economical to manage these ourselves – something we have begun to do in our receiving station.”

Taking this approach, SORPA has become the owner of industry-centric heavy equipment that runs solely on

electricity – a first for Iceland.

Drop-off centre

Waste must be sorted on delivery to recycling centres in accordance with receiving terms

At the receiving and sorting plant, waste is processed and sent for recycling or disposal

The baling of recycling paper before exporting to Stena Recycling in Sweden

Enabling transformation

Having become synonymous with progression since its inception, SORPA aims to continue expanding and promoting sustainable waste management throughout the entire country.

Standing as a prime example of these efforts, the firm is currently building a combined biogas and composting plant that will allow it to handle greater amounts of municipal waste, primarily waste generated from households. Moreover, the facility will produce fertilisers and compost that can be used to fight erosion in Iceland, advancing biodiversity, bolstering nutrition recycling and improving air quality, amongst other things.

Once complete, the facility will have the equivalent impact in CO2 emission terms as of removing 36,000 vehicles off the country’s roads.

• Cooperating with companies in the field of waste recycling when viable.

• Monitoring and contributing to technology developments in the recycling field.

• Dealing with and responsibly disposing of hazardous waste.

• Developing new methods to extract value from waste materials.

• Presenting and promoting new environmentally friendly projects.

• Raising awareness and educating others on the need for sustainable waste management.

• Developing and delivering strategies accordingly.

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UAV mapping and inspection Landfill gas collection and operation Biogas production Wastewater treatment Resource engineering and management Green accounting and GHG reporting Smart technologies and monitoring

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SORPA’s laboratory in Álfnes.

SORPA has worked with masters students from all over the world on projects related to the new biogas and compost plant

“Although this is a flagship project, it is just one of a number of initiatives that we’re pursuing at the moment,” Halldórsson adds. “We’re also looking into the possibility of producing diesel from comingled plastic waste.”

Championing innovation in waste management is a role that SORPA has become familiar with. The organisation has been looking for new ways to tackle industry-centric challenges in the capital area for decades, evident in its production of methane from landfill gas – an initiative it has been pursuing since the year 2000.

“This was a pilot project for not only Iceland but the world, and SORPA has made good progress in controlling the production,” Halldórsson explains.

“Biogas is a good alternative fuel for vehicles and is in fact the only fuel in Iceland certified by the Nordic Swan, the official ecolabel of Nordic nations.

Today, all waste trucks servicing Reykjavik Capital run on upgraded landfill gas, plus two city buses.

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SORPA’S SUSTAINABILITY GOALS “Iceland ensures that it is compliant with the United Nations’ Sustainability Goals, and the Icelandic government has put increasing emphasis on issues specially related to Iceland,” Halldórsson explains.

“This includes educating all people on sustainability, making sure water resources are protected from waste pollution, providing environmentally friendly fuel, enabling the betterment of waste management and air quality, and increasing biodiversity.

“Every year we welcome around 2,500 students of all ages to visit SORPA to teach them about waste management. No other institution or company in Iceland offers such services free of charge to national schools or institutions.”

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Exploring a multitude of ways that waste can be turned into and utilised as energy, SORPA continues to turn curiosity from concept into reality, revolutionising Iceland’s waste management practices.

The SORPA landfill site in Álfsnes is the largest and most developed waste disposal site in Iceland.

All waste for landfill is transported to this site, as is other waste for recycling, e.g. mineral waste and slaughterhouse waste.

Facilitating the future

Biogas upgrading plant

SORPA’s new biogas and compost plant in Álfsnes

Fundamentally, SORPA’s acclaimed approach has been crucial in allowing Iceland to better address the challenges posed by rising waste, both raising awareness and providing effective solutions.

“SORPA’s contribution is vital when it comes to reducing the environmental impact of waste in Iceland,” Halldórsson adds. “Working in this privileged position, we ensure that we play a key role in helping to achieve almost all of the country’s sustainability goals.”

In recent times, Iceland has begun to experience tourism prosperity.

Between 2016 and 2017 alone, visitor numbers rose by 24.2 percent, up from 1.8 million to 2.2 million.

With this in mind, achieving these goals will be highly dependent on SORPA’s ability to accommodate all types of waste in a financially sound and environmentally friendly way moving forward.

“Predictions are that this tourism boom will continue making the future of waste handling a challenge for all involved,” Halldórsson says, “a challenge that we will continue to work to overcome.”

Sorpa Tel: +354 520 2200 sorpa@sorpa.is www.sorpa.is

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Redefining real estate

Event Details WHEN: 21-22 February WHERE: Milan, Italy WEBSITE: www.redevelopmentsummit.com/ europe

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THE REAL ESTATE sector today is burgeoning at a pace where iconic structures, innovation and the everchanging market dynamics keeps project owners and solution providers across the world on tenterhooks.

Prospective buyers and suppliers are eager to understand what it takes for them to make the most of real estate trends and build a strong network for collaborations.

After the tremendous success of the East African, West African and the India editions, GBB is pleased to present the Real Estate Development (RED) Summit Europe, scheduled to take place on February 21-22 at the Sheraton Milan Malpensa in Milan, Italy.

The summit will host 50 handpicked solution providers from Europe and

100 project holders from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

After a meticulous and thorough selection process, the highlight of the RED summit this year will focus on personalised face-to-face meetings, purposeful networking, impactful knowledge sharing sessions and insightful panel discussions.

RED Summit Europe brings together professionals from a gamut of different industry players. The event will ensure that the one-to-one meetings take place with C-level executives or key-decision makers who are abreast with the finest trends in real estate development, providing latest market insights and helping you make decisions that increase your efficiency and success.

Our sole focus would be to identify the challenges faced by the project holders, while sourcing appropriate material suppliers, service providers, and other real estate project related solutions, connecting local businesses with global market leaders who are handpicked based on decades of accumulated experience.

Attending RED Summit Europe will not only maximise networking opportunities, but also adds some variety to your routine. Meeting a whole set of new people, exploring the uncharted territories and enjoying a drink with peers is a bonus.

To participate in the Summit, or to know more about the Summit, visit www.redevelopmentsummit.com/ europe/ or contact GBB at marketing@gbbventure.com.

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The ideal exhibition for energy networking

Event Details WHEN: 5-7 March WHERE: Dubai, UAE WEBSITE: www.middleeastelectricity.com

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HOSTED BY THE UAE Ministry of Energy and based in Dubai, Middle East Electricity provides the opportunity to conduct face-to-face meetings, essential for building and sustaining business relationships in the Middle East.

Leveraging Dubai’s position as the regional re-export hub, the exhibition facilitates access to challenging and hard-to-reach markets through partnerships with distributors and agents. As an annual gathering place for over 1,500 participating companies, MEE provides our exhibitors the chance to judge market demand, gain valuable industry knowledge and develop new areas of business.

The event is split into five key product sectors – power generation,

transmission & distribution, lighting, solar and energy storage and management solutions.

Power Generation at MEE is the region’s leading, largest and longest running trade exhibition for both conventional and stand-by power related product manufacturers and distributors - and the ideal place to meet buyers looking to source products from either sector.

MEE’s longest running and most successful sector, transmission and distribution spans more than eight halls, from the industry’s bellwether international companies to the 23 individual country pavilions, the entire value chain of products is represented here.

One of the exhibition’s fastest growing sectors, the Lighting Hall provides a dedicated space for international manufacturers and distributors to display their products to the MEA market.

Alongside energy storage and management solutions, solar offers three entire halls of renewables, energy management and innovative storage solutions from brands across the world.

In its second year, energy storage and management at MEE is the region’s most comprehensive event for the sector, with international manufacturers showcasing the latest technologies to the region’s leading buyers.

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practices, standards implemented and reinforce their commitment towards gas processing.

Kuwait’s platform for oil & gas industry collaboration

Event Details WHEN: 10-14 March WHERE: Kuwait WEBSITE: www.gpa-gcc-chapter.org

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GPA GLOBAL PROVIDES an open gateway for oil & gas industry professionals to interact with service providers and explore innovative solutions to address their requirements. It is a huge platform for the companies, organisations and bodies associated with the Gas Processing Association’s (GPA) culture and norms to interact and develop business opportunities across various sectors in multiple regions.

GPA Global is an international platform offering great opportunities to the industry members, associations, buyers, distributers, vendors and manufactures to meet and source best of the products in the oil & gas sector.

It will be a great platform for NOC’s and IOC’s to showcase their best

About GPA

Gas Processing Association (GPA) is a professional technical body which is committed to and focused on the generation and dissemination of technical knowledge by providing the region with a forum for the interchange of technology and development in the gas and gas processing sector. Since its inauguration in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 1993, the GPA has successfully run 26 meetings. It is continuing to develop and improve its services to meet the needs of its member companies and their personnel.

The vision of GPA is to be the focal point and the main source of information on the Gas Processing industry in the Gulf Co-operation Council countries (GCC). The mission is to serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas, technology and information that will benefit both the upstream and downstream, Gas Processing Industries, and their Suppliers, with a view towards improving plant operations, health, safety and environmental performance in the GCC countries.

GPA Global 2019 | 27th Annual Technical Conference, Exhibition & Workshop HOSTED BY

Under the Patronage of

H.E. Dr. Khaled Al-Fadhel

Minister of Oil & Minister of Electricity & Water State of Kuwait

10-14 March 2019 | The Regency Hotel, State of Kuwait

March 10 -11 : Workshop March 12 - 14 : Conference & Exhibition

“IMPROVING EFFICIENCY IN NATURAL GAS PROCESSING - WELLHEAD TO MARKET”

ABOUT CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION GPA Global 2019 committee meetings and forums held during the Conference & Exhibition are open to all attendees, providing endless opportunities to meet, share and learn. GPA Global will host its 27th meeting in the State of Kuwait. GPA Global this year is themed to focus on “Improving Efficiency in Natural Gas Processing - Wellhead to Market”.

For Information: Anwar Ali, Manager - Projects M: +965 6551 7596 / +973 3200 1991 E: anwar@iconex.in, W: www.iconexgulf.com

REGISTER NOW www.gpa-gcc-chapter.org

For Marketing: Khushboo Neha, Marketing Executive M: +91 70424 73906, E: Khushboo@iconex.in ORGANISED BY TM

IFE

2019

E V E N T

F O C U S

Experience a taste of tomorrow

Event Details WHEN: 17-20 March WHERE: London, UK WEBSITE: www.ife.co.uk

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NOW IN ITS 21st year, The International Food & Drink Event (IFE) 2019 is returning to the capital this year at ExCeL London, 17-20 March 2019.

Welcoming both British and international buyers, the UK’s leading and largest food & drink industry event is a truly global affair, bringing together 27,000 attendees with 1,350 cuttingedge food & drink manufacturers from 111 countries.

With many brands using IFE 2019 as a platform to launch new products, it offers the opportunity for buyers to experience a taste of tomorrow and explore cutting-edge innovations from within the industry.

IFE 2019 will also bring to the fore exciting trends that will be key for the industry this year, such as health

and wellbeing and the ever-growing plant-based movement, as well as sustainability, craft & artisan and emerging international foods.

With IFE co-located with Pro2Pac, the complete processing & packaging event for the food & drink industry, buyers can access innovations in food, packaging, processing & printing, all under one roof. Together, both events offer unrivalled networking opportunities, as British and international experts in manufacturing, product development, import & export, packaging and food & drink come together for the biennial event.

As well as the product showcases and networking opportunities, the event will also play host to a comprehensive speaker line up in the Talking Trends theatre, providing access to thoughtprovoking, insight-driven content that will leave attendees full of futurefocussed ideas. It will also see industry experts addressing some of the hardhitting challenges facing the sector today. With the industry anticipated to face multiple changes and challenges over the coming year, IFE 2019 is the place to form lasting relationships and gain insights into how to navigate upcoming developments.

To register to attend IFE 2019, please visit www.ife.co.uk

111 Countries

27,000 Attendees

A Taste w o r r o m of To Register to attend at ife.co.uk

1,350 Suppliers

Co-locate d with:

CIPPE

E V E N T

F O C U S

A gathering of global oil giants

Event Details WHEN: 27-29 March WHERE: Beijing, China WEBSITE: www.cippe.com.cn/en

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CHINA INTERNATIONAL PETROLEUM & Petrochemical Technology and Equipment Exhibition (cippe) is an annual assembly of the petroleum and petrochemical industry.

The event has been successfully held for 18 years and has become one of the most influential oil & gas exhibitions in the world. The 19th edition will be held on March 27-29, 2019 at New China International Exhibition Centre in Beijing.

Taking advantage of the growth of oil price, cippe 2019 will continue to invite global oil giants to showcase the latest oil equipment and technology to professional buyers from all over the world, and discuss the prospects of the oil & gas industry with experts and business representatives.

Cippe 2019 will welcome 18 international pavilions from USA, Canada, Germany, Russia, Scotland, Britain, France, Italy, South Korea, etc., and 1,800 exhibitors from all over the world.

Global well-known enterprises including Saudi Aramco, Rosneft, Gazprom, Transneft, Caterpillar, NOV, Schlumberger, Cameron, Honeywell, Philips, Schneider, Dow, Rockwell, Cummins, AkzoNobel, Tyco, Atlas, Sandvik, AKSA, Hempel, API, 3M, E+H, MTU, ARIEL and KSB will all attend.

Last year cippe welcomed around 117,000 professional visitors and 300 buyer delegations organised by government agencies, industry associations and national oil companies.

AIM

S T A R T U P

E V E N T

F O C U S

A perfect platform to raise capital

Event Details WHEN: 8-10 April WHERE: Dubai, UAE WEBSITE: www.aimstartup.com

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LAUNCHED IN 2017, AIM Startup, an initiative of the UAE Ministry of Economy, aims to connect promising startups with investors and business partners from all around the world.

It is set in the heart of UAE’s Annual Investment Meeting, the world’s leading FDI platform for emerging markets and held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

AIM Startup is the ideal platform for startup companies looking to raise capital, expand into new markets and forge meaningful business relationships with major investors,

business leaders, representatives of international institutions and government entities.

On April 8-10, AIM Startup will host the third edition of its annual innovation showcase and pitch competition in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in conjunction with the Annual Investment Meeting and Future Cities Show.

This year, 500-plus promising startups will convene under one roof to meet with investors, corporates, government representatives and industry experts and will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their groundbreaking solutions to a global audience over 20,000 people.

Tier one supplier to the automotive industry

Phone: +44 (0) 1926 814600 | enquiries@auto-fasteners.com | www.auto-fasteners.com